Extreme E extends collaboration with EY

Extreme E, the sport for purpose electric off-road racing series, has extended its collaboration with EY for Season 2.

EY will support Extreme E in its commitment to minimise its environmental impact and measure its carbon footprint across its events, logistics and operations, outlined in the Championship’s inaugural Sustainability Report. The report displays how Extreme E became carbon neutral in 2021, with 8,870 tCO2-e emitted during Season 1 (1,774 tCO2-e average emissions per race). Sustainability tactics and achievements are documented, whilst also outlining their strategy and focus for 2022 and beyond. 

EY also developed the series’ Social and Environmental Impact Assessment framework, which supports the Extreme E operations team to carefully assess impacts of the event in each race location, guiding them to help enhance the company’s capability and drive a high-quality and responsible output.

Ali Russell, Chief Marketing Officer for Extreme E, said:

“I’m delighted to extend our collaboration with EY. An important member of the Extreme E family, EY adds credibility to our sport for purpose championship by providing key actionable insights which help us to assess and understand the impact of our series. Extreme E aims to continue delivering a championship that pushes the boundaries and challenges ways that traditional motorsports and sports events run, in addition to reducing the impact of our events, educating our audiences on their effects of climate change and to inspire them to take positive actions to protect our planet. 

“We have already achieved important milestones with EY, such as delivering Extreme E’s first Sustainability Report, and this is just the start of our journey. We are excited to continue working with EY as we further develop our championship.”

EY previously collaborated with Extreme E during the 2021 Island X Prix, during which Sardinia used an innovative wildfire mapping model created by EY teams. The AI technology was created as part of this year’s EY Better Working World Data Challenge in collaboration with Microsoft, The Australian Country Fire Authority (CFA) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Typically, fire mapping officers receive imagery from aircrafts and use manual methods to create fire maps. The goal of the winning AI solutions is to streamline this process so officers can spend valuable time on other essential tasks. For example, where decisions are being made to prioritise regions that need to be evacuated, the winning solutions will aim to provide the right information at the right time to help make those decisions more easily and effectively.

Serge Colle, EY Global Energy Leader, said:

“This extended collaboration will see EY continuing its work with Extreme E in a shared mission to highlight the impact of climate change and the benefits of electric vehicle adoption. Electrification in mobility presents unique opportunities across multiple industries, including energy, automotive, and manufacturing among others. EY and Extreme E will further develop innovative insights that will accelerate new advancements in mobility technology and ultimately help build a better working world.”

Matt Bell, EY Global Climate Change and Sustainability Services Leader, said:

“This collaboration with Extreme E has been a real source of pride across EY and it’s fantastic to see it extended. It’s now more important than ever for organizations to understand the impact they have on society and the environment. The work that EY is doing together with Extreme E is a powerful example of how a sport can completely re-think it’s approach and create an engaging series that not only minimizes its impacts, but also highlights the challenges we all face from climate change.

“Organizations that can demonstrate progress on sustainability, just as Extreme E continues to do, will create greater trust with their stakeholders, and drive more sustainable ways of working for our future. EY is committed to helping organizations around the world to understand and strategically address sustainability challenges.”

In each location Extreme E visits, it leaves behind a long-lasting positive impact through its Legacy Programmes by working with local NGOs and the series’ Scientific Committee to try and support the issue the series is trying to mitigate. Projects so far includecollaborating with MEDSEA to support recovery response to devastating forest fires in Sardinia, teaming up with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) on its Forest Restoration Programme in Pará, Brazil, and a partnership with the Ba’a Foundation in Saudi Arabia on a conservation initiative for the endangered green turtle and critically endangered hawksbill turtle.

Last week, Extreme E was crowned the inaugural winners of the Environmental Sustainability Award at the coveted Sports Industry Awards 2022. New for this year, the award recognises organisations that are delivering environmental benefits through sport.