The BMW Group strengthens its frontrunner position in sustainable supply chains

Driving forward change in the automotive industry

The BMW Group aspires to be the most successful and sustainable premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles while simultaneously providing premium financial and mobility services. As part of this ambition, the organization sets ambitious sustainability goals that have a decisive impact on day-to-day activities, from product lines to production and supply chain.

This strategy provides an answer to the radical transformation of the entire automotive industry in terms of sustainability. Three main influences require automotive manufacturers to focus on sustainability:

Regulators are imposing measures to reduce the environmentally and socially harmful impact of vehicles and their production, such as the German Supply Chain Act (LkSG).

Public interest about sustainability and sustainable consumption is growing. Thus, demands for electric vehicles are rising. By 2030, experts predict that the industry will see 23 million electrical vehicle units (excluding two/three wheelers) sold around the world per year and 130 million such models on the road.

Investors are pushing for sustainability and climate change as investment criteria to evaluate target companies.

Bold visions and distant targets are useful for providing orientation. However, the BMW Group decided to focus on what really matters: making an effective contribution to environmental protections.

As an original equipment manufacturer, the company has highly complex and extensive supply chains that provide an important lever for impacting and shaping sustainable transformation. Such a transformation can only be achieved with passionate stakeholders that take on responsibility.

In reaction to these demands and its own intrinsic motivation to become a frontrunner in sustainable supply chains, the BMW Group established various new requirements and processes that suppliers and purchasers would need to fulfill and consider during the procurement process. To ensure their implementation in day-to-day business, improve awareness and understanding, and enable all stakeholders to contribute to this initiative, the BMW Group decided to implement a sustainability transformation program. The target group included around 1,200 purchasers and supplier account managers as well as the company’s direct suppliers.

Capgemini Invent enables end-to-end sustainability transformation

The main goal of the transformation program was to increase its audience’s awareness of sustainable business practices and empower them with knowledge in the topics of decarbonization, environmental and social standards, and circular economy, and integrate these into the procurement processes.

To achieve this, a joint team of Capgemini Invent and BMW Group experts followed an agile change approach characterized by co-creation and mobilization elements. The heart of the enablement concept consisted of target group-specific, modular learning journeys based on innovative, web-based, and interactive trainings that suited purchasers’ and suppliers’ needs and were available on demand. Furthermore, the learning journeys included community, trainer-led, and group coaching sessions.

With a team from Workforce & Organization and Sustainable Supply Chain, Capgemini Invent provided expertise on change management, communication, and enablement, as well as expert knowledge on sustainability and supply chains. Setting the foundation with an inspiring change story which Capgemini developed with the BMW Group, and kick-off events, innovative communication formats raised awareness.

Tailored transformation program for a sustainable supply chain

Acceptance, enthusiasm, and support for the change process among target groups are higher than ever before as a result of the tailor-made communication and training modules. The success of this effort represents a major step for the BMW Group towards taking on a pioneer role in sustainable supply chain creation and management while also fulfilling legal requirements and strategic sustainability goals.

Looking ahead, Capgemini Invent and the BMW Group will continue to collaborate on several initiative and projects with a focus on sustainability as well as transformation.

For more information on this project, please contact: references.ce@capgemini.com