The COVID-19 crisis has taught Lorena Lujan not to sweat the small stuff. That’s because the company she works for, BASF Canada, has done so many big things during the pandemic.
“It’s been amazing to see how my colleagues have rallied and put all their efforts into making things happen super-fast,” says Lujan, a communications specialist.
“I’ve had the opportunity to see what we’re doing as a company and what my colleagues are doing on an individual level and it’s been amazing.”
Headquartered in Mississauga, BASF Canada is an affiliate of German-based BASF SE, the world’s leading chemical company. BASF Canada’s approximately 1,200 employees produce a huge range of chemical products, many used in cleaning and sanitation products helping to fight the pandemic.
BASF Canada took immediate steps to protect employees when the COVID-19 crisis hit. Employees were given help in setting up their home offices, training in distance technologies and financial support if they couldn’t come to work. For employees working at the company’s facilities, screening and disinfecting protocols were put in place, shifts were changed and other additional safety measures implemented.
Those were some of the big internal changes, but BASF Canada doubled down when it came to helping the larger community. The company turbo-charged efforts to convert its Windsor plant from an automotive coatings facility to produce desperately needed hand sanitizer when supplies were running critically low. Frontline health workers, educators, Indigenous communities and others received 10,000 litres of free sanitizer, along with other personal protective equipment (PPE) items.
“We saw the clear need and we responded to it. We also donated all the personal protective equipment that we didn’t need,” says Thilo Birkenheier, chief financial officer and director of business services.
“Many of the products we produce go into cleaning services and sanitation, so we are an essential business and worked hard to ensure we could meet the increased demand.”
BASF Canada and its employees have also donated blood, found safe ways to participate in charities like CIBC Run for the Cure and carried out other community activities to show their commitment to helping Canadians make it through the COVID-19 crisis.
Despite the pandemic, the company continues its tradition of charitable works. It launched a virtual Food Bank drive, raising $64,000 to help feed struggling Canadians. When the company donated a large quantity of hand sanitizer to CN, the railway company responded by donating an additional $10,000 to Food Banks of Canada on BASF Canada’s behalf.
BASF Canada went even further by working with other chemical companies to set up the Rapid Response Platform, which helps distribute PPE to communities and stakeholders that need it most.
“We wanted to create a platform where the whole industry could exchange information to serve these stakeholders. It was teamwork with other industry partners and it was inspiring to see how competitors put their heads together and pulled in one direction to benefit Canadians,” says Birkenheier.
A strong corporate culture that puts safety first and emphasizes constant communication is one reason why BASF Canada has been able to respond so positively to the problems posed by the pandemic and will continue to apply in the “new normal,” says Lujan.
“What’s been key during the pandemic is to keep employees informed and engaged. Moving forward we’ll continue to do what has been working for us,” says Lujan.
“We don’t have all the answers of how the new normal is going to work, but we are going to continue being transparent and honest while communicating as frequently as we can to our employees.”
