 |
|
BASF Coatings: Addiction prevention programs for trainees |
03/03 |
Social responsibility taken very seriously
Münster, Germany. For no less than the fourth time, BASF Coatings AG Münster organized an addiction prevention project for its apprentices in their first year of training. 42 new recruits from all fields of training at BASF Coatings – coatings laboratory assistants, skilled chemical workers, chemical plant workers, coating technology process mechanics and business economists (academy graduates) – took part in the 3-day seminar, which BASF organized in close cooperation with the Münster police and the Addiction Prevention Agency (Fachstelle für Suchtprävention). The climax of the project was the final graffiti event. For Gerlind Griese of HR Development, Professional Education at BASF Coatings AG, this training theme only appears unusual at first sight and is in fact integral to the company’s particular social obligations: "The aim of the program is to help young people to build up competence in handling legal addictive substances and to raise their awareness of the risks involved."
At the start of the seminar, by means of group work and role-play sessions, Dr. Gerhard Pohl of the Caritas Addiction Prevention Agency (Fachstelle für Sucht-Prävention des Caritasverbandes für den Kreis Coesfeld e.V.) alerted the participants to the effects of addiction on workplace safety, taking into account the works agreements on "Addiction". He also spoke on measures to avoid and prevent the feeling of addiction. A visit to the Münster police headquarters was another highlight of the program. Wolfgang Schallenberg of the Crime Prevention, Addiction and Narcotics Prevention Unit explained the subject to the trainees with the aid of illustrative material and provided reference on the legislative framework concerning narcotics and substance abuse.
The graffiti event was the closing climax of the project. "The trainees were given the task of converting their newly acquired theoretical knowledge into art and presenting their works at the end," explained Gerlind Griese. The trainees were assisted in spraying the 2x2-meter wall by the professional signwriter and graffiti artist Sven Roters.
"We must not close our eyes to problems in our society. If we can make our trainees highly sensitive in handling drugs, we will have performed an extremely important task. BASF Coatings takes its social responsibility very very seriously," concludes Gerlind Griese.
|
 |
BASF : A major international player in coatings
BASF Coatings AG and its affiliates, along with all the coatings activities of other BASF group companies around the world, belong to the global Coatings Division of the BASF Group. With about 9,000 employees, this BASF division achieved world sales of 2.1 billion euros in 2002. BASF has a major, global presence in this sector, with significant market positions in Europe, North America, South America and the Asia/Pacific region, for example with affiliates in Australia, China, India, Japan, and the Philippines. In the coatings segment, BASF develops, produces and markets a high-quality range of innovative automotive OEM coatings, automotive refinishes and industrial coatings as well as decorative paints, and also the processes needed to apply them. In this business, eco-efficient water-based, powder and high-solids coatings as well as radiation-curable systems play a special part. In Brazil, the company has been successful in the decorative paints market for years and holds the leading position. The internet address of BASF Coatings is www.basf-coatings.de
Dr. Michael Golek
Communications
Tel.: (+49)2501-14-3747
Fax: (+49)2501-14-3750
e-mail: michael.golek@coatings.basf.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
