In the auto market in the past two years, "involution" is undoubtedly the key word. It seems that all car manufacturers are adjusting configurations, prices, and sales. It seems that this era of involution has enveloped manufacturers and they are rushing forward blindly.
However, among the car companies that are rushing around, BMW is one of the few manufacturers that has not messed up, still maintains its own rhythm and maintains a high degree of sobriety.
On the one hand, the BMW Group is steadily advancing its main business in the market and has delivered outstanding results. It was disclosed at the BMW Group Annual Financial Report held at the end of March that despite facing fierce competition and a complex and changing market environment, the BMW Group still achieved its business goals for fiscal year 2023 as expected and maintained sustained business growth. In the Chinese market, which is a benchmark, the BMW Group will deliver approximately 100,000 BMW pure electric vehicles in 2023.
On the other hand, the BMW Group has recently announced a series of corporate social responsibility initiatives and is still investing heavily in upgrading its corporate social responsibility strategy. Faced with the turbulence of the market, why can BMW, which has been in China for 30 years, still "remain true to its original aspirations"?
Cultural Connector, BMW is in love with the Grand Canal
When you think of the Grand Canal, what comes to mind? As a Chinese, I would think of it as an important waterway connecting the north and the south, the crystallization of the wisdom of the Chinese people, and the common national memory of the entire Chinese nation. Carrying more than two thousand years of history, the Grand Canal is undoubtedly a cultural heritage treasure that belongs to the world and all mankind.
More than that, the Grand Canal includes three parts: the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, the Zhejiang Grand Canal and the Sui-Tang Grand Canal. It has a total length of 3,200 kilometers and spans 8 provincial-level administrative regions of Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang. , connecting the five major water systems of the Haihe River, Yellow River, Huaihe River, Yangtze River and Qiantang River, affecting nearly 200 million people along the way, it can be called a "living heritage" and "moving culture". Therefore, as early as ten years ago in 2014, the Grand Canal was successfully selected into the World Cultural Heritage List, becoming China's 46th World Heritage project.
Entering 2024, the tenth anniversary of the Grand Canal being listed as a World Heritage, in Wuxi, which has the best navigation conditions across the Grand Canal, the largest ship traffic, and the most significant social and economic benefits, the Chinese and Foreign Cultural Exchange Center of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Jiangsu The Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and the Wuxi Municipal People's Government jointly hosted the "'Hello! China' - 2024 Grand Canal Themed Tourism Overseas Promotion Season Launching Ceremony" in early April. On this occasion, BMW China has also joined hands with the Sino-foreign Cultural Exchange Center and the China Education Development Foundation to jointly launch the "BMW China Cultural Journey - Grand Canal Cultural Protection Education Public Welfare Project", announcing that it will provide long-term support for the protection, promotion and promotion of the Grand Canal culture. educate.
Being associated with the Grand Canal is actually an upgrade and deepening of the "BMW China Culture Journey" that BMW has carried out for 18 years, and this fully reflects BMW's long-standing emphasis on the concept of "home in China". Dai Hexuan, President and CEO of BMW Brilliance Automotive Co., Ltd., said at the launch ceremony: "The long-term vision of BMW's sustainable development strategy is to achieve harmonious development between commercial success, the courage to assume social responsibilities, and protecting the ecological environment. 'Water' is life , the source of prosperity and travel. The 2,500-year-old Grand Canal represents 'connection' and 'travel', connecting people with cultural diversity, nurturing prosperity, and connecting history and the future. The Grand Canal is a symbol of human respect for nature, A masterpiece that utilizes the harmonious coexistence of nature, man and nature. Helping protect the Grand Canal not only protects the ecology, but also promotes cultural exchanges. It is a practical action of the BMW Group to practice "responsibility first" and "humanity first", and it is also a contribution to the common people. The promise of building a beautiful home where harmony and symbiosis exist.”
In BMW's future plans, the "BMW China Culture Journey" will help protect the tangible and intangible heritage of the Grand Canal and promote and educate the Grand Canal culture. "BMW China Culture Tour" will explore the tangible and intangible cultural heritage along the Grand Canal, invite famous experts and experts to help promote the protection and education of the Grand Canal culture; select and fund intangible cultural heritage inheritors along the Grand Canal to enter the "Tsinghua University Academy of Arts and Design" -BMW Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Innovation Base" helps intangible cultural inheritors design and develop intangible cultural and creative products with empowering thinking; it drives nearly 10 million users, fans, and stakeholder dealers across the country to promote the culture surrounding the Grand Canal heritage travel.
"No responsibility, no luxury" Responsibility always follows
Since the launch of the "BMW China Culture Tour" in 2007, BMW has been committed to the protection of traditional culture, and this is the first public welfare project in the Chinese automobile industry dedicated to the protection of traditional culture and intangible cultural heritage. Why does a foreign company spend so much effort on local cultural protection? But for BMW, this is precisely something that is rooted in the company's DNA.
For BMW, corporate social responsibility has never been a whim. In fact, for more than half a century, BMW has been committed to carrying out cultural activities on a global scale and promoting cultural protection and dialogue. The BMW Group believes that culture connects people and respect and appreciation of cultural diversity can promote the world communication and mutual understanding. For example, since 1975, BMW has invited artists from different cultural backgrounds around the world to participate in the design of 20 BMW Art Cars, of which the 18th was created by Chinese artist Cao Fei, demonstrating the Chinese expression of the perfect fusion of art and speed. Also in China, BMW's "Art Factory" project has a history of 13 years. BMW invited young artists from the Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts and the Munich Academy of Fine Arts to create art factory creations featuring cultural dialogue between China and the West at Tiexi Factory and Lida Factory.
The "BMW China Culture Journey", which has been working for 18 years, has visited 24 provinces and municipalities in China and 6 national cultural and ecological protection experimental zones, as well as 410 intangible cultural heritage items, funded and empowered training for nearly The 1,000 intangible cultural heritage inheritors have inspired nearly 10 million BMW users and fans, influenced nearly 160 million people to join the inheritance and protection of intangible cultural heritage, and made outstanding contributions to the protection of China's intangible cultural heritage.
Regarding the "BMW China Cultural Journey", Dr. Dai Hexuan said: "When we first entered China, BMW discovered that China's intangible cultural heritage is so rich, and some places are very similar to German culture. We saw many handicrafts that have been passed down very well. For the intangible cultural heritage project, we hope to better understand Chinese culture and respect and appreciate Chinese traditional culture, so BMW very much hopes to play the role of a cultural bridge."
After 18 years of hard work, the "BMW China Culture Journey" has become an important link for cultural exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, and also reflects BMW's century-old understanding of cultural connections and civilizational exchanges. For BMW, corporate social responsibility is not a cost, but a commitment and contribution to the continuation of the entire human civilization and society. This understanding, protection and integration of cultures from different countries and regions reflects the profound heritage of a century-old car company and is worthy of everyone who is committed to "going global" and is growing from a "Chinese enterprise" to an "international enterprise" "Chinese automobile companies will learn from it as an example and do their part to communicate and connect the world.
Responsibility on the left hand, sales on the right hand, have your cake and eat it too.
Enterprises that can make great efforts to invest in social responsibility must also be "hard" enough in their own development. As for BMW, it is obvious that it has achieved responsibility and sales, grasping both, and being "hard" with both hands.
If we look back at the BMW Group's 2023 financial report data, we will find that the BMW Group has maintained the first place in luxury car sales for the third consecutive year. On the electric vehicle track, BMW's strategy of dual-engine gasoline and electric vehicles is forward-looking and seems to be successful so far.
Regarding profit and profitability, the most essential mission of a company, BMW does not just focus on the market and sales, but gives the answer of "no responsibility, no luxury" and a "responsibility first" attitude. As the head of the BMW Group and Chairman of the BMW Group, Zipzer, said on the eve of the 2023 Munich Auto Show: "BMW's long-term vision is to achieve harmonious development between commercial success, the courage to assume social responsibility and protecting the ecological environment. "
In fact, BMW has never opposed the two things of corporate profitability and social responsibility. It seems difficult to not give up the "profit" of being a member of the market, nor to forget the "righteousness" of a company with a sense of social responsibility, but BMW has consistently practiced it. To a certain extent, this kind of thing The attitude of "both profit" and "righteousness" is exactly the values and mission of BMW, an everlasting enterprise, formed after a hundred years of accumulation.
This kind of values and mission guides BMW's development direction in technology and products, and also strengthens BMW's original intention to shoulder social responsibilities and put people first. Making positive contributions to society and the environment will not distract BMW's energy, but will always repay and nourish this century-old company in various ways and encourage it to move forward.
"No responsibility, no luxury". No matter how the times change, BMW, which puts "responsibility first", is ready to respond.
