BMW Group receives award for best sustainability report. First place among 150 major German companies.

Munich. The BMW Group was awarded first place for its Sustainable Value Report report by the Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW) and Future e.V. in their 2011 ranking of sustainability reports.

The IÖW/Future ranking of sustainability reports is considered the leading German ranking in the field of sustainability reporting. It evaluates the quality and content of the sustainability reports of Germany’s 150 largest industrial and service companies, as well as selected small and mid-sized firms. The analysis focuses on criteria such as environmental aspects of production, responsibility throughout the supply chain and employee interests. The ranking is supported by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the German Council for Sustainable Development.

Jana Gebauer, project manager for the IÖW/Future ranking, said of the BMW Group’s Sustainable Value Report: “The strengths of the BMW Group report lie in its systematic review of key sustainability challenges, structured focus and brief summary of sustainability achievements. It represents best practice with regard to essential reporting quality requirements. The report offers readers a broad but detailed overview of the company’s sustainability achievements and provides concise answers to the most important questions in a way that allows them to be compared over time.”

Bill McAndrews, head of Corporate Strategy and Communications at the BMW Group: “We are delighted to receive this recognition – particularly since we regard our Sustainable Value Report as a key instrument for communicating our achievements and goals. Presenting our topics in a simple and understandable manner – despite their complexity – was important to us. Although our report is primarily targeted towards experts, we also aim to provide the general public with an easy-to-understand introduction to the subject of sustainability.”

You can find additional information on sustainability at the BMW Group at www.bmwgroup.com/responsibility. The ranking can be viewed online at www.ranking-nachhaltigkeitsberichte.de