Organization of the BASF Group

In the 2024 business year, the BASF Group consisted of 11 operating divisions, grouped into the following six segments: 

• Chemicals: Petrochemicals, Intermediates 
• Materials: Performance Materials, Monomers 
• Industrial Solutions: Dispersions & Resins, Performance Chemicals 
• Nutrition & Care: Care Chemicals, Nutrition & Health 
• Surface Technologies: Catalysts, Coatings 
• Agricultural Solutions: Agricultural Solutions 

BASF Group segments in 2024

Core businesses

Standalone businesses

BASF implemented a Differentiated Steering concept at the start of the 2024 business year. As part of this, two new, most important financial key performance indicators for steering the BASF Group in the short and medium term were established as of January 1, 2024: income from operations before depreciation, amortization and special items (EBITDA before special items) and free cash flow. EBITDA before special items and segment cash flow were introduced as the most important financial key performance indicators for the segments (more information on the BASF Group’s steering concept). This enables us to provide a higher level of transparency around the results of our segments (more information on segment performance). Scope 1 and 2 CO₂ emissions remained the most important sustainability-related key performance indicator at Group level.

In addition, we restructured BASF’s portfolio as part of our strategy, which was announced in September 2024. We now differentiate between core businesses and standalone businesses, which operate independently. Our core businesses comprise the Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions and Nutrition & Care segments. They benefit from their deep integration in our value chains and the Production Verbund. Our standalone businesses are clustered in the Surface Technologies and Agricultural Solutions segments. These serve distinct industries and compete with peers who focus exclusively on individual industries (“pure players”). Our standalone businesses now have greater flexibility and operational freedom, enabling them to react more swiftly and appropriately to specific market requirements.

The operating divisions, the service units, research and development and the Corporate Center are the cornerstones of the BASF organization. Regional structures are being dissolved to simplify and streamline the organization (for more information, see Our Strategic Levers). This new setup lays the foundation for more customer proximity, value creation, competitiveness and profitable growth.

The operating divisions bear strategic and operational responsibility and are organized according to sectors or products.

Five service units provide competitive services for the BASF Group:

• Global Engineering Services
• Global Digital Services
• Global Procurement
• European Site & Verbund Management
• Global Business Services (finance and controlling, human resources, safety, intellectual property, communications, procurement, supply chain, in-house consulting services and real estate)

The Global Business Services unit was revamped, effective November 1, 2024. Clearer roles and structures were established in order to increase flexibility and at the same time ensure conscious cost management. The unit has been decentralized and is increasingly focusing on four service areas: regional and global services, global project consulting, and portfolio and technology management. The latter drives long-term objectives within Global Business Services and pursues global projects.

Our dedicated research and development units are integrated into the divisions, while activities with broad relevance for our businesses are bundled in a research division – Group Research. This division is globally positioned with research centers in Asia Pacific, Europe and North America. With this setup, we are focusing our research activities on our customers and their industry-specific needs.

The Corporate Center supports the Board of Executive Directors in steering the company as a whole. This includes central tasks in the following areas: strategy; finance and controlling; legal, compliance and insurance; tax; environmental protection, health, safety and quality; human resources; communications; investor relations; corporate audit and, until the end of 2024, also the Net Zero Accelerator unit.

Organization of the BASF Group as of January 1, 2025

As part of the implementation of the new strategy, the Catalysts division was restructured, effective January 1, 2025; as a result, the Surface Technologies segment will now comprise three standalone businesses going forward instead of two: The Coatings division will remain unchanged, while the Battery Materials and Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions (ECMS) business units have been established as separate divisions. Additionally, the chemical and refining catalysts business, formerly part of the Catalysts division, will be reported as part of the Performance Chemicals division in the Industrial Solutions segment from now on. As a result, the BASF Group comprises 12 operating divisions as of the beginning of the 2025 business year.

In addition, the activities of the Net Zero Accelerator unit were integrated into existing divisions and service units, effective January 1, 2025, ensuring that BASF’s green transformation is aligned even more closely with market trends so that the businesses can even better react to new customer requirements.

Corporate legal structure

BASF SE, the BASF Group’s publicly listed parent company, plays a core role: Directly or indirectly, it holds the shares in the companies belonging to the BASF Group and is also one of the largest operating companies. A total of 268 companies including BASF SE are fully consolidated. Nine joint operations are accounted for pro rata, while 24 companies are accounted for using the equity method.