Social commitment
We take on social responsibility: We are involved in diverse projects worldwide, especially in the communities where our sites are located. Our main focus is on life-long learning and access to education. In this way, we promote innovative capacity and future viability.
New strategy
BASF hones societal activities to have even greater impact
€47.0 million
Spent on donations,
sponsorship and
BASF Group’s own projects
Two pillars
Nonprofit activities
and business-oriented
projects
Strategy
In 2016, we revamped our activities in terms of social commitment and designed them to have an even greater impact. The Social Engagement Strategy serves as our launchpad – we use this to strengthen our global approach to the topic. The strategy revolves around support projects having a lasting impact on society and offering learning opportunities for participating cooperation partners and BASF. The common thread throughout all worldwide social commitment activities is provided by the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. Regional emphasis topics help us tailor our engagement toward local needs.
The BASF Group spent a total of €47.0 million supporting projects in 2016; we donated 49.6% of this amount (2015: €56.2 million, 46% of which were donations). The decline in comparison with 2015 is attributable to the previous year’s individual special projects in honor of BASF’s anniversary. We support initiatives that reach out to as many people as possible and have long-term impact. We foster education, science, social projects, arts and culture, and sports in the communities around our sites. On a regional level, we work together with universities, schools and nonprofit organizations. We support BASF Stiftung, a charitable foundation, in its international projects with various U.N. and nongovernmental organizations.
BASF Group donations, sponsorship and own projects in 2016
(million €)
Two pillars of social commitment
In its Social Engagement Strategy, BASF combines two pillars under one roof: donations and the company’s own nonprofit activities (Corporate Citizenship) along with business-oriented projects (Starting Ventures).
Corporate Citizenship activities aim to help create a livable surrounding region for our sites’ neighbors, employees and families. This means supporting numerous projects like the “Connected to Care” program begun in 2015. Employees around the world form teams to carry out volunteer projects together with nonprofit organizations.
With our Starting Venture program, we develop entrepreneurial solutions to support low-income demographic groups in emerging markets in their efforts to improve their quality of life. We achieve this through projects in various customer industries and regions that aim to increase employment opportunities and improve access to products. For example, BASF supports young people from low-infrastructure urban areas in Chile with occupational training in the field of automotive coatings. 75 young people have achieved certification so far and are now in a position to take up employment at our customers. The Starting Venture program thus also contributes to our long-term business success.
BASF Stiftung
The BASF Stiftung, a nonprofit organization, supported a school nutrition project of the United Nations World Food Programme in Colombia in 2016 as part of its humanitarian development work. There, healthy school meals are an important motivation for students – especially from low-income families – to attend school. The project also collaborates with small-holder farmers who supply the participating schools with groceries. The small-holder farmers are given specific training in advance.
In the 2016 year-end donation campaign, the company and its employees gave around €337,000 to BASF Stiftung, which is using the sum to support a World Food Programme initiative to improve living conditions for people in Ethiopia.