Overview
Stakeholder dialogue
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Stakeholder dialogue
In addition to the continuous exchange of ideas with our employees, we aim to expand and systematize dialogue with investors, customers, government representatives, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and consumer associations in the coming years. After all, not only does their opinion of our activities have an increasingly significant impact on our business success, through dialogue with these stakeholders we also hope to gain insight into how to further increase our contribution to sustainable development and thus reduce risks.
By learning to understand what drives our stakeholders, we gain insight into the justification and urgency of their demands, as well as their ability to influence our company. In this way we prioritize stakeholder demands and use them in the definition of our fields of action. In this connection, we orient our decisions to short- and long-term business interests – including our reputation.
We also enter into dialogue with our stockholders each year at our Annual Stockholders’ Meeting, where each stockholder is authorized to speak or make counterproposals.
By learning to understand what drives our stakeholders, we gain insight into the justification and urgency of their demands, as well as their ability to influence our company. In this way we prioritize stakeholder demands and use them in the definition of our fields of action. In this connection, we orient our decisions to short- and long-term business interests – including our reputation.
We also enter into dialogue with our stockholders each year at our Annual Stockholders’ Meeting, where each stockholder is authorized to speak or make counterproposals.
Stakeholder survey: Tremendous interest in climate protection
To further improve our sustainability management, we carried out an online survey on the topic of sustainability in the spring of 2007 that provided us with important information concerning the demands placed by our stakeholders on reporting by the company. The global project addressed the entire spectrum of social groups. In cooperation with Globalpark GmbH, we surveyed representatives of non-governmental organizations, unions, authorities and media, along with employees, analysts, investors, customers, suppliers, consultants, scientists and politicians. The results of this study highlight the tremendous interest that our stakeholder groups show in this issue.
95 percent of those surveyed generally consider sustainable development in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry to be important or very important. Overall, the readers are in favor of reporting on the specified topics. In the stakeholders’ opinion, there should be a primary focus on the issues of climate protection, freshwater and drinking water conservation and the improvement of environmental protection in production. More than half of those surveyed would like to see reporting focusing heavily or very heavily on the topic of corporate social responsibility.
Three quarters of those surveyed were familiar with the Bayer Sustainable Development Report. The readers pay close attention to the content, as more than two thirds said they read many of the articles in detail. With respect to the Sustainable Development Report’s layout, the readers prefer a compact, concise presentation with graphics and short texts.
95 percent of those surveyed generally consider sustainable development in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry to be important or very important. Overall, the readers are in favor of reporting on the specified topics. In the stakeholders’ opinion, there should be a primary focus on the issues of climate protection, freshwater and drinking water conservation and the improvement of environmental protection in production. More than half of those surveyed would like to see reporting focusing heavily or very heavily on the topic of corporate social responsibility.
Three quarters of those surveyed were familiar with the Bayer Sustainable Development Report. The readers pay close attention to the content, as more than two thirds said they read many of the articles in detail. With respect to the Sustainable Development Report’s layout, the readers prefer a compact, concise presentation with graphics and short texts.
Results of the stakeholder survey
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Percentage of answers with ratings 4 or 5, with scale ranging from “1 = unimportant” to “5 = very important”
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Percentage of answers with ratings 4 or 5, with scale ranging from “1 = should not be covered” to “5 = should be covered very widely”
Stakeholder dialogue: Group-wide policy planned
As we announced in the Sustainable Development Report 2005 
, we have since begun implementing a Group-wide “Stakeholder Dialogue Directive.” In this connection we received key input from the stakeholder survey. We plan to publish this document in 2007.
, we have since begun implementing a Group-wide “Stakeholder Dialogue Directive.” In this connection we received key input from the stakeholder survey. We plan to publish this document in 2007.Stakeholder engagement: Broadly based solutions
Stakeholder engagement at different levels is an integral part of Bayer CropScience’s business approach. Bayer CropScience is committed to an open dialogue with stakeholders, consults with them and cooperates in multi-stakeholder initiatives, including public-private partnership projects (PPPs) to develop locally adapted solutions for agriculture, for example. In 2006, Bayer CropScience organized the scientific forum “Science and Society” on the topic “Caring for Future Needs.” More than 100 leading scientists and representatives from different stakeholder groups participated in the discussions. These focused on global challenges such as climate change and population growth, and their resulting impact on natural resources.
An internal Bayer CropScience Policy on stakeholder engagement was drafted in 2006 with the help of all the regions. It is expected to be more widely communicated in 2007.
An internal Bayer CropScience Policy on stakeholder engagement was drafted in 2006 with the help of all the regions. It is expected to be more widely communicated in 2007.
Participation in associations: Learning from one another
An important opinion-leading role is played by organizations – be they national, European and international industry associations or conventional non-governmental organizations. As a leading company in its industry sector, Bayer participates in numerous industry associations. We are also active in the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). In October 2004, we became the first German company in our sector to join the gri as an “Organizational Stakeholder,” thus contributing our experience to the international discussion concerning the future of corporate sustainability reporting. Furthermore, Bayer participates intensively in the exchange of ideas between Global Compact members.
We are very pleased that the new U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon is continuing this initiative of his predecessor Kofi Annan. We supported the establishment of the “Foundation for the Global Compact” in April 2006 with a donation. We eagerly await the announced publication of the “Business Guide to Partnering with NGOs,” which we hope will provide us with further incentives for our stakeholder directive.
We are very pleased that the new U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon is continuing this initiative of his predecessor Kofi Annan. We supported the establishment of the “Foundation for the Global Compact” in April 2006 with a donation. We eagerly await the announced publication of the “Business Guide to Partnering with NGOs,” which we hope will provide us with further incentives for our stakeholder directive.
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