BASF SE — Ethics Grade C-

BASF SE receives an overall ethics grade of C- (42/100) on CancelCo's corporate accountability database. Sector: Agriculture. Market cap: Large Cap.

Category scores

• labor: 55
• privacy: 75
• consumer: 50
• environment: 30
• humanRights: 25

Documented incidents (3)

• Dicamba Herbicide Damages (high, 2020) — A jury awarded $265 million to a farmer after BASF and Bayer's dicamba herbicide drifted and destroyed peach orchards. The company was found to have pushed the product despite knowing the drift risks.
• Xinjiang Joint Venture Concerns (high, 2024) — BASF announced it would sell its stakes in joint ventures in Korla, China, after reports alleged that partner staff were involved in state-sponsored surveillance and repression of Uighurs. The move followed intense pressure from human rights groups.
• PFAS Contamination Claims (medium, 2023) — BASF faces ongoing litigation in Europe regarding 'forever chemical' contamination near its production sites. Investigations revealed high concentrations of toxic chemicals in surrounding groundwater and soil.

Documented good deeds

• Circular Economy Commitment — BASF launched ChemCycling, a project that converts plastic waste back into secondary raw materials, reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

Ethical alternatives

• Yara International — Yara has better transparency regarding ethical sourcing and lower involvement in toxic herbicide lawsuits.