Circular Thinking in Procurement: The Role of Training & Mindset Shifts

Event visual with title, date, time, image of people sitting around the table at work.
Start/End date
Event type
EU Circular Talks
Country
EU
City
Online
Sector
Awareness raising,
Behavioural incentives,
Education and skills,
Public procurement
Scope
EU,
Coordination Group 2023-2025
Key Area
Consumption,
Innovation and investments
Organising Body
Circular Flanders
TCO Certified
ICLEI
ACR+
Behaven
IS4CE (International Society for Circular Economy)
empirica
EU Circular Talks

The ECESP Leadership Group on Circular Procurement and EU Competitiveness organised the #EUCircularTalks event on Circular Thinking in Procurement: The Role of Training & Mindset Shifts. This educational session delved into value chain collaboration initiated by procurement and the role of peer-to-peer learning networks in promoting circular procurement. It also emphasised the importance of training and fostering a shift in mindset. 

On the policy front, it highlighted the need to set criteria at regional level. There were practical examples, including initiatives from Flanders, the CCRI Communities of Practice and e-learning courses. See what is already in place, what works and how awards are driving innovation and ambition in the market.

The session wrapped up with a lively panel discussion, with deep dives into key topics and a chance for participants to interact and ask questions.

 

Programme

  • Welcome & opening remarks
    • Maria Nikolopoulou, Member of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
  • Experts and case studies
    • The importance of the circular economy and fostering a shift in mindset - Ken Webster, one of the world’s leading thought leaders in the field. (Presentation)
    • Implementing circular economy principles in procurement: preserving natural resources, cutting greenhouse gas emissions and saving money - Barton Finn, TCO Certified (Presentation)
    • GPP in Italy: a driver of the Circular Economy. The Liguria region’s experience with the EU CE-PRINCE Project – Cristina Peretti, National Research Council at the Italian Ministry for the Environment and Energy Security (Presentation)
    • Empowering change through circular procurement training in Flanders  – Saartje Boutsen, Studio D (Presentation)
    • Circular Public Procurement trainings in CCRI Communities of Practice – Helena O’Rourke Potocki, ICLEI (Presentation)
    • Presentation on supporting public services in identifying and overcoming barriers to sustainable - Fred Dorsimont, BEHAVEN (Presentation)
    • E-learning modules of the Urban Agenda – Valentina Schippers-Opejko, City of Haarlem/Coordinatior of the Urban Agenda Partnership on Innovative and Responsive Public Procurement, chair Eurocities Working Group on Public Procurement (Presentation)
  • Panel discussion + Q&A, moderated by Georg Vogt, empirica
  • Closing remarks

This event took place online at 10:00-12:30 CET on 7 March.