2nd Metal: Studies on the control of sustainable behaviour through transaction platforms for secondary metals in Baden-Württemberg (2024)

Background and objective

The German metal industry is already making extensive use of circular economy strategies. However, the secondary metal trade is characterised by a lack of transparency, especially with regard to material prices, material availability and quality. We have therefore investigated the conditions under which a B2B transaction platform can address these obstacles. Specifically, the following key questions were answered:

• Which factors influence the decisions of the actors in the secondary metal trade in Baden-Württemberg?
• What influence does a transaction platform for secondary metals have on the decisions of the actors?
• What requirements must a transaction platform fulfil in order to promote more sustainable decisions by users?

Method

• Participatory workshop with industry experts from business and associations
• Short survey with companies in the metal industry
• In-depth interviews with industry experts
• System dynamics approach to illustrate the interdependencies of the influencing factors

Results

• Identification and description of the factors that influence sustainable purchasing and sales decisions by players in the secondary metals trade in Baden-Württemberg 
• Description of the requirements and framework conditions to be fulfilled for a B2B transaction platform in order to promote active use of this 
• Final report on the project: https://pudi.lubw.de/detailseite/-/publication/10748