D3.6 Description of circular business models for the future value chains

The purpose of this deliverable is to provide insights into circular business models that can be employed to implement circular business practices as part of future flooring value chains. It presents so-called reference business model configurations which describe in a general sense how flooring value chains may organise themselves (in terms of stakeholders, business logic, and value creation and capture mechanisms) to foster circularity. These reference circular business models clarify what assumptions have been made in the underlying business logic and value creation and capture mechanisms, as well as indicate potential risks and challenges (from a business or legal perspective) faced to realize these business models in practice. They also include a discussion on potential variants that may be considered, as well as their implications for organizing future value chains.
The set of reference circular business models subsequently can be used by value chain stakeholders as the basis for concrete business model innovation: stakeholders may select one or more reference business models that fit the characteristics of their respective value chain, and use the configurations proposed by these reference models as the starting point for business model innovation of their current business model to embed circular business practices.
This deliverable builds upon previous tasks in WP3. Specifically, it connects to and leverages insights generated on the operational environment for circular flooring (D3.1), the scenarios for material flows (D3.3), and the guidelines for business model transition (D3.4). It also takes into account how target customers can be engaged as part of circular business practices (D3.2, D3.5). Lastly, it is also linked to the white paper on how take-back systems in the future flooring value chain can be organised (D5.1).
This deliverable is linked to WP6 on sustainability assessment that studies how different value chain configurations and circular business practices impact the sustainability of floor coverings, and what this consequently implies for value creation and capture as part of new business models. Specifically, the insights generated for this deliverable serve as the (partial) context for life cycle assessment (LCA) and circularity assessment studies.
The target users for the reference circular business models are value chain stakeholders from the flooring industry that focus on transitioning toward circular business practices.