Carbon-Neutral leasing with carbonZER0

Equigroup  is launching a climate friendly financing option, carbonZER0. This new option is being rolled out in 27 countries as part of an international product launch by our parent company, CHG-MERIDIAN, and in Australia, our CBA customers will also be able to take advantage of this exciting program. CarbonZER0 will enable companies to make carbon-neutral IT investments by offsetting the carbon emissions that are generated during the production, transportation, use phase, and end-of-life phase of IT assets. Equigroup is therefore enabling our customers to make a core aspect of their IT infrastructure more sustainable.

“Green and climate-friendly operations are increasingly becoming an important differentiating factor for companies. Many of our customers are pursuing ambitious sustainability targets and are mindful of the environmental impact of their equipment when it comes to IT procurement too. The overall carbon footprint of the IT equipment is a key consideration. In carbonZER0, we have created a simple yet comprehensive solution for carbon-neutral – and thus more sustainable – investment in IT equipment,” says Oliver Schorer, member of the Board of Management and Chief Information Officer (CIO) at CHG-MERIDIAN.

A product is considered to be carbon-neutral if its CO₂ emissions have been calculated and either avoided entirely or offset by making a payment to a certified climate protection project. The underlying principle is that greenhouse gases are dispersed equally in the atmosphere, regardless of where they were generated. If emissions cannot be avoided locally, they are offset elsewhere by a climate protection project that has been proven to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

To achieve carbon-neutral leasing, Equigroup works with an independent partner to determine the volume of emissions of different asset classes, such as PCs, tablets, and smartphones. The CO₂ emissions during production and transportation and as a result of electricity generation during the use and end-of-life phases are translated into monetary amounts and added to the lease instalment. “The cost of making IT equipment carbon-neutral is just a few cents per asset per month. Our customers can simply add the service to their existing order without any additional hassle. We take care of everything for them, including making the offset payment to certified climate projects,” explains Oliver Schorer. The customer receives a certificate as proof of the CO₂ emissions saved.

The offset payments under Equigroup’s carbon-neutral leasing scheme go toward four projects that are helping to protect the climate in different ways: solar power (Namibia), wind energy (Indonesia), rainforest conservation (Peru), and hydroelectric power (Sri Lanka). All these projects have been certified in accordance with internationally recognised standards and contribute to sustainable development in their countries in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN). Equigroup is prioritising three of the 17 SDGs: ‘quality education’, ‘affordable and clean energy’, and ‘responsible consumption and production’. Each of the selected climate projects contributes to at least two of these goals.

To find out more about our carbonZER0 Product, click here or speak to your Equigroup account manager.