BASF, facing a prolonged global economic downturn and significant operational losses, particularly at its Ludwigshafen headquarters, is selling approximately 4,400 company-owned apartments. This move, intended to strengthen its balance sheet and focus on its core business, involves selling 1,100 individual units and 3,300 units as a package deal to external buyers. The sale, expected to conclude by the first quarter of 2027, has drawn sharp criticism from the IGBCE trade union, which views it as a betrayal of long-term employees and a sign of the company abandoning its values for financial gain. While BASF asserts that a social charter will protect tenants' rights, the union fears this decision signals a lack of confidence in the German location and could create social and political unrest.