Imog

Waste intercommunal becomes regional catalyst for circular economy

Imog is one of the 10 organisations delving into the potential of the circular economy as part of the Do Network. Under the professional guidance of consulting firm Möbius, a group of stakeholders will work to formulate a vision and explore the most promising themes.

Did you know that nine more projects and local authorities are receiving support and getting started? Kortrijk, Halle, Intradura, Kampenhout, Ostend, Sint-Niklaas/Temse, Roeselare, Turnhout and Hasselt. This provides a wealth of ideas for local policies. An overview will soon appear on the website www.lokaalcirculair.be.

Who are you and what do you want to achieve with this guidance project?

"I am Koen Delie, manager of internal and external communication at Imog. It is useful to timely evaluate and update our vision "What does Imog stand for?" Imog wants to align its vision and mission with the questions "What does Imog stand for in 2030 - 2050", "What do associates expect from Imog" and "What can Imog mean for its associates"? Through a participatory process, with debate and external input, various themes can be addressed.

In order to broaden the support base and match the wishes of cities and municipalities as closely as possible, we involve external experts, relevant persons from the partners and Imog's management. Periodic sounding board working groups with external advisers Filip de Rynck, Geert Janssens and Christof Delatter are supplemented by various delegates from the municipal associates for each theme. With Möbius as external facilitator, we can shape all this."

What exactly does the guidance process entail?

"Together with delegates from the 11 municipalities - Anzegem, Avelgem, Deerlijk, Harelbeke, Kortrijk, Kuurne, Kruisem, Spiere-Helkijn, Waregem, Wielsbeke and Zwevegem - Imog wants to work towards a circular ambition for the region and identify the circular opportunities that can be capitalised on. We will do this in three sessions and short reconciliation moments in between. We will also get input from Möbius, who will help think about the strengths of the region and Imog.

We reflect on the connecting and catalysing role Imog can take in the region's circular transition. As a result, we are working towards a proposal of some potential impactful circular projects for Imog, to be set up in collaboration with various local players."

What are the lessons learned from the track?

It is too early for a full evaluation, but it is nice to see that firm ambitions were on the table. Imog's roles as a logistics hub but also as a connector and point of contact are very interesting. We also see opportunities in the food and textile sectors. And the need for region-wide cooperation also became very clear. "