Animal welfare in environmental and toxicological testing - New Approach Methodologies (NAMs): We develop and are continuously optimize alternative methods - now referred to as NAMs - to experimentally assess the safety of our products without animal studies. We are involved in the European Partnership for Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing to foster the use of alternative methods across sectors. With our customer Givaudan we have developed the first NAM-based testing strategy adopted in an OECD Guideline to identify a substance’s potential to cause allergies. In 2022, BASF´s Experimental Toxicology and Ecology became the first institute in the world to be certified for Good In Vitro Method Practices (GIVIMP). GIVIMP is a standard published by the OECD. It increases the quality of data generated by in vitro test methods and confidence in newly developed non-animal test methods. We research into new methods for polymer testing or to approach complex toxic effects like endocrine effects or carcinogenicity and mutagenicity.