Social projects speak louder than financial results

A boy takes a traffic safety class at BMW's AnAn Driving School. [Photo provided to China Daily]

One of the first auto companies to launch corporate social responsibility projects in China, BMW strives to solve social issues by utilizing its advantages rather than simply giving donations, said its senior executives.

Molly Yang, vice-president of BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd, said the German brand focuses on social mobility, safety and sustainable mobility based on its resources and core competencies.

"Fulfilling our social responsibility is an indispensable part of BMW's localization efforts in China," Yang said. "We propose that we should contribute to society and we have remained persistent in our projects. The company has been seriously devoted to CSR activities."

This year marks the centenary of the premium carmaker's establishment and a milestone for its upgraded CSR strategies.

BMW's CSR initiatives include its two pillar programs, BMW Children's Traffic Safety Education in 2005, and BMW China Culture Journey since 2007 and the innovative platform, BMW Warm Heart Fund in 2008.

"Practical results instead of formality is one of the three aspects differentiating BMW's CSR projects from that of our peers, the other two being long-term involvement and extensive participation," Yang said.

Cultural heritage

To raise people's awareness of traditional culture and boost intangible cultural heritage, BMW China Culture Journey celebrated its 10th anniversary on Dec 14 with a range of creative works displayed at the 2015-2016 BMW China Culture Journey Biennial Exhibition, held in Shenyang, Liaoning province.

The event focused on promoting cultural inheritance and innovation and restoring local charm in the midst of rapid development.

BMW and the Academy of Arts & Design at Tsinghua University built the Tsinghua BMW Innovation Center for Intangible Cultural Heritage Safeguarding in June. The center provides training sessions to cultural inheritors selected by an expert panel.

Yang said heritage needs to adapt to meet people's everchanging demands and that inheritors should find better means of sustainable development.

Children safety

Another CSR milestone is the new fixed experience center of BMW Children's Traffic Safety Education, which has opened to the public in Shenyang.

Volunteers made up of associates and dealership partners provide traffic safety knowledge to children and their parents at the center.

"BMW has made a real difference in building a safer world for Chinese children," said Yang.

"We are promoting children's traffic safety with all stakeholders, including dealers, associates, research institutes and government bodies."

The automobile brand persists in running the traffic safety education program as it found children usually absorbed the knowledge quickly via the interactions with an open mind.

Power up for love

BMW firmly believes that an excellent corporate citizen should not only have prominent business strength, but also take stakeholders into account in order to drive the industry's development and boost society's progress.

Stakeholders' engagement is one of the principles supporting the development of the BMW CSR initiative, and participation of BMW customers is an important force.

Thousands of BMW's warmhearted customers and dealers across the country have joined hands to work on CSR under the carmaker's guidance.

A series of advanced academic partnership activities were also carried at Tongji University, Northeastern University and the Dalian University of Technology.

For example, the Tiexi plant is now serving as a doctoral education base for Northeastern University.

BMW employees also spontaneously participate the Associate Social Responsibility program.