The International Research Group on Sustainable and Circular Supply Chains, directed by Caterina Trevisan, is dedicated to advancing interdisciplinary research on circular economy, sustainability and innovation in supply chain management.
Our mission is to integrate diverse perspectives and academic backgrounds, fostering the adoption of managerial practices and digital solutions that drive sustainable and resilient supply chains. By bridging academia, industry, and policy, we aim to create new scientific knowledge about the implementation of circular economy practices in supply chains, leveraging Industry 4.0 digital technologies and fostering technological and business model innovation.
The group members have diverse expertise, focusing on distinct areas of supply chain management research including but not limited to he following themes:
- Circular Supply Chain Management: The circular economy is recognized as the alternative economic and productive paradigm with the potential to successfully address sustainability challenges by reusing or recycling products or their components and preventing waste of input materials, energy and labor. Our research deeply explores the adoption of circular practices within supply chains, examining the technical, operational and relational factors that drive the transition. We explore how the implementation of circular economy principles requires not only fundamental changes to material flows, through practices like recycling, but also a reconfiguration of relationships both within the company boundaries and throughout the entire supply chain. This holistic approach to the circular transition highlights the need for collaboration, joint action, innovation, and systemic change to advance the circular economy transition.
- Food Loss and Waste Prevention and Reduction in Agri-Food Supply Chains: Food loss and waste is a critical, global issue affecting every stage of the agri-food supply chain. It spans social, environmental, and economic sustainability dimensions, with deep connections to the relational dynamics and governance among supply chain actors, government entities, and consumers. Our research explores this complex challenge, focusing on the integration of operations and supply chain management practices (such as Lean Management and supply chain collaboration) and the adoption of digital technologies (e.g., Digital Multi-Sided Platforms). We investigate their potential to manage, mitigate and reduce food loss and waste, offering actionable insights into how innovation can drive meaningful change in this area.
- Innovation and Digital Transformation: Being part of the Department of Information Engineering and Computer Science of the University of Trento, a key theme of our group is the role of digital transformation. Digital technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain or Internet of Things are at the core of such transformation, being enablers of information exchange, supply chain integration, collaboration and transparency which are essential enablers of supply chains that are socially, environmentally and economic sustainable
People
Caterina Trevisan
Director
PhD Candidate in Circular Supply Chain Management at DISI. She is involved in research in the areas of Supply Chain Management, Circular Economy and Digitization, with a focus on the Manufacturing and Agrifood sectors.
Prof. Marco Formentini
Associated Professor in Management Engineering at DISI. He is involved in research in the area of Operations and Supply Chain Management.
Evgeniya Shmalenyuk
Research fellow in Human-Computer Interaction and Computer Science, currently working on the topic of social sustainability and fair distribution in agrifood supply chains.
National and international collaborations
Madeleine Pullman, Professor of Sustainability and Innovation Studies, University of Sussex, UK.
Lisa Ellram, Distinguished Professor of Supply Chain at The Farmer School of Business, OH, USA.
Ludovica Principato, Associate Professor of Business Administration and Sustainability at Roma Tre University, IT.
Pietro Romano, Professor of Operations & Supply Chain Management at University of Udine, IT
Pamela Danese, Professor of Operations & Supply Chain Management at University of Padua, IT.
Research Projects
We are currently working on the research projects in the domain of operations management, circular economy, digitalisation, food waste management.
KREIS – Design of a Circular Economy platform for the preventive valorization of goods at industrial supply chain level
Discription
Head: Marco Formentini
Coordinator: University of Trento
Sponsor: Caritro Foundation
Partner: Téchnéos S.r.l.
Status: In Process
The impact of the pandemic on agri-food supply chains: design proposal for an online platform for communication and coordination aimed at reducing and redistributing food waste
Discription
Head: Marco Formentini
Coordinator: University of Trento
Sponsor: University of Trento
Status: Completed
Redistribution of supply chain waste during and post pandemic in favor of the most vulnerable categories of people in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals
Description
Head: Marco Formentini
Coordinator: University of Roma Tre
Sponsor: MUR – Ministry of University and Research
Partners: Tuscia University, University of Trento
Status: Completed
Digital technologies and social sustainability: Harnessing digitalization for a fair distribution of value within agri-food supply chains
Description
Head: Marco Formentini
Coordinator: University of Trento
Sponsor: MUR – Ministry of University and Research
Partners: University of Udine, University of Palermo, University of Genova, University of Salento
Status: In progress
Publications
NEWS
- Acciaio Espresso, a succesful example of circular economy
We are extremely happy to be be part of the “Acciaio Espresso” project, a circular economy project in collaboration between the De’Longhi Group and Acciaierie Venete spa, supported by our research group. The partnership between De’Longhi Group and Acciaierie Venete spa is a great example of a successful buyer-supplier collaboration to effectively implement circular economy… Read more: Acciaio Espresso, a succesful example of circular economy - The trasition towards Circular Economy
The implementation of the circular economy at the supply chain level requires companies to access external resources and capabilities, leading to disruptive changes due to the creation of a reverse flow of value, materials, and information.While researchers agree on the importance of supply chain collaboration for circular economy initiatives, studies exploring the impact of such… Read more: The trasition towards Circular Economy - Our collaboration with Trentino Solidale
All the food you see in these pictures would have been wasted without the dedication and hard work of Trentino Solidale volunteers! As part of the “Trento 2024, European Volunteer Capital” initiative, we had the privilege of accompanying a European delegation to the headquarters of Trentino Solidale. This volunteer association is committed to recovering and… Read more: Our collaboration with Trentino Solidale - Seminar by Prof. Robert Glenn Richey
On November 30, 2023, at the Conference Room of Confindustria Trento, the seminar by Professor Robert Glenn Richey, Jr. from Auburn University (Alabama, United States) took place. In this seminar, Prof. Richey discussed the strategic shift towards reactivity, the infusion of AI in operations management, and the publication in the Journal of Business Logistics. Professor… Read more: Seminar by Prof. Robert Glenn Richey - Blockchain technology to fight food insecurity
The Regusto platform was created in 2016 aiming to reduce food waste by using blockchain technology as a technological enabler to increase transparency in redistribution processes. Click here to find out more about our project!