​​​​​​As mentioned above, the Feds require the default to be Auto start-stop.
Your plea must be to Congress or the EPA, not Mercedes.

If Mercedes were to allow your choice, their Cafe MPG would increase, they'd have more gas guzzler taxes, and they'd subsidize Tesla more.
An SAE study estimated 8% savings with start stop, so I don't think it's going away anytime soon.

just needs coding to make it remember
same for drive mode

and much more can be done to make your car be as you wish

We haven't tested our ECO213 installed solution on a 2022 GLC yet, so we can't guarantee that it will work the same way it would for previous model years, but there isn't anything that indicates that this vehicle platform has changed for the 2022 model. You'd be welcome to purchase and try it, and if it doesn't work out, you could definitely return it.
https://www.midcityengineering.com/product/eco213/
This solution would shut off your auto start/stop and also can set your vehicle to individual mode each time you start your car.

2022 GLC 300

I'll set the Dynamic select to my custom mode, and when I get back in the vehicle for the first few seconds (maybe 5 or so), there is a message on the MBUX screen asking if you want to revert back to the last driving mode. It will revert back and even keeps the Start - SDtop feature off if you had it off when you turned the engine off the last time. What I'm not sure about is if it will still give you this option after a longer period of time, such as the next day.

RENT-THE-BENZNINJA service will be available in 2 weeks
for 70$ you can get the full coding service at your home and have your whole car codes as you wish
there might be much more you want then just that start stop thing
easy, no wiring, 5 star service

It'll wait until the next time you start it, no matter how long.
But you have to enable that reminder setting in the menu. Once and done.

There must be a method to change the default, as my 2017 default is sport mode, so all the comments about the OEM setting at comfort of eco are not entirely true. I am looking for a way to set the default to Individual.

That can be coded. Benzninja or Elebest or RJautomotive can re,motely code it. Reach out to them...