Águeda, Portugal
The word “sustainability” is already part of the day-to-day vocabulary in Águeda. Nevertheless, the Municipality intends to adopt new practices regarding the development of actions and projects, assuming these have an innovative and/or demonstrattive character within the scope of the local municipalities. With the project Valoriz@rte, Águeda was empowered with knowledge and experience regarding the integration of requirements connected to the promotion of a Circular Economy in its acquisitions. In order to create competencies in Circular Purchases, it carried out training actions at Municipality of Águeda, covering strategic and operational issues directed at different target audiences: leaders, technicians and contract technicians.
Circular purchasing
The Valoriz@rte project has a practical and operational strand, focusing on the immediate preparation of three purchasing procedures with circularity criteria: urban art with the incorporation of recycled materials, modular architecture structures, and textile bags with the incorporation of recycled fibbers. Whilst preparing these purchasing actions, planned for the short term, consulting and market involvement fase is included. That fase is necessary to measure the capacity of the providers in compliance with the criteria of circularity, whose first steps were already developed.
Good practices
The actions developed in Águeda, and the results of the Valoriz@rte project were reported through the carrying out of case studies, and disseminated internally and externally to other stakeholders, with the goal of disseminating good practices of Circular Purchases. This project aligned with the other development strategies and objectives for sustainable development and climate change, and was given notice in various national and international networks and partnerships.