General Motors·Automotive·Detroit, Michigan, US·Founded 1908·Last verified 31 May 2026
29
out of 100
Significant gapsPending Review-16 since last review

GM's sustainability record is dominated by rising absolute emissions despite operational improvements. Scope 3 emissions—99% of its footprint—grew 11.7% in 2024, driven by a fleet still 69-72% trucks and SUVs. The company departed SBTi validation in 2024, faced a $145.8M EPA fine for emissions cheating on 5.9M vehicles, and lobbies against clean vehicle standards while greenwashing renewable energy claims.

The calculation

Every score shows its working.

Same formula for every company. No curve. No private weighting.

SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × Scale
Industry base impact
Automotive sector ceiling.
35 / 100
Performance score
Sum of the 10 rubric questions, scored 0–10 each.
44 / 100
Raw score
Weighted average before scale penalty.
(0.3 × 35) + (0.7 × 44) = 41.3
Scale penalty
Multiplier based on absolute emissions volume — physics-first.
× 0.7
Final score
Rounded. Significant gaps.
29 / 100
The ten questions

Where General Motors is strong, and where it isn't.

Strongest on Carbon Footprint — Operations and Energy Source (7/10, 6/10). Weakest on Emissions Trajectory and Controversies & Red Flags (2/10, 3/10).

Where the evidence comes from

Every document used, listed.

16 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which rubric questions it informed.

12 of 16 sources are third-party verified or public record.

[1]Self-reported
2024 TCFD Report
2024
Q1Q2Q3
View →
[2]Self-reported
2023 Sustainability Report
2024
Q1Q6Q9
View →
[3]Third-party verified
The Sustainable Innovation - General Motors
Unknown
Q2Q3Q5Q7
View →
[4]Third-party verified
General Motors Zero Emissions 2035 Goal - Trellis
2026
Q3Q8
View →
[5]Third-party verified
GM Blames Slow Carbon Intensity Progress on Combustion Vehicle Demand
Unknown
Q3
View →
[6]Self-reported
News Release - GM Renewable Electricity
2025
Q4
View →
[7]Third-party verified
RE100 - General Motors Joins Campaign
Unknown
Q4
View →
[8]Third-party verified
Thacker Pass Investment Threatens Indigenous Peoples Rights - Cultural Survival
2023
Q5Q10
View →
[9]Third-party verified
Statement on Thacker Pass and Risk to Indigenous Rights - Earthworks
2023
Q5
View →
[10]Third-party verified
GM and Stellantis Track Sustainability Goals - Repairer Driven News
2024
Q6Q7
View →
[11]Self-reported
2023 Sustainability Supplement
2024
Q6Q7
View →
[12]Third-party verified
InfluenceMap - General Motors
Ongoing
Q9Q10
View →
[13]Third-party verified
This Rock ESG - General Motors
Unknown
Q2
View →
[14]Public record
EPA Fine Against GM Over Emissions - CBS News
2024
Q10
View →
[15]Third-party verified
New Ad Campaign Blasts GM and Ford Hypocrisy - Center for Biological Diversity
2023
Q10
View →
[16]Third-party verified
Net Zero Tracker - General Motors
Ongoing
Q8
View →

If you believe a source has been misread or a newer version exists, submit a challenge.

General Motors in context

Where General Motors sits among automotive peers.

Among the 24 major automotive brands we've scored, General Motors is tied =11th of 24, with 2 others.

=11/24
General Motors's rank
30
Industry average
22
Industry low
45
Industry high
How this score has moved

General Motors's score over time.

today

Score history begins 8 February 2026.

As General Motors's score updates, the trajectory will appear here.

We're backfilling historical scores for FTSE 100 and S&P 100 companies over the coming weeks.

What's being contested

This score is not currently being contested.

Every challenge is published. We'd rather be corrected than wrong — that's the whole point.

No challenges submitted yet. If you have evidence that contradicts this score, you can challenge any question above — cite a public source and we'll review it.

About General Motors

General Motors is a Detroit-based automotive manufacturer founded in 1908, employing 164,000 globally with $156.7B annual revenue (FY2022). A legacy ICE producer, GM is pivoting toward electrification but remains dependent on high-emission vehicle sales. It is the second-largest US automaker by revenue.

Founded
1908
Headquarters
Detroit, Michigan, US
Employees
~164,000 (2019)
Annual revenue
~$187B
Company website ↗
Track General Motors

We'll let you know when the score moves.

Email alerts when a rubric question is verified, a challenge is resolved, or the overall score changes.

THE SUNDAY RUNDOWN

Which companies moved this week, and why.

One email, every Sunday. Score changes, new research, the stories behind the numbers. Free.

No spam. Unsubscribe in one click.

HOW SINK STAYS INDEPENDENT

Readers and institutions support our work. Companies can pay to submit evidence we couldn't find. Neither type of payment changes a score.