3.06.2001 ET

(CSRwire) General Motors was today named the first recipient of the Sustainable Business Institute's (SBI) Seal of Sustainability for its commitment to integrating environmental, social and economic objectives into both daily business decisions and future planning activities.

The SBI seal honors businesses and business leaders throughout the world who have proposed or implemented noteworthy sustainable business practices. By "sustainable," SBI refers to those actions that in some way enhance ecosystem health or reduce resource consumption, while meeting the broader expectations of society.

Specifically, GM earned the seal for its work to reduce waste and pollutants, conserve resources, and use recycled materials at every stage of a product's development and use. This "life cycle" thinking in the design, manufacturing, use, and disposal of GM vehicles positively affects products and enables GM to balance the economic, environmental and social consequences of its decisions.

"General Motors environment and energy team worldwide appreciates the recognition by the Sustainable Business Institute, a California-based organization, for our ongoing work on sustainable development and environmental stewardship," said Dennis R. Minano, GM vice president, environment & energy and chief environmental officer. "It is a framework we have been using for some time. At GM, sustainability is a systems approach that integrates environmental, social and economic objectives into both daily business and future planning activities. We recognize that only if these objectives are thoughtfully considered and balanced within our organization will we be able to reach our vision of being the world leader in transportation products and related services."

SBI Executive Director Jessica Fullmer commended GM for "enlightened leadership, attention to the environmental effect of its business practices, and a concern for its employees, customers and the communities in which it operates."

SBI, based in San Jose, also acknowledged GM for "industry first" actions such as:

Becoming the first Fortune 50 company and automaker to endorse CERES (Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies) Principles.
Announcing its support of the Global Sullivan Principles.
Announcing the development of a trunk entrapment alert system.
Bringing a mass-produced electric vehicle, the EV1, to market.
Being the first automotive company in China to manufacture all of its vehicles with catalytic converters, requiring the use of unleaded gas to reduce emissions.

Sustainable Business Institute (SBI) — a non-profit organization, based in San Jose, Calif., was founded by business leaders to support and promote the concept of sustainability as a means of achieving great efficiencies and profitability.

General Motors (NYSE: GM), the world's largest vehicle manufacturer, designs, builds and markets cars and trucks worldwide. In 1999, GM earned $5.6 billion on sales of $176.6 billion. It employs about 395,000 people globally.