Abstract

The model of Circular Economy (CE) encourages the adoption of a broad vision of production and entrepreneurial activities that integrate in their decisions the impacts on the natural environment and on all the stakeholders. The increasing adoption of environmental certifications of process (e.g., the ISO 14001 or the EMAS III), environmental product certifications (e.g., the ISO Environmental Labelling Type I, II, III) and certifications for corporate social responsibility (e.g., ISO 26001) reflects the orientation of companies in adopting a broader vision beyond their conventional economic boundaries. In the last few years SMEs and start-up companies are showing interest in the use of these certification schemes. This study evaluates the implementation of the CE, the adopted certification tools as well as how the aspects of the local environment and local community are considered in a sample of 20 circular start-ups by means of a questionnaire survey and interviews to the founders and managers. The results evidence that depending on the application of the model of CE the circular start-ups can be classified into four clusters (design-based, platform-based, waste-based and nature-based) as well as how they apply in a very innovative way the different principles and aspects of the CE (circular design, reduction, reuse, recycling, use of digital technology). The circular start-ups mainly adopt product certifications but about 35% of the sample consists of certified benefit corporations and benefit corporations. Finally, most of the start-ups (except platform-based) share a particular attachment with the local natural environment and local community showing interesting relations between the research fields of CE and place-based sustainability.