"Public procurement accounts for almost 20% of GDP in the Netherlands. If we want to solve the challenges society faces today, we should study the potential of that huge part of GDP to become more innovative, social, and sustainable."
As a PhD Candidate at the Innovation Studies section of the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Pelle is interested in how this potential can be exploited better. His research focuses on public procurement, the way in which the government buys the things it needs for the country to function. He researches how public procurement can be used as an innovation policy to help solve societal challenges, such as the sustainability transition or dependencies on risky non-EU countries.
Previously, Pelle worked in sustainability consultancy. He holds an MA International Relations (cum laude) and MA Latin American Studies (cum laude) from Leiden University.
Three minutes on why public procurement is important when trying to solve societal challenges: