Bayer group endowed US$ 1,000,000 to UNEP-Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development (IESD) in 2007 to set up 'Bayer-Tongji Chair for Sustainable Development'. The chair aims at promoting the education, research and cooperation in the area of environment and sustainability in China. 'Bayer-Tongji Chair for Sustainable Development' includes four parts: chair professorship, scholarship, academic research projects and Bayer-Tongji-UNEP Sustainable Development Forum.   

In Sep. 2015, Bayer MaterialScience (China) Co., Ltd. has officially changed its name to Covestro, which is operating as an independent company. Looking back over the years, the achievements of the past fill us with confidence. Looking ahead, we will accelerate our endeavors with our feet firmly on the ground.

With the support of Bayer & Covestro, UNEP and Tongji University, the Chair has been running smoothly under the supervision of IESD. After previous years’ operation, noticeable progresses were observed. It is essential to highlight the achievements of the Chair as a strategic tool and an optimal platform for IESD and as a significant contributor for environmental and sustainable development in the four main pillars – Chair Professorship, Research, Scholarship and Bayer-Tongji-UNEP Sustainable Development Forum. (150,000 EUR/year)

Chair Professorship:

Direct, drive and monitor the Chair from education, research and outreach.

The Steering Committee appointed Perry Yang the Bayer-Tongji Sustainable Development Chair Professorship for 2014-2018, and tasks him to the responsibilities of the Chair below and as set by the chair professorship agreement. Perry Yang, Associate Professor, School of City and Regional Planning and School of Architecture at Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), and Co-Director of Georgia Tech and Tongji University’s Sino-US Eco Urban Lab. 

Since December of 2018, SC appoint Prof. Chao ZHANG as the SD Chair professor, Chao ZHANG, Professor, the School of Economics and Management, Tongji University.

Research: 

24 research projects have been conducted, 59 papers published; 

1 patent successfully applied, 1 whitepaper released, 1 blue paper released and 1 book pressed. 

Scholarship:

96 students received scholarships to conduct study exchange, attend international environmental conferences, and do internships in international organizations.

Covestro（Bayer Materials）-Tongji-UNEP SD Forum: 

Sustainable Development Forum has been annually co- organized by Bayer, Tongji and UNEP since 2009. Nearly 400 participants attended.

• The 1st Bayer-Tongji Sustainable Development Forum on “Facing the Changing Climate”(2009)

• The 2nd Bayer-Tongji Sustainable Development Forum on “Eco-city, Eco-life”(2010)

• The 3rd Bayer-Tongji Sustainable Development Forum on “Food Satety & Health, Environment & Heath (Nov. 27, 2012)

• The 4th Bayer-Tongji Sustainable Development Forum on “Collaboration for Sustainability“（Nov. 28,2013)

• The 5th Coverstro-Tongji Sustainable Development Forum on “Smart Materials in Sustainable Future Citied”(Dec. 16,2015)

• The 6th Coverstro-Tongji Sustainable Development Forum on “Collaboration for Future Urban Systems to Address Climate Change”(Dec. 14,2016)

• The 7th Coverstro-Tongji Sustainable Development Forum on “Smart City and Carbon Productivity”(Dec. 15,2017)

• The 8th Coverstro-Tongji Sustainable Development Forum on “Sustainable Development” (Jun. 1, 2018)