Learn how one of the Nordics’ leading steel and metal distributors turned climate data into a digital advantage — and what other manufacturers can learn from their journey. 5 Questions with Lukas Baranauskis, E-Commerce Manager at BE Group
Sustainability is no longer a “nice to have”, it's a competitive differentiator in B2B commerce. Customers increasingly expect manufacturers and distributors to provide insight into the environmental impact of their operations. But how do you make climate data practical, actionable, and accessible?
BE Group, a major steel and metal supplier in Northern Europe, recently added automated CO₂ data to every product in their digital commerce platform. We spoke with Lukas Baranauskis, E-Commerce Manager, to understand how they made it happen, and why now is the time for manufacturers to act.
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Why did you prioritize climate data in your digital commerce roadmap?
At BE Group, our core values are being dynamic, transparent and sustainable. Since the launch of our webshop, we have aimed to support customers in a rapidly changing market, and we saw growing demand for climate data across multiple segments. Rather than wait for pressure from regulations or buyers, we wanted to lead the change.
By integrating CO₂ data directly into the webshop, every customer can now see the climate impact of their order, even if they haven’t yet realized how important that data will become. We believe this is the future of B2B commerce.
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What has the customer response been like?
It’s still early, but the response so far has been positive. Customers appreciate that this will help them in the future, especially from customers working with municipalities or public-sector projects, where reporting CO₂ values is becoming mandatory.
They clearly see the value, and we are glad to already be in a position to support them in these processes – proactively.
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Was it technically difficult to build and did you meet any challenges?
We knew early on this would be a complex project, but we welcome challenges that create customer value. We built a cross-functional team to ensure every aspect was covered, from data management to user experience.
Litium’s platform played an important role. It allowed us to integrate the technical data, calculations, and APIs we needed while enriching each item in the PIM system with climate information. We also implemented a checkout function that automatically sums up the total CO₂ emissions for the entire order, crucial for customers presenting figures in their projects.
Additionally, we imported data for every zip code in Sweden to ensure accurate transport emissions for each delivery address. Litium’s flexibility made it possible to achieve a smooth UX, and we are very satisfied with the outcome.
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How do you ensure that the data is reliable?
Accuracy was a top priority. We worked extensively with Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), which required a dedicated effort from the team. This ensured that our climate values are always fresh and reliable. We also invested time in understanding CO₂ calculations in detail – their meaning, correct use, and implications.
The result is a solution where customers can trust that the information is both accurate and transparent, covering not only production emissions but also transport emissions to any delivery address in Sweden.
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What advice would you give other manufacturers?
Be aware of the changes that will affect your industry and your customers – and act early. Transparency and curiosity are key. Don’t wait until customers ask for data, provide it proactively. It builds trust and makes their daily work easier.
In e-commerce, success comes from delivering real value, and transparency is part of that. Embrace the challenges, because overcoming them strengthens your knowledge and creates solutions that truly benefit your customers. That feeling is priceless!
Here you see what it looks like.
Key takeaways for B2B leaders
- Climate data is becoming a must-have in B2B commerce, especially in manufacturing and construction-related industries.
- BE Group’s solution shows how digital platforms can enable transparency — and add real value to the customer journey.
- With upcoming EU regulations, now is the time to explore how CO₂ data and digital commerce can work together.
📌 Want to see BE Group’s solution in action?
Read more in swedish : www.begroup.se/kommunikation/nyheter/ny-funktion-co2-utslapp-direkt-pa-webben
Or visit the e-commerce platform: BE Online here: https://www.begroup.com/sv
Want help adding climate transparency to your digital commerce strategy?
Get in touch with our team at Litium: curious@litium.com