With that said, several countermeasures have been proposed to address this problem, with the implementation of the circular economy as a viable option for coping with food waste. Circular economy refers to the economic model that allows the reuse, recycling, and repurposing of existing materials or resources, thereby decreasing waste (McGrath & Jonker, 2025). Simply put, the model aims to use what is already available. Straying away from the usual linear economic model seen in most businesses, opting for the circular economy decreases the need to extract raw materials from nature in order to produce goods, thereby lessening both waste production and carbon emissions typically generated in manufacturing. Because of this, many have viewed the circular economic model as an avenue to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has actually reported that the total number of global greenhouse (GHG) emissions can be reduced by 40% by 2050 through the circular use of just four industrial materials: cement, steel, plastics, and aluminum (United Nations Development Programme, 2022). 

Still, several hurdles must be addressed in order to drive the model to its fullest potential. For one, systemic implementation is needed to ensure the sustainability of the supply chain processes across the industry. Furthermore, the uncontrolled consumption of today’s society must also be considered as it may lead to even more challenges when it comes to getting people to subscribe to this new way of living. In a way, this also illustrates the need for more innovative solutions that allow one to cope with modern problems. In this year’s ENVISION Case Competition, NOVUS aims to platform students with the desire to pitch innovations with circularity in mind. Together with the goal of furthering sustainable hospitality, NOVUS aims to bolster young minds in pursuit of not only excellence, but also the aspiration to create meaningful change for years to come.