A first in Belgium! Proximus distribution center receives "Lean & Green 3 stars" label for its environmental efforts

Details of the Lean & Green program

The Lean & Green program, initiated in the Netherlands, has been led and implemented by Logistics in Wallonia since 2014. It is a CO₂ reduction program with a focus on the supply chain, more specifically on all activities linked to transport and logistics.

Companies participating in the program prepare an action plan, according to the predetermined methodology, which must cover at least 50% of the emissions related to transport and logistics. They then choose a reference unit that allows them to calculate CO₂ emissions in an appropriate manner, taking into account the evolution and growth of their activities. All results are evaluated by an external auditor.

At the European level, 549 companies are participating in the Lean & Green program in logistics. Only 24 companies, including Proximus, obtained the 3 stars. Proximus is also the only Belgian company with the highest distinction.

Results

In line with the existing framework of actions on sustainability within Proximus and its ambition to be carbon neutral in terms of logistics by 2030, an initiative was launched with the help of Logistics in Wallonia to obtain the Lean & Green label for the Proximus distribution center in Courcelles. In 2021, Proximus obtained the “Lean & Green 2 Stars” label for reducing CO₂ emissions per order by 32% between 2015 and 2019.

Encouraged by this good result, Proximus immediately continued its sustainability efforts to secure the third star. This required, on the one hand, increasing the scope of the project by 10% and, on the other hand, being able to demonstrate an additional 5% reduction from the second star. Thanks to ongoing efforts and the implementation of new concrete actions in close collaboration with its main suppliers in the field of transport and storage, Proximus has managed to reduce its CO2 emissions per order by 55% (instead of the 35% requested to achieve the 3rd star) from 2015 to 2021 compared to 2015. And that, taking into account a significant 18% increase in order volume.

Concrete initiatives to achieve the 3-star label

In order to obtain the label, Proximus undertook several concrete additional efforts within different domains. These have been characterized by strong collaboration, shared strategy and aligned action plans with key suppliers around transportation and warehousing.

The Proximus distribution center has been operating on 100% green electricity since 2019 and has increasingly switched to local Belgian wind power in recent years. In the area of transport, delivery and transport schedules were further optimized and consolidated, and further efforts were made to create a greener fleet of vehicles and expand bicycle distribution in major cities.

Thanks to its ongoing and growing efforts in circularity, in a context of global disruptions and scarcity, Proximus has been able to restore and reintroduce to the market more than 800,000 devices (Internet box, TV box, WiFi booster, remote controls, etc.).

As part of its "Don't miss the call" action, nearly 80,000 mobile devices passed through the Proximus Distribution Center to be stripped of their precious metals or subjected to a reconditioning program in order to give them a second life. A boost that will benefit the environment.

In terms of packaging, Proximus has bet on an initiative whereby the commercial product is sent directly to the customer without an additional cardboard box. This has enabled the company to save the equivalent of 92 soccer fields in square meters!

This recognition is very prestigious in Europe and once again underlines Proximus' pioneering role in the field of sustainable business, a key pillar of our #inspire2022 strategy. For Proximus, this is a concrete step towards its goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2040, both for its operations and in its value chain.

Discover Proximus' environmental strategy