Publishable summary: The main focus of work package 9 is to evaluate the progress of the demonstrators, gather lessons learned in CORALIS, and compile best practices to feed forward for future industrial symbiosis networks. Specifically, Task 9.4 aims to assess managerial procedures and the effectiveness of business models, synthesizing enabling practices that can support the development of industrial symbiosis networks.
For this purpose, data about the demonstrators was collected through interviews, research of websites and reports, including academic literature and previous publications from the CORALIS project. In total, 13 interviews were conducted with representatives from the project’s demonstrator sites and facilitator organizations. The collected data was then analysed in relation to the specific research focus of this task.
Based on the CORALIS industrial symbiosis initiatives, including ‘Lighthouses’ in Spain, Sweden, and Italy, with insights from supporting ‘Follower’ sites in Austria, Spain and Turkey, this report presents key learnings and enabling practices related to managerial procedures, trust-building and business model development for future industrial symbiosis initiatives.
Managerial procedures for industrial symbiosis establishments include the processes, principles, and guidelines used by actors in industrial symbiosis initiatives to plan, organize, lead, collaborate, contribute, and control activities within the network. They also involve characteristics, and skills that enable successful collaborations among stakeholders, as well as the practices that support the development of these characteristics and skills. The actors involved in the CORALIS project emphasize the importance to establish respectful relationships among stakeholders, bridging cultural differences between industries and ensuring open communication to build a foundation of trust. A designated facilitator can play an important role in coordinating activities and aligning the goals of diverse actors, particularly when initiatives involve multiple stakeholders. Local municipalities and regional authorities can also play a key enabling role by assuring the initiatives and by providing help in the process to get necessary permits and supporting infrastructure in place. Moreover, a close collaboration between a symbiosis network and a municipality seems to enhance the local value perceived by the symbiosis establishment, as well as its contribution to social sustainable development.
Trust is a crucial aspect of an industrial symbiosis, since it inherently is a collaborative process that involves dependencies and sharing responsibilities among stakeholders who may not be used to work together. In the initial stages when formal agreements are not fully established, a certain degree of trust is important to begin exploring symbiosis opportunities together. Further on, it is the foundation for committing to long-term contracts regarding resource exchanges or making joint investments. While written agreements are important for setting clear expectations, trust is equally vital for promoting innovation and handling shared risks. One key lesson is that stakeholders need to be open to sharing information, maintain transparency in communication and devote time to understand and manage each other’s expectations. Deliberate design of managerial procedures and leadership practices as well as assembling the right team of people can contribute to creating an environment where trust can be developed.