Aston Martin accelerates sustainability efforts with 'Racing.Green.’ strategy

MANILA: Aston Martin has stepped up its efforts to become a leading sustainable ultra-luxury car manufacturer with the introduction of an ambitious sustainability strategy, Racing.Green.

Introduced on Earth Day, Racing.Green. declares key principles that are in accordance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, showing Aston Martin's established approach to sustainability and increases its targets across all aspects of the business, with an emphasis on discussing climate change, developing a better society, and establishing a more diverse and more inclusive company.

The ultra-luxury British carmaker has joined a group of ambitious companies committed to address climate change through membership in the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), a worldwide group that allows firms to specify emissions reduction targets based on climate science.

Aston Martin is aiming for net-zero emissions from its production plants by 2030, with a 30% drop in supply chain emissions from a 2020 baseline, as part of the pledges stated in Racing.Green. The company targets to achieve net-zero emissions throughout its entire supply chain by 2039.

The targets set build on Aston Martin's previous environmental achievements, which include a 44% decrease in emissions intensity in its UK operations between 2020 and 2021, as well as the usage of 100% renewable energy across all of its UK production sites since 2019. Aston Martin will erect over 14,000 solar panels at its St. Athan plant in Wales as part of a major project that will provide 20% of the plant's yearly energy requirements.

Aston Martin has already successfully diverted 100% of its waste from landfills, with a goal of eliminating all plastic packaging waste within three years. The Racing.Green. strategy also aims to reduce water use by 15%, increase the use of sustainable materials, and improve biodiversity in all sites.

Known for its product durability, exclusivity, and hand-built craftsmanship, Aston Martin has produced less than 109,000 cars in its 109-year history, with 95% of these highly valued vehicles still on the road.

Aston Martin's future product strategy will include sustainability concepts, as well as a smooth transition to electrification. The company  is working on alternatives to internal combustion engines, with sales of its first plug-in hybrid, the Valhalla mid-engine supercar, set to begin in early 2024. Aston Martin plans to release its first battery electric vehicle in 2025, and by 2026, all new product lines will have an electrified powertrain option. The company targets to electrify its entire core portfolio of GT sports cars and SUVs by 2030.

To provide more customer choice and to lessen environmental impact, Aston Martin is expanding its use of innovative sustainable materials in its vehicles. The company is considering the use of green aluminum alloy created using 100% renewable energy and leather-free vegan interior options.

Aston Martin is also hoping for 25% of all leadership positions to be held by women within the next five years as part of its diversity, equality, and inclusion strategy.

A Board Sustainability Committee, led by Non-Executive Director Dr. Anne Stevens, supervises the Racing.Green. strategy and oversees the progress toward its objectives.

“Aston Martin is accelerating. We are transforming our business and believe that now is the time to challenge ourselves to make a bigger difference, to become a world-leading sustainable ultra-luxury business,” Aston Martin Lagonda CEO Tobias Moers. “While embracing electrification, we believe our sustainability ambitions must be broader than just producing emissions-free vehicles, and want to drive sustainability principles across our entire business, with a team representative of society proudly producing responsible products with a reduced environmental impact and making a positive contribution to the communities where we operate. Applying our passion for engineering and design innovation to this challenge, we are excited about shaping not just how quickly the world gets from zero to 60, but how quickly we get to net-zero.”

Photos from Aston Martin

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