US auto manufacturer Ford Motor Company, has released its 18^th annual sustainability report, including a short film, that details environmental progress at its operations around the world and a commitment to further enhance sustainability actions in the future.

The company said the pace of economic development in Asia over the past 25 or more years has been remarkable, creating exciting new opportunities for hundreds of millions of people, but decades of manufacturing-led growth has also come at a price, with environmental challenges now confronting the region.

Now as governments, communities and individuals rise to meet this new challenge, the company’s new report details how Ford is leveraging key learning from its leading environmental practices around the world to its operations in Asia Pacific.

“One of the key reasons for this is that they benefit from all that we’ve learned over our more than 100 years of Ford manufacturing history,” said Andy Hobbs, global director of Ford’s Environmental Quality Office. “Many of our plants in Asia Pacific are less than a decade old, so this has allowed us to apply everything we know about sustainability from other operations around the world.”

“When our plants were built in Asia Pacific, we dictated the specifications to ensure we protect natural resources,” he added.

Since 2000, Ford has published its sustainability report to track the company’s comprehensive approach to managing issues related to climate change, air quality and conservation, as well as to identify opportunities that can have a significant impact across the business, from water stewardship to supplier training and education.

The 2016-17 Ford Sustainability Report highlights key environmental performance indicators in Asia Pacific, including: slashing water consumption by 50 per cent, achieving zero waste to landfill, driving innovation across the business, working with the supply chain, and being a responsible business. — VNS