Decarbonization in the Digital Platform Age – A Green Service Canvas for Small and Medium-sized Road Carriers

Abstract

Decarbonization initiatives are increasingly promoted by the emergence of digital platforms (DPs) and small and medium-sized road carriers (SMRCs) are urged to implement green services from DPs to ensure responsible management of their carbon footprint leading to sustainable efficiency gains, new revenue streams, and competitive advantages. However, platform-based decarbonization services are challenging for SMRCs due to scarce technology capabilities and it is necessary to identify green service offerings from existing DPs and to capture the dimensions for an adapted business model. This paper develops a Green Services Canvas (GSC) and provides a tool for SMRCs to use services from DPs for decarbonization. The conceptualized GSC is demonstrated by three use cases and evaluated by 10 digital experts. From the insights of this study, the authors explore (a) digital platforms for decarbonization in road transportation, and (b) the relevance of green service business models for SMRCs through DPs.