Organizations across industries are feeling the heat to reduce their environmental impact, particularly in IT. The goal of cutting lifecycle emissions and managing end-of-life devices responsibly is clear, yet achieving it often presents a myriad of challenges. Small business owners, in particular, may find their sustainability ambitions stifled by complex supply chains, fragmented regulations, and tight budgets. Luckily, new tools and services are emerging to streamline this difficult journey.
Lenovo is stepping up to assist businesses in navigating these hurdles with its innovative Lenovo Intelligent Sustainability Solutions Advisor (LISSA) and Asset Recovery Services (ARS). These offerings aim to support small businesses in embedding sustainability across every stage of the IT lifecycle—from procurement to retirement.
One of the foremost challenges businesses face is understanding their IT emissions. Many companies lack a clear understanding of their environmental footprint and struggle to find effective ways to reduce it. LISSA is designed to break down those barriers. By combining artificial intelligence with human expertise, LISSA delivers tailored sustainability insights in under 15 minutes. This rapid turnaround allows small business owners to model various decarbonization strategies—from prolonging device lifecycles to optimizing packaging.
"We designed LISSA to lower the barriers to sustainability decision-making," a spokesperson from Lenovo remarked. "With the speed and depth of the insights it provides, IT leaders can align decisions closely with their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals and overall business strategy."
Moreover, LISSA features an AI-powered knowledge assistant that translates complex sustainability data into actionable insights. This tool ensures that sustainability is not just an abstract concept but a tangible part of the conversation for business leaders. This type of clarity may appeal significantly to small businesses navigating multiple responsibilities.
Another pressing challenge lies in the responsible end-of-life management of IT assets. Properly disposing of outdated equipment poses not only logistical hurdles but also compliance risks. Lenovo’s ARS addresses these complications head-on by providing a global, brand-agnostic IT recovery service in 48 markets. The service includes secure data erasure, recycling, and resale across a variety of device types. Since 2020, Lenovo has recycled over 94,000 metric tons of IT equipment, which can be likened to more than 87 million ThinkPads.
Flexibility is a key feature of the latest ARS enhancements. New prepaid service credits allow organizations to proactively plan for IT asset retirement, and the more recent flexible credit can enable reinvestment into IT innovations. Furthermore, the new Asset Manager feature streamlines processes that previously relied on manual spreadsheets into a real-time automated system. This not only simplifies asset tracking but also enhances compliance management—a major concern for many small businesses.
Recognition of Lenovo’s efforts in sustainability has been substantial. LISSA recently received the Sustainability Initiative of the Year award at the 2025 BIG Sustainability Awards, while ARS was honored with the Sustainability Service of the Year.
Yet, it’s essential for small businesses to understand that these tools do not eliminate all challenges. The path to IT sustainability can still be intricate, requiring strategic planning and commitment. As the spokesperson noted, “The challenges businesses face around IT sustainability aren’t going away; they’re only intensifying.”
These tools from Lenovo serve as vital allies for small business owners striving to make meaningful progress in sustainability without overwhelming their limited resources. With the right support and insight, sustainable IT practices can not only be feasible but also strategically advantageous.
For more information about Lenovo Sustainability Services, visit Lenovo’s official page.
To read the original press release, click here.
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