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With Formula E having been awarded the accolade in Season 1, Mahindra Racing has become the first team in the championship's history, and only the second in motorsport, to receive FIA Three-Star Accreditation - the highest tier of environmental best practice in the governing body's sustainability framework.
The FIA Environmental Accreditation Programme is aimed at helping motorsport and mobility stakeholders worldwide to measure and enhance their environmental performance. By introducing a clear and consistent environmental management system, it provides stakeholders with a three-level framework against which to accredit their activities.
After initially achieving Two-Star Accreditation in November 2016, which was reconfirmed after an audit in December 2018, the team has worked towards Excellence and tier three in the accreditation process.
Three-Star Accreditation translates as 'best practice', and in awarding Mahindra Racing the accolade, the FIA recognises that the team, which was also the first manufacturer to commit to the ABB FIA Formula E Championship for its inaugural campaign, demonstrates a commitment to seek continual improvement through the implementation of an environmental management system.
Mahindra Racing is only the second motorsport team in the world to reach Three-Star, whilst Formula E became the first championship to reach the tier in Season 1.
Sustainability at heart
Mahindra Racing’s efforts are in tandem with the Mahindra Group's commitment to achieve group-wide carbon neutrality. Chairman Anand Mahindra is an outspoken advocate of seizing the business opportunities associated with climate change; building sustainable and enduring businesses by rejuvenating the environment.
The company's climate commitments include being carbon neutral by 2040, and continuing to be 'water positive', with its 14 zero-waste-to-landfill certified facilities enabling the company to recycle, reuse and compost more than 140,000 tonnes of waste a year. Additionally, its Mahindra Hariyali initiative aims to increase green cover by planting trees and providing livelihoods and nutritional security, with a commitment to planting one million trees every year. The plantation currently stands at 18 million trees after 13 years' work.
READ MORE: Mahindra Racing's Race to Road initiative
Mahindra Racing is committed to the FIA Environmental Accreditation Programme by minimising its footprint and working towards achieving carbon neutrality. The company takes learnings from advanced technologies on the race track and applies them to its road cars via its Race to Road initiative, developing and promoting more sustainable transportation solutions.
“Sustainability is not a buzz word for us," said Mahindra Racing CEO and team principal. "It is ingrained into our ethos and a big part of the reason we are racing in Formula E; working to develop and promote cutting-edge EV technology and to promote the ‘Race to Road’ programme to improve the next generation of consumer electric vehicles.
We are so proud to announce that Mahindra Racing have been certified Three-Star excellence in sustainability by the FIA. This is the highest accreditation available, and makes us the first @FIAFormulaE team to achieve such an accolade 🙌#RaceToSaveThePlanet#PlanetPassioneerspic.twitter.com/8iNSl9Zn0P
— Mahindra Racing (@MahindraRacing) September 29, 2020
"Our parent company Mahindra Group is a pioneer in the development of electric vehicles. Formula E is an integral part of Mahindra’s vision to develop advanced yet affordable EV products. Over the six years of the Formula E project to date, we have been working tirelessly not only on our racing programme and race to road, but on walking the walk, in terms of our sustainability talk.
"I could not be more proud of the team for the hard work and dedication, which has now resulted in this historic moment of receiving Three-Star accreditation from the FIA. 2020 has been incredibly tough and, for me, it is a special moment to be able to take a huge positive from the most challenging of situations.”
Delivering better futures through racing
Mahindra's news follows the announcement that Formula E has become the first sport to have achieved a net zero carbon footprint from inception, and the team's accolade now matches the championship's Three-Star accreditation, achieved in Season 1.
“Many congratulations to Mahindra Racing for achieving FIA Three-Star Environmental Accreditation," said Jamie Reigle, CEO, Formula E. "Mahindra is recognised for its commitment to developing innovative, high quality mass market electric cars and shares Formula E’s vision that accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles is critical to counteracting climate change.
"Back in Season 1, Formula E was proud to become the first FIA championship to achieve Three-Star Accreditation. Today, Mahindra Racing, who have been on the grid since our inaugural race, become our first team confirmed to have achieved this landmark.”
Jean Todt, FIA President, added: “As sustainable and responsible motor sport is a priority for the FIA, I am pleased that Mahindra Racing has achieved this milestone. Energy efficiency is in the DNA of the FIA and Formula E and this new step forward is another proof of our commitment to environmental best practice. I now urge the other teams to walk in the footsteps of Mahindra Racing.”