Mercedes has announced an increase in employees from under-represented backgrounds, following the launch of its Accelerate 25 programme.
In 2020, the Brackley-based squad launched the initiative, which aims to increase team diversity across five years.
In its latest report, Mercedes says that 18 months into the programme, female team members have risen from 12 per cent to 15 per cent of its total workforce.
In addition, it has seen a rise in employees from minority ethnic backgrounds, which has grown from three per cent to seven per cent.
In 2021, 38 per cent of new team members joined from under-represented groups, with the 2022 figure standing at 32 per cent to the end of June.
Mercedes says that “whilst these numbers are not yet where we aspire to be, we are pleased to see that our positive actions through Accelerate 255 are having a measurable impact”.
The team has also said that it is exceeded its ambition to cut its CO2 emissions by 50 per cent by 2022, and is now “looking ahead to our next challenge as we work to transition from leading practice to becoming pioneers”.
This involves a 100 per cent reduction in Scope 1 (direct) and Scope 2 (indirect – owned) emissions by 2026, as well as a 50 percent drop in Scope 3 (indirect – not owned) emissions.
Mercedes added that it is taking “bold action to address our largest sources of emissions” as it is becoming the first global sports team to invest in Sustainable Aviation Fuel in a bid to decrease its Scope 3 aviation carbon footprint, which would almost halve its air travel footprint.
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said: “Whether deploying our resources to drive technological advances that will help society address the environmental challenges that we face, or committing to increase the diversity of our workforce, and supporting those in need in our local communities, our passion isn’t just in the cars you see on track, it’s across everything we do.
“We are a team of problem solvers; and we’re setting ourselves ambitions on how to become more sustainable across all that we do.
“We are at the start of this journey but have committed to extremely challenging targets because we are all in on the race towards a sustainable tomorrow.
“I am very proud of our team for the achievements that we have made so far and the industry-leading strategies we have committed to in the years ahead.
“What happens on the track is inextricably linked to what happens in the world outside, and that drives the entire team to continually go faster and further.”
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