New Circular Economy Action Plan - message from Coordination Group Chair Ladeja Godina Košir, European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform

Ladeja Godina Košir, Founder of CC and Chair of the coordination group of the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform has writen a short statement reflecting on the current situation and the new Circular Economy Action Plan. We’re publishing the full letter bellow:

Dear CG Members, dear leaders of change,

The new Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) was published on 11 March 2020. The document we have been looking forward to has been officially introduced. In the time of the "Corona Crisis", the content and ambition of the document are more relevant than ever. The Action Plan's subtitle is "For a Cleaner and More Competitive Europe". I would dare to say that it is not only about how to be "clean and competitive", but rather about how to maintain or regain a decent quality of life for everyone, after the economic and social crises we are facing right now. With Corona we have realized how globally interdependent and interconnected we actually are. And also how vulnerable.

Radical collaboration, co-creation, stakeholder engagement, bridging the bottom-up and top-down approach, empowering civil society, enabling innovations, nourishing dialogue - most of us have been practising this in the last few years (or even longer) as pioneers of the circular transition and leaders of change on a smaller or bigger scale. We were not ashamed to admit, that we do not have all the answers, but we did and we do have each other. Based on shared values we have "recognized" each other, connected the dots, shared knowledge and lessons learned, and started to co-create "the network of networks", ECESP.

As the Chair of our CG, I feel responsible to call each of us to show our joined responsibility. I am inviting you, to send your brief feedback on the CEAP in the context of the current situation and consequences that are already in the air. In other words, what you, as a circular leader and change-maker, find the most relevant to be implemented and supported, to make our economy, environment, and society thrive. Please send 5 key points you find crucial to the Secretariat by 20 March 2020, with a view to publishing a joint statement by the Coordination Group.

We have been kicked out of our comfort zone - now we definitely have a chance to re-think our business models, to make them circular and sustainable. Not only for multinational giants but for every single SME. The European economy is based on small, often family-managed businesses. They are the glue of our society.

Allow me to conclude with my favourite quote from Leonard Cohen: There is a crack in everything, that is how the light gets in".

Let's be the light. Stay healthy and connected,
Ladeja:)