Co-Creation Methodologies for Stakeholders and Business Development

The DECARBOMILE project is committed to developing sustainable last-mile logistics solutions that balance environmental, economic, and social considerations. A key aspect of this effort is stakeholder engagement, ensuring that solutions are not only effective but also widely accepted and feasible in real-world applications. 

Our latest deliverable, D2.2 “Co-Creation Methodologies for Stakeholders and Business Development,” presents the methodologies used to facilitate collaboration between local authorities, businesses, and citizens in shaping logistics innovations. 

A Two-Year Journey of Collaborative Engagement 

Over the past two years, DECARBOMILE has conducted 30 workshops across our four Living Labs, engaging stakeholders in structured co-creation processes. These workshops served as a platform for identifying key challenges, refining use cases, and ensuring that solutions are both practical and impactful. The process was designed to go beyond theoretical discussions, fostering an environment where stakeholders actively contributed to the development and implementation of real-world solutions. 

Co-Creation and Co-Production as a Cornerstone 

A fundamental principle of our approach was co-creation, which involves fostering collaborative partnerships and active stakeholder participation throughout the decision-making and solution-building processes. This method ensures that logistics innovations reflect the diverse needs and aspirations of all involved parties. 

By involving stakeholders in workshops, brainstorming sessions, and participatory activities, we cultivated a sense of ownership and commitment—factors that are crucial for the long-term success of sustainability-driven initiatives. Co-creation is not just about gathering input; it is about recognizing the mutual benefits of shared responsibility and allowing stakeholders to shape solutions that are both context-specific and scalable. 

The engagement strategy extended beyond ideation to the collaborative execution of plans. Stakeholders played an active role in bringing solutions to life, ensuring that theoretical concepts were translated into practical, actionable, and operational strategies. This approach strengthened the link between policy discussions and real-world implementation, making the results of DECARBOMILE more impactful.

Methodological Framework: Tools and Techniques

The deliverable provides a detailed account of the workshops conducted and the methodologies applied to foster effective engagement. Some key tools include:

• Mapping Local Needs and Challenges: A structured assessment to ensure that logistics solutions address region-specific demands.
• Use-Case action and engagement plan: A technique to co-create engagement roadmaps, helping stakeholders visualize and plan long-term participation.
• Socio-economic assessment: A framework for analysing the political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal factors affecting urban logistics.

Additionally, the deliverable highlights the challenges encountered during stakeholder engagement and the iterations made to refine the process, offering a realistic perspective on how engagement strategies evolve over time.

A Scalable and Replicable Framework for Urban Logistics

The methodologies outlined in this deliverable aim to serve as a guideline for continuous stakeholder involvement in designing sustainable last mile logistics solutions. By providing a step-by-step approach, we hope to facilitate replication and scaling in different urban contexts. The insights gained from DECARBOMILE’s engagement strategy can support cities and businesses in developing more inclusive, adaptive, and effective urban logistics systems.