When AIA New Zealand Limited (AIA NZ), the country’s largest life insurer, set out to redesign its North Auckland head office, two priorities shaped the project: enhancing employee wellbeing and promoting environmental sustainability. The project marked a significant step in the company’s broader commitment to creating a more resilient and responsible workplace.
AIA NZ has served nearly 800,000 customers in New Zealand since 1981, offering life, health and income protection insurance. As part of its ongoing evolution to support the dramatic shift in working patterns over the past decade, the company created a future-ready headquarters designed for hybrid work. The 15-month transformation project focused on equipping AIA NZ’s 700 employees with the tools and spaces they need to collaborate effectively and thrive in a modern work culture, all while advancing its environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals.
Modern digital infrastructure was foundational to this vision. To create a mobile, connected workforce, AIA NZ needed high-performance technology that could adapt to employees’ changing needs and enhance productivity across locations.
“As we moved into our new building, our goal was to implement a technology solution that was both simple and modern” Luke Longney, CTO at AIA NZ, said. “We wanted a single laptop model that would suit everyone across the business, paired with large screens to maximize productivity. Clean cabling and seamless compatibility were essential to foster a flexible, clutter-free desk environment for our people.”
To support this shift, AIA NZ engaged Lenovo, its trusted global IT provider, to deliver a solution that met the needs of employees and aligned with the company’s sustainability objectives.
Enabling Hybrid Work with Lenovo
With advice from Lenovo, AIA NZ equipped its head office with 600 Lenovo ThinkVision T34w-30 34″ Curved Monitors and its employees with 700 powerful yet portable Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 laptops.
The technology was a perfect fit for the hybrid working patterns of AIA’s employees, who can work comfortably from home or in the office. In the office, they simply plug their laptops into monitors, which are equipped with USB-C connectivity, and can work from any desk. Desks can be easily booked through an app.
“With Lenovo ThinkPad laptops and ThinkVision monitors, it is easy to move wherever the work takes you, whether that’s a quiet area or a collaborative space,” Longe said. “We’ve seen a noticeable increase in video meetings, thanks to the improved camera and microphone performance.”
To ensure reliable IT assistance, AIA NZ implemented Lenovo Premier Support. This provides 24/7 access to hardware and software experts and next-business-day onsite service when needed. Business continuity, maximum uptime and expert Lenovo engineers all contribute to positive outcomes, allowing AIA NZ to optimize the use of their in-house IT resources.
“We had already been using Lenovo ThinkPads for several years with great success,” said Johnson. “The device refresh was essential to the overall project, and Lenovo made the process seamless. Everything was delivered on time, with no disruption.”
Achieving Sustainability with Lenovo Asset Recovery Services
Alongside the office transformation, AIA NZ took steps to responsibly manage retired IT assets. Through Lenovo Asset Recovery Services (ARS) the company introduced a structured, phased process to retire equipment securely and sustainably.
As teams moved into the new office, employees returned their old devices to be securely wiped, refurbished, resold or recycled. Through, Lenovo ARS, AIA NZ responsibly managed approximately 491 kilograms of retired IT equipment – about the same weight as a concert-spec Steinway grand piano.
Lenovo’s use of recycled and renewable packaging for the new devices further supported the company’s sustainability goals.
“With Lenovo ARS, we have peace of mind that sensitive data is securely destroyed and that older devices are reused whenever possible,” Longney explained. “This contributes to the circular economy and supports our ESG objectives. We also value the data Lenovo provides to support our own sustainability reporting.”
A Future-Ready Office with Measurable Results
The transformation project has not only delivered a modern, agile workspace that reflects AIA NZ’s commitment to innovation, employee experience and sustainability. It has resulted a more connected workforce, smoother operations, and an enhanced ability to serve customers.
The result is also a more convenient and flexible working arrangement for 700 employees, increasing satisfaction amongst AIA NZ staff. The support form Lenovo for responsible reuse and recycling of older IT equipment and implementation of certified data destruction for retired IT assets advances the company’s environmental and sustainability goals.
“Our work with AIA NZ shows how technology and sustainability go hand in hand,” said John Stamer, Vice President and General Manager of Global Product Services at Lenovo. “Lenovo Asset Recovery Services have helped AIA NZ transform responsible IT management into measurable business and environmental impact – a great example of how smart technology can drive meaningful, sustainable results.”
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