In March, we had the honor of hosting Joan Prummel, a leading expert in Circular economy, Dutch Green Deals and circular procurement. Over the course of four intense days, Joan shared invaluable insights, experiences, and strategic discussions on implementing circular solutions in the Czech Republic and beyond.
The discussions centered on the Bohemian Deal (a Czech adaptation of the Dutch Green Deals) and the broader transition to a circular economy. The event highlighted key challenges, opportunities, and actionable insights for public institutions, businesses, and other stakeholders.
Following the event, I had the opportunity to sit down with Joan for a personal interview, where we discussed his thoughts on the Bohemian Deal and the broader transition to a circular economy. His perspective on these agreements offered actionable advice for anyone interested in scaling up sustainability efforts and driving systemic change. Enjoy the reading.
What Are Green Deals and Why Do They Work?
One of the core topics discussed was the power of voluntary agreements such as the Green Deals. According to Joan Prummel, the main strength of Green Deals lies in their solution-focused approach. Rather than addressing broad concepts like „sustainability“ or „circular economy“ in an abstract way, these agreements focus on solving specific issues. For example, in the Netherlands, Green Deals tackled individual challenges like dealing with bottom ash from incineration plants or exploring the use of sustainable materials in construction.
This approach, he explains, creates collaborative partnerships with willing participants who are committed to solving the issue at hand. „What makes them work is that there is no obligation,“ says Joan. „Whoever starts a Green Deal takes the initiative and finds partners who are equally willing to work on the solution. This creates a coalition of the willing, which brings positive energy. You’re going to work on a solution, not prove why it can’t be solved.“
The focus on a clear, actionable goal creates positive energy and motivation to move forward. Joan further explains that one of the goals of Green Deals is not just to find a solution for the immediate issue, but also to enable scalability – whether by expanding the deal, creating spin-offs for companies, or having the solution replicated elsewhere.
„The success of Green Deals lies in their collaborative nature and the fact that they focus on one concrete problem. They bring together a coalition of willing participants to work on solutions, which creates an energy and momentum that is essential for success.“
Key Stakeholders for Success in Circular Agreements
Answering the question of which stakeholders are crucial for successful circular agreements can’t be done in a straightforward way, as each agreement may require different types of representation depending on the specific issue it aims to solve. He emphasizes that Green Deals in the Netherlands have focused on a wide variety of topics, with 238 Green Deals addressing 238 different issues. Despite this diversity, they all share a common denominator: the attitude of the partnership.
„The attitude is essential. We want to solve this, we think we can. That’s why we join.“
In each case, the partnership’s shared willingness to work towards a solution was key to success. But it’s not just about the participants’ attitude—it’s also about the connection with central government. Governments provide access to knowledge, facilitate networks, and contribute their expertise, which was vital in making the Green Deals work.
„Governments usually have a lot of relevant network around them. A lot of people work there because they know a lot about a topic. And if that topic connects to your Green Deal, then that’s knowledge you can use.“
Joan also highlights that universities and research institutions often play an important role in gathering insights and contributing to the development of the best possible solutions. In addition to their expertise, governments help to coordinate Green Deals and communicate them to the public, ensuring widespread understanding and involvement.
„The type of organizations that need to be involved really comes down to their attitude. Do they have the mindset of 'we want to solve this, and we have an idea of how we can do that?' And in our case, the connection with the national government was key, because they could provide knowledge, facilitate networks, and help with communication.“
How Can Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) Benefit from Circular Agreements?
Joan Prummel acknowledges that while many might assume small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face significant barriers in participating in Green Deals, the reality is quite different. Green Deals have successfully involved both large companies and SMEs. The key to this success lies in the willingness of the SMEs to identify and solve a specific challenge that hinders their operations.
„It makes sense to think like that. And at the same time, our Green Deals prove that apparently it didn’t make sense because you can have big companies, but you can also have SMEs. In a Green Deal, it’s up to them.“
Joan emphasizes that successful collaboration happens when businesses, regardless of size, work together to tackle a problem that matters to them. For SMEs, this often means addressing a barrier, whether it’s related to knowledge, regulation, or another challenge. Rather than spending time solving it alone, joining a Green Deal allows them to collaborate with others, gaining more knowledge and moving faster.
„What I think is that to have a successful collaboration, you need to try to solve something that’s hindering you in your company. So if you’re an SME and there’s a barrier either in knowledge or regulation or whatever, and you want to solve it, then you’re going to spend time on that anyway. And instead of spending that time alone, you’re going to spend it together with others so you know more, you move faster.“
By pooling resources and knowledge, SMEs can increase their return on investment, as they benefit from shared learning and collaboration. Joan makes it clear that the success of Green Deals with SMEs stems from their focus on solving issues they already care about, rather than spending time on something they don’t find relevant.
„In the end, your investment in time has a bigger return on investment because you collaborated. And I know that’s maybe a more abstract perspective, but every time these Green Deals with SMEs were successful, it was because of that.“
Finally, Joan concludes that participation is not about the size of the budget but about what triggers a business—the willingness to solve a real, meaningful problem.
„You're not going to spend time on something you actually don't want to solve or don't bother about. If it's something that you would spend time on anyway and then better spend it on a project together with others, it's the same time to spend. So it's not about budgets, it's about what triggers you.“
Lessons for Bohemian Deals from Joan Prummel's Experience
Joan’s advice is not specifically tailored to the Czech context, the main challenge facing any country starting with Green Deals is the initial phase—getting those first successful deals up and running.
„The biggest challenge at the moment, well, that might be for the Czech Republic, but that would be in any country that will start, is to make it work. Once you got it running, if you have ten Bohemian Deals working on topics that at least the direct stakeholders recognize, they will become successful. Then suddenly more initiatives will follow.“
He emphasizes that the first few Bohemian Deals are always the hardest. It’s about establishing momentum and proving that it works. Once those first few deals show success, others will follow suit. He gives the example of a potential first deal focused on sustainable building materials or second life of furniture. If this first deal is successful, it can inspire further collaborations and expand the scope of what Bohemian Deals can achieve.
„If you work out a way to set up the first Bohemian Deal around sustainable building materials or second life of furniture or something like that, that one needs to be successful. You need to communicate about it. And I trust you to communicate whatever happens in a positive way. So if you fail, there’s a lot that you learned, and if you’re successful, then you’re just successful.“
For Joan, communication is key. It’s important to present the process positively, whether it succeeds or fails. If a Bohemian Deal fails, it’s still a valuable learning experience, and if it succeeds, it should be celebrated. Either way, the communication needs to be positive and inspirational, encouraging others to think about how they can start their own collaborations.
„If you can find a few partners and you have the narrative of the first few successful Green Deals, then you think, 'Oh, this might be a Green Deal. This might be a learning network, or a technical project, or a collaboration between universities, government, and companies.' But the biggest challenge is to have the first few successful Green Deals and get everybody aware that this is one of the ways to solve your issues and accelerate sustainable development.“
Quick Wins for the First Year of a Green Deal
When asked about quick wins for the first year after signing the Green Deal, Joan Prummel emphasized two essential aspects for success, especially in the early stages.
„The first thing is to make sure that everyone takes it seriously from the beginning,“ Prummel says. He believes that each participant in the Green Deal must commit fully to the process. This commitment should be clear, with each participant’s roles defined from the start. A contract or agreement should outline the goals and responsibilities, ensuring everyone understands their part in achieving the common objective.
Joan stresses the importance of addressing issues immediately if any participant fails to contribute. If a participant no longer believes in the goal, it’s important to continue without them from the deal. On the other hand, if there are any other issues preventing their contribution, these should be discussed and resolved.
„“If you don’t contribute for whatever reason, have a conversation about it. If they don’t believe in the goal, it’s important to respectfully ask them to step out of the Green Deal. If there are other concerns, discuss them and see how you can support each other.“
Another important tip from Joan is the need for constant communication from the outset. It’s crucial to communicate not only during the signing ceremony but to follow up regularly with updates on progress. This keeps participants engaged and maintains momentum.
„From the beginning, communicate not only about the signing ceremony but then after a month, saying, ‘Remember, a month ago we signed. This is our action plan for the coming year.’ After six months, these are the steps we’ve already achieved. There’s always something to communicate. You can create that, but you need to celebrate that in communication because you need to have the constant flow of attention towards you.“
Joan explains that this ongoing communication is beneficial not just for the stakeholders but also for the participants, as it makes them feel recognized for their contributions. As the Green Deal model grows, it becomes a brand that participants take pride in.
„It really worked if the concept grows as a kind of brand, which was Green Deals in the Netherlands. Participants would be proud to put the logo of the Green Deal on their websites. I am a partner in the Green Deals circuit, or circle buildings, or bottom ashes or whatever. They would have the logo on the landing page of their website because they were proud of it, because it meant something. It meant that they were taking responsibility towards society.“
„The key to success in the first year is to take the Green Deal seriously, ensure all participants are committed, and communicate consistently. If you manage these aspects well, it will create a strong foundation for future success.“
„Joan Prummel's Journey into Circular Economy“
Joan Prummel’s journey into circularity and sustainability was far from planned—he stumbled into it by accident. Initially trained as a program manager, he found his first available opportunity in a sustainability-related project. What started as a job soon became a passion.
„I entered circularity by accident. Actually, I entered sustainability by accident,“ he shares. He had extensive training in program management, and the first program available to him was focused on sustainable operations within the Dutch government. What he didn’t expect, however, was the attitude shift he would encounter.
What kept him in sustainability was the willingness of people to share knowledge. Unlike other sectors, where people tend to hold on to their expertise for personal gain, in sustainability, the approach is different. If someone has a solution for reducing emissions or making a product more circular, they’re often eager to share it, even with competitors.
„People working in sustainability have a different attitude. If I have part of the solution for less emissions in my product, I even want to share it with my competitor because that accelerates the impact on the planet.“
This openness, the joy of collaboration, and the shared goal of making a difference resonated with Prummel on a personal level. It wasn’t just about sustainability—it was about working with people who wanted to collaborate and learn from each other, fostering an environment of mutual respect and shared progress.
Prummel’s motivation to dive deeper into circularity began with an internal project. While working with the Dutch government, he noticed that resource management—integrating circular economy principles—was being overlooked. When the program manager asked him to write up a report on what could be done if resources were managed better, Prummel jumped in.
„In the case of our office furniture tender, we decided that the most circular and sustainable approach was to extend the lifespan of our existing products. Since we have high-quality furniture, it could be repaired and used for 10 more years. However, it’s important to note that using products longer is not always the best solution—sometimes replacement or other alternatives may be more sustainable depending on the circumstances.“
What began as a simple project to experiment with circular solutions became a career-defining moment for Prummel. His role was never about the technical aspects of circularity—rather, it was about exploring how to change processes and helping people understand and adopt circularity in their daily operations.
This combination of practical solutions and a mindset shift aligned perfectly with his values. He realized that circularity is not just about repairing or reusing products; it’s also about transforming the way we think about resources and consumption.
„My role is to share that knowledge and insight… I realized that my role to play is more the exploring part—how we can actually change processes so that people adapt to it.“
For Joan, circularity isn’t just a professional goal; it’s a personal mission. His passion lies in inspiring others, traveling, meeting new people, and speaking about the benefits of circular procurement and sustainability. And in doing so, he hopes to inspire others to act in ways that benefit both society and the planet.
Reflecting on Bohemian Deals and the Future of Circularity
As we explore the concept of Bohemian Deals and how they could be adapted to the Czech Republic, it’s important to recognize the underlying principles that guide successful circular initiatives. The power of collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and the willingness to innovate are key to scaling circular solutions in public procurement.
Joan’s journey and personal commitment to circularity remind us that the shift towards a more sustainable world isn’t just about the technical aspects—it’s about changing mindsets and being open to sharing knowledge for the greater good.
