Bayer launches group-wide climate programme

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals giant Bayer yesterday announced a major new climate change initiative designed to slash the company's emissions and expand its portfolio of low-carbon products.

Under the strategy, the company pledged to continue the progress that has seen it cut emissions by 36 per cent between 1990 and 2006, announcing that by 2020 emissions from its CropScience division would be 15 per cent lower, emissions from its HealthCare unit would be five per cent lower, and emissions from its MaterialScience high-tech plastics subgroup would be 25 per cent lower per ton of sales.

Public policy spokesman Dirk Frenzel said that while it had committed to absolute emission reduction targets for its healthcare and agricultural science units, rapid expansion for its plastics division made it difficult to identify a set target. However, he said that the company was committed to improving energy efficiency from its most energy intensive division by 1.9 per cent a year up to 2020.

The company said it would hit the targets by applying its own Climate Check audit to all of its production facilities as part of a strategy for identifying and executing potential energy efficiency improvements. Frenzel said that several projects to improve the efficiency of chemical production processes were already in place, including a project to cut the carbon footprint of chlorine production by 30 per cent.

He added that a new employee incentive programme to encourage staff to use more fuel efficient vehicles and telecommunication technologies would aim to slash the company’s fleet emissions by 20 per cent by 2020.

Bayer chairman Werner Wenning said that the emission reduction programmes were needed if the company's expanding portfolio of "green" products was to retain credibility.

Under the new strategy the company committed to investing €1bn in climate-related research and development over the next three years. It also announced plans to certify its internal Climate Check service so that it can be offered to external customers, unveiled a new EcoCommercial Buildings service to support the design and development of zero-carbon buildings and promote its building insulation products, and detailed research projects to develop more energy efficient biofuel crops.

In particular, the company said it was investigating the commercial viability of the Jatropha plant, a fuel crop that can be cultivated in dry regions unsuitable for food crops.

Frenzel said the company was well positioned to exploit the business opportunities presented by climate change. "Our products can contribute to energy and resource saving and we want to address those business opportunities, " he said. "However, at the same time we have to accept that we are an emitter and we need to contribute to carbon reductions."