Getting more than 100,000 employees to buy into the idea that ESG and sustainability makes good business sense can be a monumental task. BASF, which operates across diverse sectors ranging from healthcare products to petrochemical solutions, works hard to make sustainability a core part of every employee’s work ethic. Effective communication that resonates with teams across vastly different cultures, social strata and job roles is critical to make the sustainability message stick. Marko Jelicic, Communications & Advocacy for BASF South East Asia Pte. Ltd., discusses how BASF created, nurtured and has grown such a culture, and how he avoids the “sea of sameness” that marks the death knell of corporate sustainability efforts.
Marko Jelicic is responsible for Communications & Advocacy for BASF South East Asia Pte. Ltd. He has been with the company for 11 years.
(0:00) Begin
(1:19) Marko introduction
(2:23) How does a giant company like BASF engage with stakeholders about sustainability?
(7:24) How does BASF embed a culture of sustainability in its workforce?
(10:02) Do BASF employees see their job as one within the realm of sustainability?
(11:27) How does technology play a role in embedding sustainability in a workforce that is widely distributed and might not even work in an office?
(12:31) What has worked really well and not so well when it comes to communicating with your workforce?
(15:59) How does BASF handle criticisms of its sustainability efforts from rating agencies or advocacy groups?
(23:02) What is the role of communicators in helping to build ESG capabilities within organisations?
(27:49) How does BASF measure the impact of its communications efforts?
(30:16) How does BASF measure its impact on sustainability?
(32:57) The Takeaway – What practical steps can communicators take to start thinking about sustainability and how to communicate effectively about it?
(36:09) Host wrap-up