Sustainability in every car BMW builds

The Group insists on transparency for its targets, which have all been clearly communicated for the period from now until 2030. They include:

• Greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced based on sound scientific CO2 savings plans.
• Seven million electrified vehicles are slated to be brought to market.
• Building sustainable cars means that the CO2 emissions for each vehicle need to be reduced by at least one third over the entire lifecycle of the car.
• CO2 emissions at production of BMW facilities are to be lowered by 80 percent globally.
• The circular economy serves as the gold standard on how to deal with resources.
• BMW also intends to have the most sustainable supply chain in the entire sector.
  

One of BMW corporate objectives is to create an integrated report in which it transparently describes both how sustainable the BMW company is as well as the implementation of its ambitious goals. “We are making the independent testing of our sustainable activities even more stringent than before. Because credibility comes with transparency,” explains Zipse. And Dr. Nicolas Peter, member of the BMW Board of Management, adds that “the figures for our sustainable actions are given the same importance as our financial figures.”

BMW defines sustainability as doing what is right for both nature and humans. The company places great value on ensuring that raw materials for manufacturing are not only environmentally sourced, but also socially and ethically responsible (➜ Read more: Sustainable materials at BMW). The priorities when purchasing eco-friendly materials can be summed up as follows: compliance with environmental and social standards as well as human rights, protecting natural resources, and reducing CO2 emissions in the supply chain.

The chain does not begin with production at the BMW Group factory, but rather with the sourcing of raw materials. The carmaker insists that the highest environmental, social and governance standards are used in responsible sourcing. Cobalt is one such example since it is an extremely important component used in the production of batteries. BMW has set up an industry-wide initiative called “Cobalt for Development” which is engaged in establishing responsible mining practices in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This includes the management of mining locations and compliance with laws, human rights, health and safety, as well as environmental management. With its involvement in ResponsibleSteel, BMW also respects sustainability rules which form part of the environmental and social standards along the entire value chain, starting with the mines.

The keyword here is closed loop materials, but recycling obviously forms part of the plan to conserve resources. BMW aims to create a closed and sustainable loop for the recyclable materials used in battery cells (➜ Read more: Material cycle of a battery cell). This means, for example, that in the future lithium-ion battery cells should form part of a value chain that is as closed as possible: from the selection of sustainable materials to the components of the battery cells through to production and recycling.

Other materials will use the same approach as well. BMW also recycles the steel it uses. All steel waste, such as the leftovers from the press shop where doors are cut from metal blanks, is either used again in the direct material loop or is sent back via the steel trade to the steel producers, where it can be made into new steel. BMW is also working with its partners on a CO2-free steel production process. This process should make it possible for the BMW Group to cut its CO2 emissions in the steel supply chain by some two million tons lower than today’s level by 2030.