About Mpact
Mission
Yes, we have big dreams. We don’t settle for how things are right now, if we believe they could be better. But, we don’t just dream, we do!
We love contributing to the sharing economy by offering our own sharing platforms and services. While we would enjoy having a go at every sector out there, we are specialised in shared mobility and also know a thing or two about sustainable travel.
Apart from running our own platforms, we are also busy raising awareness, doing research and offering support to other organisations and companies.
We take a no-nonsense approach to our work, grounded in a strong belief in collaboration. This commitment to teamwork is one of our greatest strengths, allowing us to operate effectively on local, regional, and European levels.
Act
We want to realise our goals by developing a concrete output that is useful in people’s lives. We do this by bringing people together through our services and platforms. In this way, we ensure that sharing is possible and that products can be used in a circular manner.
Meaning that thanks to our work: children can borrow a bike from the bike library, older people can continue to move around thanks to volunteers in their neighbourhood, and people from the active population can carpool to work together.
The sustainable and accessible solutions that we offer to our users:
- Carpool (ride-sharing)
- Mobitwin (social volunteer transportation)
- Cozywheels (car-sharing between neighbours)
- Op Wielekes · Tata Bicyclette (a bike library for children)
- Holidaysitting (house-sitting) & Homelink (house exchange)
When it comes to the target groups for our services, we don’t just pick the lowest hanging fruit. We make an effort to include everyone. Prices for our services are kept as affordable as we can, while still setting a high bar for quality and continuous improvement. Profits are reinvested. Our communications and applications are continuously evaluated for accessibility.
To ‘act’ is our main focus. Reflect, influence and support are the three supporting pillars beneath our main activity. They are valuable by themselves but should always have a link to our services.
Reflect
We gather valuable insights from operating our own services and from collaborating in projects and research. We share these insights when we engage in new collaborations and also use them to continually improve our services. On top of that, we position ourselves as a think tank, generating innovative opinions and perspectives.
Influence
Based on our insights, we formulate policy proposals and contribute to shaping the future of society. We increase public support for sustainable solutions by doing awareness campaigns for the general public.
Specifically for mobility, we raise the support for shared and connected mobility, both among the general public and on the political level. We share our expertise and stimulate governments on the local, regional, national and international level to create the necessary policy frameworks to boost shared mobility. We inspire others in order for shared mobility to become mainstream and be connected to public transport, cycling and walking.
Support
Our organisation has been at it since 1975! Through all the projects that we collaborate on, the services that we develop and the research that we participate in, we gather a lot of very specific knowledge and skills. We offer our skill set, e.g. our expertise in shared mobility, to other companies and organisations in order to help them increase their positive impact on the world we live in.
Vision
With our work at Mpact, we contribute to a society in which there is an optimal balance between people, the economy, and the environment.
People
Our work needs to matter to people. We choose to be involved in projects that benefit people’s (mental) health, improve their social connections, reduce their cost of living, …
Economy
We want a thriving economy that respects people and the environment. There is a lot to gain in this respect from creating a sharing economy and having a strong focus on circular initiatives.
Environment
We want to ensure intergenerational solidarity in terms of resource use. There should still be enough left for the generations after us.
Let’s look at our work in shared mobility to provide insight into how it can be done
Take carpooling, for example. Through carpooling, there are fewer cars on the road. Fewer cars means fewer accidents, fewer traffic jams, less air and noise pollution, less CO2, fewer resources necessary and more space on the road for those of us who really need our car. It’s also a great way for colleagues to get to know each other or to stay awake when driving home from a night shift. It reduces the cost of driving a car for individuals.
The negatives of having so many cars on the road cost our society a lot of money. By reducing the number of cars, we could reduce costs, lessen the pressure on our environment and improve the lives of many people. This is exactly how a sharing solution can contribute to a better economy, a better environment and a better life.
Our vision within the “Sustainable Development Goals”
We like to align our work with a universal framework. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals serve as a solid reference point because they are widely recognized and supported beyond our own sector. Goals 9, 11, 12, and 13 are closely linked to Mpact’s current activities and our motivations for the future.
SDG 9. Innovation and Infrastructure
For us, innovation must be aimed at reducing the use of resources. Technological and social innovation can lead us towards greater sustainability. Shared infrastructures are a perfect example: they help us consume fewer resources and help make infrastructure accessible to as many people as possible.
SDG 11. Sustainable Cities and Communities
Our work contributes to creating better living environments where people can thrive. Our focus is on cities as well as suburban and rural areas. We find it particularly important to connect the three in a robust and versatile mobility network, adjusting as needed to the realities of various regions. What works in the city does not necessarily work in the countryside and vice versa.
SDG 12. Responsible Consumption and Production
To ensure a more sustainable use of resources, it’s essential to adjust our society’s consumption and production patterns. Mpact contributes to this with its services by giving people the option to adopt more environmentally-friendly behaviours in their mobility and in their travelling. We do this without placing blame on the consumer. We acknowledge that consumers have gotten caught up in a less than ideal world and making sustainable choices is not evident for a lot of reasons (money, time, mental bandwidth, digital skills,…).
SDG 13. Climate Action
Our organisation’s work around sustainable mobility contributes to the fight against climate change. We are, however, always aware of the social implications of climate solutions. That’s why we aim for solutions that are as accessible as possible to a wide range of people. Climate change can only be tackled if solutions are inclusive and available to all. We need everyone with us if we want to transition to a sustainable future.