This week, we had the pleasure of hosting researchers from Fraunhofer ISST, TU Braunschweig, TU Dortmund, Universität Stuttgart, and LMU at KSRI, KIT for an in-depth workshop on digital sustainability and circular economy. Over the past two days, we explored how digital technologies, platforms, and AI can accelerate the circular economy while addressing critical regulatory and governance challenges. Our discussions focused on three key areas:

Digital Product Passports (DPPs)
DPPs enable transparency and traceability in circular value chains but come with challenges. We explored rebound effects across social, ecological, and economic dimensions - ranging from increased participation barriers and compliance costs for SMEs to concerns about data availability, bureaucracy, and potential market (dis-)advantages for European companies. With new EU policies on the horizon, balancing regulatory demands with innovation and economic feasibility remains crucial.

Data Governance & Platform Economy 
Regulations are increasingly shaping the evolution of digital platforms within the circular economy. We explored how platform operators must navigate regulatory-induced transformations, balancing data governance strategies, competitive dynamics, and co-opetition models. A key question remains: How can digital industrial, data, and business platforms be configured to align with both economic and sustainability objectives?

Conventional & Generative AI in the Circular Economy 
AI has the potential to reshape circular economy practices at every stage of the value chain. We explored where AI is already making an impact and where it holds the greatest potential for intervention - from creative design assistants in pre-production to automation in end-of-life decision support and matching partners for resource (re-)allocation. Understanding AI’s role in scaling circular strategies presents a valuable opportunity for advancing sustainable and efficient resource management.

Beyond these discussions, the workshop was a great opportunity to exchange ideas, spark new collaborations, and strengthen our research community. A big thank you to all participants for their engagement, insights, and contributions!