AIAG and its member companies have worked collaboratively over many years to consistently offer new and eye-opening information to assist you and your company. Moving into 2021, our stated mission was to educate, inform, and advance transparency in the automotive supply chain continues.

But worldwide, the spread of COVID-19 and its effects required rethinking and replanning not only events and education, but pretty much every facet of our personal and company lives. During this ongoing difficult time, AIAG continues to stand with the industry — just as we stand by our commitment to deliver valuable content to our colleagues throughout the supply chain. Here are some of the CR team’s accomplishments for 2021.

2021 Virtual AIAG Corporate Responsibility Summit

This year’s virtual two-day event on April 14–15, 2021, offered the latest insights and industry information on today's ESG concerns.

Featured Speakers

• Corporate Climate Action — Driving Ambition. Heidi Huusko, UN Global Compact
• Carbon Neutrality and Net Zero. General Motors Company’s journey to carbon neutrality beginning with 2040 and Net Zero at 2050 for their operations and vehicle emissions, why this is important, and the methods planned to achieve the goals. Kristen Siemen, Chief Sustainability Officer, General Motors Company
• What's on the Horizon for Materials Sourcing. Risk profiles of emergent materials beyond critical minerals that procurement managers should be watching on the responsible sourcing horizon. Assheton Carter, Founder and CEO, TDI Sustainability
• ESG Reporting For The Capital Markets. A look at ESG reporting from a capital markets perspective. Gail Glazerman, Analyst, Sector Lead -Resource Transformation and Renewable Resources, Sustainability Accounting Standards Board

2021 IMDS & Product Chemical Compliance Conference 

With sessions focusing on everything from regulation updates across the globe, this year’s IMDS conference on October 19–20, 2021, had a track for everyone. Themed Transitioning From Compliance and Reporting to Sustainability, the day-and-a-half event looked beyond improving chemical and material data collection, regulatory compliance, and reporting to focus on new challenges in fulfilling more stringent regulatory requirements and greener initiatives.

Highlights

• ELV, REACH Update: EU chemical management and environmental topics of concern throughout the automotive industry
• IMDS SC Update and What's Next: IMDS Steering Committee priorities and actions regarding chemical management and environmental topics of concern
• Regulatory Updates in US, Canada, and Asian Countries: High-level overview of new, changing, and pending chemical regulations (including ELV) affecting the auto
  industry in the United States, Canada, and Asian countries with a focus on India and China
• IMDS 13.0 and Future Enhancements: IMDS changes and impacts regarding EU chemical management and environmental topics of concern throughout the automotive industry
• Transitioning from Compliance and Reporting to Sustainability. Building on AIAG’s 20 years of leading North American automotive communities to manage chemicals and materials, regulatory compliance, and reporting as we move forward to deal with the more stringent regulations and greener initiatives of a sustainable future
• Carbon Neutrality and Net Zero. General Motors Company’s journey to carbon neutrality beginning with 2040 and Net Zero at 2050 for their operations and vehicle emissions, why this is important, and the methods planned to achieve the goals
• What's on the Horizon for Materials Sourcing. Risk profiles of emergent materials beyond critical minerals that procurement managers should be watching on the responsible sourcing horizon
• ESG Reporting For The Capital Markets. A look at ESG reporting from a capital markets perspective
• IMDS 101: Brief Introduction into the Basics of IMDS
• AIAG Chemical Management & Reporting Group (OHCL) Update:
  Detailed workgroup updates including OHCL overview, REC and DOC, REC019 under supplier alliance (SUAL), and GHS/GADSL
• Automotive Supply Chain Impacts of Chemical Strategy for Sustainability (EU Perspective): Safe-and-sustainable by design, digital product passport, mixture assessment factor, and key stakes for automotive suppliers to provide better understanding of what lies behind the 56 actions of the CSS
• Case Study: REC019 (Electronics Reporting) and 8.x Deactivation: In-depth review of the changes to electric/electronic (E/E) components and assemblies after the deactivation of Rec01
• OEM Supplier Panel: Re IMDS-specific topics including the greatest challenges for North American OEMs in managing IMDS and the most common IMDS supplier mistakes, plus experiences leading electronics reporting groups, the new SIAP (Substance Impact Assessment in Products) process management, other SCiP topics, and much more.

WEBINAR RECORDINGS

• March 2: Introduction of Science-Based targets

AIAG’s Greenhouse Gas Workgroup worked with the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) to develop the webinar discussing how to start reducing emissions by using science-based targets. The science-based targets initiative (SBTI) helped companies set targets to help them meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.

• March 11: How to Properly Use Stochiometric Analysis to Report in IMDS.

As promised at the 2020 IMDS Conference, AIAG and RSJ Technical Consulting created this webinar to give you a deep dive on how to properly report glass, ceramic, and enamel materials in IMDS. For IMDS purposes, a stochiometric analysis is a breakdown of the percentages of individual elements present in the substances that make up a material. 

• March 23: Future Automotive Expert Webinar on Electrification Impact

In January, GM announced its strategy to eliminate gasoline and diesel light-duty vehicles as it plans for an all-electric future. Other automakers tied to the internal combustion engine (ICE), such as Jaguar Land Rover and Ford, have announced similar plans. This historic industry shift from the ICE to all-electric propulsion systems will dramatically impact supply chains worldwide. In this webinar titled “Electrification Impact,” Paul Eichenberg — managing director of Paul Eichenberg Strategic Consulting — went into depth about this dramatic industry change, and highlights the automaker strategies behind the increasing pace of change, the devastating impact on the automotive supply chain, and the profound challenges facing those who take on this transition.  

• August 26: Future Automotive Expert Event

Featuring General Motors’ global logistics executive director Edgard Pezzo and director Tom Ramos, this webinar explored finished vehicle delivery tracking for dealer and customer visibility. Pezzo and Ramos introduced real-time visibility to track and trace finished vehicles from assembly plant to dealer, discussed how real-time visibility can drive key metrics including customer satisfaction and transit time, and gave examples of telemetry using mapping.

• September 14: DOE Programs: Better Buildings, Better Plants and 50001 Ready

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Eli Levine and Thomas Wenning explained how DOE’s Better Plants and 50001 Ready programs help U.S. manufacturers develop mature energy management programs and identify energy efficiency and cost saving opportunities. Levine and Wenning detailed the no-cost tools, resources, and initiatives DOE offers to support U.S. manufacturing competitiveness and decarbonization efforts. Eli and Thomas also discussed the Better Plants Low Carbon Pilot program, which will help DOE understand and demonstrate how to achieve real carbon dioxide emission reductions.

• October 26: Webinar on Climate Initiatives

With the COP26 (Conference of Parties) around the corner and an increasing number of companies committing to net-zero emissions targets, the climate conversation was center stage, and expectations for businesses to act will continue to increase. This presents a unique opportunity for companies to lead by example while ensuring they are well-positioned against climate risk and to take advantage of the energy transition. The Climate Group — an international nonprofit driving climate action across a global network of more than 425 multinational businesses — presented three exciting initiatives: EP100 (energy productivity); RE100 (renewable electricity); SteelZero (sustainable steel).

• Copper Mark Webinar

Free for both AIAG members and non-members, the Copper Mark: Responsible Sourcing of Copper, presented by Executive Director Michèle Brulhart of The Copper Mark, provided an efficient system to independently verify responsible production of copper that is recognized as credible by key stakeholders. With the Copper Mark, participants can increase the value delivered to customers and their consumers, improve the lives of colleagues and neighbors, and strengthen the communities in which they do business.

• Future Automotive Expert: Challenges in the Workplace of the Future

In Challenges in the Workplace of the Future, Russ Ortisi, vice president of information technology at AIAG, provided insight into the expected impacts and some advice for businesses and the people who work for them in the workplace of the future. The move to remote work has significantly impacted the way businesses operate. Employers and employees have experienced both positive and negative implications due to the quick shift to working from home. As organizations throughout the supply chain continue to address challenges associated with staff working remotely, many questions remain, including how businesses and their employees will handle working in new, hybrid environments moving forward.

TRAINING and RESOURCES

AIAG’s IMDS training is now available in English and Spanish.

New to IMDS? IMDS Basic Concepts and Application is designed to get you working in IMDS as quickly as possible. Already using IMDS? IMDS V11.0 Update & Chemistry Manager training emphasizes the Version 11 changes, with a specific focus on the new Chemistry Manager functions. Want More? AIAG’s Advanced IMDS course was created for those with a basic understanding of IMDS, provides an extension of the IMDS Basic Concepts and Application course, and will help you understand the regulations and how they might impact your business. 

August 16–20: ISO 14001 EMS Lead Auditor Virtual Training

The Exemplar Global-Certified ISO 14001 EMS Lead Auditor course provides attendees with the skills and tools necessary to become effective lead auditors at their organizations. Learning objectives for include the ability to define Exemplar Global criteria, describe environmental awareness, understand the ISO 14001:2015 standard and environmental legal requirements, practice and apply auditing skills, and much more. Recommended for those taking on the role of lead auditor, including EMS audit program coordinators, EMS auditors desiring lead auditor status, and EMS planners, implementers, and team members, this five-day training opportunity is one you won’t want to miss!

Free Cybersecurity Resources

Whether your team is working remotely, back at the office, or somewhere in between, AIAG has the cybersecurity resources you need to help ensure your network is secure moving forward. With new vulnerabilities discovered every day and with more people working remotely, the threat to our corporate and home systems is growing exponentially. To combat this critical and persistent threat, AIAG offers enhanced Supply Safe™: CYBERSAFE CHECK to give you even greater protection. Everyone in the auto industry has access to the CYBERSAFE CHECK assessment and a comprehensive scan of one IP address – FREE. No strings attached; no login required.

EGLE Funding for Electric, Hybrid, Hydrogen Fuel Cell Commercial Vehicles

In support of Governor Whitmer's priorities for a just transition to a low-carbon transportation sector, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is offering a second round of funding for electric, hydrogen fuel cell, or diesel-electric hybrid commercial and mass transit vehicles to replace older, diesel-fueled models. Grants can also be used to buy charging stations for the electric vehicles. A total of $16 million through EGLE's Fuel Transformation Program (FTP) has been allocated to replace medium- and heavy-duty diesel trucks, shuttle, transit buses (Classes 4-8), and port drayage vehicles.  Individual grants range from $50,000 to $3 million. 

REGULATORY RESOURCES

AIAG’S Regulatory Updates page has the latest information to help you keep up with today’s rapidly changing regulatory environment.The information on this page comes from Compliance & Risks and their knowledge partner network and is automatically refreshed as regulations are updated and customer requirements change. This RSS feed-driven page is geared toward those involved with corporate responsibility and sustainability, those performing quality functions that require reporting into IMDS, and virtually all others dealing with global substances of concern and waste regulations. Simply click here to visit the page now and review the latest updates to stay informed and better prepared for compliance.