106 BMW Group Report 2024 To Our Stakeholders Combined Management Report Group Financial Statements Responsibility Statement and Auditor’s Report Remuneration Report Other Information Sustainability Statement Likewise, the BMW Group works either directly with the affected communities or with their local representatives. For example, lo- cal stakeholders are closely involved in the planning of the new assembly plant for high-voltage batteries in Irlbach-Strasskir- chen. Through a variety of measures, the Company has created transparency and opportunities for dialogue and has therefore attached great importance to taking the interests of local resi- dents and communities fully into account and working together to find a solution. In addition, BMW Group locations have desig- nated contacts who are responsible for maintaining relations with local stakeholders. They serve as the first point of contact between the Company and its neighbours. Maintaining an ongo- ing dialogue with civil society, affected communities and other relevant stakeholders in the supply chain is another key compo- nent in our approach to dealing with critical raw materials. The ↗ BMW Group Supplier Code of Conduct stipulates that affected (local) communities, and indigenous peoples especially, must also be taken into account and protected across the supply chain. As part of the responsible management of raw materials and with a view to mitigating social impacts, specific areas of focus have been identified that, for example, justify local involvement. To help en- sure compliance with social and environmental standards, we have put due diligence processes in place, both across the or- ganisation and in our relationships with suppliers and other busi- ness partners. The Purchasing and Supplier Network depart- ment is responsible for developing the procedures and imple- menting due diligence processes in the supply chain. In 2024, this responsibility was firmly embedded in our purchasing strat- egy and strengthened by the establishment of a dedicated de- partment. ↗ Social and Environmental Responsibility in the Supplier Network The BMW Group stays abreast of the latest scientific findings and, to this end, engages in a targeted dialogue with scientists about sustainability targets in a range of different formats. The International Sustainable Mobility Research Platform (ISMO) is an international research partnership established in 2024. In ad- dition to the BMW Group, it includes four internationally re- nowned universities: the University of Cambridge in the UK, the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg in Germany, Harvard University in the USA, and Tsinghua University in China. The objective of the collaboration is to conduct research into sus- tainability and develop scientifically sound approaches that will help develop our strategy. The Board of Management of BMW AG plays an active role in the partnership and will be in- volved in discussing the research results twice a year from 2025. The first meeting took place in 2024. The ISMO makes a signif- icant contribution by keeping management informed about im- portant changes in the operating environment and supporting the development of business strategies in line with the latest sci- entific insights. The BMW Group is also actively engaged in both industry-spe- cific and cross-industry initiatives. These include the Branchen- dialog Automobilindustrie, the Supply Chain Sustainability Work- ing Group of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA), and Drive Sus- tainability. Some of these are multi-stakeholder initiatives involv- ing companies as well as trade unions and NGOs that represent the interests of value chain workers. The BMW Group’s involve- ment in these initiatives is ongoing. The BMW Group is involved in RBA Voices, a standardised, cross-industry grievance mecha- nism available for download from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. All stakeholders - from customers to scientists to affected com- munities – have the opportunity to connect with the BMW Group through various communication channels. In addition to using the Group’s main email addresses, stakeholders can report com- pliance-related concerns through the ↗ BMW Group Compliance Contact or the ↗ BMW Group SpeakUP Line. The BMW Group SpeakUP Line can be reached in all countries in which BMW Group em- ployees work via local, toll-free telephone numbers in more than 30 languages. All reports received by the BMW Group through these communication channels are carefully reviewed in compli- ance with applicable regulations. In particular, the BMW Group observes the prohibition on penalising whistleblowers acting in good faith.