CSR in the United Arab Emirates

In June 2019 BASF, in partnership with The Abu Dhabi Vocational Education and Training Institute (ADVETI), inaugurated a state-of-the-art spray-painting vocational training center targeting skill enhancement for young, talented Emiratis.

Spanning 800 square meters, the facility serves as an ideal training ground for young, talented Emiratis and is also be used by some of BASF’s automotive refinish customers.

During the opening, Dr. Udo Huenger, Vice President Middle East, BASF said: “It is also our ambition to make young, talented UAE nationals excited about the automotive spray-painting profession and qualify them to land a job in one of the UAE’s body shops while equipping them with experience in working with premier automotive refinish products. The right coating technology, the most efficient application techniques, and compliance with the highest quality standards require a drive for perfection, and we aim to help instill this passion in our Emirati talents.”

Since 2018, BASF has also been a national member of the global WorldSkills competition and a local partners of Emirates Skills. The BASF’s team guides and trains Emirati students to compete in coating a vehicle with BASF’s Glasurit® - the premier paint brand in the region. 

A team of ten members of Khalifa University’s Young Future Energy Leaders (YFEL) outreach initiative had a first-hand experience of how Germany’s three major industry leaders are driving innovative solutions for sustainable global development.

The visit focused on applied sustainability solutions relevant to the UAE and the restorative and regenerative circular economy, which builds economic, natural, and social capital. The three German companies - BASF, Siemens and Bilfinger - hosted the YFEL members as part of their commitment to investing in the UAE’s youth development and share knowledge with future generations.

This was the second time the YFEL students visited Germany. 

In November 2018, BASF supported the first Solar Decathlon competition held in the Middle East. The Solar Decathlon is a global student competition, originally hosted by the US Department of Energy, in which engineering and architecture students from all around the world compete about which team can build the most energy efficient model house, powered by solar energy.

BASF supported one of the competing teams, the team from the American University of Ras Al Khaimah, with technical advice and donated our Neopor materials to insulate the walls of the house.

BASF was also the official knowledge partner of the event, organizing 20 workshops for visiting high school students. In the workshops, students could ‘beat the heat’ by learning how to keep a house cool during the hot summer months and save energy.

Making our buildings and construction more energy efficient is an important way to combat climate change and combat air pollution. Therefore, BASF partnered with the Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC) -  an independent forum aimed at conserving the environment by strengthening and promoting green building practices in the UAE -  to develop a Green Building Toolkit.

The toolkit, available online, assists thousands of individuals and businesses with decisions to make their homes, offices and schools more efficient and sustainable.  Access the toolkit by clicking here.

Dubai Economy and Omniyat developed the initiative Tarmeem (renovation) in line with the Year of Giving mandate by the United Arab Emirates Government, and welcomed several companies, including BASF, to participate. The project consisted in the renovation of Manar al Iman Charity School in Ajman, UAE.

The initiative was a success thanks to the combined efforts of volunteers and companies. BASF collaborated from project evaluation, followed by materials supply and continuous technical support. Flooring solutions, external coatings, tile fixing systems and repair products were part of the wide range of solutions that BASF contributed to this collaborative project.