BMW Group South Africa and BMW Group Financial Services South Africa’s job creation efforts awarded at inaugural YES ESG Awards 2023.

Midrand. BMW Group South Africa and BMW Group Financial Services South Africa have been recognised as a Youth Employment Services (YES) Top Ten Jobs Contributor for their continued dedication to job creation through the YES Programme. The YES ESG Awards – part of the ESG Africa Conference 2023 – were held on 4 October at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg.

The YES Programme acknowledged BMW Group South Africa and BMW Group Financial Services South Africa’s important contribution to alleviating youth unemployment with a certificate of recognition signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

BMW Group South Africa CEO, Peter van Binsbergen commented: “We are proud to receive this special recognition. Youth unemployment is one of South Africa’s most intractable problems. By participating in this national programme, we see great opportunity to continue driving meaningful impact in our company, communities, and country. BMW Group South Africa builds and uplifts our people, ensuring they are healthy, educated, and cared for.”

Stefan Schuett, CEO BMW Group Financial Services South Africa added: “We are truly honoured to be awarded by the YES programme and thank them for a fruitful partnership. I want to reiterate the importance of advancing the empowerment and development of young people in this country. Youth participation in employment, education and training helps them achieve self-sufficiency and creates sustainable communities. Thirty-six years ago, BMW granted me a combination of a bursary and a trainee programme. This is now a great opportunity for me as CEO BMW Group Financial Services South Africa to give back as a company.”

In 2022, BMW Group South Africa and BMW Group Financial Services South Africa collaborated with the YES Programme to help develop a better future for young people, the community, and the environment. The programme addresses the youth unemployment crisis in South Africa and provides quality 12-month work experience to unemployed youth.

Later that year, BMW Group South Africa and BMW Group Financial Services South Africa signed the CEO pledge and committed to providing jobs across South Africa, placing participants within the BMW Group retailer network, SMMEs, and ICT, education and health sectors. Exceeding expectations, the company recently reaffirmed its commitment to foster gender equality and women empowerment in the automotive industry and beyond. Of the 1,506 youth placed  through the YES Programme, 63% are women.

The BMW Group

With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2022, the BMW Group sold nearly 2.4 million passenger vehicles and more than 202,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2022 was € 23.5 billion on revenues amounting to € 142.6 billion. As of 31 December 2022, the BMW Group had a workforce of 149,475 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company set the course for the future at an early stage and consistently makes sustainability and efficient resource management central to its strategic direction, from the supply chain through production to the end of the use phase of all products.