Dusseldorf-Holthausen, Germany – February 5, 2015

BASF has obtained another Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification for cosmetic ingredients in accordance with the requirements of the European Federation for Cosmetic Ingredients (EFfCI). Now BASF’s largest site worldwide for the production of ingredients for the personal care industry in Dusseldorf-Holthausen, has also successfully passed the audit. The certification confirms that strict guidelines for product quality and industrial hygiene requirements are followed here during the manufacturing process. Eleven BASF sites where cosmetic ingredients are manufactured currently have a similar certificate. By 2018, the company strives to have GMP certification for all relevant production sites for cosmetic ingredients worldwide.

“Today more than ever, consumers expect that their personal care products include high quality and safe cosmetic ingredients. Our customers, cosmetics manufacturers, are faced with the challenge to prove that they meet these requirements,” explained Jan-Peter Sander, Senior Vice President of Personal Care Europe. “GMP certification confirms the high production standards and the excellent quality of cosmetic ingredients produced at our Dusseldorf-Holthausen site.”

The GMP guidelines for cosmetic ingredients provide important guidance for manufacturers seeking consistently high quality standards. The standards are established and regularly refined by the EFfCI – a European industry association that was founded in 2000 and represents the collective interests of more than 100 manufacturers of cosmetic ingredients in Europe.

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry – and have been doing so for 150 years. Our portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. As the world’s leading chemical company, we combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Through science and innovation, we enable our customers in nearly every industry to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring nutrition and improving quality of life. We have summed up this contribution in our corporate purpose: We create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF had sales of about €74 billion in 2013 and over 112,000 employees as of the end of the year. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.

About BASF´s Care Chemicals division

The BASF division Care Chemicals offers a broad range of ingredients for hygiene, personal care, home care, industrial & institutional cleaning, and technical applications. We are the global leading supplier for the cosmetics industry as well as the detergents and cleaners industry and support our customers with innovative and sustainable products, solutions and concepts. The division’s high-performance product portfolio includes surfactants, emulsifiers, polymers, emollients, chelating agents, cosmetic active ingredients, pigments and UV filters. Superabsorbent polymers developed for the full spectrum of hygiene applications complete the range. We have production and development sites in all regions and are expanding our presence in emerging markets. Further information is available on the Internet at www.care-chemicals.basf.com.