Microsoft Germany and Volkswagen to Work Together on Long-term Sustainability and Social Initiatives

Environmental Climate protection and digital transformation are one of the key issues for the future of business and society. The scale of challenge  is huge and requires common answers, this has forced different entities to come together and work in partnership.

In one such initiative, Microsoft Germany has joined forces with Volkswagen to promote the use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence for the benefit of the environment, society and the economy. The focus is on supporting people of all ages in developing skills for a digitized world.

The companies will be working together on long-term sustainability and social initiatives, and for this have signed a framework agreement, details of which are mentioned below:

Access to digital technologies
The companies aim at giving people access to digital technologies and thus increasing participation in society and future opportunities. Now, the companies want to cooperate on their social commitments in order to create synergies and create social added value together.

Microsoft will offer a digital training program at Volkswagen’s Faculty 73. This is intended to make both, Volkswagen employees and external job seekers, fit for the digital job market or to provide them with further training. The first 100 students will be able to complete the program from spring.

At the Autostadt Wolfsburg, joint school workshops on topics such as programming and artificial intelligence are also planned.

Reduction of carbon dioxide emissions
As a further project, a “Thinkathon” is planned at the Autostadt in spring. This event, with participants from both companies, students and start-ups, will address the question of how to use artificial intelligence to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Another project is currently being designed for the second quarter of 2020 that addresses the United Nations’ sustainability goals in a further creative format.

The partnership between Volkswagen and Microsoft is not new thing, they have had a strategic partnership since 2018 to jointly develop the Volkswagen Automotive Cloud.

Source: Volkswagen