ABB announces global partnership with FIA Girls on Track

07-05-2021

Title partner of all-electric ABB FIA Formula-E World Championship to promote empowerment of girls alongside global motorsport governing body.

As part of its Sustainability Strategy 2030 to drive social progress, ABB has become the Official Global Partner of the FIA Girls on Track – ABB Formula E Project – a grassroots program to inspire the next generation of women.

Alongside focusing on enabling a low-carbon society and preserving resources, ABB’s Sustainability Strategy also incorporates driving social progress, equality and diversity, to create safe, fair and inclusive working environments and support community building.

Encouraging women in STEM and in traditionally male-dominated environments is one of the focus areas within this strategy – a great fit for the high-profile platform of motorsport, which naturally brings these two elements together while highlighting the exciting and ground-breaking impact technology and engineering can have.

In line with the FIA’s Purpose Driven movement to make positive motor sport and mobility contributions to society, FIA Girls on Track, aimed at girls aged between 8 and 18, hopes to inspire the next generation to challenge the preconceptions and stereotypes in motorsport. It has been devised to offer young women a positive experience of the motorsport environment and increase female participation in the sector – both on and off track – in the longer term. Through this partnership ABB aims to work with the FIA Girls on Track-ABB Formula E project to educate and empower young girls in their career choices to help them build a brighter and more diverse future.

Björn Rosengren, CEO, ABB, said: "The FIA Girls on Track-ABB Formula E project is the ideal opportunity for us to further our involvement in the sport and continue to use it as a way to help inspire and empower the next generation of women. It is another example of how we at ABB are working with the communities of which we are a part, to provide impactful support across three pillars: education, diversity and inclusion, as well as care for communities."

ABB will work with the FIA and ABB Formula E teams to use their experience and expertise to develop educational programs in the build-up to ABB FIA Formula E World Championship races and promote positive stories of women within the technology and engineering sectors. The partnership will also enable the development of talent recruitment opportunities.

"Our FIA Girls on Track events have already opened thousands of young eyes to the many and varied career opportunities in motorsport, and to further develop this programme with Formula E and ABB as a global partner is another great step towards driving diversity and inclusion," said Michèle Mouton, President of the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission.

"If we are to increase female participation it is so important to enthuse and inspire at a young age. This extended partnership between the FIA, the Women in Motorsport Commission and Formula E can only help increase awareness that the sport provides equal opportunities to everyone, and the enjoyable but educational Girls on Track activities will hopefully encourage young girls to choose third level studies oriented towards our industry."

Jamie Reigle, Chief Executive Officer of Formula E, added: "We are delighted to extend our relationship with the FIA Girls on Track programme, a core pillar of our commitment to provide young women with opportunities across motorsport. ABB works closely with the team at Formula E on many of our strategic projects, so it’s a natural fit for them to become the first global partner of our FIA Girls on Track initiatives. After a successful start to the programme, we’re looking forward to extending its reach and impact in collaboration with both ABB and the FIA."

The partnership is the latest diversity and inclusion commitment for ABB, joining the existing agreement with the Society for Women Engineers (SWE) – the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. Furthermore, ABB aims to double the number of women in senior management roles to 25 percent by 2030.

ABB is the title partner in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, an international racing series for fully electric single-seater racecars. Its technology supports the events at city-street tracks around the globe. ABB entered the eMobility market back in 2010, and today has sold more than 400,000 electric vehicle chargers across more than 85 markets; more than 20,000 DC fast chargers and 380,000 AC chargers, including those sold through Chargedot.

ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a leading global technology company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels. With a history of excellence stretching back more than 130 years, ABB’s success is driven by about 105,000 talented employees in over 100 countries. www.abb.com

About FIA Girls on Track

FIA Girls on Track events aim to inspire young women between the ages of 8 and 18 years old at grassroots level with enjoyable educational activities that provide a unique insight into what a potential career in the vibrant motor sport world can offer. Karting, pit-stop challenges, media tutorials, practical STEM activities as well as fitness and well-being workshops are designed to engage and motivate young girls and open their minds to a world of possibilities in the sport.

The FIA Women in Motorsport Commission

The FIA Women in Motorsport Commission was formed at the end of 2009 under the Presidency of Jean Todt. It aims to promote gender equality, diversity and inclusion and, through a number of initiatives, encourage females of all ages to consider the wide variety of potential opportunities in the sport. From the grassroots to the highest echelons, the Commission is dedicated to encouraging greater participation, supporting and promoting the place of women in all areas of motor sport.