Public procurement as a lever for a circular society. Join us on 19 March

Public procurement could be a game-changer for the circular economy. So why isn't it being used to its full potential? Join us on 19 March to find out

Every year, governments spend billions on goods and services. That purchasing power represents one of the most direct instruments the public sector has to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. As a launching customer, the public sector can bring circular and innovative solutions to scale — and set the market in motion.

Yet this potential remains largely untapped. Legislation, risk aversion, a lack of practical guidance, and organisational culture all contribute to circular procurement falling short of what is possible. What are the biggest barriers? What does current legislation allow and require? And what does circular procurement look like in day-to-day practice?

On 19 March 2026, the Institute for a Circular Society (i4CS) — part of the EWUU alliance of TU/e, WUR, Utrecht University, and UMC Utrecht — is hosting a free online Lunch & Learn that connects academic knowledge with real-world experience. Three experts will take you through the landscape of public procurement:

Willem Janssen (Endowed Professor of Public Procurement Law, University of Groningen; Associate Professor of EU and Dutch Public Procurement Law, Utrecht University) shares insights from his role as principal investigator of CIRCLASH, an NWO-funded research project on circularity and the law.

Sara Rademaker (Policy Adviser Sustainable Public Procurement, Unie van Waterschappen) draws on years of practical experience in public organisations, including the Municipality of Utrecht, to explore how sustainable procurement works in practice — and where it gets stuck.

Ruben Nicolas (Postdoctoral Researcher, Utrecht School of Economics, Utrecht University) offers an economics perspective: what are the effects of circular and green public procurement on innovation, firm behaviour, and growth?

The session runs for 45 minutes and closes with a Q&A. Free to attend.
Check out the Lunch & Learn website to register and for more information.