Political Foothold in the German Capital
As one of the world's leading manufacturers of polymer materials, Covestro maintains close contacts with political stakeholders. In 2018, the company opened a Liaison Office in Berlin to further intensify its dialog with decision-makers at the federal level. Liaison Office visitors can learn about how Covestro products benefit society and about their value to particular industries.
Sample of associations and initiatives in which Covestro participates at the federal level in Germany
The Liaison Office is notable for its spacious and open area. It provides the setting for discussions in groups, as well as for larger events. In the center of the room is a spatial column element for the presentation of several exhibits. Visitors can touch and feel consumer goods made of polyurethane and polycarbonate, among other materials.
But there’s a whole lot of Covestro in the interior design as well. The foam used in the sofa upholstery comes from the company’s impressive product portfolio, as does the material used in the bar stool seats and the backrests of the office chairs. These examples are intended to illustrate how frequently Covestro materials are encountered by people in their everyday lives.
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A spacious foyer invites Liaison Office visitors to interact. -
There is also a bit of Covestro in the furniture. The foam from the sofa upholstery comes from the company’s product portfolio. -
In the center of the room, guests will find a small selection of exhibits made of Covestro materials. -
The large meeting room can be used for conferences and meetings. -
Sitting areas provide space for discussions.
Providing open and transparent information about its own concerns is only one aspect of Covestro’s political work in Berlin. The company also wants to use its new Liaison Office as a platform to discuss the socio-politically relevant issues of our time with opinion leaders from various sectors of society.
For this reason, Dr. Frank Holtrup, Head of the Covestro Liaison Office, has been hosting the Covestro #Politikforum on a regular basis since 2018. In the meantime, the event has become a constant in Berlin’s extended political landscape – not least because Covestro is unafraid to spotlight uncomfortable issues. This was already made clear at the start of the event series. With the title “Moving away from petroleum! Rethinking sustainability!”, the company once again underscored will to push the boundaries of what is possible.
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Since 2018, Covestro has hosted the Covestro #PoliticalForum at its Liaison Office in Berlin. The kick-off event ran under the title “Moving away from petroleum! Rethinking sustainability!” -
Together with representatives from politics, business, science, and society, Covestro-relevant topics such as climate protection and digitalization are examined closely. -
At the same time, the invited guests also learn how Covestro products benefit society and what significance they have for individual industries.
In 2020 Covestro also added new formats of political communication to its traditional political advocacy work – not least as a reaction to the Covid-19 pandemic. Political stakeholders will be sure to enjoy the recently launched podcast, “Brighter Talks Berlin”. It expands Covestro’s digital offering and is recorded regularly.
The episodes revolve around some of the most important issues of our time: climate and environmental protection. Together with an external interviewee, Head of Office Dr. Frank Holtrup gets to the heart of current developments and puts them in context for the audience – briefly, concisely, and digitally.
Previous guests include Sabine Nallinger, Executive Director of the 2° Foundation, Patrick Graichen, Director of the energy policy think tank Agora Energiewende, Dr. Lukas Köhler, Member of the Bundestag and Climate Policy Spokesman for the federal parliamentary group of the FDP, and Bernd Westphal, Member of the Bundestag and Economic and Climate Policy Spokesman for the federal parliamentary group of the SPD.
The Liaison Office is the center of Covestro’s political communication at the federal level and thus the most important point of contact with the political institutions in Berlin. From the materials manufacturer’s perspective, being able to successfully contribute to shaping policy is an essential component of entrepreneurship. The company is neutral in terms of party politics.
As part of its ongoing dialog, Covestro therefore regularly contacts authorities, members of parliament, associations, and non-governmental organizations directly. The company sees itself as a driving force, actively participating in political, regulatory, and social debates. The materials manufacturer is committed above all to a uniform and fair regulatory framework and fact-based decision-making. The central issues here include building a Circular Economy, chemicals regulation, energy policy, and maintaining global competitiveness.
To this end, the company is also involved in a large number of interest groups and organizations in Germany. Binding directives for political advocacy work apply here as well. Covestro has been officially registered in the newly created lobby register of the German Bundestag since February 2022. Its purpose is to make the influence of interest groups to politicians more open and transparent. The entries can be viewed publicly at any time. As a co-initiator of the "Alliance for Lobbying Transparency", Covestro welcomes the introduction of the lobby register in Germany. Learn more about the company's advocacy activities at the federal level here.
Contact
Dr. Frank Holtrup
Head of the Covestro Liaison Office in Berlin
Friedrichstraße 68
10117 Berlin
Phone: +49 30 / 221 520 901
