GKN Automotive recently launched its third annual sustainability report, in which the company announced that it had achieved a 30% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 (direct CO₂e) emissions in 2024.
Here, we hear from Tom Salisbury, Director of Sustainability at GKN Automotive, on the company’s progress over the last 12 months, and its approach to the sustainability agenda for the year ahead.
How has the sustainability agenda developed over the past 12 months for GKN Automotive?
“We began the year by announcing that our net zero and short-term emission reduction targets had been validated by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Since then, we announced our first Europe-wide virtual power purchase agreement to increase the amount of renewable electricity we use; defined the key actions required to reach net zero at our top 20 sites; and reduced our year-on-year scope 1 and 2 emissions by 30% - meaning we have strong foundations in place across our sustainability strategy to build from.
“Beyond the environment, we have evolved our global philanthropic programme to be more strategically focused on local education initiatives, as we support the next generation of talent and expand the support we are providing to the local communities in which we operate. A particular area of focus for this year will be our health and safety performance. Following a global review, we will be implementing a clear action plan to deliver industry leading performance and reinforce our health and safety culture across every part of our business.”
How important is sustainability to GKN Automotive’s customers?
“We have seen consistent interest from our customers in the sustainability of our products and our processes and we are actively partnering with them across the business. This includes working closely with our customers on demands for clean electricity in our production processes, life-cycle assessments for new products, and evidence of our progress in reducing carbon and ensuring human rights are protected in our business and supply chain.
“As new regulation comes into effect in key markets, we are confident that OEMs will continue to see the sustainability of their supply chain as vitally important.”
How is GKN Automotive expanding its approach to sustainability across its global supply chain?
“Our global supply chains play a significant role in shaping the social and environmental impact of our business. Over the past two years, we have significantly expanded our strategy to further engage with our suppliers on sustainability.
“A key element of our approach has been to embed our Supplier Assurance platform, which provides suppliers with an ESG rating, based on their response to a self-assessment questionnaire (SAQ). We have recently committed to 95% of all direct supplier spend being with partners that hold a SAQ rating of “C” or better by 2030. We are also working to reduce carbon emissions in our supply chain, with a target for 50% of spend by 2030 to be with suppliers that have set a science-based emissions reduction target, as well as prioritising ‘green steel’ suppliers.”
What do you see as the main areas of focus for GKN Automotive in 2025?
“Though the commercial environment will remain challenging for our industry, our continued focus on delivering for our people, customers, communities and wider stakeholders means that we can continue to make positive progress across our sustainability strategy.
“We will continue delivering against our net zero roadmap, ensuring that we are on-track to meet our 2030 target to reduce GHG emissions by 45%. We will also have a strong focus on Our People pillar within our sustainability strategy, both in terms of improving health and safety performance as well as ensuring that we continue to make GKN Automotive a more diverse and inclusive place to work.”
