The Consumer Health division accelerates the execution of its sustainability program and strikes partnership for collective action across the self care industry
Basel, Switzerland, December 1, 2021 – Bayer announced today that the company will invest €100 million to further enable sustainable innovation, production and consumption of our Consumer Health products, which include global brands such as Aspirin, Bepanthen, Claritin and Elevit. This investment, which equates to two percent of the division’s sales, will help enable Bayer to drive the sustainable use of the company’s products and help create a world where people can live healthier lives.
“The climate crisis impacts every family around the world, particularly those in underserved communities and is one of the biggest global health threats of our time,” said Heiko Schipper, Member of the Board of Management, Bayer AG, and President of Bayer’s Consumer Health Division. “Through this investment and our commitment to expand access to everyday health for 100 million people in underserved communities by 2030, it’s our aim to help create a healthier world for all.”
Over the past 20 years(1), climate change has been a cause of a growing number of chronic diseases and other health issues, disproportionately impacting vulnerable populations including children, the elderly, minorities and those in poorer communities. With the company’s vision of “health for all, hunger for none,” Bayer is committed to climate action, both for the sake of the planet and the lives of its people.
Bayer has a three-pronged science-based action plan in line with the company’s science based-targets to be climate neutral by 2030 and net zero by 2050:
1. Prioritize Sustainable Brands, Products and Packaging
Bayer is committed to finding new solutions that inspire the sustainable creation and consumption of the company’s over-the-counter products and supplements. As such, the division has implemented an approach to “recycle, reduce, be responsible and replace” and has set the following targets: 100% of Bayer Consumer Health’s packaging will be recyclable or reusable by 2030(2)and all packaging will include consumer-friendly recycling information. Within the same timing, the division’s packaging will include an average of 50% recycled content and 100% of purchased paper will be sustainably sourced. Progress to-date includes:
· Shipping boxes will include 80% recycled content by the end of 2021.
· Started conversion of paper packaging across global brands including Aleve, Claritin, Iberogast and Redoxon, to use certified paper from responsibly managed forests.
· Implemented program to transition to digital marketing and reduce the footprint of the division’s printed promotional materials.
· 100% of new product development projects are assessed for sustainability performance across health, the environment and access
2. Urge Collective Action
The urgency of climate change requires partnership to make an impact. “No single entity can win the fight against climate change,” Schipper added. “We must come together under a shared vision to advance sustainable personal healthcare around the world.”
The division recently helped develop and sign the Global Self-Care Federation’s Environmental Sustainability charter, which enables Bayer to work across competitive lines to encourage industry-wide environmental progress focused on delivering carbon emission reductions and more sustainable packaging.
3. Turbocharge Commitment to Net Zero
In line with Bayer’s overarching commitment to climate neutrality by 2030 (Scopes 1 and 2) and net zero across the entire value chain (Scopes 1, 2 and 3) by 2050, the Consumer Health division is taking specific actions to increase energy efficiency and go renewable. Progress to-date includes:
· Reduction of carbon footprint across production facilities through energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, contributing to a 30 percent reduction in carbon emissions between 2019 and 2020.
· 65% of energy consumed at three Consumer Health production sites (one each in Germany, Guatemala and Spain) is generated from renewable sources.
