So, you’re headed to your evening yoga class, you open your trunk to toss in your mat, and you realize you just can’t stand your miserable little car anymore. It’s embarrassing to drive into the work parking lot every day with the old stickers from your climate change rallies peeling off the windows and the cracked dashboard that’s seen too many summers. The time has come to finally get a new vehicle, a car you actually want to drive, not a car that got you through grad school. Now that you have a little money in your bank account, you deserve to have a safe, efficient vehicle that gets you to your yoga class without breaking down. Then again, it might also be nice to have a vehicle you don’t have to maintain. Maybe it’s time to consider Ford lease deals.
Why Leasing from Ford Is Good for the Environment
Wouldn’t it be nice to imagine your car is being built by a company that takes care of the environment? Well, you don’t have to imagine. Ford actually does, and they have been working on reducing their environmental impact for decades. Since 2000, Ford has been using plant-based materials for fabrics in their vehicles, and in 2007 the company was the first to start using soy-based foam in seats. Innovations continue to be explored and implemented to constantly reduce waste and utilize recycled products in both manufacturing and the vehicles themselves. In fact, Ford even chose to voluntarily apply the stricter California emissions standards across their nationwide operations so the environmental impact would be lessened further, rather than adopting one standard for California and another standard for the rest of the country.
At Ford manufacturing plants across the US, dedicated environmental areas are protected for wildlife and plants to encourage healthy ecosystems that help reduce flooding, filter water naturally, and keep the region cooler from the natural plant growth. The Dearborn plant in Michigan, in particular, is on track to use 100 percent renewable energy to power all production by the second quarter of 2021, and Ford plants worldwide are working toward the same goals for sustainable manufacturing practices.
Across the company, in both manufacturing and daily operations, Ford has worked to reduce single-use plastics, reduce the garbage being sent to landfills, and reduce the emissions from operations until carbon neutrality is achieved. With these and countless other practices being put into action, the plan for the future of the company is to reach global carbon neutrality by 2050. Between these goals and the production of electric vehicles for the future, Ford is doing its part to reduce its own environmental impact in leaps and bounds.
How Does Ford Treat Employees?
We know Ford is taking extra measures to reduce its carbon footprint and build vehicles with less environmental impact, but how does the company treat the people who work there? For a lot of people who might be potential customers, this matters. Ford states on the company website: “As an organization, Ford believes everyone should have the freedom to move and pursue their dreams, and seeks to create a culture of belonging for every employee.” A great vision, but is it true? We did a little digging to find out.
Ford achieves a four out of five star rating on both Indeed and Glassdoor, two independent websites that provide objective reviews from employees, past and present. Indeed collected over 4,000 reviews, while Glass Door had over 8,000. Few things offer insight like authentic reviews. People rating the company stated that the climate of the workplace was productive and that the company treats employees well, is a great place to work long term, and offers a good work-life balance. Overall, the reviews were remarkably positive, even if employees had their share of complaints.
Over the summer, Ford approved hybrid work options for about 30,000 employees, giving people the choice of working partially from home. This was announced after the company was expected to allow workers to operate from home during the pandemic where possible (meaning employees whose jobs weren’t dependent on being on-site). After six months, a survey was conducted to reveal 95 percent of employees preferred the hybrid approach. With this information, the Ford Motor Company chose to allow its employees the option of having a flexible schedule suited to their own preferences.
Add to this news that data from Comparably, an online source for information on workplace diversity and environment, shows that women and people from diverse backgrounds rated the company so highly it was in the top ten percent of companies. Other ratings suggest that Ford offers a positive work environment that is supportive of diversity and gender, and the majority of employees who participated would recommend the company to others for employment.
Vehicles Priced for Young Professionals
If all the info about Ford has you thinking you’d like to support a company with such good ethics, the company has several vehicles priced well for young professionals or anyone looking for a good deal. Here are a few details to get you started in your search for a lease from Ford.
2021 Ford Escape Hybrid: NHTSA overall rating is five stars for the Escape. Fuel efficiency is 44/37 mpg, and pricing starts at $28,030 for the SE trim, which is the least expensive trim level available for the hybrid. Key features like dual-zone climate control, SYNC 3 infotainment with voice-activated commands, FordPass Connect with remote features, LED signature lighting, and Ford CoPilot 360 safety features are all included at the SE trim level. Features like heated front seats, powered liftgate, and wireless charging are available.
2021 Ford Mustang EcoBoost: NHTSA overall rating is five stars. Fuel efficiency is 21/32 mpg, which isn’t great, but you get a vehicle that’s fun to drive. Pricing starts at $27,205, which is lower than the Escape hybrid. Key features like cabin air filtration, intelligent access with push-button start, active noise cancellation, FordPass Connect with a WiFi hotspot, and the Blindspot Information System are included at entry-level. Optional features like dual-zone climate control, reverse sensing system, and remote start are all available for the entry-level Ecoboost Fastback trim.
2021 Bronco Sport: NHTSA overall rating is five stars. Fuel efficiency is fair at 25/28 mpg. Pricing begins at $27,215. Key features like standard four-wheel drive, flip-up rear glass for easy access to the cargo area, SYNC 3 infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Ford CoPilot 360 safety suite are included. Optional features cannot be added to the base level trim, but for a small price increase to $28,720 for the Big Bend trim, you gain a number of conveniences like intelligent access with push-button start, automatic climate control, and zipper seatback pockets with a MOLLE strap system to organize small items.
You Can Be Proud to Drive the Blue Oval
If you have been searching for a new vehicle from a company you can feel good about, you have lots of information here to get you started on finding a lease from Ford. The Blue Oval is currently leading the way for American auto manufacturers when it comes to protecting the environment and taking care of its employees and customers.
