Welcome back to another edition of The Goods — the newsletter covering the intersection of social good and strategic communications. This month’s Spotlight features Daniella Foster, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Public Affairs, Market Access & Sustainability for Bayer’s Consumer Health Division.
Today, she’s the steward of Bayer Consumer Health’s ambitious sustainability commitments: expanding access to everyday health for 100 million people in underserved communities by 2030 and investing €100 million in sustainable solutions. In a world where sustainability and public health are increasingly politicized, her work stands as a reminder that purpose and profit can — and must — coexist.
Bayer’s Consumer Health Division is focused on finding new ways to help people live healthier lives with trusted self-care solutions. The company produces some of the world’s most well-known pain relievers, allergy medications, and dietary supplements. By treating common ailments to supporting everyday nutrition, Bayer is innovating to find new ways to care for our communities.
Read our full interview with Daniella Foster:
The Goods: You’ve had a storied career in strategic partnerships and ESG. Is there anything about your journey that’s not in your bio you’d like to share?
Daniella Foster: I’m a third-generation Los Angelena — but not the “fancy” kind of L.A. I grew up on the east side, where the smog over downtown wasn’t just a fog cloud, it was a smog cloud. Seeing how that affected health and the environment really shaped me. Sustainability and circular economy principles have always been part of my life — we were a no–food-waste household, partly because of my Italian roots. Even things like thrifting and reusing were just part of our DNA.
The Goods: How do you think about the intersection of sustainability, market access, and business growth? How can consumer health companies build purpose into profit?
Daniella Foster: For me, sustainability is business strategy. It’s central to resilience and long-term value creation. A company that wants to be around for 20 or 30 years must integrate sustainability into everything — from supply chains to performance metrics. At our company, 20% of our long-term incentives are tied to sustainability performance. It’s embedded in leadership KPIs, not treated as a separate initiative. In consumer health, this matters deeply. In 18 countries representing half the world’s population, the average primary care visit lasts only five minutes. That means self-care is often the first and last line of care. So access — to information, products, and nutrition — is impact. Through our Nutrient Gap Initiative, for example, we aim to reach 50 million people with essential nutrients by 2030. Health equity is a key driver of resilience. Globally, CEOs are staying the course — 99% according to a recent Accenture and UN Global Compact study — not just because sustainability is “right,” but because it’s smart business. ESG is no longer a checklist; it’s about designing systems that help people and businesses adapt and thrive.
The Goods: ESG can be politically contested. How do you make the case that sustainability isn’t just about reputation, but a business imperative?
Daniella Foster: We’ve seen ESG evolve — from corporate philanthropy to compliance and now to core business strategy. At the end of the day, it’s about fundamental human needs: clean water, nutritious food, access to healthcare. Those are universal and enduring. Companies that take a long-term view recognize that sustainability protects against stranded assets and future-proofs investments. It’s about financial prudence as much as ethics. That’s why 99% of CEOs in that study are staying the course — it just makes good business sense.
The Goods: Given the erosion of public trust in global health after the pandemic, how can companies like Bayer maintain that trust?
Daniella Foster: It starts with clarity of purpose. Our mission — “Health for all, hunger for none” — is our north star. It guides strategic decisions about partnerships, manufacturing, and R&D.
Access is at the heart of this. Half the world still lacks access to basic health services. We’re tackling that through three challenges. The first is expanding access to everyday health for 100 million underserved people. Second, providing modern contraceptives to 100 million women in low- and middle-income countries. Third, improving the livelihoods of 100 million smallholder farmers, most of whom are women. We also launched a global initiative with the World Health Summit to integrate self-care into national health strategies — a big step toward universal health coverage. At the same time, we’re addressing climate-driven health risks, from nutrient deficiencies to longer allergy seasons. And we’re exploring innovative financing for health — like health value bonds with the World Bank — to shift the paradigm from health as a cost to health as an investment.
The Goods: You’re tackling huge, complex challenges every day. What keeps you motivated and grounded?
Daniella Foster: For me, it’s personal. I joined Bayer after my own health journey — I became a health advocate because of it. I know how hard it is to navigate the system, even with access, and I also experienced what it’s like to be without insurance growing up. What motivates me is seeing solutions take shape. Progress fuels me. When I look at issues like the menopause gap — 47 million women enter menopause every year, and most have never been taught about it — I’m encouraged by the innovation we’re driving. We’ve developed non-hormonal menopause treatments, and I truly believe this space will look completely different within the next decade. That’s what keeps me going.
The Goods: When people look back on your career decades from now, what do you hope your legacy will be?
Daniella Foster: I want to help transform our health system from one based on sick care to one based on well care. I’m passionate about prevention and helping people stay healthy. I also hope to advance the shift toward a truly circular economy — because our resources are finite. And personally, my work on the Aspirin Heart Health Risk Calculator is very meaningful to me. After being diagnosed with heart disease at a young age — despite being active and healthy — I learned firsthand how critical early detection is. The calculator is AI-powered, open source, and free. It helps people assess their 10-year risk of heart disease in minutes, with over 90% accuracy. It’s designed to lower barriers to diagnosis, especially for underserved populations. That’s the kind of impact that inspires me every day.