Pushing forward the circular economy / NRW.BANK continues support for Circular Valley for three more years

NRW.BANK continues support for Circular Valley for three more years

NRW.BANK is extending its partnership with Circular Valley, committing to support the Wuppertal-based initiative for another three years as a corporate finance partner providing advice on the promotion and financing of enterprises and start-ups. Circular Valley aims to position the Rhine-Ruhr area as an international hub for circular value creation and to advance sustainable resource use solutions.

“Only a circular economy can be sustainable. It paves the way for a secure future by merging environmental goals with innovation, competitiveness and employment,” says Gabriela Pantring, Deputy Chairwoman of the Managing Board of NRW.BANK. “As the promotional bank for North Rhine-Westphalia, it is our responsibility to drive this essential transformation. Supporting the expanding Circular Valley is clearly part of this mission.”

“Over the past three years, we have successfully spread the idea of the circular economy and gained numerous partners,” says Dr. Carsten Gerhardt, Chairman of the Circular Valley Foundation. “NRW.BANK has been with us from the start. Its support enables us to implement specific project ideas of the circular economy now, which is something we are very much looking forward to.”

A hub for the circular economy in the Rhine-Ruhr region

The circular economy is firmly anchored in the European Green Deal adopted by the European Commission with a view to making the EU climate-neutral by 2050. It is seen as a solution to the growing waste problem as it aims to preserve the value of raw materials for as long as possible through recycling and reuse, thus reducing the impact on the environment. To make the transition from the linear to the circular economy happen, international start-ups, enterprises, scientists and policy-makers have joined forces in the Circular Valley. They collaborate to develop sustainable resource use solutions and policy recommendations

NRW.BANK has been an active finance partner of the Circular Valley since its launch in 2021. In this role, it supports businesses in implementing circular business models, offering advice on identifying suitable promotional programmes to finance related investments.

Initiated by Wuppertalbewegung e.V., the initiative receives support from various sponsors and partners, as well as state funding and funds from the European Regional Development Fund. Its patron is NRW Economics Minister Mona Neubaur.

For more information on the circular economy and suitable promotional programmes from NRW.BANK, visit www.nrwbank.de/kreislaufwirtschaft

Media contact:
Caroline Fischer, Press Officer
Phone: +49 211 91741-1847, e-mail: presse@nrwbank.de

NRW.BANK – the promotional bank for North Rhine-Westphalia
NRW.BANK is the promotional bank of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). In close partnership with its owner, the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Bank helps to strengthen SMEs and start-ups, create affordable housing and improve public infrastructure. NRW.BANK offers people, enterprises and local authorities in NRW tailor-made financing solutions and advisory services. It cooperates with its financing partners, in particular all banks and savings banks, on a competition-neutral basis. In order to accelerate the transformation processes, the Bank provides effective promotional impulses – for a sustainable, climate-neutral and digital North Rhine-Westphalia.