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April 2015
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BASF 150 years + you =
creating chemistry through time
T
his year, BASF – a leading global chemical company
– celebrates 150 years of innovation and achievement fo-
cusing their efforts on three areas: Resources, environment
and climate; food and nutrition; and quality of life.
Mr Joan-Maria Garcia-Girona (vice-president and head of busi-
ness: central South Africa and sub-Sahara Africa) started off
his presentation at a BASF 150 Year Celebration on 29 January in
Sandton by saying that it is a tremendous achievement for a com-
pany to remain successful for so many years.
“The number, 150, expressed the creativity and the determination
of all BASF’s employees – in the past and present – finding the right
balance between taking risk and responsibility,” Garcia-Girona said.
As BASF is a science and research based company, they wanted to
create a different and unique way to celebrate their anniversary. A
way that enables BASF to connect with their strategy and corporate
purpose: “We create chemistry for a sustainable future.” He said
that this statement encompasses three key concepts: “We develop
innovations; we do it in collaboration with others and the solutions
we develop help make the future more sustainable.”
Mr Laurent Tainturier (senior vice-president for the EUE region,
including CIS-Middle East Africa) says that this recipe has not
changed over the years. “BASF recognises societal trends and the
needs of people; with research and development we find new and
innovative solutions to meet these challenges, meeting societies’
needs time and again.”
He says that when BASF conducts research today, they keep one
guiding principle in mind – sustainability. “We treat resources, with
care and strive to strike a balance between all three dimensions:
Economy, environment and society. BASF continues to work closely
with university researchers, scientists and chemists who have pro-
vided the cornerstones for our research.”
BASF is globally involved in more than 600 collaborations and
agreements around the world and they see their anniversary as
an opportunity to go even further beyond these proven collabora-
tions. “BASF’s global and local anniversary programme, Creator
Space™, is like a laboratory where they can try out new ways of
working together within BASF and with stakeholders such as
customers, scientists and other communities. It is interactive and
brought to life by the ideas and discussions. The three anniversary
topics will focus on energy, food and urban living.”
Education and skills transfer
BASF is deeply committed to helping improve education in
South Africa. “Last year we witnessed the innovation and dedica-
tion of BASF when the Refinish Competence Centre was opened
in Midrand. This is an exciting development because facilities
like these increase the number of skilled people in South Africa,”
dr Horst Freitag (Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany
to South Africa) said.
According to Freitag, German companies in South Africa contrib-
ute meaningfully to education and skills transfer to the younger
generation – “certainly the most precious resource of any nation.
These companies already do what the National Development Plan
encourages the private sector to do and that is to become an active
and decisive part of vocational education and training, opening
their shop floors in a more systematic way.”
At the last Binational Commission in November 2014, Germany
and South Africa committed themselves to enhancing the
RELEVANT
RUTH SCHULTZ,
SA Graan/Grain
contributor
1: Joan-Maria Garcia-Girona
2: Hanli Prinsloo
3: Laurent Tainturier
4: Horst Freitag
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