CEOs are committed to climate protection

August 24, 2018

“Climate protection is a key task for me.” These were the words of BASF's Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, Martin Brudermüller, during a meeting of the “Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders” in Geneva on August 24, 2018.

Brudermüller participated in the meeting for the first time after being announced as Kurt Bock’s successor. Founded in 2015, the Alliance is a group within the World Economic Forum in which chairs of executive boards from international companies are committed to protecting the climate. Alongside BASF, the Alliance counts the heads of Shell, Dow, Pepsi, Microsoft, IKEA and Nestlé among its members. At the meetings, the top managers exchange their experiences and Best Practices, consult on further commitments and the possibilities of enabling politicians and other partners to help advance climate protection.

These ideas include new business models, innovative products and services and cross-company partnerships to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“BASF supports the goals outlined in the Paris Climate Agreement,” said Brudermüller. “The innovative power in the chemical industry is vital for developing products and solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Our products enable the reduction of these gases in sectors such as construction and living, agriculture, mobility and energy generation.”

Within the scope of the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders, Brudermüller is committed to the implementation of a harmonized global price structure for greenhouse gas emissions. “Climate change represents a global challenge. A European solo effort will not be able to save the climate, but it will lead to further competitive disadvantages for European industries,” said Brudermüller. “To avoid distorting the competition, a price structure must apply to all producers of CO₂, and thus provide incentives to develop technologies to reduce or avoid these emissions.”

BASF is setting a good example: The company has halved its absolute global greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990; and this despite the manufactured production amount having doubled, in terms of the weight.