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Privacy Policy

Thank your visiting the BASF website. We appreciate your interest in our company.

As data protection is of utmost priority at BASF, we would like to inform you in detail about our Privacy Policy.

A.    Who is responsible for data processing and who is our data protection officer?

B.    What data do we process, for what purposes, for how long and on what legal basis?

C.    Are you obliged to provide us with this data?

D.    Whom do we disclose your personal data to?

E.    How do we secure your personal data?

F.    What are your rights?

G.    Where can you lodge a complaint?

 

A. Who is responsible for data processing and who is our data protection officer?

You can find the controller here.

Our data protection officer:

Alexandra Haug
EU Data Protection Officer
67056 Ludwigshafen
+49 (0) 621 60-0

e-mail: data-protection.eu@basf.com

 

B. What data do we process, for what purposes, for how long and on what legal basis?

Below, we inform you about data processing on our site (a), its purposes and legal basis (b) as well as the respective storage period and, if applicable, specific objection and removal options (c).
 

1. Log files

a. Data processing

If you visit our website for information purposes only, i.e. if you do not register or transmit data in any other way (e.g. via a contact form), the following information is automatically transmitted from your browser to our server:

  • Your terminal's IP address
  • Information about your browser
  • Name of the website from which you are visiting
  • Name of the offer page (URL) accessed or file opened
  • Date and time of your visit
  • Status information such as error messages
  • Transferred data volumes and the access status (file transferred, file not found, etc.)
  • Operating system and version of the operating system of your computer as well as the name of your access provider

b. Purposes and legal bases

When you visit the BASF website, we use the IP address and other data that is automatically transmitted from your browser to our server under B. 1 a, to:

(i)    provide you with the requested content
(ii)    ensure the security and stability of our website and to trace any unauthorized use
(iii)    make it easy to use our website.

The legal basis for data processing is Article 6(1), first sentence, point (f) GDPR. Our legitimate interests follow from the data processing purposes specified above. We do not use the collected data for the purpose of drawing conclusions on your person under any circumstances.

c. Storage period

The data will be erased once it is no longer necessary for the purpose for which it was collected. If data is collected to provide the website, it will be erased once when the respective session has ended. If the data is stored in log files, it will be erased after seven days, at the latest. It may be stored longer. In this case, the IP addresses are rendered anonymous by deleting the last eight bits and it will be no longer possible to attribute the calling client.
 

2. Cookies

a. Data processing and respective legal basis

We use cookies on our website. This is text information that can be stored for a visited website in the browser on the viewer's terminal (web server, server). The cookie is either sent from the web server to the browser or generated in the browser by a script (JavaScript). The web server can read this cookie information directly from the server during subsequent visits to this page or transfer the cookie information to the server via a website script. Cookies do not cause any damage to your terminal, and do not contain any viruses, Trojans or other malware.

The cookie stores information which in each instance arise in connection with the specifically used terminal device. However, this does not mean that as a result, we obtain immediate knowledge of your identity.

Generally, we use the following cookies:

  • Essential cookies

These cookies are required for the website to function. Usually, such cookies are only set in response to actions taken by you which correspond to a service request, such as configuring your privacy settings, logging in, or completing forms. You can select your browser settings to block such cookies or to notify you about them. However, in this case, some areas of the website will not work.

The legal basis for processing such cookies is Article 6(1), first sentence, point (f) GDPR. Our legitimate interests follow from the data processing purposes specified under B.1.b.

  • Service cookies

These cookies enable us to count visits and traffic sources in order to gauge and enhance the performance of our website. They assist us in determining which pages are most popular, which are least used and how visitors move around the website. All information gathered by these cookies is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not accept these cookies, we cannot know when you have visited our website.

The legal basis for processing such cookies is your consent pursuant to Article 6(1), first sentence, point (a) GDPR, which you have given us by selecting in the cookie banner or in our Privacy Preference Center.

You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of the processing carried out on the basis of the consent until withdrawal. To do this, please change the settings in the Privacy Preference Center.

  • Functional cookies

These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and customization. They can be set by us or by third party providers whose services we use on our pages. If you do not allow these cookies, some or all of these services may not function properly.

The legal basis for processing such cookies is your consent pursuant to Article 6(1), first sentence, point (a) GDPR, which you have given us by selecting in the cookie banner or in our Privacy Preference Center.

You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of the processing carried out on the basis of the consent until withdrawal. To do this, please change the settings in the Privacy Preference Center.

  • Cookies for marketing purposes

These cookies may be set via our website. They may be used by our advertising partners to profile your interests and show you relevant ads on other sites. If you do not accept such cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.

The legal basis for processing such cookies is your consent pursuant to Article 6(1), first sentence, point (a) GDPR, which you have given us by selecting in the cookie banner or in our Privacy Preference Center.

You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of the processing carried out on the basis of the consent until withdrawal. To do this, please change the settings in the Privacy Preference Center.

b. Specific use of cookies, purposes and storage duration

Specifically, we use the following cookies, depending on the cookie preferences you set in the Privacy Preference Center. Only essential cookies are activated by default. If you do not want this either, you have the option of rejecting cookies in your browser altogether. In this case the functionality of the visited website may be affected.
 

Further details on the respective cookie providers is available in the Privacy Preference Center, under the respective cookie categories.

3. Contact form and e-mail

a. Data processing

Our websites contain contact forms as well as links for contacting us directly by e-mail. If you use one of these contact forms, the data entered in the entry mask will be transmitted to us and processed. The mandatory data, which must be provided in the respective contact form electronic contact information, are marked therein with (*). If you provide us with additional data, this is done voluntarily.

If you contact us directly by e-mail, we process the associated e-mail meta data as well as the content of the message.

b. Purposes and legal bases

Your data will be processed to enable us to contact you and to process your request and also to provide you with our respective services, as well as to prevent any misuse of the contact form and to ensure the security of our information technology systems.

The legal basis for processing such mandatory information is Article 6(1), first sentence, point (f) GDPR. The aforementioned purposes also constitute legitimate interests in the processing of the data. If the objective of the contact is the entering into a contract, an additional legal basis for the processing is Article 6(1), first sentence, point (b) GDPR. The legal basis for processing of data voluntarily provided by you is your consent pursuant to Article 6(1), first sentence, point (a) GDPR.

c. Storage period

The data subject's personal data will be erased or blocked once the storage purpose ceases to apply. Data may also be stored if this has been provided for by the European or national legislator in EU regulations, laws or other regulations governing the controller. The data will also be blocked or erased once a storage period prescribed by the aforementioned standards expires, unless there is a need for further storage of such data for entering into or performance of a contract.

If you have given your consent, you have the right to  withdraw your consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of the processing carried out on the basis of the consent until withdrawal. Please notify your respective BASF contact partner accordingly.

4. Embedded YouTube videos

a. Data processing

We have integrated YouTube videos into our online offering, which are stored on the YouTube platform and can be played directly from our website. YouTube is a service of Google LLC, D/B/A YouTube. 901 Cherry Ave., San Bruno, CA 94066, USA (hereinafter as ‘Google’). The videos are all embedded in the so-called ‘2-click-mode’, which means that no data about you as a user is being transferred to Google if you do not activate the video function. Before the video function’s activation, only a preview image loaded from our own web server is being displayed.

Data will only be transferred to Google if you activate such video functions. Once being activated, we have no influence on this data transfer. The data transfer is carried out regardless of whether Google provides a user account through which you are logged in or whether no user account exists. If you are logged in at Google, your data will be assigned directly to your account. 

 

b. Purposes and legal basis

We use YouTube videos on our website to present those to you in an easy way.We use YouTube videos on our website to present those to you in an easy way.

The legal basis for the processing of your personal data is your consent according to Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a GDPR. You grant this consent by activating the video function. If activated, your personal data will be transferred to Google as described above. 

In the course of the data transfer to Google, your personal data will be transferred to servers of Google, which might also be located in the USA. The USA is a country that does not have a level of data protection which is adequate to that of the EU. In particular, this means that personal data can be accessed by US authorities in a simplified manner and that there are only limited rights to such measures. If you activate the YouTube video function, you expressly consent to the transfer of data to Google and to the transfer of your personal data to servers located in the USA.

If you have given your consent, you have the right to revoke it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of the processing carried out on the basis of the consent until revocation.

You can revoke you consent at any time for the future by deactivating the slider of the category “YouTube” in the Cookie Settings. 

 

c. Further information

Further information on data processing, in particular on the legal basis and storage period by YouTube, can be found in the provider's privacy policy (https://policies.google.com/privacy) and in the privacy banner on the YouTube platform. There you will also find further information on your rights and setting options to protect your privacy.

Google may also process your personal information in the United States, a third country without an adequate level of data protection.

5. Social media hyperlink

Our website includes hyperlinks to the following social media services: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo, YouTube, Slideshare, flickr and Instagram.

These are designed in the form of the corresponding logos and are stored on our own server. No data about you as a user is transferred to the respective provider services that when our website is loaded for the first time. You will be directed to the respective website only when you click on the logos. More of your data may be processed on such websites.

We have no influence on such data processing on the respective linked websites.

C. Are you obliged to provide us with this data?

When visiting our website, the information mentioned in point B. 1. a. and the information from the cookies classified as essential is processed automatically. Transmission of such information is voluntary. We cannot display the requested page without the provision of such personal data.

If you:

  • allow us to use cookies not classified as essential,
  • want to contact us and send us an e-mail or use our contact form to do so (including the necessary reCAPTCHA query), or
  • would like to watch embedded YouTube videos,

transmission of such information is voluntary.

If you contact us, we will not be able to answer your request, or not in the optimal manner in the selected way if you do not provide us with personal data required in the particular case. Insofar as cookies are concerned, the lack of consent may lead to the restriction of the functionality of the website or parts of it. Embedded videos cannot be played without your consent.

D. Whom do we disclose your personal data to?

Within our company, only persons and departments are given access to your aforementioned personal data who need such data to fulfill the purposes mentioned above.

We also collaborate with service providers. These service providers work only according to our instructions and are contractually obliged to comply with the applicable data protection requirements.

Moreover, we disclose your data to third parties only if:

  • you have given your express consent to do so in accordance with Article 6(1), first sentence, point (a) GDPR,
  • the disclosure is necessary in accordance with Article 6(1), first sentence, point (f) GDPR, for the establishment, exercise or defense of legal claims and if there is no reason to assume that you have overriding legitimate interests in your data not being disclosed,
  • there is a statutory disclosure obligation in accordance with Article 6(1), first sentence, point (c) GDPR, or
  • this is permitted by law and required for the performance of contractual relationships with you in accordance with Article 6(1), first sentence, point (b) GDPR.

Your personal data will be disclosed to service providers in a third country only if the special requirements of Article 44 et seqq. GDPR are satisfied.

E. How do we secure your personal data?

BASF uses technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal data against accidental or intentional manipulation, loss, destruction or access by unauthorized persons. Our security measures are continuously revised in line with technological developments.

F. What are your rights?

You are entitled to certain rights under the General Data Protection Regulation:

Right of access: The right of access allows you to obtain information about your personal data processed by us and about certain other information (such as that provided in this Privacy Policy);

Right to rectification: If your personal data is incorrect or incomplete, you have a right to rectification;

Right to erasure: Based on the so-called "right to be forgotten", you can request the erasure of your personal data, unless there is an obligation to retain them. The right to erasure is not an absolute right. For example, we have the right to continue processing your personal data if such processing is necessary for compliance with our statutory obligations or for the establishment, exercise or defense of legal claims;

Right to restriction of processing: This right includes the restriction of use or of the manner of use. This right is limited to certain cases and exists in particular if: (a) the data is inaccurate; (b) processing is unlawful and you refuse its erasure; (c) we no longer require the data, but you need for the establishment, exercise or defense of legal claims. If the processing is restricted, we may continue to store the data, but not use it. We keep a list of persons who have exercised the right to restrict processing in order to be able to ensure this restriction;

Right to data portability: This right includes that if technically possible, we transmit your personal data in a structured, common and machine-readable format for your own purposes;

Right to object:
You may object to the processing of your personal data if they are processed on the basis of legitimate interests, in particular in the case of direct marketing.
 

Right to withdraw your consent: If you have given us your consent to processing, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. Such withdrawal will not affect the lawfulness of the processing carried out on the basis of the consent until withdrawal.

The exercise of these rights is free of charge for you. However, you must prove your identity with two factors. We will make reasonable efforts in accordance with our statutory obligations to transfer, rectify or erase your personal data in our file systems.

To exercise your rights, please contact us, e.g. by e-mail or by post. The contact details are provided in section A.

G.Where can you lodge a complaint?

You have the option of lodging a complaint with the data protection officer specified to in this Privacy Policy (see section A for contact details) or with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of your place of abode, your place of employment or the place of the suspected infringement.

In any case, you may contact:

Landesbeauftragte für den Datenschutz und die Informationsfreiheit Rheinland-Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate State Commissioner for the Protection of Data and Freedom of Information)

Hintere Bleiche 34

55116 Mainz, Germany

https://www.datenschutz.rlp.de/de/general-storage/footer/ueber-den-lfdi/kontakt/

e-mail:  poststelle@datenschutz.rlp.de