BMW to build an eco-friendly bird hide - BMW’s innovation in CSR
BMW Beautiful Homeland Initiative kicks off on International Day for Biological Diversity

(Beijing) On May 22nd the International Day for Biological Diversity, BMW China officially kicks off the “BMW Beautiful Homeland Initiative” together with China Green Foundation and China Education Development Foundation-BMW Warm Heart Fund, announcing a package plan to support the Liaoning Liaohekou National Nature Reserve from three aspects: improving management ability, raising awareness of biodiversity conservation, and promoting publicity and education. BMW China will take a range of concrete actions, including providing vehicles for patrol and animal rescue, building an eco-friendly bird hide, developing a set of nature education courses, and organizing nature education trainings. This means, with the “At Home in China” philosophy in mind, BMW is extending its sustainability strategy with forward thinking and fulfilling its social responsibilities with innovative solutions, to make greater contributions to China’s ecological civilization construction.

At Home in China: BMW creatively fulfills social responsibilities

The “BMW Beautiful Homeland Initiative” this year is made live on May 22nd, welcoming the public for a virtual tour to the beautiful Liaoning Liaohekou National Nature Reserve, and to witness the official kick-off of the program. Liaohekou National Nature Reserve is located at the mouth of Liaohe River in Liaodong Bay. The Liaohe River flows into the sea in Liaoning Panjin, thus forming the largest coastal reed wetland in China, which provides a suitable habitat for a variety of rare and endangered wild animals. In May, the beach has begun to turn red, and clusters of seepweed grow out of the ground, red and green mixed. Tens of thousands of rare waterfowl along with the endless shallow beach form a near-sea red beach landscape rarely seen across the world.

“BMW Group believes the fight against climate change and use of resources will decide the future of our society, and also, of BMW. This is why we are taking responsibility here and now. We put sustainability at the center of our strategic direction, and we view the environment as an important stakeholder. BMW Group is the first German automotive manufacturer to join the Business Ambition for 1.5°C campaign launched by the Science-Based Targets Initiative,” said Mr. Jochen Goller, President & CEO of BMW Group Region China, “We fully agree with the Chinese government that biodiversity is the foundation, objective and means of sustainable development. Without healthy biodiversity, there can be no sustainable development. At Home in China, BMW believes it matters to everyone to preserve our beautiful Earth home.”

In 2022, the “BMW Beautiful Homeland Initiative” starts from the Liaoning Liaohekou National Nature Reserve. BMW will introduce the environmentally sustainable design concept to construct a nature education base in the Reserve which will also serve as an eco-friendly hide for bird watching. BMW will also provide the Reserve with three fully electric New BMW iX3s as patrol cars and two other vehicles for animal rescue. In addition, BMW will trust a professional institution with the development of a set of nature education courses and carry out a wide range of biodiversity education and training among stakeholders and the public. BMW hopes to strengthen the public’s awareness of biodiversity conservation and further lead the public to take actions through online and offline interaction and communication.

Dr. Franz Decker, President & CEO of BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd., said: “The rapid growth of our Shenyang Production Base is inseparable from the great support of Liaoning government and local communities. Shenyang is the location where the joint venture was born and grew up. At Home in China, we’re committed to the Group’s sustainability strategy while pursuing high-quality development, contributing not only to the economic and social development of Liaoning old industrial base, but also to the ecological civilization construction of Liaoning and even of China. And we are very proud that our fully electric green New BMW iX3s can play a role in safeguarding this beautiful land. Together with our stakeholders, we will spare no efforts to keep our home clean, green, and beautiful.”

Biodiversity is the foundation of sustainable development

According to the UNEP report “Making Peace with Nature” issued in February 2021, human is now facing a triple environmental emergency – biodiversity loss, climate disruption and escalating pollution. The IPBES Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services released in May 2019 also warns that “nature is declining globally at rates unprecedented in human history – and the rate of species extinctions is accelerating, with grave impacts on people around the world. Current negative trends in biodiversity and ecosystems will undermine progress towards 80% of the assessed targets of the Sustainable Development Goals.”

The White Paper on Biodiversity Conservation in China, issued in 2021, states that “China cherishes the principle that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, and sees biodiversity as the foundation, objective and means of sustainable development.”

The Liaohekou National Nature Reserve with its vast stretches of reed marshes, provides a suitable habitat for a variety of rare and endangered wild animals, including 23 bird species under first-class national protection and 54 animal species under second-class national protection. The Reserve is on the East Asia-Australasia migration route and is an important stopping place for North-South migrant of red-crowned cranes, and a breeding ground for the world’s largest population of black-billed gulls. Therefore, it is of high conservation value.

As a forerunner in sustainable development in the industry, BMW Group understands China’s social demands with forward thinking and fulfills social responsibilities with innovative solutions. The BMW Beautiful Homeland Initiative launched in November 2021 is committed to preserving biodiversity and building the protected areas system with national parks as the mainstay, contributing to the ecological civilization construction in China. At Home in China, BMW continues to create values for the Chinese customers, the local society and industry for mutual growth. BMW believes that a responsible business has its sights set beyond sales and profit, and instead puts more focus on engaging stakeholders to jointly address social issues and contribute to local communities. Closely following and with deep insights into the Chinese government and society’s major social agendas, BMW CSR targets three social issues – Culture Protection, Social Development and Environmental Protection – to continuously contribute to a better Chinese society through four flagship projects – BMW China Culture Journey, BMW Children’s Traffic Safety Education, BMW JOY Home, and BMW Beautiful Homeland Initiative.