Lenovo has mitigated the impact of around 26,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide with a customer offset scheme.

The figure is believed to be the equivalent of 1.7 million kilometres of airline flights.

The scheme offers customers the chance to choose from a range of UN-backed initiatives and receive a certificate confirming the offset emissions for each product they purchase.

The programme was launched initially in Nordic countries and will expand to all of Europe, Middle East and Africa as well as the Asia Pacific and North America regions.

Thilo Bayerlander, Director Lenovo Europe, the Middle East and Africa Services Sales, commented: “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.”

Niclas Svenningsen, Manager for Global Climate Action at UN Climate Change, said: “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.

“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.”