About the Partnership

Partners for Youth and the Environment

Bayer is the first company in the world to enter a long-term partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in the area of youth and environment. The cooperation focuses on children and young people from all over the world who are interested in environmental issues and committed to protecting the world around them.

Former Bayer CEO Werner Wenning (l.), UNEP Executive Director (m.) and former German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel (r.) and participants of the TUNZA International Youth Conference 2007 in Leverkusen, Germany.

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Former Bayer CEO Werner Wenning (l.), UNEP Executive Director (m.) and former German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel (r.) and participants of the TUNZA International Youth Conference 2007 in Leverkusen, Germany.

The partners have been jointly organizing a dozen environmental projects every year for young people and children on all continents with the aim of fostering their commitment to the environment, expanding their knowledge and encouraging the global exchange of experiences by building up networks. So far, more than 2 million young people have participated in these projects and thus benefited directly from this unique partnership. Bayer also provides financial support to the tune of EUR 1.2 million every year and additional non-cash benefits.

The partnership projects cover a range of events and creative competitions for children and young people. These include international conferences, study trips, science forums and painting and photo competitions. Another initiative is the publication of the TUNZA magazine – the environmental magazine for young people.

The partners first began cooperating on youth environmental projects in Asia in the late 1990s. In the summer of 2004, Bayer and UNEP signed a framework agreement to globalize this partnership. The partnership was renewed in 2007 for the first time for a further 3-year period. In 2010 the partners renewed their agreement for a second time and extended their partnership for another three years until the end of 2013.