optimized printing

Around the world, particularly in Europe and the United States, demographic change poses major challenges to human resource management. To keep BASF innovative and ahead of the competition in this environment, we launched the “Generations@Work” program in 2006. We analyze the age structure of our workforces worldwide and demographic developments in our host communities to determine site-specific risks. In Europe and the United States, we have implemented initial concepts to address demographic change. Health management and further training measures help employees to maintain their performance. At the same time, we want to adjust working conditions accordingly. In a pilot project in 2009, BASF offered all employees in the Petrochemicals division at the Ludwigshafen site a preventive program including a free health check-up for early detection of diseases and risk factors – 85% of the employees took part in the screening. With Generations@Work, we are also well positioned to implement the German chemical industry’s collective agreement on working life and demography. Starting in 2010, the companies in the chemical industry in Germany will contribute €300 per non-exempt employee into a company “demography fund” each year. BASF SE and the works council have in this regard agreed on a personal long-term account for every non-exempt employee. This can be used as a means to take a leave of absence near the legal age of retirement.

In dialogue with stakeholders, we take a leading role in the Laboratory for Demographic Change of the CSR Alliance, an alliance between politics and business initiated by the European Commission. Together with its partners, BASF has developed a demographic atlas which evaluates the risks for more than 260 European regions.

Competition for talent

Demographic change also increases the competition for the best specialists and managers. A key topic in our initiative to develop our global employer brand is the variety of challenges and professional development opportunities available at BASF – features that allow BASF to stand out positively from other employers. We have reviewed the effectiveness of our worldwide recruitment measures in the context of changing employment markets. To continue improving our attractiveness as an employer, we have, for example, developed a unified approach to recruitment for the whole of Europe for the first time. This will fully come into effect in 2011. We rely on cooperation with universities and colleges to find the most talented people. In China, for example, more than 1,300 students took part in BASF industry seminars during 2009.