Dr. Vernika Agarwal, an Associate Professor at Apeejay School of Management (ASM), Dwarka, is on a spree adding feathers of achievements one after the other. The Apeejay professor recently published a groundbreaking article titled, “Unlocking sustainability: Overcoming barriers to circular economy implementation in warehouse fulfilment centers” in the prestigious Journal of Cleaner Production (ABDC-A, Impact Factor: 9.8).
As industries worldwide strive for sustainable operations, the adoption of the Circular Economy (CE) paradigm has emerged as a crucial step towards minimising environmental impact. While CE principles have seen success in many sectors, their effective implementation in Warehouse Fulfilment Centers faces significant hurdles. Thus, this research identifies key challenges to integrating CE into fulfillment centers using the Best-Worst Method (BWM)for Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM). Two critical barriers emerged as dominant:
1. Lack of Vision in Implementing Circular Economy in Supply Chains
2. Government and Legal Barriers
These findings underscore the need for a paradigm shift in organisational strategies, emphasising a proactive approach to align business models with sustainability goals.
Further the key takeaways include, addressing organisational mindset and fostering a culture of circularity are essential for overcoming these barriers. Also, raising awareness and providing education on CE principles can empower supply chain stakeholders. Policymakers and organisations must collaborate to remove regulatory hurdles and incentivise sustainable practices.
