Sami Joost Expands On Bayer’s Core Values Of Sustainable Development, And His Own Role In Furthering The Global Philosophy And Commitment Towards Sustainability Within The Middle East.

T2NZ: Can you give us an overview of Bayer’s philosophy and approach toward sustainability?

SJ: Contributing to sustainable development is a core element of Bayer’s corporate strategy and of our core values. Guided by our vision “Health for all, Hunger for none” and purpose “Science for a better life.”, we promote inclusive growth and a responsible use of resources to help people and planet thrive. Inclusive growth means we’re providing more people in all the regions of the world with access to health care and food security and devising solutions to environmental protection, esp. decarbonization, climate adaptation, and biodiversity preservation. Our products, services and innovative prowess enables us to contribute significantly toward meeting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with regard to combating hunger (Goal 2) and providing health care (Goal 3). Our work also helps the fight against poverty (Goal 1). In addition, we are sharpening our focus on empowering women (Goal 5), redoubling our efforts to reduce greenhouse gases along our value chain and build resilience towards the impacts of climate change (Goal 13) and protecting life on land (Goal 15).

T2NZ: Bayer has announced the European launch of its global Carbon Initiative. Has there been a ME roll-out and if yes, how does that impact your activities in the MEA? If no, when is it expected and what are the expectations for the Bayer team in the MEA?

SJ: Bayer has been engaged in climate protection for decades and will further accelerate its efforts to combat climate change and protect biodiversity. Globally, the company is aiming to become carbon-neutral in its own operations by 2030. To accomplish this, Bayer will implement energy efficiency measures, switch to 100 percent renewable electricity and offset the remaining emissions through biodiversity-enhancing carbon capture. Bayer is committed to the Science Based Targets Initiative and is already listed as a company that is taking action. In this project, started by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the U.N. Global Compact, the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), more than 700 companies have committed to taking significant climate action and setting emission reduction targets to keep the increase in global temperature below 2°C. In the Middle East, Bayer is primarily operating as a sales and marketing organization, which means that our production sites are located in other parts of the globe. However, we are striving for absolute emission reduction along the entire value chain by engaging with suppliers and customers, as well as in the company’s logistics and packaging in line with our anticipated sustainability targets.

T2NZ: How does the sustainability and carbon neutrality initiative fit into Bayer’s operations and projects in the MEA region?

SJ: Extremely well. For example, Bayer Middle East FZE has recently announced the launch of its regional distribution center that will reduce time-to-market by as much as 58 percent. The center will facilitate the delivery of more than 3400 tons annually, while ensuring greater network flexibility, increased frequency and dedicated stock for customers in the Middle East. This ultimately leads to a highly efficient and sustainable business operation. Equipped with the latest warehousing and cold chain technologies, the facility operated by Agility, one of the world's leading logistics companies, is spread over 60,000 m² with multiple storage temperature options. Accommodating over 100,000 pallet positions, 56 loading docks and 83 material handling equipment, the center is fully compliant with Ministry of Health, EU Guidelines on Good Distribution Practice and World Health Organization standards.

T2NZ: How are you involved in terms of fulfilling Bayer’s sustainability objectives both within the organization and in the region?

SJ: As part of our sustainability targets, we are enabling hundreds of millions through access to health and nutrition. In this context, Bayer intends to provide 100 million women in low-and-middle income countries with access to family planning by funding multi-stakeholder aid programs and by ensuring the supply of affordable modern contraceptives. Family planning methods are vital in the support of women’s health, rights and economic status. At present, more than 200 million women in low-and-middle income countries have an unmet need for modern contraception. According to the United Nations, Egypt will have to feed an additional 60 million people over the next 30 years if population growth continues. For this reason, we have recently embarked on a strategic partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Egypt for a Corporate Giving & Sustainability Initiative in the focus area of family planning and reproductive health. The partnership aims to support the UNFPA’s priorities through providing system-critical corporate giving funds resources for key projects on the ground. In total, the supported program will target in the period of 2021-2025 to provide 200,000 women to receive family planning methods and 300,000 women to be reached with awareness messages and services during the campaign.

T2NZ: Sustainability is a relatively new subject in the region. Post pandemic, are we talking about this subject better than we have in the past? Has the spotlight on climate change being one of the factors in moving this conversation in a positive direction? Do you feel confident that we're moving towards a more sustainable or more sustainability-conscious future?

SJ: Yes, I do – the leaders of the region have realized not only the imperatives but also the benefits of sustainable actions. As the world seeks more low-carbon energy sources and as the shift towards electricity-powered technologies gains momentum, the GCC region is becoming an ideal market for renewable energy deployment. According to PwC’s Strategy & team, if the region takes the sustainable road, it could reap US$3 trillion in economic growth and generate more than one million ‘future-proof’ jobs by 2030. Governments and corporate leaders realize that such opportunities presented by sustainability initiatives outweigh any limits on economic development. They can leverage the region’s abundant renewable resources to manufacture carbon-neutral and carbon-negative industrial products for exports, or to diversify their energy mixes to include sources like solar and low-environmental-impact hydrocarbon. As the world shifts towards a greener future, the Middle East stands ready to play a leading role in shaping the sustainability agenda.

Climate change affects us all and is one of the greatest challenges that humankind will face in the future. Bayer considers climate protection and the related reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to be a top priority. We anticipate that our business areas of health care and agriculture will be impacted by climate change but will also be part of the solution. We firmly believe that economic growth and sustainability ought to go hand in hand, which is why sustainability is a key component of our business strategy.

T2NZ: As a marketer, where do you see the widest panorama of sustainability & innovation within the region?

SJ: Our goal is to create value for our customers, stockholders and employees, while also strengthening the company’s earning power. We are committed to operating sustainably and addressing our social and ethical responsibilities. We recognize the power of innovation in everything we do, which is why we take a holistic approach rooted in research and development, open innovation, entrepreneurship and social innovation. From a stakeholder engagement perspective, I am utterly convinced that it is our responsibility actively to seek dialogue with various societal players, particularly nongovernmental organizations and political stakeholders. I am glad that with this value proposition we are in constant exchange with key players in the region and can contribute to developing joint solutions to key issues of our time.

T2NZ: In your peer group, which brands are setting the high global standards for carbon neutrality? How do you feel this can be taken to the next level?

SJ: There are countless examples which illustrate how the Middle East is shifting to a sustainable future as recently outline by the World Economic Forum. In 2019, Saudi Arabia implemented a $28 billion renewable energy development program. The program offers loans for clean energy projects and the manufacturers of renewable energy components. Additionally, the Saudi Industrial Development Fund’s Mtujadeda was created to help the Kingdom move away from its dependence on oil, towards other diversified energy sources. There are several other recent efforts in the UAE and the wider region that have sought to tackle the broad range of SDGs. Moreover, Siemens Energy has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Egyptian Electricity Holding Company to jointly develop hydrogen-based industry in Egypt with export capability. Egypt has a rich mix of renewable energy resources, a strong industrial base, developed infrastructure and access to markets, providing a solid foundation on which to develop a robust green hydrogen industry. In general, the movement towards renewable energy has gained momentum in the Middle East and is an equally appealing area of focus for financial institutions. Solar energy has continued to grow in the region since Masdar inaugurated what was the world’s largest concentrated solar power (CSP) plant at the time – Shams Solar Power Plant – in 2013.

T2NZ: In terms of sustainability, what positive change would you like to see in your industry?

SJ: The pharmaceutical and life sciences industry has taken a leadership position in the sustainability movement. With a solid presence in sustainability, the industry recognizes its importance and is striving to improve. Those looking for direction can look towards the successful efforts of industry peers and tap sustainability organizations for ideas as to how to move beyond single silo aspects of environmental, business, and societal sustainability.

T2NZ: What does it mean to you, watching Bayer on the global stage in the context of commitment to sustainability?

SJ: Today, the world is faced with the unprecedented challenge of ensuring that a growing and ageing world population can lead self-determined lives and partake in progress, while at the same time ensuring that natural resources are used more sustainably than in the past. Few companies are as well placed as Bayer to make a contribution to both improving human health and feeding the growing global population while respecting the planetary boundaries. I am proud to work for a company, which has defined clear targets for our businesses that we are aiming to achieve by 2030, in line with the UN SDGs.

T2NZ: Could you tell us how you got into the pharmaceutical industry, about your job now and what you love most about it?

SJ: I am deeply convinced that by addressing concerns of socio-political and socio-economic discourse, we can help national economies to thrive and achieve sustainable prosperity. In this context, I am strongly associated with issues related to corporate citizenship, social entrepreneurship, open innovation, digital transformation, and the facilitation of responsible political decision-making processes in the interest of the communities Bayer serves. As a professional and individual I take deep rest in deep exercise and relax in motion - for example in sports, going off-track or as part of my passion for photography.

T2NZ: Tell us about your favorite city and book of all time and why?

SJ: That’s indeed a difficult question as there are so many great novels and cities! However, if I had to choose one, I will pick ‘Forty Rules of Love’ – a novel written by Turkish author Elif Shafak, which is about Maulana Jalal-Ud-Din, known as Rumi and his companion Shams Tabrizi. This book explains how Shams transformed Rumi into a Sufi mystic. My favorite city is Munich, which may also be due to my German roots. The city has a unique charm and breathtaking nature right outside the city gates.