Netherlands Hosts Major Circular Procurement Event to Transform Public Purchasing

2025-12-29 green

The Hague, Monday, 29 December 2025.
The Hague will host a specialized networking event on January 29, 2026, bringing together procurement professionals to accelerate circular economy adoption in purchasing decisions. This initiative supports the Netherlands’ ambitious 2050 circular economy transition goal, where waste is minimized and materials continuously reused. The event features economist Paul Schenderling, author of ‘There is Life After Growth,’ as keynote speaker, alongside practical sessions on innovation-oriented purchasing and environmental impact measurement. With global raw material use expected to double by 2060, this gathering represents a critical step toward sustainable procurement practices that could reshape how governments and businesses make purchasing decisions.

Strategic Timing Aligns with National Circular Economy Goals

The January 29, 2026 networking event arrives at a pivotal moment for Dutch sustainability policy. The Netherlands has committed to achieving a fully circular economy by 2050, a timeline that requires immediate action given current global resource consumption trends [3]. The urgency becomes clear when examining projections showing global raw material use is expected to double between now and 2060 if current practices continue unchanged [3]. This dramatic acceleration in resource depletion underscores why events like the one planned for The Hague represent more than networking opportunities—they constitute essential infrastructure for economic transformation. The National Circular Economy Program, updated in October 2025, outlines four core circularity strategies: Reduce, Replace, Extend, and Process, providing the framework that will guide discussions at the upcoming event [3].

Practical Implementation Focus

The networking afternoon will take place at the Remise, located at Ter Borchstraat 7 in The Hague, from 11:30 to 17:30 hours, and attendance is free for participants [1]. The event’s structure reflects a clear focus on practical application rather than theoretical discussion. Five distinct content routes will guide attendees through specific procurement challenges: innovation-oriented purchasing and scaling up, circular purchasing and sustainable procurement, environmental impact management including Environmental Cost Indicator (MKI) applications, sustainable civil engineering and soil flows, and future-proof ICT and software procurement [4]. This targeted approach addresses real-world challenges procurement professionals face when attempting to implement circular economy principles within existing regulatory frameworks. The presence of PIANOo regional managers at the event demonstrates institutional support for translating policy into practice [2].

Building on Recent Momentum

The January 2026 event builds directly on successful initiatives from 2025, including a December 1, 2025 networking session in Utrecht that brought together public and private buyers to address ‘circular hurdles’ [7]. That earlier gathering, held at the Social Impact Factory, established important groundwork by examining legal frameworks and practical tools for circular procurement implementation [7]. The momentum continued with the December 9, 2025 launch of a new procurement toolbox specifically designed for sustainable road paving, demonstrating how sector-specific solutions can accelerate circular adoption [7]. March 2025 marked another significant milestone when the national government, VNG, IPO, and the Union of Water Boards formalized their commitment to jointly strengthen circular procurement during the National CE Conference on March 20, 2025 [7]. These sequential developments create a foundation of expertise and collaboration that the January 2026 event can leverage.

Innovation Ecosystem Connections

The event will feature an Innovation Impact Challenge exhibition running throughout the day, previously known as SBIR, providing attendees direct access to entrepreneurs developing solutions for societal challenges [2]. This exhibition format connects procurement professionals with companies like AVEX, a Dutch audiovisual solutions provider that exemplifies circular business model innovation through its BRIX ZERO Product-as-a-Service offering [6]. AVEX’s approach demonstrates measurable circular economy success, achieving a 90% reuse and recycling rate for AV equipment while targeting 30% CO₂ reduction by 2030 compared to 2025 levels [6]. The company’s commitment to 100% green energy by 2026 and a minimum 50% electric or hybrid vehicle fleet by the same year illustrates how private sector innovation can inform public procurement strategies [6]. Such examples provide concrete evidence that circular procurement principles can deliver both environmental benefits and economic value, making the case for broader adoption across government purchasing decisions.

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sustainable innovation circular procurement