Lenovo x Big Issue Invest Investing in impact

Social enterprises are driving community focused, sustainable solutions to tackle rising living costs, poverty and inequality. At the heart of the UK movement, Big Issue Invest powers change through innovative impact investments that can transform lives. Global tech leader Lenovo has partnered with Big Issue Invest to supply refurbished laptops and support organisations around the UK. Lenovo’s ongoing mission to create digital equity by reducing inequality and exclusion, within the framework of a circular economy, makes this an incredibly powerful partnership.

Powering respite

It’s a relationship that has already made an incredible difference to John Turner and his small team at The Respite Association. “Our goal is to give unpaid carers a break,” Turner says. “They’re often caring 24-7 with very little sleep because of the conditions of a loved one’s disruption. For thousands of carers, it’s a way of life.” There are around 5.8 million unpaid carers working in the UK1 and The Respite Association offers them a much-needed lifeline. “We fund somebody to look after the person they care for so that they can take a break,” says Turner. “We have three holiday facilities and can give carers a free week by the sea to recharge their batteries.” The Respite Association received five laptops from Lenovo, bringing secure, flexible working to the team by replacing outdated tech. “We’re happy to spend money on carers but we don’t spend money on office equipment. A Lenovo laptop is replacing one running Windows XP, so we’re now able to let our volunteers and trustees use them”.

The Lenovo laptops enable the team to work remotely. The Respite Association can now distribute data to each user via secure USB. “Before, they had to come into the office,” says Turner. “It takes the pressure off.” Each laptop goes through Lenovo’s certified refurbishment process, which includes data sanitisation, quality testing and warranty protection, so users have peace of mind their devices are clear, secure with Lenovo’s cybersecurity solution Think Shield, and working like new. Lenovo’s support means that Turner and his team can devote their energy to caring for others. This reassurance has positive emotional benefits far beyond the capabilities of the technology. “The support from Lenovo is a boost. Most carers feel invisible, yet Lenovo considers us and thinks about the carers we support. It’s an incredible boost to everybody.” Another beneficiary of the partnership is Collage Arts in London, which enables young people from underrepresented communities to use creativity as a catalyst for change. “Our singers and songwriters were using my old, battered laptop gathering around it to research for their song writing,” says Collage Arts artistic director Steve Medlin. That has now changed, thanks to Lenovo, and the “chaos” that occurred when the sole laptop had to be fought over is no more. Medlin adds: “It will absolutely open up the opportunities of the things we can explore in class. The digital world is now at our fingertips.”

What is Big Issue Invest?

Lenovo’s positive impact on UK social enterprises is made possible through its partnership with Big Issue Invest, headed by Holger Westphely. He explains that social needs are rising in every region of the UK.

“The cost of living is pushing more people into poverty, and the challenges are multiple,” he says. “These pressures, coupled with mental health issues and joblessness cause a wide set of problems.

Big Issue Invest matches investors to investees, but investment isn’t always financial. “Social enterprise is not throwing money at the problem,” says Westphely. “It’s coming up with a business solution that delivers a service, allowing people to tackle problems. Many social entrepreneurs have never run a business before. They need all sorts of help, including technology. It’s vital infrastructure that Lenovo can provide. If an enterprise needs a laptop, that’s a massive expense. “We’re trying to stimulate and improve the ecosystem for social enterprises in the UK. We want to have different kinds of capital available and facilitate access to training, business support, mentorship and laptops. We’re looking for commitments with people sharing our vision, like the Lenovo partnership. “We were delighted to have them feed into the work that we do and support the growth of social enterprise.”

Growth-FIRST ambition

Enabling growth is a key priority for Lenovo, and their support has already removed the barriers that prevent some social enterprises from scaling their operations. FIRST is an enterprise and entrepreneurship development organisation that has received laptops and support from Lenovo. Billie Jenkins, FIRST’s research and development lead, explains their mission: “We support people to gain the skills to become self-employed or run a business,” she says.

“We work with different groups, including people considering self-employment, startups or early-stage founders and give them skills to help grow their networks and connect with the business community via training opportunities, for example in AI or finance. One important part of our mission is to support people who are underrepresented. We do a lot of work with community organisations, people with long-term health challenges, refugees or people facing additional barriers.” Having world-class technology means Jenkins and the team at FIRST can open doors for social enterprise entrepreneurs. Lenovo has also enabled FIRST to ensure that inclusivity powers their innovations with real purpose. “Technology empowers our team to reach more people,” says Jenkins. “Having additional laptops allows people to work if they don’t have access to technology at home, taking away digital barriers that disadvantaged people might be facing.”

FIRST is keen to highlight that Lenovo’s backing is beyond simple financial investment. By using refurbished technology, social enterprise entrepreneurs can grow and extend their reach in an affordable and sustainable way. What’s more, Lenovo Certified Refurbished devices come with a standard warranty of one year, with the option to extend to up to three years along with additional warranty upgrades (varies by product and region). This gives organisations peace of mind that they will receive ongoing support with their devices should they need it. “We’ve got several laptops to increase our reach and impact the work we’re doing,” Jenkins adds.” Without the technology to support team members, we wouldn’t grow. It’s a fundamental part of empowering a growing team to go out and do their jobs. “Having a fantastic organisation like Lenovo behind us gives confidence that the wider business community trusts what we do and believes in the impact of our work. Cash flow is always important. Having this level of expertise means we’re able to access the right support without having to allocate resources that could impact other areas of our work.” Through its partnership with Big Issue Invest, Lenovo is not just equipping social enterprises with the tools to thrive but empowering people, strengthening communities and inspiring hope where it’s needed most. The ripple effect of Lenovo’s commitment to digital inclusion, innovation and social progress is both profound and deeply human. Together, Big Issue Invest and Lenovo show that when innovation meets compassion, change is possible in every community.

Find out more at: lenovo.com/gb/en

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Words: Lee Grant