Our mindset for "The Next Normal"

When we look outside the window, we see a world in motion. Some say it's moving faster than ever before. New technologies are disrupting entire industries. Climate change is threatening our livelihoods in an existential way. Within weeks, a lethal virus massively restricted our private and professional realities worldwide. Our way of living and doing business is subject to a new reality. We are all about to discover the next normal.

Much remains unclear these days. What is clear is that change will remain our constant companion. For global organizations, the ability to adapt to new challenges and seize new opportunities will be essential. It is also clear that everyone deals with change differently. This applies to our 100,000 colleagues and their families as well as to our customers and partners, neighbors and friends in the communities we operate in.

The more the ambiguity and uncertainty we have to deal with, the more important it becomes that we share a clear set of values to define our common ground.

In times like these, we all need orientation. The more the ambiguity and uncertainty we have to deal with, the more important it becomes that we share a clear set of values to define our common ground. At Bayer, our compass is not centered around the four cardinal directions, but our four LIFE values. LIFE stands for Leadership, Integrity, Flexibility and Efficiency. In the past ten years, these values have served us very well and guided us in our decision-making and the interactions with stakeholders.

COVID-19 as the ultimate proof point for our corporate culture

We have firmly anchored our company culture in these values. I like to think that our response to the COVID-19-pandemic in recent months was the ultimate proof point for that. I have been deeply impressed by our employees’ relentless commitment to help others, be it through donations and voluntary support for those in need or continuous work in service of our customers.

Our employees’ engagement in 2020 has been a tremendous testament for our LIFE values. I can hardly think of a better example of each one of these values than the group of employees of our Pharmaceuticals division, who left their day jobs to support Germany’s national testing efforts during the peak of the pandemic in Germany.

Our LIFE values will continue to guide us. However, with a world in motion, we must continue to clarify what they mean.

Digitalization, breakthrough innovation, societal progress – as our world changes, the way we live our values naturally will as well.

Our vision "Health for all, Hunger for none" contains a clear focus on innovation and sustainability as a leading life science company. It also articulates the inclusive way we want to run our business as well as the diversity of people we want to reach.

New attributes for everyone at Bayer

In that spirit, we created LIFE 2.0. The four Bayer values – Leadership, Integrity, Flexibility and Efficiency – remain in place. Each value is now underpinned by three attributes, which focus on defining the value’s practical relevance and meaning.

These new attributes define the culture for everyone at Bayer. They summarize the behaviors and beliefs that our colleagues, customers, partners and stakeholders can expect from us. It’s our mindset for the next normal.

I am making a personal commitment to LIFE 2.0 and know that #TeamBayer will do the same.