McLaren Racing Signs Strategic Alliance To Diversify Talent
June 30, 2021
McLaren Racing is pioneering a strategic alliance with four expert partners to drive forward a programme of collaborative initiatives to diversify talent in motorsport.
The four partners are: Women’s Engineering Society (WES);EqualEngineers; The Smallpeice Trust; and Creative Access.
The alliance, known as McLaren Racing Engage, will advance the team’s diversity, equality and inclusion agenda as part of its broader sustainability programme, including its commitment to F1’s WeRaceAsOne platform.
The alliance will drive a shared agenda to:
- Promote STEM and F1 as an accessible vocation to under-represented and under-privileged groups
- Foster a diverse and inclusive culture within McLaren’s workforce and communities by providing accessibility to young people and under-represented groups
- Advance meaningful and sustained change for McLaren Racing as an employer, and F1 as a sport and industry
Women’s Engineering Society (WES) and McLaren Racing will launch a reciprocal mentorship programme for McLaren Racing’s female engineers and WES mentees, alongside sponsoring the WES Annual and Student Conferences, and playing a part in the annual ‘Lottie Tour’ campaign.
As a founding partner in the EqualEngineers Pathways Programme, McLaren Racing will provide professional support for mentoring and career events. McLaren Racing will also join the 2021 Engineering Talent Awards as a Principal Partner. In addition, EqualEngineers will deliver internal training for McLaren Racing employees, focused on creating inclusive cultures.
The Smallpeice Trust and McLaren Racing will co-design a custom STEM challenge day to introduce students to the exciting world of engineering. McLaren Racing will also provide funding support to their Arkwright Engineering Scholarship scheme, which supports A-Level students with financial support, enrichment activities and mentoring opportunities.
Creative Access will work with McLaren Racing on improving inclusive strategies, policies and recruitment practices to hire, educate and uplift diverse talent in its creative functions. McLaren Racing will also provide bursary support to the Creative Access Career Development Bursary.
Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, said: “McLaren Racing is fuelled by brave innovation, but brave innovation relies on diversity of thought and experience across all levels and functions, reflective of our fans, our partners and our communities. By investing in grassroots talent through these STEM initiatives, mentorship and inclusive development programmes, we aim to inspire the future generations of talent by fuelling their passion for engineering and F1.
“In doing so, we strive to become a more diverse and inclusive team and sport through our commitment to F1’s WeRaceAsOne platform.”
