Bayer Australia has launched its first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) with Chairman and Managing Director of Bayer Australia and New Zealand Joerg Ellmanns proudly embracing the opportunity for the German-based multinational to celebrate inclusion and diversity here in Australia.

“This plan is a first for Bayer. As a leader in agriculture and healthcare worldwide,

our corporate citizenship in Australia is important, and we believe the breadth of our business means we can make a positive impact,” he said.

He said the Reflect plan – the first stage of Reconciliation Australia’s planning - would  help develop a deeper understanding and engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities through improved cultural awareness.

“With the world’s oldest continuous living culture, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have much to offer to our community, and much from which we can learn.” 

“Importantly, the Reconciliation Action Plan allows Bayer to show our respect for the Traditional Owners of the land on which our offices and facilities are located in Australia and in our day-to-day activities across the agriculture and healthcare sectors.”

Mr Ellmanns said that by actioning the plan throughout 2020, Bayer employees would benefit from an increased understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, their histories, knowledge and rights through the cultural learning included in the plan.

For more information and to download the RAP, go to Bayer in Australia and New Zealand.

Community support

Bayer’s community partners have supported its first Reconciliation Action Plan which complements its long-standing commitment of supporting Aboriginal health and economic prosperity through education and business programs, including the Heart of Australia mobile cardiology clinic, whose rural and regional patients include 15 per cent Indigenous patients, and its strong relationships with rural Indigenous health services.

Bayer also has a long partnership with Mission Australia which has congratulated the company on its first Reconciliation Action Plan. Mission Australia’s Charcoal Lane social enterprise restaurant in Melbourne provides guidance, opportunity and hospitality skills for Aboriginal young people, helping them to reach their potential and gain long-term independence.