Sustainably sourced lithium for Daimler and Mercedes Benz
Owing to the expansion of digitalisation, lithium has become a deeply sought after product.
The key material is essential for batteries and the biggest reserves of the product are found in the Salar de Atacama, a salt flat in Chile.
Several companies have agreed to the Responsible Lithium Partnership, which aims to ensure the ethical management of natural resources, including lithium in Chile. This cross-industry partnership is being partly funded by Daimler, as well as Fairphone and Volkswagen.
The partnership intends to:
- Foster a dialogue among local stakeholders
- Observe and share scientific facts
- Seek solutions to problems
Daimler joins ‘Responsible Lithium Partnership’ to protect locals and avert risks
Daimler is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany and has a revenue of €154m.
The company joined the partnership to address potential risks, most importantly those related to water, and the company has invited the collaboration of stakeholders.
“The region’s ecosystem is fragile and there is lack of consensus regarding the impacts and risks of lithium mining and other economic activity in the region”, said a spokesperson. “Potential risks derived from water and brine table shifts could potentially harm the ecosystems and affect local livelihoods.”
Mercedes-Benz, a subsidiary of Daimler, has declared that it will only source battery cells with lithium from certified sources. Most importantly, this standard will include both human rights and the mining of raw materials which proves itself to be environmentally friendly.
Carbon neutral factory production at Daimler
Check out Factory 56 in the Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen plant, where efficiency and sustainability rule.
