Mobile’s impact on the SDGs in Europe
Over 70% of mobile users in Europe use their devices for video calls, mobile financial services or obtaining information and products and services. European operators are also making significant strides on SDG 13: Climate Action, with direct (Scope 1 and 2) emissions per connection falling since last year and absolute emissions plateauing.[70] This is driven by the rise in renewable electricity use.
With 4G penetration peaking in 2022, the transition to 5G in Europe creates new opportunities to broaden mobile’s impact on the SDGs, particularly when it comes to accelerating digital transformation among enterprises. However, European markets are not currently showing the same levels of 5G adoption reported by leading markets in Asia Pacific, the GCC states and North America. The challenge for operators in Europe is funding the investments needed to roll out 5G networks, with the European market characterised by fragmentation and lower ARPU levels than global peers.
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Source: GSMA Intelligence
Key drivers of SDG mobile impact scores
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Source: GSMA Intelligence
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Source: GSMA Intelligence
Data is sourced from the GSMA Intelligence Consumers in Focus Survey. The number of users is calculated by multiplying unique mobile subscribers by the percentage of survey respondents that performed a particular activity (e.g. reading the news) on a mobile phone. Unique subscriber data is sourced from GSMA Intelligence, combining data reported by mobile operators with the annual GSMA Intelligence Consumers in Focus Survey. The percentages show the proportion of mobile users engaging in a particular activity.
Case Studies
Digitising Malta’s first autism-sensitive recreational resource
Children on the autism spectrum have divergent needs and engage with content in different ways. This becomes a challenge when creating dedicated resources, especially those of the recreational kind. More often than not, many of the resources available are targeted toward raising awareness or educating about autism. Very few resources are available that are both educational and recreational, with the specific needs of these children in mind.
Mase in Space – Malta’s first autism-sensitive resource – is a digital interactive book that pays particular attention to the fonts used, the colours selected, the positioning of the characters and the rhythm and rhyme used in the storytelling. It supports children in the development of their social and communication skills. The team behind Mase in Space originally approached Maltese mobile operator Go for support in printing the book, though Go considered this to not be aligned with its sustainability efforts. However, the operator helped to digitise the resource, including the addition of interactive features, to make it accessible to as many families and children as possible.
The online version of Mase in Space broadens the reach of the resource and increases its longevity. More importantly, it provides an alternative means of engagement between the child and their carer/parent, educator or therapist in a way that is meaningful to the child while also providing the opportunity to enhance the child’s digital skills.
Telefónica brings sustainability to digital solutions innovation
Companies need to extend ESG throughout their value chain to contribute to building a fairer, more inclusive and sustainable economic paradigm.
Telefónica has developed an internal voluntary framework called ‘Responsibility by Design’ to incorporate ethical and sustainability principles from the beginning of development of a new product or service through to its delivery to the customer.
Telefónica has developed an internal voluntary framework called ‘Responsibility by Design’ to incorporate ethical and sustainability principles from the beginning of development of a new product or service through to its delivery to the customer. It also helps Telefónica to be certain that the product or service complies with the operator’s ‘Responsible Business Principles’.
The framework is based on two pillars. The first is sustainability being applied to design, which relates to the impact that Telefónica’s products and services have on people and the environment. The second is design ethics – in other words, its commitment to the customer and use of data and AI. All of the products and services under this framework are based on low-carbon connectivity.
This is a cross-cutting project involving the entire company, representing a cultural change and a transformation of the entire organisation to reshape how Telefónica innovates and develops new digital solutions. This has led to the need to provide training to all areas of the company to emphasise the importance of eco-design, accessibility, transparency, and digital rights and ethics, among other aspects.
In 2022, Telefónica assessed the sustainability of over 40 products and services under this framework. Its goal is to further integrate the ‘Responsibility by Design’ framework to have 100% of its solutions assessed by 2025.
Telenor aims to drive digital inclusion among young immigrants
A joint European Commission and OECD report[48] highlights a wide employment gap in the EU between native-born people and non-EU immigrants.[49] Finland has over 470,000 people with a migrant background, many of whom face challenges in accessing the labour market. Young immigrants, in particular, encounter difficulties due to limited networks, discrimination and insufficient knowledge of digital skills.
DNA, Telenor's Finnish operator, collaborated with development and humanitarian organisation Plan International Finland in 2022 to promote digital equality and provide invaluable insights into the ICT sector for immigrants who are 16 to 21 years old. The initiative offers them workshops, practice interviews, video applications and CV preparation. Job-shadowing opportunities in DNA are also possible, as well as with other participating companies and public structures, allowing a glimpse into the working life across several sectors and activities.
More than 250 young immigrants have already benefited from this programme. They have strengthened their digital skills through participation in ten workshops, been involved in event planning and contributed to research on the digital skill needs of young immigrants. Additionally, job-shadowing sessions at DNA have offered a glimpse into working life in the ICT sector.
Telia reduces energy in buildings through IoT
The real estate industry – accounting for 40% of all energy used in cities and 36% of the CO2 emissions in Europe – is affected by high energy prices, inflation and interest rates. In the cold climate of Northern Europe, it is a priority to find new ways to increase energy efficiency and reduce consumption. Research shows that digitalistion is a key enabler of optimising operations and energy consumption. Two housing cooperations in Sweden, together with Telia, looked into how to optimise the district heating for their combined five buildings and nearly 100 apartments during the 2022/2023 winter season.
Telia offers its Heating Optimization solution in Sweden. Buildings are connected through NB-IoT sensors in each apartment to measure temperature and humidity and an installed connected control unit for the building management systems. In this way, buildings are equipped with an automated solution to optimise the energy consumption of their district heating based on real-time indoor temperature data.
The housing cooperations registered energy savings of 5–10% during the first winter months. The solution enables more evenly distributed heat based on a target temperature. Real-time data insights about each apartment’s temperature and humidity also help identify energy leaks, which provide further savings when acted upon. Heating Optimization helped identify faulty balcony doors, poorly working thermostats and hot water flows, which were repaired, eliminating energy wastage. Telia aims to scale up the solution in the Nordic countries.
Nokia deploys 5G ‘factory of the future’
Nokia has set a greenhouse gas emissions reduction target through the Science Based Targets initiative. Its target is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% between 2019 and 2030 across its value chain (Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions). To meet this goal, the company is using its technology solutions to make its industrial processes more efficient.
Nokia's 5G ‘factory of the future’ in Oulu, Finland, utilises a comprehensive range of 5G+ technologies. These technologies enable various functions such as machining and assembly, which are carried out by robots. The factory also incorporates autonomous transportation facilitated by mobile robots. To ensure high-quality standards, advanced quality-control methods, including video analytics, are employed. Further, maintenance schedules are optimised with the help of augmented intelligence and machine learning, which provide real-time asset-condition data and make recommendations accordingly.
According to the latest data gathered in 2022, factory output has increased by 250% while maintaining the same level of resources and energy consumption. There was a 54% reduction of energy consumption per product produced and an avoidance of 70% of CO2 emissions. In addition, process defects and product time to market were both reduced by half.
This factory was recognised in 2019 by McKinsey and the World Economic Forum as an ‘Advanced Fourth Industrial Revolution Lighthouse’, showcasing Nokia's ability to digitally transform and modernise its customers' manufacturing facilities for Industry 4.0.
