BASF sustainability score: 23/100
Below expectations starts at 31. The highest score on SINK is 71.
BASF SE is a German multinational chemical manufacturer headquartered in Ludwigshafen, with 111,991 employees and €68.9bn annual revenue (FY2023). Operating globally across petrochemicals, agricultural products, coatings, and specialty chemicals, BASF is one of the world's largest pesticide and plasticizer producers.
Founded 1865Head office Ludwigshafen, GermanyStaff ~111,991 (2023)Revenue ~€65.3BWebsite ↗
BASF reports operationally transparent emissions data but has stalled progress since 2023, with Scope 1+2 flat and total emissions rising. Supply chain and downstream emissions lack absolute reduction targets. Most critically: active lobbying against EU climate policy ranks BASF among the world's most obstructive corporations, and the Wyandotte facility's decades-long toxic discharge into the Detroit River remains unresolved.
BASF scores 23/100 (Significant gaps) on SINK's independent climate assessment, scored from public data only. Scores are free. Nobody can pay to change a score, speed it up or hide it. Last verified May 2026.
That places BASF joint 925th of 1,023 companies scored, and 15th of 17 in Chemicals.
What is BASF doing well, and where does it fall short?
Strongest on Carbon Footprint: Operations and Transparency & Accountability (7/10, 7/10). Weakest on Controversies & Red Flags and Emissions Trajectory (1/10, 3/10).
Where BASF lost points
For each question that lost points, the evidence our public rubric looks for that we didn't find.
What would raise this score
- Its record on controversiesDeal with the findings under question 10, in public.
- Whether its emissions are fallingShow its emissions are falling.
- Its climate targetsSet specific targets with dates.
Every question that lost points
- Emissions from its own operations7/10Its own emissions aren't independently verified or tracked over several years.
- Emissions from its supply chain5/10Most of its supply-chain (Scope 3) emissions aren't measured.
- Whether its emissions are falling3/10No evidence its emissions are falling.
- How clean its energy is4/10Less than half its energy shown to be renewable, or no transition plan.
- Its effect on nature4/10Its effect on nature isn't measured or independently verified.
- How it uses materials and handles waste5/10No measurable waste or recycling targets reported publicly.
- Its effect on water4/10No measured water footprint with reduction targets.
- Its climate targets3/10No specific targets with dates.
- How openly it reports7/10No annual impact report, or no pay linked to climate targets.
- Its record on controversies1/10Points deducted for controversies or its business model. The finding is under question 10.
A score changes when the evidence does. We use new published evidence at the next rescore. Anyone can send us new evidence, free. How to send it.
How is BASF's SINK score calculated?
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × ScaleWhat evidence is BASF's score based on?
16 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
56% of them were published by BASF itself; the rest come from independent sources.
Scored on 8 June 2026 under an earlier version of our method. We're re-checking it under the current method.
If you believe a source has been misread or a newer version exists, submit a challenge.
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How does BASF compare with other chemicals companies?
Where BASF sits among chemicals peers.
Among the 17 major chemicals brands we've scored, BASF sits 15th of 17.
Who scores higher in Chemicals?
The 3 companies in the sector scoring nearest above BASF.
Corteva reports operational emissions with limited assurance and has set unvalidated climate targets.
See the breakdown →Linde reports 37.4Mt CO₂e annually with declining absolute emissions and an SBTi-validated 2035 target, but lacks Scope 3 reduction targets and admits supply chain mapping is early-stage.
See the breakdown →Air Liquide publishes assured Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.
See the breakdown →Which companies moved this week, and why.
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