As You Sow, an advocacy group, has submitted a shareholder proposal urging General Motors (GM) to publicly disclose its policies on the use of deep-sea mined minerals in its production and supply chains. The proposal highlights the environmental risks associated with deep-sea mining (DSM), including irreversible damage to marine ecosystems and biodiversity loss. It points out that 47 companies, including several of GM's peers in the auto manufacturing industry, support a moratorium on DSM, while GM has not adopted a policy against sourcing battery-related minerals from the deep seabed. The proposal, which will be voted on at GM's annual meeting on June 4, 2024, argues that GM risks reputational harm and regulatory and financial risks by not clarifying...Show More

As You Sow, an advocacy group, has submitted a shareholder proposal urging General Motors (GM) to publicly disclose its policies on the use of deep-sea mined minerals in its production and supply chains. The proposal highlights the environmental risks associated with deep-sea mining (DSM), including irreversible damage to marine ecosystems and biodiversity loss. It points out that 47 companies, including several of GM's peers in the auto manufacturing industry, support a moratorium on DSM, while GM has not adopted a policy against sourcing battery-related minerals from the deep seabed. The proposal, which will be voted on at GM's annual meeting on June 4, 2024, argues that GM risks reputational harm and regulatory and financial risks by not clarifying its stance on DSM. As You Sow emphasizes that alternative battery technologies and increased recycling can reduce the demand for critical minerals, mitigating the need for DSM. The proposal also criticizes GM's Board of Directors for not currently having a policy in place regarding DSM and for not considering the overwhelming scientific consensus on the issue.