Ford Motor Company announces it will issue a report on climate change by the end of the year.
The report will examine the business implications of greenhouse gas emissions, with reference to government policies and regulations, Ford’s product and manufacturing facilities actions, and advanced technology development.
“We have long identified climate change as a serious environmental issue, and shareholders are increasingly asking about the risks as well as the opportunities associated with it,” said Bill Ford, chairman and CEO. “It’s time for a broader, more inclusive public dialogue on the complex and important challenge of climate change; our report will be part of our contribution to that dialogue.”
The climate change report will include details on greenhouse gas emissions from Ford products as well as its manufacturing facilities. It will also include a strategic analysis of climate change issues, including the potential impact of various policy and regulatory alternatives and their implications for advanced innovations and technological developments.
The report, which will be issued by year end, will be developed under the direction of the cross-functional, vice-presidential task force that has been working on strategies for addressing climate change since 2003.
“We believe long-term shareholder value and environmental responsibility go hand-in-hand and that planning carefully and exercising leadership now will strengthen our business and our attractiveness as an investment into the future,” said Tim O’Brien, vice president Corporate Relations, Ford.
ICCR and Ceres acknowledged Ford’s decision to produce a report on climate change as a critical step to furthering substantive discussion about the issue.
“Climate change is an enormous business challenge for the auto sector, which faces a double-edged threat of rising gas prices and a growing, worldwide push for greenhouse-friendly vehicles,” said Mindy S. Lubber, president at Ceres. “Ford’s commitment to pursue this report shows an important willingness to face this challenge so that it can better position itself competitively.”
Ford is working on a variety of fronts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. On the vehicle front, Ford is focused on four promising technologies that offer short-term and long-term solutions including gas-electric hybrids, clean diesels, hydrogen internal combustion engines and hydrogen fuel cells.