Human Rights

Human rights are the basis for a life with dignity.
 

Bayer is a founding member of the UN Global Compact and respects the Universal Declaration of human rights and the International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of the United Nations. We also support the “Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy” of the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the latter’s core labor standards. Our human rights due diligence approach is based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. 

The implementation of human rights due diligence is a continuous process that must be constantly adapted and improved. In addition to identifying, assessing and addressing potential and actual human rights risks and violations, we also strive to contribute positively towards human rights. This commitment is anchored in our human rights strategy.

We have defined clear sustainability goals that make an important contribution to promoting self-determined living and thus exerts a positive influence on human rights. This is achieved not only by reducing our ecological footprint, but also by giving many people in underserved regions broader access to health care and nutrition.  

With our Human Rights Policy, we define the requirements within the company. The policy obligates us to respect and foster human rights within our own business activities and in business relations. This applies to all Bayer employees worldwide and the entire value chain, such as our suppliers, business partners, customers, consumers and local communities alike. 

The Chairman of the Bayer Board of Management is responsible for sustainability and human rights at Bayer. In his role as Chief Sustainability Officer, he is supported in the topic of human rights by the Public Affairs, Sustainability & Safety Enabling Function. 
 

In October 2022, the Board of Management introduced the position of Human Rights Officer, who will oversee risk management regarding human rights and inform the Board of Management of the ongoing work.  
 

At the beginning of 2023, the expert in the area of “human rights” and “health equity”, Dante Pesce, joined Bayer’s Sustainability Council which advises the Board of Management of Bayer AG and other functions within the company on all sustainability matters. With this member, our commitment to human rights is also strengthened in the composition of the Sustainability Council.  
 

"Acknowledging and managing human rights risks are important prerequisites for trust in a company and fundamental to its sustainability efforts. Guided by recognized international standards such as the OECD Due Diligence Guidelines and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and by a clear commitment from the highest level of its governance, the transformation of a company such as Bayer can succeed. With its enormous reach and scientific capacity, Bayer is a perfect case to become a global player in the search for solutions to societal challenges. I am happy to be involved in this process," Dante Pesce emphasized.

We report in detail on our human rights due diligence measures for our workforce, suppliers, customers, consumers and local communities.
 

Observing human rights is interdisciplinary and covers wide-ranging areas of responsibility and processes at Bayer. We report in more detail on our due diligence approach with respect to human rights in the relevant chapters of our Sustainability Report and in the following sections.

The risk of human rights violations poses a particular challenge for Bayer in the seed supply chain. In 2023, we again dealt in detail with human rights risks along our global seed supply chain and continued our risk prevention and mitigation measures.

Risks of Human Rights violations are often associated with extraction of raw materials as the procurement of minerals originating from unstable regions of the world can contribute to the financing of conflicts and the violation of human rights. We work to ensure that so-called conflict materials are procured responsibly.
 

As such, additional verification processes were established for the fulfillment of further international regulations such as those requesting companies to disclose the origin of certain raw materials. The explicit expectations of our suppliers are spelled out in our Supplier Code of Conduct. Suppliers who do not meet these requirements are immediately notified that these standards must be complied with and suitable measures initiated. 
 

Bayer’s net-zero deforestation as well as the human rights commitment along the value chain includes the ambition to source sustainable palm (kernel) oil and soy derivatives. Bayer believes in sustainable value chains with the focus on sustainable production, transparency, traceability and certification. Our activities are aligned with the elements of the Accountability Framework. We collaborate with our partners and suppliers to further decrease our environmental footprint and set social and ethical standards.
 

Find further details on the programs of conflict minerals as well as sustainable palm, sustainable soy, other plant-based materials here.

On the topic of human rights we engage in dialogue with external stakeholders and actively participate in committees and initiatives established to ensure the observance of human rights.