Two Simple Steps Toward a More Sustainable Future

Working toward Environmental, Sustainability and Governance (ESG) goals is an ongoing and incremental process. There is always more to consider. Every decision, every process, every procurement comes with its own footprint, which means a lot can slip under the radar. And while some may seem small and insubstantial, they can quickly add up.

Take your company’s devices, for example. Every piece of technology your company uses has its own, often significant, footprint when considering its entire lifecycle. It’s easy to think that the only thing you can do about your laptops, tablets and other devices is worry about energy usage. That’s certainly important, but it’s definitely not the start or end of the matter. That’s why choosing the right supplier, the right partner, can make a significant difference.

At Lenovo, we know how important it is to work together to do better. We simply can’t reach the EU’s sustainability targets as individuals. That’s why we’re taking every opportunity to support our customers on their journeys. Just like you, we’ve gone through our own operations with a fine-tooth comb to squeeze out every improvement possible so that these savings can be passed on.

We’ve committed to net-zero emissions by 2050, with targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) Net-Zero Standard. 100% of our PC products will contain post-consumer recycled content by FY2025/26. We’re using 100% renewable and biodegradable bio-based packaging, increasing our use of solar energy, and striving to get as many of our products as possible ENERGY STAR^® certified. We’ve even been awarded “Champion” status by the Canalys Global Sustainable Ecosystems Leadership Matrix.

But this is all what we’re doing ourselves. The true magic happens when we work together with our customers. Dialogue and coordination are so important. Your company is unique, with its own specific needs and ways of doing things. If we’re going to meaningfully help, tailoring our partnership is a must. That’s why solutions such as Asset Recovery Services (ARS), which help securely manage the lifecycle of hardware, are individually tailored, and cover any hardware regardless of the brand. This makes it easier to move towards a more circular model.

So where do you begin? There are two quick and easy steps, and the first starts with a conversation.

Illuminating sustainability

Signify is a global leader in the lighting industry, providing an extensive range of products, smart systems, and services. The company committed to ambitious sustainability goals, with its IT department needing to reduce its carbon footprint by 10% within a year, and 20% within two. To help it address the environmental impact made by the 20,000 devices its staff employed, Signify approached Lenovo.

“Light is one of the most fundamental ways to use energy,” says Ron Broeren, VP Head of Digital Services at Signify. “As the world’s leader for lighting solutions, we know all too well how important and how complex a challenge reducing one’s carbon footprint really is. That’s why we asked Lenovo to help us on our way. As we aim to do with our own products, Lenovo is taking responsibility for the entire product lifecycle.”

The first step was a workshop with Lenovo’s sustainability solutions team. We divide this workshop into two core objectives. Firstly, we seek to understand the true extent of the initial emissions from an IT purchase wherever possible and how we reduce them across their entire lifecycle. By sitting down with Signify, we were able to design a 360-degree approach to our services, analyzing their requirements for things like packaging, freight and shipping, through to overall energy consumption and total carbon footprint.

“Amazingly, the Lenovo team had the answer to our question about the carbon footprint of our 20,000 Lenovo devices ready,” recalls Broeren. “They offered us several sustainability options. It was the start of an ongoing dialog about how we could work together to lower our environmental impact. They don’t just wash their hands of their devices once they’ve sold them. Instead, they’re helping us minimize the environmental impact of getting them to our users and what happens to them at end-of-life.”

Bridging the gap

The second, vital part to our workshop is exploring how we offset any remaining emissions. Lenovo offers CO2 Offset Services that give customers like Signify simple and transparent ways to offset emissions associated with purchases that cannot otherwise be addressed.

We can estimate the value of carbon emissions over entire product lifecycles, including manufacturing, shipping, and usage. By supporting climate action projects around the world – all of which are verified by independent third-party organisations like United Nations, CDM, Gold Standard^®, Climate Action Reserve – we’re able to offer an easy and transparent CO2 offset solution as part of the hardware purchase. To date, Lenovo has helped commercial companies offset more than 1 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide associated with the purchase of their IT equipment.

“In just a year, we decreased the overall CO₂ footprint of our IT department by 20%, a year sooner than we expected,” adds Broeren. “Considering that we weren’t starting from scratch, but instead were dealing with an IT estate that’s years old, this is a significant achievement. It was only possible with Lenovo’s support. This project shows what can be achieved when highly motivated partners put their heads together to examine our impact on the planet.”

Carbon offsetting is just one of the ways to manage your IT footprint. Keeping your footprint low from the start, understanding your sustainability priorities holistically, and continuing to strive for a better future, in partnership with like-minded organizations, is how we win together and move closer to a more brighter and sustainable future for all.