Careers

Women in BASF: Diversity & Development Opportunities

Women in management positions are still a rarity? We want to change that together! At BASF, we are striving to achieve a fair gender balance.

Our clear goal by 2030: We want to increase the share of women in leadership positions - worldwide. We have already achieved a lot, but we can do even better. Above all, we want to develop more women at the three levels below the Executive Board. After all, women have the skills to do this and are role models in all leadership positions - their positive influence makes a particular contribution to a diverse corporate culture.

Our goal benefits not only women who want leadership responsibility, but also the company and society. We are convinced that the most innovative ideas come from different perspectives - and we need them to solve current and future global challenges.

Our path for achieving the 30% since 2015 - in numbers

Your benefits at a glance

BASF not only promotes you, but also offers individual benefits for everyone. The benefits mentioned may vary depending on the location. The following are some examples:

What we offer

Above all, exciting and diverse tasks in a company that combines economic success, social responsibility and environmental protection! At BASF, teamwork is a top priority, and our strength is connectedness and close cooperation - or in short: the power of connected minds!

Of course, this applies to all employees - but how does BASF support women in particular in achieving their individual career goals? Our focus is on creating a safe and inspiring working environment, promoting diversity and taking a clear stand against any kind of exclusion. This includes, for example, enabling flexible working models so that career goals and private life can be reconciled.

We also focus on identifying female talent at an early stage and providing them with targeted development opportunities. This includes individual mentoring and training programs that help BASF to fill the majority of management positions from its own ranks. Ambitious women have no shortage of good role models who offer advice and support: In the BASF Group, the global share of women in leadership positions with disciplinary management responsibility was already 28.4 percent at the end of 2023.

BASF's commitment to global networks and initiatives to promote diversity isalso an important building block for achieving the 30/30 goal: In 2020, for example, the United Nations Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) were signed - consisting of seven principles as guidance for companies to promote equality and the empowerment of women in the workplace, on the labor market and in society.

Ready for a career as a leader?

With the TOP START International Business Leader Programm , we offer the best graduates from all over the world the unique opportunity to prepare themselves in the best possible way for a career in general management and to develop as a leader every day.

Walk along new paths: Marion Kuhn's wish for a job in an international environment has come true at BASF. Since starting her career in the TOP START International Business Leaders Program, the Austrian native has already worked in Germany, Eastern Europe, Singapore and Japan. For the past four years, Marion has been working in the United States as Director Sales Management Pharma Solutions North America. She leads a team of more than 20 employees in the Nutrition and Health division.

I like the fact that BASF offers almost unlimited opportunities to develop in a wide variety of areas. The internationality and the opportunity to work with people from all over the world distinguish BASF as a top employer. In addition to the wide variety of topics, BASF is an employee-oriented and very family-friendly employer. This is reflected in the flexible working time models as well as BASF's own childcare and health offers.

Saskia Bingemann

Product Manager in the area of Digital Solutions

Chemistry is female - a social media campaign

Men work in the chemical industry - this is the image that is often still far too strongly embedded in society. BASF Poland wants to change this perception with its "Chemistry is female" campaign.

In exciting videos, eight women from typically male domains talk about their professional careers, their daily tasks and what it's like to work in an environment with predominantly male colleagues.

The Aniline Women

In 1890, BASF hires the first nurses to provide medical care for its employees. In 1918, the first female chemist is employed in the ammonia laboratory. The first female authorized officer is appointed in 1964 and Margret Suckale is the first woman to be appointed to BASF's Board of Executive Directors in 2011. Therefore, the history of women at BASF is almost as long as the history of the company itself. The booklet "The Aniline Women" focusses on the history of women at BASF. It provides insights into the living and working condition of women since the 19th century until today. In addition, it portrays selected personalities who have coined the image of BASF as well as the image of women at BASF.

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