Inclusion & Diversity
Inclusion & Diversity on Bayer’s Digital Channels
How we choose to communicate makes a difference. The words and visuals we use, as well as the ways we use them, have the power to make everyone who interacts with Bayer feel safe and included.
As marketing and communications professionals, we recognize and embrace diversity. Furthermore, we celebrate the differences that make us stronger and help us grow. We also believe that diversity generates incredible value for our business and shareholders thanks to the myriad of ideas, perspectives and experiences that emerge across Bayer to enable better business decisions.
Therefore, we will integrate access, diversity, equity and inclusion into our strategies for the long term. To succeed, we will communicate and embody this commitment by focusing on both internal and external actions to ensure the efforts are authentic, sustainable and helpful.
A culture of belonging in which people feel they can contribute fully because their uniqueness is valued, resourcefulness is utilized and voice is respected
A collection of similarities and differences based on demographics, experiences and choices
Helpful Principles
Regardless of the story we share or channel we use, the following principles can help us act on our commitments in how we communicate at Bayer. This means celebrating what makes people special, unique, similar and human, without alienating others.
- When in doubt, pause and reflect: Inclusive language is nuanced and can be used to reflect personal style and preference. When possible, ask someone how they would like to be identified. Reach out to knowledgeable peers or expert resources with questions. Take time to pause and review, asking the necessary questions to evaluate whether our content is living up to our I&D commitments.
- Put people first: Focus on people rather than their characteristics. As such, you should only discuss personal identifiers such as gender, sexual orientation, religion, race or ability when it’s relevant to the discussion. “Person first” is standard practice in the health space. When it comes to accessible best practices, many of these guidelines are useful for all people, regardless of ability. Similarly to the practice of including captions on videos or having an elevator in a building, inclusive approaches are essential for some and helpful for all.
- Do no harm: In the specific creative and channel checklists, you’ll see recurring questions meant to examine if our communication may harm or benefit inclusive and representative discourse. For example: who are we missing or excluding? Are we perpetuating harmful stereotypes? Would I want myself or someone I love to be portrayed this way?