Dearborn’s Ford Motor Co. today announced it will use 100 percent renewable energy for all of its manufacturing plants globally by 2035 and eliminate single-use plastics from its operations by 2030.
According to the automaker, by 2035 it will use only energy from hydropower, geothermal or wind, and solar to power its production plants around the world.
As a step toward the energy goal, the company has committed to a substantial renewable energy procurement through DTE Energy’s MIGreenPower program, which will provide 500,000 megawatt hours of locally sourced Michigan wind energy – Ford’s largest ever renewable energy purchase.
Ford says it will continue to do its part to reduce CO2 emissions consistent with the Paris Climate Accord. Ford’s first Climate Change Scenario Report, published in tandem with its 20th anniversary Sustainability Report, details Ford’s vision for the transition to a low-carbon economy and resilience to managing climate risk in the future, which includes eliminating single-use plastics from its operations by 2030.
“We are committed to having a positive impact on the planet and the communities where we live and operate,” says Kim Pittel, vice president of sustainability, environment and safety engineering for Ford. “By working with our partners and suppliers to find solutions that protect the planet and make people’s lives better, we can make an even bigger impact and reach our goals together.”
In addition to the company’s long-term sustainability strategy and targets, the Ford officially launched SHE-MOVES (Strengthening Her: Mobilizing Ventures for Social Innovation), a grant program from Ford and Ford Fund that supports community ventures benefitting women and children in India, South Africa, and Nigeria and promotes access to mobility.
The company also selected three inaugural SHE-MOVES grantees:
- Zaclon India Pvt. Ltd., which trains more than 40 women in India to operate and maintain vehicles, supporting job placement, as well as instructs them in self-defense and personal safety.
- Shuttlers, which provides specialized shuttles along a frequently traveled route while facilitating a customized learning experience for at least 600 women in Nigeria for one year.
- Uhambo Foundation, which provides community-wide support, education and transportation related to disabilities and whole person leadership development in South Africa for parents, especially mothers.
Beyond the new goals and initiatives being announced in conjunction with the 20th annual Sustainability Report, the company also highlights in depth additional details from last year’s efforts and accomplishments around people, planet, and product innovation. Those include:
- Celebrating 10 years of soybean-based foam in more than 18.5 million vehicles built in North America.
- Conducting a formal United Nations human rights saliency assessment.
- Meeting the company’s previously set 2010 goal to reduce operational GHG emissions per vehicle produced by 30 percent – eight years early.
- Announcing aspirational goals of zero water withdrawals for manufacturing processes, only using freshwater for human consumption.
To read the full report, visit sustainability.ford.com.
