The BMW Children's Traffic Safety Education program has been held nationwide for more than 350,000 youngsters.

The BMW China Culture Journey fleet has now visited more than 150 cultural heritage sites. Photos Provided to China Daily

A master artisan teaches a student how to make shadow puppets. BMW has played an important role in helping passing down such intangible cultural legacies.

For BMW, business success and sustainable development that includes all its stakeholders are crucial in today's market and consumer environment, said the top executive at its joint venture in China.

The German luxury icon has implemented a sustainable strategy across its entire production chain and is now calling on other companies and the public to practice social responsibility that contributes to society as a whole.

"That's why we held the 2013 BMW Sustainability and CSR Forum here in Beijing on July 18, bringing together experts from different fields to review their experience and discuss strategies for a more innovative and responsible future," said Olaf Kastner, president and CEO of BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd.

He said BMW has long had a sustainable strategy of ever-growing investment, better products, exceptional talent and local R&D that led to the remarkable development of BMW Brilliance over the last decade.

"Today, consumers are becoming more aware of the environmental costs and social implications of their day-to-day consumption decisions. Competitive multinational corporations are under pressure to examine not only their own business practices, but also the entire value chain for environmental sustainability," said Kastner.

He said BMW's new Tiexi plant in Shenyang, Liaoning province demonstrates the company's sustainability strategy.

Sally Sun, vice-president of public relations at BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd, said that "since the very beginning in the design and construction of the plant, we put sustainability as a top priority in every process".

"It proved to be one of the most green and sustainable plants in China with the highest automation rate and a 65 percent saving in energy 60 percent in water and emissions cut by 70 percent in the paint shop. BMW has set a good example on energy conservation for the whole society," she said.

In 2011, BMW extended its sustainability strategy to sales and became the first to have a 5S dealership concept in the auto industry - the fifth S for sustainability - as they called on dealers to fulfill their corporate responsibilities to the environment and society.

Zhuang Zengwen, general manager of Beijing Xingdebao Auto Sales and Service Co, BMW's first 5S dealership, said the retail outlet has implemented the carmaker's mandate.

"As a dealer on the front line face-to-face with customers, we put sustainability into every detail in our showroom, repair shop and even surrounding areas, and involve BMW customers and their families in our sustainability practices," said Zhuang.

Return to society

Since the company started CSR programs in 2007, it has continued to stage a series of activities that have placed BMW in a leadership position for corporate citizenship in the auto industry.

"BMW has taken our expertise in the fields of building cars and building a successful business to multiply our social impact," said CEO Kastner. "We approach our CSR activities the same way we approach our business, building influential, comprehensive and systematic CSR programs that in turn support our company's goals."

In China, its efforts have focused on resources, intercultural innovation and social inclusion, and education support.

"We are particularly proud of the BMW China Culture Journey program which acknowledges our appreciation of China's traditional culture and raises awareness about intangible cultural heritage," said Kastner.

Over the past six years, the journey has covered the Silk Road, the Grand Canal, earthquake stricken areas in the west, coastal regions in the south and the plains of China' central regions. In all the effort it has explored more than 150 cultural heritage sites and has contributed to 58 cultural legacies in need.

BMW has also promoting traffic safety education as the millions of news cars hit the road grows and the number of new drivers rises every year.

The BMW Children's Traffic Safety Education program has been held nationwide for eight consecutive years and for more than 350,000 children.

"Children in major cities aren't the only ones who have joined our program," said Kastner. "We have also brought our traffic safety module class to the children of migrant workers and are planning to extend this program to left-behind children schooled in the classrooms of at the BMW JOY Home, our long-term project to enrich the lives of children in less-developed areas," said Kastner.

BMW also strives to help society in other ways, he added.

From emergency aid to post-disaster reconstruction in earthquake-stricken Wenchuan in Sichuan and Yushu in Qinghai, the BMW Warm Heart Fund has sent assistance to people in need, said Kastner.

"For BMW, corporate sustainability and CSR programs are business approaches that create long-term consumer and employee value, not only a 'green' strategy aimed at preserving the environment, but also taking into consideration the social, cultural and economic aspects of a business," said Kastner.

"That's why for the past eight years, BMW has been consistently ranked as an industry leader in the field of corporate sustainability on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index ."