Networks

The intensified debate surrounding globalization in the 1990s gave rise to global organizations and initiatives which aimed to shape the process of globalization in a more ecological and socially compatible manner.  BASF contributes to these efforts early on, or is even a founding member – here are some examples.

Wlorld Business Council

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), founded in 1995, follows up on the results of the Rio Conference held in 1992 – the Agenda 21. BASF has been a member since 1999. In 2004, BASF and partner companies initiated the first regional SD Council in Asia-Pacific, namely the China Business Council for Sustainable Development (CBCSD), a national chapter of the WBCSD.

UN Global Compact

As a founding member, BASF has been involved in the world’s largest and most important initiative for corporate responsibility, which was established in 2000. With this involvement, BASF is committed to the ten universal principles of the UN Global Compact made up of human rights, labor standards, environmental protection and the fight against corruption.

BASF has been honored as a Global Compact LEAD company annually since 2011 – and is thus among the companies which is vehemently dedicated working on social and ecological issues.

The company is involved in over 10 local Global Compact networks and thus contributes to the on-site development of specific solution approaches, for example since 2018 in the USA and Tanzania.

Together for Sustainability

To improve sustainability in the supply chain, BASF founded the Together for Sustainability (TfS) initiative in 2011 together with other chemical companies (Bayer, Evonik Industries, Henkel, Lanxess and Solvay).

The objective of the TfS initiative is the worldwide standardization of evaluations and audits of suppliers in the chemical industry. The certification is designed to control and optimize the sustainability along the entire supply chain.

In 2018 alone, the 22 members of the initiative performed 3,767 sustainability assessments – including both initial and follow-up assessments – and 358 audits.

Alliance to End Plastic Waste

In 2019 BASF was a co-founder of the global alliance of around 30 companies, which aims to promote solutions that reduce and prevent the disposal of plastic waste in the environment, and in particular in the oceans.