Sustainability

Cooperation with our stakeholders and social commitment

Starting Ventures

Through Starting Ventures, BASF develops business solutions that empower people with low incomes to achieve a better quality of life.

BASF Stiftung

BASF Stiftung is a non-profit and charitable foundation. By focusing on health and skills, we are able to provide support to people in difficult situations and aid them in emergencies.

Community Advisory Panels

As a company in the chemical industry, we are aware of the particular responsibility we have towards the local communities around our sites. We aim at engaging openly with our neighbors in various forms of neighborhood dialogs.

Sustainability Lab and Councils

An inherent part of our sustainability management is the continuous exchange with our stakeholders.

BASF values maintaining a continuous dialogue with our stakeholder groups. We leverage the expertise of our stakeholders through our own advisory bodies, global networks, and worldwide initiatives. Our long-standing commitment to stakeholder engagement is highlighted by our status as a founding member of the UN Global Compact, which we joined over 20 years ago. As part of the UN Global Compact, we are committed to responsible business practices and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Engaging with stakeholders provides us with valuable external insights that help us identify impacts, risks, and opportunities early. This enables us to make informed decisions based on a broader knowledge base. It also helps us understand emerging trends, shape targeted actions, and work collaboratively with partners to contribute to the achievement of global sustainability goals.

Commercial Stakeholders

Customers

Stakeholder Expectations	Key Engagement	Formats Exemplary Results & Achievements
Attractive price-performance ratio Innovative and sustainable solutions Reliable partner	~40 strategic customer networks Customer-specific business models based on our TripleS method, for example	Carbon footprint calculated for more than 40,000 of our sales products to create transparency for us and our customers alike Innovative products and solutions that help our customers achieve their sustainability goals Quality management system that focuses on customer satisfaction Decentralized certification approach for our business units and Group companies based on international quality management standards such as ISO 9001 and GMP, taking into account our customers’ requirements

Suppliers

Stakeholder Expectations	Key Engagement	Formats Exemplary Results & Achievements
Fair and reliable business relationships Support in complying with our Supplier Code of Conduct	Supplier CO₂ Management Program Supplier Code of Conduct Assessments and training courses Joint initiatives with suppliers and partners Sustainability-oriented due diligence management in the supply chain Regional supplier diversity programs	BASF Supplier Days to reduce Scope 3.1 emissions held in Ludwigshafen, Germany, for the Europe region and in São Paulo, Brazil, for the South America region 446 suppliers reviewed by BASF under the Together for Sustainability (TfS) initiative; 990 participants at TfS training courses Cobalt for Development initiative to improve working and living conditions for artisanal miners in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Responsible Lithium Partnership with BMW, Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen, Daimler Truck, Fairphone and GIZ Responsibly Active program aimed at bundling activities in the area of plant-based active ingredients (such as argan and moringa supply chains) Collaboration within TfS on standardizing the calculation of Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions in the supply chain and on a digital platform for sharing Product Carbon Footprint data

Investors

Stakeholder Expectations	Key Engagement	Formats Exemplary Results & Achievements
Attractive distributions Strong long-term share price performance Transparency and risk minimization	Events with institutional investors, rating agencies and private investors (one-on-one meetings, roadshows, conferences, informational events) Active participation in ratings	Capital Markets Day to communicate the new corporate strategy held on September 26 and 27, 2024 Distributions to shareholders via dividends and share buybacks are expected to total at least €12 billion between 2025 and 2028 with an annual minimum dividend of €2.25 per share BASF has good credit ratings and aims to maintain its single A rating BASF has also scored well in key ESG ratings (CDP, ISS, Morningstar Sustainalytics, MSCI) compared with its competitors in the chemical industry

Non-commercial Stakeholders

Employees

Stakeholder Expectations	Key Engagement	Exemplary Results & Achievements
Attractive and fair employer Health protection Opportunities for employee development	Employee engagement: Global employee surveys Regular feedback for leaders Continuous meaningful conversations between leaders and employees, annual employee dialog Cooperation with employee representatives based on mutual trust Initiatives and networks for health and occupational safety	Employee engagement target: More than 80% of our employees feel that at BASF, they can thrive and perform at their best. Employee engagement index of 79% in 2024 Health Performance Index: 0.97 Regular reviews of security concepts, emergency systems and crisis management structures 68 internal audits on adherence to our compliance standards >120,000 participants in compliance training courses

Communities

Stakeholder Expectations	Key Engagement	Exemplary Results & Achievements
Safe, disruption-free operations Attractive jobs Support for local communities	Societal engagement Community advisory panels	€32 million in societal engagement spending at BASF sites around the world to support health, skills and resources for a sustainable future For 27 years, children and young people in 45 countries have been able to take part in experiments in BASF Kids’ Labs Five new Starting Ventures programs were initiated in 2024 to help people from low-income areas improve their economic opportunities and their quality of life The BASF Stiftung focuses on disaster management in the area of international development cooperation. It promotes forward-looking actions, emergency aid and reconstruction. One example is an employee fundraising campaign to support the U.N. Refugee Agency. The approximately €370,000 collected will enable basic supplies to be provided for refugees from Sudan Community advisory panels provide an ongoing platform for conducting open dialog with local communities at our sites More than 1,500 young people from seven countries, supported by around 50 BASF employees, have participated in our Young Voices for a Sustainable Future project, where they were able to contribute their ideas for addressing the impacts of climate change on their communities

Societal stakeholders

Stakeholder Expectations	Key Engagement	Exemplary Results & Achievements
Jobs and taxes Responsible and trustworthy partner Production of safe products in compliance with environmental and social standards	Sustainabaility Lab Advisory councils Multistakeholder initiatives Sustainability networks	Active participation in sustainability networks (U.N. Global Compact, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Alliance to End Plastic Waste) Cofounder of the Global Battery Alliance (GBA) for the development of standards and tools to ensure a sustainable value chain for batteries Systematic interaction with NGOs and civil society Political dialog: representation of political interests based on transparent requirements and our publicly stated positions Regular information sharing with government offices, members of parliament and other interest groups in numerous countries

People sitting at a table with graphics in their hands.

Advisory Councils

BASF actively involves external expertise in strategic issues — such as through the Human Rights Advisory Council and the Nature Advisory Council. In a trusting exchange, both bodies support us in fulfilling our human rights responsibilities and further developing the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems.

A group of people are sitting at a table, working together.

Civil Society & NGO Dialog

BASF enhances dialogue with civil society actors to understand expectations and concerns early on. Through formats such as the Sustainability Lab, the Civil Society Forum, and Community Advisory Panels, we create space for confidential dialogue with civil society as a foundation for increased transparency, mutual understanding, and collaborative solutions.

A man pulling on a rope as a sign of cooperation.

Multi-Stakeholder & Sector Initiatives

We build trust-based, global partnerships to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this context, we engage in multi-stakeholder and cross-sector initiatives such as the Global Battery Alliance. Through this collaboration, we promote dialogue along international value chains and jointly advance sustainable solutions.

Battery Alliance

Multiple hands assembling puzzle pieces as a symbol of collaboration and cooperation with stakeholders.

Sustainability Networks

In sustainability networks, we engage in dialogue between various stakeholders at local, national, and international levels to promote and advance sustainable development.

Networks

Several children wearing lab coats conducting a simple experiment together.

Societal Engagement

As part of our sustainability management, BASF contributes to addressing relevant societal challenges, particularly for the communities surrounding our sites and for disadvantaged populations worldwide, through our societal engagement efforts.

Societal Engagement