Reporting and Transparency

External reporting is a fundamental element of accountability. Sustainability reporting not only demonstrates transparency but, in our view, is the basis of organizational learning, demonstrates our values, and both reflects and drives outstanding economic, environmental and social performance. The following are central elements of our reporting strategy.

Materiality

Over the last several years, Ford has sought to increase the materiality and responsiveness to stakeholders of its sustainability reporting. A key part of our reporting strategy has been the development of a materiality analysis process, which has been a critical tool in helping shape the content of this report. The analysis was updated for this report. We used the analysis to focus our reporting on those issues determined to be most material to the Company over a three-to-five-year time horizon. Our coverage of these issues is found in the "material issues" section of this Web report. Other sections of this report provide information on a broad range of sustainability issues of importance to Ford and our stakeholders including detailed performance data, case studies, stakeholder interviews and other supporting information.

Assurance

Please see the Assurance section for discussion of our approach to third-party review of this report and data assurance.

External Guidelines

This report is aligned with the Global Reporting Initiative G3 Guidelines at the self-checked A Application Level. Ford has supported and participated in the development of the GRI Guidelines since their inception.

This report also serves to disclose how we are implementing the United Nations Global Compact. An index cross-referencing the Compact and relevant sections of this report can be found on the UNGC Index page.

Targeted Reporting

Linked with our efforts to increase the materiality of our reporting, Ford has also taken steps to produce more targeted audience-, location- and subject-specific sustainability communications. For example, we have issued subject-specific reports on climate change and HIV/AIDS.

Also, several Ford facilities, brands and country operations produce their own reports detailing the sustainability issues they face within their particular regions or operations. For example, Volvo publishes an annual sustainability report. Several of our country operations, such as Ford China, and local facilities also produce public reports. We have also provided input to the Ceres Facility Reporting Project.

Benchmarking and External Feedback

Ford seeks formal and informal feedback on our Sustainability Report from a number of organizations with expertise in reporting, in addition to the Ceres Stakeholder Review Committee. For example, we asked SustainAbility to review our 2006/7 report according to their and the United Nations Environment Program's benchmarking methodology. A summary of the benchmarking findings, which were consistent with other feedback we received, can be found in Downloads.

Ford's 2006/7 Sustainability Report was the co-winner of the top honor of the 2008 Ceres/Association of Chartered Certified Accountants North American Awards for Sustainability Reporting. The report was recognized for its identification of the material sustainability issues affecting the Company and its disclosure of the greenhouse gas emissions of our fleet, among other features. (See www.ceres.org.) Our 2004/5 report had placed in the top five. Please see "Awards and Recognition" for other awards.