The supply chain, a key link in Responsible Digital practices
A pilot project has allowed the Responsible Digital Unit of Paradigm, regional digital orchestrator, to validate a potential 74% reduction in CO2 emissions associated with laptop deliveries. This innovative initiative was the result of a partnership with the Port of Brussels and Urbike.
As the saying goes "tall oaks from little acorns grow". This is also true when it comes to reducing the environmental impact of digital technology. Transport accounts for 5% of the carbon emissions across the lifecycle of IT equipment (compared with their manufacturing which represents 60%).
There is a real interest in exploring alternative logistics solutions for moving products, such as laptops, from manufacturers to end users. In addition to CO2 emissions, we must also consider the contribution of road transport to traffic congestion, particularly in urban areas such as the Brussels region.
With this in mind, Paradigm's Responsible Digital Unit devised a pilot project aimed at replacing the most carbon-intensive modes of transport (typically planes and lorries) with low-carbon solutions (boats, barges, trains, cargo bikes). For the pilot project, Paradigm teamed up with two Brussels-based logistics players: the Port of Brussels, which has direct links to the Port of Antwerp and Urbike, a social economy company that replaces vans with cargo bikes for last-mile deliveries - in other words, the very last step to the final recipient's door.
For this cross-functional pilot project, the three partners developed a scenario that tracked a laptop’s journey from a manufacturing site in the United Arab Emirates to Paradigm’s headquarters in central Brussels. This scenario made it possible to replace air transport with sea transport via the Suez Canal to Antwerp. From there, the laptop travelled by barge to the Port of Brussels, where it was picked up by an Urbike cargo bike and delivered to Paradigm. There was no road transport involved for the Belgian part of the journey; only the transport from the manufacturing site to the Port of Dubai involved a lorry.
Conclusion
In the end, this alternative logistics chain generated just 180 kg of CO2 emissions, compared with the 693 kg for a combined air and road delivery from China. The objective of this pilot project, whose results have been incorporated into Paradigm's offer to local authorities, social services and regional bodies in Brussels, was clearly achieved!
The feasibility of reducing the environmental impact of our logistics has been confirmed. It shows that by working with our ecosystem and engaging the various stakeholders, we can bring about a change in deeply entrenched habits. In practical terms, it has allowed us to integrate a low-carbon last-mile transport option into the new public hardware procurement contract, an option that Paradigm’s customers can select when making their purchases.
With this project and its practical implementation, Paradigm is confirming its innovative role in reducing the environmental impact of technology. The Brussels-Capital Region is one of the leading regions in terms of reconciling the digital transition with the ecological transition.