Dear colleagues,Over the past 150 y

Dear colleagues,

Over the past 150 years, we have improved the lives and quality of life of many people with our products and services, fully in line with our mission: Bayer – Science For A Better Life. This would not have been possible without information and intellectual property, both of which are crucial to the success of Bayer as a whole and to Bayer HealthCare specifically. Put simply, they are vital to our business.

Yet like many other companies, we are at risk of industrial espionage and data theft. To remain viable and competitive as an innovation company, we must handle our intellectual property with care and protect sensitive information. We want to support you in this endeavor with the global Bayer information security campaign.

Is our information well enough protected?
Starting today, the Bayer intranet will feature seven "key principles" (rules for the responsible handling of information at Bayer), practical tips, helpful links and further information about the topic of information security. You will also have the opportunity to take part in a quiz on the seven key principles, test your knowledge and win prizes.

It is very important to me personally that we at BHC keep a close eye on sensitive information and promote general awareness about security. I therefore ask that you consciously take some time to think about possible factors that could have an impact in your direct surroundings: what information (documents or data in systems) requires protection? Is this information currently well enough protected? What aspects could be handled better? Please also discuss this topic with your colleagues and supervisors.

Firewalls and the like are not sufficient
Firewalls, anti-virus software and other barriers already protect our information technology, but they are not in themselves sufficient. After all, it is not just up to the IT department to maintain data security – every single one of us is equally responsible. I like to compare this with the filing cabinets in our offices; we make sure that we lock them when we leave the room, and we must handle our electronic data every bit as carefully. By consistently observing the seven key principles, each employee can help to better protect our information and ensure that our business remains successful in the future.

As part of the campaign, we will also hold "security dialogs" to spread awareness of the issue of information security throughout all units at Bayer. Fully in accordance with our LIFE values, I am also asking all managerial employees at BHC to serve as role models with regard to security-conscious conduct and encourage all employees to handle information responsibly.

I am counting on all of us at BHC to do our bit for improved information security at Bayer, and would like to thank you in advance for your support.