BMW Group launched its first UK Environmental Report 24th November 2005.

The report contains UK base data for BMW Group’s key environmental performance indicators for the periods from 2001 to 2004 with ten case studies also included highlighting environmental improvement programmes across BMW Group’s operations in the UK.

Speaking at the launch of the report, Roger Twiney, BMW Group’s UK Director of Environmental Affairs, said: “BMW Group has a significant manufacturing and employment impact within the UK and is working hard to improve its environmental performance. The publication of the first BMW Group environmental report shows the progress we are making in putting environmental and sustainability issues at the heart of our business and manufacturing thinking.”

Despite annual increases in production volume, water consumption per MINI at BMW Group’s Oxford plant has been reduced by 25 per cent and at the same time the cleanliness of the water discharged from the treatment has been improved. The segregation of waste streams has meant that the plant has reduced by almost two thirds the amount of compacted process waste it sends to landfill.

Improvements in biodiversity have been achieved at the Hams Hall engine plant in North Warwickshire which used to be an ash-covered power station site, and the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars manufacturing plant at Goodwood which was previously a monoculture destined to become a gravel pit. Both now support a wide range of flora and fauna.

BMW Group’s plant environmental performance indicator (EPI) has shown average EPI has improved by around 40 per cent from 2001 to 2004.