Philips and Dutch change makers meet to discuss circular efforts

Estimated reading time: 2-4 minutes

Robert Metzke, Philips’ Global Head of Sustainability, highlights practical examples and requirements for the transition towards a Circular Economy

For a sustainable world, we see the transition from a linear to a circular economy as a necessary boundary condition. Philips has been playing a leading role in the circular movement by approaching its business and the environment it operates in as ‘make-use-return’. This is the basis of Robert Metzke’s participation at the Innovation Roundtable Workshop on December 4 in Maastricht (The Netherlands). This circular approach supports the decoupling of economic growth from the use of natural resources by using them more effectively. This is critical in the rapid transition to a more sustainable world

Philips invests heavily and continuously in the global knowledge exchange to do with sustainability and the circular economy. CEO Frans van Houten is co-chair of the Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy (PACE) for example, a public-private collaboration platform and project accelerator. In November and December, Philips will participate in two events that bring together key change leaders, from academics to businesses, in the Netherlands.

Innovation Roundtable Workshop

On December 4, Robert Metzke will be joining the Innovation Roundtable Workshop on Circular Business Models & Innovation for Sustainability to present Philips’ circular efforts and sustainability strategy. The workshop facilitates in-depth knowledge exchange and dialogue about challenges in sustainable innovation. Dutch organizations such as DSM and ASML will also be present to discuss how to create value with circular business models and building alliances for sustainable innovation.

Dutch Circular Leadership Conference

Last week, November 28, Robert Metzke also joined the Dutch Circular Leadership Conference where he presented and discussed best practices on circular leadership and engage with leaders of the future. Joining him at the event were former Prime-Minister Peter-Jan Balkenende, ABN-Ambro CEO Kees van Dijkhuizen and more to give input for a position paper on circular leadership.

The road towards a circular economy is one that needs involvement from thought leaders at all levels, and from different spectrums. PACE was launched to drive public-private action and collaboration towards a circular economy, during the 2018 World Economic Forum Annual meeting. This message will be reiterated at next year’s WEF at the Annual meeting in Davos in January 2020. Philips is collaborating on the topic of circular economy on a global level, through PACE and platforms such as WEF. It also discusses the topic on a local level with Dutch stakeholders, such as policy makers and business leaders.

Event: Innovation Roundtable Workshop

Where: Maastricht

Date: Dec. 4, 2019

Website: https://innovationroundtable.com/ev_workshops2019/