Celebrating 10 Years of the Week of the Circular Economy in the Netherlands. From March 17 to 22, 2025, the Netherlands celebrated the 10th edition of the Week of the Circular Economy, a national showcase of sustainable innovation and circular thinking. With over 250 events held across the country, this milestone edition brought together entrepreneurs, researchers, policymakers, and citizens to explore how we can optimize resource use and design waste out of our systems.
Organised by the Dutch Circular Accelerator Center (Het Versnellingshuis Nederland Circulair), the week served as an important platform to exchange knowledge, share best practices, and inspire action through hands-on workshops, panel discussions, and field visits.
A highlight of the week was the Circular Awards 2025, announced during the National Circular Economy Conference, which recognized innovative circularity projects making a significant impact in Dutch society. This year’s winners included:
- BOXO – Circular Award Business, for their innovative reusable shipping packaging.
- CircuLaw – Circular Award Public, for promoting legal frameworks that support circularity.
- De Fryske Hennepvezeldeal – Circular Chain Award, for fostering circular collaboration in the hemp sector.
- John Vernooij – Circular Hero 2025, recognized for his leadership and commitment to circular practices.
Transitioning to a circular economy inherently involves innovations in the way our society legislates, produces and consumes. In response, our RESOURCE partner Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University is conducting research on the global landscape of circular innovation, utilizing novel datasets to map emerging trends and solution worldwide.