Track: Sustainability in Supply Chain, Enterprise Operations and Strategies

Abstract

In supply chains, the circular economy is a good practice that influences the change of: processes and flows, relations between actors from different sectors, financial management, the role of suppliers and the form of consume of the consume of the customers. For these reasons, the circular economy becomes a challenge for supply chains in the path of reaching circularity. This research aims to evaluate the circular economy in the supply chain of mining industries in the province of Manabí, Ecuador, through diagnostic techniques. An investigation was conducted at the province of Manabí, Ecuador. The mining industries and other companies related to this activity were identified. With this information, the map of the study chain was prepared. A checklist was applied for the evaluation of the circular economy. This tool has nine variables (source or supply of materials (raw materials), design, manufacturing, economic circle, distribution and sales, consumption and use, collection, relocation and sustainability) and 91 items. A Likert scale of: 1 (very low), 2 (bass), 3 (medium), 4 (high) and 5 (very high) was used. At the same time, eleven principles and five characteristics of the circular economy in the chain are valued. As a result, it was obtained that the circular economy level of the chain is medium, with a value of 3.08. The variables with greater weak, distribution and sales (with an average of 2.97) and consumption and use (with an average of 2.98). The principles of low evaluation is: industrial and territorial ecology, and the use of materials (value 1 is very low). The affected characteristics is to work towards energy use from renewable sources (with a value of 2, low). In addition, the environmental impacts of this chain were analyzed. This element is a starting point to continue research.