McLaren strengthens environmental commitment

Having already established itself as the world's first carbon-neutral F1 team, McLaren has re-confirmed its carbon-neutral status by forming a partnership with CNI (UK) Limited.

Over the past four years, the entire McLaren Group has rigorously examined, revised and improved every aspect of its operations in order to reduce its 'carbon footprint'. In December 2011, whilst working with CNI, it achieved a long-held ambition by being certified as fully carbon-neutral.

Now, following the successful implementation of a suite of efficiency-driven measures across the Group's operations, McLaren has formally partnered with CNI to maintain its carbon neutral status for the next three years. To offset the remaining carbon emissions, the company will work with CNI to purchase carbon credits, which will be registered and retired on the APX Environmental Register. CNI will join the team as an 'associate partner for sustainability'.

"At Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, we've worked extremely hard for a number of years to become more efficient and environmentally sympathetic," team principal Martin Whitmarsh commented, "We were the first F1 team to achieve the Carbon Trust Standard for our efforts in improving carbon efficiency and the first to be certified fully carbon-neutral. It was an achievement of great significance both for us and our partners.

"However, these are the early stages of our journey rather than the ultimate destination. Even the most carbon-efficient business faces challenges as it follows its normal operating procedures. It is our duty to remain vigilant against waste and inefficiency, and to focus our inventive power on leading technological change over the coming decade.

"CNI played an important role in enabling us to become fully carbon-neutral, and I am delighted to welcome them as an associate partner in our ongoing drive to improve our environmental performance. With a step-change in the F1 regulations imminent, we face a new era of challenge and opportunity - one in which we can firmly establish the sport as the definitive platform for the transport and energy solutions of the future."

The McLaren Group 's rigorous approach to reducing its environmental impact has already a reduction of CO2 emissions per employee by 18.4 per cent in four years, but the company has now set itself the tougher target of reducing those emissions by a further 2.5 per cent each year and to send zero waste to landfill by 2015.

In recognition of its commitment to sustainability, McLaren achieved the Carbon Trust Standard in 2010, was recertified by the Carbon Trust in 2012 and recently became the first company in the world to receive the FIA Institute's Environmental Award for the Achievement of Excellence.

"Continuing at the forefront of sustainability, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes has gone even further, offsetting the whole McLaren Group," CNI's Edward Carlton confirmed, "CNI is proud to be a part of this achievement and to have provided the platform to strengthen McLaren's commitment to sound sustainability policy."