Bentley Motors has become the first company to be awarded South Pole’s Net Zero Plastic to Nature accreditation after engaging in a successful waste stewardship appraisal. The status, which is internationally recognised, reflects the company’s ongoing environmental initiatives and is a key part of Bentley’s Beyond 100 strategy to achieve end-to-end carbon neutrality by 2030.
Bentley’s industry-leading drive to assess, reduce and mitigate the global plastic footprint of its logistics packaging, vehicle protection and aftersales packaging was analysed by independent, Switzerland-based experts at the South Pole organisation.
The in-depth assessment covered everything from operational macro-plastic parts packaging used in logistics and manufacturing, to the disposal of plastic protection downstream at global dealerships. It also assessed micro-plastic emissions from tyre abrasion as part of the logistics and product lifecycle, identifying a total plastic footprint of 165.4 tonnes. The audit found that the majority of plastic waste was already recycled appropriately and made recommendations for in-region improvements to tackle the small amount of non-processed waste which was identified through the assessment.
To secure the status, Bentley has invested in certified units that support two of South Pole’s projects focused on developing specialist plastic waste collection and recycling infrastructure projects. These are with Neela Saga in India and Second Life in Thailand. This action ensures that the full volume of non-processed plastic waste found in the 2021 study has been effectively mitigated.
Announced in 2020, Bentley’s ground-breaking Beyond100 strategy targets sustainable mobility leadership, reinventing every aspect of the business. The aim is to be end-to-end carbon neutral by 2030, with the Crewe headquarters climate positive thereafter.
