Munich. The BMW Group and the Witzigmann Academy are
continuing their cooperation to promote sustainability and social
responsibility in the culinary arts and nutrition. The two partners
have explored current developments and various aspects of fine dining
at a number of symposiums and field trips since 2012, with intensive
discussions of its significance for everyday nutrition and company
catering. At the Witzigmann Symposium on 28 June 2016 at the BMW
Museum in Munich, experts will discuss what has already been achieved
at the BMW Group, as well as the challenges of sustainable nutrition
for everyone in the chain, from the producer to the consumer.
Responsibility in all areas
Dr. Friedrich Eichiner, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG
and patron of the cooperation, underlines the importance of “healthy
eating” for the BMW Group: “We apply the same standard of quality
across all areas of the company. We want our company restaurants to
offer employees a variety of healthy, good-quality food options.
Responsible regional food sourcing plays an increasing role.”
During the symposium, Martin Straubinger, head of BMW Group Company
Catering, will report on implementation of the “NAHtürlich” pilot
project at the BMW Group. Since the start of the month, staff at the
Research and Innovation Centre in Munich have been able to choose from
a selection of meals prepared daily from sustainably sourced
ingredients at a separate cooking island, with a focus on seasonal and
regional products. In this way, the BMW Group and the Witzigmann
Academy are underlining their commitment to sustainable and
responsible catering. Freshness and quality have been a priority for
many years now in BMW Group company restaurants.
Discussion with experts
Experts from all areas of company catering, from the producer to the
consumer, will have the opportunity to speak alongside the BMW Group.
Doubts and reservations sometimes stand in the way of cooperation.
Suppliers of sustainable products are often small firms that believe
they have little chance against the negotiating power of a major
buyer. Anton Holzinger of the organic cheese manufacturer Zurwies will
share the “small” suppliers’ perspective at the symposium. Rudolf
Bühler, Chairman of the Management Board of the Farming Producers’
Community Schwäbisch Hall (BESH), will also present his innovative
concept that leverages the strength of a large number of small
business. The BMW Group and the Witzigmann Academy actively seek
dialogue in this area.
“The BMW Group is well aware of its social and ecological
responsibility,” says Dr. Friedrich Eichiner, member of the Board of
Management of BMW AG. “The Witzigmann Academy is a competent partner
with whom we can discuss how to make our company catering even better,
healthier and more sustainable.”
The Witzigmann Academy shares its expertise to help the BMW Group
implement the pilot project. “For me,” says Eckart Witzigmann, “the
product is the star – not the chef. I am very happy that the BMW Group
is now implementing this belief with even more commitment.”
ECKART, Witzigmann Academy and the BMW Group
The International Eckart Witzigmann Award is one of the most
prestigious honours recognising outstanding achievements in the art of
cooking and fine dining. “Chef of the century” Eckart Witzigmann has
awarded the ECKART for unique culinary achievements and special
commitment under the broad spectrum of lifestyle since 2004. In
partnership with the BMW Group, the Witzigmann Academy presents awards
annually in three categories: “Art of Cookery”, “Innovation” and “Art
of Living”. The Academy presented its first ECKART for “Creative
Responsibility and Enjoyment” in 2013, with a cash award of 10,000
euros endowed by the BMW Group.
Previous ECKART winners include Daniel Boulud (New York City); HRH
Charles, Prince of Wales (Highgrove); Elena Arzak (San Sebastian);
Anne-Sophie Pic (Valence); Harald Wohlfahrt (Tonbach); Dieter Kosslick
(Berlin); Ferran Adrià (Barcelona); Marc Haeberlin (Illhaeusern); Joël
Robuchon (Paris); Joël Robuchon (Paris); Alex Atala (Sao Paulo); Jon
Rose (Los Angeles); Mick Hucknall (Manchester); and many more.
A symposium on a specific gastronomic topic is also held annually.
Sustainability has been an integral part of the BMW Group’s corporate
strategy for many years, with sustainable development firmly
established as a corporate target at Group level: from the development
of alternative, fuel-saving vehicle concepts through
environmentally-compatible production processes to eco-friendly
recycling methods. At the BMW Group, sustainable thinking and action
influences not only the product, but the entire value chain. In all
areas of the company, the focus is on meaningful and responsible use
of energy and raw materials.
If you have any questions, please contact:
BMW Group Corporate Communications
Julian Hetzenecker, BMW Group Business and Finance Communications
Tel.: +49-89-382-39229
Email: julian.hetzenecker@bmw.de
Email: presse@bmw.de
Media website: www.press.bmw.de
Press contact
Witzigmann Academy
Otto Geisel
Lachner-Straße 18
80639 München
Phone: +49 89 139 260 26
office@ottogeisel.de
Further information on the Eckart Witzigmann Award can be
found at:
www.eckart-witzigmann-preis.de
Die BMW Group
Die BMW Group ist mit ihren Marken BMW, MINI und Rolls-Royce der
weltweit führende Premium-Hersteller von Automobilen und Motorrädern
und Anbieter von Premium-Finanz- und Mobilitätsdienstleistungen. Als
internationaler Konzern betreibt das Unternehmen 31 Produktions- und
Montagestätten in 14 Ländern sowie ein globales Vertriebsnetzwerk mit
Vertretungen in über 140 Ländern.
Im Jahr 2015 erzielte die BMW Group einen weltweiten Absatz von rund
2,247 Millionen Automobilen und rund 137.000 Motorrädern. Das Ergebnis
vor Steuern belief sich auf rund 9,22 Mrd. €, der Umsatz auf 92,18
Mrd. €. Zum 31. Dezember 2015 beschäftigte das Unternehmen weltweit
122.244 Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter.
Seit jeher sind langfristiges Denken und verantwortungsvolles Handeln
die Grundlage des wirtschaftlichen Erfolges der BMW Group. Das
Unternehmen hat ökologische und soziale Nachhaltigkeit entlang der
gesamten Wertschöpfungskette, umfassende Produktverantwortung sowie
ein klares Bekenntnis zur Schonung von Ressourcen fest in seiner
Strategie verankert.
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