Promotes responsible leadership for a sustainable future.
The BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt is an independent corporate foundation that aims to promote responsible leadership and inspire leaders worldwide to contribute to a more peaceful, just, and sustainable future. The foundation's focus areas include sustainable finance, impact investing, and supporting innovative solutions that address humanity's social, political, and environmental challenges. The foundation operates through three main areas: INSPIRE, CONNECT, and INVEST. INSPIRE involves leadership programs that reflect on and change perspectives, emphasizing responsibility to the common good. CONNECT cultivates a global network of Responsible Leaders to empower each other and collaborate towards a greater positive impact. INVEST identifies, activates, and supports leaders and organizations contributing to systemic change. The foundation's financial resources were significantly strengthened in 2016 when the BMW Group doubled its assets from 50 to 100 million euros, with additional support of 30 million euros from Stefan Quandt and Susanne Klatten. Recent projects include the BMW Foundation Accelerator program RESPOND, which supports founders and entrepreneurs working towards sustainable development goals, and collaborations with organizations like B Lab and Sistema B to promote impact investing and sustainable business practices. Criteria for receiving funding include alignment with the United Nations 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and a focus on creating positive social and environmental impact. Specific financial details for typical project financing are not publicly available. The foundation supports a wide range of projects and organizations, including startups like Hawa Dawa, Meerssen, and Amparo, which focus on sustainable urban life, inclusive mobility, and resource efficiency.