[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$fA5X5ATgViXEga67W8i8v-ZVxOGtftfdmtW2CFzTAR0I":3,"skip-profile-counts":7,"collection-counts-circular-jobs-initiative":26,"settings":32,"/api/collections/circular-jobs-initiative/articles":159,"profile-liked-collections--liked-seeAll":368},{"id":4,"name":5,"description":6,"link":7,"banner_image_url":8,"avatar_image_url":9,"system_reserved":10,"owner_id":11,"owner":12,"contributors":23,"industries":24,"locations":25,"canEdit":10},"circular-jobs-initiative","Circular Jobs Initiative","This collection comes from the \u003Ca href=\"https://www.circle-economy.com/circular-jobs-initiative/\" target=\"_blank\">Circular Jobs Initiative\u003C/a>, an initiative of Circle Economy.\n\nThe workforce is an essential lever for transforming our economy from linear to circular. The Circular Jobs Initiative aims to maximise the employment opportunities offered by the circular economy. It provides practical support and insights to businesses and governments that want to adopt circular strategies that have a positive social impact.The Circular Jobs Initiative works through three focus areas: \n\n- Upskilling the workforce\n\n- Quality of work\n\n- Inclusive job opportunities \n\nCJI has defined circular jobs as any occupation that directly involves or indirectly supports one of the strategies of the circular economy. It distinguishes between three types of circular jobs: core, enabling and indirectly circular jobs.\n\n**Core circular jobs** are all jobs that ensure the closure of raw material cycles, including jobs in repair, renewable energy, waste and resource management. \n\n**‍Enabling circular jobs** are jobs that remove barriers for and enable the acceleration and upscaling of core circular activities, including jobs that arise in leasing, education, design and digital technology. \n\n**Indirectly circular jobs** are jobs that occur in other sectors that do not play a direct role in furthering the transition to the circular economy but can still adopt circular strategies. They include jobs that provide services to core circular strategies, including jobs in information services, logistics and the public sector.\n\nThe Knowledge Hub Collection includes examples of circular jobs, publications, reports, case studies and policies different organisations, governments and businesses are already using to advocate for a person-centred circular economy. \n\nVisit the \u003Ca href=\"https://www.circle-economy.com/circular-jobs-initiative/\" target=\"_blank\">Circular Jobs Initiative\u003C/a>\n\nVisit the \u003Ca href=\"http://jobsmonitor.circle-economy.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Circular Jobs Monitor\u003C/a>",null,"https://kh-assets.prod.circularity-gap.world/org-profile-avatar/1778155242214-_0s7glPD.jpeg","https://kh-assets.prod.circularity-gap.world/org-profile-avatar/1778155242727-znI1KpZp.png",false,"ce",{"id":11,"type":13,"owner_id":14,"about":15,"job_title":7,"url":7,"linkedin":7,"email":7,"staff_of_id":7,"organisation_id":11,"owner":16,"organisation":19,"profile":21},"organisation","56NcOv","",{"first_name":17,"last_name":18},"Circle","Economy",{"name":20},"Circle Economy",{"link":22},"https://kh-assets.prod.circularity-gap.world/org-profile-avatar/HiKR8W326OYvfBij.jpg",[],[],[],{"total":27,"byType":28},91,{"business_case":29,"policy_case":30,"blog":31,"resource":31,"report":31},46,45,0,{"data":33,"meta":158},{"id":34,"documentId":35,"createdAt":36,"updatedAt":37,"publishedAt":38,"nav_primary":39,"nav_secondary":104},71,"cq0rcn2xoi5no1yfyvbgyln1","2025-06-22T14:25:01.818Z","2026-05-07T15:46:44.530Z","2026-05-07T15:46:45.271Z",[40,45,69,74,79,99],{"id":41,"label":42,"url":43,"disable_label_url":7,"children_links":44},666,"About","/about",[],{"id":46,"label":47,"url":48,"disable_label_url":7,"children_links":49},670,"Focus areas","programmes",[50,53,57,61,65],{"id":51,"label":47,"url":52},1558,"/programmes",{"id":54,"label":55,"url":56},1559,"Cities & regions","/programmes/cities",{"id":58,"label":59,"url":60},1560,"Finance & economics","/programmes/finance",{"id":62,"label":63,"url":64},1561,"Textiles & fashion","/programmes/textiles",{"id":66,"label":67,"url":68},1562,"Jobs & employment","/programmes/jobs",{"id":70,"label":71,"url":72,"disable_label_url":7,"children_links":73},667,"Services","/services",[],{"id":75,"label":76,"url":77,"disable_label_url":7,"children_links":78},668,"Impact","/impact",[],{"id":80,"label":81,"url":82,"disable_label_url":7,"children_links":83},671,"CGR","/cgr",[84,87,91,95],{"id":85,"label":86,"url":82},1563,"About CGR",{"id":88,"label":89,"url":90},1564,"CGR Global","/cgr/cgr-global",{"id":92,"label":93,"url":94},1565,"CGR Nations","/cgr/cgr-national",{"id":96,"label":97,"url":98},1566,"CGR Regions & cities","/cgr/cgr-regions-cities",{"id":100,"label":101,"url":102,"disable_label_url":7,"children_links":103},669,"Resources","/knowledge-hub/search",[],[105,109,114,119,143],{"id":106,"label":107,"url":82,"disable_label_url":7,"children_links":108},672,"CGR ®",[],{"id":110,"label":111,"url":112,"disable_label_url":7,"children_links":113},673,"Circle Academy","/circle-academy",[],{"id":115,"label":116,"url":117,"disable_label_url":7,"children_links":118},674,"Clients","/clients",[],{"id":120,"label":101,"url":121,"disable_label_url":7,"children_links":122},675,"/resources",[123,127,131,135,139],{"id":124,"label":125,"url":126},1567,"Reports & publications","?page=1",{"id":128,"label":129,"url":130},1568,"Opinions","opinions",{"id":132,"label":133,"url":134},1569,"News","news",{"id":136,"label":137,"url":138},1570,"Knowledge Hub","knowledge-hub",{"id":140,"label":141,"url":142},1571,"Going Circular","going-circular",{"id":144,"label":47,"url":52,"disable_label_url":7,"children_links":145},676,[146,149,152,155],{"id":147,"label":55,"url":148},1572,"cities",{"id":150,"label":67,"url":151},1573,"jobs",{"id":153,"label":63,"url":154},1574,"textiles",{"id":156,"label":59,"url":157},1575,"finance",{},[160,190,205,219,234,247,262,277,295,334],{"id":161,"type":162,"cta":7,"cta_link":7,"created_at":163,"updated_at":164,"owner_id":165,"owner_relationship":166,"views":167,"owner":168,"image":7,"article_locations":170,"article_industries":179,"view_count":167,"like_count":31,"collection_count":180,"content":181},"24562","business_case","2023-07-03T07:10:10.888Z","2026-05-10T23:00:30.863Z","X1Mi8A","collaborator",2,{"id":165,"type":169,"owner_id":165,"about":7,"job_title":7,"url":7,"linkedin":7,"email":7,"staff_of_id":7,"organisation_id":7,"organisation":7},"user",[171],{"article_id":161,"location_id":172,"created_at":173,"updated_at":7,"location":174},"NLD","2026-05-07T12:00:42.947Z",{"id":172,"type":175,"name":176,"color":7,"parent_location_id":177,"created_at":178,"updated_at":7},"country","The Netherlands","EU","2026-02-27T07:55:14.722Z",[],1,{"id":182,"score":31,"body":183,"status":188,"article_id":161,"created_at":163,"updated_at":189,"published_at":163},"Kab-",{"title":184,"problem":185,"summary":186,"solution":187},"Retraining course on hydrogen for oil and gas workers provided by Brunel","\u003Cp>Retrain workers from the oil and gas sector\u003C/p>","\u003Cp>\u003Cbr>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>The Netherlands-based energy recruitment company Brunel and the Groningen-based business school, The Energy Delta Institute, launched a degree for oil and gas workers to retrain them for jobs in the hydrogen sector. Brunel found the degree after receiving the survey results it undertook with\u003C/p>\u003Cp>oilandgasjobsearch.com, which showed a third of oil and gas workers were looking for new jobs in the renewables industry. The European Union will invest EUR 250 billion (of which EUR 4.5 billion is planned in the Netherlands) into hydrogen production, generating strong demand for hydrogen specialists in the coming years. The course will be a fully accredited postgraduate degree covering the fundamentals of hydrogen production, usage (mobility, industry and built environment), the entire value chain and policies, and regulatory and legal issues. It will be the first such programme in the world. It is planned as a part-time\u003C/p>\u003Cp>course, once a week for nine months, with 25 available spots for Brunel’s clients with more than five years in engineering and legal roles. After the pilot phase,\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Brunel plans to launch additional international programmes.\u003C/p>","\u003Cp>Targetted retraining programmes. \u003C/p>","published","2023-07-03T07:10:11.364Z",{"id":191,"type":162,"cta":7,"cta_link":7,"created_at":192,"updated_at":193,"owner_id":194,"owner_relationship":166,"views":167,"owner":195,"image":7,"article_locations":196,"article_industries":197,"view_count":167,"like_count":31,"collection_count":180,"content":198},"20574","2022-09-22T09:46:45.846Z","2026-05-10T19:08:46.572Z","G53Sew",{"id":194,"type":169,"owner_id":194,"about":7,"job_title":7,"url":7,"linkedin":7,"email":7,"staff_of_id":7,"organisation_id":7,"organisation":7},[],[],{"id":199,"score":31,"body":200,"status":188,"article_id":191,"created_at":192,"updated_at":204,"published_at":192},"Uhp_",{"title":201,"summary":202,"solution":203},"IKEA: The quest to make Circularity applicable and achievable","\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>ABOUT IKEA\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>IKEA is one of the largest furniture companies in the world. Founded in 1943, its vision is to create a better everyday life for many people by offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at affordable prices. The IKEA Group consists of a highly integrated industrial ecosystem of suppliers, franchisee retailers and manufacturers. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>Currently, there are 474 IKEA franchise stores across 64 markets, and as of 2021, there were 225,000 IKEA workers around the world. One of the first franchise stores in the world was launched by IKEA Netherlands (NL) at the end of the 1970s. Now, 40 years later, IKEA NL has 13 stores across the country. The international training centre, ‘Ikea Business College' for all franchisees is located in Delft, the Netherlands, yet it is owned and operated by IKEA Global. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>IKEA Global sets the new strategic direction for the company through its \u003Cem>People & Planet Positive\u003C/em> strategy. The strategy describes the sustainability agenda for the whole IKEA value chain and outlines its sustainability ambitions and commitments in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. By 2030, IKEA’s ambitions will be operationalised across three main areas: healthy and sustainable living, becoming a circular and climate positive business, and ensuring fair and equal work across the IKEA value chain. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>OPPORTUNITIES FOR HRM IN IKEA \u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>1. The next step for IKEA is to reinvent and elevate HR functions and\u003Cstrong> involve HR as strategic leaders and active partners\u003C/strong> in shaping the circularity agenda. HRM has an important function in shaping new job profiles to meet the needs of new circular business models. Including HR as active partners in shaping the sustainability strategy can go hand-in-hand with creating long-term strategies for talent development—whilst promoting new circular HRM practices to upskill and train employees in developing circular competencies. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>2. The IKEA global organisation offers e-learning modules, which are often theoretical. There is a greater opportunity to \u003Cstrong>enhance the training modules, integrating more hands-on-training\u003C/strong> parallel to shop floor employees and build a strong link between theory and practice. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>3. With IKEA’s increasing number of circular propositions including recycling mattresses, taking back old IKEA furniture and more, a growing number of partners are interested in working with IKEA. The company has a huge potential to streamline this momentum and capitalise on this opportunity by continuing to \u003Cstrong>unlock partnerships with organisations to build synergies\u003C/strong>, contributing to further success.\u003C/p>","\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>IKEA'S CIRCULAR JOURNEY\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>In 1993, IKEA was amongst the founding members at the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC) Founding Assembly and has since been including the sourcing of FSC materials into its sustainable sourcing strategy and investing in increasing FSC certified forests. In 2000, sustainability became integrated in the core of the company’s strategy and operations, as \u003Cstrong>the IKEA Way\u003C/strong>, or IWAY. This entails a supplier code of conduct for purchasing, materials processing, and services—setting minimum requirements for environmental and social standards, and working conditions. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>More recently, to inspire and guide decision-making and goal setting, IKEA has seen the need to upgrade its sustainability approach to strategically consider circularity as the way forward to implement its \u003Cem>People and Planet Positive (PPP)\u003C/em> strategy - which was launched in 2012 and provides a roadmap to outline a strong, common long-term agenda for the entire IKEA value chain and franchise system. As IKEA is a highly vertically integrated business and has developed strong relationships with the suppliers along its value chain, the company has been able to set the tone and direction for how products are designed, produced, transported and sold. For example, as the company has moved towards using 90% recycled polyester, IKEA and its suppliers have collaboratively adapted and innovated to follow the company’s commitment to circularity by 2030. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>IKEA NL started its circular journey by \u003Cstrong>adapting its business operations, focusing on extending product lifetimes and increasing product recycling rates. \u003C/strong>Consequently, its 30-year old resale or refurbished items 'Bargain Corner' (Koopjeshoek), was upgraded to become the \u003Cstrong>Circular Hub\u003C/strong>, offering returns from its buyback service and refurbished products, selling spare parts, and providing repair ideas for some of its products, at in-person or online stores. The products that are not sold in the Hub are now donated to the thrift store \u003Cstrong>Het Goed\u003C/strong>. Two other noteworthy IKEA NL collaborations are with \u003Cstrong>Renewi\u003C/strong>: via Ingka Investments (the investment arm of Ingka Group, the largest IKEA Retail operator) with Renewi they have jointly invested in Dutch mattress recycler RetourMatras, which creates secondary products by recycling mattresses and recycled materials for new mattresses, and Ikea’s collaboration with \u003Cstrong>MUD Jeans\u003C/strong>, a start-up that produces and leases 100% recycled jeans. This has resulted in the development of a new KLIPPAN cover, made from recycled IKEA materials. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>‘There is a large, often untapped, group that could very well support the circular transition, and they are not yet working! At Het Goed you have beautiful work by people with a distance to the labor market – they are growing very quickly. It really is a shared responsibility of companies and the government.’\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>- Hanneke van de Vijfeijke – Country Sustainability Manager IKEA Netherlands\u003C/p>","2022-09-27T09:37:59.426Z",{"id":206,"type":162,"cta":7,"cta_link":7,"created_at":207,"updated_at":208,"owner_id":194,"owner_relationship":166,"views":180,"owner":209,"image":7,"article_locations":210,"article_industries":211,"view_count":180,"like_count":31,"collection_count":180,"content":212},"20573","2022-09-22T09:39:21.783Z","2026-05-11T05:38:54.141Z",{"id":194,"type":169,"owner_id":194,"about":7,"job_title":7,"url":7,"linkedin":7,"email":7,"staff_of_id":7,"organisation_id":7,"organisation":7},[],[],{"id":213,"score":31,"body":214,"status":188,"article_id":206,"created_at":207,"updated_at":218,"published_at":207},"IaVe",{"title":215,"summary":216,"solution":217},"Lidl's Circular Journey: Keeping prices low while closing the loop? Yes, it's possible!","\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>ABOUT LIDL\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG (Lidl) is a German international discount retailer\u003C/strong> founded in 1973. Its business model is based on a ‘pass-the-savings-to-the-consumer’ approach, which translates into limited staffing and product handling at stores, optimised logistics and transportation systems, and overall reduced operational wastage. Today, as part of the Schwarz Group, Lidl is one of the leading food discount retailers in Germany and Europe. It currently operates around 11,550 branches in 32 countries worldwide and employs more than 341,000 people globally. It is known in the industry as a sustainability leader in its market segment, tackling sustainability from a cost optimisation perspective and zero-waste approach. The company’s circular economy transition is seen as a natural next step in its sustainability drive. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>Lidl has operated in the Netherlands for 25 years and currently touts over 19,000 employees, six distribution centres and 441 stores. Some Dutch stores are prime examples of Lidl’s circular journey: in September 2019, the retailer opened the \u003Cstrong>first ‘energy circular’ supermarket in Woerden\u003C/strong> and in 2021, it opened the \u003Cstrong>‘most sustainable supermarket of the Netherlands’ in Almere\u003C/strong>—a store which is not only energy and CO2 neutral, but is also built with sustainable and circular materials. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>OPPORTUNITY FOR HRM IN LIDL \u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>1. The main opportunity for Lidl Netherlands is to reinvent and elevate HR functions and\u003Cstrong> involve HR as strategic leaders and active partners\u003C/strong> in shaping the sustainability agenda. Given that HRM has a key function in shaping new job profiles to meet the needs of the new circular business model, including HR as active partners in shaping the sustainability strategy can go hand-in-hand with creating long-term strategies for talent development. It can also promote new circular HRM practices to attract, develop, retain and redeploy people internally. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>How does Lidl achieve its circularity objectives? \u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>\u003Cem>“It takes a lot of determination and courage. We are really very critical of ourselves, and also of others. But certainly on ourselves. We have to remain credible.”\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>- Quirine de Weerd – Head of Corporate Communications and CSR\u003C/p>","\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>LIDL’S CIRCULAR JOURNEY\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Lidl’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy, 'A Better Tomorrow', focuses on six pillars: \u003C/p>\u003Cp>1. \u003Cstrong>Sustainable range: \u003C/strong>A quarter of Lidl's turnover comes from products with a sustainability label. Lidl believes in local sourcing and organic farming, selling approximately 220 organic products in their store across both food and non-food ranges. Sustainability is also a part of their own-brand and is reflected in the range across their own-brand products. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>2. \u003Cstrong>Healthy lifestyle: \u003C/strong>By 2025, Lidl plans for its own-brand products to contain  20% less sugar and salt compared to 2015 levels. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>3. \u003Cstrong>Preventing food waste: \u003C/strong>Lidl aims to match supply and demand more closely, and is looking for alternative routes to its food surplus such as collaborating with food banks and community programmes. Lidl has announced its commitment to reduce food waste by 30% by 2025 and 50% by 2030. Its future goal is to become totally food waste-free. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>4. \u003Cstrong>On the way to circularity:\u003C/strong> Currently more than 90% of its residual flows such as film wrappings, organic waste, paper, wood etc. are recycled into new raw materials. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>5. \u003Cstrong>Packaging: \u003C/strong>Its goal is to use 20% less packaging material, 20% recycled material and 100% recyclability of their own brand plastic packaging by 2025.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>6. \u003Cstrong>Societal benefits: \u003C/strong>Lidl is organising community- and sustainability-first initiatives such as harvest festivals to demonstrate where their produce comes from.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Lidl’s parent company, the Schwarz Group, comprises Lidl, Kaulfand (retailers), Prezero (waste management and recycling business), and Schwarz Produktion (production facility). As a \u003Cstrong>highly integrated\u003C/strong> Group, Lidl—and in particular Lidl Netherlands—was able to kick-start its circular ambitions as it was already part of a nearly closed-loop ecosystem with a streamlined supply chain, scaled sourcing and logistics centres and systems, and holistic recycling and waste management. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>Lidl Netherlands \u003Cstrong>focuses on engaging in long-term relationships with its suppliers \u003C/strong>and develops long-term strategies without external (market) pressures. This has allowed the company to invest in energy-efficient buildings, target a complete overhaul of their electric/gas-run transport fleet, and strive for their ambitious zero-waste warehouses. Moreover, motivated by their long-term partnerships along the value chain, the company assists local suppliers in reducing their waste production and incorporating the concept of recycling right from the production stage. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>A pillar of this approach has been the external collaborations that Lidl Netherlands has had with research partners to further the company’s sustainability and circular goals. For instance, \u003Cstrong>the advisory partnership between Lidl Netherlands and Technical University of Delft \u003C/strong>to increase its built environment circularity. Moreover, this culture of promoting external collaborations extends across different country offices. Some examples of other partnerships are: \u003C/p>\u003Cp>1. Partnership between Lidl Switzerland and EMPA (Swiss Federal Lab for Materials Science and Technology) to develop bio-coating to replace plastic packaging.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>2. Partnerships between Lidl UK with start-ups to pilot novel ideas, e.g. offering refill own-brand laundry detergent,.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>3. Partnerships between Lidl Germany and established environmental and sustainable product companies such as Bioland.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Why is Lidl embracing and implementing circularity in its business strategy?   \u003C/strong>\u003Cem>“Circularity really is an opportunity for us. What I still hear far too often: discount and sustainability: that's a crazy combination, that's not possible! For us, however, this is where we know we can make a difference”\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>- Quirine de Weerd – Head of Corporate Communications and CSR\u003C/p>","2022-09-22T09:39:21.900Z",{"id":220,"type":162,"cta":7,"cta_link":7,"created_at":221,"updated_at":222,"owner_id":194,"owner_relationship":166,"views":180,"owner":223,"image":7,"article_locations":224,"article_industries":225,"view_count":180,"like_count":31,"collection_count":180,"content":226},"20572","2022-09-22T09:31:17.420Z","2026-05-10T20:05:16.289Z",{"id":194,"type":169,"owner_id":194,"about":7,"job_title":7,"url":7,"linkedin":7,"email":7,"staff_of_id":7,"organisation_id":7,"organisation":7},[],[],{"id":227,"score":31,"body":228,"status":188,"article_id":220,"created_at":221,"updated_at":233,"published_at":221},"P4FB",{"title":229,"problem":230,"summary":231,"solution":232},"MUD Jeans' Circular Journey: Together we can do so much!","\u003Cp>\u003Cbr>\u003C/p>","\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>ABOUT MUD JEANS\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>‘Sustainability rockstar’ MUD Jeans is a circular denim brand that\u003C/strong> is focused on eliminating waste and creating positive environmental and societal benefits. MUD Jeans’ incentive to revolutionise the fashion industry was driven by the fact that jeans—one of the most beloved wardrobe staples—are also one of the most polluting items. Globally, with over 200,000 million jeans being sold every year, the impact of recycling jeans and using organic cotton can be enormous. Currently, the jeans in MUD Jeans’ standard collection use fabric that consists of up to 40% post-consumer recycled fibres and organic cotton. As a result, its production uses 93% less water and emits 74% less CO2 compared to industry-standard jeans.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>MUD Jeans is \u003Cstrong>one of the first Dutch companies with a B Corporation Certification \u003C/strong>(a business that assesses the balance between purpose and profits). Its \u003Cstrong>trademark Lease A Jeans model\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>which\u003C/strong> began in 2013, is an annual Product-as-a-Service (PaaS) model with a monthly rental fee. For the first year, customers pay €9.95 per month, after which they have a choice to either own the jeans, return the jeans or swap them for a new leasing pair. For the second pair of jeans, customers pay €8.95 per month. The Lease A Jeans service includes free repairs for the year. If jeans are returned—depending on their condition—they are either recycled into a new pair of jeans or sold at special events. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>In 2016, the Lease A Jeans model was temporarily halted due to the complicated administrational processes that came with this new business model. However, customers expressed their continued interest towards leasing so a few months later, \u003Cstrong>the Lease A Jeans model was reinstated\u003C/strong>. Currently, close to half of MUD Jean’s customers lease their jeans. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>Aside from its Lease A Jeans model, MUD Jeans has a \u003Cstrong>short and transparent supply chain\u003C/strong> and works closely and collaboratively with supply chain partners. As of 2021, MUD Jeans had sold 47,000 pairs of jeans in total in 330 stores in over 28 countries.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>OPPORTUNITY FOR HRM IN MUD JEANS \u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>1. As MUD Jeans continues to grow, \u003Cstrong>having a knowledge management system\u003C/strong> that allows for employee-specific knowledge to be recorded and retained in the company will be key in ensuring the company’s goals are achieved and furthered.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>2. As MUD Jeans is a circular economy industry frontrunner, it has the opportunity to be \u003Cstrong>convenor of best practices and learning experiences within the wider industry\u003C/strong> and advocate for the larger public by setting up interest-based coalitions/platforms. \u003C/p>","\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>MUD JEANS’ CIRCULAR JOURNEY \u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>MUD’s sustainability strategy is based on three pillars: \u003C/p>\u003Cp>1. \u003Cstrong>Circular economy: \u003C/strong>Circularity is at the core of its business model design, production and sales.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>2. \u003Cstrong>Fair production: \u003C/strong>MUD Jeans only works with selected manufacturers that ensure worker wellbeing. Its jeans are made with Global Organic Textiles Standard (GOTS) certified cotton.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>3. \u003Cstrong>Positive activism: \u003C/strong>It is committed to amplifying the voices of people and projects that benefit the planet. They promote knowledge sharing through monthly zoom calls about being a circular business\u003C/p>\u003Cp>In 2019 Mud Jeans began their most ambitious company goal: The ‘Road to 100’ journey, which aimed to create the first pair of fully circular jeans. After almost two years in development, in June 2022 MUD Jeans introduced the \u003Cstrong>world’s first completely circular pair of jeans,\u003C/strong> in partnership with Saxion University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands. These jeans are made from 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) cotton; combining mechanically recycled fibres with chemically recycled fibres. While the PCR jeans are more expensive than the rest of the company’s product line, the objective is to scale it into a commercial product and price them similar to their other jeans. The company is working with industrial parties to bring innovation into bulk production with the goal to have it ready for the market by 2023. Alongside commercialising its circular jeans, MUD Jeans plans to actively share key lessons from its circular jeans journey with the industry and public, advocating for more circularity in the wider textile sector.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>“We are circular pioneers and take full responsibility for waste. We also aim to be radically transparent and show our customers exactly where and how their jeans are produced. This is possible because we have a short supply chain with four main suppliers with whom we have a close relationship”\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>- Lea Landsberg – CSR and Communications Officer\u003C/p>","2022-09-22T09:32:13.984Z",{"id":235,"type":162,"cta":7,"cta_link":7,"created_at":236,"updated_at":237,"owner_id":194,"owner_relationship":166,"views":31,"owner":238,"image":7,"article_locations":239,"article_industries":240,"view_count":31,"like_count":31,"collection_count":180,"content":241},"20571","2022-09-22T09:23:58.663Z","2022-09-22T09:25:24.301Z",{"id":194,"type":169,"owner_id":194,"about":7,"job_title":7,"url":7,"linkedin":7,"email":7,"staff_of_id":7,"organisation_id":7,"organisation":7},[],[],{"id":242,"score":31,"body":243,"status":188,"article_id":235,"created_at":236,"updated_at":237,"published_at":236},"oIQK",{"title":244,"outcome":230,"summary":245,"solution":246},"Roetz: 'Circularity with Social Impact is in our DNA!'","\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>ABOUT ROETZ BIKES\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Roetz, a social enterprise founded in 2011 in Amsterdam,\u003C/strong> aims to achieve circularity and boost inclusive labour participation. Its initial business was based on the reuse principle: ‘rescuing’ discarded bikes and recycling their parts. Founder Tiemen ter Hoeven had a eureka moment when he noticed that repurposing and remanufacturing in the automotive industry was quite common, but lacking in the bicycle industry. And the result? A collection of sustainably repurposed bicycles ready for a new life. With the motto, ‘every bike is unique’, Roetz has made repurposing an integral part of its commercial and operational activities since 2015.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Beyond manufacturing, \u003Cstrong>Roetz operates as a social enterprise.\u003C/strong> The Roetz Fair Factory Foundation was established in August 2016 with the goal of empowering people who are in a vulnerable employment position and have difficulties finding a job. Since its inception, the foundation has enabled more than 70 people to find or regain their happiness at work and to participate in the labour process. Once the worker comes on board, a dedicated mentor guides them. Production of the bicycles is done in a space curated to include those with special needs or long-term unemployment. In addition, Roetz encourages its workers, and makers, to study for a diploma which improves their job prospects, after which it assists them in finding suitable employment—for example at one of Roetz’s suppliers or dealers.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Currently, Roetz has approximately 45 makers in the factory. In 2021, over 1,600 bicycles were designed and almost 8,000 bicycles were repaired.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>OPPORTUNITY FOR HRM IN ROETZ \u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>1. The main opportunity in Roetz \u003Cstrong>is achieving its dual mission\u003C/strong> of operating a standardised training programme for skilling people distant from the labour market while simultaneously having to innovate and develop new skills for creating the circular bike. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>2. Following the covid-19 pandemic, bicycle assembly factories and distributors are facing difficulties in fulfilling the growing demand for bikes (and especially e-bikes). As more distributors turn to remanufacture as a viable solution, Roetz has a huge potential to streamline this momentum and capitalise on this opportunity by \u003Cstrong>unlocking partnerships with companies that rent and lease bikes\u003C/strong>. Their recent partnership with Swapfiets serves as an example of this opportunity. HRM can support the development of such partnerships by assessing the opportunities and deploying the best mix of internal resources. This is also an opportunity for Roetz to increase the company’s visibility to a larger audience. \u003C/p>","\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>ROETZ’S CIRCULAR JOURNEY \u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>- Roetz is an exemplary case of a socially-minded business that is incrementally embracing circular principles, starting in the bike refurbishing sector. It has gained expertise in remanufacturing and has recently set itself the goal of producing the world's first circular bike. To deliver this ambition, it has embedded the \u003Cstrong>Cradle-to-Cradle philosophy\u003C/strong> in its operations.   \u003C/p>\u003Cp>- Currently, the company achieves 30-40% circularity in its Roetz Bike Collection, and 70% circularity in the OV-fiets bike fleet—largely due to the homogeneity of the OV-fiets fleet. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>- Aside from the technical and skilling aspects, \u003Cstrong>what sets the company apart from its competitors is its Fair Factory and its mission\u003C/strong>. This foundational social perspective of the company is a critical—yet often overlooked—pillar of the circular economy. When the company hires employees, they do not ask for a résumé or recommendations. Instead, they look for certain characteristics such as strong-mindedness, honesty, and an exceptional eye for detail. Further, an important aspect of the Fair Factory is that it gives workers the chance to obtain an industry-recognised and publicly accredited ‘Certified Bicycle Technician’ diploma. After receiving the diploma, workers are counselled, according to their skills and mindset, and matched to the most suitable employment option. In 2021, Roetz guided twelve people to a paid job, for example at Urban Arrows (an e-cargo bike manufacturer).\u003C/p>\u003Cp>- Roetz \u003Cstrong>actively collaborates with public agencies\u003C/strong>: mainly with vocational (MBO) VET institutions and unemployment agencies. In 2021, five makers followed a secondary vocational education (MBO) course in Cycling Technology at the Roetz factory, leading to two makers obtaining the Roetz practical skills certificate. Currently, there is an effort to synergise the Roetz skill certification with official VET certifications.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>- In 2021, the company launched a campaign, \u003Cstrong>‘One Planet One Bike’\u003C/strong> to support consumer awareness about the scarcity of raw materials and the importance of preventing waste streams by showing how old bicycles can be reused.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>- Another way the company has embraced circularity has been \u003Cstrong>through partnerships with various companies in order to assist its business partners with their ‘end of life’ bicycles\u003C/strong>. For example, its 2021 partnership and pilot project with Swapfiets (a bike fleet of over 200,000 lease bikes across Europe) and CycleShare (a bike rental and lease company with rental operations at holiday parks, resorts, and hotels across the Benelux).\u003C/p>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>“Our key to success? We involve our people! We look at each station and ask: what could be improved here? What does the employee need to do something better or faster? So really looking together at how we can optimize something, not imposing anything. In this way people's self-esteem also grows, which is really key.”\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>- Ellen Heeres – Director of Fair Factory Foundation \u003C/p>",{"id":248,"type":162,"cta":7,"cta_link":7,"created_at":249,"updated_at":250,"owner_id":194,"owner_relationship":166,"views":180,"owner":251,"image":7,"article_locations":252,"article_industries":253,"view_count":180,"like_count":31,"collection_count":180,"content":254},"20570","2022-09-22T09:14:04.455Z","2026-05-10T22:36:59.364Z",{"id":194,"type":169,"owner_id":194,"about":7,"job_title":7,"url":7,"linkedin":7,"email":7,"staff_of_id":7,"organisation_id":7,"organisation":7},[],[],{"id":255,"score":31,"body":256,"status":188,"article_id":248,"created_at":249,"updated_at":261,"published_at":249},"Rk6N",{"title":257,"outcome":258,"summary":259,"solution":260},"Action's Circular Journey: an Evolution not Revolution","\u003Cp>In line with this, Action has \u003Cstrong>reviewed its product portfolio\u003C/strong> to identify necessary changes to improve the circularity of its products. The Circle Scan, conducted by Circle Economy, analysed and visualised Action’s global value chain, including: the origin of its resources, the production of resources into products, its operations, the use of its products by consumers, and waste creation and recovery, to identify key hotspots for change. The assessment was conducted for half of its product lines in 2021, including Action’s private label and it is planned to be completed for all product lines by the end of 2022.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Action is very hands-on. Circularity has to be practical, specific and actionable. To move buyers towards sustainable and circular procurement decisions, Action is currently \u003Cstrong>upskilling its buying team \u003C/strong>to procure products in a more resource-efficient and sustainable manner. As part of this initiative, Action has set up a circular buying guide for their buying team (and may extend this guide to their suppliers in the future). . \u003C/p>\u003Cp>Additionally, Action is \u003Cstrong>nudging customers \u003C/strong>to make sustainable choices. In 2021 Action expanded its communication, to better inform customers of their product quality and sustainability efforts. Across their communications channels, their green thumbs continue to highlight their increasing range of sustainable products and provide information about certification labels and other relevant knowledge to guide customer purchasing.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>\u003Cbr>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>How have the employees perceived Action’s increasing focus on circularity? \u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>“Everyone is really onboard with sustainability- So the question is more practical - How do we do it? And not so much - Should we do it”\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>- Fabeel Butt – Sustainability Manager \u003C/p>","\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>ABOUT ACTION\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Action is Europe’s \u003Cstrong>fastest-growing non-food discounter.\u003C/strong> Since its first store opened in the Netherlands in 1993, it has grown into an international player with more than 2,100 stores across ten countries: the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Italy and Spain. Every week, Action inspires over 12 million customers in their stores with an ever-changing variety of 6,000 products across 14 product categories—including well-known brand products, Action private labels and supplier-branded items. Another 8 million customers visit action.com each week. As of 2021, Action offered 1,500 products below €1, and the average sales price of their products was €2.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>There are currently more than 68,000 people of 124 nationalities working at Action. ‘\u003Cstrong>More Action\u003C/strong>’ refers to Action’s increasing responsibility to ensure sustainable growth in all aspects of its business, including its human capital development. At the end of 2021, Action celebrated the opening of their 400th store in Maastricht. Research showed that Action was the most missed retail chain during the covid-19 lockdowns in the Netherlands. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>OPPORTUNITY FOR HRM IN ACTION \u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>1. The main opportunity for Action is to reinvent and elevate HR functions and\u003Cstrong> involve HR as strategic leaders and active partners\u003C/strong> in shaping the sustainability agenda. Given that HRM has a key function in shaping new job profiles to meet the needs of the new circular business model, including HR as active partners in shaping the sustainability strategy can go hand-in-hand with creating long-term strategies for talent development—and can promote new circular HRM practices to attract, develop, retain and redeploy people internally (with the support of tools such as the recently launched sustainability training platform). \u003C/p>\u003Cp>2. Action’s circular strategy is currently focused on empowering its buying team. However, the transition also offers a promising opportunity to empower their supply team. Action’s HRM can \u003Cstrong>strengthen the relationship between suppliers and buyers\u003C/strong> by assessing the type of knowledge and skills required by both groups and facilitating knowledge sharing and upskilling so that both buyers and suppliers are empowered and can work collaboratively to manage the circular transition. By managing and improving the innovative capabilities of suppliers, Action’s ambitious goals can be attained sooner, clearly an opportunity worth considering.\u003C/p>","\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>ACTION’S CIRCULAR JOURNEY \u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>As its competitors increasingly adopted circular models and regulatory changes in the EU were introduced as part of the Circular Economy Action Plan (guided by the European Green Deal), Action sought to intensify its sustainability efforts. Consequently, the \u003Cstrong>Action’s Social Responsibility (ASR) Strategy\u003C/strong>—introduced in 2016—was rebranded as the \u003Cstrong>Action Sustainability Programme (ASP)\u003C/strong> in 2020, comprising of four pillars:\u003C/p>\u003Cp>1. People: People are proud to work for Action,\u003C/p>\u003Cp>2. Planet: Halving the carbon footprint of operations by 2030,\u003C/p>\u003Cp>3. Product: 100% product and supply chain transparency by 2030,\u003C/p>\u003Cp>4. Partnership: Action is an active part and partner of society.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>To implement ASP, Action set up a sustainability team in 2021 and collaborated with Circle Economy, an impact organisation based in Amsterdam. The partnership was driven by Action’s initiative to work with an experienced organisation to shape its new direction. As a first step, a baseline assessment was conducted to understand the company’s degree of circularity. The assessment indicated that Action is 7% circular, leaving a 93% circularity gap. To bridge the gap, the research noted that Action’s circular retail strategy should be centred around its \u003Cstrong>products and procurement.\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>","2022-10-03T07:24:29.541Z",{"id":263,"type":162,"cta":7,"cta_link":7,"created_at":264,"updated_at":265,"owner_id":194,"owner_relationship":166,"views":180,"owner":266,"image":7,"article_locations":267,"article_industries":268,"view_count":180,"like_count":31,"collection_count":180,"content":269},"20569","2022-09-22T09:06:44.580Z","2026-05-11T00:40:20.701Z",{"id":194,"type":169,"owner_id":194,"about":7,"job_title":7,"url":7,"linkedin":7,"email":7,"staff_of_id":7,"organisation_id":7,"organisation":7},[],[],{"id":270,"score":31,"body":271,"status":188,"article_id":263,"created_at":264,"updated_at":276,"published_at":264},"QjiE",{"title":272,"outcome":273,"summary":274,"solution":275},"Auping's Circular Journey: Creation is only the drop - Collaboration creates the ripples!","\u003Cp>In 2020, with technology co-development partner Niaga, Auping designed the world’s first fully circular mattress: the Auping Evolve. Its circular mattress now represents 85% of the company’s total mattress production. And as demand grows, the company has begun expanding its circular mattress range.It aims to be fully circular by 2030 at the latest. In May 2022, Auping launched two premium circular mattresses, the Auping Elysium and Auping Elite. It also trialled a Product-as-a-Service circular business offering:, its Bedzzzy Sleep Subscription service. Due to limited consumer interest this service was recently discontinued.  \u003C/p>\u003Cp>Keeping the circular momentum going, summer 2023 will see the Auping Evolve become customizable and its production become automated and robotically produced in a pilot production line in Deventer, the Netherlands. By scaling up its production, it will be able to reduce the mattress's unit cost. Since the costs will still be higher than standard mattress production, Auping has taken the radical step of offering its circular mattress innovation in licence form to its competitors. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>“Financing our circular mattress? The first steps are always more expensive…but that is part of a longer-running business case. And essential! It's not just about making your products sustainable, but also your company! Circular business models make your company future-proof.”\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>- Martijn Aalders - Director HR\u003C/p>","\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>ABOUT AUPING\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Royal Auping, the largest independent bed manufacturer in the Netherlands, has 303 full time employees and 322 flexible workers from over 40 countries. Auping’s goal is to make high-quality durable beds with a lifelong guarantee, which has remained core to the company’s strategy. Since its founding in 1888, Auping has remained a family business and prioritised its social commitment (both to its workers and the larger community). This is reflected in the company’s social fund scheme, which includes financial emergency support for its employees and their families. Such a social foundation is critical to understanding the company’s DNA of being socially minded and sustainable.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>The company was initially founded to help hospitals locate suitable mattresses for their patients. So, how has the company, which is now more than 130 years old, continued to remain relevant? By being masterful in innovation! Auping has continuously adapted its products to be more sustainable: it received a B Corporation Certification (marking it as a business that assesses the balance between purpose and profits), which solidified its reputation as a circular economy industry leader in the Netherlands.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>OPPORTUNITY FOR HRM IN AUPING\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>1. Auping’s incremental upskilling of employees results in them gaining unique and rich industry expertise. However, establishing a knowledge management system is critical to ensure this valuable knowledge is retained and shared within the company as well as external parties and can serve as in-house training, an extension of its licensing scheme or as an entirely new business proposition for higher education, vocational school or industry professionals. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>2. One of Auping’s main challenges is to ensure the pioneering and enthusiastic spirit is kept alive. Amid the growing global uncertainty and as the company furthers its circular ambitions, ensuring employees’ sense of security and wellbeing becomes a critical opportunity in the successful delivery of its ambitions. HRM has the opportunity to showcase its commitment to the worker’s morale and wellbeing by encouraging honest conversations with employees, assisting and motivating workers who are struggling and ensuring that overall morale at the company is stable, despite the hard times.\u003C/p>","\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>AUPING’S CIRCULAR JOURNEY\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Driven by the 1.5 million incinerated or discarded mattresses a year in the Netherlands alone, and the complex composition of glued materials (which makes it difficult to reuse), Auping’s circular journey was initiated and promoted by Jan-Joost Bosman, its CEO. The company strives to reduce waste—stopping the incineration of used mattresses and the loss of valuable raw materials while developing an easy-to-disassemble and recycle mattress. All of the materials in Auping’s mattresses can be reused to develop new, fresh mattresses. As Auping has a strong social foundation, focused on providing optimal working and social conditions for its employees, the transition to circularity has been a reconciliation of both sustainability and its founding social component. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>Within Auping, the idea for a circular mattress originated as early as 2010. Auping then developed a long-term vision and strategy to transition toward a Cradle-to-Cradle philosophy to produce the world’s first circular mattress. Developing the strategy was sequential and incremental, including the inclusion of circular metrics in the company’s KPIs. The initial challenge was understanding how to produce the mattress and comprehending the required skills needed to develop the circular mattress. The subsequent step was to implement incremental changes to its production based on three main principles:  \u003C/p>\u003Cp>1. Manufacture from 100% reusable materials, \u003C/p>\u003Cp>2. Minimal use of fossil fuels and increased reliance on renewable energy, \u003C/p>\u003Cp>3. Keep employee wellbeing central to operations. \u003C/p>","2022-09-22T09:14:43.790Z",{"id":278,"type":279,"cta":7,"cta_link":7,"created_at":280,"updated_at":281,"owner_id":282,"owner_relationship":166,"views":180,"owner":283,"image":284,"article_locations":288,"article_industries":289,"view_count":180,"like_count":31,"collection_count":180,"content":290},"16609","policy_case","2022-06-15T13:04:51.669Z","2026-05-10T19:28:05.574Z","bd1tUw",{"id":282,"type":169,"owner_id":282,"about":7,"job_title":7,"url":7,"linkedin":7,"email":7,"staff_of_id":7,"organisation_id":7,"organisation":7},{"id":285,"link":286,"alt":7,"source":7,"created_at":280,"updated_at":287,"article_id":278,"image_profile_id":7,"banner_profile_id":7},"ASYfNhHG9-s=","https://kh-assets.prod.circularity-gap.world/main-image/1778155382383-M7MWsOYP.jpeg","2022-06-15T15:32:15.688Z",[],[],{"id":291,"score":31,"body":292,"status":188,"article_id":278,"created_at":280,"updated_at":287,"published_at":280},"zcbo",{"title":293,"summary":294},"Thinking beyond borders to achieve social justice in a global circular economy - Actions for governments and multilateral bodies","\u003Cp>Today's understanding of the circular economy fails to address issues of global social equity and threatens to exacerbate the divide between high- and lower-income countries, making it clear that a global circular economy will not be socially just by default. This report (and accompanying policy briefs) lays out the case for \u003Cstrong>thinking beyond borders to achieve a sustainable, circular economy that matches environmental goals with social ambitions\u003C/strong>. It highlights key levers for governments and multilateral bodies, illustrating the benefits of a global, socially just approach to environmental, trade and development policies, and the risks of continuing along current policy pathways.\u003C/p>",{"id":296,"type":279,"cta":7,"cta_link":7,"created_at":297,"updated_at":298,"owner_id":299,"owner_relationship":166,"views":31,"owner":300,"image":301,"article_locations":304,"article_industries":311,"view_count":31,"like_count":31,"collection_count":180,"content":312},"16018","2022-05-26T09:12:20.565Z","2022-07-14T07:29:02.986Z","o-dZHQ",{"id":299,"type":169,"owner_id":299,"about":7,"job_title":7,"url":7,"linkedin":7,"email":7,"staff_of_id":7,"organisation_id":7,"organisation":7},{"id":302,"link":303,"alt":7,"source":7,"created_at":297,"updated_at":298,"article_id":296,"image_profile_id":7,"banner_profile_id":7},"DOyeZCoVZDk=","https://kh-assets.prod.circularity-gap.world/main-image/1778155380653-irfE_UvR.jpeg",[305],{"article_id":296,"location_id":306,"created_at":173,"updated_at":7,"location":307},"GHA",{"id":306,"type":175,"name":308,"color":7,"parent_location_id":309,"created_at":310,"updated_at":7},"Ghana","AF","2026-02-27T07:54:47.162Z",[],{"id":313,"score":31,"body":314,"status":188,"article_id":296,"created_at":297,"updated_at":298,"published_at":297},"gRUI",{"title":315,"outcome":316,"problem":317,"summary":318,"solution":319,"attachment":320},"The GrEEn Project: Boosting Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunities in Ghana","\u003Cp>By providing training and financial support to local green businesses, the project is expected to promote and support the growth of climate resilient local economies and contribute to the development of circular economies. The support of local MSMEs is also expected to create sustainable employment opportunities, especially for the aforementioned population groups. The youth, women, and returning migrants will be able to gain a new set of skills allowing them to benefit from green job and entrepreneurship opportunities in their local communities.\u003C/p>","\u003Cp>Despite its economic growth, Ghana’s youth and women still lack sufficient employment opportunities. This often forces them to leave their home country and undertake treacherous journeys in search of job opportunities abroad. Those who are unsuccessful or simply decide to return back to Ghana then find re-entering the local job market difficult. The country also faces several environmental challenges such as air, plastic, and water pollution, unmanaged solid waste, sites contaminated with hazardous chemicals, land degradation, deforestation, and overfishing. This creates a great need for green and climate-resilient development in local communities. However, despite several efforts by the government, Ghana has not yet transitioned into a green economy.\u003C/p>","\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>The project “Boosting Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunities in Ghana”(GrEEn) set by European and African partners is focused on addressing the root causes of irregular migration by supporting sustainable and climate resilient local economies, green jobs, and the development of local regions. As a result, the employability and entrepreneurship capabilities of the youth, women, and returnees are expected to improve. Work with local micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) will also ensure that they are able to offer decent and sustainable jobs to the youth, women, and returnees; and are equipped to contribute to the development of green and climate resilient local communities.\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>","\u003Cp>The GrEEn project addresses both the lack of employment opportunities for certain population groups as well as the need for sustainable development. The initiative is implemented under the European Union Emergency Trust Fund (EUTF) for Africa and realised as a project between the European Union (EU), the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), and SNV Netherlands Development Organisation. The projects is fulfilled in close cooperation with relevant Ghanaian ministries (mainly the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development) and metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies. GrEEn uses a combination of grants, access to finance, technical assistance and skills development to promote green and circular economies. It will also provide support for the incubation and acceleration of selected micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) with the potential to implement green business models in sectors such as agriculture, energy and water, sanitation and hygiene. The initiative is set to take place in two Ghanaian regions – the Ashanti and Western regions.\u003C/p>",[321,324,326,328,330,332],{"name":322,"type":323,"value":322},"https://www.uncdf.org/article/5594/new-green-project-to-boost-climate-resilience-and-create-jobs-in-ghana","link",{"name":325,"type":323,"value":325},"https://snv.org/project/green-boosting-green-employment-and-enterprise-opportunities-ghana",{"name":327,"type":323,"value":327},"https://www.uncdf.org/green",{"name":329,"type":323,"value":329},"https://www.iom.int/news/10000-ghanaian-youth-learn-about-pitfalls-irregular-migration",{"name":331,"type":323,"value":331},"https://blogs.worldbank.org/africacan/ghana-balancing-economic-growth-and-depletion-resources#:~:text=Air%2C%20plastics%2C%20and%20water%20pollution,and%20limit%20drivers%20of%20growth.",{"name":333,"type":323,"value":333},"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468227621000600",{"id":335,"type":162,"cta":7,"cta_link":7,"created_at":336,"updated_at":337,"owner_id":338,"owner_relationship":166,"views":31,"owner":339,"image":340,"article_locations":343,"article_industries":353,"view_count":31,"like_count":31,"collection_count":180,"content":360},"14722","2022-05-05T15:53:23.600Z","2022-07-14T07:27:52.303Z","-rHMCQ",{"id":338,"type":169,"owner_id":338,"about":7,"job_title":7,"url":7,"linkedin":7,"email":7,"staff_of_id":7,"organisation_id":7,"organisation":7},{"id":341,"link":342,"alt":7,"source":7,"created_at":336,"updated_at":337,"article_id":335,"image_profile_id":7,"banner_profile_id":7},"9-XJ211p6Ug=","https://kh-assets.prod.circularity-gap.world/main-image/1778155379900-MxIm5xxK.jpeg",[344,348],{"article_id":335,"location_id":345,"created_at":173,"updated_at":7,"location":346},"UGA",{"id":345,"type":175,"name":347,"color":7,"parent_location_id":309,"created_at":310,"updated_at":7},"Uganda",{"article_id":335,"location_id":309,"created_at":173,"updated_at":7,"location":349},{"id":309,"type":350,"name":351,"color":352,"parent_location_id":7,"created_at":310,"updated_at":7},"region","Africa","#47CEC0",[354],{"article_id":335,"industry_id":355,"created_at":173,"updated_at":7,"industry":356},"agriculture",{"id":355,"name":357,"description":358,"sector":359},"Agriculture","Producing and gathering crop and animal products from land and water through farming, hunting, and fishing","agri_food",{"id":361,"score":31,"body":362,"status":188,"article_id":335,"created_at":336,"updated_at":337,"published_at":336},"Bfu-",{"title":363,"summary":364,"attachment":365},"YICE - Community based regenerative farming","\u003Cp>YICE Uganda trains smallholder farmers in rural communities on topics aimed at reducing hunger and poverty. The trainings include regenerative agricultural practices, permaculture practices and flexible financial Services.\u003C/p>",[366],{"name":367,"type":323,"value":367},"https://yiceug.org/",[]]