Endorsements

“The Circularity Gap Report Friesland marks a significant milestone—not just for the region, but for circular economy governance at large. Over the past decade many key players in the Friesland region have translated ambition into tangible progress. This report offers a robust, evidence-based benchmark and shares rich, transferable insights from the Frisian model. It’s a testament to the power of regional leadership, long-term commitment and collaboration. The Frisian model shows that a robust circular economy starts on a regional level. Friesland sets a new standard for how regions can measure, monitor, and accelerate circular transitions worldwide.”

“As a board member of Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences, a board member of Circulair Friesland, involved in the Frysian educational cooperation and an active participant in Spark the Movement, I am deeply committed to advancing the circular transition in Friesland. Monitoring and continuous development are vital to this process, providing the insights needed to measure progress and refine our strategies. Through collaboration and knowledge sharing, we are crafting effective approaches that contribute to a sustainable future for Friesland and beyond. I take pride in the dedication of Frisian organisations and the robust network fostered by Circulair Friesland, and I fully support the goal of embracing circularity as a fundamental principle.”

“Rabobank Friesland is a proud partner of Circulair Friesland. As a cooperative bank, we believe in collaboration and innovation for sustainable solutions. Circulair Friesland promotes the circular economy in our region, and we enjoy being part of this movement. The efforts to connect and inspire companies, governments and citizens are in line with our mission to make social impact. The projects contribute to a more sustainable future through reuse, waste reduction and circular business models. We appreciate the dedication and leadership in creating a circular economy.”

“The work of Circular Friesland has been at the forefront of the need to adopt a more circular economic model which is good for business, people and the planet. As pioneers they have inspired through action and now with their new monitoring framework, they are now able to demonstrate the impact bringing credence and confidence that circularity is not just a ‘nice to have’ but the driver for real sustainable economic prosperity particularly at a local and regional level.

“Ten years ago, I set up the material flow analysis for Friesland, which led to the start of Circulair Friesland. But change is complicated: people quickly fall back into old patterns. Because the association continued to drive and connect people and organizations, the circular transition in Friesland got underway. To achieve a circular economy, entire chains must support the transition. In Friesland, this is possible because companies, government organizations and educational institutions have organized themselves in a unique strong network. This report will consolidate Friesland’s leading position and should promote this role even more.”

“As the province of Friesland, we work on the circular economy every day. And with results: The Netherlands is a leader in Europe and Friesland is a leader in The Netherlands. We have been working towards 2025 for 10 years. It is good to mark that moment. To look back at what we have achieved, where we stand and where we want to go. The regional scale is very suitable for this. The CGR Friesland helps us enormously with this. And it is a wonderful means to seek cooperation with other regions beyond Friesland. We will fully commit ourselves to this in the coming years, including the European Circular Summit that Friesland will host in June 2025.”