Integrating Circular Economy Principles in Water Resilience: Implications for Corporate Governance and Sustainability Reporting

Ronald C. Beckett and Milé Terziovski ()
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Ronald C. Beckett: Department of Business Technology and Entrepreneurship, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC 3122, Australia
Milé Terziovski: Department of Business Technology and Entrepreneurship, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC 3122, Australia

JRFM, 2025, vol. 18, issue 5, 1-32

Abstract: This paper makes an empirical contribution to the relatively sparse literature on the relationship between corporate governance and sustainability disclosure in mandatory reporting. We study the pursuit of UN SDG 6—clean water and sanitation—as an instance of sustainability and make observations from the literature considering water resilience scenarios, circular economy perspectives, as well as governance and integrated reporting requirements. The term “water governance” has been used to characterize operational actions needed to maintain a balance with water scarcity being a dominant theme. Continuing adaptation to emergent conditions is needed and we draw on an agile structuration theory model to help understand how a succession of innovation projects supports the transition to a circular economy. Our theoretical discussion is reinforced by an in-depth longitudinal case study of Yarra Valley Water (YVW), an innovative Australian water utility. The longitudinal case study analysis provides insights into several different types of innovative projects that demonstrate how circular economy principles in water resilience are integrated for corporate governance and sustainability reporting. Several case studies could be a topic for future research drawing on the agile structuration theory model presented in this paper.

Keywords: UN SDG6; circular economy; business ecosystem; corporate governance; sustainability disclosure; transparency; agile structuration management theory; causal process mapping (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C E F2 F3 G (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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