Welcome to 2023. Before we jump into another extraordinary year, I want to look back at what we achieved in Vodafone Business in 2022.
Last year included a lot of change in the world, and it was challenging for businesses of all sizes; Vodafone Business was not exempt from these challenges. Like every organisation, we’ve had to adjust to raises in cost of living, energy costs and the war in Ukraine.
Against all of these challenges, I’m proud to see how our teams continually came together toward a common goal. They worked tirelessly to support each other and our customers and brought new services to market quicker than ever before.
Below, I share some of our highlights from last year and discuss our future goals as we strive towards becoming a leader in the technology space.
As a purpose-led business, we measure our success not just by our bottom line but by the impact we have on society. That is why I’m pleased to share some of our activities on climate change alongside our sector-specific work which is driving real progress. Here are a few ways we leveraged our technology and partnerships to create a more sustainable future.
We teamed up with sport for purpose motorsport series, Extreme E, as its technology communications partner. Extreme E is a pioneering motor racing series with sustainability at its core, and our organisations share the same value of leaving the planet in a better position. Our collaboration leverages some of our innovations and capabilities such as 5G, MPN, IOT and MEC, integrated into Extreme E’s global operations as well as in the purpose-driven elements of the series, with special prominence on Extreme E’s Legacy Programmes and the Science Laboratory on board the St Helena. You can read more about how we’re using IOT technology in Sardinia to help prevent forest fires.
Beyond Sardinia, our IOT technology is also being used to help Hugh Lowe Farms in the UK sustainably produce and deliver 1.5 million of the best strawberries to the Wimbledon tennis championships, while MyFarmWeb, our digital farming platform, provide the farm with even deeper insights into the growing environment. In Ireland, our IOT technology and MyFarmWeb is helping DairyGold Farm get valuable data in relation to soil classification, soil chemical analysis, soil micro life and leaf analysis.
We also released research which highlights that further collaboration and better use of technology will be key to enabling businesses to reach sustainability goals that are vital to their survival. Those businesses that are “Fit for the Future” are willing to lead the way on improving sustainability within their sector, utilising their deeper understanding of the challenges faced and their willingness to collaborate with other organisations.
Another personal highlight was the launch of our Digital Asset Broker earlier this year. The DAB platform enables verified connected devices to complete transactions without the need for manual approval. Each device is assigned a “unique digital identity” that enables it to communicate and transact securely with other devices using wallet and payment technology secured by the mobile SIM, by using blockchain technology.
Our first use case this year was a market-leading trial in which a connected EV communicated autonomously and securely with a charging point. Working with Mastercard and Energy Web - a not-for-profit organisation focused on decarbonizing energy grids - motorists are sent real-time information on the status and compatibility of the nearest available charging point and can authorise their vehicle to recharge effortlessly.
This year we launched another initiative that I am proud of, designed to connect road users directly with transport authorities and each other, enabling safety information, hazard warnings and traffic updates to be shared in real-time no matter which device or in-vehicle system they are using.
The new platform, called Safer Transport for Europe Platform (STEP), aims to address the problem of data fragmentation and information silos that limit the benefits connectivity can bring to road safety. Transport authorities today are often limited to delivering safety updates through road infrastructure – motorway gantries, variable-message or matrix signs and so on – or via a limited number of technologies developed by independent manufacturers, such as in-vehicle navigation systems.
In 2021 we launched the Vodafone Centre for Health with Deloitte, which was an initiative deeply aligned with our purpose. Since then our teams have worked together to bring to life new services aimed at reducing the gap between the digital ambitions of Healthcare providers and their paper-based reality. These services were well received, and I am happy to say that we have partnered with healthcare providers in several markets to deliver better services for citizens.
For example, in 7 regions of Italy, we are providing ultrabroadband connectivity and security services such as Intrusion Detection and Prevention services. In these 7 Regions Vodafone is the single provider for about 40 Health Organizations with more than 2.800 centres (hospitals, surgery, medical rehabilitation).
On reflection, 2022 was another incredibly busy year – and one where we were able to bring the power of digital to all sectors of society. I’m incredibly proud of everyone at Vodafone Business for the work they delivered against a challenging and unpredictable time. I’m looking forward to seeing how we’ll rise to the new challenges and opportunities that present themselves this year.
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