Münster

Social Engagement

Promoting diversity in all its forms is very important to BASF Coatings. As a company that centers around research and innovation, we are mainly committed to promoting science education. This entails getting children and young people interested in science, as well as identifying and enabling their individual careers.

Youth science competition “Jugend forscht”

How can bodies of water be cleared of waste materials? How can metals be extracted from old computers? Since 2002, we have been the main sponsor of the regional “Jugend forscht” youth science competition in Münster, as part of the national competition. The event gives young people who are talented in mathematics, IT, science and technology an opportunity to turn their ideas into reality and try them out in practice. At the same time, it gives us, BASF in Münster, a chance to get in contact with the young people and showcase ourselves as an attractive future employer in the region.

Regional youth science competition “Jugend forscht Münsterland”

Q.UNI Camp at the University of Münster

Supporting projects that get children and young people curious about scientific phenomena and spark their enthusiasm for science and research is at the heart of BASF’s social engagement in Münster. Precisely this is the goal of the University of Münster’s Q.UNI Camp, which is aimed at schools, kindergartens and families. The only program of its kind in the country, it offers children aged four and older exciting interactive stations for learning and experimenting. And it has attracted enormous interest – which is just one of the reasons why we have supported the Q.UNI Camp since 2014.

Q.UNI Camp 2023

Our day-care center: a “house of little scientists”

The national charitable foundation “Kinder forschen” (children research; formerly “Haus der kleinen Forscher”) campaigns for early education in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in order to prepare boys and girls for the future. We have backed the initiative of the local network in Münster since it was launched in 2018. Our company day-care center “LackiKids” was the fifth day-care center in Münster to be certified as a “house of little scientists” and was awarded the official badge for its continuous promotion of scientific education in early childhood.

Press release on the award for our day-care center

"Deutschlandstipendium" scholarship

For many students, going to university means being short of money and having to look after every dime. That is why we at BASF Coatings have supported the Deutschlandstipendium, a federal government scholarship program for talented and dedicated students, since it began in 2011. We support scholarships at both the University of Münster and the Münster University of Applied Sciences, in order to help secure the supply of talented young people and enable future graduates to establish contact with potential employers while still at university.

Find out more about the Deutschlandstipendium

Done with school. What now?

What should I do after school? This is a big question for many students – as well as their parents and teachers. To help them find the answers, Münster-based companies have come together with Wirtschaftsförderung Münster GmbH and the City of Münster’s Office for Schools and Advanced Training to launch the “Schule und dann” (Done with school. What now?) days of action. This annual event gives young people from the region the chance to explore our site on a site tour and find out about the many apprenticeships we offer.

Schule und dann? (Done with school. What now?)

Girls‘ und Boys‘ Day

The Girls’ and Boys’ Day takes a stand against the traditional stereotypes of men’s and women’s jobs. Girls are introduced to the professions of laboratory technician for coatings, skilled chemical worker, industrial mechanic, process mechanic, warehouse logistics expert and firefighter. At the same time, the boys take a look at fields that have traditionally been dominated by women, such as human resources or sport and health promotion. The day is a key building block for career orientation and intended to get students interested in apprenticeships.

What we offer for students (German)

Bridge into Skilled Work

The “Brücke zum Beruf” (Bridge into Skilled Work) internship launched the collaboration between BASF Coatings and the Jugendhilfe Direkt association in 1999. Since then, we have offered this paid year-long internship to young people without apprenticeships every year. Not every young person finds the transition from school to working life easy. The internship helps them find their feet with a first insight into working life and practical experience, so that each of them can find out which profession is right for them. Our goal is to get young people ready for an apprenticeship at BASF, whatever qualifications they left school with.

Annual internship

Course for teachers in Münster

Chemistry is everywhere – from the air that surrounds us to the thoughts that whirl around in our heads. In a bid to get students excited about the variety and fascinating aspects of science, we offer training courses for chemistry teachers in Münster. The courses support them in developing concepts for innovative and varied chemistry lessons with interactive experiments.

What we offer for teachers

zdi Zentrum m³ MINT | Münster | Münsterland.

Mathematics, information science, natural sciences and technology, known in Germany as “MINT” for short and in English-speaking countries as “STEM” (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), form the basis for our future technological development. As a partner of the joint offensive “Zukunft durch Innovation. NRW” (future through innovation, or zdi), we support young people with a talent for science and technology in North Rhine-Westphalia as part of the “m3 – MINT│Münster│Münsterland” network.

zdi center Münster

Further elements of our engagement

Promoting sport for all with TuS Hiltrup

TuS Hiltrup is the sporting home for many of our employees and their families, along with children and young people in the area. The club teaches children and young people in particular to enjoy sports – and to understand the importance of being active to offset the time they spend on sedentary activities. Encouraging this awareness from a young age is a cause very close to our hearts. That is why we have been a partner and sponsor of Münster’s largest sports club since 1981, focusing on sport for all.

TuS Hiltrup

BASF school triathlon

We want to encourage children and young people to enjoy being active from a young age, which is why we support the BASF school triathlon. The event is all about having fun while being active – there are no winners and losers. Other sponsors and organizers include the elementary and secondary schools in Münster, the Wasser + Freizeit association, the City of Münster and TuS Hiltrup.

Find out more about the BASF school triathlon

Social engagement by our apprentices

ZeitStifte-Tag (time donation day)

Every two years, FreiwilligenAgentur Münster (Münster Volunteer Agency) holds the ZeitStifte-Tag (time donation day), when our apprentices spend a day working for a good cause. In the past, for example, they got their hands dirty with environment protection charity NABU-Münsterland and visited the zoo with the residents of a retirement home They decorated bird houses together with the St. Clemens day center for the elderly and supported the Studiowelle Hiltrup hospital radio station, to name just a few of the diverse projects they have helped with.

Hier erfahren Sie mehr zum ZeitStifte-Tag der FreiwilligenAgentur Münster

Münster Industrial Association

Together we are stronger

Together we are stronger – and that is why we joined Industriegemeinschaft Münster (Münster Industrial Association). Münster-based industrial companies from various sectors all get together to make a difference in Münster and the wider region. By holding various events, we have set ourselves the goal of providing insights into our product range and the wide range of career prospects that we offer as industrial companies in Münster. We are also involved in other local projects. For example, together with 24 other companies and private individuals, we donated a total of 60 linden trees to be planted on the promenade in Münster to replace those damaged by a storm in 2014.

Industriegemeinschaft Münster

Museum of Lacquer Art

Our passion for lacquer goes far beyond our products. In order to inspire enthusiasm for this glossy material and its long tradition in the world of art, we opened the Museum of Lacquer Art in Münster in 1993. Our museum is all about the many ways in which lacquer can be used, and the history of lacquer art.

The cultural institution run by BASF in Münster is home to a unique collection of more than 2,000 items spanning two millennia and places as diverse as East Asia, Europe and the Islamic world. A variety of special exhibitions highlight and showcase historic and contemporary aspects of lacquer art. The museum also hosts concerts, readings, educational programs and other events.

Visit our Museum of Lacquer Art

Eingangsbereich des Museums für Lackkunst

New Japanese lacquer art from Hokuriku

The Museum of Lacquer Art is exhibiting around 50 items from eight lacquer artists from Hokuriku in a special exhibition running from June 16 to September 17, 2023. Most of the artists are graduates of the Kanazawa College of Art or trained at the famous institute for lacquer art in Wajima.

Find out more about our special exhibition here

Free tours for children

What happens during a traditional tea ceremony and why are dragons considered lucky in Asia? The Museum of Lacquer Art offers a free tour once a month for children aged 6 to 12 years. Lasting around 70 minutes, the interactive tours start at 3:00 p.m.

Young explorers are taken on a journey through the worlds of China and Japan, steeped in legend and rich in history. They get to know symbols and characters that tell myths and stories, and immerse themselves in the culture of East Asia by reenacting a traditional tea ceremony. Lastly, they make their own souvenir using origami, the Japanese art of paper folding.

Please book by telephone on +49 (0)251 41851-22 (Tuesday to Sunday, 12:00 to 6:00 p.m.) or by email at MuseumLack@basf.com. The next tours will take place September 30, October 14, November 11 and December 9, 2023.

We have a passion for paint that goes far beyond the product. In order to infuse others with our enthusiasm for the glossy material and its long history, we opened the Museum of Lacquer Art in Münster in 1993.

Museum of Lacquer Art

At our Museum of Lacquer Art, everything is devoted to the origins and the wide-ranging applications of lacquer. BASF's cultural institution in Münster is home to a globally unique collection from East Asia, Europe and the Islamic world with over 2,000 objects from two millennia. In its varied special exhibits, the museum highlights historic and contemporary aspects of lacquer art. The museum also regularly hosts jazz and classical concerts and an educational program.

Looking out for our neighbors is the key to living together in harmony. That's why we are actively involved in a number of projects in the vicinity our of site, ranging from support for senior citizens by our trainees to repairing weather-related damage to Münster's green belt, the "Promenade".

Social Committment by our Trainees

Every two years, Münster's volunteer center sponsors the "ZeitStifteTag" ("Day for donating time") in which the trainees spend a day volunteering for a good cause. For instance, our trainees actively supported the Münsterland nature conservation association with rakes and shovels and visited the zoo with the residents of the mission sisters' senior center. They also supported the Studiowelle Hiltrup hospital radio station. In cooperation with the St. Clemens senior day center in Münster-Hiltrup, our trainees used their artistic skills to build and decorate birdhouses and outfit them with cute signs.

Münster Industrial Association

Together we're stronger. That's why we joined the “Industriegemeinschaft Münster” association. Coordinated by the North Westphalian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK), companies from various industrial sectors located in Münster work together in the region.

Example from 2015

For example, together with 24 other companies and private individuals, we donated 60 linden trees to repair the damage along the Münster "Promenade" caused by storms in 2014.

We offer regular events and public activities to provide the general public with insights into our company, our employees and our products. To this end, in summer of 2015, the industry association in Münster invited the public to its "In|du|strie-Tag" day under the motto "industry made on your front doorstep". The highlight of the information day was the first industry dragon boat cup, with participation by 33 teams from different companies, including our "Coatings Dragon" team.

Sports create a basis for health, promote team spirit and are an important way to offset sedentary activities. We therefore aim to convey the importance of exercise and sports to children and young people.

BASF school triathlon

Even the youngest children know how to swipe, which is why more and more young children are playing with tablets and smartphones. But too often, that means that they don't get enough exercise. The BASF school triathlon that takes place every year in Münster aims to help children and young adults enjoy exercise. The sponsors and promoters of the sporting event are the elementary and secondary schools in Münster, the "Wasser + Freizeit" swimming club, the City of Münster, BASF and the TuS Hiltrup athletic club.

TuS Hiltrup

For many of our employees and their families, along with children and young adults from the neighborhood, the TuS Hiltrup athletic club is their "athletic home". Children and young adults in particular experience the joy of participating in sports there. For this reason, we have supported Münster's largest athletic club since 1981 as a partner and sponsor.