Virginie Le Barbu
What is responsible digital technology and how can a manufacturer like Lenovo decrease its environmental impact?
At Lenovo, we strive to provide smarter technology to build a brighter, more sustainable future for our customers, our colleagues, our communities, and the planet. Lenovo is already working on reducing its environmental impact, including cutting its greenhouse gas emissions. Our ambition is to achieve net-zero production by 2050; we are working with the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) to validate our goals for achieving that goal. In addition, we have already met our 2020 greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, one year ahead of schedule.
To what extent is Lenovo getting involved in improving education?
In education, while traditionally we were focused on improving access to STEM education for elementary and secondary school students, today Lenovo is committed to helping disadvantaged workers respond to the changing global dynamics affecting them.
Access to skills for these populations can forestall the rise of other inequalities, a fact which has a transformational impact on individuals and on building the talent pipeline for future innovation.
How would you describe responsible innovation at Lenovo?
For us, responsible innovation means smarter technology for all: diversity and inclusion as drivers of innovation. We are committed to sustainable practices and are striving to have a positive social and environmental impact around the world through our business. Lenovo is also strongly committed to building diverse teams and enhancing women's participation at all levels of the company to create an inclusive culture.
What are the best criteria for assessing the impact of technological innovation?
The most pertinent criteria for evaluating the impact of technology innovation are societal and environmental. By fiscal year 2025/26, philanthropy at Lenovo will have impacted 15 million lives and transformed one million lives through charitable programs and partnerships. On the environmental front, at Lenovo, we are committed to making improvements in our product and packaging design, including using sustainable packaging and working to reduce the carbon footprint of new technologies.
How are you working with your partners on environmental and societal impacts?
To achieve its sustainability goals, Lenovo is convinced that internal and external collaboration must be emphasized throughout its eco-system. Through the Lenovo 360 Circle, we want to join forces and foster new synergies with our partners to sustainably address the challenges facing the world.
Over the past few months, we have been working with our partners to establish a list of priorities and targets to accelerate our positive impact on both the environment and society.
How to better develop the circular economy?
Lenovo believes that sustainability must be addressed at every stage of the product life cycle. With this in mind, we have invested heavily in supply chain innovation, product design and service delivery, so as to fully integrate circular economy principles. Developing circular economy also means adopting new business and economic models and therefore this must be done in collaboration with our value-chain partners. Lenovo 360 Circle thus aims to promote collaborative efforts with our distribution and service partners to develop these new models and optimize the service life of products and their circular recycling and transformation.