Suzanne Hazelzet
Manager
Suzanne brings a unique combination of strong social and creative skills, analytical ability, and a structured approach. She enjoys working with others to build a more sustainable and socially responsible society.
Share this article
The circular economy is no longer just an idea for the future, but a strategic necessity today. During the WTC 40hrs festival, leaders from Schiphol, Philips, PostNL, and Standard shared how they are fast-tracking this shift – from vision to action. Their message? Circularity drives innovation, reduces costs, and boosts resilience. In a world of scarcity and uncertainty, it is essential for future-proofing organizations.
The human aspect of circularity
The discussion began with a personal question: What brought you to circularity? The answers were anything but technical. Suzanne Debrichy of PostNL said she sees opportunities above all: “Everyone is part of the problem as well as the solution. Circularity offers opportunities, not just damage control. It is a challenge that motivates.”
For Anders Jepsen of Nornorm, it was a wake-up call after 15 years at IKEA: “I saw how inefficient the linear model is. Linear product design and consumption patterns are not sustainable, economically or ecologically.”
Sara Solis of Schiphol emphasized precisely the complexity: “The circular economy is complicated, and it is precisely this complexity that makes the impact great.”
Ellen MacArthur inspired Harald Tepper of Philips: “Her story of a sailing trip around the world showed how finite our resources are. In hospitals and electronics, I saw enormous waste. This causes not only environmental problems but also health risks. The solution is simple: how can we do more with less?”
Panelists present from left to right: Suzanne Hazelzet, Suzanne Debrichy, Anders Jepsen, Sara Solis, and Harald Tepper
Why circularity is now on the strategic agenda
The panelists agreed: circularity is no longer a nice-to-have, but a strategic necessity. Sara outlined how Schiphol is struggling with rising costs for building materials and waste disposal. “We want to avoid having to buy new materials. At the same time, travelers’ demand for sustainable solutions such as reusable cups is growing. And we need to be ready for stricter regulations, such as digital material passports and carbon reporting.”
For a long time at Philips, circularity was mainly a matter of economic efficiency. Today, the business case is much broader. Demand for refurbished and more sustainable medical equipment is skyrocketing, especially among hospitals with ambitious sustainability goals. New regulations, such as the European Battery Regulation and right-to-repair directives, are forcing companies to rethink product design and lifecycle management fundamentally. At the same time, securing access to scarce materials has become a critical resilience strategy. Supply chains are becoming increasingly complex, making transparency and control more important than ever. Harald Tepper therefore stresses the importance of products “staying within your own system” so that they can be repaired, reused, and managed responsibly.
Two routes to circularity
The panel discussion showed that there is no single path to circularity, but rather two distinct routes. Anders Jespen of Nornorm represented the scenario in which you can build from scratch. “We have no legacy,” he said. ” That gives freedom to redesign everything. Our model is based on subscriptions: furniture is not sold, but remains in circulation. A desk can go through four or five life cycles. This is not only more sustainable, but also more efficient and profitable.” For Anders, circularity is not a limitation, but a catalyst for innovation: “You can’t hide behind ‘it’s greener.’ What you offer has to be better.”
For organizations like Schiphol, Philips, and PostNL, the challenge is different: They need to transform existing linear systems. Sara explained how Schiphol is integrating circularity into construction projects and catering step by step. “We analyze waste streams, introduce reusable cups, and work with material passports for buildings. This is how we turn waste into raw materials.” Harald outlined how Philips is redesigning its product design and supply chain to become more resilient. “We make sure products stay within our own system so we can refurbish and upgrade them. That requires transparency and cooperation throughout the chain.” Suzanne emphasized that the conversation in the boardroom needs to change: “Don’t just talk about planet, talk about value. Circularity can be profitable, look at the success of rental models at Decathlon or second-hand sales at platforms like bol.com.”
Both routes, whether building from scratch or transforming an existing system, have strong similarities: circularity requires propositions that are more attractive than linear alternatives, as well as building strong relationships within the ecosystem. You cannot do this alone: building partnerships along the chain and in industry is essential to achieving scale and impact.
What is required to speed things up?
When the question came up, “If you could change one thing to accelerate circularity, what would it be?” a lively discussion ensued. Sara sees tremendous opportunities in data and AI. “With complete and reliable data, you can match supply and demand of recycled materials, better track waste streams, and make smart decisions. Think Environmental Product Declarations to rank products by carbon impact. We scan buildings to identify materials and enable reuse. So secondary materials become inputs for new construction.”
Harald pointed out the most significant barrier: mindset. “Use less. Use longer and better. Use again. Shift from selling products to providing solutions, for example, software instead of hardware. And we need to get rid of the perception that refurbished equals lower quality.”
Anders emphasized that companies should see circularity as a vast opportunity, not a slight improvement. “We need more examples of companies thriving with circular models. Circularity will become bigger than AI, but only if more companies discover the potential.”
Suzanne brought it closer to home. “Children naturally have a circular mindset. They accept second-hand toys, clothes, and books without a problem. But somewhere we learn that new is better. That has to change. Schools need to integrate circular thinking so that ‘new’ is no longer the norm.”
The common thread
The panel discussion showed a clear journey: from personal motivation to strategic imperative, from practical implementation to system change. Circularity is no longer a nice-to-have, but an engine for cost savings, innovation, customer satisfaction, and resilience. It requires guts, collaboration, and a fundamental shift in how we design, measure value, and think about growth.
As Anders put it, “Circularity is not a constraint, it’s the biggest business opportunity of our time.”
Your next step
Want to know how your organization can turn circularity into a strategic advantage? At nlmtd, we help with:
- Measuring the impact of product and material flows
- Identifying circular opportunities and business models
- Designing ecosystems and partnerships
- Embedding circularity into your strategy and operations
