BMW 2002 Annual Report Download - page 24

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network consisting of more than 2,000 independent
companies operating at approximately 3,000 loca-
tions. In order to take full advantage of the market
potential in Poland, the BMW Group established its
own sales company in Warsaw in June 2002.
The MINI dealer network was expanded in 2002
to more than 1,400 dealerships located in some 70
countries.
In 2002, the Group began to build up the sales
network for the Rolls-Royce brand, some 60
dealer-
ship agreements being signed by the end of the
year.
The new Block Exemption Regulation (BER) for
motor vehicle sales, passed by the EU Commission
in July 2002, creates particular challenges for the
automobile industry in Europe. The change of legal
framework will require the restructuring of the BMW
Groups European sales network. This restructuring
was started in October 2002 and is based on the
following underlying principles:
 The BMW Group continues to attach high priority
to brand exclusivity.
 The BMW Group is committed to implementing a
selective sales system, so that it can continue to
ensure the high standards of support and service.
Strong and independent dealers will continue to be
the foundation of the BMW Groups sales network.
 The harmonisation of price and bonus systems by
the BMW Group will guarantee uniform competitive
conditions applying to all dealers throughout Europe.
This consistent strategy strengthens confidence
within the sales organisation. It is laying the foun-
dations for growth-oriented investment in hardware
and software by sales partners.
Further developing environmental standards
The BMW Group is committed to compliance with
the highest environmental standards. In this respect,
the Group has adopted an all-embracing approach:
all stages in the life cycle of a vehicle are measured
from an environmental perspective and optimised
accordingly. The various operations of the enterprise,
beginning with parts and product design at the re-
search and development stage, moving on through
production, sales and service and ending with the
recycling of used vehicles, are all included in the en-
vironmental management system.
Since 1999, all locations in the worldwide pro-
duction network of the BMW Group use an environ-
mental management system certified to ISO 14001
level and participate in the European Eco-Manage-
ment Audit Scheme (EMAS II) with the aim of im-
proving environmental protection at an operational
level. In 2002, the EMAS -certified assembly and com-
ponent plants in Berlin, Dingolfing, Landshut, Munich,
Regensburg (including Wackersdorf), Eisenach and
Steyr all issued detailed environmental declarations.
These declarations, similar to the BMW Group
Sustainable Value Report (which will be published
again in summer 2003) provide detailed information
on progress made in environmental protection.
The BMW Groups commitment to environ-
mentally compatible production was emphasized in
September
2001 by signing the Cleaner Produc-
tion Declaration of the United Nations environmen-
tal programme. Progress in production processes
continued to contribute to a trend of more efficient
utilisation of resources and lower emissions. Energy
consumption in 2002 increased in the short-term,
partly as a result of the continued changeover to
more environmentally compatible water and powder-
based
paint technologies. The improved energy mix,
however, i.e. the environmentally compatible energy
Expansion of the Research and Development Centre.
Online link with suppliers extended.
New sales company in Warsaw.
Regional mix of BMW Group purchase volumes
in %, basis: production material
Germany
Rest of Western Europe
NAFTA
Central and Eastern Europe
Asia/Australia
Africa
South America 178
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