On Friday, 5 April 2024, the partnership between NEOMA and BMW Group concluded in Reims, with the presentation of various business cases. Over the course of two months, the students from the business school delved into the different issues proposed by our BMW People, focusing on the question: How to make sustainability desirable?
As part of our commitment to supporting young talent, one of our HR team's strategies is to strengthen ties with our partner schools. Charlotte Delobelle, Head of HR Development and Compensation & Benefits at BMW Group France, reflects on this unprecedented partnership.
"Every year, we welcome interns and apprentices. As a result, strong relationships have been forged with certain schools. Last September, we heard about NEOMA's new Master of Science Sustainability Programme. It is a subject that resonates with the challenges faced by BMW Group France as an automotive player, but also concerns the younger generations."
The story of a meaningful partnership.
Engaging with universities, drawing inspiration from the students' thinking, discovering the topics that students are working on to give more weight to our actions... All of this is part of our HR strategy. However, this is the first time we have participated in a training programme to establish such a significant partnership with a specific cohort. We are proud to be part of an academic approach like this.
"How to make sustainability desirable?" is the big question given to the students, and it is also the major challenge of our collaboration with NEOMA.
Our project with this partnership was to have the 21 master's students work on delivering tangible outcomes. They were tasked with determining the best way to communicate with our various stakeholders. To do this, they organized themselves into four groups:
- The first group worked on the customer journey and the means to be deployed in order to raise awareness among dealerships about the CSR strategy – as well as physical and digital communication channels to be used when communicating with customers on these topics.
- The second group worked on diversity and inclusion: What strategic plan should be implement to have a DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policy?
- The third group took care of an "elevator pitch": this involved considering how to give meaning to BMW Group's CSR strategy and what to highlight, all within 1 minute and 30 seconds.
- Finally, the fourth group focused specifically on external partners and what is expected of them in terms of CSR.
Very encouraging results.
During our briefing last February, the students had already managed to surprise us by presenting prospective scenarios on the evolution of the automotive sector. They identified a number of trends such as changes in sales models and digitalisation. And during the final jury this Friday, their expertise and knowledge were confirmed. In just a few weeks, they were able to immerse themselves in our world, understand our operations, and confidently address our challenges.
Our perspective.
The idea was truly to be in a "win-win" approach. It had to bring us benefits and provide educational value for the students. More than just a partnership, the collaboration between BMW Group France and NEOMA embodies the desire to place CSR issues at the heart of our actions.
Beyond the promising results and innovative visions of the students, there is a shared determination to build a future. A future where sustainability and social responsibility align on the path of innovation. By joining forces, we will succeed in establishing a solid foundation where mutual commitment paves the way for a more responsible future!
In conclusion, we will remember one of the catchphrases uttered by the students: "We are on the road to transformation, so let's make the journey together!"
