Identification and Management of Sustainability Issues

Materiality analysis

The materiality analysis helps us recognize and assess sustainability issues early on: We examine our internal and external stakeholders’ expectations and requirements, along with issues that could represent opportunities or risks for our operations now and in the future.

We updated our materiality analysis in 2013. Approximately 350 external stakeholders worldwide, as well as around 90 experts and managers from various functions within the company, provided information on 38 issues potentially relevant for BASF. The participants rated them in terms of their current and future relevance for BASF. The materiality matrix shows how these sustainability issues were ranked. All topics shown in the matrix are relevant both for our stakeholders and for BASF.

Afterward, we discussed the results of the materiality matrix in workshops with participants from different BASF specialist units and identified over­arching material aspects. The evaluation focused primarily on how BASF’s business is impacted by these issues. Material aspects were identified as: employment and employability, energy and climate, food, operational excellence, responsible partnering, products and solutions, resources and ecosystems, and water. We are continuing to identify BASF’s influence on these material aspects. We use the materiality analysis to constantly enhance our sustainability management.