As the world’s largest chemical company, BASF is committed to the American Chemical Council’s Responsible Care&Copy; initiative which encourages support of community. BASF Evans City is an active supporter of Butler County and the Evans City area.

On April 25, BASF will sponsor the 14th annual Earth Day celebration at EDCO Park. This free event showcases environmental related organizations. This year, BASF has invited The Lighthouse to collect usable clothing and appliances to recycle for needy families.

Over 40 employees volunteered for the event that includes a cleanup of the park, and planting of flowers and shrubs to beautify the park.

The theme of this year’s celebration is “Our Community, Our Earth.” This is also the theme of the poster contest for the fifth grade students at Evans City Middle School. The winning poster is reproduced on a T-shirt and given to each fifth grade student.

Two employees, Jane Graham and Greg Haughey, are active with PA CleanWays, an organization that works to prevent illegal dumping. Last April they recruited five employees to spend a Saturday removing more than 400 abandoned automobile tires at State Gamelands 95 in northern Butler County.

In November, BASF hosted a used tire collection with BASF volunteers and community service groups. Planning is under way to host a tire collection this spring at BASF.

Annually the BASF Evans City site awards $1,500 scholarships to a Mars and a Seneca Valley graduating senior majoring in a science-related field at college.

“You Be the Chemist,” a new program this year by BASF’s African-American Employee Group, was held in the Evans City Middle, the Seneca Valley Junior High and the Mars Middle schools. More than 40 students took a qualification exam and 13 students advanced to the district finals. The three top students will compete at the state finals in Harrisburg in May. BASF employees Susan Jackson and Christina Inman organized this.

BASF is an active supporter of the Butler County United Way. The past two years employee campaigns and company contributions have raised more than $40,000 for United Way.

Employees volunteer and serve on United Way committees. In September, 13 BASF employees each spent a work day participating in the Weeks of Caring by painting a residential unit at the Mars Home for Youth.

The Evans City site’s most memorable event in 2008 was receiving the United Way “Spirit of Butler County” Award. This is presented annually to a business that embodies the spirit of community through leadership and philanthropic support of the United Way and other organizations, fosters positive employer-employee partnerships in community service and promotes the economy of the community.