Mercedes-Benz EQ successfully completed the audit in December 2020, and its accreditation is the result of joint achievements at the Mercedes-Benz Motorsport facilities in Brackley and Brixworth, as well as those of HWA AG in Affalterbach.
HWA AG, which is responsible for trackside operations, was also awarded with the Three-Star Environmental Accreditation by the FIA earlier this year.
The German team joins the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship itself alongside teams Envision Virgin Racing and Mahindra Racing as outfits that are commited to the FIA's highest tier of environmental best practice.
The FIA Environmental Accreditation Programme is aimed at helping the sport's stakeholders worldwide to measure and enhance their environmental performance. By introducing clear and consistent environmental management into motorsport, it provides a three-level framework against which to accredit their activities.
Just the beginning
“I am delighted that our team has earned the FIA’s Three-Star Environmental Accreditation after only its rookie season in Formula E, joining the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team and the ranks of teams, organisers and racing series that have already reached this milestone,” said Ian James, Team Principal of the Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E Team.
“We have a responsibility to not only comply with the FIA’s requirements, but also to do everything we can to reduce our carbon footprint. So this seal of approval is a very important step for us, but ultimately we need to make sure that we utilise all the measures and levers at our disposal to make our team as sustainable as possible - and that is exactly what we intend to do.
“We are fortunate that, in addition to Mercedes-Benz, we have partners that are leaders in sustainability for their fields. Our work toward a more sustainable team doesn’t stop with the award of this three-star status as, through the support of Vestas, NEOM and SAP, amongst others, our work transcends the automotive industry.
"Instead, we are committed to follow this path in 2021 and beyond, implementing ideas that make a difference. This is incredibly important to us as a team and as a start-up that has been around for just 18 months.”
Over the course of the next twelve months, the team will channel its sustainability efforts in twelve ‘Sustainability Objectives’. These range from motorsport specific sustainability training and education to changes in our purchasing processes and travel procedures.
Jamie Reigle, Chief Executive Officer of Formula E, said: “We’re delighted that the Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E Team has achieved FIA Three-Star Environmental Accreditation. It’s encouraging to see teams on the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship grid pushing for best practice in an area so fundamental to Formula E’s purpose.
"Mercedes receiving this prestigious accolade for their efforts in sustainability reinforces their commitment to Formula E’s mission and to the FIA’s #PurposeDriven movement.”
'We Drive the City'
With its ‘We Drive the City’ campaign, the team also expresses its commitment to the principle of sustainability and plays its part in shaping urban culture around the world, contributing to a better life for city dwellers everywhere.
Together with Mercedes-Benz, the team aims to open up the dialogue around showcases of concepts and approaches to solve today’s urban mobility challenges, at the same time providing a glimpse into the future of e-mobility, decarbonisation and digitalisation.
Race to road
These initiatives at and away from the race circuit are consistent with the Mercedes-Benz sustainability offensive ‘Ambition2039’ and the sustainable business strategy for its motorsport activities announced by Mercedes-Benz in March this year.
Racing plays a crucial role as a high-speed development laboratory for cutting-edge technologies and processes, both for racing cars and road vehicles. With its Formula E and Formula 1 teams, Mercedes-Benz explores innovations, promotes technology transfer and presents modern, environmentally compatible mobility technologies ranging from hybrid to battery-electric power units.
Mercedes-Benz EQ benefits chiefly from the measures already implemented at the two technology centres in Brixworth and Brackley, both of which are certified in accordance with the ISO14001 international environmental management standard.
The cutting-edge chassis factory in Brackley already uses renewably sourced energy to power all its operations and facilities such as the team’s wind tunnel, data centre, digital simulation environment and test benches.
The Brixworth technology centre, where Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP) develops and manufactures the powertrains for both Formula E and Formula 1 teams, generating more than half of its electricity from solar panels and an on-site CCHP plant. For all externally sourced energy, HPP has undertaken to switch to renewable power sources over the course of the current year.