Canada's Top 100 Employers (2026) Magazine - Flipbook - Page 18
20
( 2026 )
SPONSOR CONTENT
At BASF, good chemistry is key to employee success
M
arian Van Hoek is
the first to admit
her path to the
managing director
position at BASF
Canada Inc. was anything but
traditional.
In her 10-year career with
the chemistry company,
headquartered in Mississauga,
Ont., the trained lawyer has
worked in senior counsel roles and
as chief compliance officer, rather
than rising through the channels
of top operations or finance roles.
“It speaks volumes that they
were able to think creatively about
how I could contribute to the
company,” says Van Hoek, who
took over the head job at BASF
Canada last July.
More importantly, it signals
to employees that they, too,
can achieve their career goals
within the company, rather
than going outside it. That is a
core priority included in BASF’s
Transformation Journey, aimed
at supporting customers with
sustainable solutions for a green
transformation, and employees in
career development and wellness.
“They go hand in hand,” says
Van Hoek of the two corporate
goals. “We need employees who
come to work every day who are
engaged, experimenting and
thinking creatively in order to
innovate.”
Transformation is much easier
when everyone is pulling together
as a team, as Kanika Johnson, an
administrative support specialist
at the BASF Toronto site, perfectly
demonstrates.
Johnson doesn’t define her job
by what she does, but by what
she can do for her colleagues
— and the company. “If you bring
anything to my attention, I’m
working on it for you,” she says.
But among her favourite
assignments are setting up
celebrations on site and finding
creative ways to encourage
employees to look forward to
coming in on difficult assignment
days — like inventory day. “I want
people to enjoy where they work.”
We need employees
who come to work
every day who
are engaged,
experimenting and
thinking creatively
in order to innovate.
— Marian Van Hoek
Managing Director
Employees at BASF Canada volunteer at a tree planting event celebrating the organization’s five-year
partnership with the Meewasin Valley Authority in Saskatoon.
What motivates her is BASF’s
commitment to employee
wellness and career advancement,
including allowing staff to work
from home, giving them time
off for volunteer efforts, and
providing them with psychological
safety programs, fitness initiatives
and employee resource groups
that aim to foster inclusiveness
among culturally diverse and
LGBTQIA2+ communities.
The Toastmasters group,
which was established to
support employees in developing
communication skills, for
example, has helped Johnson
facilitate managers meetings.
The company gives employees
time off to work on volunteer
efforts such as the CIBC Run for
the Cure, which encourages staff
across Canada to participate and
compete with each other to see
