Thank you for joining me for the final United Journey profile piece of 2020.
This series has provided me with the chance to speak to so many influential and innovative leaders, especially in my city. I have a pretty obvious bias towards all things Baltimore.
The purpose of this series is to highlight leaders in sports & entertainment who embody the win-win-win mentality. I started to recognize early on that this platform could prove that there are influential and innovative leaders ready to collaborate all over the world.
I have always been a supporter and admire the global reach of sport. Early this year in quarantine, I decided to learn more about Formula 1 and the operational aspects of a truly global sport.
Like all things 2020, I was lucky to virtually run into our featured guest, Tristan Niesslein, Founder of Niesslein Sustainability Partners (NSP), during a conference.
Tristan and I have spoken several times regarding the historic 2020 F1 season, sustainability in Motorsport, and the global influence of the sport.
Who is Tristan Niesslein?
If anyone was born to push sustainability through a global platform, it is Tristan Niesslein.
He grew up in Cornwall, England, a small, coastal tourist county with an industrial past. From a young age, Tristan fell in love with the town sport, surfing. His home was 15 minutes away from the Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) HQ. Tristan and his friends rocked SAS stickers on all of their gear, essentially becoming environmental activists before they ever realized what they were doing.
I thought I had moved around a lot as a kid, but Tristan definitely has me beat with distance covered in childhood. Growing up, Tristan spent time living in Mauritius as well as Australasia and the middle east.
Finding Purpose in a Career
Tristan’s education revolved around media and marketing. After his mother passed when he was 22, Tristan decided to take a few chances in the corporate world. His work mainly focused on process excellence and partnerships for large, global entities.
After years of work, Tristan began studying for his MBA. - This part of the story might be where you recognize similarities in the development of NSP and Baltimore United.
“A Master’s degree helps you think differently. You can start to think, ‘How can I change things. How can I build something that speaks to my values and be part of the solution.’ ”
Tristan took the opportunity to develop a thesis for sustainability in Motorsport. This project presented Tristan with a chance to go out on his own after graduation. He was able to identify issues that are not being addressed in his industry and create solutions.
Quick Lesson on Motorsport
I became an F1 fan for the logistical miracles they pulled off during summer 2020 to start a season. I was amazed and quickly learned that Motorsport operations are filled with too many intricate pieces to count.
The sport is constantly developing and is a world leader in tech innovation. From hybridization of engines, global logistics, rights holders, the FIA (governing body), and corporate partners, it is very easy to get lost and confused.
Formula 1 Red Bull Racing Team Pit Stop
In all of his research, Tristan was able to show that Motorsport teams want to lead innovation in sustainability, but are unsure of how to best move forward.
“I realized this is more than just a thesis. I can be a capacity support for organizations in Motorsport.”
At the same time that Tristan finalized his thesis, F1 released their initial Sustainability Standards. The Motorsport community has an interesting split, between the nostalgia of yesterday and sustainable materials and advancements of tomorrow.
Some big sustainability pushes include:
McLaren and Mahindra FIA 3* Certified
Mercedes Net Carbon Zero by end of 2020
F1 Net Carbon Zero by 2030
Launch of Formula E and Extreme E
F1 and Formula E sign UN Sports for Climate Action Framework
Who are Niesslein Sustainability Partners?
Tristan was able to officially start NSP in November 2019 and positioned himself as a support structure for sustainability initiatives in Motorsport. NSP offers a selection of services that can be considered the 1st dedicated Motorsport Sustainability Consultancy.
Strategy Setting
Organizational Delivery
Athlete Responsibility
Partnership Facilitation
Formula E has been a leader in the sustainability space as well as the new Extreme E series. NSP plans to be, “an enduring part of the move for motorsport to be the least environmentally impactful and most engaging sport it can be.”
Lewis Hamilton’s Extreme E Team X44 2021 Car
The firm’s primary service is executive strategy support. NSP acknowledges the influence of middle-managers throughout organizations and how they are the leaders who can engage employees, get buy in, and spark change-makers to act.
NSP also supports individuals and all types of businesses in Motorsport. It is no secret that the sport has a very high financial barrier to entry, and NSP reaches out to organizations of all levels to attempt to remove barriers through environmental best practices.
Partnerships
A long-term partner for NSP is the Dawson Racing family. Father and son Ian and Simon Dawson recently announced a partnership with NSP and their virtual racing brand, D3eSports, to become net carbon neutral.
“It is authentic, we aren’t just doing it to send some emails about saving the planet.”
Goals of the partnership include:
A full strategy focused on environmental sustainability that encompasses short, medium, and long-term goal setting and operational excellence
Setting a policy and approach towards a full Environmental Management System (EMS)
Create an Environmental Policy and Statement for the company
Oversee planning the implementation approach and management of its execution
Create a template to inspire future generations via D3eSports tournament series
The Dawson family has a strong racing history and the family wants to lead industry sustainability efforts. The group is STEM accredited and has goals of putting a team together in a few years for the World Endurance Championship at Le Mans in France, part of the Triple Crown of Motorsport.
Collaboration in Action
Tristan’s focus now includes working with a team and creating a sustainable group that aims to educate and inspire future generations in STEM disciplines.
“We are focused on putting a race winning vehicle together with hydrogen propulsion, hydrogen fuel cells, electric batteries, and other sustainable components such as industrial hemp”.
The team is excited to collaborate in a corporate partnership with Hasbro that intends to get Transformers involved in getting people excited about hydrogen engines and the sustainability push.
Leaders in Sustainability
It is clear that Motorsport is a leader in sustainability. Not many sports have the actual global reach like elite Motorsport. The sport requires immediate feedback and leads to changes in our daily lives. The next advancements from the sport will most likely impact larger vehicles, boats, trains, busses, and airplanes.
“At the end of the day, Motorsport is a chance to showcase the science and potential to engage millions of people to new ways of doing things for the good of people, the planet, and commercial benefit.”
Global Influence
Tristan’s goals include developing his diverse network and supporting all levels of Motorsport, from grassroots to junior levels to the upper echelons.
As an advocate for the power of sports, it felt right to feature a piece on Tristan, someone who lived in a world different than my own, but at the same time, has experienced a somewhat similar journey of bringing a team together.
The influence of sports is massive, and sometimes all it takes is a little push for the change and legacy to be felt. I am happy to collaborate with Tristan and others on how to support leaders across the sports industry to go the extra mile and truly change the world.
Thank you for taking the time to read Tristan’s story.
More features coming after the new year! Exciting things happening in 2021! Please subscribe to stay up-to-date on our latest news and continue to share our content. Happy Holidays! Stay safe!
Thank you Tristan for taking part in the United Journey Series. Hopefully we meet in person in Austin, TX for the 2021 USA Grand Prix. Cheers!