Volvo Cars has announced the appointment of Vanessa Butani as the Head of Global Sustainability, effective April 1, 2024.
Butani takes over from Anders Kärrberg, who has decided to retire after serving as the Head of Global Sustainability since the establishment of the carmakers Global Sustainability Team in 2019.
Joining from global appliance company Electrolux Group, Butani is set to lead the company’s sustainability initiatives, overseeing the ongoing development of the sustainability strategy and steering the organisation’s transformation to a leading provider of sustainable mobility.
“We’re excited to have Vanessa joining our company,” says Jim Rowan, Volvo Cars CEO. “Her leadership and experience in this field will play a critical role in the continued execution of our ambitious sustainability strategy across our entire organisation, and ensuring that we maintain a leading voice in sustainable mobility. I’d also like to thank Anders for his great contribution to Volvo Cars’ success and wish him well in his retirement.”
In her capacity at Electrolux, Butani contributed to developing the sustainability team and achieving Science-Based Targets.
Volvo Cars has set a commitment to reduce CO2 emissions per car by 75% by 2030, compared to a 2018 baseline, along with to exclusively sell fully electric cars by 2030. The manufacturer also announced it has joined the First Movers Coalition (FMC) to use its purchasing power towards clean technologies to help support the shift to near-zero emission aluminium.
Last week, the zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) mandate came into force, setting specific targets for the sale of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) by car and van manufacturers within the UK. By 2030, 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans must be zero-emission, with this figure rising to 100% for both categories by 2035.
Sharing the news of her company change, Butani said, “I have been watching Volvo Cars’ approach to sustainability with admiration. Now I have a fantastic opportunity to join the team and drive the company towards its sustainability ambitions, integrating sustainability as a competitive edge in every aspect of the value chain. Volvo Cars is transforming fast to answer the call for sustainable actions and I look forward to being part of making a positive change for people and society.”
