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The Circularity Gap Report: Friesland is a joint initiative led by Circulair Friesland, the Province of Friesland, and Circle Economy to track Friesland’s progress toward a more circular economy while also serving as a model for other regions. As the organizations behind this dashboard, we aim to provide structured indicators to measure key aspects of circularity—such as resource efficiency, waste reduction, and circular jobs—alongside on-the-ground case studies that highlight innovative local initiatives. This approach helps policymakers, businesses, and communities assess progress, address challenges, and accelerate Friesland’s transition to a circular economy. In doing so, Friesland is working toward meeting the national goal of reducing primary resource use by 50% by 2030 and achieving a fully circular economy in the Netherlands by 2050.

Beyond Friesland, this dashboard is designed as a replicable tool that can be implemented in other regions worldwide. By fostering comprehensive comparisons, it enables knowledge sharing and collaboration, allowing regions to learn from one another and scale successful strategies. In addition to tracking current trends, the monitor offers forward-looking recommendations to drive circular development—both within Friesland and beyond—helping to create a more sustainable global economy.

This case study collection supports the dashboard, in showcasing circular economy projects and initiatives already occurring in the region.

CGR Friesland

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Business case

Producing and providing business and consumer goods and services

Goods and Services

While resources are in-use, maintain, repair and upgrade them to maximise their lifetime and give them a second life through take back strategies when applicable

Stretch the lifetime

Utilise waste streams as a source of secondary resources and recover waste for reuse and recycling

Use waste as a resource

Work together throughout the supply chain, internally within organisations and with the public sector and communities to increase transparency and create joint value

Team up to create joint value

**Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns**

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The world is seriously off track in its effort to halve per-capita food waste and losses by 2030.The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant impacts on consumption and production patterns, with disruptions to global supply chains and changes in consumer behaviour. 

Responsible consumption and production must be an integral part of the recovery from the pandemic. 
But the global economy also needs to speed up the decoupling of economic growth from resource use by maximizing the socio-economic benefits of resources while minimizing their negative impacts. 

Reporting on corporate sustainability has tripled since the beginning of the SDG period, but the private sector will need to significantly improve reporting on activities that contribute to the SDGs. 

This primarily entails environmentally sound management of "toxic chemicals" A substantial use of chemicals is essential to meet the social and economic goals of the world community, and these can be used with a high degree of safety when best practices are followed.  Gross chemical contamination, with grave damage to human health, genetic structures reproductive outcomes, and the environment, has been continuing within some of the world's most important industrial areas, and restoration will require major investment as well as the development of new techniques.
Effective control of the generation, storage, treatment, recycling and reuse, transport, recovery and disposal of hazardous wastes is another similar challenge. 
In addition,  solid wastes include all domestic refuse and non-hazardous wastes such as commercial and institutional wastes, street sweepings construction debris, and, in some countries, human wastes. As hazardous waste is frequently intermixed with other waste, this poses particular management challenges.
Finally, this target ensures that radioactive waste is safely managed, transported, stored and disposed of, with a view to protecting human health and the environment. 

To deliver SDG12, it is crucial to implement policies that support the shift to sustainable practices and decouple economic growth from resource use.

Sources: [https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal12](https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal12)
[https://sdgs.un.org/topics/chemicals-and-waste](https://sdgs.un.org/topics/chemicals-and-waste)

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12. Responsible consumption and production

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

Narrow strategies reduce material and energy use. Currently, material use is highly inefficient and ineffective; we can deliver similar social outcomes by using much less and phasing out fossil fuels, for example. This doesn’t mean being worse off, but rather focusing on using materials efficiently: think in terms of riding a bike instead of driving a car, eating less meat, and living in a space that suits your needs. Using less is a core tenet of the circular economy—yet currently, the threshold for sustainable consumption, 8 tonnes per person, is being surpassed by 1.5 times. 

Narrow

Cycle strategies aim to cycle and reuse materials at their highest value: they maximise the volume of secondary materials re-entering the economy, ultimately minimising the need for virgin material inputs and therefore also narrowing flows. Of course, virgin materials will always be needed to a degree: all materials degrade and can’t be cycled infinitely, use energy, and require blending with virgin materials to maintain strength and functionality.

Cycle

Industries

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The principles of a circular economy concern designing out waste, regenerating ecosystems and keeping items in use. Decoupling the economy from material flows—improving the rate of resource productivity faster than the economic growth rate—is also a consistent guide. By evolving with the growing number of applications of circular economy principles, and consolidating these strategies across thematic areas, Circle Economy’s Key Elements Framework (KE) renders the elements of the circular economy salient and serves as a basis to derive contextual strategies and interventions. 


The Framework consists of:
- Core Elements: Activities directly handling product or material flows; and uniquely,
- Enabling Elements: those that remove obstacles for core actors.


Key elements of the circular economy

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Circle Economy's framework of strategies and activities that define the circular economy

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**These 17 Goals recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.**

The SDGs build on decades of work by countries and the UN, and especially on the Millennium Declaration adopted in September 2000 at UN Headquarters in New York which let to the elaboration of eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to reduce extreme poverty by 2015.

In 2015, the Paris Agreement was signed. A major blueprint came out of this: The Sustainable Development Goals: 17 overarching goals—and 169 targets—that governments are aiming to meet by 2030. Significant progress has been made in terms of poverty, health and inequality, but there's still a way to go. This is where the circular economy comes in: by circulating resources multiple times, the circular economy tackles issues of scarcity and allows all to access what they need—without overburdening the earth. If it's implemented in a holistic way—affording attention to social considerations and the fair distribution of resources— it also offers a pathway for achieving the SDGs; and the link between the two is ever-growing. To read more about the link between the SDGs and the circular economy, click [here](https://www.circle-economy.com/blogs/how-the-circular-economy-can-help-us-reach-the-sustainable-development-goals).

It is the Division for Sustainable Development Goals (DSDG) in the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) which provides substantive support and capacity-building for the SDGs and their related thematic issues. TheDSDG plays a key role in the evaluation of UN systemwide implementation of the 2030 Agenda and in advocacy and outreach activities relating to the SDGs. In order to make the 2030 Agenda a reality, broad ownership of the SDGs must translate into a strong commitment by all stakeholders to implement the global goals. DSDG aims to help facilitate this engagement.
Alongside this, the annual High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development serves as the central UN platform for the follow-up and review of the SDGs.
In addition, the UN Secretary-General presents an annual SDG Progress report, which is developed in cooperation with the UN System, and based on the global indicator framework and data produced by national statistical systems and information collected at the regional level.

To read more information: [https://sdgs.un.org/goals](https://sdgs.un.org/goals)

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Based on the work of [Bocken et al. (2016)](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309699661_Product_design_and_business_model_strategies_for_a_circular_economy), the Four Flows Framework serves as a simple framework for managing resource flows in a circular economy by using less (Narrow), using for longer (Slow), using again (Cycle), and using clean, regenerative materials and energy (Regenerate).

These different principles of circular economy can be applied to our socioeconomic metabolism: we can design stocks like buildings, infrastructure, machinery, and vehicles to be rich resource mines for the future, and design manufactured goods and consumables to be cycled and made regenerative. Furthermore, the focus must also centre on getting more value out of fewer materials. Achieving the aims of a circular economy—minimising material use, regenerating the Earth, and preventing material losses—can be done through these four key strategies mentioned above.

Source: Circle Economy. (2023). *[The circularity gap report 2023](https://www.circularity-gap.world/2023)* (p.22). Amsterdam: Circle Economy. 

Four Flows Framework

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Friesland

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Opniuew is a leading circular furniture business located in Buitenpost in Friesland. The company supplies 100% circular furniture, given furniture items a second life. It runs on the ethos that all materials are already there just need to be utilised, hence the name Opniuew which is English means 'new again'. The company combines environmental objectives with social good, hiring people with distance from the labour market and providing them with skills.

Opnieuw

Rationale and ContextualisationOPNIEUW! is a Friesland-based circular enterprise dedicated to redefining circular business practices through material reuse and social inclusion. Operating in Buitenpost, the company transforms discarded furniture into high-quality, repurposed pieces while providing meaningful employment opportunities. At the heart of its approach is the triple helix - a collaboration between business, knowledge institutions, and government-to drive systemic change towards circularity. Friesland's strong community-oriented culture and established networks have fostered an environment where circular and social entrepreneurship can thrive. OPNIEUW! serves as a blueprint for how localised, value-driven business models can be scaled and replicated across industries and regions.History and Reason for CreationOPNIEUW! emerged from a strong foundation in entrepreneurship, combined with a commitment to people and the planet, and a desire to approach business differently. The company was established following the founder’s recognition as a finalist for the ‘Ondernemingsprijs Friesland’—a moment that prompted a reassessment of business priorities and a shift towards greater impact. Today, that same drive for meaningful change continues to shape OPNIEUW!’s business model and operations, aligning with a purposeful economy that balances social, ecological, and economic goals.From the very beginning, the company was built around people, starting with a single employee and growing to a team of over 60 people. Today, it stands as a market leader in furniture reuse. OPNIEUW! exemplifies the Frisian Approach in a business context, demonstrating how trust and collaboration are key to success- not only for achieving shared goals in the circular economy, but also financially.The company offers a blueprint for circular entrepreneurship that can be applied across various sectors, furthering the transition toward a circular economy.Aim, Structure, and GovernanceThe primary goal of OPNIEUW! is to advance a circular economy by eliminating reliance on new raw materials and ensuring all materials are repurposed effectively. This mission is supported by a governance structure that prioritises social inclusion, environmental impact, and economic viability in equal measure, recognising that these goals can be achieved simultaneously.A defining feature of OPNIEUW!’s structure is its holistic employment model, which prioritises individuals distanced from the labour market. Through an open hiring approach, employees without formal education receive in-house training in woodworking, upholstery, metalworking, and assembly. The leadership team actively cultivates a work environment and a unique working culture based on positivity, communication, and trust to ensure both skilled and unskilled workers feel valued. This once more perfectly showcases the success of the Frisian approach which hinges on trust, collaboration, learning by doing, and a combination of top down and bottom up methods to achieving common goals.The leadership team fosters a work environment and unique culture rooted in positivity, open communication, and trust, ensuring that both skilled and unskilled workers feel valued. This once again exemplifies the strengths of the Frisian approach, which is built on trust, collaboration, learning by doing, and a balanced mix of top-down and bottom-up strategies to achieve shared goals.<img src="https://goldilocks-images.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/3_denoiser_af067b5db9.png">Projects and way of workingOPNIEUW! Has recently secured a Dutch Ministry of Defence Tender with a multi-year contract to supply refurbished furniture, illustrating the viability of large-scale circular procurement. Winning the Dutch Ministry of Defence tender for furniture supply over the next 6 to 8 years solidifies OPNIEUW!’s role in the sector. The founder’s strong personal values, rooted in a belief that business should empower individuals and communities, shaped the company's people-first culture.The company has also completed circular design projects for the Hillegom Water Tower and the Copijn Building, further showcasing its expertise in circular furniture. OPNIEUW! engages clients as suppliers, collecting and repurposing their materials to minimize the need for virgin inputs.A key operational challenge is ensuring a steady supply of second-hand materials. OPNIEUW! addresses this by leveraging its extensive warehouse (housing 60,000 chairs) and forming partnerships with external suppliers, ensuring material consistency and availability.Regional Significance and UniquenessFriesland provides a unique ecosystem for circular businesses due to its strong local networks and commitment to sustainability. OPNIEUW! has benefited from its collaboration with Circular Friesland, a regional platform connecting businesses, government agencies, and research institutions. Friesland’s emphasis on community-driven business models supports the idea that sustainability must be inclusive and socially embedded.&nbsp;OPNIEUW! exemplifies how a socially driven and inclusive business model can thrive, showing that practices that benefit the planet and people are not only compatible with business success, but can actually be key to achieving it.The triple helix framework—where business, knowledge institutions, and government co-create solutions—has been instrumental in OPNIEUW!’s success. Government support through circular procurement policies has shifted demand, while collaborations with TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research) on tools to track success have further enabled the success of many projects. This highlights how collaboration among various stakeholders is essential to advancing circular business models and facilitating the broader transition to a circular economy.Outcomes and ImpactOPNIEUW! has made significant strides in quantifying its environmental and social contributions with reductions in CO2 emissions, energy consumption, and virgin material use. The company measures this through a self-created algorithm verified by TNO The measurement tool developed in collaboration with TNO provides clients with customised reports detailing the circular and social benefits of their projects, ensuring transparency and accountability.The impact extends beyond the environment to people, particularly through employment opportunities for individuals facing barriers to traditional labor markets. This approach illustrates how providing opportunities can lead to a strong, motivated workforce that is eager to contribute to your company’s success. A further unexpected and unintentional outcome was the creation of a replicable business model demonstrating that circular and social impact businesses can be both scalable and profitable.ConclusionOPNIEUW! exemplifies how circular business can integrate environmental and social impact without compromising economic success. The Frisian model- characterised by strong regional collaboration and the triple helix approach- has played a crucial role in fostering its growth. As circular economy principles gain traction, businesses like OPNIEUW! can serve as blueprints for future enterprises seeking to embed sustainability at their core. The next steps involve scaling the model, expanding partnerships, and deepening government engagement to accelerate the transition to a fully circular economy.