Remote access to ICT systems is provided by 77.6 % of enterprises

Results of the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) annual survey on the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in enterprises show that at the beginning of 2022, the same as during the last two years, almost all Latvian enterprises used internet¹ (99.9 %).

For work Internet was used by 55.4 % of all employees of enterprises, and that is 2.9 percentage points more than a year ago.

Fixed internet was used by 77.1 % of all enterprises, of which 99.0 % – in large enterprises², 88.3 % – in medium-sized enterprises, but 74.5 % – in small enterprises.

88.1 % of all enterprises ensured their employees with portable devices for mobile internet use. In large enterprises this indicator comprised 99.5 %, in medium-sized enterprises – 90.6 %, but in small enterprises – 87.4 %.

77.6 % of all enterprises ensured part of employees with remote access to enterprise e-mail, documents or enterprise software. In large enterprises – 98.0 %, in medium-sized enterprises – 84.6 %, but in small enterprises group – 75.8 %.

This year 38.6 % of all enterprises held remote meetings over the Internet, of which 93.3 % were large enterprises, 60.7 % were medium-sized enterprises and 33.3 % were small enterprises.

In turn 40.9 % of enterprises had developed guidelines to facilitate remote meetings instead of business trips. This opportunity is considered the most in large enterprises – 90.3 %, medium-sized enterprises – 60.8 %, small enterprises – 36.1 %.

One of indicators characterizing development of e-commerce³ is share of enterprises selling goods or services over the Internet or in other computer networks. In 2021, compared to 2020, this indicator increased by 0.9 percentage points, reaching 18.0 %. The largest increase – of 5.7 percentage points – was in the group of medium-sized enterprises, where indicator reached 26.5 %. In the group of small enterprises changes were minimal – rise of 0.2 percentage points, but in the group of large enterprises selling goods or services over the Internet reduced by 1.6 percentage points.

Almost one fifth or 18.7 % of enterprises employ their own ICT specialists, of which 85.6 % of large enterprises, 38.6 % of medium-sized enterprises and 13.5 % of small enterprises. In 2021, in 61.5% of enterprises responsibility for the ICT field was taken by enterprises' own employees (not always their main job is related to ICT). Over the two-years time this indicator has increased more than two times. The largest rise – by 41.4 percentage points was in the group of small enterprises (61.0 %), increase in medium-sized enterprises comprised 21.4 percentage points (60.2 %), but in large enterprises – 14.9 percentage points (89.7 %).

This year 4.0 % of enterprises use industrial robots and, compared to 2020, this indicator has grown by 1.5 percentage points. Industrial robots are used by 20.0 % of large enterprises, 11.9 % of medium-sized enterprises and 2.2 % of small enterprises. In turn, service robots are used by 2.3 % of enterprises. 77.5 % of enterprises using robots, use them to ensure compliance with the quality of enterprise processes or manufactured goods and services, but 66.1 % – to improve work safety.

This year’s survey included questions about the impact of ICT on the environment for the first time. The results show that 58.8 % of enterprises try to reduce the amount of paper used for printing and copying, thinking about the impact on the environment. The largest number of such enterprises was in the group of large enterprises – 87.2 %, but in the group of medium-sized and small enterprises – 65.2 % and 56.9 %, respectively.

ICT and environment, 2022

(% of all enterprises)

Refer to the OSP database: EPE050

Survey on the use of ICT in enterprises was carried out at the beginning of 2022 with co-financing of European Union. Aim of the project is to acquire qualitative and internationally comparable statistical information on the use of ICT in enterprises and development of e-commerce in Latvia.

Methodological explanations:

¹ The survey covered enterprises employing ten or more people in the following economic activities: manufacturing, electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply, water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities, construction, trade, hotels and restaurants, transportation and storage, information and communication, real estate activities, professional, scientific and technical activities, administrative and support service activities and repair of computers and communication equipment.

² Small enterprises – those employing 10–49 people, medium-sized – those employing 50– 249 people, and large – those employing 250 people or more.

³ E-commerce is sales of goods or services over the Internet on the enterprise website, on e-commerce websites used by several enterprises, as well as sales using electronic data exchange (exchange of entrepreneurship documents in standard electronic form among business partners, which is suitable for automated order processing).

Media requests:
Communication Section
E-mail: media@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366621, +371 27880666

More information on the data:
Inga Pribitoka
Trade and Services Statistics Section
E-mail: Inga.Pribitoka@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366993