The BASF eco-efficiency analysis is a major component of the S.E.T. Initiative of the BASF Nutrition Ingredients (S.= Sustainability E.=Eco efficiency T.=Traceability). Sustainability for the whole value-added chain, from feed all the way to the consumer is made transparent with the help of S.E.T. It is important for the consumer that sustainability is comparable and measurable. The S.E.T. Initiative makes this possible by measuring the sustainability of the different alternatives with the help of the eco-efficiency analysis.

The BASF eco-efficiency analysis has now received the internationally acknowledged quality seal of the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). Based in the USA, the NSF is an international non-profit organisation, which operates in the sector of preventive health and consumer safety. The eco-efficiency analysis, which has already been certified by the German TÜV (German Association for Technical Inspection) evaluates the ratio of the economic value of a product to its effects on the environment. It helps BASF and its customers to decide which products and methods are best suited both economically and ecologically. The whole life cycle of a product or method is scrutinized, all the way from extracting the raw material to the manufacture and use of the product and finally to its disposal.

Product offers which cover the consumer needs at affordable prices and with identifiable ecological benefit (more eco-efficient) are increasingly gaining recognition. Here are some examples from retailers around the world:
- The British supermarket Tesco has determined and published the Carbon Footprint (CO2 balance) for some of its products over the past years.
- One of the biggest food retailers in Germany, REWE, has enforced its own sustainability strategy which goes beyond the CO2 balance.
- The world largest retailer, Wal-Mart, has created a comprehensive sustainability index for its consumer goods.

The S.E.T. Initiative can come as a great benefit for retailer sustainability strategies, in particular to the suppliers who can use S.E.T. as a differentiation criteria and to gain a better market position.