European DIGITAL SME AllianceBelgium
THE VOICE OF EUROPEAN TECH SMEs AND STARTUPS
The European DIGITAL SME Alliance (DIGITAL SME) is the largest network of ICT small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Europe, representing over 45.000 digital SMEs. The Belgium-based Alliance is the joint effort of 30 national and regional SME associations from EU member states and neighbouring countries to put digital SMEs at the centre of the EU agenda. DIGITAL SME develops positions on behalf of its members and contributes to policy discussions on a European level. It promotes digital SMEs’ interests and positions, focusing on the following policy priorities: digital skills, cybersecurity & data protection, artificial intelligence, sustainability, ICT standards, blockchain, and intellectual property.
Our contribution
Our Role in Digital4Sustainability
DIGITAL SME has established ICT Sustainability as one of its priority topics with the launch of its “Sustainable Digitalisation” campaign in October 2020. The campaign stressed the crucial role of digital SMEs in developing green “enabling technologies” and strengthening Europe as a source of innovation, thus contributing to digital sovereignty, jobs, and long-term prosperity.
Via its Focus Group ICT Sustainability, DIGITAL SME engages over 100 SME innovators providing technology solutions and services to drive sustainability within the ICT sector as well as to enable a sustainable digital transformation across sectors. The Focus Group supports the development of DIGITAL SME’s positions on sustainability-related policy initiatives.
In 2021, DIGITAL SME supported the European Commission in launching the European Green Digital Coalition (EGDC), which aims to leverage digital solutions to reduce emissions across sectors. Subsequently, DIGITAL SME contributed to the EGDC European Parliament Pilot project, which developed science-based methodologies to assess the net carbon impact of ICT solutions.
Recognising the importance of a skilled workforce to maximize the synergies between green and digital transitions, and to support the development and implementation of net-zero technologies across sectors, DIGITAL SME has proudly taken on the coordination of Digital4Sustainability.
Our commitment
Let’s do something great together!
The European DIGITAL SME Alliance (DIGITAL SME) is an established player in the area of Digital Skills, notably by coordinating the Digital Ecosystem Large Scale Partnership under the Pact for Skills and participating in several EU projects which contribute to attracting, upskilling and retaining ICT professionals in Europe, such as Sector Skills Alliances on Artificial Intelligence (ARISA) and Blockchain (CHAISE), as well as the Digital Skills and Jobs Platform.
DIGITAL SME coordinates the Digital4Sustainability project, managing its implementation over the four-year duration. In this role, DIGITAL SME facilitates smooth collaboration among all partners, oversees the delivery of high-quality project outcomes, liaises with the project’s Advisory Board and members of the Digital Large-Scale Partnership under the Pact for Skills, and ensures the sustainability of project outputs to maximise their impact.
