Unleashing the role of skills and job profiles in circular manufacturing

Abstract

Circular economy (CE) adoption is spreading worldwide, and it aims at decoupling the creation of value from resource consumption, leading to sustainable and responsible production and consumption as highlighted in the Sustainable Development Goal 12. The circular transition will ask for the transformation of the companies and the workforce, from both qualitative and quantitative perspectives. The set of required skills will be influenced by the circular transition, while the degree of implementation of circular activities will depend on the availability of adequate skills. Nevertheless, the extant literature has not reached a consensus on which competences are required for a circular transition, and few studies have approached this topic at all. This paper presents a systematic literature review to identify and categorize the skills that can facilitate the adoption of circular practices in manufacturing companies. The identified skills were systematically organized within a structured framework extending Porter's Value Chain. Leveraging the literature review's findings, the paper proposes a series of ideal job profiles for circular manufacturing, and it outlines some preliminary education and training paths. This research contributes to the current body of literature and practical understanding on the “human dimension” of circular manufacturing. © 2024 The Authors

Keywords

Author Keywords

Circular economy Skill Competency job Circular manufacturing Circularity SDG 12

Index Keywords

Circular economy Skill Competency Industrial research Circular manufacturing Circular transitions Circularity Decouplings Job Resources consumption SDG 12

Author Affiliations

Economics and Industrial Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, MI, Italy

Funding & Acknowledgements

European Commission, EC

Funding text 1: This study has been partially carried out by the MICS (Made in Italy – Circular and Sustainable) Extended Partnership and received funding from the European Union Next-Generation EU (PIANO NAZIONALE DI RIPRESA E RESILIENZA (PNRR) – MISSIONE 4 COMPONENTE 2, INVESTIMENTO 1.3 – D.D. 1551.11-10-2022, PE00000004). This manuscript reflects only the authors' views and opinions, neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be considered responsible for them.; Funding text 2: This study has been partially funded by the Horizon Europe project DaCapo - GA number: 101091780. This study has been partially carried out by the MICS (Made in Italy – Circular and Sustainable) Extended Partnership and received funding from the European Union Next-Generation EU (PIANO NAZIONALE DI RIPRESA E RESILIENZA (PNRR) – MISSIONE 4 COMPONENTE 2, INVESTIMENTO 1.3 – D.D. 1551.11-10-2022, PE00000004). This manuscript reflects only the authors' views and opinions, neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be considered responsible for them. This study has been supported by donations of the Caterpillar Foundation, US in the context of the Chair Industry 4.h (human) and by the HumanTech Project financed by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) for the 2023–2027 period as part of the ministerial initiative “Departments of Excellence” (L. 232/2016).; Funding text 3: This study has been supported by donations of the Caterpillar Foundation, US in the context of the Chair Industry 4.h (human) and by the HumanTech Project financed by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) for the 2023–2027 period as part of the ministerial initiative “Departments of Excellence” (L. 232/2016).; Funding text 4: This study has been partially funded by the Horizon Europe project DaCapo - GA number: 101091780 .

Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca, MIUR

Funding text 1: This study has been partially carried out by the MICS (Made in Italy – Circular and Sustainable) Extended Partnership and received funding from the European Union Next-Generation EU (PIANO NAZIONALE DI RIPRESA E RESILIENZA (PNRR) – MISSIONE 4 COMPONENTE 2, INVESTIMENTO 1.3 – D.D. 1551.11-10-2022, PE00000004). This manuscript reflects only the authors' views and opinions, neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be considered responsible for them.; Funding text 2: This study has been partially funded by the Horizon Europe project DaCapo - GA number: 101091780. This study has been partially carried out by the MICS (Made in Italy – Circular and Sustainable) Extended Partnership and received funding from the European Union Next-Generation EU (PIANO NAZIONALE DI RIPRESA E RESILIENZA (PNRR) – MISSIONE 4 COMPONENTE 2, INVESTIMENTO 1.3 – D.D. 1551.11-10-2022, PE00000004). This manuscript reflects only the authors' views and opinions, neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be considered responsible for them. This study has been supported by donations of the Caterpillar Foundation, US in the context of the Chair Industry 4.h (human) and by the HumanTech Project financed by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) for the 2023–2027 period as part of the ministerial initiative “Departments of Excellence” (L. 232/2016).; Funding text 3: This study has been supported by donations of the Caterpillar Foundation, US in the context of the Chair Industry 4.h (human) and by the HumanTech Project financed by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) for the 2023–2027 period as part of the ministerial initiative “Departments of Excellence” (L. 232/2016).; Funding text 4: This study has been partially funded by the Horizon Europe project DaCapo - GA number: 101091780 .

HORIZON EUROPE Framework Programme

Grant: 101091780

Funding text 1: This study has been partially carried out by the MICS (Made in Italy – Circular and Sustainable) Extended Partnership and received funding from the European Union Next-Generation EU (PIANO NAZIONALE DI RIPRESA E RESILIENZA (PNRR) – MISSIONE 4 COMPONENTE 2, INVESTIMENTO 1.3 – D.D. 1551.11-10-2022, PE00000004). This manuscript reflects only the authors' views and opinions, neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be considered responsible for them.; Funding text 2: This study has been partially funded by the Horizon Europe project DaCapo - GA number: 101091780. This study has been partially carried out by the MICS (Made in Italy – Circular and Sustainable) Extended Partnership and received funding from the European Union Next-Generation EU (PIANO NAZIONALE DI RIPRESA E RESILIENZA (PNRR) – MISSIONE 4 COMPONENTE 2, INVESTIMENTO 1.3 – D.D. 1551.11-10-2022, PE00000004). This manuscript reflects only the authors' views and opinions, neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be considered responsible for them. This study has been supported by donations of the Caterpillar Foundation, US in the context of the Chair Industry 4.h (human) and by the HumanTech Project financed by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) for the 2023–2027 period as part of the ministerial initiative “Departments of Excellence” (L. 232/2016).; Funding text 3: This study has been supported by donations of the Caterpillar Foundation, US in the context of the Chair Industry 4.h (human) and by the HumanTech Project financed by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) for the 2023–2027 period as part of the ministerial initiative “Departments of Excellence” (L. 232/2016).; Funding text 4: This study has been partially funded by the Horizon Europe project DaCapo - GA number: 101091780 .

HORIZON EUROPE Framework Programme

Funding text 1: This study has been partially carried out by the MICS (Made in Italy – Circular and Sustainable) Extended Partnership and received funding from the European Union Next-Generation EU (PIANO NAZIONALE DI RIPRESA E RESILIENZA (PNRR) – MISSIONE 4 COMPONENTE 2, INVESTIMENTO 1.3 – D.D. 1551.11-10-2022, PE00000004). This manuscript reflects only the authors' views and opinions, neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be considered responsible for them.; Funding text 2: This study has been partially funded by the Horizon Europe project DaCapo - GA number: 101091780. This study has been partially carried out by the MICS (Made in Italy – Circular and Sustainable) Extended Partnership and received funding from the European Union Next-Generation EU (PIANO NAZIONALE DI RIPRESA E RESILIENZA (PNRR) – MISSIONE 4 COMPONENTE 2, INVESTIMENTO 1.3 – D.D. 1551.11-10-2022, PE00000004). This manuscript reflects only the authors' views and opinions, neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be considered responsible for them. This study has been supported by donations of the Caterpillar Foundation, US in the context of the Chair Industry 4.h (human) and by the HumanTech Project financed by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) for the 2023–2027 period as part of the ministerial initiative “Departments of Excellence” (L. 232/2016).; Funding text 3: This study has been supported by donations of the Caterpillar Foundation, US in the context of the Chair Industry 4.h (human) and by the HumanTech Project financed by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) for the 2023–2027 period as part of the ministerial initiative “Departments of Excellence” (L. 232/2016).; Funding text 4: This study has been partially funded by the Horizon Europe project DaCapo - GA number: 101091780 .

Grant: 1551.11-10-2022, PE00000004

Funding text 1: This study has been partially carried out by the MICS (Made in Italy – Circular and Sustainable) Extended Partnership and received funding from the European Union Next-Generation EU (PIANO NAZIONALE DI RIPRESA E RESILIENZA (PNRR) – MISSIONE 4 COMPONENTE 2, INVESTIMENTO 1.3 – D.D. 1551.11-10-2022, PE00000004). This manuscript reflects only the authors' views and opinions, neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be considered responsible for them.; Funding text 2: This study has been partially funded by the Horizon Europe project DaCapo - GA number: 101091780. This study has been partially carried out by the MICS (Made in Italy – Circular and Sustainable) Extended Partnership and received funding from the European Union Next-Generation EU (PIANO NAZIONALE DI RIPRESA E RESILIENZA (PNRR) – MISSIONE 4 COMPONENTE 2, INVESTIMENTO 1.3 – D.D. 1551.11-10-2022, PE00000004). This manuscript reflects only the authors' views and opinions, neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be considered responsible for them. This study has been supported by donations of the Caterpillar Foundation, US in the context of the Chair Industry 4.h (human) and by the HumanTech Project financed by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) for the 2023–2027 period as part of the ministerial initiative “Departments of Excellence” (L. 232/2016).; Funding text 3: This study has been supported by donations of the Caterpillar Foundation, US in the context of the Chair Industry 4.h (human) and by the HumanTech Project financed by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) for the 2023–2027 period as part of the ministerial initiative “Departments of Excellence” (L. 232/2016).; Funding text 4: This study has been partially funded by the Horizon Europe project DaCapo - GA number: 101091780 .

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Unleashing the role of skills and job profiles in circular manufacturing

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