Clear ambitions help ensure that circular procurement is a success. When setting ambitions, link back to your definition for circular economy
2.1 Determine your ambitions
If your ambitions are determined administratively, you are more likely to be able to achieve them. Administrative determination could take the form of:
- A sustainability policy
- A Socially Responsible Procurement Action Plan
- A Circular Procurement Strategy
2.2 Substantiate your ambitions
Your ambitions can be substantiated by existing national and sometimes regional policies on circular procurement and the circular economy. Perhaps your organisation has signed the Raw Materials Agreement, the Socially Responsible Procurement Manifesto (SRP Manifesto) or another initiative? These, too, can act as a basis on which to formulate circular procurement ambitions.
Read more about some of the national agreements and initiatives below:
2.2.1 Climate Agreement
The Climate Agreement was put forward in June 2019 and includes a target of 49% fewer CO2 emissions by 2030. Under the Climate Agreement, circular procurement is a means of contributing to this objective.
Civil engineering is specifically mentioned as a product group in which considerable gains are possible. But for smaller projects too, the Climate Agreement can be an argument for applying circular principles to procurement and tendering. By extending the service life of existing products and using reused materials, you avoid new production processes and new material consumption. That way, you contribute to reducing CO2 emissions, even though they may not be measurable within your organisation.
2.2.2 Socially Responsible Procurement Manifesto
Procurement can help with the achievement of social goals. The Dutch Socially Responsible Procurement Manifesto includes more than 200 public organisations that have expressed their commitment to actively include these social goals in their procurement processes.
The SRP covers six topics, including circular procurement. These topics are explained in the national plan for SRP. Each organisation then compiled an action plan detailing what it intends to do over the next few years.
2.2.3 Circular Economy Implementation Programme
The Dutch Circular Economy Implementation Programme contains actions stemming from the five previous transition agendas for the construction, biomass, food, plastics, consumer goods and manufacturing industries. In addition, you will also find initiatives on a number of intersecting themes, including circular procurement.
The implementation programme is updated every year at the Dutch National Circular Economy Conference.
Want to know more about national policy? See a summary of policies, including links to the various transition agendas, on the circular economy in this timeline provided by the Dutch government.
Points for action
- Formulate ambitions for circular procurement that are consistent with your definition of the circular economy. Establish these ambitions administratively.
- Investigate whether your organisation has signed any agreements or manifestos that (also) look at circular procurement. These often contain agreements and ambitions that you can carry over to your own organisation.
- Substantiate your ambition with national targets, such as 100% circular by 2050 and 50% less primary raw material consumption by 2030. You can also use the Climate Agreement to justify your ambitions.