Letter From William Clay Ford, Jr. and Jim Hackett
“Contributing to a better world has always been a core value at Ford, and our commitment to sustainability is a key part of who we are. Our vision is to create an even more dynamic and vibrant company that improves people’s lives around the world and creates value for all of our stakeholders.”
Since Ford’s earliest days, our company has been on the leading edge of change. Never more so than today, as the automotive industry experiences the most fundamental shift in 100 years. Rapidly growing cities and an expanding global middle class mean issues like air quality, congestion, and associated social and environmental impacts are important challenges facing us all. Ford’s dedication to sustainability has never been stronger as we further strengthen our automotive business and accelerate a strategic shift to capitalize on emerging opportunities.
Climate change is having a significant impact on the planet. Everyone has to work together and do their part to bring about real change. We remain absolutely committed to improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions for our customers, and we continue to pursue our electrification and sustainable manufacturing strategies to do our part to help to address climate change issues. We will continue to urge the U.S. to collaborate globally to advance climate change solutions that include contributions from every sector and every country. At the same time, we have challenged ourselves to go further by setting stretch goals to reduce climate-related impacts in our facilities.
As we look to the future, we are moving from a position of strength to transform Ford. Together, we are committed to sharpening operational execution, modernizing Ford’s present business and transforming the company to meet tomorrow’s challenges.
For example, our $4.5 billion investment in electrification – which includes our plan to introduce 13 new electric vehicles globally in the next five years – will offer our customers more capability, productivity and performance, and better fuel economy. In autonomy, our intent is to have a fully autonomous vehicle that brings safety to a new level for the user and solves their everyday needs. In mobility, we formed our City Solutions team, the only one of its kind in the auto industry, to work with cities to propose, pilot and develop mobility solutions tailored to individual communities.
While growing the business profitably, our fundamental mission remains the same: to make people’s lives better. For Ford, the distinction between a good company and a great one is that a good company delivers excellent products and services; a great company delivers excellent products and services, and strives to make the world a better place. This is why our community involvement and investment are cornerstones of our corporate citizenship. Each year, we support thousands of Ford employees who put their heart and soul into projects that give something back. We also continue to invest significantly in our communities through the Ford Fund.
As part of Ford Project Better World, we are looking beyond the traditional role vehicles play in society and are pursuing solutions to address human challenges faced around the globe. Those challenges take us to underserved communities where we can use advanced vehicle and connectivity technologies to provide people with critical services they need, like health care and education.
Our efforts in sustainability and corporate citizenship again have been recognized globally. For the eighth straight year, Ford was named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies® by the Ethisphere Institute – a reflection of Ford’s core values and employees’ commitment to corporate social responsibility at every level of our company.
As we continue to focus on creating sustained economic, social and environmental value, we know that everyone has a vital part to play. That is why we are continuing to embed sustainability across our business and continuing to work with stakeholders around the world.
Ford is a global company with social and environmental impacts on the world, and we understand that sustainability is a journey rather than a destination. We are committed fully to meeting the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
