BMW Group Thailand is reinforcing its commitment to supporting business operations in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly manner at every level – from individual, and public, to business and society – recently presented the Sustainability Awards 2022 to winning BMW dealers in two categories. The ‘Excellence in Renewable Energy Initiatives’ prize was awarded to Cherdchai Autohaus and ‘Excellence in Sustainable Business Initiatives’ was awarded to Europa Motor. The awards were organised to support and promote environmentally-friendly business operations and energy consumption, while encouraging authorised BMW dealers to recognise environmental problems and come up with solutions that lead to sustainable changes in society.
BMW Group Thailand organised the Sustainability Awards 2022 for authorised dealers as part of ‘the Choice is Yours’ project, officially launched for the first time in June 2022, with the goal to raise awareness about the environment and sustainability. The project consists of two activities: ‘the Choice is Yours’ contest for university students and the Sustainability Awards to promote sustainable business operations amongst the dealer network under four topics: REthink, REduce, REuse and REcycle. For BMW dealers, the two awards required the participating dealers to present both business direction and actual implementation that led to outstanding results. The criteria for the awards included the project’s positive impacts on society, the participation of employees and customers, and creativity.
Mr. Alexander Baraka, President and CEO of BMW Group Thailand, said: “BMW Group Thailand has continuously operated our business in a sustainable manner for many years. By 2050, the BMW Group aims to reach carbon neutrality across the entire value chain with the belief that change can happen through the collaboration of all parties – especially the dealers, who play an important role in driving the business and working closely with customers. We are keen to support and promote initiatives that aim to reduce impacts on and raise awareness about the environment, in the hope that they will serve as a guideline for responsible business operations while delivering sustainable service experiences through ‘the Choice is Yours’ project.”
The ‘Excellence in Renewable Energy Initiatives’ was awarded to Cherdchai Autohaus, which operates through ‘Solar cell circulating energy’, and produces up to 158,000 kWh of electricity per hour or 37% of total power consumption – equal to planting 1,750 trees. This facilitates electricity consumption and charging for electric and plug-in hybrid cars at Solar Carport.
The award of ‘Excellence in Sustainable Business Initiatives’ belongs to Europa Motor, which initiated the ‘Come along the way’ holistic sustainable project, reflecting sustainability under four topics: REthink, REduce, REuse and REcycle, with the purpose to comprehensively integrate sustainability with business operations.
Khun Monika Phipatanantakurn, Sales and Marketing Director of Europa Motor Company Limited, said: “Europa Motor has continuously worked with BMW Group Thailand in the field of environmental issues and recognises the importance of sustainability. As a part of the automotive industry, we have transformed our business direction to be more aligned with current sustainable and environmental concerns by shifting the organization’s operations to an online base, reducing the use of plastic and using eco-friendly products in customer service. In this regard, we are grateful to BMW Group Thailand for organizing the Sustainability Awards 2022 in recognition of authorised BMW dealers who promote business direction that highlights environmental impacts. We are ready to promote and expand the initiative while encouraging our employees and customers to recognize the importance of all-party collaboration, leading to continuous and sustainable positive impacts on society and the environment.”
Khun Prinn Kanchanatip, Dealer Principal of Cherdchai Autohaus, said: “Climate change is an issue that needs to be addressed by every sector. All of us can be key leaders in committing to change for a better environment and in our lives. We appreciate BMW Group Thailand’s work in kickstarting ‘the Choice is Yours’ initiative, where our dealership network can work hand in hand to achieve more sustainable business operations. Cherdchai Autohaus has also promoted the use of renewable energy through the installation of solar cells at our dealership. We hope to further operate our business with less power consumption and to continue working with BMW Group Thailand to drive for a society of sustainable modern mobility.
Combining a commitment to sustainability with the Power of Choice philosophy, the objective of ‘the Choice is Yours’ programme is fully in line with the goal of the Paris Agreement i.e. to limit global warming to not exceeding 1.5˚C compared to pre-industrial levels, and to raise environmental awareness among the young generation as well as BMW employees and dealers. Apart from ‘the Choice is Yours’ competition for students held since last June, the project also aims to encourage all participants and the public to recognise the ‘Circular Economy’ concept. The concept – which pays attention to maximising the use of natural resources in product designs and services via the reuse of raw materials to reduce environmental impacts – gives all of us a “choice” to act for a better future.