Extreme E, the electric SUV racing series, has ranked highly in this year’s Global Sustainability Benchmark in Sports (GSBS) Awards.
Established last year, London-based Global Sustainability Benchmark in Sports is a global, independent not-for-profit organisation that aims to tackle the challenges of the 21st century, through the implementation of a sustainability reporting standard and an annual performance rating in the professional sports industry.
More than 300 organisations worldwide were invited to the 2022 reporting cycle. Extreme E, the sport-for-purpose championship, was recognised by GSBS’s Corporate, Social, Environmental, and Governance performance evaluation. Among the 51 most influential professional sports industry players that were ranked, Extreme E placed fourth overall and second in motorsport disciplines – just behind frontrunners Formula E.
Extreme E said it was recognised for its sustainability responsibility and approach to climate change – which “are at the highest level – above all else.”
By encouraging professional sports organisations to deliver more transparent and sustainable behaviour, GSBS raises awareness of their impact and helps them use their prominent societal position to fulfil their responsibilities as modern businesses.
Earlier this year, Extreme E published its season 1 sustainability report, which identified the methods used to minimise its carbon footprint. The report also concluded that the series was carbon neutral by the end of its first year in racing, according to Extreme E.
Methods used by Extreme E included using electric vehicles for racing; powering the paddock operations with second-life batteries; using solar or water-sourced energy hydrogen fuel cells to create electricity for powering the race vehicles; and refurbishing a former Royal Mail ship, St. Helena, to carry freight and logistics instead air travel.