BASF react at all levels of the organization to the coronavirus crisis
Date:03-31-2020
The Covid-19 pandemic is now getting severe in many countries. The governments are forced to adopt lockdown measures and advise people to stay at home. This also has a great impact on the operation of many enterprises. Recently, AgroPages has in contacted with BASF Agricultural Solutions in Germany to learn about the latest work status of BASF.
AgroPages: What is the current working status of BASF in Germany? Has everybody started working at home?
BASF: Employees who can work from home should do so in consultation with their superiors. For those who still need to work at their workplace, the distance rule is observed wherever possible. At our headquarters in Ludwigshafen, for example, the number of buses on site has been increased to reduce the number of people per bus. Canteens that have been closed for lunch on site offer takeaway lunch bags. For teams from operating facilities, we offer both a contactless delivery and pick-up service. As the minimum distance of 1.5 meters cannot be maintained in the elevator, our employees are instructed to ride alone or use the stairs.
AgroPages: What impact will this pandemic have on the overall business of BASF?
BASF: Many BASF products are important for health care and essential services for the population. Accordingly, we are experiencing good demand for such products for the time being. However, some of our customer industries are particularly affected by the effects of the corona pandemic such as the automotive industry. A sharp decline in demand cannot be ruled out in other industries either.
AgroPages: What are the company's plans to deal with the inability to conduct business normally under the situation?
BASF: As part of an overarching contingency plan, BASF has had a pandemic preparedness plan for a long time. This ensures that BASF can react at all levels of the organization even if the coronavirus spreads further. The company has set up crisis teams in all regions to coordinate all measures. Furthermore, the global crisis team meets every day in Ludwigshafen, Germany, and is in close contact with the regional crisis teams. This ensures optimal coordination worldwide. The crisis teams evaluate current information from external and internal experts and decide on a daily basis which measures are appropriate for BASF at the respective sites and globally.
In view of the current situation, BASF has consistently introduced measures at its sites to interrupt potential chains of infection, depending on local conditions. These include, among others:
· Business trips to risk areas are prohibited.
· Non-business-critical travel should be avoided.
· Precise instructions apply when employees return from risk areas on business or private trips, including domestic quarantine measures as recommended by the health authorities.
· Non-business-critical meetings should not be conducted in person, but alternatives, e.g., virtual meetings, should be used.
· Employees who can work from home should do so in consultation with their superiors.
· Employees in production are organized in strictly separate teams
· Catering services were introduced
AgroPages: What will be the impact of the pandemic on agriculture?
BASF: As the situation is changing rapidly, it is hard to assess the overall impact on agriculture around the world. For further insights you might reach out to our international industry association CropLife International.
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