Given the trials and tribulations General Motors and its dealers have been through over the last few years, any news regarding the company’s future sustainability is likely to draw considerable interest. Recently GM released its first global report that highlights sustainability in four key areas, Design, Build, Sell and Reinvest.
According to GM CEO Dan Akerson, the idea is to reinforce the belief that sustainability goals are best achieved when integrated into the company’s business model. “Sustainability feeds our bottom line,” he said “and sustaining a profitable business is our ultimate responsibility.”
At the heart of the report is the need for GM to align its business with the demands of society in order to succeed, namely the development of advanced technologies that reduce dependence on fossil fuels to power vehicles, exploring new energy alternatives, using less resources in manufacturing processes and thinking about new options when it comes to the future of personal transportation.
According to Akerson, “the Chevrolet Volt is a great example (of this approach). During a time when we were fighting for our life as a company and managing through a global economic downturn, we still managed to launch one of the most environmentally sound and transformational vehicles in history.”
Besides furthering the development of more efficient and alternative fuel vehicles, the report also highlights the need for an “open and collaborative” culture when working with stakeholders, including business partners (the recent venture with Korea’s LG being a prime example) along with policy makers such as the U.S. federal government.
