Sign up to access all our data and the evidence and analysis underlying our overall scores. Once you've created an account, we'll get in touch with further details:
Sign Up
| Overall Assessment |
Comment |
Score |
| Comprehensive |
General Electric (GE) has demonstrated a comprehensive level of transparency in disclosing its climate lobbying activities. The company has explicitly named specific climate policies it has engaged with, such as the "Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022," the "European Commission's Green Deal," and the "London Protocol," among others. GE has also detailed its lobbying mechanisms, including direct advocacy efforts like "one-on-one meetings with key lawmakers and their staffs," participation in "thought leadership events," and public advocacy campaigns targeting "members of Congress, Congressional staff, policymakers across Washington, D.C., and the general public." The company identifies specific targets of its lobbying efforts, such as the "U.S. Congress," the "Biden Administration," the "European Commission," and global policymakers. Furthermore, GE has clearly articulated the policy outcomes it seeks, such as "clean energy tax credits to ensure success in decarbonization efforts," "modernizing the grid" to enable renewable energy, and "expanded deployment of nuclear power generation." These disclosures reflect GE's commitment to advancing policies aligned with the Paris Climate Agreement and its broader climate objectives, showcasing a high level of transparency in its climate lobbying activities.
|
4
|
| Overall Assessment |
Comment |
Score |
| Strong |
General Electric (GE) demonstrates a strong governance process for climate lobbying alignment, with clear oversight structures, monitoring mechanisms, and accountability measures in place. The company explicitly states that its Governance Committee, composed solely of independent directors, oversees public policy and lobbying activities, including climate-related public policy. This committee conducts a yearly review of GE's political spending policies and lobbying practices, approves the annual budget for political activities, and reviews semi-annual updates on political spending. Additionally, GE's Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) plays a central role in overseeing climate change and sustainability matters, working closely with the Head of Government Affairs and Policy and other representatives to ensure alignment of lobbying activities with climate strategy. GE has conducted a detailed analysis of trade associations to ensure alignment with its climate positions, noting that it "undertook an effort to centrally compile a global inventory of trade associations and other relevant organizations that GE was a member of in 2021 and that engaged in policy advocacy related to climate change." This analysis included reviewing the associations' positions on climate change and their alignment with GE's own policies and the Paris Agreement goals. Furthermore, GE emphasizes its proactive approach to influencing trade associations, stating, "Where we see trade associations potentially advocate for a position different than ours with regard to climate policy, including if a position is misaligned with the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, we begin by reaching out to the trade association to assert influence toward alignment." GE reserves the option to terminate memberships if misalignments outweigh benefits. While GE provides significant detail on its governance structure and processes, it does not publish a comprehensive lobbying audit or detailed study of its lobbying governance processes, which would elevate its transparency further. This indicates strong governance in ensuring alignment of climate lobbying activities with stated climate goals.
|
3
|