The Covestro Liaison Office in Berlin

Political Foothold in the German Capital

Political decisions affect Covestro in many ways. That is why the company considers being represented and having a voice in the decision-making process so important. The Liaison Office in Berlin acts as a communicative link to federal policy makers.

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

Verband der Chemischen Industrie
Plastics Europe
Verband der Industriellen Energie und Kraftwirtschaft

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.

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.

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.

Brighter Talks Berlin: The Covestro Policy Podcast

Brighter Talks – This is what our future sounds like. In our podcast series, we take a look at materials and their potential. The challenges of the future may seem daunting, but there is also good news. Join us as we discuss innovative and smart solutions. With compliments of Covestro.

  • Episode 1

    Sabine Nallinger, 2° Foundation / Climate protection in times of the Coronavirus

    Climate protection in times of the Coronavirus: Dr. Frank Holtrup, Head of the Covestro Liaison Office in Berlin, talks to Sabine Nallinger of the 2° Foundation about the pandemic and its implications for society, the economy, and ... Play on Spotify®

    Read more
  • Episode 2

    Dr. Patrick Graichen, Agora Energiewende / How is Germany managing its climate targets?

    Dr. Frank Holtrup, Head of the Covestro Liaison Office in Berlin, talks to Dr. Patrick Graichen of the ... Play on Spotify®

    Read more
  • Episode 3

    Dr. Lukas Köhler, FDP federal parliamentary group / How does liberal climate policy work?

    Dr. Frank Holtrup, Head of the Covestro Liaison Office in Berlin, talks to Dr. Lukas Köhler, Climate Policy Spokesperson for the FDP federal parliamentary group, about ... Play on Spotify®

    Read more
  • Episode 4

    Bernd Westphal, SPD federal parliamentary group / Economic and energy policy under Corona conditions

    Dr. Frank Holtrup, Head of the Covestro Liaison Office in Berlin, talks to Bernd Westphal, economic and energy policy spokesman... Play on Spotify®

    Read more
  • Episode 5

    Mark Helfrich, CDU/CSU federal parliamentary group / Politics in the far north

    Politics in the far north of Germany: Dr. Frank Holtrup, head of Covestro's liaison office in Berlin, talks to Mark Helfrich, member of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag, about the energy transition, approval processes, LNG terminals, the local infrastructure for Brunsbüttel and the 2021 Bundestag elections.

    Read more

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.

Latest news

Selection of Covestro's federal political activities:

  • Markus Steilemann elected new VCI President

    In September 2022, Markus Steilemann was elected as the new VCI President in Berlin. The Covestro CEO succeeds Evonik CEO Christian Kullmann. His term of office is two years.

  • Covestro #Politikforum on green economic policy

    The fourth Covestro #Politikforum focussed on the climate crisis and the Coronavirus pandemic. How can we make the German economy more resilient? What economic conditions are needed to make that happen? And how do we stay competitive in the long term? Answers to these questions were provided, among others, by Katharina Dröge, Economic Policy Spokeswoman for the ALLIANCE 90/THE GREENS federal parliamentary group.

  • The Circular Economy as a global guiding principle

    Covestro wants to speed up the Circular Economy transition. The company has defined a strategic concept that will integrate the principle into all areas of the company as well as advance climate protection.

    Read more
  • Markus Steilemann talks with Svenja Schulze

    In “Covestro Home Office Talk,” Covestro CEO Markus Steilemann discusses the green reset of the economy after the Coronavirus with the German Federal Minister of the Environment, Svenja Schulze.

    Read more
  • Covestro #Politikforum on Circular Economy and climate protection

    The Circular Economy is a project for society as a whole and plays an important role in climate and environmental protection. Dr. Frank Holtrup, Head of the Covestro Liaison Office in Berlin, discussed circular economy tangibles with, among others, Dr. Regina Dube, Department Head from the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.

  • Raw Materials Summit 2019: carbon in the circular economy

    Representatives from politics politics, business, science, and the media explain how alternative raw materials can contribute to the Circular Economy – in presentations, interviews, and discussions. Conclusion of the event: The challenges can only be met with a high degree of innovation.

  • Covestro #Politikforum on digitalization

    The chemical industry is ready to use the opportunities that digitalization has to offer. Consequently, Covestro has developed a comprehensive program for digital transformation. But how can digitalization create new value in the industry? These and other questions were discussed in depth with Dieter Janecek (Member of the German Bundestag, ALLIANCE 90/THE GREENS federal parliamentary group, member of the Digital Agenda Committee).

  • Kick-off event: Covestro #Politikforum from Berlin celebrates premier

    The new event format seeks to bring together policy makers, researchers, opinion leaders, and the business community representatives on a regular basis. The premiere took place on November 22, 2018. Among the panelists was Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary at the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety. The theme: “Moving away from petroleum! Rethinking sustainability!”

  • Covestro enters the Berlin stage

    Covestro opens its new Liaison Office in Berlin in May 2018. The ceremonial opening of the Liaison Office was held by Svenja Schulze, German Federal Minister of the Environment, and Thomas Rachel, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Ministry of Education and Research.

Contact

Dr. Frank Holtrup

Dr. Frank Holtrup

Head of the Covestro Liaison Office in Berlin
Friedrichstraße 68
10117 Berlin
Phone: +49 30 / 221 520 901

frank.holtrup@covestro.com

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Curious? You can find further information on important topics related to Covestro Germany here.

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    Covestro is committed to North Rhine-Westphalia as an industrial location - in open dialogue with political and social stakeholders.

  • Germany

    Public Affairs

    Covestro‘s political advocacy activities abide by the Group directives “Responsible Lobbying” and “Corporate Compliance.

  • Germany

    Sites

    Around 7.250 employees work for Covestro at six sites in Germany.

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    Covestro is committed to energy-efficient and sustainable production at its German sites.

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    Covestro pursues ambitious sustainability goals, and has incorporated the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals into its own strategy.

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