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Originally published in Lenovo’s 2023/24 ESG Report

With a vision for a net-zero future, Lenovo knows the transition to a circular economy is critical. Collaboration and credibility are important to Lenovo during its net-zero journey and advancing a circular economy. To help scale circular economy solutions in the IT industry, Lenovo joined the Circular Electronics Partnership to collaborate with the technology industry, suppliers, and stakeholders. Lenovo’s vision to deliver smarter technology for all extends to its circular economy practices that include Smarter Circular Design, Smarter Circular Use, and Smarter Circular Return activities.

During the design phase, important decisions are made that can help improve circularity and Lenovo is continuously evaluating design decisions that can help reduce environmental impact. The use of recycled and sustainable materials is an important aspect of the circular economy on which Lenovo focuses.

New recycled materials are being researched and introduced into products. By FY 2025/26, Lenovo plans to include PCC plastic in 100 percent of its notebooks, desktops, workstations, and monitors. Since last fiscal year, Lenovo has expanded the types of components that contain recycled plastics as well as increased the usage of recycled aluminum, magnesium, and ocean bound plastic. Since 2008, Lenovo has used recycled plastic in products and is on track to meet its target of using over 136 million kilograms of post-consumer recycled content plastics by FY 2025/26.

Lenovo’s circular design decisions extend to its packaging as well. Lenovo is increasing its use of recycled fiber, recycled plastic and sustainable materials in packaging including bamboo, sugarcane, and sustainably forested fiber. Lenovo has a goal that by FY 2025/26, 90 percent of plastic packaging will be made from recycled plastics for notebooks, desktops and workstations. Lenovo has additional goals for smartphone product packaging, 60 percent of the materials will be recycled content and single use plastics will be reduced by 50 percent by FY 2025/26.

Lenovo can help advance a circular economy by optimizing the use of its products and parts. Improving the energy efficiency of Lenovo’s notebook computers, desktop computers, servers and smartphones is Lenovo’s goal. To extend the life of its products, Lenovo offers support and service options as well as other managed services and repair.

Lenovo has a goal that by FY 2025/26, 84 percent of repairs can be done at the customer site, without having to send their PC to a service center. Lenovo is keeping repairable parts in use longer and has a goal that by FY 2025/26, at least 76 percent of repairable parts will be repaired for future use. Lenovo offers enterprise customers second life data center products through its Lenovo Value Recovery business.

While Lenovo continues to expand its use of CL PCC from IT equipment, the circular return of IT products into the recycling systems and supply chain is essential. Lenovo offers consumers and commercial customers product return programs to keep the products and materials in circulation. Commercial customers need reliable and secure solutions to manage their technology at the end of life. Lenovo’s Asset Recovery Services maximizes value of IT and enterprise hardware. Lenovo also offers consumer recycling programs in major markets. Since 2008, Lenovo has enabled the recycling and reuse of IT equipment and is on track to meet its target of more than 362 million kilograms of IT products recycled and reused by FY 2025/26.

Lenovo’s ESG KPIs include those that support a circular economy. See Section 9.0 for more information.

Biodiversity

While biodiversity has not been identified as a material topic in Lenovo’s materiality assessment for the FY 2023/24 reporting period, Lenovo has seen the topic become an increasing priority among its stakeholders in recent years. Lenovo recognizes the biodiversity crisis and that business activities are a major driver of both climate change and nature loss. Lenovo further recognizes that while climate change is contributing to the biodiversity crisis, urgent actions are needed beyond emissions reductions to halt nature loss.

Considering this, Lenovo is monitoring the development of science-based targets for nature while assessing its own data and resource needs in this area. Lenovo has conducted an initial, internal review of the footprint of its direct operations (manufacturing, R&D, and large office locations) against Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs), but anticipates its largest biodiversity impacts are within its upstream value chain where additional traceability is needed.

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