3 min
editorial
CIRCULARITY IN FOOD
12 IMPLICATIONS
Circularity is not sustainability 2.0, but rather a new approach to do business. With its own challenges. Everything, from furniture to dishwater, has a destination. Circularity in food means a closed chain, preferably as short as possible, without any wastage.
If we follow through on the circularity trend, then
it will have the following twelve implications for the world of food:
Jelle Steenbergen & Frank Lindner Sander van der Meij
Refuse
prevent usage
Reuse
use materials again
Reduce
use materials again
Redesign
redesign with circularity in mind
Refurbish
restore products for reuse
Repair
maintain and reuse materials
Remanufacture
make new products from old products
Recycle
process and reuse materials
Repurpose
use products for completely different applications
Recover
retrieve energy from the materials
10 R’s of circularity
Source: Nederland Circulair
#1
Circularity is not the same as sustainability. Circular enterprise requires a sometimes radically different mindset, which takes account of the entire chain.
#2
Keep the chain short. A shorter chain enables better oversight and more efficient management. Consumers prefer the story behind what’s on their plate to be close to home.
#3
Partnerships are essential. Having close links with suppliers and producers is becoming the new norm. The problem is too big to solve in your own, so don’t try to.
#4
Disparate disciplines are becoming more interconnected than ever. Design and architecture are just as essential as ingredients and waste processing. In a circular system everything is interconnected and nothing functions separately from anything else.
#5
It’s time for radical transparency. Not only partners, but also consumers expect complete transparency about a company’s circular aspects. So it’s important for companies to be able to give an account of their activities.
#6
Value creation is key. Every aspect of a successful circular concept must have a destination. We have to extract the maximum possible from every component, both financially and ecologically.
#4
Disparate disciplines are becoming more interconnected than ever. Design and architecture are just as essential as ingredients and waste processing. In a circular system everything is interconnected and nothing functions separately from anything else.
#10
However, value is not always quantifiable. Economic and ecological impacts are certainly important, but enterprises should also look at the intangible value they add to society. Within the circular framework, social, esthetic, and emotional impacts are equally essential.
#11
Idealism is great, but realism remains a prerequisite. An enterprise that strives for 100% circularity and goes under, has a smaller impact than an enterprise that starts out with 70% circularity and innovates further from that position.
#12
Circularity is essentially hopeful and optimistic. Enterprises whose work focuses on solutions and who take a slightly idealistic approach, will be more highly appreciated than companies that emphasize the severity of the problem. Once solutions are found, we should celebrate that and get on with implementing them.
#9
Measuring is knowing. Modern information technology allows us to map out the entire chain. Which is necessary, because problems can only be solved through careful analysis.
#8
Technological innovation is going to create entire new markets and radically alter existing ones. Waste processing will become more important than ever and no enterprise will be able to do without material flow analysis.
#7
‘No waste’ is becoming the new normal. Trash is no longer acceptable. Managing residue flows responsibly is not just good for the planet but also for the bottom line too.
3 min
CIRCULARITY IN FOOD
12 IMPLICATIONS
Circularity is not sustainability 2.0, but rather a new approach to do business. With its own challenges. Everything, from furniture to dishwater, has a destination. Circularity in food means a closed chain, preferably as short as possible, without any wastage.
Jelle Steenbergen & Frank Lindner Sander van der Meij
Refuse
prevent usage
Reuse
use materials again
Reduce
use materials again
Redesign
redesign with circularity in mind
Refurbish
restore products for reuse
Repair
maintain and reuse materials
Recycle
process and reuse materials
Remanufacture
make new products from old products
Repurpose
use products for completely different applications
Recover
retrieve energy from the materials
10 R’s of circularity
Source: Nederland Circulair
#1
Circularity is not the same as sustainability. Circular enterprise requires a sometimes radically different mindset, which takes account of the entire chain.
#2
Keep the chain short. A shorter chain enables better oversight and more efficient management. Consumers prefer the story behind what’s on their plate to be close to home.
#3
Partnerships are essential. Having close links with suppliers and producers is becoming the new norm. The problem is too big to solve in your own, so don’t try to.
#4
Disparate disciplines are becoming more interconnected than ever. Design and architecture are just as essential as ingredients and waste processing. In a circular system everything is interconnected and nothing functions separately from anything else.
#5
It’s time for radical transparency. Not only partners, but also consumers expect complete transparency about a company’s circular aspects. So it’s important for companies to be able to give an account of their activities.
#6
Value creation is key. Every aspect of a successful circular concept must have a destination. We have to extract the maximum possible from every component, both financially and ecologically.
#7
‘No waste’ is becoming the new normal. Trash is no longer acceptable. Managing residue flows responsibly is not just good for the planet but also for the bottom line too.
#8
Technological innovation is going to create entire new markets and radically alter existing ones. Waste processing will become more important than ever and no enterprise will be able to do without material flow analysis.
#9
Measuring is knowing. Modern information technology allows us to map out the entire chain. Which is necessary, because problems can only be solved through careful analysis.
#10
However, value is not always quantifiable. Economic and ecological impacts are certainly important, but enterprises should also look at the intangible value they add to society. Within the circular framework, social, esthetic, and emotional impacts are equally essential.
#11
Idealism is great, but realism remains a prerequisite. An enterprise that strives for 100% circularity and goes under, has a smaller impact than an enterprise that starts out with 70% circularity and innovates further from that position.
#12
Circularity is essentially hopeful and optimistic. Enterprises whose work focuses on solutions and who take a slightly idealistic approach, will be more highly appreciated than companies that emphasize the severity of the problem. Once solutions are found, we should celebrate that and get on with implementing them.
If we follow through on the circularity trend, then
it will have the following twelve implications for the world of food: