International Research Group on Sustainable and Circular Supply Chains

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 .. which are essential enablers of supply chains that are socially, environmentally and economic sustainable