Mercedes-Benz claims to have become the world’s first car manufacturer to offer an independently certified vegan interior. All soft-touch materials used in the company’s new Vegan Package, which is offered as an option for the interior of the new electric GLC, are approved by The Vegan Society.
The Vegan Package includes seat and steering wheel upholstery, headliner, door sills, pillars, door panels, sun visors, the center console and instrument panel, and carpets in the cabin and trunk. Many of the materials used contain a high proportion of recycled content.
The Vegan Society has certified that across all stages of production and processing, no ingredients or additives of animal origin have been used in any of the materials.
“With the joint project between The Vegan Society and Mercedes-Benz, we have reached a new milestone: it is the first time that a car interior has been third-party certified and approved by the Vegan Trademark,” said Gabriela Chalkia-Jackson, Client Relations Manager of the Vegan Trademark. “We are thrilled that Mercedes-Benz chose to partner with us on this journey, and we have certainly learnt a lot from the two-year-long project.”
“We go the extra mile”
As part of the certification process, The Vegan Society audited interior materials currently used in Mercedes-Benz vehicles to determine whether they contained animal-based components. If so, the materials underwent further development, and the affected components were replaced with animal-free alternatives. These were required to meet Mercedes-Benz’s standards of quality and perceived value.
The Vegan Society then independently audited and certified approximately 100 material components from various Mercedes-Benz suppliers in accordance with its certification standards.
Mercedes-Benz has previously partnered with ethical material suppliers such as vegan silk innovator AMSilk and animal-free leather producer Modern Meadow. The company has also announced plans to introduce predominantly plant-based menus at its German canteens.
“At Mercedes-Benz, we don’t take shortcuts – instead, we go the extra mile,” said Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG and Chief Technology Officer, Development & Procurement. “The certification of our vegan interior by The Vegan Society underlines this approach: transparency and trust are very important to us.”
