The BMW Group is to enhance sustainability into its corporate processes.
The group’s motto is “The BMW Group does not
simply talk about new projects, it also makes sure it implements them.”
As we all know, we live in a world in which both
people and the environmentare increasingly linked. Consequently, global companies such as BMW are
facing new social challenges. It is therefore vital for these companies to take
and develop
these new challenges in order to in order to achieve
their objectives in the area of corporate social responsibility. The BMW group
asserts that “sustainable commitment is an integral part of its group’s
identity as a company”
Sustainability is able to bring a positive input in the company’s business success in
the long run because society is moving toward a greener world. That is why the
company really focuses on social and environment responsibility. It is really
concerned about these changes and is convinced that the BMW Group and other
companies’ success is built on “acting responsibly
and ensuring social acceptance”. The company also seeks to respond in the best
possible way to protect the climate and to preserve resources and tries to remedy this “problem”
by developing workable solutions.
Which measures will the company put in place to
respect the commitments it has taken?
In 2020 at the latest, the CO2 emission must decrease at least 50% in the new
vehicles commercialized in the European Union
by the BMW Group - in comparison with the year 1995. Making such an effort in R&D makes
possible for the company to constantly reduce the use of this
greenhouse gas
and also sell more cars.
As mentioned earlier, customers are becoming
concerned by the environment, which urges the company to being concerned too and adapt its
products. Moreover, customers tend nowadays to focus their purchasing decision on a range of products which can provide them
this sustainability. Investing in an electric vehicle presents several
advantages for the customers such as a reduction in traffic restrictions and more permissions. Moreover, motor vehicle taxes are
far lower for these vehicles than for diesel
ones.
In addition to creating new models, all diesel
vehicles have a “NOx storage catalytic converter fitted” which permits to reduce the emission of CO2. This has
been possible thanks to the injection of Ad-blue in the gas which cleans up
diesel emissions. Moreover, between 2015 and 2017 the BMW Group has been
working on
nine products range of “plug-in hybrid models”. For
example, the BMWi3 is a fully electric vehicle launched in 2013. By 2015, the
company offered 25 electrified models among which twelve are only electric. The
company explores all the areas which can provide opportunities, which is
consistent with its culture and its policy.
Sustainability is a factor increasingly taken
into account worldwide. Nowadays, people are worried about the quality of the
products they buy and how these products are realized. According to Harald
Krüger, Chairman of the Board of BMW, “sustainable management is not an
altruistic idea, it is essential for our company to be successful.”
But what are the objectives for 2018
?
The BMW Group wants to increase the range of electric vehicles. It
also wants to develop the use of renewable energy and move toward a carbon-free
production. Above all, the company wants to restructure its production chain in
order to produce batteries which are more environmentally friendly.
The Chairman of the board also wants to insist on some points. He asserts that electromobility was one of the solutions its company could offer in order to
fight against climate change and pollution. Nevertheless, he adds that not all cities were already equipped to receive
this kind of vehicle and finally, he says “we cannot act alone in
this respect. Everyone has to play their part”, meaning that, in order to make
a difference, everyone must work at it to make this change easier.
Lucile GRASSO
Dear Lucile,
ReplyDeleteI found your article very interesting.
It is encouraging to know that leading motor manufacturers such as BMW are concerned about sustainability.
Do you think people are ready to and able to afford electric vehicles ?
Is the competition important on this emerging market ?
Camille Y.
Dear Camille,
DeleteThank you for your comment and your relevant questions.
To answer your first question, I think people are ready to change their lifestyle. However, I don't think that all the people who are ready to make this changes could afford this vehicles because they are more expansive than other vehicles. But as you have probably seen in the article, the government is ready to give some advantages to people who buy those kind of vehicles.
With regard to competition, yes there is. BMW is not the first company on this emergent market. Tesla for example is the biggest company which provides electric cars only. Renault Opel, Jaguar, Citroën, Nissan and so on are also entering this market in order to satisfy the new needs of the consumers.
I hope that I have been able to provide a satisfactory answer to your questions.
Lucile Grasso