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Taking a responsible lead on the environment
For many years, we’ve been working to minimise our impact on the environment.
 
Steps range from developing greener technologies and conserving energy and resources, to working with the Wildlife Habitat Council to preserve flora and fauna around our facilities.
 
We’ve introduced a groundbreaking new approach to building vehicles too, called the Product Sustainability Index (PSI) which complies with ISO 14040, an international environmental management standard.
 
In the future, we’ll continue to move in this direction. In fact, we’re developing a broad range of environmentally advanced technologies: clean diesel engines, small displacement turbo petrol engines, bio fuel-compatible vehicles, electric hybrid, hydrogen internal combustion and fuel cell technologies.
 
Find out about some of the other changes we’ve made for the good of the environment using the tabs below:
  • Renewable energy
  • Greener vehicle distribution
  • Unity in diversity
  • Recycling your vehicle
  • Battery Disposal

Find out more about Ford's global sustainability actions.

Renewable energy
Greener distribution
Unity in diversity
Recycling vehicles
Battery Disposal
Generating renewable energy
Renewable energy plays a big part in our environmental vision.
 
Wind turbines on our Dagenham site now supply all the electricity needed to support the manufacturing at the state-of-the-art Diesel Centre. They produce around 6.7 million kilowatt hours – enough to power over 2,000 homes.
 
Meanwhile, at our Bridgend Engine Plant in Wales, solar/photovoltaic panels on the roof generate an annual output of 110,000 kilowatt hours. That’s enough power to light an area of around 10,000 square metres. Bridgend’s solar panel installation was the first of its kind at any car plant in the world

 

Greener vehicle distribution
By using the rail network around Dagenham to distribute new vehicles around the UK and to Europe, we’ve removed the need for 7,250 freight trucks, which would otherwise have added to the congestion on UK roads. Our production facilities in Europe now ship around two-thirds of their vehicles by water or rail.
 
All this reduces total truck journeys by millions of miles per year, in turn reducing congestion, fuel consumption, exhaust gases and CO2 emissions.
Recycling more and more
All our newly developed vehicles are 85% recyclable. In Europe, almost 300 parts used in Ford vehicles are made from recycled non-metallic materials – potentially avoiding 17,000 tonnes of waste going to landfill sites every year.
 
We use recycled bumpers, batteries, tyres, carpets, bottle tops, plastic bottles, computer housings and clothing. They’re transformed into components such as air intake manifolds, insulation and carpets, as well as packaging for parts.
 
Recycling activity is one of the reasons our Dagenham Plant won a Business Commitment to the Environment award in 2007. There, for example, we take metal filings from engine machining, squeeze them dry of lubricant, shape them into briquettes and sell them on to foundries supplying car parts, such as brake castings.
 
At Dagenham and other Ford plants we have reusable packaging too, with 90% of containers currently returnable. This is part of our Total Waste Management programme, which we introduced way back in 1995.
Unity in diversity
The ongoing development of Ford diversity policy is a key part of the progressive objectives we have set ourselves. Any company that wants to be successful in today's marketplace needs to understand the diverse society in which it operates and must continue to develop its own diverse talent, while offering the protection of zero tolerance of any discriminatory behaviour.

Ford's strong commitment to diversity as a business essential creates the basis on which real progress can be made in this vital area.

Diversity involves each and every one of our Ford employees, dealership staff and customers. It is about engaging people on an individual basis, treating them with the respect and dignity we all deserve while, where appropriate, also understanding, meeting or exceeding their individual needs and expectations.

Diversity affects everyone. Diversity is all embracing; it's about respecting people's backgrounds and everything that they are through the provision of an inclusive working environment.

Understanding the diverse society in which we operate helps us in achieving our vision of becoming an employer of choice – recruiting and retaining the best talent and being the car company of choice, because we offer something to all our customers.

Important as it is, this is not just a business issue. As a company we want to show leadership and demonstrate excellence in everything we do. Our diversity initiatives are part of this commitment.

Our commitment to fairness, opportunity, respect and diversity is a long-standing feature of our employment practices and procedures with both employees and job applicants. We believe that every individual should be assessed and rewarded on the grounds of their relevant skills and talents - and we welcome this responsibility.
Recycling your Ford
When your Ford comes to the end of its life we will accept it free of charge when delivered to one of our appointed take-back stations (subject to certain conditions).
 
We are working in partnership with Cartakeback.com to provide this service, in strict accordance with the End of Life Vehicles Directive shown below, and its regulations.
 
Cartakeback.com has a network of authorised treatment facilities that are fully licensed by the Environment Agency and meet Ford quality standards for the receipt, treatment and recovery of End of Life Vehicles.
 
 
Free acceptance and recycling – conditions
Provided your Ford meets the following conditions, we will accept it when delivered to one of our appointed take-back facilities at no cost to yourself.  
  • The vehicle is a passenger vehicle with a maximum of nine seats and weighs 3.5 tonnes or less
  • It is complete, i.e. contains the essential components, including engine, transmission, coachwork, wheels and catalytic converter (where fitted)
  • It is free from additional waste (e.g. garden/household waste, additional tyres)
The End of Life Vehicles Directive
Introduced in 2007, the End of Life Vehicles Directive (2000/53/EC) requires manufacturers to meet all or a significant part of the cost of processing end-of-life vehicles with nil or negative market value for all vehicles of their brand(s). Manufacturers and their contracted partners must also reach strict recycling targets – 85% of vehicle weight as of 2006 and 95% by 2015.
 
Find your nearest take-back facility
For your nearest location, either call the Ford Relationship Centre on 0845 841 1111 or find a Take-Back facility here.
 
Alternatively, you can call the Cartakeback.com customer information line on 0845 257 3233 or visit their website for further information.

 

Battery Disposal
When the starter battery of your Ford comes to the end of its life, simply take it to any Ford dealership and they will responsibly dispose of it for you, free of charge.

A spent battery can also be delivered to the facilities listed below for appropriate disposal:
  • Civic Amenity and Recycling Centres
  • Local authority battery collection schemes (for details please check with your local council)
  • Licensed Scrap yards
  • Authorised Treatment Facilities
We are working in partnership with Battery Back Plc to provide this service, in accordance with the European Directive regarding the treatment and disposal of waste batteries.

If you have a Portable Battery then this can also be returned to one of the outlets listed above.

Ford Motor Company Ltd, has signed up to the Battery Back compliance scheme to ensure that recycling targets for portable batteries are met.

All battery producers in the UK are required to be registered with the Government as part of an EU-wide initiative to increase battery collection/recycling and prohibit the landfill/incineration of automotive and industrial batteries.

The Battery Registration number for Ford Motor Company Ltd is: BPRN00471.

To locate your nearest Ford Dealer please use our Dealer locator.

Further information about the Waste Battery Directive, can be found on the Environment Agency web site.
 
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