One Year Into the Journey to Net-Zero
On January 19, 2023 Lenovo announced its commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, in alignment to the Science Based Targets initiative’s Net-Zero Standard. As a global technology powerhouse, Lenovo is in the first group of companies to have its targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). The process of validating the science-based emissions reduction targets began in 2018 when Lenovo submitted their near-term goals for review by SBTi – a collaboration of experts from CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute, and World Wide Fund for Nature. SBTi’s first of its kind Net-Zero Standard provides companies with a clear pathway to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in an effort to prevent the worst effects of climate change and future-proof business growth.
One year later, Lenovo is on-track to meet its near-term 2030 emissions reduction goals, the first milestone in the journey to net-zero. “Aligning to climate science and supporting the transition to renewable energy continue to be our main priorities on this journey,” shared Mary Jacques, Executive Director of Lenovo’s Global ESG and Regulatory Programs. Lenovo has tripled its generation of solar energy since 2018, a result of its continued investments in renewable energy. “While supporting the transition to infrastructure powered by renewable energy is paramount, there’s no doubt that our ability to innovate will be critical to both our – and our customers’ journeys to a low carbon future.”
While Lenovo is leading the way in a collaborative and accountable journey to net-zero, it is also committed to meeting its customers wherever they are on their sustainability journey. The company launched its Sustainability Services in 2021, providing customers with tools to manage their environmental impact through solutions that allow customers to tailor their orders for the devices entire life cycle – from packaging and logistics to warranties and asset recovery services that can extend the life of a product.
“Sustainability can make or break our ability to even be part of the conversation with customers, as more and more enterprises embed it as a ‘must have’ rather than a ‘nice to have’,” commented Matt Zielinski, President of Lenovo’s International Markets. “Sustainability has to permeate every inch of our business; we really have to ‘walk the talk’ and our Net-Zero commitment is our north star that keeps us accountable and on track.”
In addition to customers, Lenovo is also bringing its channel partners along on its journey. In 2022 Lenovo launched the Lenovo 360 Circle, a community where partners can come together to align on ESG objectives and leverage new market trends driven by sustainability. By breaking down barriers and encouraging collaboration across our channel network, Lenovo hopes to foster an individual and collective learning approach to sustainability.
With the number of companies aligning their emissions reduction goals to the Science Based Targets initiative’s science-based methodology, Lenovo leaders hope that there can be even more learning, collaboration and acceleration toward low-carbon innovations to come – within the industry, across sectors, and all for a brighter future.
