Towards achieving the sustainable development goals: a collaborative action plan leveraging the circular economy potentials

Abstract

This contribution to the journal “Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation. (GIO)” delves into the critical role of Sustainable Development Goal 17 (SDG 17), “Partnership for the Goals,” in fostering interdisciplinary collaboration to further circular economy objectives. Aiming to address the existing research focus on isolated technical aspects within the circular economy, this study uses an expertise- and interaction-based foresight process to integrate perspectives from business, engineering, social sciences, and work and organizational psychology to unearth broader, interconnected challenges and solutions for the implementation of circular economy practices. Based on the pooled experience of experts within the foresight process, this contribution elucidates major challenges, ongoing issues, and prospective hurdles to be tackled by 2030 in circular economy, presenting an action plan centered on interdisciplinary cooperation and stakeholder engagement to advance labor conditions and continuous learning, sustainable and regenerative systems, minimize waste, and optimize resource efficiency. The collaborative action plan serves as a pivotal resource for the transformation task for researchers and practitioners, offers insights and strategic directions for implementing circular economy practices, and emphasizes collective responsibility and action in achieving global sustainability, all while aligning with the principles of SDG 17. The presented collaborative approach propels the discourse on sustainability forward, highlighting the potential of the circular economy in realizing a more sustainable world by 2030.