"Bayer and sports – this connection is almost as old as the company itself, which has existed for 160 years. Today, the 22 Bayer clubs with around 43,000 actively involved covers the whole spectrum of modern sports – from amateur through professional sport to sport for the disabled, which has been one of our main elements for many decades. The promotion of sport in all its forms is firmly part of the corporate commitment of the Bayer group," said Heike Prinz, board member of Bayer AG.
Entrance into the index is based on the evaluation of a panel consisting of a range of experts in these areas. The assessment is based on the five criteria of effectiveness, innovation, commitment, investment and commercial viability. The concept of Bayer club promotion in general as well as the support of parasports in particular were honoured. This commitment in its form is unique and serves as a model for other companies.
With the award and adoption into the Laureus Sport For Good Index, Bayer AG is encouraged to continue to promote sport with great commitment – including as part of the Bayer Sports Family together with Bayer 04.
Title photo: Mika Volkmann
The Laureus Sport For Good Index:
The index introduced in 2021 pays tribute to different brands, who show a high commitment to sport, are oriented towards the sustainability targets at the UN and achieve positive effects in society.
Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, he holds the record number of Bundesliga appearances for the club (401) and is the only Bayer 04 player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career as he worked as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personalised Black and Red lexicon takes Werkself fans under the heading of 'Rudi recounts...' on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month…
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"In every ending lies a new beginning" is a well-known saying. This phrase has probably never been more apt at Bayer 04. After winning the Bundesliga in 2023/24 and finishing as runners-up in 2024/25, the summer was the most eventful ever in terms of transfers. Over ten players and the coach, including the coaching staff, left the club. A lot of the heroes of the double-winning side began a new chapter. It was the end of an era. And at the same time the beginning of a new, very exciting and promising chapter for Leverkusen. The Werkself welcomed more than a dozen new arrivals, including experienced title-winners and young talents, to build a new "foundation for a successful team capable of winning titles" under the Bayer Cross, as managing director sport Simon Rolfes put it. A new spirit, a new hunger, a new story was to be created. Bayer04.de looks back at the first few months of this story and the final act of the preseason.
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43 points at the end of the last Bundesliga season were not only more than ever before for the Bayer 04 Women, but also led to a record fourth-place finish. That was followed by a Hinrunde with many more victories, but also some setbacks. In an interview with bayer04.de, sporting director Achim Feifel takes stock at the end of the year.
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With their wonderful goals, Martin Terrier and Florian Wirtz are up for the Bundesliga Goal of the Year 2025. Voting for fans will run exclusively via the official Bundesliga app until Sunday, 4 January.
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A record-breaking year ends for the Bayer 04 Women. Fourth place, 13 wins and 43 points in the 2024/25 campaign - the Werkself have never been so good in the Bundesliga. Coach Roberto Pätzold's team also had plenty of reasons to celebrate in the first half of the new Bundesliga season - although there were also a few disappointments. A look back at 2025 for the Bayer 04 Women’s team.
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