Better Health for All

BMW Group South Africa invested R76 million in eight healthcare facilities in Gauteng during the 2020 Coronavirus crisis, collaborating with government and development agencies.

BMW has implemented advanced filtration systems in its manufacturing facilities, capturing up to 99% of particulate matter to reduce harmful emissions and promote cleaner air for surrounding communities. The company provides comprehensive preventative health measures for its approximately 159,000 employees, including ergonomic workstations, paid time off for doctor visits, health education programs, fitness challenges, and free preventive services at an on-site health center. BMW also offers extensive mental health support for employees, such as a 24/7 Employee Assistance Program, mental health workshops, and awareness initiatives.

Fair Money & Economic Opportunity

No specific, quantifiable evidence was found in the provided articles that directly maps to the defined Key Performance Indicators for 'Fair Money & Economic Opportunity'. The articles discuss BMW Group South Africa's participation in the Youth Employment Services (YES) Programme, which created 2,261 work experiences

and achieved a 31% absorption rate for unemployed youth and underserved communities . While these initiatives promote economic inclusion and opportunity, the evidence does not provide data points for financial services metrics such as customer share from underserved segments, pricing fairness, revenue from high-cost products, loan book share for inclusion, data accessibility, fair lending compliance, wealth building outcomes for financial users, profit reinvestment percentages, financial literacy program reach, debt burden ratios, geographic inclusion for financial services, or product simplicity.

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

In May 2024, a U.S. Senate report revealed BMW imported 8,000 MINI vehicles into the U.S. with components from a Chinese supplier sanctioned for forced labor, continuing until at least April 2024.

This followed a June 2023 complaint alleging insufficient measures to prevent forced labor in its supply chain. Despite these challenges, BMW ensures 100% collective bargaining coverage for its employees. The company achieved an accident frequency rate of 2.8 accidents per million hours worked in 2023, and 99.72% of its employees work at sites certified to international occupational health and safety management systems. BMW AG received the Universal Fair Pay Check, with analyses showing an adjusted pay gap of just under 1% in favor of male employees, indicating near pay parity between genders. BMW has also established a Supplier Code of Conduct and a Code on Human Rights, and engaged in initiatives to combat child labor in its supply chains, such as partnering with organizations in Indonesia.

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

A U.S. Senate report revealed that BMW imported Mini Cooper vehicles containing electronic components from Sichuan Jingweida Technology Group, a Chinese supplier banned under the 2021 Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act

. BMW stated it would halt importation and replace the affected parts .

Honest & Fair Business

BMW agreed to a $6 million settlement in the US in October 2024 following allegations of installing illegal defeat devices in certain diesel models.

The BMW Group has a comprehensive whistleblower policy with multiple anonymous reporting channels, including a 24/7 SpeakUP Line available in over 70 languages across approximately 140 countries, an Ombudsperson, and email. The policy covers a broad range of stakeholders, including current and former employees, contractors, consultants, dealerships, suppliers, and their relatives, with reports investigated by Compliance representatives. BMW Group maintains a Compliance Management System with guidelines for anti-corruption, which is a crucial subject for Group Compliance and covered by its Code of Conduct. The company expects lawful conduct from business partners and requires suppliers to implement preventive measures and track compliance among their own suppliers, and conducts audits to improve its compliance processes.

Kind to Animals

BMW introduced fully vegan car interiors across its BMW and MINI models starting in 2023, replacing traditional leather components with animal-free materials like Veganza.

This initiative is projected to reduce CO2e emissions by approximately 85% compared to traditional leather production. For these 2023 vehicles, the proportion of components containing traces of raw materials of animal origin is expected to fall to less than one percent. However, some animal products, such as gelatine in protective coatings and beeswax in paints, are still utilized in non-visible areas. BMW actively collaborates with startups, including MIRUM and NFW, to develop innovative bio-based and plastic-free leather alternatives. In January 2022, BMW also joined the Leather Working Group to advocate for sustainable standards in leather supply chains.

No War, No Weapons

BMW Group is committed to respecting internationally recognized human rights

and supports the UN Global Compact . The company requires its partners to meet high environmental and social standards, including human rights, across the entire supply chain , and updated its Supplier Code of Conduct in 2023 with enhanced requirements . The company strives to go above and beyond minimum requirements and sets its own more stringent standards for procurement . There is no evidence of current defense procurement or military suppliers.

Planet-Friendly Business

BMW's CO2 reduction targets for 2030, covering Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions across the entire lifecycle, have been validated by the Science-Based Targets Initiative

, with defined interim checkpoints. The company's production facilities achieved net carbon neutrality from 2021 . BMW Group production and all locations have been sourcing 100% green power since the end of 2020 . Since 2000, BMW has recorded 14 environment-related offenses , including a $1 billion antitrust fine in 2021 for colluding on nitrogen oxide cleaning technology .

Respect for Cultures & Communities

BMW has engaged in 4 formal partnerships related to cultural and community initiatives.

These include collaborations with the UN Alliance of Civilizations , a project with Pirelli and BirdLife to safeguard indigenous land rights in Sumatra , BMW China's efforts to protect Grand Canal cultural heritage , and the Tsinghua BMW Innovation Center for Intangible Cultural Heritage Safeguarding . The company has not reported any cultural appropriation incidents. BMW has taken actions to protect cultural and heritage sites, such as supporting the legacy of Ndebele artist Esther Mahlangu by building her a new house and collaborating on the preservation of cultural assets along the Grand Canal . BMW China has also donated 25 million yuan to 90 heritage projects over 17 years.

Safe & Smart Tech

BMW experienced a data breach in Hong Kong in July 2024, affecting approximately 14,000 customers with compromised names, mobile phone numbers, and SMS opt-out preferences.

The company operates a public bug bounty program with an average first response time of less than 3 days and an average triage time of less than 4 days. BMW uses CIS Controls since 2022 and swiftly addressed API vulnerabilities in January 2023. The company adheres to Privacy by Design, collecting vehicle data only when essential for service delivery or with explicit customer consent, and considers data protection in product development. Data is stored only as long as required for its intended purpose, deleted or anonymized when no longer needed, and AI-driven anonymization is used to enhance data privacy in production. BMW complies with GDPR, details data subject rights, uses EU Standard Contracts for data processing outside the EU, and actively participates in the European Commission’s consultation process for AI. A code of ethics for AI was set out in October 2020, comprising seven basic principles, supported by Project AI, a competence center launched in 2018. BMW states it does not sell in-vehicle personal information, and customers can manage their privacy settings via in-car menus, the My BMW app, or their online profile, with options for data deletion.

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

Currently, an average of just under 30 percent of BMW vehicles are made from recycled and reused materials.

The company targets increasing the proportion of secondary materials in new models to 50 percent by 2030. BMW applies 'Design for Circularity' principles, developing products with the circular economy in mind, and implements a 're:think, re:duce, re:use, re:cycle' approach in packaging logistics. The BMW Group Recycling and Dismantling Centre (RDC) has been in operation since 1994 for end-of-life vehicles , and BMW partners to recycle lithium-ion batteries from all its vehicle brands in the U.S. Multiple waste reduction initiatives are in place, including using more recycled material in packaging , replacing steel pallet cages , pilot projects for bio-based materials , and establishing a closed loop in battery production. The BMW M Visionary Materials Seat won an Altair Enlighten Award 2024 for Sustainable Process. For hazardous waste, airbags are removed and all fluids are drained from end-of-life vehicles before processing.