BMW Group "Best Innovator" in the field of sustainability.

Berlin/Munich. In the 2009 Best Innovator competition, the BMW Group won the special award for “Sustainable Innovation Management”. This contest is held under the auspices of the German Ministry of Economics and Technology. At the Best Innovator round table convened at the Ministry’s conference centre in Berlin, Secretary of State Ernst Burgbacher selected the winners of what was the sixth edition of the competition.

The jury based its decision on the BMW Group’s focus on Efficient Dynamics, a vision for its products in which sustainability plays a pivotal role. Deciding factors for the panel of judges were the BMW Group’s achievements to date in cutting fuel consumption in their vehicles through innovations in engines and transmissions, Brake Energy Regeneration, Auto Start/Stop, the successful trial fleet of MINI E electric cars, as well as ongoing research and development towards further innovations in this area. Dr Christoph Grote, Head of Strategy and Innovations Total Vehicle at the BMW Group, said as he accepted the award in Berlin: “Our products stand for innovation. But our focus is on innovations that offer the customer – and the public at large – a clearly recognisable benefit. We are very proud to play a leading role in the campaign to reduce fuel consumption. In the last two years alone we achieved bigger cuts in vehicle fuel consumption than any other European car manufacturer. With a fleet value for Germany of 156 g/km in 2009, we even undercut volume producers in terms of absolute figures.”

In 2009, A.T. Kearney awarded the accolade of “Best Innovator” to exceptionally innovative companies in 12 countries around the globe. The award in the sustainability category went to companies whose vision of innovations to make the company, its environments and markets increasingly sustainable was judged to play a central role.

Christoph Grote: “Sustainability isn’t a buzzword for the BMW Group but is deeply anchored in the corporate strategy, and therefore its innovation strategy. We did not achieve our positive results in reducing fuel consumption through short-term, isolated actions, but on the basis of an early and enduring commitment to the issue of sustainability.”

Comprising the core jury of the 2009 “Best Innovator” competition were Dagmar Wöhrl, former Parliamentary Secretary of State in the German Ministry of Economics and Technology, Hans-Jörg Bullinger, President of the Fraunhofer Institute, Roland Tichy, editor of WirtschaftsWoche, and Kai Engel, partner at A.T. Kearney. There were more than 100 competition entrants and all were assessed according to the innovation aspects of each company’s strategy, organisation and culture, life cycle management, enabling factors, and economic success. It was the second award for the BMW Group, which had already been voted “Best Innovator” in 2004, as well as taking the “Best Innovation Strategy” award.

For further information please go to www.bestinnovator.de.