Toyin Saraki joins Bayer sustainability council
By Aderogba George
Mrs Toyin Saraki, Founder and Executive Director of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, has been appointed as a member of the Bayer AG Sustainability Council.
This is contained in a statement personally signed by Saraki in Abuja on Tuesday.
According to the statement, Saraki joined a distinguished group of global experts tasked with advancing Bayer’s sustainability strategy, with a focus on health equity, food security, and climate resilience.
The announcement follows the recent restructuring of Bayer’s independent Sustainability Council, which was unveiled on Monday. Five new members, including Saraki, were welcomed into the advisory body.
Other appointees named in the statement include Facundo Etchebehere, Lisa Lange, Philipp Rösler, and Cori Wittman Stitt.
It said that the council provided high-level guidance to Bayer’s leadership, helping to shape and monitor progress toward the company’s global sustainability goals.
“Saraki’s appointment brings over two decades of experience in maternal, newborn, and child health; gender equity; and the strengthening of community health systems across Africa and globally.
“It is an honour to join Bayer’s Sustainability Council at such a pivotal moment for our planet and its people.
“As we look to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, our collective responsibility is to ensure that sustainability is not an abstract ideal but a lived reality, especially for the most vulnerable populations.
“In this spirit of being Stronger Together, I look forward to contributing my insights from frontline reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health and nutrition,” Saraki said.
The wife of former Senate President also pledged to help strengthen the link between community health systems and corporate sustainability commitments.
She added that the restructured council would work closely with Bayer’s internal sustainability teams and operational groups to accelerate progress on its 2030 targets.
“These include advancing regenerative agriculture, building climate resilience, and improving access to healthcare.
“Saraki joins a multidisciplinary team of sustainability leaders, including continuing members such as Prof. Ashok Gulati (India), Prof. Christian Klein (Germany), Carolyn Miles (USA), and Dante Pesce González (Chile).
“The council embodies Bayer’s “Health for All, Hunger for None” vision, bridging sectors and disciplines to create lasting impact.”
The statement noted that through her leadership at the Wellbeing Foundation Africa and advisory roles with international institutions, Saraki had consistently championed the alignment of public health delivery, human rights, gender justice, and sustainable development.
It said her appointment underscores the importance of African leadership and frontline expertise in shaping global sustainability priorities.
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