11 - 05 - 2023 | ProCirc conference - Brussels
Date: 11th of May 2023
Time: 9.00 - 16.00 CEST
Registration: Registration is closed.
Circular procurement: Time to scale up!
Interreg NSR ProCirc is set up to experiment, implement, and learn about circular procurement. During 4.5 years, the ProCirc partners initiated and supported more than 30 circular procurement pilots. We have developed and promoted several tools and guides for circular procurement, facilitated Communities of Practice, and gained valuable experiences and new insights on how to accelerate circular economy through procurement.
In the conference Circular Procurement: time to scale up! we invite public and private procurers, circular procurement experts, (sustainability) managers from procuring organisations, value chain representatives, and national and EU policy makers on Circular Economy and Procurement to learn from our experience, and together explore how to scale up. Throughout the day there is ample opportunity to meet, discuss, and share thoughts on circular opportunities and challenges.
At the meeting venue you will find dedicated spaces to discuss topics related to the sectors of construction & infrastructure, furniture, ICT, textiles, and waste.
The conference is kindly hosted by the European Committee of the Regions, at Batiment Jacques Delors, Rue Belliard 99/101, Brussel.
Programme
09:00 Registration and coffee/tea
Please register at the desk, enjoy a coffee or tea with a morning pastry, and start networking with other circular procurement champions.
10:00 Opening and welcome
Opening by Mr Tjisse Stelpstra, European Committee of the Regions, and Ms Françoise Bonnet, ACR+ Secretary General. Moderator of the day, Ms Marinda Hall, will introduce the programme. Project manager of the Interreg North Sea Region project ProCirc, Ms Lyke Bosma, will provide an introduction to the ProCirc project.
10:15 Scaling up Circular Procurement: Insights and Opportunities for a Sustainable Future
Together with European Commission policy officers Anna Lupi (DG Grow) and Ivan Azevedo (DG Environment) we will discuss the opportunities, barriers, and specific needs when it comes to scaling circular procurement based on the lessons learned in ProCirc.
11.15 Break and networking
11:30 Deep dives
In 3 different breakout sessions we will dive deeper into how to create the conditions for successful circular procurements and which next steps to take.
1. Circular shift: from a single circular pilot to circular economy on everybody’s lips
Circular procurement is more than just incorporating circular criteria in the tender process. For full impact, it requires a circular mindset of all stakeholders. In this deep dive, ProCirc partners will share their challenges, experiences, and success factors for stimulating organisational change towards implementing impactful circular procurements. Together with participants we will discuss the steps to take to start the journey.
2. Circular procurement actions: discuss your next steps with peers
In order to make the circular transition, it is essential to create networks and collaborate in the value chain. But how do you initiate this, and how do you get stakeholders in the value chain on board? By starting, doing and learning! Professor Jacqueline Cramer (2020) introduced the 'transition broker' as a role to facilitate and initiate such network collaboration. The municipality of Groningen set up collaboration in the local textile value chain and is launching customer of a circular textile product. Several stakeholders from this value chain will be present during this session and share their experiences. We will discuss the steps that lead to the collaboration, the role of transition brokers and the link with circular procurement. Together with the participants we will discuss how you can initiate collaboration in the value chain and which next steps you can take to bring your circular effort to the next level.
3. Communities of Practice: learn about the practical insights
Communities of practice is a way to share knowledge and experience between key stakeholders of the circular value chain. This helps both suppliers and producers to prepare for a circular procurement. In this deep dive we share our insights on how to set up, manage, and maintain impactful CoPs in various sectors. Together with participants we will discuss how CoPs can help to achieve your circular ambitions.
12:30 Lunch break & networking
14:30 Deep dives
In 3 different breakout sessions we will dive deeper into future opportunities for strengthening and scaling circular procurements and how to measure the impact.
4. Policy changes for circular procurement
Lessons learned in ProCirc show the importance of addressing circular procurement in policy from two directions: procurement regulation needs to address circularity, and product and sector specific regulations should consider the needs of procurers. In this session we dive deeper into recent and upcoming policy changes with impact on circular procurement. Together with the participants we will discuss how to implement the policy recommendations through concrete actions at each level: locally, member state, European.
5. Collective purchasing power: sign up to the Joint Statements of Demand
Joint Statements of Demand (JSD) aim to harness the collective purchasing power to drive innovation and accelerate a shift to a sustainable future. ProCirc has developed JSDs which present a shared set of circular tasks that procurers are committed to include into their future tenders. During this deep dive we will explain the approach that we have taken to develop JSDs for 3 different product categories: professional clothing, office furniture, and electric vehicle chargers. We will explain the meaning of joining a JSD and call on other procurers to become signatories to the JSDs to increase our collective impact.
6. Setting goals & monitoring: how to measure impact?
Monitoring and reporting are crucial to determine whether circular interventions have worked and what impact they have had from both a practical and policy implementation perspective. During this session ProCirc partners and pilots will share examples and experiences around monitoring and reporting. Together with participants we will discuss the current challenges and ways to overcome them.
15:30 Famous last words: no time to waste, time to scale up!
ProCirc started on the 13th of December 2018. Since then, many events have happened in the world but also in the field of circular economy. Now there is no more time to waste, it is the time to scale up circular procurement. ProCirc partners give a brief reflection from their experiences in the project and look ahead towards the next steps.
16:00 Networking drinks
After a day of circular procurement, you are all invited to join us for some networking drinks.
