Qualitative benefits

Caux Seine agglo and Caux Seine développement are attentive to the needs of local people in order to anticipate economic changes.

The circular economy is an area of investment for the region to facilitate collaboration and provide support for companies in the development of their projects so as to create momentum between people involved in the local economic.

This more virtuous, value-creating economy is one of the levers of attractiveness in Caux Vallée de Seine, helping to link up people in the area and allow new projects to be implemented and developed while optimizing material and immaterial flows. 

Its history, its industrial and rural identity, the diversity of projects and people involved in sustainable development ... all this reinforces the territory's determination to sustain a regional and global circular economy policy in order to help local businesses become better acquainted with each other, improve their competitiveness and their environmental performance by materializing synergies to create a virtuous economic ecosystem

Stages of the initiative

Caux Seine Valley is an area with an industrial vocation, highly involved in the energy transition (it was an award-winner in the "Territoires 100% EnR" system in the Normandy Region) and in the circular economy, on the basis of over 40 years of networked economic development.

In addition, the area was a forerunner in industrial and regional ecology within the Estuary, by requesting a first study of regional metabolism on the subject in 2009.

One of the obstacles to the deployment of a circular economy initiative lies in getting stakeholders involved and maintaining a dynamic network.

In Caux Vallée de Seine, it turns out that the quality of the network of companies led by the region for many years is contributing to the development of partnership projects in favour of the circular economy.

Companies must be made aware of the cooperative approach so that the development of a circular economy project can be effective and this joint culture can best meet their expectations.

In addition, the success of these projects depends today on the presence of this regional network supported by tightly-knit field cooperation with the services of the State, the Region, ADEME, Institut de l’économie circulaire and the development of partnerships with local bodies (chambers of commerce, competitiveness clusters, associations, professional federations, etc.).

The different support systems (financial, expertise, etc.) provided by the Institutions are important levers for accelerating the implementation of a circular economy approach.

The region aims to implement as many synergies as possible between all those involved: to raise awareness and make good practices more widespread, attract new businesses, develop their activities, anchor their skills within the region and thereby help to make Caux Vallée de Seine more attractive.

The area has chosen the following slogan: “Normandy is [re]invented here”, also with reference to the economic changes taking place in the area, the energy transition and digital, major issues in Caux Vallée de Seine.

Potential obstacles to the creation and sustainability of a circular ecosystem:

Regulations are changing rapidly and frequently, particularly with regard to products that leave waste status, which is a complex issue.

Certain companies for whom the circular economy is not their core business, may be dissuaded from changing their economic model when they realize what means need to be implemented: time, cost, risk- taking, etc. This is where the role of the region and its partners is essential to provide support as this change takes place..

The emergence of circular strategies requires a strong political signal from the area, cross-functional organisation, cooperation with the bodies mentioned above, a systemic, sustainable-development-oriented vision ... what the area has been engaged in for several decades.