Mercedez-Benz has climbed to a solid position among sustainability leaders through the strategy put forward for six key focus areas: Environment & Climate, Resources & Circularity, Human Rights, Traffic Safety, Digital Trust, and People. This audacious roadmap reifies the company’s concern for long-term stakeholder value combined with global ESG issues.
Renata Jungo Brüngger, Board Member for Integrity, Governance & Sustainability, emphasized the need for sustainability to be integrated within the corporate fabric. “Sustainability has been an integral part of the Mercedes-Benz Group’s corporate activities for a long time. We truly believe that only those who do a business with a sustainable strategy in the long term can remain economically successful.”
Environment & Climate: Net Carbon Neutrality by 2039
Mercedes-Benz aims to reach a net carbon neutral fleet by 2039, which is not only 11 years ahead of what the EU requires but also pertains to all stages – from extraction of materials up to production and recycling – of every vehicle’s life. All-electric mobility, renewable energy use, and sustainable production practices mark the company’s new measures for greener success.
Our vision is to have net new carbon-neutral vehicles across our entire fleet by 2039 in their entire life cycle,” a company spokesperson said. The automaker also pledged to lower its greenhouse gas emissions and align the company’s operations with the Paris Climate Agreement.
Resources & Circularity: Leaders of the 4R Strategy
Mercedes-Benz aims to decouple resource consumption from production growth by introducing the 4R strategy: Rethink, Reduce, Repair, and Recycle. Secondary materials are chosen, such as recycled plastics, steel, and aluminum, as well as the designing of vehicles with an emphasis on resource efficiency.
A notable initiative includes its Kuppenheim battery recycling factory in Germany, which saves precious material and contributes to a circular economy. “We want to increasingly decouple the consumption of resources from the growth of our production volume,” the company said.
Human Rights: Practicing Ethical Conducts
The automaker commits to human rights along the entire value chain. Mercedes-Benz’s Human Rights Respect System (HRRS) addresses risks systematically in supply chains, therefore ensuring ethical sourcing and production.
We only want to sell goods and services that have been produced without violating human rights,” said Chief Compliance Officer, Jürgen Gleichauf. The company has integrated human rights standards into its Principles of Social Responsibility and Human Rights, which are best placed under headings that emphasize fair labor practices and ethical procurement.
Traffic Safety: A Vision for Accident-Free Mobility
Mercedes-Benz envisions 2050 when none of its vehicles would be a cause of any road accident at all. This ambitious goal is more than the EU’s Vision Zero target and promising to be ensured by safety technology advancement and automated driving systems.
It connects with stakeholders, NGOs, and public authorities to improve safety standards and bring the number of road victims down. “From 2050, none of our vehicles should be the cause of a road accident,” Mercedes-Benz declared.
Digital Trust: Confidence in Technology
Mercedes-Benz is dedicated to ethical data use and security with the rising trends of digital mobility. This is established through transparency in digital operations, giving control over their data to customers.
The ensuing trust of key stakeholder groups is key to our successful digital innovations,” said the automaker. Mercedes-Benz is also ensuring that its deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) responsibly upgrades mobility experiences and adheres to ethical standards in digital transformation.
People: Investment in Workforce Development
Mercedes-Benz focuses much attention on its employees, including its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as modern working conditions. The company Sustainable People Plan focuses on the development of human resources through a solid work policy, deep training programs, and health-related activities.
“Sustainability not only in business and environmental but also social responsibility towards our employees is our commitment.” These are the words of Sabine Kohleisen, Board Member for Human Relations.
Holistic Approach towards Sustainability
By integrating sustainability into its operations, Mercedes-Benz is setting new benchmarks in the automobile sector. The six focal areas reflect a holistic approach to addressing critical challenges, going on to deliver ecological, social, and economic value.
The company’s ambitious goals-net carbon-neutral by 2039, and leadership in circular economy practices, as well as advancements in digital and safety innovation-are intended to create lasting value for customers, employees, investors, and society at large.
With this integrated strategy, Mercedes-Benz will not only achieve its sustainability objectives but also generate a meaningful industry-wide transformation toward a more sustainable, safe, and just future.