Governments and purchasing groups are primed to disrupt our current linear model of consumption – take, make, dispose – to a circular model that incorporates environmental outcomes with economic drivers.
The Government of Canada purchases $16 billion worth of goods and services every year. Across the country provinces and territories spend upwards of $25 billion. Municipalities of all sizes have influential procurement departments that dictate how public funds are spent.
By leveraging purchasing power to create demand, procurement can influence service and supply to directly advance the circular economy where products and materials maintain value at all times and waste is eliminated.
Summit Objectives
Enhance greater awareness of circular economy
Verify the importance of procurement to advance Canada’s circular economy
Quantify the important role of the public sector of all sizes and locations
Highlight examples through case studies in government top 5 category spends
Showcase best practice in circular procurement from around the globe
Provide resources and tools to support concepts into practice and measure results
Demonstrate how circular economy integration fosters unique public and private partnerships
Bridge knowledge and facilitate relationships between international jurisdictions with Canada
Educate vendors and service providers that engage with the public and private sector buyers
Foster longer term relationships between vendor and buyer
Facilitate relationships between government departments and functions to maximize resources and budgets
Support transformative business modelling, access over ownership, and sharing economies
Encourage manufacturing of higher quality products that are upgradeable or repairable and last longer in the marketplace
Day One
Day Two
Circular economy and circular procurement explained
How circular procurement advances the circular economy
How circular procurement differs from sustainable, green, and ethical procurement
How to effectively advance policy language
How to transition from policy into action
How organizational policies reflect circular procurement goals
Strategic thinking / Rethinking the need
Circular procurement hierarchy: reduce, reuse and recycle
Lifecycle and asset mapping
Market engagement
Specification and award criteria
In-use phase and contract management
Circular procurement examples from around the world
Day Three (Workshops: Limited Space)
The Circular Procurement Summit includes a third day with two concurrent workshops: Public Sector Purchasers and Public Sector Service Providers and Vendors. Registration for the workshop is limited to 50 people each. Attendance in Days 1 and 2 are required to attend.
Market engagement divided by biggest category spends
Circular requirements: preparing and responding
How to apply and incorporate circular procurement principles in your jurisdiction
How to incorporate circularity into business models with implementation tools, resources, and strategies
Who Should Attend
Public Sector:
Purchasing and Supply Chain Professionals
Consultants supporting sustainable procurement
Senior Management and Elected Officials
Public Service Departments:
Procurement/Purchasing
Finance
Sustainability and Environment
Waste and Recycling
Public Sector Service Providers and Vendors:
Textiles
Facility Services / Building Maintenance
Information and Technology
Construction
Manufacturing
Office and Furniture Supplies
Food and Catering Services
Registration
Early-bird rate effective to April 1, 2019
After April 1, 2019
RCO Member: $650
Non-RCO Member: $850
The Circular Procurement Summit includes a third day with two concurrent workshops: Public Sector Purchasers and Public Sector Service Providers and Vendors. Registration for the workshop is limited to 50 people each. Attendance in Days 1 and 2 are required to attend.
Advisory Committee
To help devise a fulsome agenda for this groundbreaking event RCO has convened a diverse panel of organizations to advise on topics and identify engaging speakers.

Sponsors
Become a sponsor
The Circular Procurement Summit invites public and private buyers and procurement specialists who aim to integrate environmental, social, and economical objectives into purchasing requirements for products and services.
An important part of this transition is to actively collaborate with the marketplace that requires insight into new requirements and contractual relationships. Sponsors demonstrate their alignment and offerings that support this transition to a circular economy.
Benefits
- Brand recognition and alignment to a world-class event
- Networking opportunities within your business sector and with potential clients
- Improved understanding of the concepts of the Circular Economy and how you can ready your company for the transition
- Direct knowledge and resources to support innovative business modelling and relationships
Sponsor values range in value and benefit. Download our sponsorship package for more information.
Presenting Sponsor
HP’s vision is to create technology that makes life better for everyone everywhere and our mission is to engineer experiences that amaze. We are working hard to transform our entire business to drive a more efficient circular and low carbon economy.
As Canada’s most Sustainable Technology Company, we have been investing in closed loop recycling processes.
In fact our global process is Canadian formulated and conducted in Montreal, and incorporates one million used drinking water bottles a day.
Check out this video to see what an impact you can create when you buy with circularity in mind.
For more information on the Circular Procurement Summit, including sponsorship proposal, email events@rco.on.ca