Manahawkin – General Motors has released an interim update to its inaugural sustainability report, www.gmsustainability.com, published in January. The report features new updates and analysis, and reinforces how environmental, social, and economic sustainability efforts in its vehicles and operations are integrated into the company’s business model.
“Our customers are environmentally conscious, and they appreciate companies who share their environmental efforts and sustainability goals,” Jamie Goshorn of Barlow Buick GMC. “At Barlow Buick GMC, we’re educating people on the fuel-efficiency features of our vehicles and even incorporating our own environmental initiatives throughout our facility.”
GM has realized year-over-year gains against all of its 2020 environmental goals, from water conservation and renewable energy to emissions reduction. The following operational and vehicle successes are detailed in the report:
- Receiving an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year award for global progress in energy efficiencyfrom the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
- Meeting the ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry to cut energy intensity by at least 10 percent within five years at 54 GM facilities around the world – more than any other company. The efforts saved GM $90 million annually while avoiding the release of 1.2 million metric tons of greenhouse gases.
- Achieving its 100th landfill-free facility, meaning a single household garbage bag represents more trash sent to a landfill than all of these global facilities combined.
- Mentoring 9,312 students from nearly 100 schools on water quality in 2011 through GM GREEN, a partnership between all U.S. manufacturing sites and the nonprofit Earth Force to help youth understand how their actions impact watersheds.
- Earning 21 Wildlife Habitat Council certifications for creating or enhancing wildlife habitats on GM properties around the world — more than any other automaker.
- Pioneering an EcologicTM window label on all 2013 Chevrolet models to show consumers third-party-verified, vehicle-specific environmental features related to manufacturing, driving and recycling.
- Selling 100,000 vehicles in March with an EPA-estimated 30 mpg highway or more — a first for a U.S. automaker. GM has more new nameplates and powertrain options on the way that will provide even greater fuel economy, including the Chevrolet Cruze diesel, Opel Adam, Buick Encorecompact crossover and Chevrolet Impala with eAssist.
GM continues to leverage investments in sustainable innovation like the Chevrolet Volt — currently the world’s best-selling plug-in vehicle — and core technologies that will drive even higher-volume vehicle electrification by expanding sales of the Volt to China and Australia and with new vehicles such as the Impala with eAssist, Chevrolet Spark EV, Cadillac ELR, and Opel Ampera in Europe.
The report covers the latest sustainability updates in key areas of GM’s business model to design, build, and sell the world’s best vehicles and create a self-sustaining cycle of reinvestment. The report includes data from late 2011 to mid-2012, while all metrics refer to the calendar year ending Dec. 31, 2011.
For more information on GM’s environmental commitment, visit www.gm.com/environment and its GMBeyondNow.com environmental blog.
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