BMW Group official sponsor of United Nations Rio+20 Conference

Munich. The BMW Group is the official sponsor of the United Nations Rio+20 sustainability conference in Rio de Janeiro. As sponsor, the carmaker will be showcasing its main sustainable management milestones in the BMW Group Sustainability Lounge, a 400-square-metre pavilion. The pavilion is located on the official conference premises and is made of lightweight white nylon. The structure supports itself by way of air pressure and the fabric allows for optimal utilisation of daylight.

For the first time in South America, delegates, press representatives and visitors can test drive current electric vehicles such as MINI E and BMW ActiveE on the “BMW Group Electric Vehicle Test Drive Circuit”.

Events and Brazilian project in BMW Pavilion  

In the pavilion, there will be daily events for press representatives and conference participants. One such event will be at the Sustainability Future Conference where the BMW Group will be presenting its concepts for sustainable mobility.

Also in the lounge will be Brazilian organisator “Vaga Lume”. This organisation won the Intercultural Innovation Award in 2011, presented by the BMW Group in collaboration with the United Nations as part of the company’s CSR activities. Since then Vaga Lume has been receiving funding. “Vaga Lume” is dedicated to cultural exchange between children and young people in São Paulo and the Amazonas region.

During the conference, BMW will provide a shuttle service made up of efficient vehicles for the use of the Brazilian government and the United Nations, for example the BMW 5 Series Sedan and the BMW 7 Series ActiveHybrid.

About Rio+20  

Rio+20 is the United Nations conference on sustainable development.  From 13 to 22 June 2012, some 50,000 participants from industry and politics as well as the general public, and over 100 heads of state and government will meet to discuss global efforts to develop an environmentally friendly and socially just world. The focus of discussions will be on the one hand an analysis of the progress made since the first UN Sustainability Conference 20 years ago in 1992. On the other hand, specific solutions and goals will be developed for pressing global problems such as poverty, hunger, climate change, urbanisation and scarcity of resources.

The BMW Group

The BMW Group is one of the most successful manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles in the world with its BMW, MINI, Husqvarna Motorcycles  and Rolls-Royce brands. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 29 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2011, the BMW Group sold about 1.67 million cars and more than 113,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for the financial year 2011 was euro 7.38 billion on revenues amounting to euro 68.82 billion. At 31 December 2011, the BMW Group had a workforce of approximately 100,000 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been built on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy. As a result of its efforts, the BMW Group has been ranked industry leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes for the last seven years.

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If you have any questions, please contact:

Corporate Communications

Kai.Zoebelein@bmw.de, Press Spokesperson, Sustainability

Telephone: +49 89 382-21170

Alexander. Bilgeri@bmw.de, head of Business, Financial and Sustainability Communications
Telephone: +49 89 382-24544

Media website: www.press.bmw.com

E-mail: presse@bmwgroup.com