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Societal Engagement

Sustainability

Societal Engagement

As part of our sustainability commitment, BASF’s societal engagement contributes to the solution of relevant societal challenges for communities surrounding our sites and vulnerable communities worldwide. We seek to add to a cohesive society by supporting and safeguarding health, skills and resources. We regard societal engagement as an investment into the shared value for societies, the environment and business alike.

Our societal commitment is not aimed at short-term success, but at a long-term positive impact on society. It is based on our business model and our competencies as well as the requirements of sustainable development. We want to support the achievement of the United Nations' Agenda 2030 and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Our activities are bundled in three main topics for a sustainable future: Health, skills and resources. We base our societal commitment globally at all levels of the BASF Group on these focal points and contribute our portfolio and expertise.

Our aim is to empower and support local organizations in their work. In doing so, we act in a cooperative, committed, goal-oriented and effective manner and rely on investments, the way we act, and appropriate measures. Investments include not only financial contributions such as financial and in-kind donations or sponsoring, but also expertise and time as well as the joint development of alternative local business models such as our Starting Ventures.

We are committed to addressing the priority needs of the communities surrounding our sites and of vulnerable communities at risk around the world through our societal commitment, within the limits of our capabilities and expertise.

Together with our partners, we align our societal engagement in an impact-oriented way. This means we agree on clear objectives and measure success according to its long-term impact on society.

In 2020, the BASF Group supported societal engagement activities totaling about €76 million.

Three happy women wearing blue robes hold basf packages
Future Health
We want to improve the quality of life for people around the globe through disease prevention. We accomplish this by working with various international health, government and humanitarian organizations. We believe that science can be part of the solution to the increasingly complex challenges of feeding and protecting a growing population.
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Two little girl wearing pink head bands and safety goggles working on a science experiment
Future Skills
BASF is fostering educational justice, employability and economic participation empowering disadvantaged groups. We want to open learning opportunities. This means we want to enable people and organizations to learn from one another and with one another.
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Plastic and other rubbish washed up on a beach.
Future Resources
Appreciating and safeguarding natural resources is as much part of BASF’s business model as it is of our societal engagement. Our activities range from supporting education for sustainable development, engaging in hands-on clean-ups, applying innovative technologies or cooperating for responsible consumption.
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Shaking hands
BASF Stiftung
BASF supports development cooperation projects globally through donations to BASF Stiftung, a charitable foundation based in Ludwigshafen, Germany.
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