BASF West Africa earns Top Employer Nigeria accreditation

BASF West Africa has received 2016 certification as Top Employer Nigeria in the Top Employer Institute’s Africa category.

The annual international research undertaken by the Top Employers Institute recognises leading global employers that provide excellent employee conditions, nurture and develop talent throughout all levels of the organisation, while also striving to continuously optimise employment practices.

Participating companies are expected to complete a stringent research process and meet the required high standards in order to achieve the certification.

Areas covered during the process included talent strategy, workforce planning, on-boarding, learning & development. Others were performance management, leadership development, career & succession management, compensation & benefits, as well as organisational culture.

To confer credibility on the process, all answers were independently audited.

Since establishing its office in Lagos, Nigeria, in 2012, the global chemical company’s West African presence has made a significant impact on the industry and the country’s economy.

Andrew Bailey, managing director, BASF West Africa, said this certification serves as confirmation that BASF West Africa operates to global standards both externally and internally.

“At BASF we are continuously working to optimise our employee conditions and we strive to recruit, retain and attract the best employees,” said Bailey, after the gala ceremony held at Gallagher Estate in Midrand South Africa recently.

“Our focus is on fostering the individual’s unique talents and meeting that person’s development objectives in the best possible manner, thereby allowing BASF’s corporate objectives to be fulfilled at the same time. Only by fully leveraging the potential of our employees can we meet the constantly changing requirements of our business,” he said.

According to Joan-Maria Garcia-Girona, vice president and head of BASF Business Center, South Africa and Sub-Sahara, the company has a strong focus on developing its employees.

“We want to enable employees to strengthen their contributions to the company’s success by having the right people at the right time at the right place,” Garcia-Girona said.

“We believe talent is in everyone and we develop all groups of employees throughout all levels to grow within the company,” he said.

At the certification ceremony, BASF South Africa was, for the fourth consecutive year, certified as one of the top employers in South Africa, and for the second consecutive year, the company was recognised as the ‘best in industry” in the chemical sector.

According to Prabashnie John, head of human resources for BASF in South Africa & Sub-Sahara, specific focus is placed on creating a culture of learning and development. “Under the banner of being the ‘Best Team’, specific focus is placed on ensuring that we have excellent people, excellent leaders and an excellent place to work,” John said. “The premise of BASF’s value proposition, the Power of Connected Minds, encompasses our four employer brand fundamentals: connecting, engaging, caring and learning. Being certified as the Top Employer once again reinforces that we are an industry leader when it comes to our people offerings,” she said.

According to Samantha Crous, regional director, South Africa and Benelux for the Top Employers Institute, optimal employee conditions ensure that people can develop themselves personally and professionally. “Our comprehensive research concluded that BASF South Africa and BASF West Africa provide an outstanding employment environment and offers a wide range of creative initiatives, from secondary benefits and working conditions, to performance-management programmes that are well thought out and truly aligned with the culture of their company,” she said.

ODINAKA ANUDU