We regularly verify that our reporting satisfies the information needs and concerns of our stakeholders. Between June 2009 and January 2010, some 250 of our most important stakeholders (NGOs, associations, regulatory authorities, analysts and investors, customers, suppliers and politicians) took part in our global online survey. This survey determined, among other factors, which sustainability issues are considered to be of particular importance to our stakeholders as regards Bayer. The results confirm that Bayer focuses on the right societal megatrends: a responsible approach to drinking water, children’s health, energy-efficient and environmentally friendly production and innovation are viewed as crucial issues, as are climate change and climate protection, sustainable health care and safety at the workplace. The transparent implementation of these issues is detailed particularly clearly in the focus issue sections but is also demonstrated in the Performance Report.
The stakeholders’ preferred method of dialogue is discourse in discussion events, followed by issue-related workshops and discussion sessions with individual stakeholder groups. We aim to further expand these communication channels in the future.
To further improve and more tightly shape dialogue with our stakeholders, we are currently working with HHL (Leipzig Graduate School of Management) on a project aimed at developing a new approach to stakeholder analysis and prioritization, the results of which will be taken into account in our stakeholder management process.