BASF supports hand hygiene among garment workers in Bangladesh

• BASF funds first phase of program implemented by Voluntary Organization for Social Development
• Hand washing with soap at critical times can reduce respiratory infections and diarrhea

Dhaka, Bangladesh – July 25, 2017 – BASF, the world’s leading chemical company, is supporting an innovative program to enhance hand washing hygiene among Bangladesh’s ready-made garment (RMG) workers. The approximately €250,000 (around BDT 23 million) project, implemented by Voluntary Organization for Social Development (VOSD), will explore existing health behavior among RMG workers with a view to improving hygiene and reducing associated diseases.

To kick off the program, BASF hosted a dialog event today with representatives from various sectors of the garment industry, including factory management, exporters’ representatives, garment workers, soap manufacturers, and health and hygiene specialists. In the first phase, VOSD will conduct a six- to eight-week baseline study to understand the barriers and context of hygiene behavior among RMG workers. Ultimately, the program is designed to target improved behavior through promotional events and a supply adequate liquid hand soap at the factory level.

With exports of $25.5 billion in 2014-2015, Bangladesh has become the second largest apparel manufacturer in the world, after China. The industry contributes around 10% of the national economy. More than four million people, around 85% women, are employed in the RMG industry, impacting 16 million people and contributing a 9% reduction to the local poverty level. However, WHO reports show that RMG workers in Bangladesh suffer significantly from diarrhea, dysentery, skin disease, lung disease and other health conditions, many of which are contagious and spread through hands from one to another. Proper handwashing can reduce the contamination of these diseases to a great extent. According to UNICEF, handwashing with soap at critical times – including before eating or preparing food and after using the toilet – can reduce diarrhea rates by more than 40%. Handwashing with soap can reduce the incidence of acute respiratory infections by around 23%.

About BASF Bangladesh
BASF has successfully partnered Bangladesh’s progress since 1966, offering a wide range of products and solutions to support almost all the key industries in the country. BASF’s portfolio in Bangladesh includes agricultural products, care chemicals, construction chemicals, performance materials, monomers, inorganic chemicals, intermediates, petrochemicals, catalysts, automotive refinish systems, health and nutrition ingredients, dispersions and pigments, and leather chemicals. In 2016, BASF registered sales of approximately €66 million to customers in Bangladesh and employed 55 people, at one sales office along with a production site. BASF Bangladesh contributes to the local community through selected projects focused on health and hygiene. Further information is available on the Internet at www.basf.com/bd.

About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The approximately 114,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into five segments: Chemicals, Performance Products, Functional Materials & Solutions, Agricultural Solutions and Oil & Gas. BASF generated sales of about €58 billion in 2016. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (BAS). Further information at www.basf.com.