GM Employees on Mission to Transform Transportation

Sustainability report outlines vehicle and manufacturing progress; sets new targets

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May 07, 2015, 09:00 ET

DETROIT, May 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- General Motors' just-released sustainability report chronicles efforts by the company's 216,000 employees to live out GM's newly defined purpose and values by earning customer loyalty, applying meaningful technology advances and improving the communities where it does business.

These actions – led by CEO Mary Barra – further drive sustainability into the company's culture through building safer and smarter vehicles with less environmental impact.

"GM will take a leading role in the auto industry's transformation as it undergoes an unprecedented period of change," said Bob Ferguson, senior vice president, GM Global Public Policy. "From GM's labs to its assembly lines, our people are driving the world to a better place through improved mobility."

The company believes the future is electric, with billions of investment to support an all-in-house approach to the development and manufacturing of electrified vehicles. It now counts 180,834 on the road in the U.S – up from 153,034 in 2013.

Chevrolet is helping make EVs more mainstream by:

Expanding sales of the Spark EV to Maryland, which has a strong infrastructure
Committing to produce an electric family vehicle for all 50 states that will go 200 miles on a charge and cost roughly $30,000
Designing the second-generation Volt arriving at dealerships this fall with a lower price than the original
Announcing a hybrid version of the Malibu that is expected to get a combined 47 city/highway MPG

Additionally, Cadillac announced plans for a plug-in hybrid of its range-topping Cadillac CT6 and Buick offers e-Assist light electrification technology on its LaCrosse and Regal.

GM's efforts extend to responsible manufacturing practices. In 2014, the company ended use of coal as an energy source in its North America plants and continues to invest in renewable energy around the world. It now uses 105 megawatts of renewables – up from 66 MW last year – and will exceed its 125 MW commitment in 2016 with a new wind project. GM recently added four solar arrays, expanded landfill gas use at facilities in Orion Township, Mich., and Fort Wayne, Ind., and uses process steam generated from municipal waste at its Detroit-Hamtramck plant.

GM's 122 landfill-free facilities inspired an aspirational goal to become the first automaker with all manufacturing sites sending zero waste to landfill. These waste management efforts help to curb climate change. The company's recycling and reuse efforts in 2014 – 2.5 million metric tons – avoided more than 10 million metric tons of CO₂-equivalent emissions, which more than offset its worldwide manufacturing emissions.

Progress against other 2020 global manufacturing commitments with a 2010 baseline includes:

Reducing water intensity by 11 percent toward a goal of 15 percent
Reducing energy and carbon intensity by 11 percent each toward a goal of 20 percent
Reducing total waste 23 percent and establishing a new target of 40 percent

GM is partnering with organizations to address systemic sustainability challenges facing the industry. Collaborations during the last year include:

Calling for policymakers and businesses to seize the economic opportunity of tackling climate change and supporting clean energy policies through ongoing support of the Ceres Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy Climate Declaration.
Joining World Resources Institute, World Wildlife Fund and a consortium of companies in establishing the Renewable Energy Buyers' Principles to make procuring renewables easier for all companies.
Becoming a founding member of the Business Renewables Center that aims to double U.S. capacity of wind and solar energy by 2025
Partnering with U.S. Business Council for Sustainable Development on building reuse networks where one organization's waste can be an input for another company, entrepreneur or artist
Working with suppliers to review opportunities to reduce their carbon and water footprints through the CDP Action Exchange.

General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM, TSX: GMM) and its partners produce vehicles in 30 countries, and the company has leadership positions in the world's largest and fastest-growing automotive markets. GM, its subsidiaries and joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Cadillac, Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be found at http://www.gm.com.

SOURCE General Motors