Watch: #EUCircularTalk: From local to global: how procurement could drive a just transition
The transition from an extractive to a regenerative economy should include social justice and poverty. The just transition is about transitioning towards a circular economy in a fair and just way, leaving no one behind.
The event focused on the theory and dived into very concrete cases. It started with a preview of the upcoming Circularity 4 All Hierarchy. Several cases described how procurement through supporting social enterprise can positively impact local jobs and training opportunities while driving the circular economy.
This was followed by a presentation of STEP EcoLab project’s Mongolia case. This project aims to support the Mongolian wool and cashmere supply chain and processing industry in adopting more sustainable sourcing and production practices.
Finally, it was discussed how regulation can help strengthen collaboration in the value chain in light of the Norwegian Transparency Act. The event concluded by reflecting on how regulation can play a role in the transition to a circular and social society.
Programme
10:00 Welcome & opening remarks
- Moderator Cristina Fedato, CSCP
- Peter Schmidt, Member of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
10:10 Framework hierarchy
- Cynthia Reynolds
A preview of the upcoming Circularity 4 All Hierarchy - where resources are maintained and kept in use at their highest societal value at all times: this includes living, biological, technical and financial resources. The hierarchy supports the communication of priorities for a Circular Economy with a just transition for all, bridging the Global North and South, utilising policies and economic incentives as levers to strategically transform resources and revitalise our global economy through shared norms and values. The Circularity 4 All draft of the Procurement model will be presented with a focus on social and circular procurement.
10:25 Examples of social and circular procurement for local impact
- Claire Downey
The social impact of procurement can be local as well as global thanks to the role of pioneering social enterprises in the circular economy in Europe. In this talk, several cases will be described showing how procurement, through supporting social enterprise, can have a positive impact on creating local jobs and training opportunities while driving the circular economy. This includes cases on procurement involving furniture consortia from social reuse and repair networks, mattress recycling via the prison service and building deconstruction services.
10:35 Case from Mongolia
- Sarangoo Ukhnaa
The STEP EcoLab project aimed at supporting the Mongolian wool and cashmere supply chain and the processing industry in adopting more sustainable sourcing and production practices and simultaneously improve the branding for sustainable products, allow for better access to green finance, optimise cost-saving measures and improve the herders’ future livelihoods. Bringing together key drivers of sustainable consumption and production in Mongolia, a sectoral voluntary code of practice (VCP) was developed together with a roadmap, formalizing the commitment of the sector towards a more sustainable future and ensuring continuous and long-term improvement of the industry’s ecological and social performance. This helps European consumers to recognise the industry’s efforts and to give both consumers and producers a way to value and identify goods produced through more responsible production practices
10:45 Making companies accountable for ensuring a responsible supply chain management
- Jenny Alström
The Norwegian Transparency Act’s aim is to promote companies respect for fundamental human rights and decent working conditions and enabling consumers, organizations, trade unions, journalists and the public have access to information. In relation to requirements from public authorities on ensuring suppliers having a responsible supply chain management, the Transparency Act is an efficient tool. With the compulsory reports, which should be posted on the companies’ websites, public authorities can use this information to verify adherence to the contract requirements on responsible supply chain management.
11:00 Panel discussion with moderator Cristina Fedato from CSCP & Q&A
11:30 Closing remarks & Spatial Chat
12:15 End of Spatial Chat
About the EU Circular Talks
The EU Circular Talks is a new exchange concept of the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform. It aims to encourage stakeholders to interact and discuss the circular economy topics in the platform.
Stakeholders initiate the topics themselves. These can take multiple forms of online events; workshops, seminars, debates or Q&As. These are followed by discussions directly via the platform's communication channels. The #EUCircularTalks uses all the communication channels to inform the community and foster the debate on the circular economy. The results of each EU Circular Talk is summarised and published on the ECESP platform.