Investors
Our Sustainability Goals1
For us, long-term business success means creating economic, ecological and social value, which is why we pursue ambitious targets along the entire value chain. We report transparently on target achievement so that our stakeholders can track our progress.
We have set ourselves comprehensive targets in the area of sustainability. By 2030, we want to reduce our CO2 emissions from production (Scope 1) and energy purchases (Scope 2)2 by 25% compared with 2018 (2018: 21.9 million metric tons, 2030 target: 16.4 million metric tons). In the 2024 business year, this figure was 17.0 million metric tons of CO2 equivalents (2023: 17.0 million metric tons3). By 2030, we want to reduce the specific CO2 emissions from the purchase of our raw materials (Scope 3.1)4 by 15% compared with 2022 (2022: 1.64 kilograms of CO2 per kilogram of raw materials purchased, 2030 target: 1.39 kilograms). Our specific Scope 3.1 emissions in 2024 amounted to kilograms of CO2 per kilogram of raw materials purchased (2023: 1.67 kilograms5). By 2050, we endeavor to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 1, 2 and 3.1).
We are working to further increase sustainability in our supply chains. Our previous target was to have 80% of suppliers improve their sustainability performance upon reevaluation. Moving forward, we are concentrating on suppliers that generated inadequate results in evaluations. For the time frame up to 2030, we are working toward ensuring that, annually, 80% of suppliers who underwent a sustainability evaluation during the reporting period, and who had inadequate results in a prior comparable evaluation, improve their sustainability performance. In 2024, the figure was 76%. With the new target, we want to sharpen our focus on and gear our measures even more strongly toward suppliers with increased risk in terms of sustainability.
We intend to align our portfolio and the work of our research and development units even more closely with climate protection and the circular economy. For this purpose, we rely on the assessment of our product portfolio using the TripleS methodology (Sustainable Solution Steering). By 2030, we want to achieve more than 50% of BASF sales relevant for TripleS6 from Sustainable-Future Solutions – products that make a positive contribution to sustainability. In 2024, these products accounted for 46.3% of BASF sales (2023: 41.4%). We also introduced a new target for circular economy solutions, known as Loop Solutions, in 2024. By 2030, we want to achieve €10 billion in sales with these solutions. Sales with Loop Solutions stood at €5.7 billion in 2024.
We want to establish sustainable water management at all production sites in water stress areas7 and at our Verbund sites by 2030. In 2024, we reached a share of 65% (2023: 57%)8.
In production, we want to further improve safety and focus on reducing high-severity work-related accidents and process incidents. By 2030, we aim to achieve a rate of no more than 0.10 High Severity Process Safety Incidents (hsPSI) per 200,000 working hours. The global rate of hsPSI in 2024 was 0.03 (2023: 0.05 hsPSI). For the period up to 2030, we are also committed to a maximum rate of 0.05 High Severity Work Process Related Injuries (HSI) per 200,000 working hours. In the 2024 business year, this figure stood at 0.02 HSI (2023: 0.03 HSI).
Furthermore, we have set ourselves the target of increasing the proportion of women in leadership positions to 30% by 2030.9 The global proportion of women in positions with disciplinary responsibility was 29.3% in 2024 (2023: 28.4%). Furthermore, we would like to create a work environment in which more than 80% of our employees feel that they can thrive and perform at their best at BASF. In 2024, we reached a rate of 79% (2023: 79%).
1 Unlike the financial indicators specified as well as the Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, the sustainability-related indicators listed in this chapter are not part of the statutory audit but are part of a separate audit with limited assurance.
2 Scope 1 and Scope 2 (excluding the sale of energy to third parties). The target includes greenhouse gas emissions according to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol that are converted into CO2 equivalents (CO2e). The base year is 2018.
3 The figure for 2023 has been adjusted due to updated data.
4 Scope 3.1, raw materials excluding battery materials, services and technical goods, excluding greenhouse gas emissions from BASF trading business. Future adjustment of the baseline in line with the “Together for Sustainability” guideline (TfS) possible depending on the availability of further primary data. The base year is 2022. In the reporting year, we adjusted the baseline in line with the TfS guideline due to the availability of further primary data.
5 The figure for 2023 was adjusted due to increased data availability.
6 The definition of the relevant portfolio and further information can be found in the TripleS manual at basf.com/en/sustainable-solution-steering.
7 We define water stress areas as regions in which more than 40% of available water is used by industry, households and agriculture. Our definition is based on the Water Risk Atlas (Aqueduct 4.0) published by the World Resources Institute. For more information, see wri.org/aqueduct. Our water target also continues to take into account the sites that we identified as water stress sites in accordance with Pfister et al. (2009) prior to 2019, as well as water stress sites according to Aqueduct 3.0.
8 By including water stress sites according to Aqueduct 4.0, the number of sites required to implement sustainable water management increases. As a result, the implementation status for 2023 has decreased and been adjusted accordingly.
9 In so doing, we act in accordance with applicable local laws.
