Strategy

Global Compact – the UN corporate initiative for a sustainable world

Bayer was one of fifty companies worldwide that established the UN Global Compact in the year 2000. UN General Secretary Kofi Annan inaugurated the initiative with this statement: “Let us choose to unite the power of markets with the strength of universal ideals.” On a global level it has four overriding objectives:

• to promote human rights
• to guarantee international labor standards
• to improve environmental protection and
• to fight corruption.

Now numbering almost 3,000, the member organizations drawn from industry, the trade unions, governments and society have made a voluntary commitment to uphold the values of responsibility and transparency and nurture a common interest in sustainable development.

Bayer expressly supports the objectives and the ten principles of the UN Global Compact and undertakes its own initiatives to spread its message throughout the world. Examples include projects to combat child labor in India and Brazil and its partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). We take an active part in projects involving the international chemical industry and embrace programs and agreements aimed at ensuring a corporate culture characterized by high labor standards and the strict rejection of corruption.

As part of a special management system, Bayer expects its suppliers to adhere to certain economic, social, ethical and ecological standards.

 

Furthermore, Bayer was one of the first signatories of “LEAD”, the platform for corporate sustainability leadership of the Global Compact, which was presented at the World Economic Forum 2011 in Davos. As one of 54 participating companies, the Bayer Group has pledged its commitment to the strategic advancement of the Global Compact’s program. Based on the experience gained from the first 10 years of the companies’ commitment to global sustainability under the auspices of the United Nations, this leadership initiative aims to set new standards.

 

Examples of projects through which Bayer promotes the goals of the UN Global Compact:

Last updated: June 5, 2013  Copyright © Bayer AG
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