The Netherlands has committed to achieving a Circular Economy by 2050 and is partnering
with California to find smart solutions for global challenges. The Minister for the Environment, Stientje van Veldhoven, led a Dutch trade mission on sustainable mobility, resiliency and circular economy to California in November 2019. Fifty Dutch businesses looked to connect with local companies to share their experiences and make new connections in clean transportation, sustainable produce, infrastructure, and water management technology.
Consul General Gerbert Kunst hosted a kick-off event at the Consulate General of the Netherlands in San Francisco. At a panel discussion at the event, Sage Partners Cedric Crocker and Donald Plumley shared their cross-border experiences, Silicon Valley perspectives, and market-entry advice with these firms eager to help US companies gain a sustainable edge.
“In Silicon Valley terms, the circular economy is moving from a startup to a scale-up phase,” said Consul General Gebert Kunst. “Sustainable innovations are introduced in our daily lives, and more and more countries are trying to grow their economies without impacting the environment. Products and materials should be used time and time again, creating a green economy without waste. The Netherlands is a leading nation for this cause, as it set itself the goal to be a complete circular economy by 2050.”
Joining Cedric and Don on the panel was immigration attorney David Asser and Philip Bredt, VP Business Development at PaperFoam. Philip showed how a Dutch company can lead the way through sustainable packaging. Philip said, "PaperFoam, together with other sustainable initiatives, are paving the road and showing examples in the market that it is indeed possible to create sustainable packaging solutions. Together with our clients, we show the world that we can replace plastics in multiple applications using renewable resources and using a clean production process.”