BMW 2012 Annual Report Download - page 17

17 STATEMENT OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF MANAGEMENT
In the 2013 financial year, we aim to continue on our successful course, targeting record sales at Group
level. The main risks and uncertainties for our business stem from the volatility in our environment, the high
level of public-sector debt and the uneven performance of the automobile markets.
We remain confident. In 2013, all three automobile brands and BMW Motorrad will bring new and revised
models onto the market. In addition to that:
We are putting electromobility on the road. Late 2013 heralds a new era of premium mobility: we will
launch the pure electric BMW i3, our solution for emissions-free driving in urban areas. At the same time,
customers will be able to purchase their charging current from renewable energies.
Production of the BMW i family sets new standards for resource conservation and the use of innovative
materials, such as carbon fibre, in automobile manufacturing. In 2012, the BMW Group was named industry
leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the eighth consecutive year – and therefore remains the
world’s most sustainable car company.
At Bayerische Motoren Werke, we have a clear vision: to be a leader in the future development of individual
mobility. We believe in the potential of electromobility – not least in order to meet ambitious CO2 emissions
reduction targets in the EU and worldwide. In this regard, we are collaborating with Toyota Motor Corporation
in the field of sustainable mobility. In early 2013, we signed an agreement to establish cooperation on fuel
cells, lightweight construction technologies and the development of a sports car.
Employees are our most important success factor. The most important requirement for a successful
future is our motivated and dedicated employees – and, not least, our young talents. For this reason, we
increased the number of apprentices in Germany by about 10 % last year. No fewer than 1,376 young people
embarked on a career with the BMW Group at the start of the 2012 training year, and the total number of
apprentices reached 4,266 at the end of 2012. Last year alone, we invested more than € 280 million in vocational
and professional training to provide our employees with the qualifications they need for technological
change.
We are convinced that our investments in all areas today will enable your Company to be well positioned
to face the future. We hope we can count on your continued trust and support as we move forward.
Norbert Reithofer
Chairman of the Board of Management