General Motors January 2013 Corporate Responsibility Newsletter
General Motors Corporate Responsibility Newsletter
January 2013
EPA Warms to GM’s Coats for Homeless Story
In September, we shared the story of Veronika Scott, founder of The Empowerment Plan, which produces winter coats for the homeless that transform into sleeping bags.GM donated 2,000 yards of leftover material from production of Chevy Malibu and Buick Verano for use as insulation fabric in Scott’s coats. Tom Murray, a senior scientist with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), took interest in our story. Read his post on It’s Our Environment, EPA’s Blog About Our World.
WASTE REDUCTION
GM Awards GDC with Supplier Environmental Excellence
GDC, Inc., a Tier One component supplier based in Goshen, Ind., is being recognized with the General Motors Environmental Excellence Award for its consistent collaboration in supplying recycled-content parts and contributing to community-based stewardship and recycling initiatives. GDC was instrumental in helping insulate sleeping bags for the homeless and turning oil-soaked booms into parts for the Chevrolet Volt.
Employees Rack Their Brains to Create Less Waste, More Space at GM Africa
Recently, GM Africa’s team came up with an innovative way to build up the storage capacity of its parts warehouse in Egypt: reuse scrap metal to enhance existing storage racks. The six-person team repurposed cases once used to ship car side panels into storage units for the Chevrolet Lanos parts warehouse.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
GM Gets Serious – and Taken Seriously – with Renewable Energy
A recent study by Calvert Investments, Ceres and the World Wildlife Fund analyzed corporate commitments to renewable energy and greenhouse gas reductions. In this report, GM is mentioned alongside AT&T, Google, HSBC, Procter & Gamble and Walmart as companies that have committed to environmental activity. GM is just one of 15 Global 100 companies listed – and one of 13 Fortune 100 companies – that has set commitments for both renewable energy and greenhouse gas reductions.
GREENER VEHICLES
A Peek into the Environmental Credentials of 2013’s North American Car of the Year
The verdict is in: The 2013 Cadillac ATS luxury sport sedan is the winner of the North American Car of the Year award. Having competed against every new car released in the past year, you’ll likely think of its performance, luxurious amenities and sleek design; however, its unassuming sustainable features play a role, too.
Cadillac ELR: Where Art Meets Science
General Motors unveiled the newest member of its electric vehicle portfolio last week at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS): the 2014 Cadillac ELR. This luxury coupe couples GM’s industry-leading extended range electric vehicle technology with a sleek, progressive design that remains true to the Converj Concept on which it is based. But don’t take our word for it. Here’s what the folks attending NAIAS had to say.
12,000 Miles of Awesome: First Chevy Volt Owner Still a Happy Customer
You could say that Jeff Kaffee was the first in the electric field. In December 2010, the retired pilot from Parsippany, N.J., became the first U.S. customer of a Chevy Volt, the world’s first mass-produced electric vehicle with extended range capability. Two years and 12,000 miles later, Kaffee is still one happy customer.
RESOURCE PRESERVATION
Be Eco-Prepared: Boy Scouts Visit GM Plant’s Wildlife Habitat
General Motors is committed to increasing native biodiversity at our sites around the globe. We manage nearly 2,500 acres of wildlife habitat at manufacturing facilities, 25 of which have been certified by the Wildlife Habitat Council – more than any other automaker. Recently, Renee Mietz, senior environmental engineer at GM’s Saginaw Metal Casting Operations (SMCO), led local Boy Scouts on a tour of the plant’s model wetlands, a 400-acre habitat that was certified in 2002.
GMBeyondNow Podcast Series: Sue Kelsey, Biodiversity Program Manager – Part One
Sue Kelsey, GM’s biodiversity program manager, promotes and reduces the company’s environmental impact. In part one of our podcast interview, Sue talks about why she chose this field of expertise, specific habitat projects underway at our facilities, and how habitat efforts benefit the company.
GMBeyondNow Podcast Series: Sue Kelsey, Biodiversity Program Manager – Part Two
In part two of this podcast series, we talk about wildlife corridors, the importance of getting kids involved in environmental efforts, and how GM has shifted its environmental focus during the tenure of Sue Kelsey, GM’s biodiversity program manager.
SAFETY
GM’s New Advanced Air Bags Bolster Top Safety Picks
General Motors continues to make advances in passive safety technology with the introduction of two new industry-first air bags on four of its best-selling 2013 cars and crossovers. The 2013 GMC Acadia and 2013 Chevrolet Traverse equipped with power seats and all 2013 Buick Enclave midsize crossovers come with GM’s front center air bag. Developed in collaboration with safety restraint supplier Takata, this air bag is designed to help provide an energy-absorbing cushion between drivers and front passengers in side impact crashes and rollover events, as well as added protection to the driver in far-side impacts.
PHILANTHROPY
General Motors Foundation and Chevrolet Help Distressed Neighborhoods
The General Motors Foundation is providing a $1 million grant to Habitat for Humanity International to help with neighborhood revitalization efforts in 12 U.S. cities. The grant was presented by Foundation President and GM Director of Corporate Relations Vivian Pickard during the Washington Auto Show.
Buick Achievers Scholarship Applications Open Jan. 7
The Buick Achievers Scholarship Program, funded by the General Motors Foundation, will accept applications for 2013 scholarships beginning Monday, Jan. 7 through 5 p.m. EST on Thursday, Feb. 28. This is the third year the 1,100 Buick Achiever Scholarships will be awarded to students who excel in both the classroom and in the community and are pursuing degrees in engineering, design, information technology and business-related majors in the auto industry.
