Williams Racing has announced that it has committed to a far-reaching climate change target by intending to become climate positive by 2030. This aim is in line with FIA’s and Formula One’s sustainability programme which intens to reduce the environmental impact of motorsport.
To achieve this ambitious goal, Williams Racing has developed a series of robust technological and data driven initiatives, as part of a comprehensive purpose driven sustainability strategy, aiming to address some of the most important environmental and societal challenges facing Formula One, global sport and the planet.
The ambitious target is based on the following aspects:
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Climate Action – the strategy for how the team will reduce carbon emissions for travel and energy consumption at their Grove HQ, reduce waste and water usage, and over time create their own energy.
Biodiversity Stewardship – covers the strategy and targets for how the team protect and preserve the biodiversity on the 60 acres of the Grove campus, including the Letcombe Brook, which is one of only 240 chalk streams in the world.
Sustainable Innovation – aims to foster sustainable and innovative solutions that tackle global challenges in and out of F1, including but not limited to the team doing a full life cycle management of their racing cars, deploying circular economy strategies within the team and being actively involved in projects such as carbon capture technologies.
Industry Access for All – focuses on making motorsport more accessible by creating an environment in which anyone can thrive, and a workforce that reflects our community through academy programmes, scholarships and esports.
Purpose Driven Leadership – will see Williams act as pace-setters for sustainability within the motorsport industry.
Each pillar defines actions that Williams will be taking in the short and medium term to accelerate the transition to a better planet. Adding further transparency and accountability, each objective will be measured, audited and annually reported.
Williams is committed to learning and sharing best practices from all sectors and adhering to international initiatives. Accordingly, this strategy brings its emissions reduction target in line with the below 2 degrees Celsius target of the Paris Climate Agreement and UN Climate Change Global Agenda. Williams Racing is now the first Formula One Team to be a signatory of the UNFCCC, UN Sports for Climate Action Framework. In addition, Williams Racing Sustainability objectives are aligned with 12 of the 17 United Nations Development Goals (SDGs). Williams Racing is also aligned with industry specific standards and has recently gained FIA Three-star environmental accreditation.
Climate positive by 2030. What does it mean?
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— Williams Racing (@WilliamsRacing) October 13, 2021
“Williams Racing is a pioneer in Formula 1 and the racing world and has a strong heritage developing Formula 1 technology and transferring it to the EV and sustainable transport and energy sectors,” said Team Principal Jost Capito.
“As a team, we wanted to push the envelope and be the pace setter for sustainability in global motorsport and in the wider automotive industry. So today we are making the commitment to be climate positive by 2030 and we will be using our knowledge to nurture and develop advanced technology to meet this goal.
“We know where we are strong and understand where improvement is required and we are open to learning from others and sharing best practices in pursuit of our ambitious objectives. To help raise the baseline of sustainable performance in our industry, we welcome interaction and partnerships with key motorsport stakeholders, automotive companies, brands and organisations who share our vision.”
“As a huge global sporting platform, Formula One has the power to inspire millions of people across the world and as the pinnacle of so many advanced technologies, Formula One has the ability to create technical solutions to help tackle the challenges we face as a planet. As we progress towards our goal to be climate positive in the years ahead, my hope is that Williams Racing can inspire all those connected with our sport and beyond, using motorsport as a catalyst for significant and long-lasting change.”