General Motors Releases Annual Sustainability Report, Setting Baseline for Accelerated Goals

News provided by

Apr 30, 2021, 12:00 ET

DETROIT, April 30, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- General Motors today released its 11th annual Sustainability Report, providing an overview of the company's environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance in 2020, and outlining new environmental sustainability goals for the next chapter of GM's work toward a zero-emissions future.

GM's new sustainability goals include reducing operational energy intensity by 35 percent by 2035 against a 2010 baseline; making packaging 100 percent returnable or made from majority sustainable content, and zero waste by 2030; achieving greater than 90 percent waste diversion from landfills and incineration globally by 2025; and enrolling 100 percent of "targeted Tier 1 suppliers" in GM's Supplier Sustainability Program.

In early 2021, the company announced its aspiration to eliminate tailpipe emission from new light-duty vehicles by 2035, its goal to become carbon neutral by 2040 and its commitment to setting science-based targets. On April 22, the company received approval from the Science-Based Targets initiative for interim, science-based, scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions targets.

Scope 1 and 2 targets are aligned with the Paris Agreement's most aggressive goal to limit the rise in global average temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The scope 3 target is aligned with the most ambitious and available modeling for limiting warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius.

On April 20, GM signed an open letter to President Biden indicating support for the Biden administration's commitment to climate action, and for setting a federal climate target to help reduce emissions by 2030. The letter was organized and published by the We Mean Business coalition and Ceres.

The company also continues to work toward its previously announced goals, including sourcing 100 percent renewable electricity globally by 2035 and 100 percent in the U.S. by 2030; reducing operational water intensity by 35 percent by 2035 against a 2010 baseline; and striving for at least 50 percent sustainable material content in GM vehicles by 2030.

GM reports its annual data in accordance with several reporting frameworks, including CDP, the Global Reporting Initiative, Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, Sustainability Accounting Standards Board, UN Global Compact and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

In the 2020 Sustainability Report, GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra reinforces the company's bold environmental goals and emphasizes that the company's approach to transformation is equally important.

"Once-in-a-century technology transformations like these often leave people behind," said Barra. "At GM, the transition to an all-electric future will be equitable and inclusive."

Highlights from the report include GM's 2020 data center, which features the latest data points across a range of key priorities, including safety, environmental and workforce. The report also includes more information about GM's ESG management strategy, including a recap of progress made toward the company's all-electric future, diversity, equity and inclusion, and sustainability goal performance from 2010-2020.

The report can be viewed and downloaded at GMsustainability.com.

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is a global company focused on advancing an all-electric future that is inclusive and accessible to all. At the heart of this strategy is the Ultium battery platform, which powers everything from mass-market to high-performance vehicles. General Motors, its subsidiaries and its joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Baojun and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety and security services, can be found at https://www.gm.com.

SOURCE General Motors Co.