sustainability indices confirms Bayer’s position as one of the international sustainability leaders in its sector. Bayer is one of the few German companies that have been included in the DJSI World continuously since its establishment in 1999.

“We are delighted about the renewed inclusion in the DJSI World. It is an acknowledgement of Bayer’s continuous and systematic focus on a corporate value that has attracted greater public attention in the wake of the economic crisis: successful and sustainable business management,” comments Dr. Wolfgang Plischke, member of the Bayer Board of Management responsible for Innovation, Technology and Environment. “In all our business activities, our aim is to balance commercial success with the needs of our employees and society and with environmental protection.” Bayer is working on specific, innovative solutions to the central challenges of sustainable development – from climate protection and protecting drinking water to securing the food supply for the growing world population and global health care.

Sustainable investment is gaining in significance because more and more institutional investors are making their investment decisions dependent on whether a company’s strategy is focused on sustainable success. According to the index provider Dow Jones, portfolio managers in 16 countries currently use the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for equity investment decisions for assets totaling over USD 8 billion.

Inclusion in the DJSI World is based on an analysis of corporate sustainability performance by the independent Swiss asset management company SAM (Sustainable Asset Management). The analysts awarded Bayer consistently very good scores for environmental criteria, which include its contribution to climate protection and transparent sustainability reporting. Moreover, Bayer scored more highly than in the previous year on anti-corruption and corporate governance activities.

Companies are selected for inclusion in the index using a best-in-class approach: rather than listing all companies that meet specific economic, ecological and social criteria, only the top performers from each sector are included. The best ten percent of companies in each sector from the 2,500 corporations listed on the Dow Jones Global Index qualify for inclusion in the DJSI World.

Further information: www.sustainability-indexes.com

For additional information on Bayer and its sustainability rankings visit: www.bayer.com/en/ratings-ranking-awards.aspx

Bayer: Science For A Better Life
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, nutrition and high-tech materials. The company’s products and services are designed to benefit people and improve their quality of life. At the same time Bayer creates value through innovation, growth and high earning power. The Group is committed to the principles of sustainable development and to its role as a socially and ethically responsible corporate citizen. Economy, ecology and social responsibility are corporate policy objectives of equal rank. In fiscal 2008, Bayer employed 108,600 people and had sales of EUR 32.9 billion. Capital expenditures amounted to EUR 2.0 billion, R&D expenses to EUR 2.7 billion. For more information, go to www.bayer.com.


Forward-Looking Statements
This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer’s public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.