Designed to respond to the consumer's every wish, the on-demand economy is transforming companies and the labour market, and its rise is undermining the strength of the traditional players.

The term "on-demand economy" was made popular by the rapid success of the new Silicon Valley start-ups led by Uber and Airbnb, and now everyone is talking about it. It refers to business activities where companies use new technologies to bring goods and services to consumers virtually immediately, and is experiencing staggering rates of growth. And so, scarcely seven years after it began, Uber is worth over 60 billion dollars. In the United States, 42% of people have used an on-demand service at some point. This is a trend set to continue.

Aside from the most well-known services that allow customers to order a driver, a meal, a doctor or lawyer, the on-demand economy now seems able to satisfy the consumer's every whim, even the most outlandish. Booster offers a mobile petrol pump service allowing drivers to fill up at any time. Through Techy you can request the services of an IT expert to fix your computer. FriendsTonight finds its users companions for any trip, such as to the cinema, a bar or nightclub. Pamper lets you order a manicure and Soothe brings you a massage. With Trumaker, you can find a tailor to cut you a suit. Washio will do your washing. And finally, Wag! walks your dog for you. There are even start-ups in California that deliver cannabis on demand, plus for Roman Catholics with an urgent need to confess, Scooterino Amen can bring a priest on a scooter to your door. It seems that the economy is more directed towards the immediate gratification of the consumer than ever before.

A new phase of capitalism

The arrival of the on-demand economy marks not only an anthropological development, but also the beginning of a new phase of capitalism. At the start of the 20th century, the introduction of assembly and production lines meant that Henry Ford could mass produce the Ford T at a reasonable price, a development that began to make the automobile more accessible to all. Today, the on-demand economy is allowing ordinary people to access services that were once the preserve of the privileged.

Several factors have converged to allow this revolution to occur. The first is the boom in new technologies. Powerful microcomputers available at low prices mean entrepreneurs can achieve a great deal by working alone from their own home. The spread of smart phones is also enabling autonomous workers to react quickly and move around with ease. And thanks to the internet, complex tasks such as programming or drawing up legal documentation can be outsourced to professionals working remotely.

In short, new technologies are creating relationships that are more fluid: large companies with very strong hierarchies and a stable workforce located in physical premises are giving way to less precisely structured entities composed of a small team of leaders and a constantly fluctuating mass of contractors. They may not even have an office, but those at the top direct the business while their staff work flexibly to meet customer requests.

The swift rise of the on-demand economy has also been facilitated by the financial crisis, which led to an availability on the labour market of young, flexible workers with good access to technology. Today, 34% of US workers are self-employed. Finally, the on-demand economy is the consequence of a shift in the balance of power in society. As The Economist states, whereas Karl Marx once laid out the opposition between the owners of the means of production and their workers, the dichotomy that stands out today contrasts individuals who are cash rich and time poor and those who have less money but much more time. The on-demand economy means transactions can take place between these two kinds of economic agents, and the latter can be paid to provide the former with services that they have no time to carry out themselves.

The winners and losers of the on-demand economy

The on-demand economy has changed the capitalist paradigm, bringing about far-reaching changes within society, the world of work, and even the lives of individuals. There are positives and negatives, as with any radical change. This is why it causes so much passionate debate, as illustrated by the many legal challenges and demonstrations against Uber and the aborted attempt to legislate to limit the expansion of Airbnb in San Francisco. Its opponents regard it as a reversal of social progress and a return to the brutal capitalism of the 19th century, when long queues of workers waited every morning in the hope of picking up a day's work.

But the supporters of this new reality emphasise the flexibility it gives workers, who are free to work wherever and whenever they choose. They also highlight the freedom consumers now have to choose from a wide range of services accessible on demand at prices they can afford. The defenders of the on-demand economy also say that it enables a better allocation of resources in society. For example, many rooms that would otherwise remain empty can be offered to tourists temporarily through Airbnb, and Uber allows several passengers to share the same vehicle.

Consumers certainly appear to be holding all the cards; for workers, however, the picture is more mixed. Those who value flexibility over security benefit from the new reality. This is the case for students wanting to earn a bit of cash, those who loathe office hours, young parents who would like to work part-time while raising their children, or older people nearing retirement who want to reduce their working hours. On the other hand, workers who favour security over flexibility, such as families with mortgages and tuition fees to pay for, stand to lose out in the new economic environment. It is therefore up to governments to adapt their welfare systems to better reflect society's needs in the light of the rapid rise of the on-demand economy. The American model, where health insurance is provided by the employer, is not at all appropriate for these circumstances and ought to be reformed so that every worker is covered.

Traditional actors forced to catch up

The on-demand economy also implies a significant shake-up on the majority of markets. This is firstly because companies offering on-demand services naturally launch on existing markets, where they proceed to impose very stiff competition on the traditional players. The most striking example of this is of course the arrival of Uber on the taxi market. But secondly, the heavyweights of the on-demand economy, which have the benefit of their brand names, capital and the latest technology, can swallow up sectors other than that of their principal and initial line of business.

If we remain with the example of Uber, the company quickly realised that drivers were extremely busy in the mornings and evenings, but had far fewer jobs in the middle of the day. And so to fill the off-peak hours, it began to offer additional services. First came the food delivery service, UberEATS, then the company delivering anything, UberRUSH. From a taxi company at the forefront of technology, Uber has gradually transformed itself into a service platform devoted to nothing in particular, able to turn its hand (or its vehicles) to various types of requirements.

Besides taxis, start-ups delivering food such as Caviar or Munchery are the ones facing competition, as well as longstanding firms on the delivery market such as FedEx and UPS. The name that Uber quickly built for itself, combined with its solid IT infrastructure, has allowed it to rival institutional players in a field where it was initially an outsider. And so these firms are obliged to respond to demand and follow the lead of Uber, or to at least adapt what they offer to meet the new rules of the on-demand economy. This is why UPS has just invested 28 million dollars in the start-up Deliv, which provides a same-day delivery service. The fast food brand Taco Bell has also established its own system for delivering food. And taxis are using smart phone applications modelled on Uber ... Little by little, with missionary zeal, the on-demand economy is converting its competition rather than taking them out.

(Source: www.atelier.net)

Producing biogas through fermentation of agricultural waste? That is exactly what they do at Biomethane du Bois d'Arnelle, Belgium's largest production facility in Hainaut.

You can spot the three large grey domes and a cone-shaped roof from a distance in the countryside around Frasnes-lez-Gosselies. This is a biogas production unit. It took its creator and CEO, Jérôme Breton, 12 years to complete this project due to the lack of a legal and administrative framework. But today, the unit is operational, producing 70,000 MWh of energy.

Turning food waste into biomethane

"We recycle food waste and agricultural materials, livestock manure, straw, beet leaves, peelings, etc. from farmers in a 15-km radius around the site", says Jérôme Breton. "We work with 100 farmers for whom this represents additional income. In digesters, i.e., concrete tanks that are heated to 40°C, bacteria digest the material and produce biogas, consisting of 45% CO₂ and 55% CH₄ methane. We recover this biomethane through filtration, before injecting it into the natural gas distribution network. Fermented matter or digestate, a black liquid that is rich in organic matter, which is very nutritious for crops, is spread as a fertiliser in the surrounding region, where it is used to permanently store CO₂ in the soil and completely replaces chemical fertilisers."

Unrivalled performance

About 15% of the biogas is converted into electricity and heat, half of which is used for the unit’s own needs. The remaining 85% is purified and transformed into biomethane. Once it has been injected into the grid, this biomethane can be used as fuel or as a raw material for petrochemicals. It can also be used to power turbines, and the heat generated can be recovered, just like in a car engine. “While a cogeneration engine, which produces electricity and heat simultaneously, has a total efficiency of between 40 and 80%, our system allows 99.5% of the biogas produced to be injected into the grid”, the young entrepreneur explains. "The pressure varies in a distribution network. That way, the infrastructure can absorb injections without the need for additional investments to store them."

Growing to valorise

The company also grows maize, beets and cereals to valorise them as biogas: "We made a deliberate choice to grow 600 hectares of energy crops to offer farmers a complementary diversification pathway. This accounts for 30% of our raw materials. These crops are stored to allow us to 'smooth' the inflows into our digesters, which depend on agricultural and food activity, on a seasonal basis."

BNP Paribas Fortis, the only bank with such advanced skills

Jérôme Breton says the project would not have been possible without the support of BNP Paribas Fortis. "We would not have gotten funding if it wasn't for the work of their expert. It is the only bank to have such high-level skills in-house. All the other partners also benefited from the analyses and information that he provided to us! A strong, lasting relationship of trust has developed as a result. In my model, I didn't want to rely on public financing for what I do. At the same time, I wanted to produce at the right prices. We produce and sell our biomethane at 100 euros per megawatt hour, while market prices were close to 350 euros last August."

Entrepreneurial success

At BNP Paribas Fortis, we are particularly proud to be supporting passionate, inspiring entrepreneurs. Because building the entrepreneurship of the future together is also an example of Positive Banking!

Elessent EMEIA is on a mission to make the chemical industry more environmentally friendly and sustainable through innovative methods and cleaner production processes.

"We strive to create cleaner, carbon-free production processes for our customers. Innovation is at the heart of what we do", says Sara Alvarez, Finance Manager at Elessent EMEAI. "We suggest less polluting alternatives to traditional industrial methods, allowing our customers to continue to develop products that are essential to our daily lives while significantly minimising their impact on the environment, particularly in terms of pollutants and CO₂ emissions."

4 key technologies

The metals, fertiliser, chemical and refinery industries make up the majority of the company’s customers, with Elessent EMEAI able to deliver complete turnkey production sites. Tjaart Van Der Walt, Director of Elessent EMEAI: "We have four flagship technologies. The first concerns the manufacture of a compound that is widely used in industry, from fertiliser manufacturers to pigment plants, namely sulphuric acid. This is obtained by burning sulphur. We have 90 years of expertise in site design – we have delivered more than a thousand sites – and process and energy recovery. These processes will be key to producing cleaner batteries."

Increased quality and yield

The company also has alkylation technologies (a reaction that is commonly used in organic chemistry) which is used to produce high octane fuels, for more efficient engines. These compounds are valuable for the petrochemical and refinery industries. "We operate at more than 100 alkylation sites around the world", continues Van Der Walt. "And 25 hydrocarbon hydrotreating sites. This is a crucial step in the refining process, during which some elements are removed from the oil. This includes reducing sulphur and nitrogen content to improve stability. Our proprietary soft hydrocracking technology allows us to recover more value from crude oil."

In addition to these processes, which optimise the quality and yield of hydrocarbons, the company also has “wet scrubbing” technologies, which are very effective in fume treatment.

Financial support and real industry expertise

"Our business is growing on a global scale. For our international expansion, we need the constant support of our bank, BNP Paribas Fortis, which, in addition to assisting us with the financial aspects, contributes its in-depth expertise in our industry", Sara Alvarez explains. "This cooperation is crucial in Morocco, Tunisia, India and South Africa, for example. For our long-term investments in these countries, we benefit from our bank’s advice, particularly in terms of resources and guarantees of payment: secured transactions, letters of credit, etc. The same goes for hedging currency risk, which is essential in the context of volatility. This partnership allows us to continue our international expansion."

Entrepreneurial success

At BNP Paribas Fortis, we are particularly proud to be supporting passionate, inspiring entrepreneurs. Because building the entrepreneurship of the future together is also an example of Positive Banking!

Founded in 1974 in Genk, Nitto is now one of the most sustainable companies in the world. By 2045 - five years before Europe -, the company wants to become carbon neutral.

Although Nitto leads by example in terms of sustainability, the public doesn't know the company or its products. "This makes perfect sense because we operate in the B2B segment", explains Sam Strijckmans, CEO of Nitto for Europe, Middle East and Asia (EMEA). "Our products are mainly used in production processes or as part of a finished product, so there is no direct link with the end consumer. In Genk, we produce industrial adhesive tapes that are used in cars and a range of other applications. That's why we are relatively unknown."

Laptops, tablets and smartphones

But the Nitto Group's presence in our daily lives is very real. Consumer electronics account for more than 50% of its global turnover. "We produce polarising films for all electronic devices with or without touch screen: flat screens, laptops, tablets, smart watches or (foldable) smartphones.
This means that most of the major mobile phone manufacturers are Nitto customers", he says. But there's more: Nitto is also a supplier of the automotive, pharmaceutical, steel, glass, furniture and personal care industries. The Nitto range consists of more than 13,500 products for a wide range of industries.

Platinum medal

In early 2022, EcoVadis, a rating agency that assesses corporate sustainability, awarded Nitto a platinum medal. "We are one of the most sustainable companies in the world. We are very committed to the European Green Deal, a set of initiatives aimed at making the European Union climate neutral by 2050. In fact, we are even more ambitious than the EU, as our goal is to be fully carbon neutral by 2045", Sam Strijckmans says. The Nitto CEO is strongly convinced that sustainability and entrepreneurship can go hand in hand. "Our planet has enough energy, in the form of water, sun and wind, to meet all our needs. The real challenge lies in capturing, storing and distributing this energy. The only answer to this is technological innovation, something to which Nitto is contributing.”

Optimising production processes

Nitto is continuously improving its production processes to ensure that they are more environment-friendly. "The production of protective films and adhesive tapes is a good example of our approach. The glue we use is made from petroleum solvents; when it cures, these solvents evaporate. Under the new method that we adopted, the new solvents that we distil from these vapours can be re-injected into the circuit. That way, we recover 60% of the solvents we use! Soon we will achieve zero emissions, by replacing petroleum solvents with inorganic material, but we are still experimenting with this process", he adds. In terms of electricity, the Nitto EMEA Group has gone 100% green. "But we want to go one step further. The real challenge is not to buy green electricity, but to reduce our energy requirements." Nitto has also succeeded in reducing the ecological footprint of its workforce, with a green car policy and electric lease bikes. "Any company can do this", he is quick to stress.

Energy-efficient products

Developing and offering more sustainable solutions to its customers is another major challenge for Nitto. "Here's an example. On the back of many refrigerators, you still have an evaporator, which looks like a grill. Sometimes this component will ice up, activating a heating element that defrosts it. But this is a very energy-consuming process. We have developed a coating which, when applied to the evaporator, reduces the risk of icing. The heating element is thus activated less frequently, reducing energy consumption in the process. This can amount to a reduction of 165 grammes of CO₂ per day for a fridge, or 60 kilogrammes a year. This may not seem much, but if you bear in mind that there are still two million European refrigerators with evaporators, this boils down to a total reduction of 120,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year", says Nitto EMEA's CEO.

Sustainability engrained in the company's DNA 

BNP Paribas Fortis has been Nitto’s financial partner for several decades. According to Sam Strijckmans, this makes perfect sense: "The bank shares our environment-friendly philosophy. Sustainability is ingrained in their DNA, and ours too. The new BNP Paribas Fortis headquarters, which are almost energy-neutral, are ample proof of this. And so is socially responsible investment (SRI), thanks to the bank's very broad range of sustainable financial products. But we also look to the bank for inspiration, for example through the organisation of seminars and panel discussions on eco-conscious leadership."

Entrepreneurial success

At BNP Paribas Fortis, we are particularly proud to be supporting passionate, inspiring entrepreneurs. Because building the entrepreneurship of the future together is also an example of Positive Banking!

In light of the current environmental challenges, Farming for Climate supports the agroecological transition of Belgian farmers by raising the required financing with national companies, including BNP Paribas Fortis.

"Mum, dad, how can we take action on climate?" It is this question that led to the creation of Farming for Climate, a non-profit organisation founded by a group of parents from the world of business. Their ambition? To incentivise farmers and accelerate their transition to agroecology. "Following the climate marches by young people in 2018, we wondered how we could play an active role on our level. How could we make a local contribution to combating global warming, biodiversity loss and their consequences?", explains Christophe Adant, who is an impact entrepreneur at Farming for Climate.

Caring for people and nature

Initially, they started thinking about organic food boxes. But as they learned more about the production chain, these volunteers came to the conclusion that they could have a much greater impact by promoting agroecology. "In the current climate crisis, agriculture is both a victim and partly responsible, as it generates 20–25% of greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time it has to deal with dry soils due to drought, flooding, among others", he adds. "The agricultural sector can also be part of the solution, however: agroecology is a smart approach to agriculture, which takes care of both humans and nature. This means, among other things, that 3 tonnes of CO₂ per hectare per year can be captured or avoided. It also has benefits in terms of restoring biodiversity, preserving soil quality, water management, producing healthy, local food, and so on. That’s why we wanted to support our farmers on their agro-ecological transition pathway."

Taking the agroecology leap

Farming for Climate offers companies financial support for transition projects that are implemented by Belgian farms. "The support consists of specialised advice, as well as investments in equipment, trees, seeds, etc. The yield loss during the transition period, from three to five years, is also compensated. Finally, we are also creating a community of farmers in transition, to generate synergies, inspire, or overcome the fear of change", explains Christophe Adant. The sponsoring companies, meanwhile, make a commitment with a concrete, immediate and local impact. "Planting trees in a country on the other side of the world has its merits. But our soils, hedges and orchards also need the support of our companies!"

BNP Paribas Fortis, partnering with Farming for Climate

A message that did not fall on deaf ears at BNP Paribas Fortis, which joined forces with Farming for Climate. "The bank has developed financial products, with part of the profit dedicated to financing transitional projects on ten Belgian farms, i.e., almost 443 hectares. In other words, in choosing this product, the bank’s customers contribute to change on the local level", he says. In addition to this impact, links and synergies are established between farmers and businesses. "An example? There is a Walloon brewer who has incorporated the agricultural production of the farm it supports in its value chain, to produce 100% local, carbon-capturing beer. " The loop has thus been closed, but at Farming for Climate, which is involved in various regional and European “green” initiatives, the buck doesn't stop there. “By 2030, we want to assist 1,000 farms in transition, i.e., we want to capture and avoid 300,000 tonnes of CO₂!"

Entrepreneurial success

At BNP Paribas Fortis, we are particularly proud to be supporting passionate, inspiring entrepreneurs. Because building the entrepreneurship of the future together is also an example of Positive Banking!