Leverkusen, Germany
6. Juni 2012
The Bayer Group is well on the way to implementing its comprehensive Sustainability Program. This is underlined by the company's new 68-page Sustainable Development Report, which contains countless facts and figures and is now available. "We are making good progress in all core areas – health, nutrition, and climate protection and resource efficiency," remarked Prof. Wolfgang Plischke, member of the Board of Management of Bayer AG responsible for Innovation, Technology and Sustainability. "We systematically strive to implement our qualitative and quantitative objectives on a step-by-step basis in the fields of innovation & product stewardship, ecology, employees, management & corporate governance and social commitment."
The review of 2011 documented in the report also shows that sustainability is an important part of the company's corporate strategy. "We do not see this as merely a trend. Sustainability is firmly embedded in our core business and, for us, essentially means future viability," said Plischke. He added that Bayer places particular emphasis on innovative strength and partnership models so as to operate successfully and sustainably. This is reflected year after year in the company's high research and development budget, which – at around EUR 3 billion in 2012 – is once again the highest in the German chemical and pharmaceutical industry. Plischke: "This commitment to innovation and sustainability is also at the heart of our mission: 'Bayer – Science For A Better Life.'"
The current report is available in German and English. It is aligned to the international standards of the United Nations Global Compact and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), which confirmed that it was in conformance with the highest possible rating of "A+". The report was also certified by corporate auditors Ernst & Young. An online version of the report and more detailed information are available at www.sustainability2011.bayer.com.
The Sustainable Development Report 2011 is the 13th report to be published by Bayer on the topic of sustainability. "The importance of this issue on the international agenda is also reflected in the forthcoming 'Rio+20' UN conference. As well as setting binding targets, this must be used as a forum to find concrete solutions. We, as a company, are also playing a part in this process through innovative production processes and products," said Plischke.
Focus issue health
Bayer faces two structural challenges with regard to its sustainability commitments in the area of health: on the one hand, the lack of basic medical care in developing countries where populations are on the rise and, on the other, health care requirements in industrialized countries with aging populations as a result of demographic change.
In developing countries, especially in Africa, access to contraceptives is still limited and there is a lack of knowledge about family planning and sexual health. Bayer HealthCare is pursuing the goal of providing 119 million cycles of oral contraceptives per year to developing countries. To safeguard distribution and develop the sales structures that are often lacking, Bayer works with partners such as USAID (United States Agency for International Development), which it offers medication at reduced prices. Its partner on health education issues is the German Foundation for World Population. In the long term, Bayer hopes to tap new markets in countries such as Ethiopia, Uganda and Tanzania, where middle classes with corresponding purchasing power are emerging.
In 2011 Bayer was one of the first companies to sign the "London Declaration on NTDs (Neglected Tropical Diseases)" established by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which has set itself the goal of eliminating neglected tropical diseases such as Chagas’ disease and African sleeping sickness by 2020. The company has been working with the World Health Organization (WHO) in this field for many years and provides free medication. In 2011 more than 5,700 patients were treated with drugs provided free of charge by Bayer. To tackle Chagas’ disease, the Group is doubling its supply of tablets containing the active ingredient nifurtimox to the WHO from 500,000 to 1,000,000 tablets per year for five years through to 2017. Bayer also provides a total of USD 1.5 million for the distribution of this medication and the logistics linked to this.
In emerging and industrialized countries, Bayer has established patient aid programs and developed a pricing system based on the general level of income. This system ensures that people who are not covered by health insurance or who would otherwise be unable to afford treatment receive therapy – for example, treatment for cancer or multiple sclerosis, which is cost-intensive due to the high research costs involved. In 2011 just under 40,500 patients in the United States benefited from these access programs, which have also been introduced to other countries and regions including China, southern Asia, south-eastern Europe and Brazil.
Focus issue nutrition
In the field of nutrition, Bayer focuses on new cultivation methods and sustainable practices along the entire value-added chain. In emerging markets such as India, demand for high-quality food is rising. The interaction between the various players in the food industry – from farmers and processors to dealers – is playing an increasingly important role in satisfying requirements in terms of quality, volume, price, and social and ecological compatibility. The Food Chain Partnerships established by Bayer CropScience aim to address this issue. In India alone, the company supports 125 partnerships for vegetables involving 65,000 farmers with a total of 50,000 hectares of cultivated land. Thanks to higher yields and better quality of produce the farmers have increased their income by up to 40 percent. The company has also established more than 100 other partnership programs for fruit and vegetables, primarily in China, southern Europe, Africa and Latin America.
To cultivate crops, Bayer CropScience uses innovative technologies that increase yields while protecting the environment. For example, a new process for growing rice that enables the direct seeding of pregerminated rice instead of labor- and resource-intensive preplanting is increasing yields by around 10 percent for farmers in Indonesia. At the same time, it reduces water consumption by around 20 percent and emissions of the greenhouse gas methane by around 30 percent. Bayer CropScience plans to introduce the new technology to other major rice-producing countries such as China and India.
Focus issue climate protection and resource efficiency
Bayer is pursuing a two-pronged approach to climate protection and resource efficiency. First, the Group plans to further improve the energy efficiency of its own production plants. For example, use of a new technology is cutting indirect greenhouse gas emissions by around 30 percent in the energy-intensive production of chlorine. Bayer is firmly committed to its goal of reducing direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions by 35 percent per metric ton of product sold by 2020 compared with 2005. By the end of 2011, it had already achieved a reduction of 21 percent. As a result of efficiency enhancement measures in production, energy costs were also cut by EUR 35 million in the period from 2009 to 2011. The company also remains firmly committed to the goal of keeping absolute emissions of direct and indirect greenhouse gases at 2007 levels through to 2020 despite production increases.
Second, the Group is increasingly focusing on the development and marketing of resource-friendly products. Examples include raw materials for building or refrigerator insulation, lightweight plastics for cars and high-quality materials for wind turbine rotor blades. Bayer MaterialScience already generates sales of EUR 2.4 billion per year from resource-friendly products, which is around 20 percent of the subgroup's annual sales. As part of the EcoCommercial Building Program, the network for energy-efficient commercial buildings set up by Bayer in 2007, marketing centers have now been established with 50 partner companies worldwide.
Data on relevant sustainability parameters
The current Sustainable Development Report supplies detailed data on relevant sustainability parameters collected at Bayer sites throughout the world. In addition to greenhouse gas emissions, these include other air emissions, waste, occupational safety and diversity.
Direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions Group-wide fell by 4.2 percent in absolute terms in 2011 – from 8.50 million metric tons of CO2 equivalents in 2010 to 8.15 million metric tons. Although the volume of products sold in 2011 rose by 5.2 percent, greenhouse gas emissions still fell, mainly due to improvements in energy efficiency and new process technologies. Specific greenhouse gas emissions decreased by almost 13 percent in 2011. The company has therefore made good progress toward the permanent decoupling of greenhouse gas emissions from production.
Emissions of ozone-depleting substances fell by around 21.5 percent in 2011 – from 20.8 to 16.3 metric tons. Bayer is aiming to reduce emissions of ozone-depleting substances by 70 percent by 2015 compared with 2010 levels. By contrast, emissions of volatile organic compounds increased by 6.1 percent – from 2,540 metric tons to 2,690 metric tons. The company nonetheless plans to reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds by 50 percent by 2015 compared with 2010 levels.
Due to production growth, the total volume of waste produced increased by 18.7 percent, from 807,000 metric tons to 958,000 metric tons. The recycling rate was 28 percent, 10 percent up on the previous year.
With regard to employees, Bayer aims to achieve two primary objectives by 2015. On the one hand, it plans to increase the proportion of female managers – a central aspect of diversity – toward 30 percent. In 2011, this figure was 22 percent. On the other, it plans to reduce the occupational injury rate to ≤ 0.21. The internationally accepted indicator for this is injuries with lost workdays per 200,000 employee working hours including work-related illnesses. In 2011 this rate fell from 0.34 to 0.31.
Supplier sustainability ratings
In the field of management & corporate governance, Bayer attaches particular importance to supplier management. The company has integrated aspects of sustainability into its Group-wide procurement guidelines and established a Supplier Code of Conduct. Through audits, for instance, Bayer checks whether selected suppliers conform with ethical, social and ecological standards. By 2015 supplier ratings are to cover at least 75 percent of the total procurement volume.
Social commitment
Social commitment forms an integral part of Bayer’s sustainability strategy. The company invested EUR 54 million in charity projects in 2011. In doing so, it is looking to make a valuable contribution to society and, at the same time, help shape the framework for the Group's business activities in a positive manner.
In China, Bayer is working, for example, with the Chinese government to implement a unique health care project. Known as "Go West", the project offers general medical training and further training initiatives for physicians in poor provinces with inadequate health provision in the west of the country, equips hospitals and trains hospital management staff. Between 2007 and 2011, just under 3,500 physicians and 3,100 hospital managers in 18 provinces took part in the program. In 2011 the cooperation with the Chinese government was extended ahead of time by a further five years (2013 to 2017). As in the first phase, Bayer is providing funding of EUR 2.5 million for this public-private partnership.
The Bayer Science & Education Foundation supported schoolchildren and schools, trainees, students, young scientists and leading researchers by providing total funding of EUR 1.2 million in 2011. Around EUR 460,000 alone was invested in 52 school projects throughout Germany in order to make science lessons more appealing. In the communities near Bayer’s German sites, the Bayer Cares Foundation provided funding of around EUR 130,000 for 40 social projects involving volunteers from Bayer and the general public. This volunteering program was also extended to an initial 13 counties in Central and South America in 2011.
The Bayer Group is well on the way to implementing its comprehensive Sustainability Program. This is underlined by the company's new 68-page Sustainable Development Report, which contains countless facts and figures and is now available. "We are making good progress in all core areas – health, nutrition, and climate protection and resource efficiency," remarked Prof. Wolfgang Plischke, member of the Board of Management of Bayer AG responsible for Innovation, Technology and Sustainability. "We systematically strive to implement our qualitative and quantitative objectives on a step-by-step basis in the fields of innovation & product stewardship, ecology, employees, management & corporate governance and social commitment."
The review of 2011 documented in the report also shows that sustainability is an important part of the company's corporate strategy. "We do not see this as merely a trend. Sustainability is firmly embedded in our core business and, for us, essentially means future viability," said Plischke. He added that Bayer places particular emphasis on innovative strength and partnership models so as to operate successfully and sustainably. This is reflected year after year in the company's high research and development budget, which – at around EUR 3 billion in 2012 – is once again the highest in the German chemical and pharmaceutical industry. Plischke: "This commitment to innovation and sustainability is also at the heart of our mission: 'Bayer – Science For A Better Life.'"
The current report is available in German and English. It is aligned to the international standards of the United Nations Global Compact and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), which confirmed that it was in conformance with the highest possible rating of "A+". The report was also certified by corporate auditors Ernst & Young. An online version of the report and more detailed information are available at www.sustainability2011.bayer.com.
The Sustainable Development Report 2011 is the 13th report to be published by Bayer on the topic of sustainability. "The importance of this issue on the international agenda is also reflected in the forthcoming 'Rio+20' UN conference. As well as setting binding targets, this must be used as a forum to find concrete solutions. We, as a company, are also playing a part in this process through innovative production processes and products," said Plischke.
Focus issue health
Bayer faces two structural challenges with regard to its sustainability commitments in the area of health: on the one hand, the lack of basic medical care in developing countries where populations are on the rise and, on the other, health care requirements in industrialized countries with aging populations as a result of demographic change.
In developing countries, especially in Africa, access to contraceptives is still limited and there is a lack of knowledge about family planning and sexual health. Bayer HealthCare is pursuing the goal of providing 119 million cycles of oral contraceptives per year to developing countries. To safeguard distribution and develop the sales structures that are often lacking, Bayer works with partners such as USAID (United States Agency for International Development), which it offers medication at reduced prices. Its partner on health education issues is the German Foundation for World Population. In the long term, Bayer hopes to tap new markets in countries such as Ethiopia, Uganda and Tanzania, where middle classes with corresponding purchasing power are emerging.
In 2011 Bayer was one of the first companies to sign the "London Declaration on NTDs (Neglected Tropical Diseases)" established by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which has set itself the goal of eliminating neglected tropical diseases such as Chagas’ disease and African sleeping sickness by 2020. The company has been working with the World Health Organization (WHO) in this field for many years and provides free medication. In 2011 more than 5,700 patients were treated with drugs provided free of charge by Bayer. To tackle Chagas’ disease, the Group is doubling its supply of tablets containing the active ingredient nifurtimox to the WHO from 500,000 to 1,000,000 tablets per year for five years through to 2017. Bayer also provides a total of USD 1.5 million for the distribution of this medication and the logistics linked to this.
In emerging and industrialized countries, Bayer has established patient aid programs and developed a pricing system based on the general level of income. This system ensures that people who are not covered by health insurance or who would otherwise be unable to afford treatment receive therapy – for example, treatment for cancer or multiple sclerosis, which is cost-intensive due to the high research costs involved. In 2011 just under 40,500 patients in the United States benefited from these access programs, which have also been introduced to other countries and regions including China, southern Asia, south-eastern Europe and Brazil.
Focus issue nutrition
In the field of nutrition, Bayer focuses on new cultivation methods and sustainable practices along the entire value-added chain. In emerging markets such as India, demand for high-quality food is rising. The interaction between the various players in the food industry – from farmers and processors to dealers – is playing an increasingly important role in satisfying requirements in terms of quality, volume, price, and social and ecological compatibility. The Food Chain Partnerships established by Bayer CropScience aim to address this issue. In India alone, the company supports 125 partnerships for vegetables involving 65,000 farmers with a total of 50,000 hectares of cultivated land. Thanks to higher yields and better quality of produce the farmers have increased their income by up to 40 percent. The company has also established more than 100 other partnership programs for fruit and vegetables, primarily in China, southern Europe, Africa and Latin America.
To cultivate crops, Bayer CropScience uses innovative technologies that increase yields while protecting the environment. For example, a new process for growing rice that enables the direct seeding of pregerminated rice instead of labor- and resource-intensive preplanting is increasing yields by around 10 percent for farmers in Indonesia. At the same time, it reduces water consumption by around 20 percent and emissions of the greenhouse gas methane by around 30 percent. Bayer CropScience plans to introduce the new technology to other major rice-producing countries such as China and India.
Focus issue climate protection and resource efficiency
Bayer is pursuing a two-pronged approach to climate protection and resource efficiency. First, the Group plans to further improve the energy efficiency of its own production plants. For example, use of a new technology is cutting indirect greenhouse gas emissions by around 30 percent in the energy-intensive production of chlorine. Bayer is firmly committed to its goal of reducing direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions by 35 percent per metric ton of product sold by 2020 compared with 2005. By the end of 2011, it had already achieved a reduction of 21 percent. As a result of efficiency enhancement measures in production, energy costs were also cut by EUR 35 million in the period from 2009 to 2011. The company also remains firmly committed to the goal of keeping absolute emissions of direct and indirect greenhouse gases at 2007 levels through to 2020 despite production increases.
Second, the Group is increasingly focusing on the development and marketing of resource-friendly products. Examples include raw materials for building or refrigerator insulation, lightweight plastics for cars and high-quality materials for wind turbine rotor blades. Bayer MaterialScience already generates sales of EUR 2.4 billion per year from resource-friendly products, which is around 20 percent of the subgroup's annual sales. As part of the EcoCommercial Building Program, the network for energy-efficient commercial buildings set up by Bayer in 2007, marketing centers have now been established with 50 partner companies worldwide.
Data on relevant sustainability parameters
The current Sustainable Development Report supplies detailed data on relevant sustainability parameters collected at Bayer sites throughout the world. In addition to greenhouse gas emissions, these include other air emissions, waste, occupational safety and diversity.
Direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions Group-wide fell by 4.2 percent in absolute terms in 2011 – from 8.50 million metric tons of CO2 equivalents in 2010 to 8.15 million metric tons. Although the volume of products sold in 2011 rose by 5.2 percent, greenhouse gas emissions still fell, mainly due to improvements in energy efficiency and new process technologies. Specific greenhouse gas emissions decreased by almost 13 percent in 2011. The company has therefore made good progress toward the permanent decoupling of greenhouse gas emissions from production.
Emissions of ozone-depleting substances fell by around 21.5 percent in 2011 – from 20.8 to 16.3 metric tons. Bayer is aiming to reduce emissions of ozone-depleting substances by 70 percent by 2015 compared with 2010 levels. By contrast, emissions of volatile organic compounds increased by 6.1 percent – from 2,540 metric tons to 2,690 metric tons. The company nonetheless plans to reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds by 50 percent by 2015 compared with 2010 levels.
Due to production growth, the total volume of waste produced increased by 18.7 percent, from 807,000 metric tons to 958,000 metric tons. The recycling rate was 28 percent, 10 percent up on the previous year.
With regard to employees, Bayer aims to achieve two primary objectives by 2015. On the one hand, it plans to increase the proportion of female managers – a central aspect of diversity – toward 30 percent. In 2011, this figure was 22 percent. On the other, it plans to reduce the occupational injury rate to ≤ 0.21. The internationally accepted indicator for this is injuries with lost workdays per 200,000 employee working hours including work-related illnesses. In 2011 this rate fell from 0.34 to 0.31.
Supplier sustainability ratings
In the field of management & corporate governance, Bayer attaches particular importance to supplier management. The company has integrated aspects of sustainability into its Group-wide procurement guidelines and established a Supplier Code of Conduct. Through audits, for instance, Bayer checks whether selected suppliers conform with ethical, social and ecological standards. By 2015 supplier ratings are to cover at least 75 percent of the total procurement volume.
Social commitment
Social commitment forms an integral part of Bayer’s sustainability strategy. The company invested EUR 54 million in charity projects in 2011. In doing so, it is looking to make a valuable contribution to society and, at the same time, help shape the framework for the Group's business activities in a positive manner.
In China, Bayer is working, for example, with the Chinese government to implement a unique health care project. Known as "Go West", the project offers general medical training and further training initiatives for physicians in poor provinces with inadequate health provision in the west of the country, equips hospitals and trains hospital management staff. Between 2007 and 2011, just under 3,500 physicians and 3,100 hospital managers in 18 provinces took part in the program. In 2011 the cooperation with the Chinese government was extended ahead of time by a further five years (2013 to 2017). As in the first phase, Bayer is providing funding of EUR 2.5 million for this public-private partnership.
The Bayer Science & Education Foundation supported schoolchildren and schools, trainees, students, young scientists and leading researchers by providing total funding of EUR 1.2 million in 2011. Around EUR 460,000 alone was invested in 52 school projects throughout Germany in order to make science lessons more appealing. In the communities near Bayer’s German sites, the Bayer Cares Foundation provided funding of around EUR 130,000 for 40 social projects involving volunteers from Bayer and the general public. This volunteering program was also extended to an initial 13 counties in Central and South America in 2011.
The online version is available at www.sustainability2011.bayer.com
Neuer Nachhaltigkeitsbericht 2011 erschienen: Bayer treibt globales Nachhaltigkeits-Engagement weiter voran
Der Bayer-Konzern kommt bei der Umsetzung seines umfassenden Nachhaltigkeits-Programms gut voran. Dies unterstreicht der aktuelle Nachhaltigkeitsbericht des Unternehmens, der jetzt erschienen ist, mit zahlreichen Daten und Fakten. "In allen unseren Kernbereichen Gesundheit, Ernährung sowie Klimaschutz und Ressourceneffizienz machen wir erfreuliche Fortschritte", resümierte Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Plischke, im Vorstand der Bayer AG zuständig für Innovation, Technologie und Nachhaltigkeit, die 68-seitige Publikation. "Wir setzen unsere qualitativen und quantitativen Ziele auf den Gebieten Innovationen und Produktverantwortung, Ökologie, Mitarbeiter, Unternehmensführung sowie gesellschaftliches Engagement Schritt für Schritt konsequent um."
Die im Bericht dokumentierte Bilanz 2011 zeige auch, dass Nachhaltigkeit ein wesentlicher Bestandteil der Unternehmensstrategie sei. "Sie stellt für uns keinen Trend dar, sondern ist fest im Kerngeschäft verankert und bedeutet für uns letztlich Zukunftsfähigkeit", so Plischke. Bayer setze, um nachhaltig erfolgreich zu wirtschaften, insbesondere auf die Innovationskraft des Unternehmens und auf innovative Partnerschaftsmodelle. Für diesen Anspruch stehe auch das kontinuierlich hohe Forschungs- und Entwicklungsbudget, das im Jahr 2012 mit rund drei Milliarden Euro erneut das höchste in der deutschen chemisch-pharmazeutischen Industrie sei. Plischke: "Dieses Engagement für Innovation und Nachhaltigkeit ist auch der Kern unserer Mission: ‚Bayer - Science For A Better Life‘."
Der aktuelle Bericht liegt ab sofort in deutscher und englischer Sprache vor. Die Berichtslegung richtet sich nach internationalen Standards des Global Compact der Vereinten Nationen sowie der Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), die dem Report das höchste Berichtslevel "A+" bestätigte. Er wurde von der Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft Ernst & Young geprüft. Eine Online-Version des Berichts sowie weiterführende Informationen sind verfügbar unter: http://www.nachhaltigkeit2011.bayer.de.
Der Nachhaltigkeitsbericht 2011 ist bereits der 13. Report, den das Unternehmen rund um das Thema Nachhaltigkeit herausgibt. "Wie hoch dieses Thema auf der internationalen Agenda steht, zeigt auch die anstehende UN-Konferenz ‚Rio+20‘. Hier muss es neben verbindlichen Zielen auch um konkrete Lösungsansätze gehen. Hierzu leisten wir als Unternehmen Beiträge mit innovativen Produktionsverfahren und mit unseren Produkten", so Plischke.
Schwerpunkt Gesundheit
Mit seinem Nachhaltigkeits-Engagement im Bereich Gesundheit begegnet Bayer zwei strukturellen Herausforderungen: Einerseits der mangelnden medizinischen Grundversorgung in Entwicklungsländern, wo die Bevölkerung weiter wächst. Andererseits den Versorgungs-Bedürfnissen einer im Zuge des demografischen Wandels älter werdenden Gesellschaft in den Industrieländern.
In Entwicklungsländern, insbesondere in Afrika, mangelt es weiterhin am Zugang zu Verhütungsmitteln und am Wissen zu den Themen Familienplanung und sexuelle Gesundheit. Bayer HealthCare verfolgt das Ziel, 119 Millionen Zyklen oraler Kontrazeptiva pro Jahr in Entwicklungsländern zur Verfügung zu stellen. Um die Verteilung zu gewährleisten und häufig fehlende Vertriebsstrukturen aufzubauen, kooperiert Bayer mit Partnern wie USAID (United States Agency for International Development), denen das Unternehmen die Medikamente zu reduzierten Preisen bereitstellt. Partner bei der Gesundheitsaufklärung ist die Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevölkerung. Langfristig erhofft sich Bayer, neue Märkte in Ländern wie Äthiopien, Uganda und Tansania zu erschließen, in denen sich eine Mittelschicht mit entsprechender Kaufkraft herausbildet.
Als eines der ersten Unternehmen unterzeichnete Bayer 2011 die "London Declaration on NTDs (Neglected Tropical Diseases)" der Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, welche die Ausrottung von vernachlässigten tropischen Krankheiten wie Chagas und der Afrikanischen Schlafkrankheit bis zum Jahr 2020 zum Ziel hat. Bayer kooperiert seit Jahren bereits mit der Weltgesundheitsorganisation WHO auf diesem Gebiet und stellt kostenfrei Medikamente zur Verfügung. Im Jahr 2011 konnten über 5.700 Patienten kostenlos mit Arzneimitteln von Bayer behandelt werden. Zur Chagas-Bekämpfung verdoppelt der Konzern seine Medikamenten-Lieferung mit dem Wirkstoff Nifurtimox an die WHO - von bisher 500.000 Tabletten auf 1.000.000 pro Jahr für fünf Jahre bis 2017. Zudem unterstützt Bayer Logistik und Distribution der Medikamente mit insgesamt 1,5 Millionen US-Dollar.
In Schwellen- und Industrieländern hat Bayer Patienten-Hilfsprogramme eingerichtet und dafür ein nach dem allgemeinen Einkommensniveau differenziertes System der Preisgestaltung etabliert. Dadurch erhalten auch Menschen, die nicht krankenversichert sind oder sich eine Behandlung sonst nicht leisten könnten, beispielsweise eine Krebs- oder Multiple Sklerose-Therapie, die aufgrund des hohen Forschungsaufwandes kostenintensiv ist. In den USA profitierten im Jahr 2011 knapp 40.500 Patienten von diesen Zugangsprogrammen, die auch in weiteren Ländern und Regionen wie China, Südasien, Südosteuropa und Brasilien aufgebaut wurden.
Schwerpunkt Ernährung
Im Bereich der Ernährung legt Bayer den Fokus auf neue Anbaumethoden und eine nachhaltige Praxis entlang der gesamten Wertschöpfungskette. In Schwellenländern wie Indien steigt der Bedarf an hochwertigen Lebensmitteln. Das Zusammenspiel der verschiedenen Akteure in der Lebensmittelindustrie - vom Landwirt über den Verarbeiter bis zum Händler - gewinnt immer mehr an Bedeutung, um den Ansprüchen nach Qualität, Menge, Preis sowie sozialer und ökologischer Verträglichkeit zugleich gerecht zu werden. Dies sollen die von Bayer CropScience gegründeten "Food Chain Partnerships" gewährleisten. Allein in Indien bestehen mittlerweile 125 Partnerschaften für Gemüse, die 65.000 Landwirte mit insgesamt 50.000 Hektar Anbaufläche einbeziehen. Die Landwirte konnten ihre Einkommen über höhere Erträge und eine bessere Qualität um bis zu 40 Prozent steigern. Über 100 weitere Partnerschaftsprogramme für Gemüse und Früchte hat das Unternehmen vor allem in China, Südeuropa, Afrika und Lateinamerika ins Leben gerufen.
Beim Anbau von Agrarpflanzen setzt Bayer CropScience auf innovative Technologien, welche die Erträge steigern und die Umwelt schonen. Beispielsweise führt ein neues Reisanbau-Verfahren, das anstelle des arbeits- und ressourcenintensiven Vorpflanzens die Direktsaat von vorgekeimtem Reis ermöglicht, in Indonesien zu einer Ertragssteigerung für die Landwirte von rund 10 Prozent. Gleichzeitig werden der Wasserverbrauch um rund 20 Prozent und der Ausstoß des klimaschädlichen Methan-Gases um circa 30 Prozent gesenkt. Bayer CropScience plant die Ausdehnung der neuen Technologie auf weitere bedeutende Reisanbau-Länder wie China und Indien.
Schwerpunkt Klimaschutz und Ressourceneffizienz
Im Bereich des Klimaschutzes und der Ressourceneffizienz verfolgt Bayer einen doppelten Ansatz: Zum einen will der Konzern die Energieeffizienz in der eigenen Produktion weiter steigern. Beispielsweise senkt die Anwendung einer neuen Technologie die indirekten Treibhausgas-Emissionen in der energieintensiven Chlor-Produktion um rund 30 Prozent. Bayer hält am Ziel fest, die direkten und indirekten Treibhausgas-Emissionen bis zum Jahr 2020 um 35 Prozent pro Tonne verkaufter Produkte gegenüber 2005 zu senken. Bis Ende 2011 wurde eine Reduzierung um 21 Prozent erreicht. Durch Effizienz-Steigerungsmaßnahmen in den Produktionsbetrieben wurden im Zeitraum 2009 bis 2011 zudem Energiekosten in Höhe von 35 Millionen Euro eingespart. Das Unternehmen bekräftigt ebenfalls das Ziel, trotz Produktionssteigerung die absoluten direkten und indirekten Treibhausgas-Emissionen bis zum Jahr 2020 auf dem Niveau von 2007 zu halten.
Zum anderen setzt der Konzern verstärkt auf die Entwicklung und Vermarktung ressourcenschonender Produkte. Beispiele hierfür sind Rohmaterialien von Dämmstoffen für Gebäude oder Kühlschränke, Leichtbau-Kunststoffe für Autos und hochwertige Werkstoffe für Rotorblätter von Windrädern. Bereits heute erzielt das Unternehmen im Bereich MaterialScience einen Umsatz von 2,4 Milliarden Euro - das sind circa 20 Prozent des Jahresumsatzes in diesem Geschäftsfeld - mit ressourcenschonenden Produkten. Im Rahmen des "EcoCommercial Building Program", dem von Bayer im Jahr 2007 gegründeten Netzwerk für energieeffizente Geschäftsgebäude, wurden mittlerweile weltweit Vermarktungszentren mit 50 Partnerunternehmen aufgebaut.
Daten zu relevanten Nachhaltigkeits-Parametern
Der aktuelle Nachhaltigkeitsbericht liefert detaillierte Daten zu relevanten Nachhaltigkeits-Parametern, die an den weltweiten Bayer-Standorten erhoben wurden. Neben den Treibhausgas-Emissionen sind dies vor allem weitere Luft-Emissionen, Abfall, Arbeitssicherheit und Diversity.
Die direkten und indirekten Treibhausgas-Emissionen sanken im Berichtsjahr konzernweit absolut um 4,2 Prozent - von 8,50 Millionen Tonnen CO2-Äquivalente aus dem Jahr 2010 auf 8,15 Millionen Tonnen. Obwohl die Menge der verkauften Produkte im Jahr 2011 um 5,2 Prozent zunahm, konnte die Senkung der Treibhausgas-Emissionen vor allem durch Energieeffizienz-Steigerung und neue Verfahrenstechniken erreicht werden. Die spezifischen Treibhausgas-Emissionen sanken im Jahr 2011 um fast 13 Prozent. Damit ist das Unternehmen weiter auf dem Weg vorangekommen, dauerhaft Treibhausgas-Emissionen und Produktion zu entkoppeln.
Die Emissionen ozonabbauender Substanzen sind im Jahr 2011 um rund 21,5 Prozent gesunken - von 20,8 Tonnen auf 16,3 Tonnen. Bayer will bis zum Jahr 2015 die Emissionen ozonabbauender Substanzen um 70 Prozent gegenüber 2010 reduzieren. Der Ausstoß flüchtiger organischer Verbindungen stieg hingegen um 6,1 Prozent an - von 2.540 Tonnen auf 2.690 Tonnen. Bis 2015 will das Unternehmen die Emission flüchtiger organischer Verbindungen dennoch weiterhin um 50 Prozent gegenüber 2010 vermindern.
Die Gesamtmenge des erzeugten Abfalls erhöhte sich aufgrund des Produktionszuwachses um 18,7 Prozent von 807.000 Tonnen auf 958.000 Tonnen. Die Recyclingquote lag bei 28 Prozent und nahm damit gemessen am Vorjahreswert um 10 Prozent zu.
Im Mitarbeiter-Bereich verfolgt Bayer zwei Hauptziele bis 2015. Zum einen soll der Anteil weiblicher Führungskräfte - ein zentraler Diversity-Aspekt - in Richtung 30 Prozent erhöht werden. Im Jahr 2011 betrug er 22 Prozent. Zum anderen wurde für Arbeitsunfälle die nicht zu übersteigende Quote von 0,21 festgelegt. Die international übliche Kenngröße hierfür sind Unfälle mit Ausfalltagen pro 200.000 von Mitarbeitern geleisteten Arbeitsstunden inklusive arbeitsbedingter Erkrankungen. Im Berichtsjahr nahm die Quote von 0,34 auf 0,31 ab.
Nachhaltigkeits-Bewertung der Lieferanten
Im Bereich der Unternehmensführung setzt Bayer unter anderem einen Schwerpunkt auf das Lieferanten-Management. Das Unternehmen hat Nachhaltigkeitsaspekte in die konzernweiten Einkaufsrichtlinien integriert und einen Verhaltenskodex für Lieferanten etabliert. Unter anderem mit Audits überprüft Bayer ausgewählte Lieferanten um sicherzustellen, dass diese ethische, soziale und ökologische Anforderungen erfüllen. Bis 2015 soll die Lieferanten-Bewertung mindestens 75 Prozent des gesamten Einkaufsvolumens abdecken.
Gesellschaftliches Engagement
Das soziale Engagement ist ein integraler Bestandteil der Nachhaltigkeitsstrategie von Bayer. Im Jahr 2011 investierte das Unternehmen 54 Millionen Euro in gemeinnützige Projekte. Auch dadurch will das Unternehmen wertvolle Beiträge für die Gesellschaft leisten und zugleich die Rahmenbedingungen für das eigene unternehmerische Handeln positiv mitgestalten.
In China setzt Bayer beispielsweise ein einzigartiges Gesundheitsversorgungs-Projekt gemeinsam mit der chinesischen Regierung um. Unter dem Titel "Go West" werden Ärzte in den armen, medizinisch unterversorgten Provinzen im Westen des Landes in allgemeiner Medizin aus- und weitergebildet, Krankenhäuser ausgestattet und Leitungspersonal im Krankenhaus-Management geschult. Zwischen 2007 und 2011 nahmen knapp 3.500 Ärzte und 3.100 Krankenhaus-Manager in 18 Provinzen am Programm teil. Im Jahr 2011 wurde die Zusammenarbeit mit der chinesischen Regierung vorzeitig um weitere fünf Jahre (2013-2017) verlängert. Wie in der ersten Phase unterstützt Bayer diese "Public Private Partnership" mit Finanzmitteln in Höhe von 2,5 Millionen Euro.
Die Bayer Science & Education Foundation förderte im Berichtsjahr Schüler und Schulen, Auszubildende, Studierende, Nachwuchswissenschaftler und Spitzen-Forscher mit insgesamt 1,2 Millionen Euro. Allein rund 460.000 Euro flossen deutschlandweit in 52 Schulprojekte, um einen attraktiven naturwissenschaftlichen Unterricht zu ermöglichen. Die Bayer Cares Foundation unterstützte im Einzugsgebiet der deutschen Unternehmensstandorte 40 Sozialprojekte, in denen sich Mitarbeiter und Bürger ehrenamtlich engagieren, mit insgesamt rund 130.000 Euro. Dieses Ehrenamtsprogramm wurde im Jahr 2011 ebenfalls in zunächst 13 Ländern Mittel- und Südamerikas eingeführt.
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