Corporate citizenship, community outreach at BMW Manufacturing

While innovation, new technologies and best practices are key components of a plant’s production, its community outreach contributes significantly to its public identity. Being a good corporate citizen is a big part of what makes a Top Plant, and BMW Manufacturing Company in upstate South Carolina accomplishes that in a variety of ways:

• Corporate giving totaled $8.7 million from 1996 through 2005, with contributions going to organizations that include the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, several local hospitals, healthcare groups, research organizations, conservation foundations and chambers of commerce, among many others

• The Classroom Guide Program invites educators to expose their students to real-world manufacturing, providing the students an opportunity to apply what they learn in math, science and technology classes to an earnest industrial environment

• BMW Manufacturing sponsors the annual Teacher of the Year Award

• It supports Leadership Assistance for Science Education Reform (LASER), an inquiry-based science kit program that’s designed to help teachers instruct students effectively while making learning science fun. The program is integrated with reading, writing and math to engage students’ interest

• BMW Manufacturing has donated numerous robots and robot controllers to a variety of learning and/or vocational institutes

• The annual BMW Charity Pro-Am at the Cliffs Golf Tournament brings in celebrities to raise money and awareness for local charities. Celebrities at past events include PGA veteran Gary Player, NFL Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway, actor Kevin Costner and rock band Hootie and the Blowfish. The 2007 event is scheduled for May 14—20

• According to BMW, its investment in South Carolina has helped create more than 16,650 jobs in the state.

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