Driving Circular Economy through Industrial Data Transparency - Framework and Case Study

The Circular Economy is vital for achieving emission targets and protecting the planet. This is particularly true for the industrial sector, where recycling, refurbishing, and remanufacturing are essential. These strategies benefit greatly from comprehensive product lifecycle data. However, despite the availability of relevant technological innovations, companies struggle to collect and utilize such data. Our research addresses this challenge by introducing a novel framework to help practitioners integrate existing and emerging digitalization technologies along the product lifecycle. This framework guides the identification, selection, and prioritization of digitalization technologies that enhance the generation and utilization of lifecycle data. Simultaneously, it ensures the efficient integration with overarching Circular Economy strategies. We illustrate the application of this framework through a case study from a publicly funded research project in Germany. The case study focuses on calculating product-specific carbon footprints and integrating this information, enriched with additional data, into operations-level decision-making processes.