WARREN, Mich., Sept. 21 -/E-Wire/-- General Motors Corporation (NYSE: GM) today announced plans to implement a new, aggressive environmental certification requirement for its suppliers.

By the end of 2002, GM will require its suppliers to certify the implementation of environmental management systems (EMS) in their operations, in conformance with ISO 14001. Environmental management systems are processes and procedures aimed at ensuring cleaner operations, continued environmental improvement, assessment of future risks and commitment to further voluntary initiatives.

"It is our intent that all suppliers to General Motors implement an environmental management system by December 31, 2002," said Harold R. Kutner, group vice president of Worldwide Purchasing and North American Production Control & Logistics. "Working together with our suppliers, we can accomplish much more to improve the environment than GM can alone.

"We believe it is in all of our interests to make improvements in the environmental arena," continued Kutner. "We know our suppliers share the same concerns and will work with us on this effort as they have in the past to improve quality, service, technology and value."

"GM's commitment to high environmental performance throughout our entire business is not new," said Dennis Minano, GM vice president, Environment & Energy and Chief Environmental Officer. "This requirement further enhances our partnership with our suppliers and is a natural step toward our drive to environmental stewardship."

GM believes that implementing an effective environmental management system will enhance any company's ability to accomplish long term business objectives. The new requirement is the next step in setting a higher standard than articulated by General Motors in a letter to suppliers in 1998. It applies to all supplier facilities that have significant environmental involvement, and to those GM suppliers under current or future contracts that extend, or would be written to extend, beyond 2002. It should not be considered a replacement for existing resource conservation and pollution prevention programs already in place at supplier facilities.

Worldwide Purchasing will accept documentation of third-party certification to ISO 14001 or registration to the European Union Eco-Audit and Management Scheme (EMAS) as a demonstration of EMS implementation. Third party confirmation is strongly preferred. GM also will accept a written declaration by a responsible executive that a site is operating under an EMS that is in conformance with ISO 14001.

The decision to enact the new requirements came about following discussions on the subject by GM Worldwide Purchasing's executive leadership, acting on the recommendation of GM's Supplier Environmental Advisory Team (SEA Team) to set a higher environmental performance expectation for GM's suppliers.

GM is the first auto manufacturer to require such certification of its suppliers and is applying the same requirements for ISO 14001 to itself.

SOURCE General Motors Corporation

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/CONTACT: Dan Jankowski of General Motors Corporation,
313-665-3164/ (GM)