Audits

Acting responsibly according to the guidelines of Responsible Care is a long-term investment for BASF to continuously improve our environmental, health and safety performance and to monitor this progress. Regular environmental, health and safety audits at all of our sites worldwide help us to accomplish this objective.

We regularly assess the effectiveness of our environmental, safety, and health protection requirements through Responsible Care® audits. These audits serve as a systematic risk assessment and ensure correct implementation of legal requirements and internal standards - both globally and locally. Their regular execution supports the consistent application of high environmental, process safety, and occupational safety standards across the entire BASF Group.

The requirements underlying the Responsible Care audits are defined in a globally binding BASF guideline. Audits are conducted every three to six years at all BASF sites as well as at companies in which BASF holds a majority stake. The process is based on a risk‑based approach that ensures that particularly critical areas are examined in a targeted and appropriate manner.

A central global database ensures complete coverage, transparent traceability, and consistent evaluation of all audit activities. As part of the audits, we create an environmental and safety profile that assesses whether the existing protective measures sufficiently address the respective risks. If deficiencies are identified, we define mandatory corrective actions, which must be implemented within a defined timeframe and are verified during follow‑up audits.

The audit process covers not only production facilities but also laboratory units, infrastructure units, and larger workshops, thereby encompassing all relevant organizational areas. In addition, we conduct occupational health audits that focus on compliance with medical standards and health protection requirements.

Through this systematic approach, we ensure that our standards in the areas of environment, safety, and health are effectively implemented and continuously improved.