In September 2015 an article appeared in the Tender Newsletter (Tendernieuwsbrief) by Copper8 consultant Cécile van Oppen about circular procurement. In the article, entitled ‘Circular Procurement you do together’, Cécile argues that with circular procurement it is not only the technical side of circularity, but it’s just as important to seek and safeguard cooperation.
Because of the increasing focus on the topic ‘Circular Procurement’ the Tender Newsletter asked Copper8 to write an article on this subject. With the article the Tender Newsletter aims to inform its readers – mostly buyers from organizations and/or tender managers at tendering parties – about developments in procurement and purchasing.
In the article, the model (developed by Copper8) “Content, Process, Finance” forms the basis:
This means:
- It is absolutely vital to pay attention to the technical and substantive aspects of circularity in the product or service being purchased. This relates to the design, materials and the ability to recycle;
- Then it is important to look at the ‘system’: Who are the potential partners and/or suppliers that are necessary to close the cycle? A C2C seat design is one thing, but ultimately, through cooperation, you need to ensure that that chair, with all good intentions, does not end up in landfill;
- For the financial (economic) aspects it applies that circularity should result in a positive business case, including the use and management phases;
- Finally, the business model (e.g. lease, return value, pay-per-use, etc.) is the incentive whereby all partners work together to secure the maximum retained value of the raw materials, other materials and products.
The full article (in Dutch) can be found here.