A circular economy depends on more than the supply of circular innovations, products and services; it also needs purchasers who understand these innovations and are willing to buy them, or even stimulate them through demand. Circular procurement is an important tool to increase the market for circular products and services.
In 2017, Circular Flanders set up the Green Deal Circular Procurement in collaboration with The Shift, the Flemish Association for Cities and Municipalities (VVSG), and the Better Living Environment Union (Bond Beter Leefmilieu). Over two years, more than 150 organisations committed themselves to jointly purchase according to circular models, or facilitate circular procurement projects.
The knowledge and insights acquired from two years of trials can be accessed on this website by both purchasers and suppliers. You can find background information, teaching packages, examples and tools here to help get started right away.
The network of circular buyers and suppliers is one of the most valued results of the Green Deal on Circular Procurement. Therefore we will continue the work in sector specific communities of pratice on circular procurement from 2020 onwards. The first seeds are being planted for textiles, construction, ICT, catering and office design and supplies.
Now that the Green Deal Circular Procurement has been concluded, we’re looking to the future and further afield. Circular Flanders is a partner in the Interreg North Sea Region project ProCirc. With this project, we’re making sure that Flemish procurers, now equipped with the lessons learned from the GDCA, can continue to learn, experiment and exchange in a European context. Subscribe to the ProCirc newsletter to recieve regular updates on the project.
Information about circular procument and example cases per specific product category.