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Circular Economy

What is justice (in the context of the circular economy)?

Circular justice defined

Circular justice is a term that can have different interpretations, which is why it is important to set a clear definition. The concept of circular justice can be defined as follows: fully recognizing all communities and non-human actors affected by the move to a circular economy (including the knowledge they have), involving especially marginalized communities in relevant decision-making processes, and equitably distributing the benefits and drawbacks of the move to a circular economy. (Kirchherr & Fricker)

This definition can be broken into several parts that clarify the concept. According to Kirchherr (2021), a researcher at the Copernicus Institute, the concept of circular justice includes three types of justice: recognition justice, procedural justice, and distributive justice. The concept of epistemic justice can also be added. This is set to ensure that all knowledge in society is included in the transition to a circular society and ecological environmental justice and to also treat non-human actors fairly.

 

Distributive justice (Kirchherr 2021 & Jenkins 2016)

Distributive justice revolves around the equal distribution of the burdens and benefits that a transition to the circular economy entails. The costs that the transition may entail must be distributed fairly, but circular products and circular forms of employment must also be accessible to all. The goal is to ensure a balanced distribution of benefits and disadvantages, giving everyone equal opportunities and promoting a sense of fairness.

 

Procedural justice (Kirchherr 2021 & Jenkins 2016)

Procedural justice is about fairly involving everyone within a community in making decisions around the transition to the circular economy. If everyone can have a say in the decisions being made, and if they are also given access to the knowledge used in these decisions, the transition will be found to be more equitable than if people are not given this opportunity. Here, it is not enough to involve people only by having them vote on certain measures afterwards, for example. Instead, people must be given the chance to contribute content to these measures beforehand.

 

Recognition justice (Kirchherr 2021 & Jenkins 2016)

Recognition justice revolves around the idea that different groups within society affected by the circular transition are all fully recognized. Systemic exclusion (intentionally or unintentionally) based on the cultural, social, ethnic, racial, etc. identity of certain groups of people must be avoided in the transition to a circular society. A lack of recognition for people with a particular intersection of identity(ies) may prevent the circular transition from reaching these people properly and cause groups to oppose the transition.

 

Epistemic justice (Fricker 2007)

Epistemic justice, also known as experiential justice, means that all forms of knowledge and experience are taken seriously, regardless of one’s social position or status. It recognizes that everyone has valuable insights and seeks equal recognition and integration of this knowledge into decision-making processes. This ensures that not only knowledge from, for example, academics, scientists, or “experts” is seen as correct, but also knowledge in the populations that the circular transition will impact. In essence, it is about valuing and leveraging diverse perspectives and experiences to achieve equitable and inclusive outcomes.

(Figure from future research Social Circular by Province of South Holland)

 

Ecological environmental justice (Bal & Stok 2022)

Ecological environmental justice involves extending the concept of justice to nature and non-human species (e.g., the animal kingdom). By extending justice beyond the human species, as in intergenerational environmental justice, entities that do not normally have a voice in the environmental debate are included in people’s considerations of justice.

 

Example

What do these justices look like within a company?

A company focused on circular t-shirts may integrate all of these forms of justice. Distributive justice, for example, plays a role in fairly distributing the benefits of circular practices, such as fair working conditions, wages and accessibility of circular T-shirts to consumers from diverse socioeconomic and cultural groups. This ensures that the benefits of circularity are fairly distributed to all stakeholders. Procedural justice can be ensured through transparent and inclusive discussions where stakeholders such as workers, suppliers and community representatives can voice their concerns and perspectives before strategic decisions are made. In recognition justice, it is important to involve all parties such as employees, suppliers and consumers who wish to purchase the T-shirts, both within the Netherlands as well as when materials are produced in possibly other countries. Epistemic justice values the expertise of internal stakeholders as well as employees and external experts in the field of circular textile production. By collaborating with academics, researchers and also indigenous communities, for example, in developing sustainable textile materials and production, legitimate innovation is encouraged. Ecological environmental justice is essential for a company that produces circular T-shirts, taking measures to minimize ecological impact by using biodegradable materials and energy-efficient production methods.

By embedding these various forms of justice into the business model of circular T-shirt production, the company can promote a fair and sustainable transition to circularity, with consideration for all stakeholders and minimal impact on people and the environment.