The key raw materials of the high-voltage storage are cobalt, lithium, graphite and nickel. The shell of the high-voltage battery is made of aluminum. MINI (BMW Group) is committed to developing a supply chain that is responsible, sustainable and one that meets our own high ethical and human rights standards. Each nominated supplier must provide information on the implementation of environmental, social and governance standards including respect for human rights and the prohibition of forced labour. We work closely with key raw material suppliers to ensure that all materials are responsibly sourced both to protect and enhance the environment, and to ensure the safety and well-being of the employees at any point along the supply chain. We also continue to streamline logistics operations to reduce impacts from transporting components to our plants.

Together with BASF, Samsung SDI and Samsung Electronics, we are committed to sustainable cobalt mining. In a joint project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we want to understand how the living and working conditions of local people can be improved. In order to prevent or mitigate adverse impacts and not to let the people of the Congo down, we have also commissioned the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) GmbH to improve working conditions in artisanal cobalt mining in a pilot project in the DR Congo. We are aware of our responsibility that the raw materials are mined and processed under normal conditions. We are regularly on-site, know the mines and the working methods of our partners and ensure a clean recovery. In addition to this, to generally limit the need for critical raw materials such as cobalt, the BMW Group pursues the goal of increasing the proportion of recycled cobalt in battery cells.

Gaining maximum visibility of our supply chain helps us identify issues on the ground and deal with them effectively, often in partnership with our suppliers and other stakeholders. The increase of transparency and resource efficiency in our supply chains is based on compliance with environmental and social standards as defined in the BMW Group sustainability standard for the supplier network. Each supplier must consider the sustainability requirements of the BMW Group in its offer. Furthermore, we are guided by international standards such as the guidelines of the UN Global Compact Initiative (Davos, 01/99) and the "Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work" (Geneva, 06/98), the International Labor Organization (ILO) and their due diligence process with the Requirements of the "UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.”

The greenness of any electric car ultimately depends on the source of the mains electricity that feeds the battery. Another aspect of the lifetime CO2 footprint is the energy used to manufacture the battery pack. With this in mind, tests showed that if the MINI Cooper SE is charged using a renewable electricity mix, it breaks even or has ‘worked off’ the CO2 released during its manufacturing after approximately 19,000 km. Over a full life cycle, the emissions of a MINI Cooper SE are 40% (EU mix) and 70% (renewable mix) compared to that of a petrol-driven MINI Cooper S. That means, using typical daily driving distances, it takes just twelve months of driving for the MINI Cooper SE to offset the extra global warming emissions from producing it.