The impact of industry 4.0 on sustainability and the circular economy reporting requirements

Abstract

The traditional linear economic system focuses on the mass production of products, using available resources, at the lowest possible cost. Sustainability recognises the impact of dwindling natural resources, as a result of mass production and directs us towards the use of more sustainable resources. The circular economy (CE) proposes the adoption of an open loop manufacturing system where products are designed using resources which enable products to be repaired, reused, repurposed and recycled. To analyse the impacts of sustainability and CE initiatives, accurate data needs to be collected. Industry 4.0 promotes interconnectivity, enabling real-time data collection, communication and data analytics. This paper contributes to existing literature by identifying a research gap on how sustainability and CE model data reporting needs may be met using Industry 4.0 technologies. Using a literature review and survey on real-world adoption, a set of reporting requirements for sustainability and CE models are identified. The conclusions provide an assessment of how Industry 4.0 may aid reporting needs.