Bayer 04 see local, regional and international efforts in society as obvious as football is by definition a social event. Off the pitch, Bayer 04 sees itself as a responsible employer, committed neighbour and actor for positive cohesion. The club stands for equality of opportunity and diversity, promotes education and offers all fans, female and male athletes and colleagues a familial, safe and trusted environment.
Bayer 04 is here for everybody. The club sees itself as a home for all fans, colleagues, women footballers and men footballers who feel at home under the Cross and describe the BayArena as their living room. A colourful team and a colourful home end stand for tangible diversity and cooperation where there is no room for discrimination.
The Werkself are an international team traditionally with lots of internationals from different countries. The same applies to the Women's team and also the youth teams at Bayer 04. The public commitment of all Bayer 04 teams to diversity and against exclusion within the framework of regular campaigns such as the #Morethanfootball Action Weeks is solid proof of the commitment to society by Bayer 04.
The BayArena is a place for happy football fests. Here every Bayer fan should be how he or she wants to be. Age, gender, appearance – none of that plays a role when you get behind the Werkself. There no space for discrimination in the home end and Bayer 04 has a clear position here. To enable all fans to have a barrier free stadium experience as far as possible, Bayer 04 offers its fans and visitors with disability a wide-ranging service offer.
The promotion of diversity is also of great significance for the team behind the team. Bayer is a signatory to the charta of diversity that campaigns for diversity in the world of work. In gaining personnel and developing them, the club therefore takes measures that will create a working environment where there is no space for prejudice.
The community commitment at Bayer 04 has long covered various projects in the areas of inclusion and diversity. Whether that be as part of an antidiscrimination workshop in the Bayer 04 Learning curve with the focus on the prevention of sexism and racism, with Walking Football or with the inclusive project of Einfach Fussball. The club thereby carries out educational work and beyond that offers the opportunity to bring diversity at Bayer 04 to come to life.
Bayer 04 are at home under the Cross. Therefore a significant element of the social commitment of Bayer 04 is focused on the city of Leverkusen and its immediate surroundings. In a cooperative relationship with local actors and initiatives, the club consolidates its role as a ‘good neighbour’. The initiatives are as varied as they are comprehensive: On the pitch, that applies to the projects of Einfach Fussball, Football Fans inTraining, Bundesliga bewegt and Diabetes Camp. The offers are aimed at different target groups but have the common feature that (football) sport is centre stage.
Educational and preventive work under the Bayer Cross involves the team of the Leverkusen Fan Project and the self initiated project supported by the DFL foundation of the Bayer 04 Learning Curve. The regional commitment of Bayer 04 is rounded off with a range of measures for the residents of Leverkusen. That includes the traditional Bayer 04 Helps Days, the Christmas Festival of Friends, the Werkself Lion events and beaker donations on matchdays in aid of alternate Leverkusen initiatives.
Bayer 04 look after their young players: on and off the pitch. The principle of dual careers applies at the Bayer 04 Performance Centre. That includes individual support and career planning the time during above all after football career. For that, the Werkself work during school time with the Leverkusen Sports College and also cooperates with other schools in the vicinity. In addition, active Werkself athletes have the opportunity after finishing school to take up training at Bayer 04. Up-and-coming female and male players, who are not from Leverkusen or live here, share organised accommodation or live with host families or they receive support in the form of a travel service so that sport and school can be brought together under one hat.
The club also supports employees in their further training and talent development. The aim is to have a highly trained workforce and to challenge and support employees in the best possible way and according to their needs.
For the youngsters who don't play football under the cross but go to school under the cross, Bayer 04 offers numerous workshops and working groups on various topics for all age groups as part of the Bayer 04 learning curve.
Health and sport are subjects that are closely related to each other. Bayer 04 therefore raises awareness of health issues on many levels – be it physical, mental or social health. Bayer 04 does this for employees in the form of regular free fitness courses and nutrition tips and is thereby a responsible employer. The club also puts this into action for its athletes through a comprehensive health concept and makes its knowledge public: Examples of that are measures such as the Stay well campaign, regularly held Diabetes Camps, the courses of Football fans in training or school workshops on the subjects of preventing bullying, and improving nutrition. Health is a subject where the close connection to Bayer AG comes to the fore.
Bayer 04 offers a safe space for everybody and, above all, a place where everybody should be able to feel at home. This secures the structure of the club. In and around the BayArena this is ensured by the stadium regulations and the security service of the long-term security partner Securitas. The specialist personnel have been trained on the subjects of preventing violence and being anti discriminatory. That includes the introduction of of an offer of help in Luisa is here in partnership with the advice centre against sexualised violence in thee.V. Frauennotruf Leverkusen, the Bayer 04 Fan Liaison team and the Fanprojekt Leverkusen e.V . The offer of aid is primarily directed at people affected by sexual harassment in the stadium on matchdays but it also serves as a contact point for other cases of violence and discrimination.
Also away from matchdays, a comprehensive child protection plan as well as high standards with health and safety at work and in the areas of compliance and data protection ensure a safe Bayer 04 for everybody. The club will not tolerate violence and discrimination in whatever form and sees that as a basis for mutual confidence.
The seventh edition of the ‘Einfach Fußball’ ('Simply Football') Cup once again delighted participants and spectators alike. On Saturday in the Ostermann Arena in Leverkusen, around 200 sports-mad children, young people and adults with disabilities had the opportunity to compete with players from other clubs and to socialise off the pitch. A highlight of the tournament was the visit of two players from the Bayer 04 women's team.
Show moreOn the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls, Bayer 04 again joins in with the Orange Your City campaign. On Monday, 25 November, the BayArena will be lit up in orange between 17.00 and 22.00 CET. It is traditional on this day to have other significant buildings in Leverkusen lit up in orange.
Show moreMouth open, swab in, become a donor – and then get behind the Werkself! The charity organisation Nordkurve karitativ, in partnership with DKMS, are holding a stem cell donor registration event at the home game against VfB Stuttgart on Friday, 1 November (kick-off: 20.30 CET). The aim is motivate as many fans as possible to register as a stem cell donor with DKMS.
Show moreWhile there are no Bundesliga fixtures during international break, last weekend brought overweight fans from 16 first, second and third tier sides together on the pitch in Leverkusen. Over 200 participants in the health promotion programme 'Football fans in training' (FFIT), organised by Deutsche Krebshilfe (the German cancer support organisation) and the Institute for Therapy and Health Research (IFT-Nord) accepted the invitation from Bayer 04 and Deutsche Krebshilfe on 12 October for the 2024 XXL fans tournament.
Show moreThe 1,193 spectators who attended the Ulrich-Haberland-Stadion for the Werkself's 2-2 draw at home to Eintracht Frankfurt on Matchday 2 of the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga also supported a good cause. As part of the DFB's 'Together: Good Game' action day on the theme of sustainability, Bayer 04 donated two euros from every ticket sold to the Leverkusen Women's Helpline.
Show more