Ecosystem thinking? It’s less complicated or fashionable than it sounds at first glance. “Our Dutch colleagues have done a study on this,” says Lawrence Vanhove, Head of Transport & Logistics at ING Business Banking Belgium. “It simply comes down to companies talking better with their stakeholders, customers and suppliers. By communicating transparently with each other, you can reach sustainable long-term agreements. We find that companies that do this operate more profitably than the classic transporter that has to work purely on price competition. As a bank, we are of course also a stakeholder and enjoy putting customers in touch with each other to look for added value. We have 35 bankers who work in this sector and they are ready every day to put entrepreneurs in touch with each other.”
