In April 2019 Ethical Consumer searched Bayer’s website, www.bayer.com, for information about its environmental reporting and practices. The Sustainability section of the website was viewed.
The company discussed health, agriculture, greenhouse gas emissions, waste, water, bees, sustainable agriculture and resource and energy efficiency. Overall the company was felt to have a reasonable understanding of its key environmental impacts.
In regard to environmental data, it presented emissions data, including direct and indirect green house gases; volatile organic compounds; total phosphorous in waste water; total nitrogen in waste water; total organic compounds. Bayer also presented waste data, including hazardous waste generated and landfilled. And resource use, including water use, primary energy consumption and secondary energy consumption.
A few environmental reduction targets were presented, including:
- Improvement of 10% in Group-wide energy efficiency by 2020. Reference year 2012: 3.50 Mwh/t
- Reduction of 20% in Group-wide specific greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. Reference year 2012: 0.98 t CO2/t
- By 2017 establishment of water management at all sites in water-scarce areas (35 sites)
No clear statement could be found that the data presented was independently verified.
Overall Bayer received Ethical Consumer’s middle rating for Environmental Reporting.
Reference:
Bayer website (29 May 2019)