The Journey of Implementing Circular Economy Principles in Packaging Procurement

Thibaut Maurer ()

A chapter in Pedagogical Case Studies in Purchasing and Supply Management, 2026, pp 249-266 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract This case study immerses students in the real-world challenge faced by Greenville Corporation’s packaging procurement team: integrating circular economy principles while maintaining operational efficiency and financial viability. Students must explore strategic options to reduce carbon emissions by 2040, with an immediate focus on sustainable packaging (Meherishi et al. in J Clean Prod 271:122398)—favouring recycled content, reusable transit systems, and supplier innovation. Through the characters of Chloe Lambert and Antoine Girard, the case highlights the practical tensions between sustainability ambition and business realities. Chloe Lambert is the Sustainability Lead for Packaging Procurement, Antoine Girard has recently been appointed as Director Strategic Sourcing. Students will analyse lifecycle assessments, design procurement performance dashboards, manage supplier engagement and compliance, and develop sourcing strategies to secure post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials. The exercise emphasizes the application of frameworks like Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), ISO 20400 Sustainable Procurement, Supplier Relationship Management (SRM), and Circular Economy theories. It challenges students to critically balance theory with real-world complexities and craft pragmatic, resilient sourcing strategies to drive long-term environmental and operational value.

Keywords: Circular economy; Sustainable procurement; Supplier engagement; Life cycle assessment (LCA); Post-consumer recycled materials (PCR) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-032-12235-3_14

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-12235-3_14

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