McLaren strengthens environmental commitment

Woking (Surrey), April 9 (IANS): McLaren Mercedes, the world’s first carbon-neutral Formula 1 team, has re-confirmed its carbon-neutral status and has formed a partnership with CNI (UK) Limited, who will join the team as an associate partner for sustainability.

Over the past four years, McLaren Group has rigorously examined, revised and improved every aspect of its operations to reduce its carbon footprint.

“In December 2011, working with CNI, we achieved a long-held ambition and were certified as fully carbon-neutral,” said the team in a release.

“Following the implementation of a suite of efficiency-driven measures across McLaren Group’s operations, we have now formally partnered with CNI to maintain our carbon neutral status for the next three years.”

This year McLaren will be purchasing our carbon credits from environmental projects across a number of geographies, the first of which will support the Nansha Hydro Power Project in Yunnan Province, China.

Team principal Martin Whitmarsh said: “We’ve worked extremely hard for a number of years to become more efficient and environmentally sympathetic.

“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.”