In an era where carbon emissions reduction is paramount, BASF, one of the world’s leading chemical companies, is setting direction with its new strategy: “Our ambition is to be the preferred chemical company to enable our customers’ green transformation”.
Dr. Ivana Krkljus, BASF’s Global Strategic Bioeconomy Advocacy representative, discussed bold steps on the way toward a green future in a recent interview with the Plastic. Climate. Future podcast.
The strong and broad portfolio of chemical solutions is what makes BASF most relevant to customers globally, across a wide variety of industries. Climate protection remains very important to BASF and is an integral part of its corporate strategy. By 2050, the company aims for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from operations and purchases of energy and raw materials. It is already targeting a 25% reduction in emissions from production and energy purchases by 2030 compared to 2018 levels. In addition, it aims to double its sales with circular solutions to €10bn in 2030 compared to €5bn in 2023.
BASF has made significant progress by expanding the use of renewable power and alternative feedstocks over the past years, including piloting new technologies and launching new sustainable products. Almost all of BASF´s operating divisions are now offering products with a low or net zero carbon footprint (PCF) which is appreciated by many of its customers. However, the readiness to pay varies greatly between regions and customer industries, and with it the speed of the green transformation.
Another steppingstone is connecting regulatory frameworks and market needs. “There’s a lot of ambition, but we need consistent standards and robust legislative support to drive long-term investments in sustainable solutions”, says Ivana. She has passionately led a cross sectorial industry initiative in advocating for scientifically rigorous and policy-coherent accounting rules for -1/+1 biogenic carbon accounting rules and wrote a ‘perspective chapter’ on bio-attributed products, contributing to a volume about bioeconomy.
Transparency is essential for building trust. The transformation requires collaboration among industry stakeholders, regulators, and consumers to be successful. “2025 will be even bigger and better. I am optimistic about the outlook for the future of renewable chemistry”, says Ivana. “I will be bringing you more insights than ever before, focused on my mission of driving the commercialization of the bioeconomy.”
For those interested in diving deeper into BASF’s strategy and the challenges ahead, the full interview with Dr. Ivana Krkljuš can be found on the Plastic. Climate. Future. website and on all major podcast platforms.
