| Summary: | Growing concerns about the environmental impact caused by industrial operations are
spurring companies to seek more sustainable modes of production. As a response, traditional
production management practices have evolved to also consider sustainability aspects, for
example, the Lean philosophy incorporates Green manufacturing practices and the Green Lean
approach emerged at the end of the twenty centuries to improve both the operational and
environmental performance of organizations. However, this management strategy was built
based on a linear mode of production i.e., take, make, use, and dispose.
Shifting the mindset from a linear economy to a circular one requires the formulation of a
new production system strategy, wherein production processes operate both circularly and
efficiently. Many studies suggest that combining Circular Economy with Lean tools is a powerful
way to address this. In essence, integrating circularity into Lean's philosophy creates a new
management strategy that can be called Circular Lean.
While extant research combining Lean and Circular Economy concerns mostly the business
model level, there is a lack of research on how to bring Circular Economy thinking to the
operations level. Recent literature indicates that one of the first steps to implementing a Circular
Lean approach at the operational level is the identification of areas for improvement. Lean tools
such as the Value Stream Mapping (VSM) can help companies analyze production processes
from a circular perspective. However, the current visual representation of the VSM does not
adequately capture the circularity of resources. As a consequence, potential areas for
improvement that could enhance resource efficiency, waste reduction, and sustainable
practices may be overlooked or undervalued. The absence of explicit consideration of circularity
in the VSM limits its effectiveness in guiding companies towards a Circular Lean approach. To
overcome these limitations, to effectively capture the circularity of resources or the potential
circular flow, there is a need to adapt and enhance the VSM. This adaptation should involve a
revised visual representation and a guide that facilitate the identification of opportunities for
improvement aligned with the Circular Economy.
In response to this call, the aim of this thesis is to develop a methodology that enables
companies to analyze their production processes and facilitate their transition towards
sustainability through the adoption of a Circular Lean approach. This methodology is based on
the implementation of a Circular Value Stream Mapping tool (C-VSM).To achieve that, this thesis presents an analysis of how Green Lean strategies and tools were
applied under the lens of Circular Economy. This is followed by the introduction of a revised
version of the Value Stream Mapping that is capable of capturing circular flows in production
process. Additionally, a set of guidelines is presented to aid companies in identifying
opportunities for improvement. These guidelines have been developed by revising and updating
the principles that should govern sustainable production operations in the transition towards a
Circular Economy and smart industry models. These results are combined into a Circular Value
Stream Mapping Methodology (C-VSMM) that companies can utilize to uncover potential areas
where circular practices can be implemented in the production process.
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