14 October 2011
SAM – not your stern-looking American uncle but an independent asset management company – has ranked BMW as the automotive industry’s sector leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes.
This is BMW Group’s seventh year in a row as the world’s most sustainable car-maker and it’s the only company in its industry to be listed in the indexes every year since it was established in 1999.
The SAM Group analyses the economic, environmental and social performance of approximately 2500 companies across 57 sectors and selects the best in each industry for the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes.
BMW has been a big fan of sustainability since way back when; it appointed an environmental officer back in 1973 and was the first to do so in the automotive industry.
In all seriousness, what BMW does is take sustainability beyond your typical hybrid cars and fuel efficiency. As a global brand, the BMW Group is forward- thinking and such, is sustainable from within: it employs clean production processes and environmentally-friendly recycling practices. There’s also a commitment to cultural and social initiatives such as promoting education and road safety worldwide and projects that fight HIV/AIDS.
Other sector leaders joining BMW in the top ranks are PepsiCo and Samsung Electronics.
It’s reassuring to know that during a time of such economic turmoil, sustainability remains a priority for many of the world’s largest corporations.