General Motors (GM) recently announced that 11 of its manufacturing sites have earned conservation certification from the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC).
GM now has 71 sites with WHC certification, which is nearly 80 percent of its goal to achieve certification at all its manufacturing sites by 2020. These efforts are intended to reduce the company's environmental footprint, maximize benefits in the communities where GM operates and support the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal to halt biodiversity loss.
"Our global biodiversity progress brings value to our communities and our business," said Dane Parker, vice president of global facilities and environmental at General Motors. "Not only do these wildlife habitat activities allow us to contribute solutions to global challenges, they give us another way to transform the environments where we live and work."
When possible, GM aligns its biodiversity priorities with regional habitat plans and country conservation goals. The company's biodiversity strategy also drives business value. For example, facilities can avoid costs through the reduced maintenance involved with no-mow landscaping zones and native plantings and reduce their heating and cooling bills through green infrastructure. Effective and natural stormwater management also stabilizes ecosystems near company buildings. The efforts can appeal to both customers and new talent while creating places employees want to be.
Altogether, GM manages more than 5,000 acres of wildlife habitat in 14 countries.
The WHC partners with corporations, their employees, fellow conservation organizations, government agencies and community members to recognize and encourage wildlife habitat projects for conservation, education and recreation.
For more information, visit www.gm.com.