Lenovo CO2 Offset Services Offsets 26,000 Metric Tonnes as Global Rollout Points to a Sustainable Future for Retail

Lenovo has today revealed how customers are ushering in a green revolution in commerce by opting to offset the carbon emissions of new Think branded products at the point of purchase as part of the company’s new CO2 Offset Services initiative.

Lenovo first launched the program as a pilot in the Nordics in February 2020. Building on this successful pilot, the Company plans to roll out the program in 2021 for all of Europe, Middle East and Africa as well as Asia Pacific and North America. It’s believed to be one of the first initiatives of its kind in the IT industry. It makes understanding the ecological impact of every individual product and its lifetime usage simple and transparent. Business customers are then able to contribute to specific ecological projects and offset an equivalent amount of emissions.

Customers are able to choose from a range of United Nations-approved initiatives spanning continents and hemispheres and receive a certificate confirming the offset emissions for each serial number – as well as an official certifying badge for each product. So far more than 26,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide, the equivalent emissions of 1.7 million miles of airline flight, or 1,789 European flights*, have been offset.

The initiative is continuing its global roll out to Lenovo customers across Europe, Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific, and eventually to North America. Customers seeking more sustainable IT options can simply add the offset service as they spec out their purchase.

Lenovo CO2 Offset Services seeks to meet customers’ growing desire for eco-transparency in all their purchases and is one of the first in the world to tie dedicated offsets to individual products, to help better understand individual carbon footprints.

The service works by factoring in emissions produced from the manufacture and shipping of each individual product, as well as those for up to an estimated typical five years of usage. This amount is then offset through one of many partner initiatives, including projects overseen by the United Nations and ClimeCo, one of the largest producers of U.S. voluntary carbon credits under the Climate Action Reserve.

“What’s unusual is our micro, rather than macro approach here,” says Thilo Bayerlander, Director Lenovo EMEA Services Sales. “We’ve crunched the numbers and can say with confidence what carbon impact the individual product you buy will have. You can then simply choose to offset this PCF [Product carbon footprint] at the point of purchase.”

Bayerlander continued: “This is actually one of the first times that you can draw a clear line from your individual purchase to the number of metric tonnes then offset. We believe we are the first company in the IT industry to make offsetting tangible for our customers in a way that links cause and effect directly.”

“Climate action is more urgent than ever. Consumers’ awareness about the issue is at an all-time high and leading companies have been preparing for this, and are responding to it,” adds Niclas Svenningsen, Manager for Global Climate Action at UN Climate Change.

“Lenovo has a long track record in addressing environmental issues, including climate change, through the establishment of a science-based targets, which include a 50% reduction of GHG [greenhouse gas] emissions by 2030, reporting to CDP [the not for profit that runs the global disclosure system for investors, companies, cities, states and regions to manage their environmental impacts], and in-house initiatives that have reduced their carbon footprint significantly.

“We are glad to collaborate with Lenovo under our Climate Neutral Now initiative, to further raise awareness and encourage the voluntary use of carbon markets as a tool to accelerate climate action. This is the first collaboration of this kind for Climate Neutral Now and we look forward to its success,” Mr Svenningsen concluded.

“Lenovo CO2 Offset Services has seen a rapid uptake and positive response. Already, customers have chosen to offset approximately 26,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide, the equivalent annual emissions of 8,600 households, or taking 10,400 vehicles off the road for one year**” says Stefan Brechling Larsen, EMEA Business Development Manager for Lenovo CO2 Offset Services.

The initiative is just one that business customers can choose from to help reduce the carbon impact of their purchases. As part of a wider green offering, Lenovo has worked with German insurance company LVM Versicherung to supply  4,000 new ThinkPad X1 Yoga convertible laptops as well as 4,500 ThinkVision P27h-20 monitors, all certified as offset. Furthermore, LVM will have the order delivered from one of Lenovo’s global manufacturing sites in China via train rather than plane, substantially reducing emissions from shipping.

“Paying attention to the environment when it comes to IT procurement has never been more important,” says Marcus Loskant, Executive Board Member for IT, LVM Versicherung. “Offsetting every individual computer at the point of purchase, saving additional CO2 emission with rail transport, less packaging and sustainable packaging materials is not only another step towards LVM Versicherung’s green targets, but provides visible and purposeful confirmation to all of our employees that their individual workplace forms part of our wider sustainability ethos and commitments.”

Lenovo is also working to allow business customers to retrospectively offset purchases made within the last three years, where data is available.

Learn more about Lenovo’s commitment to climate science and leadership in limiting carbon emissions in the 2019-20 ESG Report.