Volunteers from Around the Globe Arrive on Robinson Crusoe Island to Participate in Lenovo’s Work for Humankind

Following its launch late last year, a select group of volunteers from around the globe will travel to one of the most remote offices in the world to Work for Humankind, a bold program born out of a landmark partnership between Lenovo, Island Conservation, and the Robinson Crusoe Island community. Underpinning this initiative is research from Lenovo that reveals the growing significance of remote and hybrid work for Gen Z and Millennials. This is leading to an increased desire for workplace flexibility due to the benefits for individuals and society overall. The study found that four in five people aged 18-40 think working from anywhere is beneficial to society, communities, employers, and employees, while 61% deem giving back and making a positive impact on the local community as ‘very important’.

Thousands of hopeful individuals applied to take remote and hybrid work to the extreme while volunteering their skills to support conservation on Robinson Crusoe Island. After a thorough selection process, nine volunteers from across Europe, North and South America, and Asia were invited to use their skillset and relevant experience first-hand to make a long-lasting positive impact within a remote community.

During their time on the island, volunteers will work their own current day jobs and studies from Lenovo’s tech-enabled workspace, which features a range of the company’s powerful devices and solutions, including laptops, desktop computers, mobile workstations and servers spanning the company’s portfolio, including ThinkPad, Yoga, Legion, ThinkBook and IdeaCentre PCs; ThinkSmart devices for virtual meetings; Lenovo tablets, monitors and accessories; ThinkReality A3 augmented reality smart glasses and Lenovo Mirage VR S3 virtual reality headsets; ThinkEdge SE450 servers for AI at the edge; motorola edge smartphones; LanSchool education software; smart home devices and more.

Work for Humankind will also take advantage of Lenovo’s CO₂ Offset Service. Available on all ThinkPad, Yoga, and Lenovo Legion devices, the CO₂ Offset Service lets consumers and businesses alike offset carbon emissions and help the environment by supporting one of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s projects – the Clean Development Mechanism. This means the program will not only support the local community through volunteerism and technology, but also aid an environmental project dedicated to reducing greenhouse gas emissions somewhere else in the world.

Lenovo’s technology workspace also includes significantly upgraded internet connectivity, from 1Mbps to up to 200 Mbps, which has brought high-speed internet to Robinson Crusoe Island for the first time. This boosted connectivity, alongside a wealth of Lenovo’s intelligent devices, solutions and services is advancing Island Conservation’s restoration projects on Robinson Crusoe Island and transforming the island’s educational programs for years to come.

David Will, Head of Innovation at Island Conservation, comments: “Our volunteers are helping us to achieve a new era of community-driven conservation. Lenovo’s technology, Island Conservation’s ecosystem restoration expertise, and our volunteers’ skills will allow us to respond to the needs of this small island community with a clear vision for a sustainable future.”

Lenovo is committed to leaving a lasting legacy on the island to help maintain the project’s goals, ensuring the program’s benefits are felt long after the volunteers have left Robinson Crusoe. This legacy includes donating its technology used in the workspace directly to the community. The goal is to significantly improve the scope and quality of education available on the island, through tech-enabled learning.

Emily Ketchen, Vice President and CMO of Intelligent Devices Group, Lenovo, comments: “When Lenovo started Work for Humankind over a year ago, we knew that its success hinged on finding talented, committed individuals who will demonstrate what is possible when harnessing smarter technology, connectivity and a simple desire to use tech for good. These ambitious volunteers will also be donating their professional skills, which span across digital marketing, social media, and data science, to help future-proof this remote island community. The impact of these efforts will make a positive difference and help maximize the potential of Lenovo’s technology being donated in our legacy.”

Pablo Manríquez Angulo, Mayor of Robinson Crusoe, adds: “As a remote island community we are incredibly excited to live alongside volunteers from all over the world, learn new skills from them and work with them to see our conservation projects come to life. We are truly thrilled about this partnership with Lenovo and Island Conservation.”