SWITCH-Asia

WHEN:  3 April 2025     I    TIME:  14:00 - 15:30 (Bangkok Time)    I    Register  HERE

Background:

Large-scale infrastructure and construction projects are growing in many big cities in the Asia-Pacific region to provide a better livelihood and enhance connectivity of people, including high rise buildings for industries and residence, large highways and roads for land transport, mass transit and railways, and renewable/non-renewable power stations offshore and onshore. These extensive and complex projects involve multiple components and phases, requiring a significant amount of goods and services. Through a sustainable and circular procurement, a positive impact on resources efficiency and greenhouse gas emission reduction can be substantially achieved thus promoting long-term green and circular growthin the region. This can also protect the environment, promote social progress, and minimize the risk to growth that arises due to a shortage of resources and environmental externalities. Sustainable procurement can serve as a powerful catalyst for innovation and market transformation on a resource efficient, greener path. By integrating sustainability and circularity criteria into procurement processes, both public and private sectors can stimulate the development and adoption of innovative solutions that address environmental and social challenges. This approach not only promotes the creation of new products, services, and business models but also drives significant market shifts toward sustainable practices for a to a long-term market transformation, by incentivizing investments in innovative and sustainable solutionsthat move beyond the immediate purchase of eco-friendly products available in the markets. A shift in strategic procurement decisions and practices will lead the way in fostering a resilient and environmentally-conscious economy.

Webinar Session:

The EU SWITCH-Asia Policy Support Component is convening the webinar, Enhancing Circularity in Procurement of Infrastructure Projects, to raise awareness about the transformative potential of sustainable and circular procurement, particularly in the Construction and Building sector, address challenges, highlight best practices, provide practical strategies for embedding sustainability into procurement decisions, and strengthen networks for future collaborative efforts.

The webinar series, hosted by the EU SWITCH-Asia Policy Support Component, is designed to help participants understand the relevance of sustainable procurement practices as well as present tools for enhancing circularity in procuring infrastructure projects. The webinar will guide policymakers and procurement professionals in creating supportive frameworks and overcoming implementation challenges in integrating circularity principles in purchasing decisions by showcasing successful examples and offering actionable insights. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of sustainable procurement's role in driving innovation, encompassing circular economy practices, reducing carbon emissions, and conserving biodiversity. Thereby, the series aims to increase awareness of best practices, facilitate knowledge exchanges, and strengthen networks among institutions towards sustainable/green public procurement.

Chair:

Zinaida FADEEVA, Team Leader, SWITCH-Asia Policy Support Component

Zinaida Fadeeva is the Team Leader of the Policy Support Component of the SWITCH-Asia Programme. Zinaida has over 25 years leading international professional experience in policy for and practice of sustainable consumption and production (SCP) and Education for Sustainable Development, amongst others working with the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Studies of Sustainability (UNU-IAS). Her work has focused on diverse topics such as tourism, plastics, construction, small and medium enterprises, procurement and lifestyle. Zinaida has worked extensively with governments, private sector, international organisations and academia in East, South East, South and Central Asia.

Co-Chair:

Sanjay KUMAR, Senior GPP Expert, SWITCH-Asia Policy Support Component 

Sanjay Kumar has an extensive background spanning over twenty-five years in governance and leadership, focusing on Public Policy, Procurement, and Sustainability. His career includes significant contributions to the Government of India in these areas. He is the pioneering mind behind NEXGEN Procurement Solutions, a start-up aimed at revolutionizing the procurement and supply chain sectors with innovative and sustainable solutions. Kumar is actively involved in advising the EU SWITCH-Asia Policy Support Component, guiding its Green Public Procurement (GPP) projects across various countries including Bangladesh, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.

Moderators:

Lunchakorn PRATHUMRATANA, GPP Expert, SWITCH-Asia Policy Support Component

Lunchakorn is the Project Director of the SWITCH-Asia Policy Support Component. In her previous work she was in charge of managing and developing international collaborations in projects relating to Green Public Procurement and ECO Labels. She was also former project manager of the Thai Green Label programme and technical expert at GIZ.

Punjaporn WESCHAYANIWAT, Stakeholder Engagement Expert, SWITCH-Asia Policy Support Component

Speakers:

Michael STEIDL, Head of the European Investment Bank (EIB), Regional Representation to South Asia

Michael Steidl is the Head of the EIB Regional Representation to South Asia, covering six countries from the office in Delhi. Mr. Steidl has three decades of experience in development, having worked in over 50 countries globally. He started his career in the 1990s as consultant in microfinance and financial sector development, and later joined KfW and then the World Bank Group as staff member. Since 2018, he works for the European Investment Bank, starting as Senior Advisor in SME and Climate Finance, and in early 2025 taking over as head of the Delhi office.

Jana ŽILKOVÁ, Country Director of Caritas Czech Republic in Mongolia 

Jana's 15 years of experience in the international and non-governmental environment, project management, research, and policy-making have culminated in her current role as the Country Director of Caritas Czech Republic in Mongolia since 2018. She oversees development projects on climate change, waste management, recycling, and CSO development, funded predominantly by the European Union. Since 2024, she has been an EU Expert, a role that involves assessing applications for EU funding and monitoring EU-funded projects, demonstrating her in-depth knowledge and skills in this area. Before joining CCR, Jana worked in several European and Asian countries, including Slovakia, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, and Singapore. She holds a BA in International Economic Relations from the University of Economics in Bratislava, an MSc in European Affairs from Aalborg University in Denmark, and a Master of Public Administration from Hertie School of Governance in Berlin.

Dr. Xiuxiu GAO, Senior Engineer at China Architecture Design & Research Group

Xiuxiu Gao is a Senior Engineer at the China Architecture Design & Research Group and holds a PhD in Environmental Economics and Environmental Management from the University of York, UK. She also serves as the Secretary-General of the Special Committee for Human Settlements within the Chinese Society for Sustainable Development. Dr. Gao has been involved in several European Framework Programme and international collaboration projects focused on urban sustainability. Her current work primarily centers on scientific research related to sustainable urban and rural development, improvement of human settlements, and the technology transfer and demonstration of research outcomes.

Jill RAMOS, Chief Sustainability Officer, Holcim Philippines

Jill Ramos is the Chief Sustainability Officer at Holcim Philippines, leading the company’s decarbonization and overallsustainability roadmap. In addition to Sustainability, she oversees Communications, Public Affairs, and Social Initiatives, driving the company’s mission for positive social impact. Previously, she served as Stakeholder Relations Manager, fostering partnerships and collaborations to deliver sustainability projects in support of Holcim’s Climate Action goals. Prior to joining Holcim Philippines, she was the Enterprise Engagement and Communications Lead at a national water utility company and a Senior Communications Lead at a local electric utility company.

Dr. Natasha KHALIL, Associate Professor, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Perak, Malaysia

Associate Professor Sr Dr. Natasha Khalil is a Senior Lecturer in Quantity Surveying at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Perak, Malaysia. She holds a PhD in Building Science & Performance from Universiti Malaya, and her expertise spans building performance evaluation, facilities management, green procurement, risk management, and circular economy in construction. Dr. Natasha has led multiple consultancy and research projects with organizations such as GIZ, MGTC, UNDP, and CREAM, and has received grants from Malaysia's Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Higher Education. With over 100 publications, she also serves as a journal reviewer, speaker, and Certified Quantity Surveyor (BQSM), and currently coordinates the MSc in Green Architecture at UiTM.

Rizky ADITYA PUTRA, Programme Manager, Energy Efficiency and Conservation Department – ASEAN Centre for Energy

Mr. Rizky Aditya Putra is the Programme Manager of Asia Low Carbon Buildings Transition at ASEAN Centre for Energy, a multi-year cooperation initiative aiming for catalysing the transition towards low-carbon buildings across Southeast Asia. Prior to assuming the role, he served as the Senior Officer of the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) at ACE, where he coordinated the regional cooperation and partnership among ASEAN Member States, Dialogue Partners, and International Organisations including in achieving the regional energy intensity reduction target of 32% by 2025. Additionally, he led the implementation of regional and multilateral EE&C-related projects with key partners, such as Japan and South Korea.

Agenda