GM aims for “zero emissions”

Automotive giant General Motors announced that it has appointed Dane Parker as the company’s Chief Sustainability Officer, beginning Feb. 1, 2020. Parker will be the first person to hold the newly created role at GM.

Parker has been with GM since 2015, and is currently serving as Vice President, Global Facilities and Environment, responsible for global environmental compliance, sustainability, facilities operations and construction. Prior to joining GM, Parker was Vice President, Global Facilities and EHS at Dell.

New position for GM

GM is creating the new role of Chief Sustainability Officer as part of the company’s drive toward its stated goal of achieving “Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions, Zero Congestion.”

“Climate change is real. That is indisputable, and we take the challenges it presents seriously,” said GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra. “The transportation sector must be part of any credible climate change solution and Dane’s leadership, experience and passion will help us meet these challenges head-on. Our vision of a world with zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion is ambitious and this appointment aligns our organization to accelerate achieving that vision.” 

As part of GM’s drive towards zero emissions, the company is putting substantial resources behind its effort to develop new electric vehicles (EVs), with the stated goal of launching 20 new all-electric vehicles by 2023. The company is also working with several of EV charging networks to establish the largest EV charging network in the U.S.

According to Ms. Barra, however, GM’s zero emissions commitment goes beyond just developing new EVs. “Focusing on EVs remains a key measure of our commitment, but it’s also important to recognize the role our facilities play in enabling our vision of zero emissions,” said Barra.

In his new role, Parker will oversee responsible consumption and production of materials, GM’s efforts as a global advocate for climate-sensitive manufacturing and mobility operations, as well as the strategic design and implementation infrastructure for electric vehicles at GM facilities.