Create sustainable added value

Why is this important? 

Technological innovation is the driving force of our industry. Our motivation to innovate stems from the ambition to continue creating added value for society, including in the long term. 

The manufacturing industry is the engine of Belgian export and prosperity. Every job in the manufacturing industry creates at least one other in related service sectors. Almost one in four Belgians earns his or her income thanks to the industry. But high labour costs, the automatic index and inflation put pressure on the added value and competitiveness of Belgian manufacturing companies. Research and development are crucial to continue creating added value and jobs from the technology industry and the manufacturing industry in particular. Only by transforming into 'factories of the future' - agile, digital, technological and people-oriented undertakings - can our manufacturing companies embed production activities sustainably in a hyper-competitive global economy. Innovation is therefore a necessary precondition to securing the long-term future of the manufacturing industry in our country.

Technology not only creates economic value, but also helps society in many other areas. For example, technology plays a key role in improving traffic safety, strengthening healthcare, fighting and dealing with pandemics, tackling the increasing ageing population, and so on. Technological innovations are also vital to the success of the green transition, just think of CO2 capture and storage, smart energy grids or electric vehicles. In short: without technological innovation, we would live in a less safe, comfortable, healthy, sustainable and connected society. 

From our sector, we strive to maximize all such positive impact of technology, while keeping an eye on related concerns, such as the ethical use of AI, the impact of technology on organizations, universal access to digitization and ensuring privacy.

Commitments 

• We aim to have Belgium in the top three of the European innovation scoreboard by 2030, with the technology industry accounting for a third of R&D expenditure in Belgian industry.
• The added value of the technology industry will grow by an average of 2.2% per year by 2030.
• The added value of the manufacturing industry will grow by 1% per year by 2030.
• We will bring five breakthrough technologies (product or process) to the market that create societal value by 2030.

Indicators

• Belgium's position on the European innovation scoreboard
• Contribution of the technology industry to the R&D expenditure of Belgian industry (%)
• Total added value generated by the technology industry
• Contribution of the technology industry to the Belgian economic fabric
• Total added value generated by the technology-based manufacturing industry
• Contribution of the technology-based manufacturing industry to the Belgian economic fabric
• Number of breakthrough technologies brought to market

Where are we today?

Why is this important? 

Today's world is changing rapidly and becoming more and more complex. Technological developments and disruptive innovations are also creating new markets and value networks. To create added value in that Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA) world, collaboration is essential. Only by working together, within our sector and beyond, can we sustainably transform into the industry of the future. By joining forces, new business opportunities arise, efficiency increases and our companies strengthen their position on the labour market. Cooperation also leads to a smoother breakthrough, implementation and export of technological innovations. We also need partnerships to achieve the ambitions of our sustainability strategy and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals.

Companies from the technology industry work together with other companies, the government, knowledge institutions, NGOs and organizations, the medical world, education, consumers, etc. The process may involve joint ventures, the sharing of facilities and resources, the exchange of knowledge and expertise, chain cooperation within the framework of the circular economy, etc. Many companies from our sector work together with social organizations and customized companies to give jobs to disadvantaged groups and people who are far removed from the labour market. Many companies from our sector work together with social organizations and customized companies to provide jobs for disadvantaged groups and people who are further away from the labour market. 

Agoria wants to facilitate sustainable cooperation by being the connecting factor between the various players, both at home and abroad. We also set up hubs and ecosystems, where companies, the government, knowledge institutions and citizens (for example students) work together and build up expertise around a certain technology or social problem. For instance, Agoria is one of the founders of The Beacon in Antwerp, the hub for the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence. 

• Spurred on by the coronavirus pandemic, technology has radically changed the way teams work together. Just think of the wide range of tools for online meetings and cooperation.
• The exchange of process heat between companies, the use of energy surpluses from wind turbines and solar panels, shared logistics and transport, the exchange of data in the context of the circular economy: these are all examples of industrial cooperation facilitated by the Internet of Things and other technological solutions. 

Commitments 

• As Agoria, we assume our role in the quadruple helix*, both on a national and international level. We will be taking an active part in in eight technological ecosystems by 2025.
• We encourage cooperation to attain the goals of our sustainability strategy and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals.

Indicators

• Number of ecosystems (government, knowledge world, business, citizens) in which Agoria plays an active role
• Number of members that enter into partnerships to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals 

Where are we today?

* The quadruple helix model of innovation recognizes four important protagonists in the innovation system: science, policy, industry and society. In line with this model, more and more governments are prioritizing greater public involvement in innovation processes.

Why is this important?

Ethics and transparency 

The impact of technology on people and society is increasing. We consider it our role as a technology industry to reflect on that impact. For example, new technologies can create new ethical dilemmas and issues. A case in point: as healthcare becomes increasingly digital, decisions about human health are made on the basis of data. Or: how do we ensure access to digital technology for all?

Doing business in an honest and ethical way is also increasingly important for our stakeholders: customers, investors, suppliers, employees, job applicants, consumers, the general public ... Organizations and people rightly expect business to give them insight into their environmental and social impacts and their contribution to society. A study by temporary employment agency Tempo Team* shows that today one out of three employees takes corporate social responsibility into account when choosing his or her future employer. In the war for talent, social responsibility and sustainability communication are therefore becoming decisive for companies.

Spurred by (the revision of) the European Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the importance of transparency in business is growing. From 2023 onwards, all large companies and listed SMEs will be required to publish information on their non-financial performance and risks on an annual basis. The revision, together with the Taxonomy Regulation, is part of the package of measures that Europe is introducing to channel more money towards sustainable activities and businesses and thus bring  the ambitions of the Green Deal to fruition.

New European regulations on due diligence have also come into force since the beginning of 2022. As a result, large companies and SMEs from high-risk sectors are required to address human rights and environmental risks throughout their business operations, including their supply chains. Companies are also required to involve their stakeholders in the preparation of these due diligence plans.

* Good intentions for 2020: 53% of Belgian employees want to work in a more climate-friendly way 

Cyber security

Cybercrime can have major consequences for companies and their customers. It can lead to large financial losses and damage the image of a company and the trust of customers, especially if valuable information is stolen. Proper protection is therefore indispensable. 

In a nutshell, data protection is about confidentiality, integrity and availability (CIA): information must be seen by the right people, it must be reliable and it must be available at the right time to protect the continuity of the company. Companies must comply with European and other regulations on data security, such as the European Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the new Cyber Security Directive (NIS 2.0). 

Protecting digital information - cybersecurity - has technological, process and human aspects. For example, IT systems must not have any weaknesses, but employees must also be made aware of the risks. The technology industry therefore pays a lot of attention to raising awareness about cyber security. This is necessary, because many Belgian companies are potentially vulnerable. Small companies run just as much or even more risk than large companies. This is because they have limited knowledge and resources to implement cyber security.

Moreover, many companies underestimate the risks. Recent research shows that about half of all companies in the manufacturing industry do not consider themselves a potential target. They also consider Belgium to be a relatively safe country in terms of data, in contrast to the US, for example. Nevertheless, Belgium is also suffering from cyberattacks, and these are also targeting small, less well-protected companies. In 2021, more than a thousand Belgian companies fell victim to a cyber-attack, in most cases by their own staff or subcontractors.

In the short and medium term, we want to work mainly on raising awareness about the importance of cybersecurity, recruitment (attracting and training enough talent to guarantee cybersecurity) and mapping the Belgian cybersecurity sector. 

Commitments

• We are committed, as a technology industry, to be at the forefront of proper compliance with the legal obligations of non-financial reporting (CSRD). We encourage all our members to report on their sustainability impact by 2030.
• By 2025, 95% of member companies have and implement a cybersecurity plan* that, among other things, makes employees aware of their obligations regarding digital technologies.

Indicators

• Number of members reporting on their sustainability impact and strategy
• Number of members with a cybersecurity plan 

Where are we today?

* A cybersecurity plan is a self-assessment of the business impact in terms of finance, risk, operations and compliance.