Bayer to Sponsor United Nations Environment Programme’s 2011 World Environment Day Celebrations in North America

(3BL Media / theCSRfeed) Pittsburgh/Toronto - May 4, 2011 - For the fourth consecutive year, Bayer will partner with the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) North American regional office on World Environment Day. A series of weeklong events begin on June 5 in Toronto, this year’s North American host city.

World Environment Day is commemorated each year on June 5. It is one way the United Nations promotes worldwide environmental awareness and action. The day is considered the world's largest environmental event, with thousands of activities in the six UNEP regions. Bayer AG and Bayer Corporation are global and regional sponsors, respectively.   On June 6, Bayer will sponsor youth programs at Toronto's Evergreen Brick Works environmental education center. The programs will include the opening of a special exhibition of the International Children’s Painting Competition (ICPC). The competition features artworks created by Canadian and American students ages 6-14 on the theme, Life in the Forest. Following an awards ceremony for North American ICPC winners, Toronto students will attend an environmental workshop on Forests: Nature at Your Service.   The workshop will be led by Dr. Mae C. Jemison and attended by Dr. Roberta Bondar, two former astronauts. Dr. Jemison, Bayer’s longtime national spokesperson for its company-wide Making Science Make Sense® program, is America's first female African-American astronaut. Dr. Bondar is Canada’s first female astronaut.   The Evergreen Brick Works is an appropriate location for the activities, Bayer notes. The facility is dedicated to environmental sustainability and has the U.S. Green Building Council's top rating for leadership in energy and environmental design (LEED Platinum).   “We are delighted to be working with UNEP's North American office to bring the message of World Environment Day to Canada and the United States,” said Greg Babe, President and CEO, Bayer Corporation. “Our sponsorship allows us to show students the importance of environmental awareness. It's an integral part of science literacy, the cornerstone of our Making Science Make Sense program.” “Bayer once again has demonstrated an exemplary commitment to UNEP and its mission by fostering environmental education among today’s youth,” said Amy Fraenkel, director, UNEP Regional Office for North America. “Youth are the environmental stewards of tomorrow, and it is critical we reach students early on in their lives, which is what both the International Children’s Painting Competition and the interactive workshop are designed to do.”   For Social Media Users: Facebook: facebook.com/BayersMSMS Twitter: twitter.com/BayerUSNews YouTube: youtube.com/users/BayerChannel   About Bayer Corporation and Making Science Make Sense®
Bayer Corporation, headquartered in Pittsburgh, is a subsidiary of Bayer AG, an international health care, nutrition and high-tech materials group based in Leverkusen, Germany. The company’s products and services are designed to benefit people and improve their quality of life. The Corporation 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 North America, Bayer had 2010 net sales of EUR 8,228 million ($10,861 million) and employed 16,400 at year-end. For more information, go to www.bayerus.com.   Making Science Make Sense® (MSMS) is Bayer’s company-wide initiative that advances science literacy through hands-on, inquiry-based science education, employee volunteerism and a public education campaign. Currently, 12 Bayer sites around the country operate local MSMS programs, which together represent a national volunteer corps of more than 1,000 employees.   About United Nations Environment Programme
Established in 1972 following the United Nation’s Conference on the Human Environment, UNEP’s mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.   About UNEP Regional Office for North America
The mission of UNEP's Regional Office for North America (RONA), which is located in Washington, D.C. and comprises Canada and the United States, is: to build support in the region for UNEP's work; to promote effective responses to international environmental challenges; and to foster cooperation on environmental issues between North America and the broader international community. To achieve this mission, RONA’s strategy is to promote collaboration between UNEP and all sectors of North American society, including U.S. and Canadian governmental institutions, the private sector and civil society groups, and to provide UNEP with North American perspectives. For more information on UNEP RONA, go to: www.unep.org/rona.   About Bayer and UNEP
Bayer AG is the first company in the world to forge a long-term partnership with UNEP in the area of youth and environment. The partners first began cooperating on youth environmental projects in Asia in the late 1990s. In 2004, Bayer and UNEP signed a framework agreement to globalize this partnership. The partners have jointly organized a dozen environmental projects for young people around the world, including the TUNZA International Youth and Children’s Conference, regional youth networks, the Bayer Young Environmental Envoy Program, the International Children’s Painting Competition, the photo competition Ecology in Focus in Eastern Europe and TUNZA Magazine. In addition, Bayer Corporation in the United States supports UNEP’s World Environment Day activities in North America.                                                          Further information on the partnership between UNEP and Bayer is available on the Internet at: www.unep.bayer.com.   Contact: 
Bryan Iams, phone: (412) 777-5200 
E-mail: bryan.iams@bayer.com   BAYER13611