Mercedes F1 team makes moves, but still work to be done

The 2023 sustainability report details the progress made between January and December last year.

Investing in Sustainable Aviation Fuel initiatives, biofuel, low carbon building design, energy conservation and waste reduction has enabled Mercedes to advance towards its sustainability targets.

The 10% reduction in market-based Race Team Control emissions compared to last season represents a saving of over 1,700 tCO2e. Mercedes’ objective is to reach a 50% reduction in Race Team Control emissions by 2026.

Using Sustainable Aviation Fuel certificates (SAFc) enabled Mercedes to reduce its business travel footprint by 6,695 tCO2e in 2023, compared to a reduction of 2,268 tCO2e in 2022.

On the road, using HVO100 sustainable biofuel in race team and hospitality trucks, and generators, across the European season for the second campaign in a row, has led to a 67% emissions reduction and save 339t CO2e.

Back home in Brackley in the UK, where the team is based, the factory continued to be powered by 100% renewable energy through the purchase of electricity backed by Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origins certificates. Additionally, team members undertook more than 5,650 lift sharing journeys, reducing commuting emissions by 412 tCO2e in 2023.

However, Mercedes overall footprint (market-based emissions) amounted to 57,917 tCO2e, with purchased goods and services (62%) making up most of this.

By 2026, the team is aiming to achieve a 100% reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions, as well as a 50% reduction in Race Team Control scope 3 emissions; these consist of fuel and energy related activities, upstream transportation and distribution, waste, business travel (with SAFc purchase) and employee commuting.

By 2030, Mercedes hopes to reduce Race Team Control scope 3 emission by 75% and to achieve net zero across all scopes by 2040.

Improvements were further made around waste at Mercedes’ Brackley campus, with 31% non-hazardous waste sent for recycling; 97% of waste diverted from landfill; 18 tonnes of wood sent for recycling; more than one tonne of coffee grounds sent for recycling into coffee logs; and over 100,000 takeaway cups and containers saved annually.

Accelerate 25

Accelerate 25 was introduced in 2020 and aims to ensure Mercedes is as diverse and inclusive as possible. The team has consistently exceeded its target of 25% of new hires coming from under-represented groups since 2021, and this year achieved 33%.

Some 16.8% of its workforce is made up of female team members and 8.9% of the team come from different ethnic backgrounds.

Additionally, Mercedes has focussed on encouraging young women and girls to embrace the world of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) through a range of initiatives. In June last year, the team hosted Richard Morris, Chief Executive and Co-founder of Racing Pride, as well as ambassador Jordan Rand, for a team talk as part of its Pride Month activations.

Also in June 2023, Mental health charity Mind was selected as Mercedes’ official team charity partner for 2023 and 2024, with the goal of raising £75,000 by the end of the partnership. By the end of December last year, the team had raised £16,000.

“Sustainability reporting is a key activity that enables sports teams to authentically reflect on and showcase the work they have been doing to reduce their impact on and off the track, sharing Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) data in a transparent and accessible way and set out their vision and plans for the future,” explained Dr Cristiana Pace, Founder and Chief Executive of Enovation Consulting, tells Global Sustainable Sport.

Enovation Consulting is a B Corporation-certified specialist sustainability and strategic management consultancy supporting sports venues and sports rights holders.

“It is refreshing to see how the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team have also acknowledged the need of a systemic change, linked to advancing the decarbonisation of a number of other sectors interconnected with motorsport and specifically investing in SAF to allow decarbonisation of the aviation industry or trialling biofuel for advancing the shipping industry,” Pace continued.

“At Enovation Consulting we congratulate the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team, their shareholders and management board and sustainability team for launching a clear and transparent Sustainability report.”