Background 

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become an integral part of modern business practices, with companies like BMW recognising its importance in fostering positive relationships with local communities and promoting sustainable development. In this context, Master of Public Policy (MPP) student Yi Su and MPhil Development Studies student Rafi Ahmed undertook a project at the BMW Mini Plant in Oxfordshire as part of the Business Impact Lab 2023. Their focus was on developing a comprehensive CSR framework and evaluation tool tailored to BMW's needs. This initiative aimed to enhance the company's ability to design, implement, and assess CSR activities effectively, ensuring that BMW's community engagement efforts align with both organisational goals and community priorities. 

Research Approach and key findings 

Through qualitative interviews with Plant stakeholders and analysis of existing CSR strategies, the Fellows observed that the Plant lacked a structured framework to guide its CSR activities, despite carrying out numerous initiatives in this area. They concluded that this absence hindered the Plant's ability to effectively allocate financial and human resources for CSR initiatives and to assess and monitor their impact. 

Outputs 

To address this gap, the Fellows developed a distinctive and flexible Excel Calculator. This tool serves two primary functions: 

1. Assessing the value of CSR activities 
2. Enabling re-evaluation of the design, implementation, and measurement of CSR activities' input and impact 

For example, the calculator allows BMW staff to compare potential activities such as hosting an art exhibition or organising a community education day. By inputting data about these activities, staff can make informed decisions about which initiatives align best with the company's evolving goals and the community's changing priorities. The Excel Calculator thus provides a reliable and relevant tool for the continuous evaluation and enhancement of CSR activities, fostering sustainable and impactful contributions to the local community.  

The CSR evaluation tool is now in use at the BMW MINI Plant Oxford. It has been employed to assess the impact of specific corporate and social responsibility activities and to determine optimal allocation of limited resources. This tool is helping to evaluate how BMW's CSR strategy can make meaningful contributions to the local community. Looking ahead, the MINI Plant aims to further develop this CSR framework tool to allow for more sophisticated analysis of CSR and outreach activities, ensuring optimal resource allocation in alignment with their 'Lean, Green, Digital' strategy.