Green plan helps GM save more than 2 million yuan in China

GENERAL Motors Corp said yesterday its "green supply chain" plan introduced in China two years ago, has helped to save more than two million yuan (US$264,000) over the past two years, and GM is expecting more suppliers will be willing to join the plan in the coming three years.

The "green supply chain" plan is an environmental-protection program that honors the GM supplier that best supports the companies' environmental initiatives. Eight suppliers received awards yesterday at a special forum recognizing environmental achievements held in Shanghai. According to an official from GM China, 70% GM suppliers in China may join the green supplier chain by 2010.

The Suppliers Partnership for the Environment, launched by the World Environment Center, helped GM's Chinese suppliers to gain better efficiency by using environmentally oriented materials and reducing wastes with their consolidated operations.

The program is part of General Motors' move to respond to the Chinese central government's initiative to cut the energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product by 20 percent in five years by 2010. In addition, GM China also announced that it would further invest 180,000 dollars for the eco-protection program at the nearby Chongming Island, which aims to make Shanghai an eco-city by 2010.