Going green is good for business. Greener technologies improve efficiency and save money. Consumers respond positively to environmentally-conscious companies and are willing to pay a premium to support greener brands. But it can be difficult to show, accurately, how well you are controlling your carbon footprint. This article shows how carbon offsetting schemes do the maths for you. They show you, and your customers, the environmental cost of your technology from point of purchase to disposal.
How big is your carbon footprint, really?
Customers are increasingly looking to their suppliers to take responsibility for their carbon footprints. Consumer brands especially are under growing pressure. The challenge for businesses is to prove that they are taking effective action to reduce their emissions, both within their own environments and along the supply chain.
One of the most successful ways to reduce emissions and demonstrate that you have done so is through carbon offset schemes. We’re proud to say that Lenovo customers are leading the way on this by opting to offset the carbon emissions of new Think branded products at the point of purchase. It’s part of our new CO2 Offset Services initiative.
Building the case
The business case for carbon-friendly policies and processes is rapidly getting stronger. Consumer pressure and regulations, as well as growing political attention, all make greener working practices a commercial imperative as well as a matter of corporate responsibility.
Consumers are now happy to pay more to support greener brands. So much so that 77% of consumers say it’s important that brands are sustainable and environmentally responsible.
But to advertise yourself as an eco-conscious company, you need to know more about your carbon footprint. It’s not just that customers want to know that they are supporting an environmentally-friendly brand; they need to know how buying from you will impact their own carbon footprints.
How on earth?
Carbon offsetting schemes show you and your customers the environmental cost of your technology, from point of purchase to disposal. Plus, they can help you achieve your targets efficiently, using clear and detailed data.
It’s then in your control to choose how to offset this. For example, Lenovo have calculated the cost of carbon emissions for all Lenovo Think devices over an average lifecycle of up to five years. Offsetting those emissions can now be considered part of your hardware configuration.
Lenovo customers are able to choose from a range of United Nations-approved initiatives spanning continents and hemispheres. They 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.
Change your ways
As organizations embrace greener principles, they are adopting a wide variety of new practices, from renewable energy sources to sustainable packaging. Materials such as cellulose fibres and industrial starch significantly reduce the amount of packaging sent to landfill and also help to advertise the brand’s commitment to environmental responsibility.
Manufacturers are adopting “circular” processes, where every component can be recycled or repurposed. It will soon become a point of honour – and brand value – to ensure that your products are never seen at municipal waste sites or, worse, illegally dumped at the side of the road.
Looking ahead
It’s easy to be cynical, especially when the driver for change is shown to be commercial gain. But “sustainable” has moved from the lexicon of the green lobby to become associated with common sense environmental practice in every area of business and the public sector.
No responsible leader – or shareholder – can support a business that is literally unsustainable because it is out of step with its customers and, critically, wasting materials that are in increasingly short supply.
There is no room for complacency, but, as businesses take steps to ensure their sustainability, the narrative associated with climate change can bring in more and more messages of hope.
Want to know more?
Visit our dedicated CO2 offset page for more information on how Lenovo’s forward-thinking CO2 offset service makes it easier for businesses to compensate for the environmental impact of their operations.