Automotive and environmental sustainability
For many years sustainability has been at the heart of automotive manufacturing. Principles of continuous improvement have driven efficiency gains across vehicle production lines, resulting in significant improvements across a wide range of metrics including those across the environmental space.
Key Sustainability Data
Sustainability summary since 1999
-55%
Total Scope 1 & 2 energy down
-91%
Lost time incidents down
-53%
VOC emissions down
-33%
Scope 1 & 2 energy per vehicle down
-42%
Water per vehicle down
-54%
CO2 per vehicle down
-99%
Manufacturing waste to landfill down
-78%
Exhaust emission NO2 down
-89%
Exhaust emission particulates down
SMMT 25th Automotive Sustainability Report
Over the last quarter of a century, the sustainability landscape has transformed. The UK Climate Change Act has created a legally binding commitment for UK government to deliver the Paris Climate Change Goals and achieve net zero by 2050 – and the automotive industry has long-recognised its critical role in meeting this target.
The industry’s commitment and progress is covered by the annual SMMT Sustainability Report, published every year since 2000. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the industry’s sustainability performance, across environmental, social and business terms.
Sustainability advice and guidance
There is increasing focus from all parts of the automotive value chain to improve environmental sustainability performance. Key drivers for this include:
- A desire to be part of the climate change solution
- A need to comply with regulations
- Pressure from investors and financial services
- Pressure from customers
The environmental sustainability landscape is complex and can be challenging to keep up with, with associated programmes and regulations rapidly evolving. It can provide opportunities through sustainability related competitiveness gains.
To support the UK automotive industry and its supply chains navigate these challenges and opportunities, SMMT has compiled a broad selection of tools, summaries and insights to help companies of all sizes on their journey.
Whilst not an exhaustive list, this resource library should prove a useful starting point. For companies looking to get more involved with defining the direction of travel, influencing policy, or to network with peers in this area, please get in touch with SMMT.
Resource Library
Sources to help automotive companies navigate sustainability regulations
Why does sustainability matter for automotive
The UK government has set out its commitment to achieving Net Zero for carbon emissions by 2050 through the Climate Change Act. This legally binding commitment sets a clear roadmap for reducing emissions for all parts of UK society.
Road transport will play a big part in the UK’s journey. Road transport’s contribution to the UK’s CO2 emissions is significant, making up 26% of the total in 2021. Decarbonisation of domestic industrial operations will also have to play its part.
In conjunction, many of the UK’s vehicle manufacturers have demonstrated support for this ambition, making their own Net Zero commitments alongside widescale plans to electrify and decarbonise their products.
UK automotive is set to build on its strong track record in improving CO2 performance to deliver against this ambitions. The latest figures from the SMMT 2024 UK Automotive Sustainability Report highlighted scope 1 and 2 emissions were down 5.1% since 2022 and 55% since 1999.
In order for industry to achieve its broader Net-Zero ambitions, the full manufacturing supply chain will need to make improvements too.
Scope 3 emissions, which cover the supply chain, are of increasing interest and importance for companies to achieve their Net Zero ambitions. Vehicle manufacturers need CO2 emissions data from their suppliers in order to measure their own scope 3 emissions and to understand how to reduce them.
It is incumbent on all companies operating within vehicle manufacturer supply chains to understand their own carbon footprints, across scope 1, 2 and 3. All parts of the supply chain will need to play their part.
Sustainability is more than just carbon reduction. There are opportunities for the UK automotive industry to build on its successes and become an even more responsible and environmentally conscious sector, demonstrating leadership across the broader ESG agenda.
To find out more about how to get involved in this area, please get in touch.
SMMT sustainability support
Various resources, services and benefits are available through SMMT’s membership offering to help you on your sustainability journey.
- Insights – Annual Sustainability Report, providing key automotive data. You can be a part of it too.
- Help shape regulation – SMMT works on behalf of its members to influence government and regulators across the UK, Europe and internationally. Membership provides opportunities to have your voice heard.
- Dedicated teams of experts – SMMT has teams available to support members across a range of sustainability issue areas including policy, regulations and supply chains. Members can tap into these teams for support.
- Be part of a network – Through a year-round programme of events and member meetings you can be a part of the network and community of automotive companies and industry leaders discussing sustainability issues and driving the agenda forward.
apply to join
SMMT’s comprehensive membership base covers every aspect of the automotive industry, from vehicles to components, trailers to aftermarket; and from large global corporations to small and medium enterprises. The scope of interest of our members also varies dramatically, ranging from direct, partial or indirect involvement in the manufacturing of vehicles and components, to design engineering and distribution, and a variety of other services aligned to the industry.
Get in touch to find out how to join SMMT.
If you are already a part of an organisation that has an SMMT membership, click here to register your account.
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