In autumn 2015, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that formed the heart of the 2030 Agenda to shape economic growth in an equitable and environmentally sound way. The BMW Group is committed to this new social contract, and to attaining the SDGs that form its foundation. We are addressing the SDGs where we believe we can have the greatest impact though our sustainability strategy and with a focus on our value chain.
We are convinced that companies, governments, and other organizations can make a positive contribution towards the attainment of the SDGs.
On a global level, the BMW Group has identified SDGs where we can work to drive the greatest global change. These Goals include:
SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities: with our integrated mobility services and innovative approaches, we want to change mobility patterns in selected metropolitan areas in a sustainable way. These include our car-sharing services DriveNow and ReachNow, which increasingly offer electric vehicles, as well as the electric scooter specially designed for commuter traffic in cities. With the Urban Mobility competence center created in 2015, the BMW Group supports the paradigm shift from cities suitable for cars to cities suitable for people. The center acts as a platform through which the BMW Group works with cities and other partners to develop new concepts for future urban mobility with a view to making cities even more attractive to live in.
What’s more, the BMW Group also invests in start-ups with promising mobility concepts through its investment fund BMW i Ventures with registered offices in Silicon Valley. With competitions and internal start-up programs, we promote the development of further innovation in the context of SDG 11 in a targeted manner. An intrapreneurship competition was held for this purpose in summer 2017. All departments were called upon to submit ideas for products and services on the topic of “Sustainable Cities and Communities.”
SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production: we continuously reduce CO2 emissions and resource usage per vehicle produced. In our locations worldwide, we are increasingly focusing on renewable energy and are also working with our supplier network towards improving resource efficiency. The joint venture “Digital Energy Solutions,” founded in 2015, also offers digital-based services to small and medium-sized companies, with a view to better harnessing the potential of renewable energy. The recycling of vehicle parts is also promoted with the joint venture Encory, founded in September 2016.
SDG 13 – Climate Action: if a consistent measurement method is applied, we are continuously reducing the CO2 emissions of our vehicle fleet. Electromobility is an essential component of our CO2 strategy. We are consistently increasing the proportion of electrified drive systems in our model range and therefore not only make a contribution towards the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, but also towards improved air quality in urban areas. Worldwide, the BMW Group plans to sell at least 140,000 electric cars and plug-in hybrids as early as this year and is currently on course to achieve that target.
The BMW Group is also addressing several of the Goals in different markets and in different ways to serve the communities where we work. In the U.S. market, we look for all opportunities to contribute to the SDGs in a meaningful way.
For instance, the MINI Takes the States campaign raises money for Feeding America, a network of over 200 food banks that provide food to over 46 million people in need. The proceeds raised from MINI Takes the States 2018 supported one million meals—contributing to SDG 2 – Zero Hunger. The BMW Group is also focused on SDG 4 – Quality Education across the U.S. and at different levels. At BMW Manufacturing Co. in Spartanburg, South Carolina, the BMW Scholars program provides students access to affordable and highly valuable training with a direct path to employment. Similarly, BMW MSTEP training creates education opportunities for returning military service members, helping to ease their transition to civilian life. Additionally, BMW Financial Services is focused on tackling SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation through its Care4Water project, which provides access to clean water for people in need.
The BMW Group is committed to finding new and creative ways to contribute to advancing the SDGs on both global and local levels. We believe that companies have an inherent responsibility to act as responsible corporate citizens, and are constantly looking for new ways to add value to the societies and environments where we do business.