The Volkswagen Group aims to be the world's most successful and fascinating automaker by 2018 through its Strategy 2018 plan. This strategy focuses on sustainability, making Volkswagen a leader in green mobility through electric vehicles and efficient combustion engines. Recent innovations like the XL1 plug-in hybrid concept car show Volkswagen's commitment to developing ultra-efficient vehicles. The modular MQB platform will help Volkswagen meet fuel economy and emissions targets across multiple brands worldwide. Overall, Strategy 2018 balances economic, environmental, and social goals to ensure the company's long-term viability while delivering attractive vehicles globally.

1. REPORT 2010

2. About this report
Contents The business reports of the individual brands and compa-
This report contains information about the sustainability nies are available on their respective websites.
activities of the Volkswagen Group. It outlines strategic prin-
ciples and presents practical examples. The report is divided The period under review extends from 15 June 2009, when
into central chapters on Strategy, Economy, Society and the last report went to press, until March 31, 2011. The facts
Environment. The key sustainability indicators are set out in this report are constantly updated on the Internet. The
starting on page 56. next Sustainability Report will be published in the second
quarter of 2012.
Scope
Unless otherwise indicated, the information in this report
relates to the entire Group, in which case we refer to the
“Group” or “Volkswagen Group”. When we use “Volkswagen”
on its own, we mean the Volkswagen brand.
>>01 Internet concept
This printed sustainability report is closely linked to the website volkswagenag.com/sustainability. The
entire contents of the present report are also available there. The Internet content is constantly updated.
This website also offers you a wealth of additional in-depth information: The >> 01 -numbers in the text of
this report indicate a specific link. These sources are listed in the List of Links on page 78 (cover), with a
brief indication of their contents. This List of Links can also be found on the website volkswagenag.com/ If you have a smartphone, this
sustainability, where a click on the relevant link will take you to the appropriate information. code will take you straight to
the website volkswagenag.com/
www.volkswagenag.com/sustainability sustainability. The charges de-
pend on your individual mobile
call rates.
Indexes – Rankings – Awards
The Volkswagen Group is represented in all leading sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR)
indexes. Moreover, this report was prepared in accordance with internationally recognised reporting standards.
An overview of all indexes and awards can be found on page 68.
Furthermore, the selection of topics and our editorial processes and choice of indicators have been analysed and
verified by independent auditors and stakeholders. For further information, see the Back-up section starting on
page 72.

3. VOLKSWAGEN FINANCIAL SERVICES
AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Portrait of the Group
The Volkswagen Group, based in Wolfsburg, is one of the In 15 European countries and six countries in the Americas,
world’s leading automobile manufacturers and the largest Asia and Africa, the Volkswagen Group operates 62 produc-
automaker in Europe. In 2010 the Group increased the tion facilities (as of December 31, 2010). Around the world,
number of vehicles delivered to customers to 7.2 million nearly 400,000 employees produce more than 29,600 vehi-
(2009: 6.3 million), which equates to a global market cles per working day or provide vehicle-related services.
share of 11.4 percent. In Western Europe more than one The Volkswagen Group’s sales operations cover more than
fifth of all new cars (21.0 percent) were manufactured by 150 countries worldwide. The Group’s aim is to offer attrac-
the Volkswagen Group. tive, safe and eco-friendly vehicles that set the global
benchmark in their respective classes.
The Group’s sales revenue rose from €105.2 billion in 2009
to €126.9 billion in 2010. Profit after tax in the fiscal year 2010 At the end of 2010, the subscribed capital of Volkswagen AG
totalled €7.2 billion (2009: €0.9 billion). The Volkswagen comprised 295,045,567 ordinary shares and 170,142,778
Group owns nine brands from seven European countries: preference shares. Porsche Automobil Holding SE, Stuttgart,
Volkswagen, Audi, Škoda, SEAT, Bentley, Lamborghini, held 50.74 percent of the voting rights. The second-largest
Bugatti, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and Scania. shareholder was the State of Lower Saxony, with 20.0 percent
Each brand has its own distinctive character and operates of the voting rights. Qatar Holding LLC was the third-largest
autonomously in the marketplace. The passenger car port- shareholder with 17.0 percent, while Porsche Holding GmbH,
folio extends from economical compact cars to luxury high- Salzburg, held 2.37 percent. The remaining 9.89 percent
end models. In the commercial vehicle sector, the range were held by other shareholders. Information on production
starts with pick-up trucks and extends all the way to buses and deliveries of the main Volkswagen Group products can
and heavy-duty trucks. be found in the Annual Report 2010 on pages 108-123. > >01
VO L K SWA G E N G R O U P
Data 2010 2009
Vehicle sales (units) 7,278,440 6,309,743
Production (units) 7,357,505 6,054,829
Employees at Dec. 31 399,381 368,500
Proportion of female employees (percent) 14.2 14.2
Health index (percent) 96.7 97.5
CO2 emissions, European new vehicle fleet (g/km) 144 151
Direct CO2 emissions (kg/vehicle) 175.19 234.67
Energy consumption (MWh/vehicle) 2.55 2.81
Financial data (IFRS), € million 2010 2009 Comments on the key
sustainability indicators
can be found in the Key
Sales revenue 126,875 105,187
Indicators chapter of
Operating profit 7,141 1,855 this report (page 56).
You will find revenue
Profit before tax 8,994 1,261 and profit figures bro-
ken down by brand and
Profit after tax 7,226 911 business field in our cur-
rent annual report. >>02

4. 7,278,440 vehicles
sold
399,381 employees
worldwide
4.6 percent less CO2 emissions by
EU new vehicle fleet (EU 27) than
116 models with CO2 emissions of less than
120 g/km, including 20 with less than 8.4 percent more employees
than in 2009
in 2009 100 g/km > >04, >>05, >>06
62 production plants, including 57 certified to inter-
national environmental management standards
51,585 employees took part in training run
by Volkswagen Coaching in 2010
such as ISO 14001 and EMAS; 4 plants are current-
ly preparing for certification >>03

5. Strategy 8
Economy 20
Society 28
Environment 42
Key Indicators 56
Back-up 72

6. By 2018 we’re aiming to be Number 1 –
both economically and ecologically.
6

7. Dear Reader,
Responsible business management and commercial success are two sides of the same
coin. In the last two years the Volkswagen Group has again given an impressive demon-
stration of this fact. In a challenging environment we have continued to post solid
growth, enabling us to set new records in the 2010 financial year with 7.2 million vehi-
cles delivered and an operating profit of €7.1 billion.
Sustainability is and will remain the foundation of our corporate policy. One clear focus
Prof. Dr. rer. nat.
Martin Winterkorn is on “green” mobility. This is dictated by both social responsibility and sound business
thinking. In the last five years, for example, we have reduced our fleet’s CO 2 emissions
by 15 percent to 144 grams per kilometre. Today the Volkswagen Group’s portfolio
already includes 20 model variants with emissions of less than 100 grams of CO2 /km.
Tomorrow’s mobility will be determined by efficiency and diversity. Which is why our
Group, with the concentrated innovative power of its multi-brand alliance, is forging
ahead with the entire technology and powertrain spectrum: from optimised combustion
engines through lightweight design to electric drive. With our “one-litre” car XL1 we
have already demonstrated technologies that could go into series production in the
near future.
Bernd Osterloh
Green mobility goes hand in hand with environmentally sound production processes.
The Volkswagen Group is making great efforts to further improve resource efficiency at
its 62 production facilities. Our new factory in Chattanooga is setting standards in this
respect. Equally high standards are characteristic of our worldwide labour relations:
our self-image as a fair employer and our established culture of co-determination have
proved to be anchors of stability and a clear competitive advantage. Moreover, success-
ful initiatives such as “A chance to play” in South Africa demonstrate that our social
commitment does not end at the factory gates.
In keeping with its responsibility for society, environment, employees and customers,
the Volkswagen Group continues to adhere to the principles of the United Nations Glob-
al Compact. The effectiveness of our sustainability strategy is confirmed by internation-
al indexes such as the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and the FTSE4Good, in which the
Volkswagen Group is again represented this year. Because sustainability calls for trans-
parency, we have had this report audited in accordance with the AA1000AS standard.
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) has again awarded us its highest rating “A+”.
Supported by corporate leadership that is sustainable in all respects, our 400,000 em-
ployees are dedicated to making the Volkswagen Group the world’s leading automaker
by 2018 – both economically and ecologically. And they are also working on the best
ideas for the next 125 years of automotive diversity.
See for yourself how far we have already travelled along this road. We trust you will find
informative insights into the world of Volkswagen on the pages of this report, and we
look forward to engaging in dialogue with you.
Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Martin Winterkorn Bernd Osterloh
Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft Chairman of the General and Group Works Councils
7

8. 1 Strategie & Management
Strategie 2018
Management
Strategy
Herausforderungen
Strategy 2018
Sustainability management
Materiality
8

9. St r at e g y | E c o n o my | S o c i e t y | E n v i r o n m e n t
Driving success.
Our strategy pursues a clear objective: By 2018 the Volkswagen Group is to be the world’s most
successful and fascinating automobile manufacturer – and the leading light when it comes to
sustainability. Our Strategy 2018 paves the way to this goal.
9

10. Globalisation has developed an enormous eco- making an effective contribution to sustainable
nomic momentum. This increases people’s mobility – with technologies for the cleanest
prospects of participation. Trade, transport and and most economical cars. Job security and
division of labour are the elementary driving profitability are goals of equal importance in
forces behind an economic development that Volkswagen’s corporate activities.
puts people in a position to raise their standard
of living.
Volkswagen stays on course:
If, as expected, the world’s population grows to Strategy 2018
more than nine billion by 2050, this means that The Volkswagen Group has emerged safely and
companies will have to satisfy the needs of bil- with renewed strength from the worldwide cri-
lions more people. These people need energy sis that was triggered by the financial markets.
and food, housing and mobility, education and Deliveries were at an all-time high of 7.2 million
healthcare. vehicles. With growth of 13.7 percent, we outper-
formed the market as a whole and extended our
Our Strategy 2018 focuses special Technical progress and significant productivity share of the global passenger car market to 11.4
attention on the ecological orien- increases, innovations and structural change percent.
tation and benefits of our vehicle will help to achieve the necessary improve-
projects. We will be setting new ments. The guiding principle for the 21st centu- With our “Strategy 2018” we are building con-
ecological standards with regard ry is sustainability. In other words, the way we sistently on the company’s strengths and setting
to vehicles, major components manage our lives and the resources we consume new goals. Attractive models and new vehicle
and lightweight design. must not reduce the opportunities available to segments, plus innovative environmental tech-
future generations. nologies, are paving the way for increasingly
economical combustion engines and power-
Sustainability is the foundation of Volkswagen’s trains, for hybrid and electric vehicles, and for
corporate strategy. This means that sustainabil- future biofuels. The latest example is the pres-
ity is integrated in the entire value-added pro- entation of the XL1, a study with series-produc-
cess. In the long term, corporate responsibility tion potential which marks the third stage in the
committed to the vision of sustainability safe- evolution of the Volkswagen Group’s “1-litre” car
guards the future viability of the company, while strategy. Its plug-in hybrid system, lightweight
respecting the need to harmonise economic, design and impeccable aerodynamics enable
environmental and social goals. the two-seater to manage on a bare 0.9 litres per
100 kilometres. That equates to CO2 emissions
As a group with worldwide operations, Volks­ of just 24 g/km. Currently the world’s most
wagen acknowledges this corporate responsi- efficient vehicle and due to go into (limited)
bility and devotes its entire innovative power to series production in 2013, the XL1 underpins the
10

11. St r at e g y | E c o n o my | S o c i e t y | E n v i r o n m e n t
St eering a cl ea r course
Volkswagen Group’s claim to play a leading based on attractive vehicles that appeal to cus- Gaining worldwide acceptance –
environmental role. Added to which there are tomers in all parts of the world and meet the in- while catering for regional
the electric vehicles “up! blue-e-motion”, “Golf dividual regional requirements and cost targets. differences.
blue-e-motion” and “Audi A1 e-tron”. Through Our modular approach will be a great help in
its approach, the Group will be underlining the this respect. In conjunction with our TSI® and
need for e-mobility to remain affordable. TDI® engines, the innovative DSG® dual-clutch
gearbox and future electric powertrains, the
With these technological innovations, the Volks­ MQB will play its part in ensuring that the Volks­
wagen Group can build on a strong tradition wagen Group meets its ambitious fuel consump-
and corporate culture that has always centred tion and emissions targets. With its broad prod-
on a capacity for social and ecological change. uct and segment coverage as a multi-brand
Through our corporate values we are committed company, the Volkswagen Group is in an almost
to a sustainable and socially responsible course unparalleled position to ensure very speedy
of action. For us, commercial success must in- implementation of innovations in high-volume
variably go hand in hand with an intact environ- brands and markets and thereby achieve sig­
ment and social responsibility. nificant improvements in efficiency. > 07
>
Our basic position remains that, as the Volks­ Above and beyond this, we also apply our techno-
wagen Group, we act responsibly towards our logical expertise in the interests of other prod-
customers, our shareholders, our employees ucts and services with the aim of safeguarding
and towards society. jobs, protecting the environment and boosting
our profitability. These include, for example,
Through our Strategy 2018 we are pursuing the projects focused on the development and use of
long-term goal of firmly anchoring the Volks­ industrial engines or boat engines that combine
wagen Group among the most successful au- superior motive power with excellent fuel con-
tomakers in the world. This applies to profita- sumption figures and low emissions.
bility, customer satisfaction and quality, to
developing new markets and stepping up our One milestone here is the incorporation of the
production volume, and to our attractiveness as million-selling 2-litre natural-gas engine from
an employer. the Salzgitter plant in the EcoBlue compact CHP
units. These are the packages contributed by
With a model portfolio geared to ecological Volkswagen to the “Home Power Plant” devel-
principles and the strong position of its brands oped by the power partnership with energy sup-
in the global marketplace, the Volkswagen plier LichtBlick. The Home Power Plants are
Group will be systematically building on its used by LichtBlick to realise an innovative, intel-
competitive advantages. Our growth strategy is ligent heat and power supply concept. In the long
11

12. term, LichtBlick will be networking 100,000 dis- Volkswagen will be providing increasing sup-
tributed Home Power Plants to create Germany’s port for its dealers as the vital link with the cus-
largest virtual gas power station. The plants will tomer and expanding its marketing measures.
generate “swarm power” – so called because, as The greatest long-term growth potential in this
in a swarm of fish, many small units will be mov- respect is to be found in Brazil, China, India,
ing in the same direction – supplementing fluc- Russia and the USA. Localising supplier rela-
tuating wind and solar power generation as nec- tions not only makes us less dependent on ex-
essary. The heat produced will be stored and will change rates, but enables us to contribute to
be available locally for heating and hot water. economic development and location upgrading
The first Home Power Plants have already been in the individual countries. And our suppliers
installed at private and commercial customers in are subject to the same ecological and social
Hamburg. > >35 standards as our own production facilities.
We can only attain our ambitious goals as car- The competence of our employees provides the
makers if, in addition to our existing customer basis for our business. Volkswagen will only be
base, we succeed in attracting many new cus- successful in mastering the present and future
tomers all over the world. With this in mind, challenges of the automobile manufacturing
The “1-litre car”
The XL1 prototype, which made its
debut at the Qatar Motor Show in
January 2011, is a milestone on the
way to sustainable mobility. With a
consumption of 0.9 l/100 km, the
XL1 only emits 24 grams of carbon
dioxide per kilometre. This is possi-
ble thanks to consistent lightweight
design using glass fibre-reinforced
plastic, perfect aerodynamics and
a plug-in hybrid system. The hybrid
system comprises a two-cylinder
TDI engine and an electric motor
coupled with a 7-speed DSG dual-
clutch gearbox and a lithium-ion
battery.
12

13. St r at e g y | E c o n o my | S o c i e t y | E n v i r o n m e n t
0.9 litres is all the XL1 needs to
go 100 kilometres.
sector if all employees – from apprentice to top wagen brings together, under the heading of
manager – consistently deliver the outstanding BlueMotionTechnologies, the best available con-
performance needed to safeguard the excellent temporary environmental technologies. In the
quality of innovation and products in the Volks­ next few years we will be investing more than
wagen Group in the long term. Outstanding €8 billion a year in developments such as the op-
performance, the resulting successes and par- timisation of our existing TSI®, TDI® and DSG®
ticipation in the rewards are at the focus of Volks- technologies, as well as the ongoing enhance-
wagen’s human resources strategy of being a ment of our TSI® technology to run on natural
good and attractive employer and building a top gas or as a flex-fuel powertrain. We will also be
team. Be it vocational training, continuing pro- forging ahead with progress in the field of future Improving the efficiency of
fessional development at home and abroad, a biofuels. And finally we will be investing a great conventional powertrains while
forward-looking remuneration policy or em- deal of funds and effort in the electrification au- forging ahead with electromobility.
ployee involvement: the Volkswagen Group al- tomobiles. The success of electric powertrains
ways sets standards for good work in a process depends to a very large extent on the batteries
of dialogue with its employees. employed, and this is an area where much pro-
gress still needs to be made. The topic is supple-
The advancement and professional develop- mented by new mobility concepts that create an
ment of women in particular is a central princi- attractive package of the various means of trans-
ple of personnel work at Volkswagen. We are port and the ways they are used.
keen to encourage even more female graduates
to commit to engineering and scientific profes- In other words, it will still be some time before
sions and play their part in shaping the car of the paradigm shift to electric cars takes place.
the future. One example of our initiatives here Here too, Volkswagen’s credo remains un-
is the “Woman Driving Award”. changed: we will settle for nothing less than of-
fering our customers the best solution. When
Our Strategy 2018 will take us forward along our developing new vehicles, CO 2 emissions are a
charted course. In this context we assign top key parameter. Consequently, at every stage of
priority to ecological relevance and sustainable the product creation process, the CO2 emissions
commercial success. The initiatives that we are determined for all vehicles, and every deci-
have already set in motion to boost productivity sion in favour of a specific product is made with
and quality will continue undiminished. By ap- a view to its impact on the climate. That way we
plying rigorous discipline in terms of costs and can ensure that the objectives laid down in the
capital expenditure, we will put the necessary Group’s Environmental Principles and in the
conditions in place for attaining our long-term Environmental Goals of the Technical Develop-
earnings targets and ensuring a sustainable ment Department are achieved.
high level of liquidity.
The Volkswagen Group’s maxim for its progress
For Volkswagen, “green mobility” means no less towards its goal of most successful automaker is
than setting new ecological standards in automo- to accept responsibility for people, the environ-
bile manufacturing in order to put the cleanest, ment and society. In this way Volkswagen makes
most economical – and at the same time most a substantial contribution to a world worth
fascinating – cars on the road. To this end Volks- living in – today and for future generations.
13

14. Sustainability management rate strategy focused on the long term, squaring
For the Volkswagen Group, living up to our cor- up to challenges which are not only economic,
porate social responsibility (CSR) is a corporate but also ecological and social in nature. >>08
contribution to sustainable development. For
us, CSR means voluntary acceptance of respon- Since 2006 our CSR Office has been responsible
sibility for social concerns on a scale that goes for coordinating corporate activities in the field
beyond mere compliance with statutory regula- of CSR and sustainability management through-
tions. With its integrated CSR concept, the out the Volkswagen Group. Its task is to deter-
Volkswagen Group seeks to prevent risks, en- mine the strategic direction of CSR and opti-
sure timely identification of growth opportuni- mise sustainability management activities.
ties and enhance the company’s reputation. As
a whole, CSR management and sustainability In 2010, with the aim of strengthening manage-
management make an important contribution ment processes, the CSR Steering Group and
to safeguarding the long-term future of the com- the Sustainability Reporting Group were com-
pany and increasing its value over time. bined to form the CSR & Sustainability Steering
Group. The CSR & Sustainability Office reports
Model of Sustainable Development to the CSR & Sustainability Steering Group,
We have formulated the principles of sustainable which consists of representatives of all central
business in our Model of Sustainable Develop- corporate departments at top management level
ment. For us this is the benchmark for a corpo- plus the Group Works Council.
Management Steering group
Group Board of Management
CSR & Sustainability Steering Group CSR &
Sustainability Office
Strategic goals and statements on
CSR and sustainability
Definition of Group-wide steering indicators
for CSR and sustainability
Commissioning and approval of
sustainability reporting
CSR & Sustainability – Project teams Brands and regions
In 2010 management processes
Interface for CSR sustainability fields and topics Annual conference
were strengthened by merging
w
the CSR Steering Group and the Evaluation and development of stakeholder dialogue
Sustainability Reporting Steer- Sustainability reporting / Corporate profiles for rankings
ing Group to form the CSR &
Sustainability Steering Group.
14

15. St r at e g y | E c o n o my | S o c i e t y | E n v i r o n m e n t
1 unit brings together the various
sustainability management bodies.
The aim of the Steering Group’s work is to foster opment of German Business – and in various Sustainability is measurable...
networks linking internal functions and working groups on issues such as “Making sus-
strengthen the sharing of information between tainability measurable” and “Sustainability in
specialist departments. Our CSR project teams the supply chain”.
carry out cross-functional work on topical issues
such as the enhancement of Group sustainability Stakeholder involvement
reporting; since the creation of a Group-wide As a good “corporate citizen” we are committed
CSR body in 2009 there has been a regular inter- to an ongoing dialogue with our stakeholders.
national exchange of information with the CSR Since 2002 Volkswagen has supported the Glob-
coordinators of the brands and regions. al Compact (GC) initiated by former UN Secre-
tary General Kofi Annan. With over 7,000 com-
One central field of activity is the establishment panies in more than 135 countries, this is the
of an IT-based CSR key indicator system cutting world’s biggest and most important CSR initia-
across regional and brand boundaries. During tive. Its goal is to bring about a fairer and more
the last financial year we successfully completed sustainable global economy. Volkswagen plays
the first phase of the introduction of this key in- an active part in ensuring that this goal is
dicator system. We are now in a position to steer achieved.
CSR activities more efficiently, making them
more transparent and more successful. This has The GC is based on ten principles relating to hu-
created an important foundation for up-to-date man rights, labour standards, environmental
CSR and sustainability reporting by the Group. protection and anti-corruption measures. In
In the second phase we are rolling out the key 2010 Volkswagen continued to align its business
indicator system across the brands and regions. activities with these principles at all locations.
Thus Volkswagen is meeting its stakeholders’ We make our know-how available within the GC
increasing expectations with regard to differen- so that other companies also have a chance to
tiated, up-to-the-minute reporting of the live up to their global responsibility. The pro-
Group’s performance in the fields of CSR and gress made by Volkswagen as a result of its ac-
sustainability. tive participation in the GC is documented in an
annual report.
The Volkswagen Group contributes its experi-
ence and competence to the business sector’s Here are two examples: Volkswagen participates
CSR networks at national, European and inter- in the GC project “Supply Chain Sustainability”.
national levels and supports the projects initiat- The results of the project were brought together
ed there. One important task is to prepare in- in a manual and presented at the GC summit in
formation on ecological and social standards New York in June 2010. In addition, the interna-
for suppliers. For this purpose the online portal tional GC Yearbook contained a report on the
of CSR Europe, the leading European business sustainability project for water utilisation in the
network for corporate social responsibility, pro- mountain region of Izta-Popo in Mexico, which
vides an important communication platform was run by Volkswagen de México. We also pre-
that enjoys international recognition. We are sented the project at the world biodiversity sum-
also actively involved in the steering body of mit in Nagoya in September 2010. > 09>
“econsense” – the Forum for Sustainable Devel-
15

16. Together with the German Nature and Biodiver- Sustainable Development of German Business
sity Conservation Union (NABU – Naturschutz- (econsense) and the World Business Council for
bund Deutschland) we play a part in specific en- Sustainable Development (WBCSD). One exam-
vironmental protection projects. In the course ple of this is the study “Vision 2050: a new agen-
of this cooperation we raise society’s awareness da for businesses” presented by the WBCSD in
of environmental and sustainability issues, for 2010, which Volkswagen supported in the field
example through jointly-run fuel-saver courses. of sustainable mobility in particular. Based on
With our incentive systems for fleet operators the assumption that the Earth’s population will
we also create additional arguments for eco- grow to around nine billion people by 2050, the
friendly mobility. study describes ways of making more sustaina-
ble and more efficient use of the existing re-
Guidelines sources. A total of 29 global companies in vari-
Along with our Code of Conduct, further key ref- ous industries were involved in preparing and
erence points for our corporate strategy are the discussing the study in numerous workshops.
Convention of the International Labour Organi- On the way to sustainable mobility it is only by
sation (ILO) and the OECD Guidelines for Multi- taking a longer-term view of the future that we
national Enterprises. We are also actively in- will be able to integrate underlying sociological
volved in CSR Europe, the Forum for and technological trends into our research and
Intl. conventions Human rights
Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, 1998 (especially
Principles: Excerpt from the Code of Conduct
the following topics: abolition of child labour; elimination of forced or
As well as the laws and regulations of individual countries, there are a number compulsory labour; ban on discrimination; freedom of association; and the
of conventions and recommendations drawn up by international organisa- right to collective bargaining)
tions. They are primarily addressed to the member states, not to individual • OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in
companies. They do however constitute important guidelines for the International Business Transactions, 1997
behaviour of an international group and its employees. We therefore attach • “Agenda 21” on sustainable development (final document of the ground-
great importance worldwide to ensuring that our corporate activities are in breaking United Nations Conference on Environment and Development,
keeping with these guidelines. The main conventions of this kind are listed Rio de Janeiro 1992)
below: • Principles of the Global Compact for more social and more ecological
• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, dating from 1948 (UNO), globalisation, 1999
and the European Convention on Human Rights (formerly Convention for • OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, 2000
the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms), 1950
• International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1966 We also profess our commitment to the “Declaration on Social Rights and
• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966 Industrial Relationships at Volkswagen” (Volkswagen Social Charter) and the
• Tripartite Declaration of Principles Concerning Multinational Enterprises and Charter on Labour Relations concerning fundamental social rights and
Social Policy, ILO (International Labour Organisation) 1977, and ILO principles. > 10
>
16

17. St r at e g y | E c o n o my | S o c i e t y | E n v i r o n m e n t
124 studies were evaluated to select
the topics in the materiality matrix.
development activities. It was with this in mind sis were not only presented to internal steering
that Volkswagen Group Research formulated its bodies, such as the Corporate Strategy Group,
“Research Visions” in 2010. The topics are mobil- but also discussed with external stakeholders,
ity, energy, the driving experience, safety, cost- for example the German Nature and Biodiversi- A cross-functional team evaluated
effectiveness in the product life cycle, and the en- ty Conservation Union (NABU). They then un- internal and external sources to
vironment. And with our Environmental Radar derwent further revision and specification in identify the most important sus-
we have also created a separate early-warning the light of comments. This procedure enabled tainability issues. Their findings
system for evaluating ecological risks. us to achieve further improvements in the were discussed with independent
transparency and quality of our agenda. stakeholders.
In our day-to-day work we attach great impor-
tance to prudence in addressing potential
environmental and sustainability risks to the
company. To this end we have installed a risk
management system that enables us to identify
new risks and minimise existing ones. More-
over, the Supervisory Board has established an
Audit Committee that is particularly concerned
with accounting, risk management including
the internal audit system, and compliance is-
sues. > 19
>
Materiality
On the basis of our main topics in the Strategy
2018 and a broad evaluation of recent interna-
tional sustainability analyses, we set in motion
an internal discussion and filtering process to
identify issues that are of priority importance
for us. Major external sources included interna-
tional studies in the fields of politics and re-
search, financial market analyses and position
papers published by NGOs. Using a multi-stage
scoring system we finally arrived at a short list
of the most important topics. The main classifi-
cation criteria were stakeholder expectations on
the one hand and importance for the company’s
performance on the other. Another aspect taken
into account was Volkswagen’s capacity as an
automaker to impact these issues. > >11
A cross-functional team was set up to prepare
this materiality matrix. The results of the analy-
17

18. Efficient productionEmployment
Efficient powertrains
Localisation
Climate protection & energy efficiency
Economic stability e-mobility Raw materials & resource efficiency
Social responsibility
Compliance Mobility concepts
Biodiversity
Demographic change Air quality
Diversity
Water Human rights
Market shifts Health
Food
Land take
Segment shifts
Urbanisation
Noise
Urban mining
18

19. St r at e g y | E c o n o my | S o c i e t y | E n v i r o n m e n t
Customer satisfaction
Supplier relations
and fuels
STAKEHOLDER EXPECTATIONS
Water Compliance e-mobility Employment Supplier Customer
relations satisfaction
Diversity Social Localisation
responsibility
Human Climate protection &
rights Mobility concepts energy efficiency
Biodiversity Efficient powertrains
and fuels
Efficient production
Air quality Raw materials &
Food Health
Demographic resource efficiency
change Economic
stability
Noise Land take
Urban mining Urbanisation
Segment Market
shifts shifts
IMPORTANCE FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS
The materiality matrix is the result of the analysis rant should not by any means be seen as unimportant
and scoring system mentioned earlier. It is the main within the general sustainability agenda: either they
thread running through our sustainability topics and are largely beyond our control or they do not yet have
projects, and hence a frame of reference for further any significant influence on the company’s perfor-
descriptions in this sustainability report. The main mance. More detailed information, e.g. about the defi-
topics are shown in the highlighted quadrant. Our pro- nitions of the individual topics and the classification
jects and related measures are described in the chap- criteria, can be found via the online link. > 11
>
ters that follow. Topics not represented in this quad-
19

20. 2 Strategie 2018
Management
Herausforderungen
Economy
Strategie & Management
Customer satisfaction
Supplier relations
Raw materials
Localisation
Compliance
Economic stability
20

21. S t r at e g y | E c o n o m y | S o c i e t y | E n v i r o n m e n t
Making business sustainable.
For a company to achieve sustainable development it must first achieve commercial success. Because
only a successful company can shape all its processes itself and ensure they are sustainable throughout.
Only a successful company can make substantial investments in environmental protection and the
development of sustainable products and solutions. And finally, only a successful company can offer its
employees secure prospects for the future.
21

22. Ev
er y sm
It is our customers who determine the Group’s department promptly translates this input into
success – millions of times a day. Not just when new design solutions, which are incorporated
29,000-plus vehicles are handed over to their into facelifted or new models. As a result, we are
new owners, but every time someone drives one able to adapt to and keep pace with changing cus-
of our cars, fills the tank or visits a workshop. tomer requirements. One of the latest examples
The more often a satisfied smile appears on the is the new Jetta in the USA, which was developed
faces on our customers in the process, the bet- in direct response to customer feedback.
ter it is.
We also take a proactive approach to reducing
the risk of incorrect operation of our vehicles by
Customer satisfaction customers – and the associated risk of customer
Customer satisfaction is the That explains why we consider customer satisfac- dissatisfaction. In this connection we also incor-
decisive factor in assuring our tion a crucial factor in our sustainable corporate porate customer feedback into our product com-
long-term success. success and have made it the core of our corpo- munication at dealerships. In the USA, the IQS
rate Strategy 2018. That is the year by which we Challenge training programme for sales person-
are aiming to rank among the three leading com- nel combines specifically sales-related training
panies in all our markets. To measure our pro- with technical training delivered by representa-
gress, we refer to the findings of two strategic tives from the vehicle-manufacturing plants.
studies: the New Car Buyer Study (NCBS) and the This equips sales personnel to give technically
International Aftersales Customer Satisfaction sound and to-the-point advice that increases the
Study (IACS). Our interim goal for 2012 is to be at customer’s interest in the technical features of
least among the top five in all our markets. the vehicle. This will also reduce the likelihood
of incorrect operation – thereby increasing satis-
Volkswagen measures three different categories faction with the product.
of customer satisfaction: satisfaction with the
purchasing process, satisfaction with the prod- We have been analysing customer satisfaction
uct and satisfaction with the most recent work- for many years. In 2011, the number of markets
shop visit. around the world where customer satisfaction
analysis is carried out increased to 19. In the case
The data is obtained from various sources: from of the Volkswagen brand for example, that means
day-to-day market analysis, from asking custom- we are now obtaining customer feedback on
ers about their needs, at customer workshops, more than 90% of all cars we ship. Current
and from analysis of online discussion forums customer satisfaction levels are reported to the
using web-tracking tools. We then actively inte- Board of Management via the customer satisfac-
grate this customer feedback into the product de- tion forum up to six times a year. >> 12, >> 13
velopment process. The Technical Development  page 24
22

23. S t r at e g y | E c o n o m y | S o c i e t y | E n v i r o n m e n t
n t s
il e co u
What customers want
Many different things can raise a smile. And in cars in particular, so many different factors determine how happy a customer is with the
vehicle. Everyone has their own personal preferences, be it in terms of equipment levels or accessories. But customers who buy cars
from the Volkswagen Group expect them to display high quality, reliability and economy, combined with high levels of comfort and
convenience, safety and environmental compatibility.
Comfort and convenience Safety Environmental compatibility
Active safety systems such as the Electron- A sustainable vehicle must also enhance The efficient cars built by the Volkswagen
ic Stability Program (ESP), Lane Assist safety for its occupants. With their crash- Group stand for low CO2 emissions. The
and ACC automatic distance control with resistant bodies and intelligent safety sys- aim is to produce a fuel consumption lead-
Front Assist Ambient Traffic Monitoring tems, the cars built by the Volkswagen Group er in every class of vehicle. We also set the
all help to make the driver’s task easier in lead the field in this respect. We are contin- highest standards in terms of the materials
complex driving situations. The drowsi- uously working on new ways to improve our we select, our production processes and
ness monitor warns drivers if it detects passive safety systems. In 2010, we equipped when it comes to recycling, because an
signs of fatigue because steering inputs the Sharan and Passat with a safety package end-of-life vehicle is a source of raw mate-
have become very infrequent. Our lighting consisting of an optimised body structure rials: up to 95 percent of a car by weight can
and vision systems help drivers see better and a highly effective belt-and-airbag com- today be recycled or recovered. Along with
at night by providing optimal illumina- bination. Both vehicles received 5 stars in fuel-efficient cars built by environmentally
tion, whether for long-range vision, cor- the NCAP crash test, which means they are compatible production methods, another
nering or making a turn. Dynamic Light among the safest in their class. increasingly important aspect is an envi-
Assist is an assistance system which dips ronmentally aware style of driving. Our fu-
just certain portions of the high beam, to To help prevent accidents, first we have to el-saver driving courses are conducted by
prevent other road users being dazzled, know what causes them. With this in 'Volkswagen driving experience'. On top of
while the Area View camera system allows mind, Volkswagen has been investing in this, since 2003 5,000 people have attend-
the driver to monitor the entire vehicle accident research since the early 1990s, ed the fuel-saver training sessions we offer
periphery. By providing the best possible not only in Germany, but also in China in conjunction with the German Nature
assistance in tricky driving situations, for and India. To facilitate the effective ex- and Biodiversity Conservation Union
example when pulling into or out of a change of the latest research findings be- (NABU).
parking spot on a busy road, our driver as- tween industry and public research insti-
sistance systems also help to avoid acci- tutions, in 2010 the Group’s Volkswagen, For further details on environmental pro-
dents. One thing all these systems have in Audi and Porsche brands joined with BMW tection and resource conservation in the
common, however, is that they always and Daimler to form the “Trauma Biome- Volkswagen Group can be found starting on
leave the final decision up to the driver. chanics” research network at Regensburg page 42.
14
University of Applied Sciences. 14
23

24. Ethnic marketing procurement process and a supplier monitoring
Since 2005 Volkswagen AG has been successful- and development process. The sustainable supply
ly engaged in ethnic marketing in the form of chain policy applies to all brands and all regions.
the project “Volkswagen speaks Turkish”. The Its effectiveness is continuously reviewed and
essence of the project is that in all forms of mar- assessed, and new purchasing employees are
keting, it caters for the cultural and ethnic tra- trained to be aware of the policy right from the
ditions of the Turkish population in Germany. It start.
is intended to demonstrate the high regard
which Volkswagen AG has for its Turkish-born Our international “Sustainable Procurement Net-
clientele in Germany. work” ensures that the principle of sustainability
is applied throughout the Group, despite cultural
Along with meeting customer wish- The pillars of this project are Turkish-speaking differences. The supplier integration strategies
es regarding their vehicles, respect- sales staff as the most important actors in car are incorporated into action plans and regularly
ing traditional cultural influences sales and the direct points of contact for the cus- reviewed. Following the successful supplier devel-
is another key factor in ensuring tomer – which of course means all customers, opment project in 2009, a second series of events
satisfied customers. regardless of their ethnic origins, since these in India was held in 2010. Further supplier devel-
sales staff speak German equally well. The opment projects also took place in Brazil, Argen-
ethnic marketing project also means that a tina and Mexico. In line with this continuously
growing group of certified sales staff of Turkish evolving system, when submitting a quote, all
origin are being offered good career prospects suppliers must declare that they agree to abide by
at Volkswagen dealerships. These jobs are Volkswagen’s sustainability requirements. Since
coupled with excellent training in keeping with 2010, supplier sustainability information has
Volkswagen’s acknowledged high standards, been electronically catalogued.
and they offer unique career opportunities for
these young German Turks as an important From the second quarter of 2011, global supplier
basis for successful integration. In this way the development will be supported by a development
project makes an important contribution to cul- module which suppliers will find on the online
tural diversity at Volkswagen; it is also supported platform www.vwgroupsupply.com. Development
by the Works Council. It effectively fosters mutu- workshops will also be held in selected regions.
al understanding and trust between Turks and 16, 17, 18, 65
Germans at both employee and customer level,
and is thus an active expression of progressive
integration and cultural diversity. 15 Raw materials
Volkswagen depends on reliable supplies of
strategically important high-grade raw materi-
Supplier relations als, especially metals. For this reason the
Sustainability in the supply chain has been a key Group’s Environmental Research Department,
focus of the Group Purchasing department since in conjunction with the Federal Institute of Geo-
2006. Volkswagen’s sustainable supply chain pol- sciences and Raw Materials (Bundesanstalt für
icy comprises four main components: sustaina- Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe – BGR), has
bility requirements for suppliers, an early warn- developed a system of criteria and indicators for
ing system for minimising risk, a transparent systematic analysis of the raw materials markets.
24

25. S t r at e g y | E c o n o m y | S o c i e t y | E n v i r o n m e n t
2006
was when Volkswagen made its
“Sustainability in Supplier Relations”
concept a top priority for the Group
Purchasing function.
In addition to risk factors, this also observes ther business development in a timely manner. The Board of Management is kept
and assesses the extraction of raw materials in This means that the Board of Management al- fully informed of the current risk
politically unstable countries to make sure that ways has access to an overall picture of the cur- position.
it is socially acceptable. In this context, Volkswa- rent risk situation through the documented re-
gen seeks to engage in dialogue with NGOs such porting channels.
as the Extractive Industries Transparency Initi-
ative (EITI). The EITI supports a standardised We are prepared to enter into transparent risks
process in which payments by the raw materials that are proportionate to the benefits expected
industry to the government are disclosed and from the business. 19
then verified by independent validators. This
helps to curb corruption, thereby improving the
economic and social climate and maximising Localisation
protection of the environment in the country in A central element of our strategy is the localisa-
question. tion of production and supplier relations and, in-
creasingly, of financial services. Localisation not
only enables us to reduce foreign exchange risks
Risk management and achieve cost levels appropriate to the mar-
The Group’s risk management system is de- kets, but also to inject extra added value into
signed to identify potential risks at any early growth markets. This generates considerable
stage so that suitable countermeasures can be momentum for the economic development of the
taken to avert the threat of loss to the Company, individual regions. Localisation means creation
and any risks that might jeopardize its contin- of jobs in the regions in question. This upgrades
ued existence can be ruled out. the locations where our facilities are based and
paves the way for follow-up activities. Secondary
The risk management system is an integral part and tertiary effects have a positive overall impact
of the Volkswagen Group’s structure and work- on the infrastructure in general. Decisions to lo-
flows and is embedded in its daily business pro- cate production facilities – and thus the relevant
cesses. Events that entail a risk are identified suppliers – in a specific place give rise to new al-
and assessed on a decentralized basis in the di- liances with schools and universities, for exam-
visions and at the investees. Countermeasures ple, and attract further service-sector compa-
are introduced immediately, their effects are as- nies.
sessed and the information is incorporated into
the planning in a timely manner. The results of The overall impact is to invest such a region – be
the risk management process are used to sup- it in Chattanooga or Pune, in Kaluga or Chengdu
port budget planning and controlling on an – with a new quality. For the Volkswagen Group,
ongoing basis. The targets agreed in the budget localisation not only has economic benefits; it
planning rounds are continually verified in re- also improves the prospects of sustainable struc-
volving planning reviews. tural development in the regions concerned.
At the same time, the results of risk mitigation
measures that have already been taken are in-
corporated into the monthly forecasts on fur-
25

26. Compliance The Ombudsman system, introduced through-
In 2010, we heightened our focus on transpar- out the Group in 2006, has also become success-
ent corporate responsibility, creating the new fully established. Through this system, two in-
Governance, Risk Compliance unit. The head dependent lawyers are available as ombudsmen
of the unit is also the Group Chief Compliance to all employees via an international hotline.
Officer of the Volkswagen Group, reporting di- The lawyers are bound by their obligation of se-
rectly to the Chairman of the Board. His respon- crecy.
sibilities include the introduction, control and
monitoring of preventive measures. Further employee training and information
events are planned for 2011. These will include
We have drawn up a corporate Code of Conduct, measures and events aimed at specific target
which was rolled out across the Group in 2010. groups as part of the new Compliance Pro-
Employees were made aware of this through gramme, focusing on anti-trust and competition
brochures, in the internal media and at infor- law. Additional compliance activities will also be
mation events. All employees are able to contact devised in future, and the Compliance organisa-
the Compliance organisation via an internal tion will be further expanded. 20
e-mail address. 21
As an anti-corruption measure, Volkswagen has
been using an online learning program since
2009, designed specifically to increase employ-
ee awareness. This program was rolled out to
management and other employee groups of
Volkswagen AG and also to other Group compa-
nies. Face-to-face events were also arranged.
Research and Financial
Purchasing Production Distribution
Development Services
• Adaptation to local • Localised purchasing • Local production • Strong dealer • Local offer of
customer needs throughout supply facilities for key network Financial Services
• Local RD chain products • Adapted local
Teams in regions marketing
Market
entry2
1
New: Quick Market
Localisation creates new Pune expansion entry2
jobs and adds local value – 1
New: Quick Market
Kaluga expansion entry2
substantial growth factors
1
Partial development capacity 2 Market entry planned
for the local economy.
26

27. S t r at e g y | E c o n o m y | S o c i e t y | E n v i r o n m e n t
Economy In the spotlight
Volatility Market players are already reacting are only seventh when it comes to
Economic stability
Although the long-term global to inflation risks and turning to real operating profit. This is not good
In the years ahead, three mega- growth trend is basically stable, assets such as gold, shares, commod- enough to achieve our targets for
trends on the economic front will fluctuations around this trend are ities and real estate. This encourages 2018.
be particularly important for increasing considerably. For example, speculative bubbles.
Volkswagen: shifts in global the financial crisis is by no means Conclusions
equilibrium, addressing financial over. Substantial risks to the world Another risk takes the form of Volkswagen already has a strong
challenges in the face of growing economy include growing levels of persistent significant balance of presence in many important markets
volatility, and the (re-)emergence national debt in many countries, trade and balance of payments and is profiting from global growth.
of old and new competitors. the instability of the financial deficits, as in the present situation The challenge now is to achieve
system, growth deficits in selected between the USA and China, because systematic growth in local
Equilibrium industrialised countries, persistent these increase the underlying value-added, in order to continue
The BRIC states are at the forefront imbalances of trade and current probability of protectionist measures. reducing dependence on exchange
of the present economic recovery. account figures, and the amount of rates and the risk of barriers to trade.
They are resuming a growth trend speculation in the markets. On top of this, speculators are Increasing localisation of products
that is well above European and contributing to the great volatility and financial services is at the same
North American levels and which Levels of national debt in several of the financial markets. The scale of time a central key to achieving
will bring about substantial Eurozone countries remain critical. their influence is evident from crude market-oriented cost levels and
medium-term shifts in global The resulting potential instability oil trading, for example: in recent adequate profitability worldwide.
economic equilibrium. As a result, of the banking system and the years the number of speculative
the economic power of the emerging uncertainty about the future of transactions has undergone such a This financial robustness is important
markets will continue to increase. the Euro states tend to encourage massive increase that, these days, to ensure that Volkswagen is well
sudden and sharp exchange-rate only about one seventh of all trans- equipped to face future crises. A large
This opens up opportunities for fluctuations and cast a shadow actions physically involve crude oil. measure of flexibility and financial
Volkswagen, with prospects of large over economic prospects. In many independence is absolutely essential
sales volumes. The rapid rise in the countries the central banks are for dealing successfully with eco-
prosperity of broad sections of the trying to combat this by pursuing an Competition nomic risks. Fluctuations in the
population is creating new customer expansive monetary policy. In the The pace of competition in the global commodity and currency markets
groups, and high priority must be short term this has many beneficiar- markets is increasing. By way of must not be allowed to throw us off
given to recruiting these groups. ies, including Volkswagen which has illustration, the market shares of the course, any more than falling unit
Localised products adapted to already felt the substantial benefit four largest manufacturers in China, sales in times of recession.
individual markets are needed to of the economic upswing. In the the USA and Brazil have shown a
fire their enthusiasm. And to ensure medium term, however, this significant drop over the past We are acting from a position of
sustainable success, the contribution approach involves a risk of higher decade. strength and are well on the way to
that these products make to inflation, which could have a achieving the ambitious targets of
earnings needs to be stepped up considerable destabilising effect Despite this difficult situation, our Strategy 2018.
substantially. on the economic system. Volkswagen is doing very well on the
whole. In global terms, we rank third
among car manufacturers on the
basis of unit sales. By contrast, we
27

28. 3 Strategie Management
Strategie 2018
Management
Society
Employment
Herausforderungen
Demographic change
Advancing women and promoting diversity
Social responsibility
28

29. S t r at e g y | E c o n o m y | S o c i e t y | E n v i r o n m e n t
Building a top team.
From vocational training to skills development at home and abroad, and from a forward-looking pay
policy to employee involvement, the Volkswagen Group is working with its employees to set the highest
standards right across its operations. Our employees also play an active part in a wide variety of social
contexts.
29

30. A top team
Employment meet present and future challenges if its em-
The Volkswagen Group’s Strategy 2018 sets out ployees – from apprentices to top managers –
how it intends to achieve its goal of becoming consistently turn in an outstanding perfor-
the car industry’s global market leader in terms mance to ensure that innovation and product
of unit sales and top the rankings in terms of quality remain at the very highest level in the
customer satisfaction and profitability. On top long term.
of that, Volkswagen also wants to be the most
attractive employer in the automotive sector by Securing outstanding performance, generating
2018. The Group’s business strategy is a multi- success and giving employees a share in the
dimensional stakeholder strategy that balances profits are central to Volkswagen’s HR strategy.
the interests of customers, shareholders, em- Securing the outstanding performance re-
ployees and other stakeholders. quired to assure Volkswagen of pole position in
the international automobile industry means
In the 2010 financial year, the Volkswagen having a top team, an HR principle that applies
Group has made full use of the opportunities of- across the Group’s global operations. And it is a
fered by its superb current range of models, principle that is particularly important when
winning new customers and expanding its mar- the Group is growing, as it has done over the
ket shares across the globe. However, it can only past few years.
Employment Circle of success
Excellent No. 1
performance
Top
team Good
performance
Success
Top
employer
Good
The circle of success from our team
“Strategy 2018” shows that only
an attractive employer can re- Good
cruit a good team and develop it employer
into a top team. And only a top
team can turn in excellent
performance.
30

31. S t r at e g y | E c o n o m y | S o c i e t y | E n v i r o n m e n t
Including the Chinese joint ventures, the Volks­ Group to achieve its aim of recruiting even more
wagen Group employed a total of 399,381 people apprentices.
worldwide on December 31, 2010, 8.4 percent
more than in December 2009 (368,500 employ- In September 2010, the number of employees
ees). But as our workforce grows, so too does in vocational training across the Volkswagen
the complexity of the Group. The number of pro- Group exceeded 10,000 for the first time. At
duction sites, the range of technology used and the end of 2010, Volkswagen AG was training
the diversity of processes are expanding across approximately 4,500 apprentices and students
the Group as it diversifies from vehicles with in 32 professions and 21 courses at its six Ger-
conventional drive into hybrid- and electric- man locations alone (Wolfsburg, Hanover,
drive vehicles. It is therefore more important Braunschweig, Kassel, Emden and Salzgitter)
than ever that the Group has access to the right under the StiP integrated study and traineeship
skills in the right place at the right time. scheme. In February 2010, the newly established
Volkswagen Osnabrück GmbH also took on a
further 99 StiP apprentices and students from
Training and skills development the insolvent Karmann company.
Over the next few years, the need for vocational
training and skills development and transfer is While undergoing vocational training at Volks­
set to increase across the Group. Volkswagen wagen, apprentices can benefit from a wide
sets great store by being a learning and teaching range of additional training programmes and
organisation and is making every effort to en- events. These include cooperation between
sure that it has the appropriate skills levels Volkswagen’s vocational training division and
across its locations. “Jugend gründet”, a nationwide online busi-
ness/high-tech competition offering a prize for
Outstanding vocational training and systematic the best product or business idea. The Company
supervisor training are crucial to our HR devel- also organises the “ProTalent” and “Pro-
opment strategy. The Volkswagen brand is in- Mechaniker” competitions, which offer appren-
troducing a global supervisory qualification to a tices and students within the Volkswagen Group
common standard, so that we can employ highly an opportunity to combine their technical talent
skilled supervisors at all our locations. The aim with their passion for motor sport.
is to make the supervisor grade a key position in
all locations, and training and skills develop- It’s not all about work on the factory floor or Volkswagen apprentices’ commit-
ment programmes are currently being designed in the back office, though. For 20 years, Volks- ment to the Auschwitz Memorial
to achieve this. wagen apprentices have been involved in the is recognised worldwide.
Auschwitz Memorial and Museum. Since 1990,
Volkswagen sets great store by its vocational Volkswagen has been sending four groups of
training, and the majority of its highly skilled apprentices to Auschwitz each year to spend two
workers join the Company via this route. The weeks with young Poles learning, helping and
Company’s locations in Germany have long-es- engaging with concentration camp survivors.
tablished, top-quality vocational training facili- The groups are briefed and supervised by the In-
ties, which are to be the model for all Volkswa- ternational Auschwitz Council and our subsidi-
gen locations in future. This will also enable the ary, Volkswagen Coaching GmbH. Over 1,400
31