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Diversity and Inclusion

BASF strives to foster an inclusive working environment with room for diversity and where people encounter mutual respect, trust and appreciation. We connect people with different backgrounds, views and perspectives on an equal footing. Promoting and valuing diversity across all hierarchical levels is an integral part of our strategy and is also embedded in our corporate values.

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Employees should be able to contribute their individual perspectives and skills in an inclusive working environment. As a global company, we serve many different customer needs. We want to reflect, value and promote this diversity among our employees in order to increase their creativity, motivation and sense of belonging to BASF.

Promoting diversity has positive consequences for BASF, for example through having an inclusive working environment and a more diverse workforce. Negative consequences could arise if our employees lose their sense of belonging, we are no longer perceived as an attractive employer or not all customers feel that we appeal to them. We systematically record short and long-term opportunities and risks as part of our general opportunity and risk management.

As a global company, we promote diversity and are committed to treating one another with respect at BASF.

Dr. Martin Brudermüller

Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors

We expect our leaders to create an inclusive working environment and promote diversity. This is why it is one of our focal points in our leadership development. For example, our leaders learned about promoting openness as part of the CORE Leadership Values online training series. This training supported them in what they can specifically do to make the work environment more inclusive for all employees and how they can live up to their role model function and develop further in this respect.

In addition, we expect all employees to create an environment in which different aspects of diversity and individual strengths are valued. With the Diversity Moments format, we offer teams concise information, everyday examples and reflection exercises on the topic of diversity and inclusion. In 2023, as part of the global employee survey, we again used the inclusion index as a relevant point of reference for the inclusion of our employees and provided our leaders with suggestions for follow-up measures.

In Brazil, there is an initiative to attract, retain and include people with disabilities in BASF. Among other things, we are focusing on improving the accessibility of our Brazilian sites and our internal and external communication channels. With further measures as part of the initiative, we want to ensure that we consider more people with disabilities in the recruitment process and offer them specific training opportunities. The project team works closely with leaders, the HR department and the local network of employees with disabilities.

Diversity also relates to the company’s demographic profile. Our aim is to create a suitable framework to help maintain the employability of our personnel at all stages of life and ensure the availability of qualified employees over the long term.

As we are convinced that better decisions are made by considering diverse perspectives, we set up a Shadow Board for BASF sites in Africa and the Middle East in 2023. The Shadow Board is made up of younger employees and advises the leadership team on strategic and operational topics. Using this reverse monitoring approach, we want to broaden and enrich the perspectives of the leadership team and bridge the gap between hierarchical levels and between generations.

We also promote diversity in the selection and development of our leaders. We have set a global target to promote female leadership and aim to increase the proportion of women in leadership positions to 30% by 2030. We have made important progress toward this and continually review our target. In the BASF Group, the global proportion of female leaders with disciplinary responsibility was 28.4% at the end of 2023 (2022: 27.2%).

To enable our management to monitor progress toward this target, we have developed a global dashboard that is used to regularly review the status of implementation. The systematic advancement of women is an integral part of our process for selecting senior executives and is regularly addressed in strategic dialogs with the divisions at the level of the Board of Executive Directors and in the Board’s strategic talent discussions. In addition, we offer various opportunities to help female executives strengthen their network and increase their visibility at senior executive level.

 

2030 target

 

Proportion of women in leadership positions with disciplinary responsibility

30%

Leaders and specialists in the BASF Group
  December 31, 2023 Of which women (%)
(Senior) executivesa 9,400 28.4
Specialistsb 42,101 32.8

a With disciplinary leadership responsibilities
b Without disciplinary leadership responsibilities (previously “professionals”)

Furthermore, we consistently take part in specific career events to specifically reach and attract female talent from various disciplines. We focus on our female employees as role models on our social media channels and with various initiatives such as career fairs and networking events aimed specifically at women.

As a signatory to the United Nations’ Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), we are committed to promoting gender equality. We are also involved in other external initiatives to promote inclusion of diversity and equal opportunities in the workplace, such as the Business for Inclusive Growth (B4IG) initiative. In addition, we are an active member of the Charta der Vielfalt (German diversity charter), which aims to promote diversity and inclusion with a holistic approach.

In addition to our voluntary commitment to promote women in leadership positions, in Germany, the Act on Equal Participation of Women and Men in Leadership Positions in the Private and Public Sector (Gesetz für die gleichberechtigte Teilhabe von Frauen und Männern an Führungspositionen in der Privatwirtschaft und im öffentlichen Dienst, “FüPoG I & II”) applies to listed companies or companies subject to co-determination.

FüPoG I & II not only applies to BASF SE, but also to various German BASF Group companies (see the overviews below). These companies set their own targets for the proportion of women on the respective supervisory and management boards and on the first and second levels below the management board as well as a deadline for the attainment of these targets, which they disclosed in accordance with statutory requirements.

The supervisory board of a publicly listed European stock corporation (SE) that is composed of the same number of shareholder and employee representatives must, according to section 17(2) of the SE Implementation Act, consist of at least 30% women and 30% men. Since the 2018 Annual Shareholders’ Meeting, the Supervisory Board of BASF SE comprises four women, of whom two are shareholder representatives and two are employee representatives, and eight men. The Supervisory Board’s composition meets the statutory requirements.

Following the entry into force of the FüPoG II on August 12, 2021, if the management board of a listed company consists of more than three persons, at least one woman and one man must be members of the management board (section 76(3a) AktG). BASF met this requirement in the reporting year 2023. With Dr. Melanie Maas-Brunner, there was one female board member. With six members of the Board of Executive Directors, this corresponds to a 16.7 percentage of women. Since the departure of Dr. Melanie Maas-Brunner on January 31, 2024, and Dr. Katja Scharpwinkel joining the Board of Executive Directors on February 1, 2024, BASF has continued to comply with this requirement.

The Board of Executive Directors also decided on target figures for the proportion of women in the two management levels below the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE. For the target-attainment period from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2026, the Board of Executive Directors resolved as targets the quotas achieved as of December 31, 2021: 20.0% for the proportion of women in the management level directly below the Board and 23.2% for the level below that. As of December 31, 2023, the proportion of women in the management level directly below the Board amounted to 25% and to 23.7% on the level below that.

For those German Group companies that are subject to co-determination, target figures have also been set in accordance with the legal requirements in sections 36, 52 (2) of the German Act on Limited Liability Companies (GmbHG). The following tables show the target figures set for the target-attainment period ended on December 31, 2021, the proportion of women at the end of that target-attainment period, the proportion of women as of December 31, 2023, and the target figures for the target-attainment period started on January 1, 2022, and ending on December 31, 2026, at the German BASF Group companies subject to co-determination (excluding BASF SE). The deadline for achieving the targets has been set for December 31, 2026.

BASF views the further development and promotion of women as a global duty independent of individual Group companies. For this purpose, it has committed to ambitious targets on a worldwide scale. The new target is to increase the proportion of women in leadership positions worldwide to 30% by 2030. BASF will continue to work systematically on expanding the percentage of women in its leadership team. To achieve this, global measures will be implemented and enhanced continuously.

Group Company Supervisory Board Management Board
  Target set for
Dec 31, 2021

Status
Dec 31, 2021

Status Dec 31, 2023 Target set for
Dec 31, 2026
Target set for Dec 31, 2023 Status 
Dec 31, 2021
Status Dec 31, 2023 Target set for
Dec 31, 2026
BASF Catalysts Germany GmbH

0%

(0 of 3)

0%

(0 of 3)

0%

(0 of 2)

33.3%

(1 of 3)

0%

(0 of 3)

0%

(0 of 3)

0%

(0 of 2)

33.3%

 (1 of 3)

BASF Coatings GmbH

0%

(0 of 12)

8.3%

(1 of 12)

28.6%

(4 of 14)

8,3%

(1 of 12)

0%

(0 of 2)

0%

(0 of 2)

0%

(0 of 1)

0%

 (0 of 2)1

BASF Digital Solutions GmbH

0%

(0 of 3)

0%

(0 of 3)

33.3%

(1 of 3)

33.3% 

(1 of 3)

0% 

(0 of 3)

33.3%

 (1 of 3)

50%

(1 of 2)

33.3% 

(1 of 3)

BASF Personal Care and Nutrition GmbH

0%

(0 of 3)

0%

(0 of 3)

0%

(0 of 3)

33.3%

(1 of 3)

0%

(0 of 3)

0%

(0 of 3)

33.3%

(1 of 3)

33.3%

(1 of 3)

BASF Polyurethanes GmbH

33.3% 

(1 of 3)

33.3%

(1 of 3)

33.3%

(1 of 3)

33.3%

(1 of 3)

0%

(0 of 1)

0%

(0 of 1)

0%

(0 of 1)

0%

(0 of 1)1

BASF Schwarzheide GmbH

22.2%

(2 of 9)

0%

(0 of 9)2

16.7%

(2 of 12)

11%

(1 of 9)

0%

(0 of 2)

50%

 (1 of 2)

50%

(1 of 2)

0%

(0 of 2)1

BASF Services Europe GmbH

33.3%

(1 of 3)

33.3 %

 (1 of 3)

45.5%

(5 of 11)

33.3%

(1 of 3)

0%

 (0 of 2)

0%

(0 of 1)

50%

(1 of 2)

0%

(0 of 1)1

Chemetall GmbH

16.7%

(1 of 6)

33.3%

 (2 of 6)

33.3% (2 of 6)

33.3%

 (2 of 6)

0%

(0 of 2)

0%

(0 of 1)

100%

(1 of 1)

0%

(0 of 1)1

1 Since there are only one or two managing director positions in the companies and an enlargement of the management is not objectively necessary due to the size and structure of the respective company, only 0, 1 or 2 or 0%, 50% or 100% can be set as a target from the outset. The determination to 100% does not make sense, as the management would then necessarily only be filled by women and in some companies the previous managing director would subsequently have to be dismissed prematurely. The fixing of a quota of 50% for companies with two managing director positions, one of which is currently filled by a woman, is also not appropriate, because in the event of a possible change of the current managing director during the target-attainment period, which cannot be ruled out in the BASF Group due to the regular job rotation of executives, a woman would necessarily have to be appointed as successor. With targets set accordingly, a successful candidate is likely to be subject to massive speculation that she has only been appointed on the basis of the target. In order to prevent such a constellation, which would have considerable negative consequences for the working atmosphere and the acceptance of the management, a target value of 0 (0%) is set in each case. Regardless of this target, in the event of a possible replacement during the target-attainment period, a decision will be made after a comprehensive assessment of the suitability of all candidates.

2 The Supervisory Board of BASF Schwarzheide GmbH consists of 6 representatives appointed by the shareholders and 3 representatives elected by the employees. The last election of employee representatives took place in 2017, in which a woman stood for election and was also elected. Later, she resigned for personal reasons. She was automatically replaced by the (male) substitute member elected at the same time. Since the proportion of women in the workforce of BASF Schwarzheide is only 22% (as of December 31, 2021), this had a limiting influence on the appointment of women as candidates for the employee elections to the Supervisory Board. On the part of the shareholders, the assignment of Supervisory Board mandates is purely function-related or job-related, and the Supervisory Board mandates are taken over exclusively by executives from the technical and operational functions of the BASF Group, in which fewer women than men continue to work. During the target-attainment period, a female executive left the Supervisory Board due to the assumption of another position within the BASF Group and her seat was taken over by her male successor. The target was missed for the above reasons.

Group Company 1st Level of management
below Management Board

2nd Level of management
below Management Board
  Target set for Dec 31, 2021 Status
Dec 31, 2021
Status Dec 31, 2023 Target set for
 Dec 31, 2026
Target set for Dec 31, 2021

Status

Dec 31, 2021

Status Dec 31, 2023 Target set for
Dec 31, 2026
BASF Catalysts Germany GmbH

5%

8.3%

 (2 of 24)

3.9%

(2 of 51)

8.3% 

(2 of 24)

14%

23.3% 

(7 of 30)

28.4%

(25 of 88)

23.3%

 (7 of 30)

BASF Coatings GmbH

19%

33.3%

(5 of 15)

23.1%

(3 of 13)

33.3%

(5 of 15)

8%

17.3%

(9 of 52)

17.3%

(9 of 52)

17.3%

(9 of 52)

BASF Digital Solutions GmbH

0%

32%

(8 of 25)

21.4%

(6 of 28)

32%

(8 of 25)

16.2%

24.6% 

(30 of 122)

25.6%

(31 of 121)

24.6% 

(30 of 122)

BASF Personal Care and Nutrition GmbH

20%

29.2% 

(7 of 24)

28%

(7 of 25)

29.2%

(7 of 24)

17%

30.8%

(16 of 52)

31.1%

(28 of 90)

30.8%

(16 of 52)

BASF Polyurethanes GmbH

11%

16.7%

(2 of 12)

28.6%

(4 of 14)

16.7%

 (2 of 12)

13%

20.5%

(8 of 39)

23.8%

(10 of 42)

20.5%

(8 of 39)

BASF Schwarzheide GmbH

0%

14.3%

(2 of 14)

14.3%

(2 of 14)

14.3%

(2 of 14)

0%

18.2%

(8 of 44)

16.3%

(7 of 43)

18.2%

(8 of 44)

BASF Services Europe GmbH

30%

33.3%

(4 of 12)

50%

(10 of 20)

33.3%

(4 of 12)

30%

61.9%

(39 of 63)

58.8%

(100 of 170)

30.2%

(19 of 63)

Chemetall GmbH

3%

0%1

18.2%

(2 of 11)

33.3%

(1 of 3)

25%

8.3%

(1 of 12)1

22.6%

(7 of 31)

8.3%

(1 of 12)

1 The company was acquired by BASF at the end of 2016 and the targets were still set on the basis of Chemetall's definition of management levels. Applying the criteria used uniformly at BASF to define the management levels, target values of 0% for the 1st management level below the management level and 9.52% for the 2nd management level would have been achieved and only the target for the 2nd management level would have been narrowly missed (9.52% vs. 8.33%). The reason for the non-achievement of the two targets is that the company is active in the automotive, aerospace, aluminum finishing and metal forming industries and mainly employs personnel in the field of production and product development. The proportion of women in these industries and occupational fields is still significantly lower than the proportion of men, which makes it difficult to identify and promote female managers.

Last Update February 23, 2024