In March 2020, the European Union launched the new Industrial Strategy to guide the green and digital transition and to enhance the resilience and competitiveness of European industrial ecosystems.
This strategy was also incorporated into the European Green Deal, launched in December 2019, which provides a long-term growth agenda for Europe aimed at achieving climate neutrality across the continent by 2050.
The main objective is to establish a fair ecological transition, entailing the collective adoption of circular production models and the integration of social measures to safeguard workers’ rights, job opportunities, and the development of new skills (European Commission, 2020).
The Circular Economy (CE) is an economic model designed to minimize waste and to valorise existing resources through a continuous cycle of use.
In contrast to the traditional linear economy, which follows the “produce, use, dispose” pattern, the circular economy promotes the design of durable products and the repair, reuse, and recycling (3Rs) of materials.
This approach not only helps preserve the environment by reducing ecological impact but also offers innovative and sustainable economic opportunities.
Implementing circular economy strategies can lead to greater resource efficiency, stimulate innovation, and create new “green” jobs.
In this transition, the productive system has a key role, which must serve as a catalyst for change, growth, and innovation.
A radical transformation of production technologies and business models, together with a restructuring of the industrial landscape, is essential to facilitate the shift from a linear to a circular economy.
Firms will need to rethink and develop new business models aligned with a circular approach—managing resources more efficiently and safely, extending their lifespan, reducing waste, and enabling reuse in new production processes.
In this regard, the achievement of CE objectives is intrinsically linked to environmental innovation, understood as a regenerative process aimed at establishing new routines within production processes and rethinking final products.
The survey on circular innovations in Emilia-Romagna and Veneto is among the main activities carried out within the project “GRINS – Growing Resilient, INclusive and Sustainable”, Extended Partnership – Thematic Area 9 “Economic and financial sustainability of systems and territories”, Spoke 5 “Innovation – Ecosystems for the Circular Economy”, as part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) – Mission 4 “Education and Research”, Component 2 “From Research to Business”, Investment 1.3, funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU.
Through a CAWI/CATI survey, a valuable set of information was collected concerning the main characteristics of firms and their innovation strategies—particularly those oriented toward the principles of the circular economy—as well as their use of digital and Industry 4.0 technologies.
In addition, a specific section of the questionnaire focuses on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on firms and their responses to it.
The survey was conducted by the company IZI S.p.A. between October and November 2023 and covers the years 2020, 2021, and 2022.
