CDP Gives GM an “A” on Climate Change Action

General Motors for the first time achieved perfect scores on both climate change data disclosure and performance submitted to CDP, the world’s only global environmental disclosure system.

Featured in the CDP S&P 500 Climate Change Report 2014, we rank among the world’s largest companies acting in response to a changing climate.

Our customers expect us to help mitigate, if not eliminate, issues such as congestion and pollution. As a result, we’ve expanded our renewable energy use, continued operating with a zero waste mindset and reduced our energy intensity and emissions worldwide.  This customer-driven sustainability approach also prompted us to restructure our product portfolio to maximize vehicle efficiencies and rethink our manufacturing process to conserve resources vital to the industry.

All of this activity delivers business value.

This particular CDP ranking is important because it demonstrates to investors that we are effectively managing our greenhouse gas emissions as well as risks and opportunities associated with climate change.

Summarizing some of the benefits of participating in CDP, our CEO Mary Barra states: “Our CDP ranking shows that we’re measuring and pulling insight from our energy and carbon data to capitalize on opportunities for greater efficiency. It reinforces our stewardship and sustainability goals. Responding to CDP helps us communicate to the financial community that we’re prepared for changing market demands and emissions regulation.”

Here’s how we measured up:

• Perfect score of 100 on S&P 500 Climate Disclosure Leadership Index. High scores indicate robust climate data and a good understanding of corporate climate change-related issues. This is our second time making the list. We are one of 33 S&P 500 companies included this year.
• Perfect grade of A on the S&P 500 Climate Performance Leadership Index. This ranking demonstrates we integrate climate change into our business strategy and take steps to mitigate climate-related risk. This is our first time on this index; we join 62 other S&P 500 companies listed.

This recognition comes on the heels of other recent achievements including our U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR^® Partner of the Year– Climate Communications Award and Sustained Excellence Awards.

We remain the only automaker signatory of the Climate Declaration and will continue to uncover economic opportunity as we work to address climate change at our operations around the world.