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Due diligence in the supply chain.

Due Diligence In The Supplier Network.

Due diligence in the supply chain

Due Diligence In The Supplier Network.

In Purchasing and Supplier Network at the BMW Group, upholding environmental and social standards is a fundamental principle. This includes a particular focus on human rights and, associated with that, compliance with our own ethical principles. The responsible sourcing of raw materials is a key point in this regard. Another important factor influencing human rights and environmental concerns is the circular economy, as it reduces our need for primary raw materials. Environmental and social standards are integral to our work in areas such as component development, commodities strategies, the procurement process (as mandatory criteria for awarding contracts), supplier development and our target management process.

Ensuring transparency over intricate, dynamic supply chains and keeping flows of goods traceable is extremely challenging – but a key prerequisite for our due diligence process, nonetheless. That’s why we work constantly to strengthen collaboration with our partners in the supplier network. Supply chain mapping is a risk-based approach to increasing transparency over our supply chain. In the future, the BMW Group will also use solutions such as the Catena-X data ecosystem, which allows participating organisations to exchange data across value chains – securely, in standardised form, and with each company maintaining full data sovereignty.

The BMW Group sources components, materials and other services from a large number of production and delivery locations. The associated social and environmental due diligence obligations are stipulated as minimum requirements for suppliers in the BMW Group Supplier Code of Conduct. Suppliers of production materials and motor vehicle components are subject to the BMW Group International Terms and Conditions for Production Material and Motor Vehicle Parts. Suppliers for non-production-related materials are subject to the General Contractual Terms for Indirect Purchasing.

Responsible management of the supplier network.

Nachhaltiges Lieferkettenmanagement
Nachhaltiges Lieferkettenmanagement

Requirements for the BMW Group and its suppliers are set out in the following targets and standards:

Sustainability is a crucial component in the corporate strategy of the BMW Group. The Purchasing and Supplier Network division focuses on compliance with environmental and social standards, with particular emphasis on human rights, the conservation of natural resources and reducing CO2 emissions in the supply chain.

This Code explains how we promote human rights and fair working conditions and implement the Core Labour Standards of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Key focal points include a ban on child and forced labour, equal treatment of all employees, the right to health and safety in the workplace, and freedom of association. The Code is directed at our own employees as well as suppliers and authorised partners, and we actively communicate it.

This policy statement outlines our commitment to human rights and the associated environmental standards. It also sets out how we approach the issue in our dealings with our business partners – because we don’t just uphold these fundamental rights in our own business; we work to ensure compliance in our global up- and downstream supply chains as well. Our business activities take into account the livelihoods and health of local and indigenous communities. To realise our aim, we require our suppliers and business partners to abide by our standards – and in relations with their own suppliers and partners too.

The Cluster Value Creation Strategy provides overarching support for the achievement of goals in Purchasing, Development and Production. It is the strategy for supplier development upstream of the BMW Group purchasing process and sets the framework for the prospective sourcing of components or component groups. Rigorously embedded in the strategy are a range of issues along the entire value creation process, procurement included. The implementation of requirements and of the measures that build on them are defined early on for existing and forthcoming suppliers, to ensure environmental and social standards are met. Implementation can take several years, allowing production facilities, for example, to be certified in time for potential supplies to begin. The procurement strategy also sets out further levers around CO₂ reductions and the circular economy for components and component groups.

The Cluster Value Creation Strategy plays an important part in ensuring a flexible, resilient and sustainable supply chain. 

The BMW Group supplier database documents findings and information on risk analyses of abstract and concrete risks as well as preventive and remedial measures. The contents of these measures relate to site level and are in part the result of tools and procedures such as Online-Assessments (sustainability questionnaires) and/or Onsite-Assessments (Responsible Business Alliance, RBA, Responsible Supply Chain Initiative, RSCI). The database is a source system for applications for mapping procurement processes and for reporting and target control.

The BMW Group is fully aware of its responsibility for a sustainable future and has defined clear strategic guidelines for sustainable business action. In addition, dedicated BMW Group policies dealing with focus topics outline the scope of our commitment, areas of application, and measures for due diligence, traceability, complaint and monitoring mechanisms, and material-specific requirements.

Commitment to initiatives.

To integrate due diligence into its business processes, the BMW Group relies on standardised procedures developed by industry-wide and cross-sector initiatives wherever possible. We firmly believe the only way to uphold environmental and social standards in complex and dynamic supplier networks is through standardisation and cooperation. Standardisation allows us to reduce duplicate activities in the supplier network and increase the effectiveness of measure that developed on the basis of due diligence procedures.

Key initiatives in the automotive industry:

Since 2020 the BMW Group and other companies, associations, unions, NGOs and initiatives in the Automotive Industry Sector Dialogue have been collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs to develop potential ways of improving the human rights situation along the global supply and value chains of the German automotive industry.

In 2022 this cooperation delivered its first results, with the publication of guidelines for ensuring the five key elements of human rights due diligence: policy statement, risk analysis, measures, reporting and the complaints procedure. The Instructions for the Five Core Elements form the framework for our due diligence programme and for the content and requirements of our supplier contracts. They address the requirements of the German government’s NAP (national action plan for business and human rights – Nationaler Aktionsplant Wirtschaft und Menschenrechte) and also integrate and specifically highlight the requirements of the Act on Corporate Due Diligence in Supply Chains.

The BMW Group was a key contributor to these instructions and follows their recommendations. They outline standardised procedures, such as the Online-Assessment of the Drive Sustainability initiative, which we ourselves use. We also train our suppliers on the instructions issued by the Sector Dialogue. 

Starting in mid-2025, the Sector Dialogue initiative will be continued in the non-profit UN Global Compact Netzwerk Deutschland e.V. Here the BMW Group is involved in a range of collaborative measures focused on mitigating violations that have been identified of human rights and environmental standards. By collaborating with other companies and stakeholders, we intend to increase our influence and enable measures to implemented in a way that complies with effectiveness criteria.

The BMW Group has been part of the VDA’s Working Group on Sustainability in the Supply Chain for many years. The focus of the group is on the development of standardised methods and procedures allowing SMEs to meet their due diligence obligations in full as well. Working on the project, we are fully aware that SMEs have less influence on their supply chains. Over the last few years, we and other manufacturers, suppliers and associations have been key contributors to the development of a standardised Online-Assessment procedure for evaluating the sustainability performance of companies in the automotive supply chain. The assessment is carried out  in the VDA’s non-profit Responsible Supply Chain Initiative RSCI e.V. It was piloted in 2022, and we have been implementing it ever since as part of our due diligence programme around working conditions. The BMW Group supports a “just transition” concept, offering SMEs technical support via the standardised procedures we co-developed and initiated. These include the Drive Sustainability Online-Assessment and the RSCI’s Onsite-Assessment programme, both of which are recommended to member companies. The BMW Group is also working within the VDA on further procedures and measures focusing primarily on SMEs.

The Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) advocates for responsible business conduct in global supply chains. We have been involved in various of its initiatives for many years – such as the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) – and have adopted their procedures. The aim of the RMI is to support the development and consolidation of responsible raw material production by providing tools and resources. This will improve legal compliance and the fulfilment of international standards while also meeting the expectations of industry and other stakeholder groups. In addition, the RMI strives to establish more sustainable and resilient raw materials supply chains.

Other RBA procedures we use include:

  • RBA Voices, a workers’ voice platform that includes worker surveys, onsite assessment support, mobile learning, feedback and grievance reporting
  • RBA Validated Assessment Program (VAP), an established standard for verifying onsite due diligence and for effective, shareable assessments conducted by independent third parties

Drive Sustainability is an initiative of automotive manufacturers who are jointly committed to improving sustainability in the automotive supply chain. The BMW Group has been involved since 2012, and we apply the standardised Online-Assessment we initiated in 2014 to our suppliers. The procedure – and the compliance process behind it – evaluates their organisational compliance with international provisions and standards as well as their internal guidelines and targets along the supply chain. In addition, Drive Sustainability organises regular supplier training courses in different countries around the world to help empower them. The training course tackles topics from the fields of social and environmental sustainability, business conduct and compliance, and supplier management. The content is based on the global guiding principles for sustainability in the automotive industry but tailored to meet the requirements of the country in which the course takes place. The idea is for local legislation, best practices and real-world examples to provide sustainable solutions and ideas for participants. For more on our involvement in raw material initiatives, click here.

BMW Group Supplier Code of Conduct.

The BMW Group Supplier Code of Conduct was updated in December 2022, when the Act on Corporate Due Diligence in Supply Chains was about to come into force. It offers more concrete explanations of the guiding principles for the global supplier network set out in the Policy Statement on Respect for Human Rights and Corresponding Environmental Standards. 

BMW Group Suplier Code of Conduct

BMW Group Supplier Code of Conduct.

Learn more

Our due diligence process.

Our multistage due diligence process locates responsibility for environmental and social standards in the supply chains in relevant BMW Group departments.

Due diligence process
BMW-Dilligenceprocess 250128_BMW_DilligenceProcess_EN

Our procurement process integrates standardised procedures, such as the Supplier Code of Conduct and the Drive Sustainability initiative’s industry-wide sustainability questionnaire. This Online-Assessment is used at the sites of parts suppliers and suppliers of non-production-related materials, if there is a risk. Also included in these procedures are risk-based onsite assessments according to the standards of the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) and the Responsible Supply Chain Initiative (RSCI) of the VDA. We also use standardised procedures to handle grievances and tip-offs relating to potential violations.

In the automotive world, developing a product takes a long time, so the purchasing process takes several years too. This means due diligence may be carried out up to two years before the supplier is actually awarded the contract. We use this time to implement comprehensive preventive measures, control mechanisms and corrective action as well, if needed. Individual preventive measures for occupational health and safety certification, for example, take several months to implement.

More on our due diligence.

Risk analysis. 

We have been identifying possible violations of environmental standards and human rights by potential suppliers since 2014 and have made it a part of our procurement process.

The BMW Group monitors and evaluates sustainability risks in its supplier network constantly, for both potential and active Tier 1 supplier locations. We use various in-house and industry-standard external data sources to identify and assess abstract environmental and human rights risks, including country- and commodity-specific indicators and media analyses at company as well as site level. Concrete risk analyses for Tier 1 suppliers are carried out annually and as needed, and are additionally based on the results of the standardised online and onsite assessments. The onsite assessments are usually carried out by external third parties and/or BMW Group sustainability experts for quality assurance purposes. 

Risk analyses with Tier n suppliers are based on supply chain mapping. For this reason the BMW Group works continuously to increase transparency over its own supply chain with the support of external databases, among other things.

Conducting regular risk analyses.

The BMW Group conducts comprehensive risk analyses of supplier sites, whether tendering or already active. Investigations are underpinned by two key cornerstones: first, regular risk analyses of Tier 1 suppliers, and second, as-needed analyses of both Tier 1 and Tier n suppliers. The latter are carried out based on tip-offs and complaints from the whistleblowers’ and complaints procedure. To find out more, click here.

Regular risk analysis of Tier 1 supplier sites consists of an abstract and a concrete component:

To identify and evaluate abstract risks to human rights and the environment, we investigate from several perspectives, including the country, business purpose, commodity group, location and corporate perspectives. This includes internal and external indicators as well as media analyses from which abstract indicators are identified.

One example is the standardised risk map of the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA). This incorporates external indicators and relates them back to the results of global concrete risk analysis from worldwide onsite assessments of production facilities. The RBA has now updated the risk map in conjunction with the BMW Group, in accordance with the Act on Corporate Due Diligence in Supply Chains. It is now available for all members to use.

On this basis, potential risks can be identified, and their probability, inherent severity and potential contribution to causation shown. To integrate the risk analysis into our purchasing processes, we award a sustainability risk score, which appears on monitoring dashboards for our specialist purchasers to use. This allows suitable procedures and control measures – such as online and/or onsite assessments/certifications – to be initiated during procurement, strategic decision-making and supplier development projects.

For Tier n suppliers in high-risk regions or dealing with high-risk commodities, the BMW Group has established control mechanisms. One important part of these is the onsite assessments of environmental and social standards at suppliers’ sites. These are carried out using industry-wide or cross-industry assessment programmes by the RBA along with the Validated Audit Programme (VAP) and the VDA’s Responsible Supply Chain Initiative (RSCI).

Findings from these concrete risk analysis procedures (i.e. the onsite and online assessments) provide the basis for prevention and remediation and complement the abstract risk analysis. This allows the actual level of risk at the site to be substantiated.

As part of the 2024 risk analysis for Tier 1 and Tier n suppliers, priority risks were identified from among the different risk types. Corrective actions were defined for each one, and the BMW Group is following up with the respective suppliers to ensure they are implemented.

The BMW Group has defined a set of Minimum Requirements at Site Level for its supplier network. These are based on the findings of risk analyses and outline the implementation of preventive measures to mitigate potential negative impacts, for example on a supplier’s employees. They are underpinned by the Online-Assessment of the Drive Sustainability initiative, which we continue to enhance in cooperation with other automotive manufacturers. The application of standards allows us to reduce the amount of duplicate work and operate more efficiently.

By signing a contract with the BMW Group, Tier 1 suppliers are committing to implementing, supplementing or continuing with required prevention and remediation measures and controls such as ISO certifications (ISO 14001 and ISO 45001) by an agreed date. They must also make their sub-suppliers aware of these measures. The scope of the preventive measures depends on the potential risks, the type and scope of business activities, and the size of the supplier. Suppliers are asked about the measures as part of the Drive Sustainability Online-Assessment, and the implementation is verified and evaluated. The aim is to mitigate risks and eliminate any potential deficits.

If the Online-Assessment reveals any shortfall from our requirements, the specialist purchaser and the supplier concerned agree preventive measures, which are then followed up with a deadline. Suppliers of production-related goods and services must implement the measures successfully by the time production starts. For more on preventive measures, click here.

For Tier 1 suppliers in high-risk regions or dealing with high-risk commodities, the BMW Group has established further control mechanisms that are generally carried out before production begins. The Onsite-Assessments of environmental and social standards at the supplier’s site are an important tool in this regard and carried out using industry-wide or cross-industry assessment programmes by the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) along with the Validated Audit Programme (VAP) and the VDA’s Responsible Supply Chain Initiative (RSCI).

As part of these online assessments, employees at the audited sites are interviewed to ascertain potential and actual impacts.

With both initiatives and given the supplier’s permission, the audit results are published on platforms to prevent duplicate audits. Publication of the results also increases acceptance among audited suppliers.

The BMW Group also uses supply chain assessments to identify risks with Tier n suppliers located downstream in the value chain, between Tier 1 suppliers and raw materials extractors, for instance. Here, impacts are determined by supply chain mapping and using media and logistics data, among other things.

Complaints procedure and whistleblower system.

The BMW Group aims to prevent human rights violations and environmental breaches and their negative impacts on its business activities wherever possible and to eliminate any substantiated (verified) indications of them by agreeing remediation measures.

If a supplier refuses to implement the remediation measures, we may make the necessary changes to the supply chain. We may also temporarily suspend business relations with them, if necessary, while risk mitigation is carried out. Business relationships are only terminated if there are no other effective means at our disposal and we cannot exert any further influence.

We use automated web crawlers to carry out global media monitoring and identify potential and actual risks with Tier 1 and Tier n suppliers. Every day AI algorithms analyse sources in more than 50 languages and dialects and over 140 risk categories. These sources include media reports, social media posts and other public data sources. By taking this perspective on our supplier network, we can identify violations of human rights and environmental or other sustainability standards as soon as possible.

Various complaints procedures are in place for in-house and external whistleblowers to flag up potential human rights violations and associated breaches of environmental standards. This allows us to identify and address risks early on and provide suitable remediation support, if needed. Confidentiality and the protection of whistleblowers is our top priority, and grievances can be reported anonymously. In keeping with our Group-wide policy, we do not take any steps to identify anonymous informers.

As well as our established grievance channels of BMW Group compliance – including the SpeakUP Line and ombudsperson (for more information, click here) – we operate supply chain-specific complaint channels for whistleblowers to use.

Overview of complaints procedure (simplified), according to Section 8 of the Act on Corporate Due Diligence in Supply Chains.

Compliance Process
Compliance Process

As part of the complaints procedure, we use metrics to gauge potential and actual sustainability violations in our supplier network and the risk they could pose to human rights and the environment in the future.

Group-wide complaints procedure – Pilot project.

As well as having our own in-house complaints mechanisms, the BMW Group regularly monitors and trials new applications from external organisations like the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) with a view to extending its existing system, if needed. We have been involved in a relevant working group of the Automotive Industry Dialogue since 2020, with the aim of establishing an industry-wide complaints mechanism.

Pilot project: Establishing and piloting a Group-wide complaints mechanism in the automotive industry in Mexico.

The aim of this project is to set up an effective Group-wide complaints mechanism to be piloted in Mexico in 2024-2025. Complementing our own in-house system, the Group-wide mechanism is designed to close gaps in protection and accountability. To do this, it will monitor our entire upstream control mechanism for Mexico. The pilot is also expected to generate insights into the further enhancement of our own in-house and overarching complaints mechanisms.

Prevention and remediation.

Prävention und Abhilfe

If risks or potential or actual impacts are identified with a Tier 1 supplier or (where appropriate) with a Tier n supplier, remediation and/or preventive measures are introduced. These are a fixed part of our processes.

The BMW Group Supplier Code of Conduct forms an integral part of our purchasing terms and conditions. By signing contracts with us, our Tier 1 suppliers give assurance that they will comply with the required human rights and environmental standards set out for them and make their Tier n suppliers, who do not have a direct business relationship with the BMW Group, aware of them too.

By signing a contract with the BMW Group, suppliers enter an obligation to implement, expand or continue the necessary preventive or remedial measures as well as control measures such as ISO certification (ISO 14001 and ISO 45001) by the agreed deadline. They also confirm that, depending on the degree of risk, they will make their sub-suppliers aware of the requirements too. The scope of the preventive measures depends on the potential risks, the type and scope of business activities, and the size of the supplier. Suppliers are asked about the measures as part of the Drive Sustainability online assessment, and their implementation is verified and evaluated. The aim is to mitigate risks and eliminate any potential deficits.

On awarding the contract, we agree corrective preventive measures with the suppliers concerned to mitigate any risks identified beforehand. These often consist of a lack of preventive measures in occupational health and safety, reporting and environmental management.

As part of our internal target management system, we assess how far the externally validated preventive measures have been implemented when production commences.

Our expectations around human rights and environmental standards are already taken into account during the selection of Tier 1 suppliers, as our procurement process comprises integrated and standardised procedures such as the online assessment of the Drive Sustainability initiative and the onsite assessments of the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) and Responsible Supply Chain Initiative (RSCI).

These online and onsite assessments also serve to verify the supplier’s compliance with the standards set out in the BMW Group Supplier Code of Conduct and allow us to agree on prevention and remediation measures if needed.

KEY PREVENTION AND REMEDIATION MEASURES.

TIER 1 SUPPLIERS.

Tier 1 suppliers are suppliers that hold contracts directly with the BMW Group.

Suppliers with more than 500 employees must have a social and environmental sustainability manager and a code of conduct. Those with more than 1,000 employees must publish a sustainability report and have a dedicated employee to oversee sustainability risk management.

Tier 1 suppliers with more than 50 employees must have a policy on working conditions and human rights for their business area. As a minimum requirement, this must address the key topics that have been identified of non-discrimination, harassment and women’s rights. These suppliers must also provide suitable staff training on all these key issues.

To be commissioned by the BMW Group, relevant suppliers with more than 500 employees at their site require an ISO 45001-certified occupational health and safety management system.

ISO 45001 is a global standard designed to effectively integrate occupational health and safety protection into everyday corporate and business practice and demonstrably reduce the risk of injury, accidents and work-related illness among staff. It stipulates a series of requirements for what it calls an Occupational Health and Safety Management System and offers suitable instruments and measures to implement it. As soon as the management system is established and ready for certification, an independent assessor audits it to ensure it meets all the specifications. Audits are carried out regularly and, essentially, as part of an onsite assessment in the company seeking certification. Methodological aspects such as depth of testing, scope and required competence are officially defined in an international set of rules. To ensure the norms are actually fulfilled, the assessors inspect not just the processes but also examples of their implementation. In addition, the audit examines the implementation of process descriptions and the fulfilment of legal and other requirements.

With accredited ISO 45001 certification, various processes are examined, assessed and confirmed, including:

  • Safety standards in the provision and maintenance of workplaces, workstations and work equipment
  • Suitability of protective measures against the effects of chemical, physical or biological substances
  • Presence of measures to prevent excessive physical and mental fatigue, especially caused by inappropriate work organisation with regard to working times and breaks
  • Adequate training and instruction of employees

Tier 1 manufacturing suppliers with more than 50 employees must have an environmental protection policy and control mechanism in place, such as a certified environment management system. They must demonstrably commit to integrating active environmental protection into their business practice and continuously enhancing their environmental performance. To be commissioned by the BMW Group, they must have an environment management system in place that has ISO 14001 or equivalent certification.

The global ISO 14001 norm aims to establish active environmental protection as a fixed part of corporate practice and everyday business in order to continue improving companies’ environmental performance. To achieve this, it stipulates that an environment management system is required that must integrate environment and sustainability into every area and process of a company effectively.

The general guidelines on implementation list suitable tools and measures for practical implementation of ISO 14004. When the management system is established in the company and ready for certification, it is regularly audited and verified, again by an independent assessor, to ensure all the relevant norms are met. The audits are mainly carried out on site, at the certifiable facility. Methodological aspects such as depth of testing, scope and required competence are officially defined in an international set of rules. To ensure compliance with the norms, the assessors inspect not just the processes but also examples of their implementation in business workflows. In addition, they carry out spot checks to ensure legal and other requirements are fulfilled.

ISO 14001 certification examines, assesses and confirms various aspects, including:

  • The establishment of environmental targets at strategic or operative level to improve systems or performance
  • The introduction of operational control measures for dealing with environmental issues
  • Monitoring and measuring to assess environmental performance and the achievement of desired outcomes
  • Continuous safeguarding and acquisition of new knowledge and skills around environmental issues
  • Communication to raise awareness or provide transparency and reassurance to the interested parties

Tier 1 suppliers with more than 500 employees must publish a sustainability report and the code of conduct.

For a full list of requirements, click here.

TIER N SUPPLIERS. 

Tier n suppliers operate in upstream stages of value creation and do not have a direct contractual relationship with the BMW Group. This means that to fulfil due diligence obligations relating to specific incidents, we generally reach them via the obligations of our Tier 1 suppliers and our own responsible raw material management.

Depending on their area of business, Tier 1 suppliers with more than 100 employees are required to implement preventive measures to manage their Tier n suppliers. These include sustainability requirements for Tier n suppliers around identified risks relating to human rights and working conditions, e.g. child labour, young workers, remuneration and benefits, working hours and modern slavery (i.e. slavery, servitude, forced labour and human trafficking), freedom of association and collective bargaining, the rights of minorities and indigenous peoples, and occupational health and safety risks.

Tier n suppliers must have management systems in place for environmental issues such as air and water quality, chemical management, waste prevention, biodiversity, land use and deforestation, and environmental control mechanisms. To make sure this is the case, our Tier 1 suppliers with over 1,000 employees must commit to addressing these issues with their Tier n suppliers.

We require our Tier 1 suppliers with more than 100 employees to communicate the BMW Group’s sustainability requirements to their (Tier 2) suppliers. This can be done via their general terms and conditions, supplier training, their code of conduct, sustainability guidelines and/or their own corporate website. 

In addition, we offer training and education for suppliers around this issue and due diligence measures, and verify the supplier’s documentation for their own business area.

Effectiveness analysis.

To support procedures around verifying due diligence in the supplier network, a comprehensive effectiveness analysis has been developed in accordance with the requirements of the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act. Comprising a functionality check and performance measurement, it is carried out on a regular basis and continuously improved.

Functionality test.

The functionality test assesses the due diligence tools and procedures used in the supply chain, such as risk analysis, complaints procedures, and prevention and remediation measures. Any shortcomings are revealed by annual reviews, and analysis findings are incorporated in the continuous improvement process.

Measuring success.

Measuring success is primarily about the impact of prevention and remediation measures, because their outcomes and conclusions allow us to effectively improve due diligence. A core part of this process is the IOOI (Input-Output-Outcome-Impact) method, which aims to develop a better understanding of interrelations between measures and their effects and enable better monitoring of suppliers’ improvements.

With the BMW Group’s holistic approach, impact analysis is a key tool for reviewing and enhancing the efficacy of due diligence processes.

Training suppliers and employees.

Liferanten und beschäftigte Schulen

To achieve a positive preventive impact, the BMW Group provides mandatory training for its in-house purchasing staff in line with their needs. We also offer optional courses on sustainability in the supply chain for purchasers, process partners and suppliers. In addition, documentation of Tier 1 supplier training for their own area of business is reviewed. These courses explain the interdependencies between environmental and social standards and the BMW Group’s expectations and due diligence measures. Participants are made aware of the importance of due diligence in the supply chain and learn how to detect and mitigate risks.

Since 2022 the BMW Group has been conducting dedicated training courses for employees and suppliers as part of the comprehensive RE:DRIVE SUSTAINABLE SUPPLY CHAINS enablement programme. The programme is regularly updated and improved and primarily focuses on issues relating to the three key topics of environmental and social standards in the supplier network, CO2 reductions and the circular economy.

In addition, twice a year the BMW Group offers an optional certification course for suppliers. This has been available since 2013 and aims to communicate the latest research discoveries as well as our own self-image around the issue of sustainability, and to empower our suppliers. Industry-wide training courses are also available to suppliers from initiatives like the RBA, in which the BMW Group is involved. These are among the accompanying components of the onsite assessment at suppliers’ sites to increase their effectiveness. Follow-up support is also available, from courses that help suppliers implement their measures.

Effectiveness analysis.

Contacts.

The BMW Group is ready to rise to the key challenges of our time. Social, environmental and due diligence standards are crucial in our supplier network. We’ll be happy to tell you more about our approaches and goals.

Learn more.

Page Overview: Due Diligence in the Supplier Network