Colruyt Group casts mobility problem in different light with remarkable game
Wednesday, June 21, 2017
Halle, 21 June 2017 – Together with 5 partners (VUB, Inland Navigation Europe, Durabrik, Fockedey, Netwerk Duurzame Mobiliteit) Colruyt Group is organising a mobility congress today, in the presence of Pascal Smet (Brussels minister of Public works and Mobility). The goal is to bring together different players in society to examine mobility issues. They will do so by means of a brand-new special game, "Mobility: a serious game", developed by the different initiators to develop a broader support for, and change towards a more sustainable mobility. The mobility problem can only be tackled by joining hands - and a game can be of help.
Mobility: "a serious game" requiring connection
In the spring of 2016, 6 committed citizens (Professor Cathy Macharis of VUB, Karin De Schepper of Inland Navigation Europe & Clean Air Bxl, Steven Vanden Brande of Durabrik, Guibert Boone of Fockedey, Miguel Vertriest of Netwerk Duurzame Mobiliteit and Koen De Maesschalck of Colruyt Group) met to do "something" about the mobility problem and to consider solutions to change towards a more sustainable mobility.
Koen De Maesschalck, Corporate Affairs Division manager at Colruyt Group, explains: "the mobility agenda contains a lot of tricky issues: from the need for a better road infrastructure, over problems such as night deliveries and how we can evolve, to a more sustainable mobility. We cannot solve this by ourselves and wanted to join forces: tackling this problem in co-creation with others, away from the current wait-and-see attitude with regard to mobility."
Coached by Sandra Schruijer, Organisation science professor at the University of Utrecht, the group concluded that our mobility knot might be disentangled by means of a game. Inspired by the work of Laurent Bontoux of JRC (European Commission) the vision group created a mobility game (a 'scenario game') that is presented today during the "Connecting the Dots" congress.
The goal of the game is to reconcile different points of view so that the different players can agree on solutions for the mobility problem. Moreover, the game stimulates creativity which can also make new ideas and possibilities surface. "A unique way to examine the mobility issue" says Cathy Macharis of VUB. "Because you play the game with different parties, there is real cross-pollination and it is easier to put yourself in someone else's position, understand his situation and possibly find solutions."
The game can be bought via The Shift in Brussels at 25 euros, and it will also be possible to download it from their website.
"Connecting the dots": inspire and stimulate towards more sustainable mobility
This year, Colruyt Group acts as the 'voice' or spokesman of the United Nations’ 17 sustainable development goals (SDG's). Together with 7 other Belgian organisations, the retailer helps make these goals better known to the general public in Belgium. In addition, Colruyt Group wants to inspire as many people and organisations as possible and encourage them to actively work on more sustainable development. Koen De Maesschalck: "The fact that we also put our back into this congress, fits in perfectly: this specific initiative is in line with SDG's 11 (sustainable cities) and 17 (partnerships). We are very happy to accomplish this with our partners and we want to continue to play our social role as a retailer."
The goal of the congress is to 'connect'. Deliberately connecting the players so that new or renewed impulses are given to the mobility debate. After a keynote by CEO Jef Colruyt, Mobility Professor Cathy Macharis (VUB) and MinisterPascal Smet, the game will become the first connecting factor. After the game, various business pitches about mobility will be discussed and it will be examined whether the game generated new ideas to work on.