Seminar The mutual benefits of a circular economy for business and biodiversity

The mutual benefits of a circular economy for business and biodiversity
– a value-driven approach –

Monday, April 7, 17:00 h – 20:00 h
Location: Ministry of Economic Affairs, Bezuidenhoutseweg 73, The Hague

The Circular Economy is a rapidly spreading concept. The reason is clear: the expanding world population and growing welfare put an ever increasing claim on the planet and its resources. This imposes a challenge on business and nature, but also offers chances. The Circular Economy is often posed as a way out of the ecological and climate crisis while providing opportunities for economic growth through fundamental systems innovation.

With circular economy becoming a more familiar concept, the question is raised: how do we get started? Therefore we are proud to introduce our keynote speaker Robert ter Kuile, the Senior Director Environmental Sustainability and Global Public Policy of PepsiCo USA. We are delighted that he has accepted our invitation to fly in from the United States. He has developed inspiring new ideas about how to bring the circular economy to life, at the global as well as at the local level. For the first time, he will take a Dutch audience along on the road that PepsiCo is following.

In addition to the story about PepsiCo’s strategies, the programme includes the following speakers:

Sjef Staps, author of the book ‘Over de crisis niets dan goeds’*[1] (‘Nothing but good about the crisis’). The book discusses the current global crisis in climate and biodiversity. Twenty-five experts – among whom are Robert ter Kuile and Klaas van Egmond – were interviewed and present  their opinion about urgencies and solutions. Sjef will share their insights on the circular economy from the perspective how this concept can help us in managing the challenges posed by the changing climate and declining biodiversity.

Douwe Jan Joustra, Managing Partner of One Planet Architectural Institute (OPAi) and the leading Dutch thinker about the circular economy. He has just completed the report ‘Ondernemen in de circulaire economie’  (‘Venturing in the circle economy’), which offers companies concrete guidance in how to move to a circular business model. Douwe Jan’s work is innovating both on the concept and on the practical utilization for a wide variety of companies and branches. He will expand on the opportunities created by the circular economy for business and for nature and how the two interact and collaborate.

Last but not least, the question arises whether working along circular concepts will indeed save biodiversity and the climate. In other words, how ‘green’ is the circular economy? Klaas van Egmond, Professor of Geosciences at Utrecht University and former Director of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment will reflect on the other presentations in the light of this question.

Directors of operations, sustainability managers, experts in green economy and transition, and young professionals are especially invited to attend. The meeting and discussions will be professionally chaired by Hadassah de Boer.