Unlocking the Social Circular Economy: Value Propositions and Organizational Design of Social Circular Hubs

Wim Van Opstal, Nancy Bocken and Jan Brusselaers

Business Strategy and the Environment, 2025, vol. 34, issue 8, 10613-10636

Abstract: A circular economy can only succeed through a circular society, ensuring equitable access to circular innovations for all social groups. Work Integration Social Enterprises (WISEs) foster inclusive labor markets by supporting disadvantaged individuals, yet their potential within the circular economy, particularly in business‐to‐business contexts, remains underexplored. In Flanders, the government launched social circular hubs to bridge this gap. Circular hubs are catalysts for circular transitions, connecting governments, knowledge institutions, businesses, and civil society to cocreate circular economy initiatives. Their relevance, value propositions and design requirements remain poorly understood. We investigate these using a mixed‐methods approach, combining survey data from circular enterprises in Flanders with interviews across European circular hubs. Findings highlight the potential of WISEs to offer flexibility and proximity while emphasizing the need for ecosystem value propositions and sustainable governance. This study advances understanding of how to integrate social goals within circular ecosystems, contributing to a just circular transition.

Date: 2025
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