Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Sustainable Business Practices and Innovative Models (ICSBPIM-2025)

From Waste to Worth: A Case Study Analysis of Circular Economy Practices in Leading Global Companies

Authors
Aditi Sharma1, *, Tanuj Sharma1, Pawan Garga2
1Himachal Pradesh University Business School, HPU, Summer Hill, Shimla, India
2Himachal Pradesh University Business School, HPU, Summer Hill, Shimla, India
*Corresponding author. Email: aditisharma3077@gmail.com
Corresponding Author
Aditi Sharma
Available Online 4 November 2025.
DOI
10.2991/978-94-6463-872-1_52How to use a DOI?
Keywords
Circular Economy; Sustainability; Resource Efficiency; Zero Waste Strategies
Abstract

The circular economy transition stands as a fundamental strategic priority for global companies because it helps them enhance sustainability and waste reduction while maximizing resource effectiveness. This research investigates circular economy approaches adopted by IKEA, Tesla, Unilever, Adidas, Nike, BMW, Nestlé, Apple, HP and H&M to analyse their initiatives, challenges and impacts in sustainable business model implementation. The companies have introduced innovative approaches that combine product life cycle extension, closed-loop manufacturing and waste reduction to achieve environmental and economic returns. This research evaluates corporate circular economy integration across operations, supply chains and customer engagement approaches through a comprehensive analysis. The secondary data in the form of a comparative analysis provided information regarding the transition of different sectors from linear to circular model. The study points out the influence of innovation, consumer engagement and regulation environments on the outcome of CE.

Findings show effective strategies for circularity alongside potential growth opportunities as well as specific business constraints which hinder total circularity implementation. Research presents recommendations for business improvement of circular economy models to sustain long-term sustainability and competitive performance.

Copyright
© 2025 The Author(s)
Open Access
Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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Volume Title
Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Sustainable Business Practices and Innovative Models (ICSBPIM-2025)
Series
Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research
Publication Date
4 November 2025
ISBN
978-94-6463-872-1
ISSN
2352-5428
DOI
10.2991/978-94-6463-872-1_52How to use a DOI?
Copyright
© 2025 The Author(s)
Open Access
Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

Cite this article

TY  - CONF
AU  - Aditi Sharma
AU  - Tanuj Sharma
AU  - Pawan Garga
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/11/04
TI  - From Waste to Worth: A Case Study Analysis of Circular Economy Practices in Leading Global Companies
BT  - Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Sustainable Business Practices and Innovative Models (ICSBPIM-2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 841
EP  - 853
SN  - 2352-5428
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-872-1_52
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6463-872-1_52
ID  - Sharma2025
ER  -