Supporting Manufacturing Resilience Through Circular Economy Strategies

Paper in proceeding, 2026

The transition to a circular economy (CE) has gained significant attention as a pathway to enhance sustainability and resilience in manufacturing systems. While the literature has investigated the relationship between sustainability and manufacturing resilience, limited attention was dedicated to the connection between circular economy and manufacturing resilience. This paper investigates the interplay between CE strategies and resilience within the manufacturing sector, providing a systematic analysis of how CE practices contribute to strengthening organizational, operational, supply chain, and socio-ecological resilience. The findings reveal a nuanced relationship between the adoption of CE strategies and the ability of manufacturing firms to adapt, recover, and thrive amidst disruptions. This work provides practical insights for policymakers and industry stakeholders, emphasizing the importance of integrating CE principles to foster resilience and providing insight for decision-making. The article proposes a conceptual framework investigating the relationship between CE practices, contribution to resilience, and resilience dimensions, as well as twelve key takeaways concretizing CE strategies and resilience outcomes in manufacturing.