Ahead of the Insurance CX Awards on 15th February 2023, Modern Insurance Magazine sat down with Jason Lea, Strategic Account Director, to chat about sustainability, the circular economy and innovation…

Q. Hi Jason, it’s great to have you on board as a judge for the 2023 Insurance CX Awards! Why don’t we start by talking about BASF and the work you’re up to over there?

A. Thank you, Amelia – it’s been an honour to judge these award nominations this year!

The world is changing at a rapid pace. More and more urgently than ever, solutions are needed for a more sustainable future. Chemistry plays a key role here. In almost all areas of life, it can help overcome pressing global challenges with innovative products and technologies – from climate change and using resources more sparingly, to feeding the world’s population. This belief is expressed in our corporate purpose and it’s what motivates us day in and day out.

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. For its Automotive Refinish business, BASF’s Coatings division looks to leverage its sustainable technology leadership to grow in the premium segment. Our eco-effectiveness and biomass balance technology is leading the way in sustainability. This establishes us as a responsible and attractive partner of choice; roundly supporting our customers, opening up new growth areas, and securing long-term success.

We’re still flying high from our win as the 2022 British Coatings Federation Sustainable Innovation Manufacturer of the Year, and we want to continue to strengthen our position as a thought and action leader in sustainability. Earlier this year, we also launched our all new Glasurit 100 Line paint system, which is already proving to be an absolute winner in the UK market. Glasurit 100 Line stands for the highest eco-efficiency; helping our customers to grow and become more competitive, reducing the environmental impact at the same time.

Q. BASF operates with such a fantastic focus on sustainable initiatives. What is circular economy and how is BASF driving the circular economy?

A. Circular economy means decoupling growth from resource consumption. BASF is driving circular economy by making the most of the limited resources of our planet: we keep them in use for as long as possible, minimise waste, and create value with renewable resources.

We contribute to close and extend the loops by developing and implementing circular solutions for the materials we source, further optimising our operations and offering resource-efficient products and services which support our customers’ circularity journeys.

We aim to move towards a more Circular Economy by increasingly using recycled and renewable feedstocks, shaping new material cycles, and creating new business models. BASF has therefore launched a new Circular Economy Program. As of 2025, BASF aims to process 250,000 metric tonnes of recycled and waste-based raw materials annually, replacing fossil raw materials. By 2030, the company aims to double its sales generated with solutions for the circular economy to €17 billion. To achieve this, we’re concentrating on three action areas: circular feedstocks, new material cycles, and new business models.

At BASF, embracing the circular economy means not just rethinking materials and production processes, but also seeing our role in the value chain in a whole new light. Our Creating Chemistry magazine recently won Bronze at the International Creative Medi Awards in the category “Customer Magazines B2B Print” – and it’s an amazing read.

So, let’s imagine it’s 2050… https://www.basf.com/global/en/media/magazine/issue-11/go-full-circle.html

Q. Let’s talk about innovation for a moment. What is BASF up to in their corporate strategy to embrace innovation and conserve resources?

A. At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. Our mission and motivation is to grow profitably and make positive contributions to society and the environment. For example, BASF’s solutions contribute to climate protection and help to prevent or recycle waste, produce healthy and affordable food, and enable climate-smart mobility.

At the same time, as an energy and resource-intensive company, we are facing what is probably the biggest transformation in our over 150-year history: the shift towards a carbon-neutral and circular economy demand new concepts and approaches from us – for the way we produce, for our raw material base, and for our energy supply.

We also see these disruptive changes as an opportunity. As the world’s largest chemical company, we want to lead the way, actively and responsibly shaping the change. That’s why we’re gradually switching our energy and raw material supplies to renewable sources. We’re strengthening our Verbund structure as the basis for resource-efficient, safe, and reliable production. We’re developing pioneering low-carbon production processes for our products. We’re accelerating our innovation processes and deepening cooperation with partners to develop high-performance products that also require fewer resources and have a lower carbon footprint. We’re harnessing the many opportunities of digitalisation. We’re systematically aligning our portfolio with growth areas and future technologies and are integrating sustainability into our value chains even more strongly.

We create a working environment in which our employees can thrive and contribute to BASF’s long-term success. This is how we live our corporate purpose.

Q. What aspects of the judging position at the Insurance CX Awards piqued your interest, and what are you most looking forward to on the night?

A. I was honoured to be invited to be a part of the judging panel this year, alongside leaders and influencers from all over the insurance and claims sector. It really was exciting to read such high-quality nominations from forward-thinking organisations who are really pushing boundaries and embracing change. Despite 35 years of experience within the accident repair sector, I’m still learning every day. I recently completed my dissertation on Digital Transformation, and it was obvious from the quality of CX Awards category nominations that our sector is evolving at an exponential rate. As for the CX Awards evening, I will certainly look forward to meeting new people from across the industry – hope to see you all there!

Q. If you could offer one piece of advice to the award winners, what would that be?

A.Award winners, you’ve worked so hard and now it’s time to celebrate your successes. My advice would be to continue to do the things you’re doing well – but don’t be afraid to challenge yourself. Well done to all the nominees and finalists!