Leadership Stories

Proximus

In 2020, the Belgian telecommunications provider Proximus reinforced its sustainability strategy with ambitious aims for 2030: making a net positive contribution to the climate, being a truly circular company and having a sustainable supply chain.

Proximus generated a total of 647,400 tonnes of CO2e emissions in 2020, of which 3.3% comes from own vehicle fleet fuel (19,100 tonnes - scope 1) and outsourced transportation and distribution (3,000 tonnes - scope 3). Logistics covers the supply and delivery of phones and modems to retailers and homes, and of cable networks. Given the focus on circularity (42% of the decoders and 40% of the modems installed in 2020 were refurbished devices) freight transportation associated with picking up used devices may go up, but the full supply chain emissions will certainly go down.

Report and set targets

• Adopted the GLEC Framework to calculate its logistics emissions and is applying this in more detail to its urban logistics operations, which involved staff training and a gap analysis of its methodology compared to the GLEC Framework by Smart Freight Centre.
• First telecom operator in the world to have approved targets by the Science Based Targets initiative and has been carbon-neutral for its own operations since 2016. Proximus has committed to reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 30% between 2015 and 2025 and total scope 3 GHG emissions by 50% between 2014 and 2040, with an interim target of 10% reduction by 2025.

Reduce

• Makes urban deliveries more sustainable and efficient by using cargobikes in Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent & Liège. Currently participating in a pilot project in Antwerp, where products from several companies will be consolidated in a ‘neutral’ logistics hub nearby the city and then shipped in an eco-friendly way towards the shops in the city center. Those deliveries should reduce traffic, fuel and emissions and improve the quality of life in cities. (more info: here)
• Evolving towards a greener fleet, in order to reduce CO2-emissions. Could be shifting towards other fuels/vehicles or even shifting towards cargobikes for technicians in city centers. Still awaiting pilot tests before the impact of those changes could be assessed.
• Shipping responsibly by optimizing both packaging coming from suppliers and packaging used in shipping goods towards end-customers, such as removing excess materials, printing on sleeves instead of adding paper booklets, reducing plastics and shifting to more sustainable alternatives.

Collaborate

• Signed the Green Deal Sustainable Urban Logistics, a Flemish government initiative aiming to make city deliveries efficient and emission-free, along with 35 partners.
• Recognized as a carbon neutral company with the “CO2-Neutral” label from CO2Logic since 2016, a Climate Change A list and Supplier Engagement Leader by CDP, a Gold label from EcoVadis.
• Partners with suppliers by signing “Circular Manifesto”, aiming to improve the CO2 footprint further down the supply chain and becoming more circular. So far, 21 strategic suppliers have signed, among which are important network, contractor and hardware suppliers like Ericsson, Omniremotes, Technicolor, HPE, Laurenti, icapps, and TCS.

About Proximus

Proximus Group is a provider of digital services and communication solutions operating in the Belgian and international markets. The state-owned company employs approximately 11,400 employees.

Find out more on proximus.be

References

Annual report 2020

https://www.proximus.com/susta...

https://www.proximus.com/suppl...

https://www.proximus.com/suppl...

Shops open again, e-bike deliveries start

Post Paris, the spotlight shines bright on business climate action