Circular Economy and Sustainable Microfinance for Local Economic Inclusion
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18800/360gestion.202611.009Keywords:
Circular economy, Sustainable microfinance, Innovation, Economic inclusion, Financial sustainabilityAbstract
This study examines the interrelationship between circular economy (CE) and sustainable microfinance (SMF) as convergent frameworks to foster local economic inclusion within sustainability transitions. Adopting a qualitative and descriptive approach, a systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 protocol, based on a final corpus of 30 peer-reviewed articles published between 2020 and 2024 in the Scopus database.
Findings reveal that CE practices generate significant financial impacts through resource optimization, cost reduction, and enhanced organizational performance, supporting their integration into inclusive financial systems. Technological innovation—particularly digitalization and artificial intelligence—emerges as a catalyst for circular performance and environmental monitoring within credit portfolios. Nevertheless, structural barriers remain, including limited financial literacy in green finance and insufficient policy incentives.
The research concludes that sustainable microfinance acts as a strategic vehicle for implementing circular economy principles by facilitating access to green capital, fostering inclusive entrepreneurship, and strengthening territorial resilience. The study contributes to the academic debate on financial sustainability by proposing an integrative framework that links profitability, innovation, and equity under the paradigm of regenerative economics.
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