Texan by Nature is excited to recognize General Motors as a 2024 TxN 20 honoree for their leadership in conservation and sustainability. General Motors‘ commitment to conservation, their projects, programs, best practices, and lessons learned are an example and inspiration for us all.

Honoree Name: General Motors, LLC

Honoree Industry and Size: Transportation, Enterprise

Company Overview: General Motors has committed itself to leading the way toward the future, guided by our vision of zero crashes, zero emissions, and zero congestion.

What is General Motors’ conservation and sustainability mission and why is it important to your culture?
At GM, we are committed to our vision of a world with zero crashes, zero emissions, and zero congestion. Our sustainability mission is to achieve an all-electric, zero-emissions world while advancing an equitable and inclusive transition to our carbon-neutral future. Our investments in electric and autonomous technology are helping us realize that vision. Further, this vision is important to our culture because it is essential to our ambition of leaving a better planet for future generations. We envision an all-electric future for everyone. 

What steps is General Motors taking to address global natural resource challenges, and how are these efforts integrated into your overall business strategy?
We are building on our past successes by continuing to make global investments and supporting our partners in procuring renewable energy. Our goal is sourcing 100% renewable electricity to power our U.S. sites by the end of 2025, and globally by 2035. 

Our Strategy
Sourcing renewable energy and supporting the growth of renewable power generation through direct investments, on-site power generation, green tariffs, and power purchase agreements (PPAs) have been central to our renewable energy goals. Our procurement is bolstered by improved efficiency in our operations, addressing the reliability and resiliency of the grid, and leveraging our scale in advocacy through collaborating with key organizations. These actions have led to Bloomberg New Energy Finance highlighting GM in 2023 as the top automaker purchasing renewable energy by capacity.

Our Progress
In 2022, we announced that we had finalized the energy sourcing agreements required to secure 100% of the energy needed to power all of our U.S. sites with renewable electricity by the end of 2025. With these procurements, we are the highest-ranking automaker on EPA’s Green Power Partner list. In 2023, our renewable consumption in the U.S. increased to 59%. In 2023, our global renewable energy consumption totaled 2.2 million MWh, an increase compared to 2022. In addition, the share of our global renewable consumption increased to 39% and we remain on track to meet our 2035 goal.

Who in General Motors is leading your conservation and sustainability efforts and what are some examples of employee engagement in conservation and sustainability at your company?
Kristen Siemen, our Chief Sustainability Officer, is leading our conservation and sustainability efforts. 

We are committed to identifying and implementing ways to reduce our operational water use. We do this by prioritizing high-consumption areas, such as paint shops and cooling towers, adhering to targets and quality control plans in our decision-making process, integrating water-saving measures into new processes, and retrofitting technology during facility upgrades. Additionally, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Water Risk Filter helps us identify water risks such as floods and droughts, informing location-specific decisions ranging from introducing conservation measures to finding alternative sources. Furthermore, we explore opportunities to reduce water use at our manufacturing facilities by engaging employees through water treasure hunts. 

At our Arlington Assembly Plant, we communicate an environmental topic through our employee newsletter each month, and through the team leader packets each week. The team leader packets are also completely focused on Environmental topics once a quarter. These communications include topics such as wildlife habitat projects at GM, volunteer opportunities, habitat project information, and events like backyard bird counts. We like to let our employees know that we have a focus on the environment, and we strive to offer them opportunities and thought starters on how they can also develop an environmentally focused mindset. Beyond our continual communication and environmental education of our employees, we host events that focus on Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) initiatives. A recent example is our Earth Day celebration, during which our team passed out over 1,000 wildflower seed packets to employees. We talked to them about the benefits of biodiversity in local habitats and as a part of our WHC program.

Additionally, we have implemented an inclusive approach to waste reduction, engaging senior leadership, employees, and external partners across our global footprint. One example of how we support this behavior is through our Zero Waste treasure hunt program. Through this initiative, experienced teams from across the company work collaboratively with local facilities and personnel to identify opportunities and best practices for reducing waste. In 2023, we led Zero Waste treasure hunts at three sites across the United States, Mexico, and Brazil. Informal treasure hunts were conducted across all regions where GM operates around the world. Another channel we use to promote engagement is the Sustainability Ambassador Program. This diverse group of employees across 10 countries meets quarterly with senior leadership to learn about achievements and challenges, develop their skills, and support GM’s sustainability aspirations. 

“GM is honored to receive this award from Texan by Nature, as it recognizes our commitment to sustainability and the positive impact it has on our business and the environment. This award reinforces our dedication to finding innovative collaborations and solutions that will lead us towards a better, more sustainable future for generations to come.”

– Kathi Walker, Director of Global Sustainability Strategies

What conservation and sustainability programs and projects does General Motors lead and participate in?
We are proud of our long-standing collaboration with the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) to manage corporate lands for environmental protection. Our first site was WHC-Certified over 20 years ago, and we continue to provide quality habitat for wildlife as well as opportunities for conservation education. Through our collaboration, we have 40 certified programs, the most in the automotive industry. Of these, 18 are Certified Gold programs, which are considered exceptional by the WHC. 

At our Arlington Assembly Plant, we host GREEN training days where students in the local community use water chemistry test kits for water lessons, and microscopes and binoculars for habitat lessons. Students have not only increased their application of scientific process steps but also their awareness of greater environmental integration, habitats, and personal impacts. Students have had the opportunity to study our Wetland habitat at our Arlington Assembly Plant as well as several other nearby water bodies that impact our habitat and species projects.

Through Eco-Green, our educational partnership with the National Wildlife Federation, we have supported project-based learning since 2015. With a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) focus, we offer students a chance to learn about the environment, either remotely or in person. We also support teachers’ professional development and share information through videos, webinars and blogs. In 2023, more than 3,000 students from 20 U.S. schools took part in 75 sustainability projects, ranging from wildlife habitat restoration and water preservation to community gardens and plastic recycling. In addition, GM employees contributed nearly 400 volunteer hours to assist teachers and mentor students. 

As part of our strategy to reduce Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions, we are working to lower energy consumption by improving efficiency. We continue to work on improving energy efficiency at our facilities through a global energy management system (EMS). We are focusing our efforts on the areas of highest use, such as reducing electricity consumption and using less fuel from nonrenewable sources. We are exploring technologies and innovative alternatives to natural gas for heating, paint processes, and foundries as we look to reduce Scope 1 emissions. We are prioritizing carbon reduction within our EV portfolio by reducing tailpipe emissions. The changing environment as we transition facilities has a complex impact on our energy intensities. We continue to internally track energy intensities and efficiency gains. 

To assess and improve our EMS, we have implemented the Department of Energy (DOE) 50001 Ready program across our business. 50001 is a voluntary global standard for energy management systems in industrial, commercial and institutional facilities. We continue to expand the program globally. Focusing on reducing our carbon footprint, we committed to the DOE Better Climate Challenge, establishing a 50% reduction in GHG emissions from manufacturing facilities in the United States. As a result of our energy efficiency efforts and the success of our renewable energy projects, we were recognized by the DOE for meeting our goal in 2022, six years ahead of target. We are also participating in the DOE Better Buildings Initiative, exploring ways to achieve low- or zero-carbon operations. According to the DOE, more than 900 organizations participate in the program, which has resulted in 1.8 million tons of diverted waste, saved $18.5 billion in energy costs and avoided 190 million metric tons of carbon emissions.

What strategies does General Motors use to educate and raise awareness among employees, customers, and stakeholders about the importance of conservation and sustainability?
As part of the program strategy, the GM Recognition team partners with different GM teams to help build awareness and engagement with important organizational programs and initiatives such as Sustainability, Safety, Health and Well-Being, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Corporate Giving among others. 

GM’s Management of Environmental Compliance and Guiding Environmental Commitments are the foundation of our Global Environmental Policy. The commitments are a guide for all GM employees worldwide, encouraging environmental awareness in daily conduct and in the planning of future products and programs.

GM also actively participates in freight sustainability programs, such as the EPA’s SmartWay Partnership, which we have been a proud member of since 2013. We increased our engagement with the SmartWay program by encouraging our eligible logistics suppliers to join, resulting in a significant increase in engagement. In 2023, we secured commitments from U.S. and Canadian carriers representing over 97% of our 2022 U.S. and Canadian truck, rail and intermodal ton-miles with SmartWay carriers. Additionally, GM North America was recognized as a SmartWay High Performer for meeting the program’s emissions and carrier selection criteria. We also extend our freight efficiency efforts to Mexican truck carriers through our participation in Mexico’s Transporte Limpio program. Our dedicated GM Logistics Team continuously evaluates our network, seeking optimization opportunities through route design, mode changes and frequency adjustments. By integrating carbon calculation methodology, we enhance the visibility of our CO2 emissions and consider sustainability in various network scenarios.

Finally, GM has also collaborated with the Emirates Foundation to sponsor a virtual Ideathon to raise awareness about the significance of volunteering for sustainability. The event will involve international teams competing to generate actionable ideas in three environmental challenge areas, including nature, land and oceans. 

Can you share specific examples of successful partnerships or innovative collaborations General Motors has formed with other organizations to enhance sustainability and conservation outcomes?
According to Bloomberg, GM has sourced more renewable electricity than any other automaker in 2023.

GM is a founding member of the Clean Energy Buyers Alliance (CEBA), a business association activating a member community of more than 400 energy customers and partners to deploy market and policy solutions for a carbon-free energy system. The Alliance holds the aspiration to achieve a 90% carbon-free U.S. electric system and cultivate a global community of energy customers driving clean energy deployment. We serve as Foundational Funders of the Beyond the Megawatt (BTM) initiative through the Clean Energy Buyers Institute (CEBI), CEBA’s sister organization. BTM was established to promote clean energy procurement processes with a focus on energy security and resilience while minimizing environmental and societal impacts.

We are also part of the Emissions First Partnership (EFP), a group of energy procurement practitioners who believe in a greenhouse gas accounting framework that prioritizes emissions impact and encourages actions that reduce carbon. This collective has a global perspective and recognizes the value of clean energy procurement in areas with the greatest decarbonization impact. This shift in focus is crucial for the energy procurement industry to achieve significant decarbonization.

Additionally, we have joined other leading companies and RMI (formerly known as Rocky Mountain Institute) in 2023 to help expand grid decarbonization efforts and drive toward a more reliable and affordable grid. The ZEROgrid Initiative (ZGI) is a cross-industry collaboration of experts and practitioners that will create a framework that empowers companies to support grid decarbonization while strengthening grid reliability. This collaboration will launch a roadmap for more impactful clean energy procurement and highlight pathways for increased corporate engagement in supportive activities that will decarbonize and increase reliability for the grid of the future.

How does General Motors quantify investment and return on conservation and sustainability?
Over the past decade, we have been dedicated to achieving our 2035 goal to reduce the water intensity of our operations by 35% compared to a 2010 baseline. We continue to invest in water-efficient systems and recycling strategies to reduce our water consumption. Global water intensity consists of two parts: base water used in our buildings, and variable water, which is directly tied to production. Lower vehicle volumes translate to higher water intensity. We continue to implement water projects focused on both base and variable water consumption, to achieve lower intensity as vehicle volumes stabilize. In 2023, our water intensity decreased to 5.02 m3 per vehicle.

At our Arlington Assembly, the Paint Technical Team, in collaboration with site personnel, evaluated the rinse water consumption in the paint process. Through extensive quality testing, several high-volume rinse water nozzles were replaced with low-flow units, resulting in a 50% volume reduction of 0.1 m3 of water per vehicle in the Arlington Paint Shop. We plan to implement the nozzle change globally this year.

GM is also focused on innovation and embedding circular principles into packaging procurement and design. As part of this work, we aim to have 100% returnable, viably recyclable, reusable or compostable packaging by 2030. Since 2020, GM has partnered with WestRock as the preferred supplier for all consumer-facing packaging. WestRock shares our commitment to sustainability and prioritizes the production of cardboard packaging with a high percentage of recycled content. To achieve this, corrugate packaging utilizes 35%–55% recycled material, while coated board packaging, such as engine filter packaging, is made entirely from 100% recycled material. Furthermore, any virgin material used in WestRock’s packaging is certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. As part of our collaboration, WestRock facilitates the transportation of old corrugated cardboard from five GM processing centers to their mills. At these mills, the cardboard is recycled and reintroduced into GM CCA packaging parts. This closed-loop system has proven successful, diverting 17,000 tons of waste from landfills in 2023.

General Motors Arlington Assembly Plant 

How do you see the future of conservation and sustainability evolving, and what role will General Motors play in that progress?
Climate change is a global challenge. As part of the solution, we plan to make all-electric, zero-emission vehicles more accessible and affordable, bringing everyone along as we transition.

As detailed in Advancing Electrification and Autonomy, we are on an exciting journey to transition toward EVs. Our focus holds immense potential to help reduce the Scope 3 emissions resulting from the use of sold products, as our vehicles are the largest component of our reported global emissions footprint.  Our primary approach to reducing our reported global emissions footprint is through the gradual replacement of traditional ICE vehicles with EVs. The advantage of EVs lies in their lower emissions intensity compared to equivalent ICE models. A slower reduction in ICE volumes, based on customer demand, impacts emissions intensity progress. In the interim, as we work to transition to EVs, deploying plug-in hybrid technology in strategic segments will deliver some of the emissions reduction benefits of EVs as the communities where we sell our vehicles continue to build out charging infrastructure.  Furthermore, we actively collaborate with our strategic suppliers, urging them to set ambitious emissions reduction targets of their own. We encourage them to source more sustainable materials and enhance the transparency of their performance. Through these partnerships, we strive to foster a collective effort toward an all-electric future.

We are continuing to scale up our EV production footprint. In 2021, we began production at our Factory ZERO Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center, which was retooled into a fully dedicated EV facility to produce a variety of vehicles, including the GMC HUMMER EV Pickup and SUV, the Chevrolet Silverado EV, and the upcoming Cadillac ESCALADE IQ. At Ramos Arizpe Assembly, we have started production of the Chevrolet Equinox EV and Chevrolet Blazer EV. In addition to the transformation of five North American assembly plants, we are also investing in component, stamping and propulsion plants to support EV production as we prepare for an all-electric future. Since 2020, we have announced investments of over $12 billion across various sites in North America. Also, we continue to invest in battery cell manufacturing (see Innovating Battery Technology section).

Electric vehicle charging station.

What is the one lesson that General Motors has learned from your conservation and sustainability efforts that others can take back and think about applying within their own space?
Employee engagement and collaboration are crucial for the success of our conservation and sustainability efforts. We have implemented an inclusive approach to waste reduction, engaging senior leadership, employees and external partners across our global footprint. One example of how we support this behavior is through our Zero Waste treasure hunt program. Through this initiative, experienced teams from across the company work collaboratively with local facilities and personnel to identify opportunities and best practices for reducing waste. In 2023, we led Zero Waste treasure hunts at three sites across the United States, Mexico and Brazil. Informal treasure hunts were conducted across all regions where GM operates around the world. Another channel we use to promote engagement is the Sustainability Ambassador Program. This diverse group of employees across 10 countries meets quarterly with senior leadership to learn about achievements and challenges, develop their skills and support GM’s sustainability aspirations.

Why is Texas an important home or base of operations for General Motors?
There are 5,410 employees at Arlington Assembly with $523M taxable wages paid to GM Arlington Assembly employees. Over $880,000 have been donated to Arlington area nonprofits since 2019. Arlington Assembly has supported the greater Arlington area by employing tens of thousands since 1954. 

The Austin IT Innovation Center supports GM’s IT needs including web technologies, end-user applications, dealer and factory systems and vehicle technology. There are 3,127 employees at the Austin IT Innovation Center with $541.3M taxable wages paid to GM Austin IT Innovation Center Employees. Over $390,000 have been donated to Austin area nonprofits since 2019.

Find out more about General Motors’ conservation and sustainability efforts here.

Glossary

ICE vehicles – Internal Combustion Engine vehicles.

Scope 1 GHG – Direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions owned or controlled by an organization, e.g. burning fuel in fleet vehicles.

Scope 2 GHG – Indirect Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that are the result of an organization’s energy use, e.g. emissions generated from the electricity we use in office buildings.

Scope 3 GHG – Indirect emissions from activities that are not owned or controlled by a reporting organization, but that the organization indirectly affects.