Ranking
Comparison
Total Score
Environment
Human Rights
Summary
GM’s performance has been one of the worst of the Leaderboard this year. The company failed to publish a sustainability report in 2025, a major regression on transparency and accountability. This caused the company to lose points against many indicators that require updated, year-on-year information.
This is especially unfortunate because GM did make limited progress in a small number of other areas this year, for example, by publishing a new Responsible Materials Policy and an updated Supplier Code of Conduct with new sustainability requirements for suppliers, as well as a new Supply Chain Due Diligence Policy. However, this limited progress was more than offset by GM’s regressions.
As a result, GM’s scores stagnated or regressed in all the Leaderboard subsections this year, causing the company’s overall achievement level to drop by 1 percentage point, one of only four companies to experience a fall in their score this year. This has also caused the company to fall down the rankings from 7th to 10th position, and to be overtaken by Hyundai and Geely. In the human rights section, GM is now the worst performing company of all European and US automakers.
Key Findings
- Did not publish a Sustainability Report in 2025, the only automaker not to do so.
- Published a new Responsible Materials Policy, which details specific goals, strategies and supplier expectations for critical minerals, rubber and leather. Additionally updated the company’s Supplier Code of Conduct with additional requirements on biodiversity and deforestation.
- Has still not published a Battery Supply Chain Report, despite committing to do so in the company’s Batteries Supply Chain Due Diligence Policy in order to communicate how GM is addressing impacts in its battery supply chain.
- A member of the First Movers Coalition sector groups on steel and aluminum but has so far not disclosed any tangible progress in this area.
- Published a new Supply Chain Due Diligence Policy which provides a good level of detail about the company’s risk identification process, including best practices concerning regularity: the process is “ongoing” and relies on the use of “a variety of tools that provide continuous, real-time insights”.
- Regressed on many of the human rights indicators that require updated, year-on-year information and data, such as identified human rights risks, and statistical information concerning monitoring practices and the operationalization of grievance mechanisms.
- One of the few companies that does not disclose any information about any activities undertaken to map its supply chain, and no longer discloses a list of smelters and refiners identified in its supply chain, having discontinued this practice in 2024.
- Continues to perform poorly on Indigenous Peoples’ rights and workers’ rights in the supply chain. Despite having commitments in these areas, the company fails to disclose tangible evidence of how they are being effectively operationalized and enforced in practice.
Score Breakdown
Fossil-Free & Environmentally Sustainable Supply Chains
General
Steel
Aluminum
Batteries
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Human Rights & Responsible Resourcing
General
Minerals
Indigenous' Rights
Workers' Rights
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Supply Chain News & Progress
Latest on General Motors
Supply chain transformation is a risk management imperative and opportunity for a competitive edge. Leading brands are already securing a first-mover advantage and leveraging their power to transform legacy supply chains into a force for good. The revolution is underway.
GM criticized for not responding to Indigenous groups over FPIC concerns with Lithium Americas
A report released by Mighty Earth highlights GM’s $650 million investments in Lithium Americas Corp to help the company develop its Thacker Pass lithium mine project, which has proceeded without obtaining Indigenous Peoples’ rights and free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) and is widely opposed by the People of Red Mountain.
ArcelorMittal to supply recycled and renewably produced steel to General Motors
ArcelorMittal North America said on Tuesday the steelmaker will supply General Motors (GM.N) with recycled and renewably produced steel, which substantially lowers CO2 emissions.
Material will be supplied from ArcelorMittal Dofasco in Hamilton, Ontario and shipments are expected to begin in the second quarter of 2023, the company said. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Recycling and unionization in GM’s battery supply chain
In November 2022, GM and Cirba extended an agreement for the recycling “of lithium-ion batteries and cell scrap generated by manufacturing and research at select GM facilities through 2024.”
In December 2022, workers at a battery plant of GM supplier Ultium voted overwhelmingly in favor of union representation by the United Auto Workers Union.
Allegations of forced labour, workers’ rights violations and environmental degradation
According to the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, GM’s supply chains have been implicated in forced labour, environmental damage and workers’ rights violations.
Our Vision
01 — Equitably
Respecting and advancing the rights of Indigenous Peoples, workers, and local communities throughout the supply chain.
02 — Sustainably
Preserving and restoring environmental health and biodiversity across supply chains, while reducing primary resource demand through efficient resource use and increased recycled content.
03 — Fossil-free
100% electric and made with a fossil fuel-free supply chain.
