THE SUSTAINABILITY INTERVIEW
Lenovo today is best known as a global technology company, producing everything from laptops and workstations to servers, data centre solutions and services for customers worldwide. Behind the solutions, however, sits an equally ambitious sustainability agenda, led by Mary Jacques, Executive Director for Global ESG and Regulatory Compliance at Lenovo. Mary leads a corporate team of subjectmatter experts working across ESG issues and regulatory compliance. Her remit spans climate strategy, ESG data and disclosure, target-setting and engagement with rating agencies and investors, all in close partnership with operations, product development and sales.
“ We’ ve been measuring our climate impact since 2009 and publishing what is now our ESG report for almost two decades,” Mary explains.
Lenovo’ s sustainability function is deliberately embedded across the organisation, with specialist teams in supply chain, manufacturing, product engineering and sales all accountable for delivery.“ Sustainability truly impacts every part of our business, so it’ s not something one team can manage alone,” Mary explains.
She has spent her entire academic and professional career in sustainabilityfocused roles at technology organisations including IBM and MIT, before joining Lenovo in 2006. That combination of technical grounding and corporate experience now underpins a broad ESG strategy that connects boardlevel governance to factory floors and customer conversations.
“We’ re laser-focused on our net zero targets and proud to be the first PC and smartphone manufacturer with a validated goal”
Mary Jacques, Executive Director Global ESG & Regulatory Compliance, Lenovo
How Lenovo governs sustainability at scale At the top of Lenovo’ s ESG structure sits the board of directors, which has ultimate responsibility for ESG strategy and reporting. Beneath the board, Lenovo operates an ESG Executive Oversight Committee made up of senior leaders from across the company. These executives act both as decision-makers on ESG priorities and as“ ambassadors” who champion sustainability within their own business units.
“ Working with those bodies and subject-matter experts across the company, we’ ve developed KPIs that are really tied to our overall strategy,” Mary says.
Materiality – the process of identifying which ESG topics are most significant to the business and stakeholders – is central to that alignment. Lenovo regularly researches what customers value in product features and corporate performance, and engages investors to
20 March 2026