General Motors Honored for Environmental Leadership

Strategic Insights -

General Motors has been recognized by The Conservation Fund with the CF Industries National Watershed Award for its leadership in the Global Rivers Environmental Education Network (GREEN) program. The GREEN program provides nationwide volunteer and financial support for watershed education efforts, engaging young people in assessing and protecting local waterways. Since the 1980s, GM has supported the efforts of GREEN by providing employee mentors to schools and financial support to community watershed education efforts. This year, the program will begin local water monitoring activities in April.

Key Takeaways:

  • General Motors has been recognized by The Conservation Fund with the CF Industries National Watershed Award for its leadership in the GREEN program.
  • The GREEN program is a non-profit environmental education program that provides nationwide volunteer and financial support for watershed education efforts.
  • Since the 1980s, GM has supported the efforts of GREEN by providing employee mentors to schools and financial support to community watershed education efforts.
  • Across the U.S. and Canada, the GM-GREEN program involves employees from 45 GM facilities who work with students from more than 175 classrooms.
  • In 2003, the program engaged more than 8,500 students, who developed an understanding for and made real improvements in their local water resources.
  • The GREEN program provides a hands-on learning approach that makes learning come alive by applying textbook concepts to real-world situations.
  • The program has resulted in a demonstration of the value of protecting river systems, providing meaningful and lasting impressions that make a difference.
  • The CF Industries National Watershed Award was established in 1996 as an outgrowth of the National Forum on Nonpoint Sources Pollution convened by the National Geographic Society and The Conservation Fund.
  • Three communities and one corporation are honored annually for innovative local partnerships that seek to improve water quality by balancing a watershed's environmental and economic needs.

Statistics:

  • GM has employees from 45 facilities participating in theGREEN program.
  • The program engages more than 8,500 students every year.
  • GM has supported the efforts of GREEN for over 20 years.
  • The GM-GREEN program involves students from over 175 classrooms.
  • GM sold nearly 8.6 million cars and trucks in 2003, about 15 percent of the global vehicle market.
  • GM has manufacturing operations in 32 countries and sells its vehicles in 192 countries.

Sources:

  • The Conservation Fund press release, "General Motors Recognized for Environmental Leadership," March 23, 2004.
  • GM website, "About GM," http://www.gm.com/.
  • GM website, "GM's Corporate Responsibility," http://www.gmability.com/.