BASF and employees donate $248,000 to Capital Area United Way

GEISMAR, La., May 28, 2015 – Capital Area United Way received a $248,000 boost from BASF and employees from the company’s Geismar and Zachary sites in Louisiana during the 2014-2015 United Way campaign. The total represents a $20,000 increase in employee and corporate giving over the previous year’s fundraising campaign and will help improve lives for residents in a 10-parish region served by the nonprofit agency.

“Our continued work with United Way has given BASF and our employees the opportunity to provide support – both financial and volunteer resources - to help strengthen our local community," said Tom Yura, Senior Vice President and General Manager at the BASF site in Geismar. “We will continue to work with Capital Area United Way’s community partner agencies to help our families, friends and neighbors.”

BASF presented a check for $248,000 to Capital Area United Way during the Geismar site’s annual jambalaya cook-off, an employee event that raises thousands of dollars to support United Way. The donation included sponsorships, event fundraisers, and corporate and employee pledges.  

“Capital Area United Way acknowledges the continued support and dedication of BASF employees for another successful workforce campaign,” said Darrin Goss, Sr., President and Chief Executive Officer of Capital Area United Way. “BASF represents a true partnership with Capital Area United Way, and we appreciate employees’ generous giving through donations and volunteering.”

BASF's United Way campaign is an employee-led effort that begins with
the Geismar site’s jambalaya cook-off in May, includes a chili cook-off in
the fall, and continues through October with an employee pledge drive.

In addition to its United Way campaign contributions, BASF gave approximately $100,000 in 2014 to several United Way partner organizations such as American Red Cross, McMain’s Developmental Center and the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank.

Download photo on right, photo caption:  BASF employees recently presented a check to Capital Area United Way representatives for $248,000 – the total dollars pledged during BASF’s 2014-2015 United Way campaign at BASF’s Geismar and Zachary sites. Pictured from left to right included: Melissa Parmalee, American Red Cross; Dennis Stevens, ARC of East Ascension, Sharon Morris, ARC of East Ascension; Jolen Stein, BASF; Sarah Haneline, Capital Area United Way; Jason Gathright, BASF; Katherine Maurin, BASF; and David Vavrek, BASF.

About BASF

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has more than 17,000 employees in North America, and had sales of $20.6 billion in 2014. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.us.

At BASF, we create chemistry – and have been doing so for 150 years. Our portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. As the world’s leading chemical company, we combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Through science and innovation, we enable our customers in nearly every industry to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring nutrition and improving quality of life. We have summed up this contribution in our corporate purpose: We create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF had sales of over €74 billion in 2014 and around 113,000 employees as of the end of the year. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.

P-US-15-106