At General Motors (GM), our vision is to create a world with zero crashes, zero emission, and zero congestion. Under the “Zero Emissions” pillar, GM established multiple public sustainability goals, targeting a reduction in scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions, with an overarching goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. In support of General Motors’s overarching ambition to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040, GM has a variety of sustainability goals within the parameters of energy, water, waste, scope 1,2,3 carbon, and nature-based goals.

This project will have two stages: Stage 1: Case Study Review and Tool Development and Stage 2: Site Analysis and Recommendations. In Stage 1, students will be asked to compile case studies that highlight the value of different sustainability projects and develop a tool to compare different projects based on various criteria the team deems to be most important. In Stage 2, the team will analyze provided GM sites that may be suitable for renewable energy or nature projects that further the company’s sustainability goals. Project recommendations should take into account at least one identified sustainability consideration and analyze the tradeoffs that accompany each option. Example projects could include water conservation projects, on-site solar, wildlife habitats and/or other sustainable technology innovations.