BASF: Measurability – A Prerequisite of Shared Value Creation in Agriculture

Abstract

Food production is the industry, which has largest number of products and production characteristics that are designated to be sustainable. However, its manifestation varies greatly for different value chains in food production. For example, there are different expectations for fresh produce on the one hand and processed fruit and vegetables on the other hand. In an environment of numerous sustainability valuations the demand for a widely accepted set of indicators and their measurability is therefore rather high. The development and marketing of sustainable solutions is key for BASF’s corporate strategy and subsequently also a guiding principle for the department Agricultural Solutions. BASF tried to enable a realistic and precise mapping of the food value chain through AgBalance™. Measurability of sustainability can be central for recurrent improvement toward a more sustainable agriculture. The prerequisite for this is the translation of complex life cycle assessments into the reality of farmers and to provide them with concrete recommendations for action.