DATE: 15.10.2020
TIME: 11.00 – 16:00
LINK: https://hopin.to/events/circular-business-models-2020
ORGANIZER: Embassy of Netherlands in Warsaw
(Online, broadcasted from studio)
Circular Business Models 2020 is a conference about the transformation to circular economy in businesses. The event aims to familiarise companies with the idea of circularity and its opportunities for both new and established enterprises.
The change from linear to circular economy highlights sustainable management of raw materials at every stage of the product’s life cycle. During the webinar, participants will learn about ways to make profit while undergoing this transformation, the opportunities offered by circular economy and problems faced by both large and small companies.
The event will be broadcasted live from a professional studio on the Hopin.to platform and will include expo booths, networking and live discussions. See the schedule, sponsors and speakers in the link above.
AGENDA: kilk
Speakers:
Freek van Eijk
CEO, Holland Circular Hotspot
Freek van Eijk is CEO of Holland Circular Hotspot. The Holland Circular Hotspot (HCH) Foundation is a public-private initiative, that wants to make Circular Economy happen by sharing Dutch knowledge and innovation and stimulate international partnerships by connecting governments, knowledge institutions and businesses. HCH creates and strengthen Circular Economy export and investment opportunities, stimulates knowledge exchange and at the same time accelerates reaching societal goals like the Paris Climate objectives and SDG’s.
Freek van Eijk is also vice-chair of the Circular and Biobased Delta (CBBD), an alliance of Dutch provinces, businesses and knowledge centres in the delta region of the provinces of North Brabant, Zeeland and South Holland. Together, we are pioneering a sustainable circular and biobased economy. The CBBD support initiatives to use biomass as a raw material in the chemical, construction and packaging industries.
Ricco Martino Fiorito
CCO and Circular Designer, CooLoo
Ricco Fiorito is Commercial Director and Circular Designer at CooLoo. CooLoo develops and produces products and finishes for interiors, furniture, acoustic solutions, and industrial applications based on innovative coating technologies. CooLoo believes art, design, and interior can be created within a sustainable and circular economy. With a high degree of flexibility in application, shaping, and utilizing local waste. Keeping it simple and changing the way we produce and think about shaping objects and material use.
Ricco Fiorito is constantly looking for partners and waste materials to create new finishings and develop circular business models to implement with large international production and market companies. Moreover, he is a protagonist of the sustainable and ecological transition within the art, design, and interior market. During Dutch Design Week Eindhoven and the Salone del Mobile in Milano 2021 the new CooLoo Circular Canopy concept in co-creation with Thed Konings will be launched where these partnerships and collaboration with designers and new materials will be presented to inspire and start discussions about the sustainable transition we need.
Ton van der Giessen
General Manager, Van Werven
Ton van der Giessen is CEO of Van Werven, a Dutch family owned company active in Infra and Recycling. One of the recycling activities is the recycling of post-consumer hard plastics. Van Werven Plastic Recycling is exploiting recycling locations in several European countries including Poland. Ton is also chair of the Dutch branch organization BRBS Recycling, vice chair of PCEP (Polyolefin Circular Economy Platform), vice chair of the Supervisory Board Holland Circular Hotspot and board member of the Dutch Waste Transport branch organization. With an experience of more than 40 years he is one of the more senior experts in the field of waste management and recycling.
Sanne Kaasjager
Economic Counsellor, Embassy of Netherlands to Poland
Sanne Kaasjager started in his position as Economic Counsellor at the Netherlands Embassy in Poland in February 2019. He has been working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 1998. First at the UN department, than as a diplomat in Sri Lanka and Geneva. He returned to the ministry in The Hague in 2007 and took positions in climate negotiations, peacekeeping operations and relations with Africa, as advisor, strategist and manager. Nowadays, trade promotion and economic policy are the two legs he stands on, trying to translate Dutch business interests and the sustainable development goals into a win-win.
Ralph Koekkoek
CEO, Blue-fifty
Ralph has a degree in chemistry and business administration and has been active in the food, chemical and waste management industry. In 2015 he started Blue Fifty to contribute to the development of a circular and climate neutral society in 2050.
Michel Schurman
Director Business&Politics, MVO Nederland
Realizing a tipping point towards a new economy by 2025: that’s the mission of CSR The Netherlands (MVO Nederland). As Director Business & Politics I’m responsible for a team that works with frontrunning companies to realize this new economy. By setting up innovation projects and coalitions that enable climate friendly, circular and/or inclusive business models, set the annual sustainable business agenda and lobby politics and financial institutions to create the right conditions for this to become mainstream.Prior to working at CSR Netherlands I worked as Managing Consultant Sustainability at Capgemini, ran a small consultancy firm for 6 years and had a career in the Royal Dutch Marine Corps. For me sustainable entrepreneurship is a synonym for successful entrepreneurship; a constant improvement process of innovation, cooperation and execution.

Kelly Ruigrok is founder of the National Sustainability Institute of the Netherlands, Global Sustainable Enterprise System and Data for Good – Mission Control & member of the Dutch Young 100. All her founded companies have the same mission but have their own ecosystem of stakeholders and are serving their own purposes. The mission is to create a good world for our children and future generations. “Everybody can do anything, just Believe and ask the right questions in the right places”
Jan Willem Wieringa
CEO, Desch Plantpak
Jan Willem Wieringa is CEO of Desch Plantpak, producer of plastic pots and trays for the horticulture. Desch operates 6 factories which includes Interplast Plastic Products (IPP) in Bytom POLAND which was recently acquired. Desch and IPP have everything they need to play a leading role in the current transformation in horticulture; both companies have traditionally been at the forefront of the use of recycled materials and are constantly introducing innovations in the field of recycling. A number of imaginative innovations that optimally meet current market conditions include the D-Grade®Bio (PLA-based) product but also the Recover® and D-Tect®plus brands that are Cyclos HTP certified and guaranteed to be separable in the plastic waste treatment process – and thus fully recyclable.
Dion Vijgeboom
Co-owner, MUD Jeans
Dion has gained 20 years of experience in manufacturing, developing and sourcing denim products. In 2015 Dion and his wife became co-owner at MUD Jeans. Motivated by the possibilities that modern innovations offer, a perfect match was found with the business concept of MUD Jeans. Currently they are able to use up to 40% post consumer recycled jeans in their new denim fabrics. In the coming year the objective is to reach 100%. Moreover the brand is known for being the first company worldwide to offer consumers a subscription model for jeans – Lease A Jeans.
dr Konrad Czapiewski
PAN, REPAiR
Dr Konrad Czapiewski, Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning of the Polish Academy of Sciences, author of 110 scientific publications, implementer of several dozen research projects, member of the Bureau of the Spatial Planning Committee of the Polish Academy of Sciences and the Polish Geographic Society. In the last four years, he coordinated research in the Polish part of the Horizon 2020 – REPAiR project “Resource Management in Peri-urban Areas: Going Beyond Urban Metabolism”.
dr Leszek Kąsek
Senior Economist, ING Bank Śląski
Leszek Kąsek is a Senior Economist in the economic research team at ING Bank Śląski in Warsaw, responsible for sustainability, energy transition, and green finance in Poland. He joined ING in August 2019 and previously worked for the Ministry of Finance, the World Bank, and Deloitte. Leszek holds a PhD degree in economics from the Warsaw School of Economics and MA degree from the same university.
Kamil Mirowski

Kamil Mirowski is in charge of Public Affairs, Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability in Grupa Żywiec – one of the leading brewing companies in Poland. Passionate about public policy & political affairs.
dr Agnieszka Sznyk
CEO, INNOWO, Polish Circular Hotspot
Doctor of Sciences title obtained on Warsaw University of Life Sciences. Expert in the field of sustainable production and consumption, circular economy and economic aspects of Polish healthcare system. For many years was connected with nongovernmental organizations. Currently work as President of the Board of Institute of Innovation and Responsible Development, think tank which operating in development and implementation of systemic changes for sustainable socio-economic progress – www.innowo.org Participated as an expert in Pan European projects e.g. Horizon 2020 “Route from linear to circular economy”. Initiator and coordinator of Polish Circular Hotspot nationwide programme for transition into circular economy – www.circularhotspot.pl Circular Economy expert at CE Working Group under National Smart Specialization appointed by the Steering Committee, consisting of representatives of the Ministry of Development, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy.
Bogdan Ślęk