General Motors has announced it will join the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in an effort to reduce its carbon footprint, a move that will have repercussions across the logistics supply chain. The EPA’s Smartway Partnership aims to regulate fuel consumption and cut emissions, particularly by its freight shippers and carriers.

It is likely that the venture will see GM urging its suppliers to become members of the partnership themselves and enrol in training to help save fuel and reduce costs. According to the EPA, approximately 28% of greenhouse gas emissions are transport-related, with 30% of that figure pertaining to the freight sector. 

GM will now undergo a process of data collation with regards to its shipping activities. Freight weight, the number of miles travelled, and which companies are used to transport components and finished vehicles, will all be examined. Smartway will then work with the OEM to determine how best to cut carbon emissions. 

Mike Robinson, vice president of sustainability and global regulatory affairs, said: “Our environmental impact extends from our supply chain to the use of our products. This EPA SmartWay Partnership provides a useful tool to help our company and carriers – who already share our environmental commitment – to reduce emissions and save fuel and money.”

Christopher Grundler, director of the EPA’s office of transportation and air quality, also commented: “By joining SmartWay, GM is on the road to improve the environmental performance of goods movement and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its supply chain.”