Lenovo CO2 Offset Services Surpasses 1 Million Metric Tonnes of Carbon Offsets Milestone, As More Businesses Champion Sustainability Practices

November 10, 2022 - Today marks an important milestone for Lenovo’s CO2 Offset Services, a first-of-its-kind initiative within the tech industry: Lenovo’s customers have offset more than 1 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide from their purchases of Think PCs (desktops, workstations, laptops). This is the equivalent of greenhouse gases emitted from more than 215,000 passenger vehicles driven over the course of one year. The company also announced that enterprises can now add Lenovo CO2 offsets to their purchase of select Lenovo ThinkSystem servers.

“While our end goal should always be reducing our environmental impact, carbon offsets – leveraged responsibly and independently accredited – is a powerful tool to drive additional and very needed support towards climate action. This milestone that we celebrate today, and the extension of CO2 offset services to our server portfolio, highlights the focus and vigour of our efforts to enlist our clients in the fight against climate change. As part of our transformation journey from PC-provider to full-spectrum services provider, we intend to continue delivering solutions that help our clients meet their own sustainability goals,” said Claudia Contreras, Executive Director of Global Sustainability Services at Lenovo.

Through a simple purchase add-on, enterprises and consumers can offset the carbon emissions produced from the manufacture to the shipping of their PC or server, as well as the power consumed over the device’s lifecycle. Working through ClimeCo, a third-party global advisor, the funds are channelled towards UN-approved environmental projects like windmills, solar cells, and renewable energy initiatives, including innovative methods that harness agriculture by-products as a generator for electricity. In early 2022, Lenovo extended its carbon offset program from commercial customers to individual consumers for Lenovo Legion and Yoga PCs.

Growing demand for ESG services

Since its launch in 2021, the take-up rate of Lenovo’s CO2 Offset Services has been on the rise, with the amount of carbon offset by customers increasing by double-digits quarter-on-quarter. This indicates businesses are increasingly on the lookout for IT solutions that address their ESG-related needs and enable them to reduce their environmental footprint.

Looking beyond offsets

Carbon offsets are just one element of Lenovo’s approach to sustainable innovation. Lenovo TruScale offers technology equipment and services on a subscription or “as-a-service” basis, minimizing waste throughout the value chain. For example, TruScale helps companies reuse and recycle end-of-life IT equipment, which strengthens the circular economy and curbs waste.

“Environmental stewardship goes well beyond carbon offsetting, which is just one tool in the toolbox. We’re leveraging our integrated capabilities across hardware, infrastructure, software, and services, and rallying our partners as well to develop innovative sustainable IT solutions. We are well aware that only through strong collaboration will we achieve our net-zero ambitions. With this in mind, we will continue to foster a more circular economy, drive out waste across the value chain, reduce the usage of virgin materials in products, focus on renewables and always maintain rigorous supplier standards aligned with our mission”, said Contreras.

Lenovo has also pioneered notable innovations like the use of low-temperature solder technology which reduces greenhouse gas emissions during the production of PCs and shared it with the industry for free. Additionally, Lenovo Neptune Direct Water-Cooling technology delivers industry-leading data centre efficiency by recycling loops of warm water to cool systems and enable customers to reduce power consumption by up to 40 percent. In the product manufacturing process, Lenovo integrates recycled plastics, as well as expands the types of recycled materials used such as recycled magnesium in the manufacturing of its devices.

The company’s emissions reduction targets for reaching net-zero are currently under review by the Science Based Targets initiative for validation against the Net-Zero Standard. In FY2021-22, Lenovo reported progress toward its emission reduction 2030 targets, including a 15% reduction in scope 1 and 2 (direct) emissions. The company is increasing its focus on collaborating with suppliers to reduce emissions intensity across the value chain (scope 3 emissions).

Lenovo Solutions and Services Group (SSG) brings together all of Lenovo’s IT solutions and services across PC, infrastructure, and smart verticals including support, managed, project and solution service offerings into one dedicated organization. With a network of over 20,000 technicians across 180 markets, SSG helps customers transform their businesses on a global and local scale by delivering practical innovation to strengthen their competitive advantage.

About Lenovo

Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a US$70 billion revenue global technology powerhouse, ranked #171 in the Fortune Global 500, employing 75,000 people around the world, and serving millions of customers every day in 180 markets. Focused on a bold vision to deliver smarter technology for all, Lenovo has built on its success as the world’s largest PC company by further expanding into key growth areas including server, storage, mobile, solutions and services. This transformation together with Lenovo’s world-changing innovation is building a more inclusive, trustworthy, and sustainable digital society for everyone, everywhere. To find out more visit https://www.lenovo.com,and read about the latest news via our StoryHub.

Customer references

• To minimize its environmental footprint, the University of Birmingham has added Lenovo’s CO2 offset services to their entire fleet of Lenovo devices. In the six months since enrolling in the program, the University has offset 1,313 metric tonnes of carbon, supporting projects such as the Nueva Aldea Biomass Power Plant Phase 1 in Chile.
• Recognising that IT consumption and infrastructure have significant environmental impact in relation to carbon emissions and waste management, KordaMentha, an advisory and investment firm adopted Lenovo’s CO2 Offset Services.

New projects added to Lenovo CO2 Offset Services

• China: Anhui Shouxian Biomass Utilization Project
  This project uses a 130t/h boiler and 30MW steam turbine generator fuelled by rice straw, wheat straw, and wood residues to generate electricity. Prior to the project, biomass residue was left to decay under aerobic conditions. The project achieves emission reductions by displacing electricity generated by fossil fuel-based power, for the same amount of electricity generated by a renewable resource. This is estimated to generate emission reductions of approximately 131,545 tCO2e per year.
• Chile: Monte Redondo Wind Farm
  Under this project, 24 aerogenerators were installed in two stages at the farm. The project enables the production of clean and renewable energy by taking advantage of the region’s wind potential. CO2 emissions are reduced, by displacing power generated by the combustion of fossil fuel in the national grid with power generated from wind. By demonstrating the viability of larger grid-connected wind farms, the project diversifies and reinforces the national energy supply, and supports the improvement of air quality.
• Mexico: Piedra Larga Wind Farm
  Renewable electric energy is generated through the construction and operation of a 90MW wind farm in Oaxaca State. The project reduces greenhouse gas emissions by displacing fossil fuel-based electricity. Additionally, it reduces other pollutants including carbon monoxides, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide produced by Mexico’s power generation industry. This has contributed significantly to the sustainable development of a region that has historically relied heavily on fossil fuel-based electricity.