A circular licence to change and act

Leadership is needed if we are to manage a shift to circular economies, says Ron van Bloois.

After two decades of promoting sustainability in the built environment, I had the privilege to be the master of ceremony at the 7th European Sustainability Congress in the National Library of Poland in Warsaw, as part of Circular Week 2024.

This full-day conference is one of the biggest international events focusing on the circular economy, sustainable development and this year’s special focus, the wellbeing economy.

It aims to promote the idea of the circular economy, support sustainable business models and establish cooperation between interested stakeholders, addressing themes from universal EU legislation, sustainable consumption, extended producer responsibility, regenerative agriculture, and smart cities.

I would like to share my key takeaways from the event.

Circularity is about redesigning the way we work with real estate, spatial design, real or temporary assets, use (or generate) materials and data, and be accountable for our footprint in the value chain.

The linear (and mainly carbon) business model is outdated and legislation is helping to create a level playing field. We only need to create a competitive pricing point: how we measure, value and pay over the lifecycle, makes a huge difference.

Coping with change

Personal leadership is key, no matter your position in the company, type of company or place in the value chain. How you are coping with change and adapting your (old) business model is the gamechanger.

Discarding old (personal and corporate) behaviour will make a big impact. When trying to promote resilient organisational change, we also need to adapt our leadership agreements with aligned drivers, performance agreements, reporting and supervisory. Linear growth is old school.

Sustainable change is all about alignment in the value chain, but it also requires fresh ideas, the removal of all that has no added value and the exclusion of otiose elements or parties.

Innovative and collaborative leadership in the real estate industry will drive resilient business models and climate positivity in the built environment. And this requires speed, because time is running out.

Ron van Bloois is managing editor of Real Asset Impact and  co-founder and chair of the Senior Housing & Healthcare Association