Sustainability
Corporate Volunteering at BASF
Connected-to-Care
Our employees are passionate about creating chemistry – not just in research but also in their teams and the communities around our sites.
A vivid society with high social cohesion needs voluntary engagement. Therefore, BASF is determined, as part of its societal engagement, to contribute to a sustainable society and supports its employees to engage in various local volunteering options. Employees at all BASF sites around the world are “Connected-to-Care” and are taking part in individual formats to strengthen team spirit, develop their social and professional skills and actively shape their social environment.
Volunteering for #SustainableFuture – Berlin, Germany (2023)
At #BASFHubBerlin, we offer various activities in which our employees can get involved on a voluntary basis - this is how we realize a #SustainableFuture together. For example, we organized a Clean-up campaign to collect garbage in our district. Our volunteers spent a morning together to make one of the city parks (close to the office) at least a little cleaner and safer. Another project in which our Hub employees could volunteer was the cooperation with the non-profit organization Tafel e.V. Here, BASF employees supported the NGO in helping people in need and contributed to waste reduction.
Support of local soup kitchen - Ludwigshafen, Germany (2023)
In 2023, BASF employees once again helped out at the soup kitchen in Hemshof, Ludwigshafen, as they did in 2021. BASF catering staff prepared soups and stews, which were then distributed to those in need.
.jpg)
Kids‘ Lab - Greater China (2023)
BASF Kids’ Lab is a free interactive chemistry educational program for school children aged from 6-12. In 2002, BASF staged it outside Germany for the first time, and chose Beijing, China as the place to do it. From then on, BASF Kids’ Lab has been expanded to other cities in China including Shanghai, Nanjing, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Shenyang, Wuhan, Hong Kong, Taipei, Kaohsiung and Taoyuan. Since early July 2023, the program was launched across seven cities: Taipei, Kaohsiung, Beijing, Shanghai, Ningbo, Chongqing, and the latest addition, Zhanjiang.
World Clean-up Day - China (2023)
Since 2020, BASF China, in collaboration with the environmental NGO Pickup China, has been actively organizing employee volunteer coastal Clean-up programs, supported by the China Leadership Team. In 2023, BASF launched two parallel initiatives: First, an onsite activity at the Pudong site marking a pioneering effort in China to solicit donations of unused personal electronic devices. These devices were collected for responsible recycling or redistribution to children in migrant schools by our NGO partner. The second initiative expanded the Clean-up efforts offsite, with 13 locations across 11 cities launching volunteer campaigns, where more than 500 colleagues participated.
Merdeka Mangrove Planting Programme, Malaysia (2024)
In celebration of Malaysia's independence, BASF Malaysia organized a mangrove planting event in Pantai Chendor, Cherating. The event brought together over 350 participants, including BASF employees, their families, and local residents, to plant 3,000 mangrove saplings and release 150 baby sea turtles. Featured in the news, the initiative highlighted the significance of environmental preservation. "By planting mangroves, we are investing in the future of our ecosystems," said Jehan Bakar, Chairperson of the Malaysian Nature Society Pahang branch. The event also aimed to educate the community about the significance of mangroves and the challenges faced by marine life, particularly endangered turtle species.
Teachers’ School of Ecology – New Jersey, USA (2023)
In August 2023, BASF and the New Jersey Audubon (NJA) organized the first-ever Teachers’ School of Ecology (TSOE), a three-day workshop for middle and high school teachers to learn about how natural ecosystems are impacted by climate change. Participants were challenged to solve real problems through exploration, discovery and critical thinking. For example, they monitored water quality, assessed habitat and investigated environmental issues. The workshop topics were tailored to New Jersey’s Student Learning Standards, which would in turn make it easy for teachers to adopt the experiments and learnings into their own curricula.
International Coastal Clean Up, Rayong, Thailand (2024)
On International Coastal Clean Up Day (ICC) 2024, BASF Thailand volunteers took part in a beach cleanup in Rayong Province. Fifty volunteers from BASF joined 3,400 other participants, collectively removing 3.84 tons of waste, with BASF volunteers contributing 120 kgs. The cleanup took place near the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate, emphasizing the importance of waste collection to save the ocean. This initiative, supported by the ICC Working Network in Map Taphut, Rayong province, showcased BASF's commitment to environmental sustainability and community engagement.
Adopt A School – Petaling Jaya, Malaysia (2023)
Together with the support of volunteers, the Corporate Affairs Department conducted a CSR event consisting of 2 parallel parts. In the first part, we organized a "Climate Ready Classroom" training with the Green Growth Asia Foundation (GGAF). This equipped secondary school students with the knowledge and tools to make informed decisions about their carbon footprint. In the second part, we organized a mini exhibition showcasing products with "BASF inside" that promote STEM education for students. They were shown how science (chemistry) improves the quality of life.
Kids' Lab@Earthquake Region – Kahramanmaraş, Turkey (2023)
On 6th of February 2023, Turkey had devastating earthquakes with more than 50,000 death tolls according to official numbers. As BASF Turk, through our Volunteers Club campaign, we supported the supply of immediate relief materials like shelters, hygiene products and food for the affected people. Soon after the earthquake, “Red Kids Organization” of Turkey opened a children support center in Kahramanmaraş – epicenter of the earthquake. Just on April 23rd, National Children's Day, they launched the center with a festival for the kids in the area who are living in tents. And as volunteer colleagues, we opened a Kids’ Lab booth in the festival area and hosted 400 kids on the same day.
Groundbreaking on 8th school, Hau Giang, Vietnam (2024)
In Hau Giang province, Vietnam, BASF and its co-sponsors have commenced the construction of a new school at Phuong Ninh Primary and Secondary School. This project, featuring four new classrooms and a playground, will benefit about 150 students annually. Facilitated by Saigon Children’s Charity CIO, the school is set to be completed in 2025. The initiative aims to address the shortage of adequate educational facilities in remote areas, contributing to better education access and an improved quality of life for the local community.
“Anpack-Tag” – Ludwigshafen, Germany (2024)
Around 100 BASF employees enthusiastically participated in this year's "Anpack-Tag," dedicating their time to various community projects. At the Rheingönheim Wildlife Park, they built a new fence for the barefoot path, installed play equipment, and constructed insect hotels. This event highlighted as a part of the Metropolitan Region Rhine-Neckar (MRN) Volunteer Days, the power of teamwork in achieving meaningful community improvements and fostering social cohesion.
Responsible Care Week – Freeport, USA (2023)
BASF Freeport hosted approximately 1,000 fifth graders over 3 days at our local community college (Brazosport College). Volunteers spent time with students talking about drones, robotics, chemistry, production and construction introducing them to roles of the industry.
Kids’ Lab – Keat Hong, Singapore (2023)
In August 2023, the BASF Kids’ Lab was held at the Keat Hong Community Club as part of the National Day celebration event. More than 230 children participated and learned about the importance of plastic recycling and using renewable and non-renewable resources in producing plastics. In addition, we were also part of the launch of a new outdoor engagement space “Keat Hong SpacE3”, which allows community partners to run educational outreach programs for residents. We had the honor of presenting our sustainability efforts to the Minister for Education, Mr. Chan Chun Sing. 20 employee volunteers, together with 17 student volunteers from National University of Singapore, supported the event.
Inclusive Playgrounds: BASF Vietnam's 8th Playground for Visually-Impaired Children, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (2024)
BASF Vietnam has, in collaboration with Think Playgrounds (TPG), implemented their eighth public playground project, benefiting over 200 visually-impaired students at Nguyen Dinh Chieu Special School in Ho Chi Minh City. This playground is specifically designed to support the development and integration of these students through outdoor play. By addressing the shortage of adequate play spaces for children with disabilities, BASF and its partners are making a significant contribution to improving educational access and the overall well-being of the students.
Clean-Up Day, Basel, Switzerland (2024)
Since 2019, BASF Switzerland has organized a street clean-up event in Basel. This year, twenty BASF employees took part, working alongside IGSU, the Swiss Competence Center for Littering, in the Klybeck district to clear the streets of litter. Their contribution helped maintain a cleaner environment and preserve natural resources. This long-standing initiative highlights BASF's commitment to fostering a cleaner environment and promoting social responsibility.
Launch of seventh school in remote areas of Vietnam – Tra Vinh province, Vietnam (2023)
Volunteers from BASF and co-sponsors, who are our longstanding customers and partners, built two classrooms and a playground with a total area of 328m2 to elevate the academic environment for about 100 primary school pupils in a remote area of Tra Vinh province, Vietnam.
BASF Innovation Hub – South-East Europe (2023)
BASF Innovation Hub is an annual pitch event organized in collaboration between 11 countries of South-East Europe, aiming to support the regional start-up community and accelerate green transition through Cleantech, Circularity and/or Farm to Fork solutions. For BASF employees, this means participation in the project from its conception to final stages of the online event. The activities of the program include managing social media, directly communicating with relevant institutions, NGOs, HUBs, universities, and the start-up community. In addition, the program involves judging all the applied solutions and selecting the best ones for live-pitch events.
Nossas mulheres (pt) / Our Women (en) – Guaratinguetá, Brazil (2023)
The “Our Women” initiative focused on enhancing employability for women and mothers in vulnerable situations. Through different activities such as sewing, cooking, self-care, business planning, digital marketing, and more, the project aimed to empower its participants. At the same time, our dedicated volunteers facilitated art workshops and toy construction for the children of beneficiaries, fostering community cohesiveness. With more than 1,500 employees actively involved, this project made a significant impact in the Pingo de Ouro community, located in Guaratinguetá (SP), by improving the quality of life for female single-parent households, women in social vulnerability and/or mothers of People with Disabilities (PwD).
Community gardens – Lombardy, Italy (2023)
With the "Community Gardens" project, we are primarily targeted people with disabilities who live in the area around the BASF site. We were supported by two partners: Maieutica and CADIAI - together we aimed to integrate people with psychophysical disabilities into everyday life through the development of socio-rehabilitative pathways and active community participation. Specifically, the project consisted of creating two raised gardens. Materials for the realization and technical support were provided by BASF. People with disabilities were involved in the design of the gardens and in their management and experienced visits from schools and citizens. In 2023, a total of 40 people with disabilities, supported by 20 teachers, were already involved in the project.
Learn to entrepreneur, Argentina (2024)
In Argentina, BASF volunteers made a significant impact through the "Learn to Entrepreneur" initiative, sponsored by BASF Argentina and Junior Achievement Argentina. Sixteen BASF volunteers worked with over 130 high school students from Malvinas Argentinas and General Lagos. The students created real ventures, including reusable bags and natural repellents, guided by their teachers and mentors. This initiative highlighted BASF's commitment to corporate social responsibility and fostering positive change through education and community engagement. "We are proud to promote entrepreneurial spirit and drive local economic development among the youth," said Bernadro Brugnoli, Executive Director of Junior Achievement Argentina. The program also aimed to equip students with essential skills for their future careers, addressing the high youth unemployment rate in the region.