• Worldwide more than 20 BASF production sites for personal care ingredients fulfill the criteria for the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standard of the European Federation for Cosmetic Ingredients (EFfCI)
• The certification confirms that product quality and hygiene standards during manufacturing processes are strictly met
• BASF plans additional certifications by 2021 and has already aligned significant parts of its supply chain for the personal care business with the EFfCI GMP standard

Dusseldorf, Germany – April 26, 2018 – Since 2013, more than 20 production sites of BASF’s personal care business worldwide have been awarded EFfCI Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification by the internationally accepted certification body SGS. This includes Düsseldorf-Holthausen, the largest site worldwide for the production of ingredients for the BASF personal care business, which was recertified at the end of last year. The certification confirms that the sites meet the strict requirements of e.g. product quality and hygiene standards during manufacturing processes. In addition, BASF has qualified significant parts of its supply chain for the personal care business according to the EFfCI GMP standard. In a second step, set to be concluded in 2021, BASF plans additional audits to further increase quality and transparency along the value chain.

“The personal care market is consumer driven showing a clear trend towards higher quality standards. The consumer demand for personal care products containing safe and high-quality ingredients is increasing steadily. This EFfCI GMP certification is crucial for our customers, and therefore a key priority for us. We are determined to keep meeting the highest standards for personal care around the globe,” said Xavier Susterac, Senior Vice President Personal Care Europe.

The EFfCI GMP guideline for cosmetic ingredients provides consistent and reliable information to manufacturers of cosmetic and personal care products. This will help to reduce the number of individual site audits by building trust regarding the implementation of additional quality requirements defined according to EFfCI. The standard is established and regularly adapted to market needs. EFfCI is a European industry association that was founded in the year 2000 and represents the collective interests of more than 100 manufacturers of cosmetic ingredients in Europe.

About the Care Chemicals division at BASF 
The BASF division Care Chemicals offers a broad range of ingredients for personal care, hygiene, 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 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 online at www.care-chemicals.basf.com.  

About BASF 
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The more than 115,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into five segments: Chemicals, Performance Products, Functional Materials & Solutions, Agricultural Solutions and Oil & Gas. BASF generated sales of €64.5 billion in 2017. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (BAS). Further information at www.basf.com.