Bentley Motors is the most sought-after luxury car brand in the world, but we want to be so much more than that. Engineering, innovation and excellence at Bentley have always stood tall in our values and aims as a company. However, as a part of our bespoke Beyond100 strategy, our aim is to be a sustainable, inclusive and diverse company, focused on advancing life chances and delivering sustainable luxury to all our customers and beyond.
The company’s headquarters in Crewe, United Kingdom, is home to all its operations including design, R&D, engineering and production of the company’s three model lines: Continental, Flying Spur, Bentayga.
The combination of engineering expertise and cutting-edge technology with fine craftsmanship, using skills handed down over generations, is unique to UK luxury car brands such as Bentley, and is an example of high-value British manufacturing at its best. The company, part of the Volkswagen Group since 1998, currently employs around 4,000 people in Crewe. Bentley is reprioritising its model plan and accelerating its journey towards electrification, with hybrid or electric versions of all Bentley models by 2026. Moreover, we seek to be end-to-end carbon neutral by 2030, and we are committed to increasing diversity in management to 30 per cent by 2025.
The three highlight projects 2021
“BENTLEY COMMITS TO DELIVERING ITS BEYOND100 STRATEGY’’
Bentley and Cheshire Community Foundation confirm support for 11 projects through the Covid Impact Fund
Bentley Motors is working with long-term partner, Cheshire Community Foundation, to launch a Covid impact fund supporting key projects in the Crewe area, UK. A series of one-off grants ranging from £5,000 to £25,000 were made available from the impact fund which totaled over £180,000. The aim being to deliver a 12-month programme of activities focused on making a real difference across the community.
The announcement highlights Bentley’s commitment to Social Sustainability under the aim of ‘Advancing Life Chances’ within the Beyond100 strategy. The launch of the new fund significantly bolstered the funding available to local not-for-profit organisations in 2021 and helped with projects that tackled key areas of concern such as food poverty; mental health and wellbeing; debt relief and financial education. The successful applicants included Motherwell the women’s mental health charity, Pennysmart money advice organisation, and Chance Changing Lives community pantry. These projects have had a real measurable impact, directly involving over 5,000 people, helping to rebuild their lives after the pandemic and sending positive ripples out through the community with an estimated 10,000 further family members due to benefit indirectly. All of this work further builds our solid community work through the pandemic including donating PPE equipment to local healthcare centers, as well as some of our amazing staff also volunteering during 2020/21 to support those most in need.
Bentley Motors is taking another step on its Beyond100 journey towards enhancing the environmental sustainability of its products and materials, as it becomes the first automotive member of the Leather Working Group. Bentley renews carbon neutrality certification for a third year for operations and cuts offsets by 81% following significant carbon reductions
Bentley’s status as a member of the Leather Working Group underlines the company’s commitment to ensuring each and every material is of the highest standard in terms of quality and sustainability. Established in 2005, the Leather Working Group aims to improve environmental performance in the leather industry, the Leather Working Group audits leather manufacturers against clear best practice benchmarks and stringent audit standards which are independently monitored. Bentley is now a fully approved corporate member and is working towards ensuring that by the start of 2022, all of its leather is sourced from suppliers and tanneries that have successfully completed the Leather Working Group audit process, with the end goal of each one achieving the Leather Working Group’s gold standard award through a culture of continuous improvement.
This year also confirms the recertification of Bentley’s headquarters and operations in Crewe to PAS 2060 Carbon Neutral specification, by the internationally-recognised Carbon Trust. Since first being certified as carbon neutral in 2019, Bentley has continued to invest in further emissions reduction, with the result that the use of off-sets has decreased by 81% over the same period. Thanks to focused actions by colleagues and the effects of the pandemic on reducing business travel, Bentley’s carbon footprint for operations has dropped from 17,482 tCO2e in 2019 to 3,341 tCO2e in 2020.
Bentley sets out five step diversity and inclusion plan under Beyond100 strategy
Bentley’s five step strategy focuses on outreach, recruitment, succession planning, culture and development. Early careers talent acquisition will be over-indexed towards organisations with diverse intakes, while the recruitment of established hires will explore new talent pools. To ensure that all talent within the business is supported, succession planning will be reviewed to ensure early identification of diverse talent within the business. Development programmes will ensure that colleagues from all walks of life are able to grow and achieve their full potential. This will be underpinned by measurable KPIs and targets, and Board-led engagement to drive a positive culture and remove unconscious bias. The recently-launched colleague network groups will also help drive engagement within the business through a series of strategic events and activities.
To mark the launch of the strategy, a challenge was set to the Bentley Design team to create an automotive artwork that celebrates diversity in all its forms. Designer Rich Morris, who paints and sculpts in his spare time, rose to the challenge by creating a piece of four-wheeled art using the nine colours of the Progress flag. His design joins the words “Love is Love” through a single, unbroken line, that traces faces, dancing figures and shapes – representing the unifying power of humanity, regardless of race, creed or sexuality. The Unifying Spur is a symbol of Bentley’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in all forms of life and work, and demonstrates how closely linked D&I is to the heart of our Beyond100 Strategy.
Stakeholder Dialog
As a major employer in the South Cheshire region, Bentley plays an active role in local stakeholder committees, including Council-led partnerships and the local Chamber of Commerce. Bentley is also a board member of the Northern Automotive Alliance, shaping the strategy for the automotive sector in the North West of England. As well as this, Bentley is an active member of the Crewe Town Board.
Bentley’s corporate website dedicated to corporate issues and the company’s role in the community. The website hosts Bentley’s statement on its approach to addressing the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking in the company’s business and supply chains and Gender Pay Status.
Awards 2021
“Accreditation for Apprenticeship Programmes – Silver level” - IIP
“Flying Spur is awarded Best Automotive Interior”- Robb Report
“Top Employer UK” – Top Employer Institute
“Bentley Bentayga V8 is awarded Luxury SUV”- 4x4 of the Year Awards