General Motors Corporate Responsibility Newsletter
August 2013
HEADLINE:
GM Outlines Progress on Environmental Priorities
General Motors reaffirmed its commitment to further reduce the energy used and the environmental impacts of building and operating an automobile, detailing product goals and tracking progress toward its 2020 manufacturing priorities in its 2012 Sustainability Report.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
2012 Sustainability Report: GM’s Manufacturing Commitments
GM’s 2012 Sustainability Report provides updates on the companies 2020 manufacturing priorities, introduced in its inaugural report. GM is improving efficiency of our vehicles, as well as the facilities that make them.
General Motors on Climate Change
In this video post, Mike Robinson, GM’s vice president of sustainability & global regulatory affairs, explains the company’s stance on climate change, why it’s important to get everyone at the table to talk long-term strategies, and what GM is doing to take action against climate change.
OnStar Teams Up with TimberRock for EV Solar Charging
OnStar announced a project with TimberRock Energy Solutions, Inc. that uses aggregation software and solar charging canopies with integrated storage to manage the flow of solar power to benefit the electric grid. It will be the first “real-world” use of OnStar’s Smart Grid solutions.
GREENER VEHICLES
2012 Sustainability Report: GM’s Product Commitments
Last month General Motors released its 2012 Sustainability Report, which outlines the automaker’s long-term, customer-driven sustainability strategy. At the heart of this strategy is GM’s pledge to meet customer needs for efficient vehicles and significantly reduce their environmental impact, focusing on three specific commitments.
Chevy Volt Leads the Charge on Sierra Club EV Rankings
The Chevrolet Volt received the highest rating of plug-in hybrids in the Sierra Club’s annual Electric Vehicle Guide, a buyers’ guide for environmentally friendly EV drivers. The Volt received a 4 out of 5 rating in the guide, which compares the environmental impact of popular hybrid and all-electric vehicles.
WASTE REDUCTION
GM Expands Landfill-Free Efforts in Asia
General Motors’ Rayong engine plant in Thailand and Cheongna proving ground in Korea are now landfill-free, bringing the company’s total to 33 sites throughout Asia that recycle, reuse or convert to energy all of their daily waste.
RESOURCE PRESERVATION
Community-Focused Bowling Green Assembly Spreads the Environmental Message
GM’s Bowling Green Assembly plant is best known as the home of the Chevrolet Corvette. But the Bluegrass State facility is also gaining recognition for the community outreach work they do beyond the plant floor.
Environmental Engineer in Saginaw Sees the Value in Sharing Science with Students
With the help of Renee Mietz, senior environmental engineer at Saginaw (Mich.) Metal Casting Operations (SMCO), students from Millington Junior High competed in a challenge called “Mission Possible” in Michigan’s state-wide Science Olympiad.
SAFETY
2014 Chevrolet Impala Receives Five-Star Safety Score
The 2014 Chevrolet Impala has received the highest possible five-star Overall Vehicle Score for safety as part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s New Car Assessment Program.
PHILANTHROPY
GM Foundation Donates $200,000 to Safe Kids Worldwide
As summer temperatures continue to climb, so does the risk of child injuries and deaths due to heatstroke. To help raise awareness of this issue, the General Motors Foundation is providing $200,000 to Safe Kids Worldwide to support the organization’s Never Leave Your Child Alone in a Car campaign.
