Privacy

BASF Canada Inc. (“BASF”) is delighted that you have visited our website or the mobile version of our website (collectively, the “Site”) and thanks you for your interest in our company. We take the protection of your personal information seriously and want you to feel safe when you are visiting our Site.

We would like to inform you in our personal information protection declaration what information we collect at BASF while you are visiting our Site and how this is used. Further details about BASF’s practices when collecting, using or disclosing your personal information can be found in the Privacy Policy set forth below.

Collecting Personal Information

When you visit the Site, general information is collected automatically (in other words, not by means of registration) which is not used as personal data. The web servers that are used store data by default:

The name of your internet service provider
The website from which you visited us
The BASF group websites and social media platforms which you visit when you are with us
Your IP address

This information is analyzed in anonymized form. It is used solely for the purpose of improving the attractiveness, content and functionality of our Site. Where data is passed on to external service providers, we have taken technical and organizational measures to ensure that the appropriate data protection regulations are observed.

Cookies

On our Site, we only use cookies if they are required for an application or service which we provide. If you would like to opt out of the advantages of these cookies, you can read in the ‘help’ function on your browser how to adjust your browser to prevent these cookies, accept new cookies, or delete existing cookies. You can also learn there how to block all cookies or set up notifications for new cookies.

The cookies which we currently use on the Site are listed in the following table:

Cookies, which are important for the smooth functioning of specific services of the Site

LB	This cookie ensures that the load of the queries of our users is optimally distributed on our server. It secures the stability of our Site.	Erased as soon as you close your browser
Ts9d59e0	This cookie validates the user input and activities on the Site..	Erased as soon as you close your browser
JSESSIONID	This cookie assigns a random anonymous identification number to your browsing session. It allows us to save decisions that you make during your visit to our Site and thus better address your needs.	Erased as soon as you close your browser
download-center	This saves information on what documents or multimedia content from our download center you have saved in your shopping cart.	Erased as soon as you close your browser
order-center-cookie	This saves information on what documents you would like to order through our Order Center/ Archive.	Erased as soon as you close your browser
order-center-cookie-num	This gathers the number of publications that you would like to order through our Order Center/Archive.	Erased as soon as you close your browser
reportlist_emailcookie	Saves your email address if you order a document on our mobile Site that you want to have sent to your email inbox. Your email address will only be saved if you have agreed in advance that your email address will be remembered. This has the advantage that you will not have to enter your email address again when ordering another document.	Erased one year after using the form
Corporate.Mobile Redirect.Cookie	If you use our Site with a mobile device, like a smartphone, you will be asked if you would like to be redirected to our mobile Site. This cookie saves your decision and ensures that you will not be asked which version of the Site you prefer again.	Erased as soon as you close your browser
fontSize	This cookie maintains your desired zoom factor assigned by the zoom functionality.	Erased as soon as you close your browser

Cookies, with which we measure the use of our Site (web analysis)

WT_FPC	With these cookies, the web analysis tool, Webtrends, gathers anonymous information about how our Site is used. The information collected helps us to continually address the needs of our visitors. These cookies store information in an anonymous form, including how many people visit our Site, from which websites they come and what pages they view. Further information can be found in the statement on data protection from Webtrends.	Erased five years after site visit
ACOOKIE	Same as above.	Erased two years after site visit

Children

BASF urges all parents and persons supervising children to instruct their children on how to deal with personal data on the Internet in a safe and responsible way. Children should not transmit personal data to BASF’s Site without permission from their parent or legal guardian. BASF does not intend to collect the personal information of children on this Site. If a child has provided us with personal information, his or her parent or legal guardian may contact us for the purpose of deleting it.

Contact

If you experience any problems or have any questions or ideas, please refer to the Privacy Officer identified in our Privacy Policy below, who will be pleased to help you. The continuous development of the Internet makes it necessary for us to adjust our data protection declaration from time to time. We reserve the right to implement appropriate changes at any time.

Privacy Policy

Introduction

BASF Canada Inc. values its relationship with its customers, suppliers and employees and is committed to maintaining the privacy and security of their personal information. This Privacy Policy outlines: (a) how we will collect your personal information, (b) how we will use your personal information; (c) to whom we may disclose your personal information; and (d) how you can verify and correct your personal information.

Organizations covered by this Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to and governs the activities of BASF Canada Inc., its Canadian subsidiaries (including, but not limited to, Automotive Refinish Technologies, Inc.) and BASF Agricultural Specialties Ltd. (collectively, solely for purposes of this Privacy Policy, “BASF”). The BASF group of companies refers to BASF and any affiliates/related companies throughout the world.

Definition

“Personal Information” means information about an identifiable individual but, to the extent permitted by the law, does not include the contact information of an employee of an organization (e.g. name, title, business address or business telephone number). Personal Information does not include anonymous or non-personal information (i.e. information that cannot be associated with or traced to a specific individual).

Identifying Purposes

We collect, use and disclose Personal Information concerning our customers and suppliers for the following purposes:

to develop, implement, market, promote and sell products, services and special offers;
to purchase, acquire and solicit products, services and special offers from our suppliers;
to manage our business and provide day-to-day services including, but not limited to, ordering, shipping, delivering, invoicing, collecting, establishing credit arrangements, administering rebates, discounts, and special programs, processing payments, managing accounts and supply chain activities;
to investigate and respond to customer inquiries and complaints;
to establish customer, supplier and retailer relationships and to communicate with customers, suppliers and retailers;
to research, develop and improve existing and new products, technologies and services;
to provide information to customers, suppliers, and retailers about existing and new products and services of BASF;
to manage and promote the business activities of BASF, including the development and evaluation of business plans;
to review and assess market trends and activities impacting the business of BASF;
to secure and protect the safety and well being of our customers, suppliers, retailers, the community and the environment;
to administer or enforce our rights under an agreement;
to carry out other purposes which are identified to you and to which you consent; and
to meet requirements imposed by law.

We collect, use and disclose Personal Information concerning our employees for the following purposes:

to recruit, train, review, remunerate and retain a highly qualified and motivated workforce;
to establish and maintain employer-employee relations;
to establish and administer BASF policies and procedures;
to establish, administer and provide compensation and benefits;
to develop, manage and promote employee services;
to develop, manage and provide tools and resources for employees;
to manage and promote the business activities of BASF;
to carry out other purposes which are identified to you and to which you consent; and
to carry out other purposes which are identified to you and to which you consent; and
to meet requirements imposed by law.

Other policies may be established by BASF to provide guidance on specific aspects of the use and disclosure of Personal Information of employees.

On our Site, we use cookies if they are required for an application or service which we provide. You can find out more about our use of cookies, and their functions by reading our cookie policy on our Site. If you would like to opt out of the advantages of these cookies, you can read in the ‘help’ function on your browser how to adjust your browser to prevent these cookies, accept new cookies, or delete existing cookies. You can also learn how to block all cookies or set up notifications for new cookies. Please note that if you disable cookies, you may be unable to access some features on this Site.

Consent

We will collect, use and disclose your Personal Information only with your consent, except where obtaining such consent would be inappropriate, or as permitted or required by law. Depending on the sensitivity of the Personal Information that we collect from you and as permitted by the applicable law, your consent to our collection, use and/or disclosure may be express or implied.

Usually, we will seek your consent to use and/or disclose your Personal Information at the time of collection. In some circumstances, we may seek consent after we have collected your Personal Information but before we use it (for example, if we want to use the Personal Information for different purposes than previously identified).

You may withdraw consent at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions and reasonable notice. Unless otherwise permitted, all communications with respect to the withdrawal of your consent or any change to your consent must be in writing and addressed to our Privacy Officer.

By using this Site, providing us with Personal Information, receiving or reviewing this Privacy Policy or continuing to conduct business or communicate with us, you consent to the collection, use and disclosure of your Personal Information as described in this Privacy Policy.

In most circumstances, we will collect Personal Information directly from the individual to whom the information relates. From time to time and with your consent where required by applicable law, we may engage others, such as our distributors or retailers of our products, to collect Personal Information on our behalf.

Limiting Use of Personal Information, Disclosure and Retention

We will use your Personal Information:

for purposes described in this Privacy Policy;
for any other purposes for which we have obtained your consent (either express or implied); or
as required or permitted by law

We may disclose your Personal Information to third parties in the following circumstances:

you have provided your consent.
to our affiliates and subsidiaries and other members in the BASF group of companies for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy;
to third parties who provide services to us or on our behalf for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy;
as required or permitted by law including, but not limited to, complying with a court order, complying with a statute or regulation, and assisting with investigations by law
to administer or enforce our rights under an agreement;
in emergency situations that threaten the life, health or security of an individual, the community or the environment; or
in the event of a change of ownership, sale, merger, liquidation, reorganization or acquisition of BASF or a BASF business unit or department, your Personal Information may be transferred as part of the transaction, as long as, the party acquiring your Personal Information agrees to be bound by the terms of this Privacy Policy.

We will retain your Personal Information only as long as necessary to fulfill the identified purposes or as required or permitted by law.

We do not sell your Personal Information to any third parties without your consent.

Security

We will protect your Personal Information against loss, theft and unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use or modification.

Our methods of protection will include physical measures (for example, locked filing cabinets and restricted access to offices or designated areas), organizational measures (for example, security clearances and limiting access on a “need-to-know” basis) and technological measures (for example, using passwords, firewalls and encryption).

When we engage third parties to provide services to us, we use contractual means to ensure a comparable level of protection is maintained while the Personal Information is in the possession of the third party. In some cases, these third parties may be located outside of Canada (e.g. the United States, Germany and/or India) and the Personal Information may become subject to the laws of that country and no contractual provision can override those laws. Similar to Canadian law, law enforcement agencies or other governmental authorities in the U.S. or other jurisdictions may obtain access to Personal Information but only where access is permitted by Canadian law, U.S. law, or the law of the applicable jurisdiction. Confidentiality and the security of information are key considerations for BASF in any outsourcing arrangement to third parties, both inside and outside Canada.

Accuracy

We will use our best efforts to ensure that your Personal Information is accurate, complete and up to date as necessary for the purposes for which it will be used. If your Personal Information changes, please keep us informed of such changes.

Individual Access

Upon written request to our Privacy Officer, we will inform you of our collection, use, and disclosure of your Personal Information and we will give you access to your Personal Information. You may challenge the accuracy and completeness of your Personal Information and have it amended as appropriate.

We will respond to your request within a reasonable period of time.

As permitted or required by law, we may refuse or not be able to provide you with access to all of your Personal Information. This may occur in a variety of situations, including but not limited to, when the information contains references to other individuals or contains confidential business information which cannot be severed from the record; when the information is collected in the course of investigating a breach of an agreement or federal or provincial laws; when the information is collected in the course of a formal dispute resolution process; and when the information is subject to solicitor-client privilege.

In some circumstances, your Personal Information may have been destroyed, erased or made anonymous in accordance with our record retention obligations and practices.

If we cannot provide you with access to your Personal Information, we will inform you of the reasons, subject to any legal or regulatory restrictions.

Accountability, Openness and Compliance

We are responsible for all Personal Information under our control.

We have designated a Privacy Officer who is accountable and responsible for compliance with this Privacy Policy and addressing inquiries and concerns. If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy and our procedures, please contact our Privacy Officer at Privacy_Officer@basf.com or at 5025 Creekbank Rd, 2nd Floor, Mississauga, ON L4W 5R2.

Amendments to this Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time and for any reason. We will post any changes to this Privacy Policy in advance on our website at www.basf.ca. We encourage you to refer to it on a regular basis.

This Privacy Policy was last updated on March 23, 2015.