SP Member News Roundup – June 2022

SP provides a forum for global automotive manufacturers, their large and small suppliers, the US EPA and other government entities from around the world to work together toward a shared vision of an automotive industry with positive environmental impact.

This monthly series collects recent news and updates through June 2022 highlighting efforts of SP member companies and partners to advance initiatives with positive environmental impact.

• Autoneum publishes Corporate Responsibility Report 2021 and joins Science Based Targets initiative. With its Advance Sustainability Strategy 2025 launched in 2018, Autoneum defined ambitious goals in the areas of environment, society and governance. In the past year, significant quantitative and qualitative improvements were achieved, as shown in the new Corporate Responsibility Report 2021. In addition, Autoneum has joined the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Learn More.
• Cirba Solutions Unveils New Combined Entity of Heritage Battery Recycling, Retriev Technologies, and Battery Solutions, Designed to Build Circular Battery Supply Chain. Cirba Solutions is now the combined entity representing Heritage Battery Recycling, Retriev Technologies, and Battery Solutions. The company’s focus on lithium-ion batteries, required for the rapidly growing electric vehicle industry, is supported by its robust end-to-end solution for all types of battery recycling and processing. Learn more.
• Circulor raises $25M in Series B funding. Circulor announces that it has raised $25 million (20 million GBP) in Series B funding, signaling growing market demand for more transparent and secure industrial supply chains.  Learn more.
• Ford’s Financial Sustainability Efforts Win Top Honor.  Ford won the Green Debt Instruments Category at the 7th Annual Climate Bonds Awards and was recognized for issuing the largest-ever green bond from a non-financial US corporation. The awards, presented annually to coincide with World Environment Day, recognize corporate and government efforts to address the climate crisis with sustainable financing. Learn more.
• Encamp secures $30M in Series C funding. Encamp announced $30M in Series C funding from Drive Capital. Funding was led with full participation from previous investors, including OpenView, High Alpha Capital, Allos Ventures, and more. Learn more.
• As EV Adoption Accelerates, GM Expands EV First Responder Training Efforts in U.S. and Canada. GM is significantly expanding its efforts to educate public safety, fire and emergency service providers throughout the United States and Canada as EV sales grow. The company’s latest EV First Responder Training program will focus primarily on personnel in fire services, providing instruction and sharing of best practices on how to most effectively support emergency situations involving electric vehicles. Learn more.
• Wind Catching Systems receives investment from GM Ventures. Wind Catching Systems announces a Series A investment round of up to USD 10 million led by GM Ventures to help fund the development and commercialization of the technology. Wind Catching Systems and General Motors have also entered into a strategic agreement for collaboration covering technology development, project execution, offshore wind policy, and the advancement of sustainable technology applications. Learn more.
• Honda Issues “Honda Sustainability Report 2022″. Honda Motor Co., Ltd. issued the Honda Sustainability Report 2022. For the various Honda stakeholders, the Honda Sustainability Report 2022 comprehensively summarizes Honda’s approach to sustainability and initiatives toward the realization of the Honda 2030 Vision to serve people worldwide with the “joy of expanding their life’s potential,” from the perspective of ESG (Environment, Social and Governance). Learn more.
• ICL Publishes Annual Corporate Responsibility (ESG) Report. ICL announced its 2021 Corporate Responsibility (ESG) report has been published. The company also incorporated several SASB and TCFD indicators and GRI standards into the report, in addition to publishing disclosures according to TCFD, as part of its 2021 annual report. Learn more.
• Lear Reports Progress in Renewable Energy, Green Products and Supplier Sustainability. Lear Corporation released its 2021 Sustainability Report, featuring the company’s progress on its renewable energy strategy, innovative green products, supplier sustainability, and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts. Learn More.
• Li-Cycle and Glencore Enter into Long-Term Commercial Agreements and Close Glencore $200 Million Investment in Li-Cycle. Li-Cycle announced that it has executed long-term commercial agreements with Glencore plc. The Company also announced that Glencore has concurrently completed its previously announced $200 million investment in Li-Cycle through the purchase of a five-year convertible note, and that Kunal Sinha, Glencore’s Head of Recycling, has been appointed to Li-Cycle’s Board of Directors. Learn more.
• Li-Cycle Recognized by Corporate Knights for its Rapid Growth as a Sustainable Canadian Company. Li-Cycle announced that it has been selected by Corporate Knights as one of Canada’s Fastest-Growing Sustainable Companies. Learn more.
• Stellantis Secures Low Emissions Lithium Supply for North American Electric Vehicle Production from Controlled Thermal Resources. Stellantis N.V. and Controlled Thermal Resources Ltd. (CTR) announced the signing of a binding offtake agreement for CTR to supply battery grade lithium hydroxide for use in Stellantis’ North American electrified vehicle production. Learn more.
• Stellantis Expands Relationship with Vulcan Energy Becoming Shareholder in Decarbonized Lithium Company. Stellantis N.V. and Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd. announced Stellantis’ €50 million (A$76 million) equity investment in Vulcan and an extension of the original binding offtake agreement to 10 years. Learn more.
• Better Practice Award Winner. Stellantis was recognized by the US Department of Energy Better Plants Program with a 2022 Better Practices Award. The Award is for implementing the Excellent Plant Shutdown approach across five sites and using automated system controls to assist with shutdown/startup performance, improving plant shutdown performance by over 17 MW and 28%. Learn more.
• Titan Advanced Energy Solutions Wins the U.S. Department of Energy’s Battery Recycling Prize. Titan Advanced Energy Solutions was awarded the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Prize in the third and final phase of the national competition. The multi-year competition seeks to fund American entrepreneurs who develop innovative processes and technologies that, when scaled, have the potential to profitably capture 90% of all discarded lithium-ion batteries in the United States. Learn more.
• Redwood Materials and Toyota collaborate on electric vehicle battery collection, remanufacturing, recycling, and battery materials supply. Redwood Materials announced its work with Toyota Motor North America to create a battery ecosystem across their lineup of electrified vehicles that encompasses all steps for full circularity.  Learn more.
• WATER: We Have Too Much, But Not Enough. This new program zooms in to examine the latest science, learnings and developments undertaken by one of the nation’s largest manufacturers, Toyota Motor, aiming to become carbon neutral in its facilities by 2035. Learn more.
• NEEF Announces Awardees of 2022 Biodiversity Conservation Gant. With support from Toyota Motor North America, the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) is pleased to announce the awardees for the 2022 Biodiversity Conservation Grant: Enhancing Pollinator Habitats.  The $200,000 in grant funding will go towards shovel-ready pollinator habitat enhancement projects on America’s public lands. Learn more.
• Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP) Publishes Updated Sustainable Packaging Guidance for Automotive Manufacturing Operations. SP announced the publication of a newly updated guidance document, Sustainable Packaging Specification Recommendations for Automotive Manufacturing Operations. The document is designed to provide straightforward industry-supported guidance to help automakers and their suppliers source sustainable packaging designs for use in automotive manufacturing operations, based on proven best practices that have been implemented by industry environmental sustainability leaders. Learn more.
• Automakers Collaborate on Common Guidance for Supplier Chemical Compliance Process Management. SP announced the publication of a new guidance document, “Global Product Chemical Compliance Process Management”. The guidance document was produced through a collaborative process by the SP Global Product Chemical Compliance Process Management Work Group, whose members include automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) such as Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Honda Development & Manufacturing of America, LLC, Stellantis, and Toyota Motor North America. Learn more.
• Trade groups think through tomorrow’s supply chain. Electric vehicle stakeholders must figure out how to build a supply chain for tomorrow, with access to raw materials and rigorous environmental and labor standards. Read more.

SP members may send their environmental sustainability news to info@supplierspartnership.org for consideration in future news roundups. And, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn to keep up with the latest SP news and updates.