General Motors Recognized For Efforts To Reduce Carbon Footprint And Emissions

General Motors has received a 2020 Energy Star Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence award for its effort to reduce its carbon footprint and curb its manufacturing and vehicle emissions.

Energy Star’s Sustained Excellence award is the highest honor the Environmental Protection Agency-run organization can bestow on a company. It is handed out to U.S. companies that “have made outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency achievements,” Energy Star says, with both major corporations and small family businesses eligible for the award.

GM has made major strides to reduce its environmental impact in recent years. In 2010, it set forth the goal to reduce its carbon emissions by 20 percent by 2020 and met that goal three years early in 2017. It upped the ante this February when company CEO Mary Barra committed to using 100 percent renewable energy at all of its U.S. facilities by 2030 and at all of its global facilities by 2040.

GM solar array in Baltimore

The automaker is also sticking to its Vision Zero campaign, which will see the automaker aim for zero congestion and zero emissions, along with zero road accident deaths.

“Being honored as an Energy Star award winner for the ninth year is a recognition of the people at General Motors who are committed to creating a zero-emissions future,” the automaker’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Dane Parker, said in a statement. “The innovations and processes that have been brought forward to reduce energy intensity, the tools provided by the EPA and strong partnerships with others have been at the center of our success, and the inspiration to continuously improve.”

GM is also committing to electric vehicles in a big way. In addition to the Bolt EV hatchback, the automaker is also working diligently behind the scenes on an umber of future EV programs including the Bolt EUV crossover, Cadillac Lyriq luxury crossover and Cadillac Celestiq luxury sedan. The Cruise Origin shuttle, which debuted in February, will also enter production shortly and begin shuttling passengers around in fully autonomous, emissions-free comfort.

Anne Idsal, the EPA’s principal deputy assistant administrator for air and radiation, said GM and other Sustained Excellence award winners “demonstrate how energy efficiency drives economic competitiveness in tandem with environmental protection.”

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