As a result the company has set new targets with a particular focus on the responsible use of water as a resource. By 2020, BASF plans to cut in half the current amount of drinking water it uses for production compared to 2010.
It also intends to establish sustainable water management systems at all production sites in areas of water stress.
Environmental, health and safety goals
On top of this, the Germany-based company has established new ambitious environmental, health and safety goals concerning energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emission.
The company wants to increase its energy efficiency, defined as the amount of sales products in relation to the primary energy demand, worldwide by 35 per cent by 2020, compared to the previous goal of 25 per cent.
BASF says it also aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions per ton of sales product by 40 per cent, originally set at 25 per cent.
“Since BASF operates in an energy-intensive industry, our success depends on securing a long-term, competitive supply of energy and raw materials. Therefore, we are constantly working on boosting our worldwide energy efficiency,”said Margret Suckale , member of the Board of executive directors of BASF.
Targets reached
In 2011, BASF increased the energy efficiency of its production processes by 26 per cent, compared to 2002. The use of power plants with power-heat-technologies and other individual projects helped the company exceed its goal of improving its energy efficiency.
“Our new ambitious goal is to improve the energy efficiency of our production processes by 35 per cent by 2020,” explained Dr Ulrich von Deessen, president of BASF’s Competence Center Environment, Health and Safety.
“We also aim to further reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of our production and within the whole value chain,” he added.
The announcement follows the publication of BASF’s integrated report. The first BASF environmental report was released in 1988, and the first annual report including the shared illustration of economical, ecological and social topics was published 2003.