Fostering Stakeholder Collaboration to Embrace Circular Economy Principles for a Sustainable Industry

Abstract

Industries face intensifying pressure to minimise waste, decarbonise operations, and embed regenerative practices, yet the adoption of circular economy principles remains fragmented due to misaligned incentives and weak coordination across value chains. This study aims to explain how multi-stakeholder collaboration can accelerate CE adoption at industry level by proposing an integrative conceptual framework. Using a structured review of peer-reviewed English-language scholarship, the study synthesises insights from governance, ecosystem orchestration, and digital-traceability perspectives. The analysis identifies five collaboration levers: shared governance and accountability, interoperable data and traceability, incentive alignment, capacity building for small and medium enterprises, and cross-sector platforms that facilitate experimentation and scaling. The proposed model links antecedents, collaboration mechanisms, and outcomes, highlighting collaboration quality as the decisive determinant of industrial circularity. The framework offers scholars, managers, and policymakers a pathway for designing collaborative architectures that mainstream CE practices and foster sustainable industry.

Keywords: Circular economy (CE); Multi-stakeholder collaboration; Industry-level governance; Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR); Digital product passports and traceability; Industrial symbiosis.

DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/18-1-03

Publication date: January 30th 2026