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 of our reporting to stakeholders. A key part of our reporting strategy has been a materiality analysis, which has been a critical tool in helping shape the content of this report. The analysis is updated every other year, most recently in early 2013. We use the analysis to focus our reporting on those issues determined to be most material to the company over a three- to 10-year time horizon. This report discusses in detail the issues identified as most material, while also covering other sustainability issues of importance to Ford and our stakeholders.

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 (GRI) G3 Guidelines at the self-declared 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 (UNGC). An index cross-referencing UNGC 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 continued to take steps to produce more targeted audience-, location- and subject-specific sustainability communications. For example, we produce an eight-page executive summary, to share at events (such as ride-and-drives) for those who want a brief overview of our efforts and progress. And, beginning with our 2011/12 Sustainability Report, we increased our coverage of regional issues with regional reports for Asia Pacific Africa, Europe and South America.

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. Other feedback we received can be found in Downloads.

Over the years, our Sustainability Reporting has been recognized for its quality. Ford’s 2009/10 Sustainability Report was a finalist in the 2010 Ceres/Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) North American Sustainability Reporting Awards. Our 2008/9 report took second place in this award in 2009, and our 2007/8 report was the co-winner in 2008. Our 2004/5 report placed in the top five. Ceres suspended the awards program in 2012.

As noted on the Governance landing page, in 2013 an independent survey published by KPMG ranked Ford among the 10 leading global companies for corporate responsibility reporting.