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Project title

The Role of Irish Small Medium-Sized Enterprises in the Transition to a More Circular Economy

Primary Funding Agency

Environmental Protection Agency

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

n/a

Lead Organisation

University College Cork (UCC)

Lead Applicant

Bernadette Power

Project Abstract

The project will provide a review of Irish Small to Medium-Sized Enterprises’ (SMEs) engagement in Circular Economy (CE) practices on a sector-by-sector basis. It will also assess the barriers and opportunities for increased SME engagement in CE practices across SME sectors. Targeted behavioural/policy interventions for enhancing the uptake of CE practices on a sector-by-sector basis will be recommended. The proposed research is in line with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s recommendation that policymakers seeking to accelerate the transition to a CE should conduct a sector-by-sector analysis because the opportunities, barriers and policy options differ significantly by sector. It is also in line with the Irish Government’s plans to include more detailed actions and targets for sectoral CE practices in its next iterations of the Whole of Government Circular Economy Strategy. The project’s output will contribute to improving Ireland’s circularity rate (1.6%) and will help to bring it more in line with the EU average (11.9%). It will also help SMEs to become sustainability leaders, gain international market share and realise new business opportunities. The project consists of seven work packages: (1) The first will assess Irish SMEs’ current engagement in CE practices and the barriers and opportunities for such practices through a literature review and issue scanning exercise. CE practices, barriers and opportunities will be mapped out across SME sectors. (2) The second work package will utilise existing survey datasets from the CSO and the European Commission to examine trends in Irish SMEs’ engagement in CE practices over time. (3) The third work package will carry out a survey of Irish SMEs to quantitatively assess their engagement in CE practices on a sector-by-sector basis. The survey will assess the barriers and opportunities for sectoral CE practices from the perspective of both SME supplier companies and SMEs more generally. This will allow for the barriers and opportunities for CE practices to be identified across the supply chain. (4) In the fourth work package, a survey of SME customers will be conducted. The survey will examine customers’ attitudes towards SMEs’ CE products/services, their willingness to pay for SMEs’ CE products/services, and their willingness to switch to buying SME CE products/services instead of traditional products/services. Differences in customers’ attitudes, willingness to pay and switching behaviour will also be examined across SME sectors. The survey will provide insights into the barriers and opportunities for the sale of CE products/services from customers’ perspectives. (5) The fifth work package will provide a review of behavioural/policy interventions for accelerating the uptake of CE practices in the Irish SME sector. This will involve synthesising the results from Work Packages 1, 3 and 4 and providing recommendations on the most effective interventions both for the Irish SME sector as a whole and for specific sectors. (6) The sixth work package sets out the tasks involved in managing the project, which will ensure that the project delivers high-quality research on time and within budget. (7) Finally, outputs from the project will be communicated to target audiences in the seventh work package.

Grant Approved

�199,971.30

Research Hub

Green and Circular Economy

Research Theme

n/a

Start Date

10/03/2023

Initial Projected Completion Date

09/03/2025