Another step toward climate protection, or BASF and customers in the Together for the Planet program. Agnieszka Łyczak-Szymczyk, Sustainability Manager BASF Poland

BASF recently announced the launch of the ‘Together for the Planet’ programme. The programme will enable BASF customers to submit their sustainable practices. Where did the idea for this project come from and what were the objectives you wanted to achieve through this initiative?

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. By being at the beginning of the value chain, we have a contribution to make, which is not always visible. Our customers are the next link. So, if we want our future to be truly sustainable, so that not only we, but also our children and grandchildren can benefit from the natural resources we use, we need to involve the next links in the value chain. That is why we came up with the idea of creating a programme to encourage our customers to take action on climate protection and, on top of that, enable these activities to be known to a wider community. Participation in the project is also an opportunity to share experiences and good practices among responsible companies that care deeply about a sustainable future.

For BASF, it is also an opportunity to showcase its goals, activities and solutions in this area. And last but not least, ‘Together for the Planet’ is also an excellent chance to strengthen relationships with our customers and engage in a dialogue, not only at a product level, but also in terms of comprehensive climate protection measures.

In which categories can customers submit sustainable practices as part of this programme?

All our customers are welcome to participate, regardless of the size or profile of their companies. That is why we have proposed four categories – so that all potential participants can find something for themselves and can showcase their companies.

For small and medium-sized companies, we have the ‘SME Sustainability Leader’ category. Here, we will be assessing the overall activities and projects of the company in question.

Circular solutions can be submitted in the ‘Closed Circuit Champion’ category. We have also included a product category called ‘Innovator of the Year’ – here we expect submissions for sustainable and innovative solutions that also incorporate a BASF product. The last option is the ‘Net-Zero Promoter’ category, which is for companies that are working to reduce their emissions, use renewable energy sources or are replacing fossil raw materials with more sustainable alternatives.

What are the criteria for verifying the submitted practices as part of the ‘Together for the Planet’ programme and how is the jury involved in the whole procedure?

Participants can submit applications online by filling in the form on the programme website: www.razemdlaplanety.eu

All applications will be assessed by a specially appointed Programme Jury. It comprises representatives from the academic community, including Prof. Joanna Kulczycka, PhD from AGH University of Science and Technology – an expert in the field of the circular economy, and Prof. Bolesław Rok, PhD from Kozminski University, representatives of climate protection NGOs: Maria Andrzejewska, representing UNEP GRID, and Kamil Wyszkowski from UNGC. Other members of the jury include Tomasz Zieliński – President of the Polish Chamber of Chemical Industry, Małgorzata Greszta – Managing Partner at CSR Consulting, specialist in sustainable development and Agenda 2030, Katarzyna Byczkowska – Managing Director at BASF Polska, and myself. Such a diverse group of experts will not only deliver an objective assessment, but will also present different perspectives on how to approach a given project.

Can you provide some details on the awards and benefits that await participants in the ‘Together for the Planet’ programme for reporting sustainable practices and becoming BASF Polska Sustainability Leaders?

All participants in the programme will be invited to the Final Gala ceremony to conclude our programme at the end of this year. This will be an excellent meeting opportunity for companies – leaders in climate protection efforts in the chemical industry. They can also count on promotion in our partner media and on our social media channels.

The winners in each category will be invited to a special workshop organised at our headquarters in Ludwigshafen, where they will be able to work on sustainability projects together with BASF experts.

The second and third place winners are offered meetings with experts in the field of climate protection and a workshop devoted to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

I would like to emphasise that winners of the ‘Together for the Planet’ programme receive no financial awards; instead, they are granted an opportunity to gain knowledge and experience in achieving climate goals.

What are the long-term sustainability goals that BASF Polska would like to achieve through this programme?

“Together for the Planet” is a programme that has just been launched, but we would love to see it continued in future editions, to which we will not only invite our customers (the first edition is unique, as it is targeted specifically at them), but we are already planning to add our suppliers and business partners to the next edition. I am convinced that promoting good practices and solutions that contribute to closing the loop, that use renewable energy sources, that are innovative, that support the local community or staff development, are not just ideas, but the path that businesses in Poland should follow. And, more importantly, we should inspire, support and praise one another – and this is what we want to achieve with our programme. Therefore, all BASF Polska customers are cordially invited to participate. The programme details can be found on the dedicated website: www.razemdlaplanety.eu

Agnieszka Łyczak-Szymczyk

Sustainability Manager BASF Polska

A graduate in International Relations from Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, Cambridge Marketing College and Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

A lecturer at the Interuniversity Climate Academy, she has been working in the chemical industry for several years and has extensive experience in the area of business development, marketing, communications and sustainable development. In her work, she tries to strike a balance between meeting customer needs, achieving business goals and reconciling them with sustainability targets.

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Last Updated on July 20, 2023 by Krzysztof Kotlarski