Company: Bayer
Innovation: New ERGs and Other Diversity Efforts Supported by Outside Recognition
Award Recognition: Honorable Mention
The Bayer Diversity Advisory Council (BDAC) was founded in 1997 to lead the company in a direction that truly values and cultivates the similarities and differences of our employees, customers, and supplier base, thereby building an inclusive work environment. The BDAC is made up of leaders who represent every division and major site of the company.
Through the BDAC, initiatives and programs continually come to fruition throughout the company that promote and enhance diversity in every sense of the word. This can be seen through the thirteen employee networking groups that are established at Bayer.
Most recently, the Bayer Resource for Armed Forces Veteran Employees (BRAVE) network was launched that offers resources to new and existing veteran employees, family members of veterans, supporters, and allies. In addition, the Bayer Professional Development Network (BPDN) was unveiled in 2013 to provide employees with new types of professional development opportunities by offering a new group without barriers to inclusion. The BPDN offers all regular full-time employees opportunities to be involved in a corporate-sponsored organization, regardless of age, ethnicity, gender, department, position, or salary grade.
At the end of each year, the BDAC evaluates the success of the past twelve months, and reviews the improvements that should be made for the upcoming year. By frequently setting goals and planning effective ways to achieve them, the company continues to address the most current workplace diversity issues.
Through the BDAC’s vision, Bayer has been recognized nine out of the last ten years by Working Mother Magazine, which highlights the one hundred best companies in the U.S. that have created an environment to enhance women’s issues and advancement, workforce profiles, company culture, and many other work/life programs. Bayer’s Supplemental Paid Parental Leave Policy has experienced tremendous growth upon its inception. In 2011 when the policy launched 221 paid parental leaves were taken by employees. Of those, 117 were for working fathers and 104 were for working mothers. In 2012, there were 335 parental leaves taken. 184 of those paid parental leaves were used by working fathers and 151 working mothers utilized the policy.
