Munich.
Björn Sommer, Sibusiso Thusi, Karin Kollross and Graham Darab are the recipients of this year’s BMW Group Award for Social Responsibility. Their commitment deserves recognition. The official award ceremony was held on 16 September in Munich. The four winners are actively involved with social causes in Germany, South Africa and Bolivia. With passion and dedication, they empower the families of children with cancer, support disadvantaged youth, provide aid to street children and help individuals struggling with addiction by offering them new opportunities. With this Award, every year, the BMW Group honours associates worldwide who demonstrate exceptional commitment to the common good. Each winner receives prize money of 10,000 euros for their project.
“The BMW Group Award for Social Responsibility is truly inspiring. It highlights the profound impact individual dedication can have and shows how commitment to others strengthens the entire community. Our associates are driving change by developing practical solutions to social problems. Their projects create a positive impact and serve as an invitation to everyone to step up and get involved,” says Ilka Horstmeier, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for People and Real Estate, who is also patron of the Award.
Appreciation for the whole team
The BMW Group Award for Social Responsibility has been highly regarded within the company for many years, achieving an impact that extends far beyond simply recognising the individuals involved. Around 100 associates worldwide submitted entries for the BMW Group Award this year. Behind each winning project is a whole team of dedicated helpers within the organisations themselves, who also receive recognition and appreciation through the Award. Volunteers find their involvement in social causes deeply enriching, motivated by the desire to give back to the community. One of the winners described the experience of being able to help as “grounding you and making you grateful”.
Here are the 2024 award-winners:
Sibusiso Thusi, who works in HR at Plant Rosslyn in South Africa, is the recipient of the Vera-und-Volker-Doppelfeld Award, which fosters commitment among young people. Sibusiso helps schoolchildren in South Africa discover their talents and realise their professional dreams. As a mentor with the “Young Aspiring Thinkers” initiative, he goes into public schools in economically disadvantaged areas to help children make up learning deficits, prepare them for internships and share insights into the world of work. He knows from experience that education is key to them taking control of their own lives.
Björn Sommer, a process and digitalisation expert based in Munich, possesses true pioneering spirit: He is developing a digital patient companion to support the families of children with cancer, aimed at improving their quality of life. His project garnered the interest of a team of colleagues: Together, under the umbrella of the association “Initiative for Children with Cancer Munich”, they developed a digital platform that consolidates all information relating to their illness.
Karin Kollross, who works in Technology Materials and Process Analytics in Munich, is deeply committed to helping street children in the Bolivian city of Cochabamba. She first experienced the plight of local children as a backpacker, later discovering the project “Emanuel Foundation – Children with a Future”. The initiative established a home for children whose mothers work in the neighbouring red-light district. Karin is working to ensure the continued existence of this safe haven.
Graham Darab, MINI brand manager for the company’s branches in central Germany, helps people break the cycle of addiction. As a trained addiction counsellor, he leads a self-help group at the “Living without addiction”association, where he helps people overcome addiction by maintaining a stable lifestyle and avoiding relapse. He also serves as one of the BMW Group’s addiction officers, undertaking important prevention efforts.
SOCIAL DRIVE consolidates social commitment
Assuming social responsibility is one of the BMW Group’s core values, having encouraged social commitment among associates for many years. The SOCIAL DRIVE initiative consolidates volunteer activities at the company: Alongside the BMW Group Award for Social Responsibility, the SOCIAL DRIVE platform forms the heart of the initiative. This is where associates showcase their social causes, connect with one another and recruit new members. The platform provides an easy way for individuals or teams to learn about and get involved in various projects.