What is your job about? What area are you working in?
I am working in the field of electric mobility and my job is about testing battery packs and battery cell modules for series development. I make sure that they pass all requirements before they finally go into series production.

How is sustainability linked with your role?
The whole field of electric mobility is a big link to sustainability. In my role as a test manager, one of my tasks is to find special parts about a battery or battery pack that we can improve. Choosing different materials or going for a more lightweight battery are possible options to implement ideas concerning sustainability.

In what regard do you and your work contribute to the sustainability targets of the BMW Group?
Generally, we contribute to the sustainability target of the BMW Group by increasing the number of electric vehicles on the roads. My work in particular contributes to the sustainability targets of the BMW Group in the way that we aim to develop the best battery possible – very efficient and usable – which provides the longest possible driving range for our customers. So, for example with a PHEV, our customers can drive long distances on just the electric energy stored in a battery and they do not need to use the combustion engine in their cars. This then contributes to reducing CO2 and other emissions.

How does it make you feel to be part of this transformation?
It makes me feel very proud to be part of the transformation which is going on at the moment. We have a great team working on the development of high voltage batteries and we always get the chance to implement our own ideas. It is a very creative atmosphere and I feel, we are creating change and we are really part of this transformation.

Where do you see your topic go in the future?
My topic will hopefully go a lot further in terms of developing even more efficient batteries so that the customers can drive even further with our electric vehicles. Additionally, focusing on new technologies that are coming up and trying to implement those in the series development of our battery packs should be a big deal in the future.

Are you proud of being involved in this topic?
I'm very proud to be involved in this field because I think that there is a great focus on this very important topic of sustainability. So, it is exciting to be part of it and be able to have my ideas integrated into vehicles and batteries.

What does sustainability mean to you?
To me, sustainability means that I will try to behave in a way that my environment can be sustained. This addresses the use of resources, the use of transportation like avoiding taking airplanes to go on holidays, considering the train, taking the bike, but also things like reducing the use of plastics or adapting the nutrition. So, I think sustainability is a big issue everyone can contribute to. But I like to think of the term sustainability also in a more personal and social way as the collaboration with my colleagues needs to be sustainable as well. So, all the relationships that we have are part of my idea of sustainability as well, because it is a give and take and there should be a balance.

And in the work environment, we try to use as little resources as possible. We try to reduce emissions in the production and use sustainable materials as much as we can.

How relevant do you see sustainability (generally, personally and work-related)?
I see sustainability as extremely relevant because it is both a long-term issue and a long-term goal that we need to follow. I believe that the subject of sustainability is extremely relevant for the BMW Group because as a large corporation, the BMW Group has a special responsibility and a special duty to follow ideas for sustainability, not only limited to the production aspect, but also in terms of social or environmental topics.

How does this impact you personally, outside work?
I feel that sustainability has a great impact on me in my personal life because I always try to act in a sustainable way. So, if I go grocery shopping, I avoid picking things wrapped in plastic, I recycle things and think about sustainable ways of transportation I can use.

What is your idea of a sustainable world?
My idea of a sustainable world is that all transportation is electric. Electric cars, electric planes, electric ships. And we even find a way of powering those vessels with sustainable sources of energy like wind, water or solar power, and therewith getting rid of all the conventional forms of energy that we have been using in the past. Limiting our use of resources to an extent that the environment can replenish them and that we do not keep exploiting the environment, is part of my idea of a sustainable world. It is about finding a balance between use and regrowth of resources.

Have you always been paying attention to sustainability?
Well, I have always tried to live a sustainable life, but there was indeed a special point in my life where I started focusing even more on sustainability. It was when I finished my master’s degree in electrical engineering and started my PhD studies in the field of electric mobility. Obviously, with electric transportation, the idea towards more sustainable sources of energy comes along. So, I would say after finishing my master's degree, it was a turning point for me, and sustainability became an even bigger topic.