Mercedes-Benz Sharpens Sustainability Focus on Six Key ESG Areas
Mercedes-Benz presented an updated sustainability strategy focusing on six key focus areas designed to address environmental, social and governance challenges. Announced at the 17th Market-Benz Sustainability Dialogue in Stuttgart, the strategy highlights the company’s commitment to promoting holistic sustainability practices that meet the changing expectations of stakeholders and society.
The six priority areas are decarbonization, resource use and caution, employees, human rights, digital trust and road safety. These priorities were selected following a rigorous multi-stage analysis process involving internal and external stakeholders and have acceded to the European Directive on Corporate Sustainability (CSRD) and the European Sustainability Information Standards (ESRS). Mercedes-Benz aims to integrate these targeted areas into its business strategy, ensuring alignment with current and future sustainability requirements.
Renata Jungo Brüngger, a member of the Board of Directors of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, highlighted the company’s objective of creating a significant impact through these initiatives. “In our six areas of sustainability, we can make a real difference. They cover environmental, social and corporate governance issues that are very relevant today and in the future - for us as a company, for many of our players and ultimately for society as a whole. “
Highlights of the updated strategy include the Ambition 2039 initiative under the “Decarbonisation” focus area, which aims to ensure net carbon neutrality throughout the vehicle life cycle by 2039. This includes vehicle electrification, increased use of recycled materials, renewable energy in production and sustainable energy solutions for vehicle loading. Similarly, the Resource Use Initiative and the Circular aim to reduce the consumption of production growth resources by closing production cycles, improving efficiency and minimizing the use of waste and energy at manufacturing sites.
Other notable objectives include investing more than €2 billion in employee training by 2030 under the Plan for Sustainable Peoples, implementing measures to address human rights risks, promoting responsible digital innovations, such as artificial ethical intelligence, and supporting the EU’s zero vision, which aims to reduce road deaths by 2030 and eliminate them completely by 2050. Each of these areas has specific objectives and indicators, integrated into a corporate sustainability rating system and included in the annual sustainability reports.
The Mercedes-Benz strategy reflects the growing importance of integrating sustainability into core activities. As Brüngger pointed out, the company’s efforts show how sustainability can boost long-term resilience and competitiveness while meeting the needs of stakeholders and consumers. The participation of representatives from academia, politics, civil society and industry in the Dialogue on Sustainable Development highlights the collaborative approach needed to achieve these ambitious goals.
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