BMW Group leads Bertelsmann Foundation’s CRI Index

Gütersloh/Munich, 7 July 2014. The BMW Group has been ranked not only as best automobile manufacturer, but also as top company by the Bertelsmann Foundation’s first-ever large-scale Corporate Responsibility Index (CRI).

In the Corporate Responsibility Index (CRI) – currently the largest comparative study in Germany – the Bertelsmann Foundation has developed a tool that not only evaluates how responsible companies are, but also how this responsibility is rooted, practised and implemented within the company. A total of 169 companies participated in the study, which was conducted by the Bertelsmann Foundation in conjunction with concern GmbH and the University of Bayreuth.

The study found that the BMW Group represents best practice in product responsibility and integration of sustainability into all business processes. The report mentions in particular the company’s holistic sustainability strategy, ambitious targets and tangible progress in CO2 emissions and resource efficiency.

Ursula Mathar, head of Sustainability and Environmental Protection at the BMW Group, said: “We are delighted with our success in the Bertelsmann Foundation’s CRI. The results confirm once again that we are on the right track with our strategy and measures.”

Sustainability has played a pivotal role at the BMW Group for many years:

Since 2009, sustainability has been a clear corporate aim, playing a significant role in the BMW Group’s management strategy. Every major project must be measured against the corporate sustainability target. The company’s Board of Management drives sustainability at the BMW Group; all board members also sit on the Sustainability Board, which meets twice a year to assess the company’s ongoing progress.

BMW Group employees are also heavily involved in the company’s sustainability strategy. Awareness of specific aspects of sustainability has been raised, for example, through an interactive Web-Based Training (WBT) rolled out worldwide in 2013.

In recent years, the BMW Group has made substantial progress in virtually all core indicators concerning sustainability. The company also has ambitious plans for the years ahead, including a 50% reduction in the CO2 emissions of its European new vehicle fleet by 2020 and a 45% decrease in resource consumption per vehicle in production, compared to 1995 levels.

Detailed information on sustainability at the BMW Group can be found in the current Sustainable Value Report 2013 at: http://www.bmwgroup.com/responsibility.

The Bertelsmann Foundation’s complete CRI Corporate Responsibility Index 2013 is available at: http://www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/.