In light of an ever-growing population with rising expectations of welfare, it is imperative that technological, economical and societal capabilities be geared towards providing a prosperous life on earth. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) developed as part of the 2030 Agenda provide a comprehensive framework for developing a globally sustainable society. The genesis of alternative business models that can adapt to continuously changing market conditions and contribute to sustainability are of great importance. For example, "as-a-service" models can be a building block that both serves aspects of sustainability goals and can cope with the growing dynamics and complexity of markets.   

While it was initially only digital platforms such as Spotify or Netflix that relied on rental models at an early stage, the digital and sustainable transformation has now also arrived in the physical goods sector. Examples of the establishment of "as-a-service" models can be found in the area of e-scooters, bicycles or solar systems. In the sense of these new developments, one speaks of "anything-as-a-service" models (Xaas), in which the performance of a product is made available to the customer for a certain period of time instead of buying the product.

Our white paper explains the benefits of XaaS from both an economic and a sustainability perspective.