Our Code of Conduct
The Code of Conduct outlines Bayer’s principles of business conduct. It defines how we as Bayer employees work together with our colleagues and external partners. While it does not cover every situation we may encounter, it serves as our compass to ensure we act with integrity and helps us to make informed decisions, focus on the essentials and reinforce our company’s identity.
“We’re building a company where everyone will make bigger, more important decisions about how to serve our mission,” explains Bayer CEO Bill Anderson. “That makes a shared sense of integrity and a strong ethical code absolutely essential! I want to encourage everyone in Team Bayer to take ownership of their work and rely on the guidance of experts in Team Bayer to ensure we’re acting with integrity and in accordance with all relevant laws and regulations, at all times. Our mission is a bold one, and we need to serve it with the highest standards!”
How we interact with customers, patients and consumers
Our commitment: We commit to providing the best customer experience with each of our products and services. Quality is one of our core values. We all are responsible for quality in everything we do.
Our commitment: We ensure that our products and services meet the needs and expectations of customers and the authorities in terms of safety, quality and efficacy to safeguard our “license to operate”.
Our commitment: We contribute to the well-being and safety of patients and consumers. We ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and facilitate the efficient commercialization and accessibility of our products. It is mandatory to complete the respective trainings in a timely manner.
Our commitment: We protect our patients’ and customers’ access to genuine products to make our vision “Health for all, hunger for none” a reality.
How we work together
Our commitment: We are committed to creating a workplace where discrimination, harassment, and retaliation are not tolerated. Employees should feel free to raise concerns in good faith, without fear of retaliation. At Bayer, we foster a culture of appreciation and empowerment, allowing everyone to thrive and be their best selves. We respect the right and freedom of employees to join organizations of their choosing according to applicable laws and regulations.
Our commitment: We act in Bayer’s best interest.
Our commitment: The way we communicate greatly influences the perception of Bayer. Open and transparent dialogue with our diverse internal and external stakeholders is key to creating and maintaining understanding, acceptance, and trust in our company and its endeavors.
Our commitment: Bayer is committed to the protection of its employees, sites, products, intellectual property and reputation against security threats, crime, and crisis events.
How we work with stakeholders
Sustainability
Our commitment: A growing world population and the increasing burden on ecosystems are among the biggest challenges humanity faces. As global leaders in healthcare and nutrition, we can contribute solutions at the intersection of climate, health and food. Through our products and sustainability initiatives, we help to improve farming and increase access to nutrition and healthcare. We help protect the environment by reducing our own ecological footprint and that of agriculture. We commit to acting responsibly along the entire value chain and fulfilling all non-financial reporting obligations.
Human Rights
Our commitment: Respecting human rights is at the core of how we do business at Bayer. We show up as a founding member of the UN Global Compact, supporters of the International Bill of Human Rights, the International Labor Organization’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs).
Health & Safety
Our commitment: We respect and care for the safety, health, and well-being of people, whether they are employees, contractors, visitors, or neighbors around the world.
Risk Management and Compliance Management System
Our commitment: Seek opportunities and take corresponding risks into account when making our business decisions. This requires talking about risks openly and addressing them proactively.
Competition Law
Our commitment: We commit to fair and free competition in compliance with applicable competition (or ‘antitrust’) laws.
Anti-corruption, gifts/ entertainment, and anti-money laundering
Our commitment: We do not tolerate corruption and we refuse any business opportunity that involves bribery or wrongfully influencing third parties. We only give gifts or offer entertainment within the boundaries of ethics and laws. We pay particular attention to local laws when it comes to gifts or entertainment provided to healthcare professionals or governmental officials as it may be unlawful to do so completely. Even where allowed, giving a benefit may require public reporting or disclosure.
We abide by all applicable laws to prevent money laundering.
Export Control, Economic Sanctions, International Trade and Customs Compliance
Our commitment: We are committed to complying with all applicable international trade laws and regulations (export controls, economic sanctions and customs). We support national and multilateral initiatives that seek to prevent the misuse of goods or technologies such as nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons, or the spread of terrorism or war.
Insider Trading
Our commitment: Bayer promotes open and fair capital markets by protecting non-public information from unintended disclosure and misuse. We comply with all applicable insider trading laws.
Responsible use of Artificial Intelligence
Our commitment: We act responsibly in the development, testing and implementation of products and services enabled by Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Information and Cyber Security
Our commitment: Cyber and information security is everyone’s responsibility. All employees are expected to protect our assets, information and digital products and adhere to local/ international legislation, industry regulations, and/ or agreements.
Intellectual Property
Our commitment: Intellectual property rights are valuable assets. Bayer safeguards the value of its research and development efforts as well as the goodwill and reputation of the company and its brands. Bayer respects the valid rights and claims of any third party.
Data Privacy
Our commitment: We always respect an individual’s right to privacy, which is a fundamental human right, guaranteed and protected by privacy laws.
Information Retention and Deletion
Our commitment: We ensure systematic and consistent management of all records and information from their creation or receipt to their final disposition, regardless of media type.
Interaction with patients and patient organizations
Our commitment: We support patients and their caretakers worldwide within the frame of ethics and local laws by helping them manage their treatment and improve disease outcomes through patient organizations (POs).
Interaction with Healthcare Professionals and Healthcare Organizations
Our commitment: We comply with laws, regulations and industry codes that regulate interactions with healthcare professionals (HCP) and healthcare organizations (HCO).
Our goal is to ensure that HCPs and HCOs have access to the information they need to prescribe our products based on a patient’s needs and best interest.
Interaction with Suppliers and Making Proper Buying Decisions
Our commitment: We are committed to achieving excellence by leveraging our resources and fostering sustainable partnerships rooted in compliance, sustainability, fairness, and integrity in every buying decision.
Accounting and Financial Reporting
Our commitment: We assure financial reporting complies with national and international accounting standards, thus retaining trust and integrity for Bayer and avoiding any potential sanctions or liability and reputation risks for the Bayer Group and the Board of Management of Bayer AG.
Taxes
Our commitment: We are committed to ensuring that Bayer’s tax affairs are responsibly managed, and we are recognized by our stakeholders as a responsible and reliable taxpayer.
Treasury
Our commitment: We are committed to secure Bayer’s liquidity and increase the company’s value through optimized capital structures and financial risk management.
