BMW will focus on sustainability and resource efficiency from now on

BMW announced a big change in its long term strategy today, shifting focus to sustainability and resource efficiency moving forward, according to CEO Oliver Zipse. In a statement issued today, the company published its plans for the foreseeable future and claimed a different approach to what we’ve seen so far. This new strategy spreads out to 2030 and will build on the foundation laid out by BMW in recent years.

“I firmly believe the fight against climate change and how we use resources will decide the future of our society – and of the BMW Group. As a premium car company, it is our ambition to lead the way in sustainability. That is why we are taking responsibility here and now and making these issues central to our future strategic direction,” said Oliver Zipse.

“This new strategic direction will be anchored in all divisions – from administration and purchasing to development and production, all the way to sales. We are taking sustainability to the next level.”

To this end, the BMW Group will be setting clear CO2 emission reduction goals all the way up to 2030. These will cover all aspects of the car production and development processes, from the supply chain through production to the end of the use phase.

The aim is to significantly reduce CO2 emissions per vehicle by at least 30% across the entire spectrum. For a fleet of around 2.5 million vehicles, as produced by the BMW Group in 2019, this would correspond to a reduction of more than 40 million tonnes of CO2 over the lifecycle in 2030.

One of the key elements outlined in the statement issued today is the production process and the sites where cars are made. BMW is planning to set the benchmark in the industry for efficient management of its resources. To this end, the company wants to lower the emissions of CO2 at its plants by 80 percent.

This will be on top of the already impressive cut of up to 70% in the same field compared to the emissions recorded in 2006. This means, by the time we reach 2030, BMW plants will be emitting less than 10% of the CO2 they used to in 2006.