http://hdl.handle.net/10071/5840 2026-04-20T06:31:01Z http://hdl.handle.net/10071/34633 Título próprio: Sustainability in business plans: A Portuguese linen textile company case Autoria: Duarte de Almeida, I.; Delgado. M. J. Editor: Maria João Félix; Fátima Pombo; Fernando Moreira da Silva; Paulo Cruz; Rita Assoreira Almendra Resumo: This article examines sustainability in the Textile Industry (TI) using Elkington's Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework, emphasising People, Planet and Profit. The literature review examines the TBL pillars and emerging solutions to minimise environmental impacts in textile production. While circular economy (CE) practices alone are not enough to combat pollution and the effects of climate change, a second solution mentioned in the Literature Review is using natural fibres in the textile industry. These natural fibres offer a double advantage in TI: (i) sustainability benefits and (ii) a cleaner and greener industry. The EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles underlines the importance of such initiatives and positions natural fibres as environmentally superior. This paper outlines a dual approach focusing on the linen sector as a case study. It concludes with a call for sustainable practices in the linen TI and presents an innovative business plan guided by the CE principles. 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10071/34621 Título próprio: The social dimension of coastal erosion: The cases of Espinho/Paramos and Fonte da Telha Autoria: Duarte de Almeida, I. Editor: Ricardo Vieira; José Carlos Marques; Pedro Silva; Ana Maria Vieira; Cristóvão Margarido; Rui Matos; Rui Santos; Fernando Magalhães Resumo: This work examines society's perception of coastal erosion and its risks. As activities in coastal areas have increased and diversified, ecosystems have been damaged, and erosion along the coast has increased. Inland communities tend not to perceive erosion risks and rely on government-financed engineering structures to protect themselves. Environmental, economic, and social variables play a role in this. This complexity can lead to conflicts, resource disputes, negative impacts, and scepticism towards coastal management strategies. Public participation is critical to managing coastline risks sustainably. This paper addresses coastal erosion's social-economic and environmental effects in a Portuguese coastal urban area. 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10071/34620 Título próprio: Leiria & Oeste: An ecosystem that challenges conventions and reinvents the future Autoria: Duarte de Almeida, I.; Silva, A.; Rabadão, C. Editor: Ricardo Vieira; José Carlos Marques; Pedro Silva; Ana Maria Vieira; Cristóvão Margarido; Rui Matos; Rui Santos; Fernando Magalhães Resumo: This article reports innovative ecosystem services' scaling-up processes using service-dominant logic. The study identifies key social, economic, and environmental barriers and drivers in Portugal's Leiria & Western Region (LWR). Based on the findings, an innovative conceptual framework identifies pilot projects to promote regional development. Pilot projects' scale-up to improve municipalities' socio-economic dimensions will be determined by their impact, local adaptation, resource alignment, and value resonance. 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10071/34091 Título próprio: Soft systems as a helping tool in the assessment of sustainable business practices and risks in a socio-economic-environmental context Autoria: Duarte de Almeida, I.; Boas da Silva, J. M. Editor: Jagjit Singh Srai Resumo: Sustainability indicators (SI) are fundamental instruments in business practices towards evaluation of general sustainability, its inherent risks, or the interaction of socioeconomic perspectives in an environmental sustainability context. The complex nature of the models applied call for a revision of the scientific methodologies used in the production of indicators addressing measurability, fitting them to a different nature of the problem characterised by (i) multiple, circular, conflictual relations in a web of heterarchical relations; (ii) the social component relevance; (iii) the existence of an observer bias and interest, stakeholders pressure, interaction with the phenomenon and interpretation, establishing unrepeatable situations that can only be analytically discussed in different contexts. Multi criterion alternatives are advocated and one is briefly characterised: the Soft Systems Methodology (SSM). Its advantages are summarised. The logic and impact of SSM in a classical evaluation process based on the need for feedback are also discussed. The conclusion argues in favour of SSM contribution for scientific knowledge, focusing on validity, in comparison with other methodologies utilised in the Economic, Social, and Environmental Impact Assessment of business practices. 2019-01-01T00:00:00Z