Support for the submission of SBTi climate protection targets
Customer: Bayer AG
Category: Healthcare
Date: November 2020
Bayer AG is a global leader in the fields of health care and agriculture. The Group’s broad product range and research focus is on health care, crop protection and pest control. Its operating business is divided into the Consumer Health, Pharmaceuticals and Crop Science divisions.
Bayer AG has been committed to a sustainable corporate policy for many years and intends to further intensify its efforts starting this year (2020). Sustainability has thus become a permanent component of the annual planning and strategy cycle. As a result, the sustainability targets not only influence the company-wide decision-making processes, but also increasingly the compensation at management and board level. For some years now, this has had an impact on the qualitative component of short-term cash compensation and, from 2021, also on the quantitative long-term share-based cash compensation.
In addition, the company relies on an independent, externally staffed Sustainability Board to provide support in strategic issues and thought-provoking impulses.
“DFGE is a reliable, competent but also pragmatic partner for us”.
Challenge
Timely submission of SBT documents
Science Based Targets (SBT) are scientifically based CO2 reduction targets that are designed to help reduce global warming. In order to meet the comprehensive requirements of the responsible Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) and thus to ensure a smooth submission of SBTi climate protection targets, the SBTi form must be carefully prepared.
To ensure that the target submission is correctly completed and submitted in time for this year’s CDP deadline in June, Bayer AG commissioned DFGE to conduct an ad-hoc review of the prepared SBTi form.
Solution
Review of the prepared document under consideration of the relevant requirements
DFGE checked the Target Submission Form prefilled by Bayer for completeness and correctness. This review was based on the requirements of the guidelines and criteria of the SBTi. After an analysis phase, the document was successively corrected and completed together with the customer.
Following the revision, the form was submitted to the SBTi in due time. DFGE then helped Bayer to answer content-related questions during the review process of SBTi, the so-called Target Check.
Result
Ensuring a successful SBT release
DFGE is pleased to have played its part in ensuring that Bayer AG was able to successfully submit its SBT climate protection targets on time. This enabled Bayer to complete a further milestone in its ambitious sustainability strategy.
In addition, by setting SBT targets, the company was able to activate additional points in the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire and can now have justified hopes of receiving an “A” rating again in 2021.
The DFGE is looking forward to supporting Bayer’s sustainability efforts in future projects.
