Group Award 2018: Volkswagen Group honors international top suppliers

• Volkswagen Group presents Group Award 2018 to its 19 best suppliers for outstanding performance and innovative strength

• Group CEO Diess: “The transformation of our industry is gathering speed. In future, agility, innovative strength and entrepreneurial courage will be even more important.”

• Board Member for Procurement, Ralf Brandstätter: “Our partnerships are based on a level playing field, because we can only master the transformation of our industry together.”

The Volkswagen Group presented the “Volkswagen Group Award 2018” to its best suppliers at a ceremony in ‘Kraftwerk Berlin’. Last year’s 19 best suppliers were presented with their awards in seven categories. As ‘category sponsors’, high-ranking representatives from the Volkswagen Group handed over the awards to the suppliers at a ceremony attended by some 280 guests from 26 countries.

Group CEO Dr. Herbert Diess thanked the suppliers for their commitment and collaboration last year and talked about partnership and the transformation of the automotive industry: “We need strong and reliable partners at our side because the transformation of our industry is gathering speed. In future, agility, innovative strength and entrepreneurial courage will be even more important. That is why we are now laying the groundwork for becoming faster and more efficient – in decision-making and in implementation.” Diess explained the significance of the new Group structure signed off in mid-April and underscored the importance of a healthy corporate culture for lasting economic success: “We also expect our suppliers to set and live up to high standards.”

In his speech, the Board Member for Procurement for Volkswagen passenger cars, Ralf Brandstätter, said: “Digitalization, along with e-mobility and autonomous driving, will fundamentally change our business. And at the same time increase complexity and the demands placed on sustainable action.” He outlined the framework for fundamental changes in collaboration with suppliers. Going forward, a sustainability rating will be one of the factors for assessing suppliers in terms of sustainability standards. “We want to solve problems together with our partners and to work on a sustainable supply chain”, Brandstätter said.

This is already the 16th time that the Volkswagen Group has honored its best suppliers of the previous year for their outstanding commitment and innovative strength. This year’s event featured several innovations, reflecting the Company’s realignment:

As ‘category sponsors’, high-ranking representatives from the Volkswagen Group presented the awards. Another new feature was the introduction of three additional award categories – “E-mobility”, “Intelligent Driving“ and the “Launch of the Year” special award. All seven categories of this year’s awards revolve around the transformation of the automotive industry and mirror relevant future topics.