We believe in supporting a progressive culture that allows all our associates to feel at home, enjoy equal opportunities and grow with us. That’s why our culture is founded on 5 core principles, which set the tone for how we work together and treat each other in order to empower us all – and foster a unique team spirit.
Discover what it’s really like to work with us, from the people who know the best.
We value our associates and stakeholders with appreciation and respect. As a global company, we put our associates first with ongoing training and development to ensure a culture of respect, trust and fairness. It is our aim to ensure all new associates become a part of our dynamic and ever changing environment where we welcome strong characters and individual personalities.
We believe in supporting a progressive culture that allows all our associates to feel at home, enjoy equal opportunities and grow with us. That is why our culture is founded on 5 core values, which set the tone for how we work together and treat each other to foster a unique team spirit.
We are excited by change and open to new opportunities. We learn from our mistakes in order to create our future. We take our colleagues' ideas seriously, because every little impulse can turn into something great.
We do not embellish, but point out contradictions constructively. We act with integrity and talk to each other. This is the only way to create trust and bring our visions onto the streets.
We take consistent decisions and commit to them personally. This allows us to work freely and more effectively. By taking responsibility for our own projects, we can develop ourselves further personally.
We trust and rely on each other. We are a team that sticks together and only grows together. This is essential if we are to act swiftly and achieve our goals which take us further.
We reflect on our actions, respect each other. Clarity, feedback and celebrating each other's success are crucial for a positive working atmosphere. Every individual makes a difference.
We believe in long-term development and in the future of the South African economy, therefore we have commited ourselves to always foster the community and people across the country. Our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme has grown from a few small programmes ten years ago to encompass more than 100 individual, self-sustaining projects in the areas of education, HIV and AIDS and local community development as well as supporting NGO partners like the SOS Childrens Village in their projects. The BMW Maths Science and Technology (MST) Excellence Project is one example of our commitment to the local people, by encouraging learners to pursue careers in the field of science and technology, while at the same time addressing the skills gap that exists in the country in this critical field. Also our ‘BMW SEED’ programme (School Environmental Development Programme) are counted to one of the major influences within the community work. It encourages environmental awareness among learners and imparts skills and technologies which empower communities with the knowledge required to produce for example organic vegetables for themselves. BMW South Africa does not adopt a cheque book approach. Instead we contribute to sustainable development, working with our employees, their families, the local community and society at large to improve quality of life and result in meaningful and sustainable upliftment of communities.
We like the passion of our people in action and are very proud of our different activity clubs outside the usual work environment. From sports groups like our hiking, running or soccer team to our choir up to volunteering community work realized by our international students – all of these activites are selfdriven projects and continuesly growing. One unique example for the strong community within BMW is our own Plant Rosslyn choir, who has been established in 1989 and ever since performed on many occasions at company and outside events. Singing and dancing are some of the most prevalent cultural activities of the African people and provides opportunities for sharing a creative and collective experience while simultaneously expressing group sentiment. Invoking this communal spirit in the plant is where the members of the choir, who rehears once a week during lunchtime, take their source of inspiration.
