Image: Sam Bloxham courtesy of Formula E
In the first of an exclusive two-part interview with Julia Palle, a well-known figure in the world of Formula E, her presence is often seen whenever the sport achieves something groundbreaking. Palle’s contributions behind the scenes have played a significant role in setting new standards for Formula E, both on and off the track. However, understanding the intricacies of her role may not be apparent to most.
Palle explains, “My responsibility is to transform the Championship’s purpose and mission into a tangible reality. This involves accelerating sustainable human progress and devising a strategy for its implementation.”
She adds, “My focus is on bringing the core values of the business to life. This includes developing an environmental Net Zero strategy, creating a social impact strategy, and fostering what we refer to as ‘value through values.’ This approach allows us to promote sustainability among our teams, partners, and suppliers. Ultimately, our aim is to remain at the forefront of sustainability, leadership, and innovation. For instance, the GEN3 car, designed with sustainability KPIs and circular economy principles, exemplifies our commitment. Additionally, our consistent top ranking in the ESG global sport ranking for the second consecutive year showcases our dedication to these principles.”
Formula E’s message is clear: racing can be thrilling without causing harm to the planet. Several manufacturers in the championship, such as Jaguar and Maserati, have taken significant steps towards producing electric road vehicles. They have pledged to transition to an all-electric lineup by the end of the decade. Palle emphasizes that the advancements made by these teams have not only influenced their road car production but have also attracted the interest of sponsors supporting the Championship.
The teams and partners that join us will be part of our commitment to sustainability, which is reflected in the technological advancements we make. For our partners, they see an opportunity to collaborate with us and develop sustainable solutions that can be implemented on a larger scale. Take Nissan, for example, who have been with us since the beginning of Formula E. Through their involvement, the battery capacity of their Nissan Leaf road car has increased by over 180 percent. This is a result of the research and improvements made in our garages, which have been transferred to everyday passenger cars.
Another example is our insurance partner, Allianz, who has been working with us for many seasons on addressing plastic pollution. They have made it a priority at the group level and have used our partnership to create initiatives around hydrogen stations. Through this collaboration, we have been able to eliminate over half-a-million plastic bottles from landfills and oceans. Allianz is also using this partnership to showcase their capabilities and achievements to their clients.
Formula E is currently in Season 10, and we have set various targets for ourselves. Under the guidance of our CEO, Jeff Dodds, we are focused on maintaining our environmental strategy and expanding our work with the FIA’s Girls on Track program. Our goal is to remain aligned with our Net Zero carbon strategy and reduce CO2 emissions related to the Championship by 50 percent by 2030. This includes addressing logistics, travel, event operations, and even food served at our events. We are proud to say that we have been on track to achieve this goal for the past three years, despite the challenges of exponential growth.
On the social side, we continue to prioritize children and their education and empowerment. Through partnerships with organizations like UNICEF, we are able to support programs that promote gender equality and female empowerment. Our flagship program, Girls on Track, aims to inspire young girls to pursue careers in motorsport or STEM fields. We offer them the opportunity to drive electric karts and expose them to role models who have excelled in the industry. By expanding this program and having it at every event this season, we hope to double the impact and create a pool of talented females who can contribute to motorsport in various roles.
We are also committed to maintaining high standards in environmental, social, and governance practices. This year, we are working towards achieving B Corp certification, which recognizes businesses that demonstrate exceptional levels of sustainability. Additionally, we strive to be at the top of the Global Sustainability Benchmark in Sport, having ranked first in the motorsport category for three consecutive years. This not only showcases our commitment to sustainability but also proves that sustainability and sport can coexist and reinforce each other.
We recently shared a video on our social media channels featuring Reem Al Aboud in our BETA car, setting a new 0-60 speed benchmark. This is a prime example of how sustainability and sport can come together to create social impact. The innovation and technology used in the car captivate fans and generate excitement, while also highlighting the importance of sustainability.
Lastly, we continue to collaborate with our teams and partners to promote sustainability in their own narratives. We have established a conferencing platform called “Change.Accelerated.Live” where we bring together teams and partners for thought leadership discussions. Our next event will be held in Tokyo, where we will explore the future of net zero societies and discuss topics such as diversity, equality, and inclusion in sports and technical industries. Our goal is to leave a lasting legacy through these initiatives.