Abstract
The transition to circular economy shifts attention to re-use, repair, restoration and recycling of materials and products. What was previously considered to be waste can be turned into resources. The transition to a circular economy where the value of products, materials and resources is maintained for as long as possible and where as little waste is generated as possible is a significant contribution to the common effort in the European Union to create a sustainable low-carbon economy in which resources are used efficiently. Such an approach allows to transform the EU economy and generate new advantages for it (European Commission, 2015). Our individual action and provided support may help peers notice an opportunity and a solution for the future. The aims of the study are: To investigate the evaluation of the significance of the consumers’ corporate social responsibility and waste-sorting habits and to provide recommendations for improved access to the separate waste collection service. The research questions for achieving the objectives of the study were the following: How do consumers evaluate corporate social responsibility of companies in general? What are the waste-sorting habits of consumers? Are there statistically significant differences in the waste-sorting habits between various consumer generations? The authors prepared a unique consumer survey in which economically active inhabitants of the capital of Latvia, aged 15 to 71 years, participated. The results of our survey showed that the respondents rated the corporate social responsibility of companies as essential and emphasized that it was important for the large-size enterprises to operate ethically. The waste-sorting process itself creates disbelief among the respondents and also suspicion that all sorted waste is lumped together and removed to disposal sites.
Highlights
Up until now waste-sorting and citizen’s habits of waste-sorting have been a little-studied topic
Two surveys were used for the acquisition of the primary data: a survey regarding the rating of the significance of corporate social responsibility, supplemented with the perspectives of environmental sustainability, and a survey regarding the waste sorting habits or consumers in the context of awareness and motivation to sort waste, which materializes in concrete action
Saving of various resources is a matter of corporate social responsibility and sustainability of a contemporary organization, resources may be saved by economizing them, not using them, or by replacing them with other, more environmentally-friendly resources, and a majority (77%) of the respondents claim that they pay attention to such action
Summary
Up until now waste-sorting and citizen’s habits of waste-sorting have been a little-studied topic. Single individual’s view on the importance of corporate social responsibility is unusual subject for research in comparison with the popular corporate-level approach. Just a small part of Latvians is sorting their waste on a daily basis. Latvians need to change their habits of purchasing commodities and waste-sorting. The research of corporate social responsibility and habits of waste-sorting is valuable for both – waste management sector and to any socially responsible company. It finds significant correlations between habits of various generations and evaluation of the importance of corporate social responsibility within the economically active population. The research will primarily be used by “Latvijas Zaļais Punkts” to develop various public awareness campaigns
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