How a Culture of Innovation Drives Sustainability at BASF

Dr. Volker Schaedler

How a Culture of Innovation Drives Sustainability at BASF
A rare opportunity to hear directly from the VP of Innovation and Technology at a company that has successfully turned sustainability into a profit engine.  Learn how the world’s leading chemical company focuses its innovation machine to solve some of society’s most pressing needs.  Hear the story of a company that deeply understands how it’s not only the science of chemistry that it uses to solve problems, but perhaps even more so, it’s the chemistry among people.

DATE: Wednesday, June 12, 2013 (registration closes June 9th)
TIME: 4:30-7:30 EST (snacks & networking from 6:30-7:30)
LOCATION: Bennett Jones, 1st Can. Place, 100 King St. W. (King & Bay), 34th Floor, Toronto
FREE LIVE WEBCAST & TWITTERCHAT #tssschat from 5:00 – 6:30 PM EST
(Tickets for both the live event and the webcast must be purchased in advance)

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It is estimated that by 2050, more than nine billion people will live on our planet.   This growth, coupled with resource scarcity and the impacts of climate change will bring enormous global challenges.  But with challenge comes opportunity and this is where companies like BASF play a vital role.  The current and future demands of our growing population are the basis of BASF’s strategy which focuses on 3 main areas: energy and resources, food and nutrition and quality of life.

On June 12th Dr. Volker Schaedler, Vice President, Innovation and Technology, BASF Corporation, will join the Toronto Sustainability Speakers Series (TSSS) where he will discuss the ways that the company nurtures an innovative culture as a means of addressing some of the biggest challenges of our time.  Enjoy an open discussion about how BASF encourages employees to think outside the box and to explore new opportunities for collaboration both internally and externally.

During the event you will learn:

• How BASF culture rises to the challenge of  resource scarcity and climate change with innovative solutions
• How BASF engages employees to think outside the box
• Several exciting success stories and how innovative solutions evolved
• How supply chain collaboration opens the door to new opportunities

Lead Media Partner
Aman Singh (Editorial Director, CSRwire) will be our twitterchat facilitator. Sign up for our LIVE FREE WEBCAST today.

Capitalism 2.0 Strategic Advisor
Michael Townsend (Founder and CEO Earthshine Solutions) will co-host our twitterchat from London, UK

Agenda:
4:30 – 5:00 pm: Registration, snacks and networking
5:00 – 5:10 pm: Introductions and special announcements
5:10 – 5:40 pm: Presentation by Dr. Volker Schaedler
5:40 – 6:00 pm: Small group discussion/brainstorming
6:00: – 6:45 pm: Groups report back to main audience and general Q and A
6:45 – 7:30 pm: Networking and snacks

Group breakout question:  What are the main obstacles for innovation to flourish in your organization and what might be some solutions to make it work better?

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Dr. Volker Schaedler is Vice President of Innovation & Technology for BASF in North America. His responsibilities include multiple research groups in polymer and materials science, analytical chemistry, liason with universities, government labs and other external partners, and innovation management.  Since joining BASF in 1998 Volker Schaedler has been in charge of a variety of R&D programs within corporate research and product development in the area of functional polymers for coatings and paper.  In 2003 Volker created BASF’s research laboratory at Strasbourg University in collaboration with Prof. Jean-Marie Lehn as head of the institute (ISIS), enabling long term innovation through a unique collaboration model between academia and industry. Volker came to the US in 2007 to set up BASF’s first corporate polymer research group in Wyandotte, Michigan.  Volker is a chemist by training and holds a PhD in Polymer Science from the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz, Germany.

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company.  Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. BASF combines economic success, social responsibility and environmental protection. Through science and innovation BASF enables its customers in almost all industries to meet the current and future needs of society. BASF products and system solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring healthy food and nutrition and helping to improve the quality of life. These contributions are summed up in the BASF Corporate Purpose: “We create chemistry for a sustainable future.”  BASF had sales of €72.1 billion in 2012 and more than 110,000 employees as of the end of the year.

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