Diversity and Inclusion at Evonik

Evonik embodies diversity with a workforce exceeding 31,000 individuals across 100 countries, reflecting a spectrum of ages, educational backgrounds, nationalities, races, disabilities, cultures, beliefs, sexual orientations, and genders. This diversity fortifies us, enhancing our strength and value across Evonik.

We stand up for each other and respect being different

We create a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and free to be themselves. This leads to higher motivation, better results, employee attraction, and retention.

Embracing differences unlocks innovation

Diversity means bringing together different ways of thinking. Considering as many perspectives enables us to provide creative and innovative answers to an even more colorful and quickly changing world.

Diversity brings us closer to customers

Operating in every global market, we aim to provide solutions to our customers, leveraging our diverse workforce to comprehend their needs universally and identify emerging trends.

We Measure Diversity

We can only manage what we can measure. “Trust facts rather than your gut feeling” is one of our key mottos.

Unmeasurable Diversity Counts

Equally important for us are the different ways of thinking and perspectives that result from factors such as different religions and ways of life. We cannot and do not want to measure these, but we know that they enrich us.

Our Initiatives

Femtec

The Femtec network connects companies, universities and female STEM students with a Career-Building program to develop their skillset, professional network and future career. Evonik partners with Femtec to access female STEM talent as early as possible and support them in their careers, leading to increased female representation and a more gender-diverse workforce.

Femtec

Reverse Mentoring

Reverse Mentoring is a program that organizes inverted types of mentoring relationships in which junior or less experienced employees mentor the senior more experienced employees to help them acquire new learnings and different perspectives.

Pairfect - Job Sharing

Through the PAIRfect community on the Evonik Social Network, employees can find job-sharing partners and exchange valuable experiences. This initiative empowers employees to shape their work environments and embrace 'new work' practices, helping them better reconcile work and private life.

How to Live Diversity

In order to foster an inclusive workplace culture we provide our employees with a curated collection of materials designed to enhance understanding and appreciation of diversity and inclusion within our organization. Keeping always in mind that learning styles are different, we offer digital and also face2face learning modules, videos, and podcasts. Since diversity and inclusion is important to us at Evonik, all of our employees participate in a mandatory digital training that imparts a basic knowledge and understanding of how we live diversity at Evonik.

Employee Networks

Networking, meeting colleagues and getting to know like-minded people. Networks offer all this. Evonik has several networks in which colleagues can exchange ideas on a wide range of topics. And at Evonik, these corporate networks play a critical role in promoting diversity and inclusion within the organization. They provide a safe space for employees to share their personal challenges and experiences. They bring employees together, raise awareness of the issues they face and promote a culture of mutual respect and understanding. Evonik has several network groups. And everyone is welcome to join!

groW is a women's network at Evonik—women have been sharing their experiences, knowledge and visions for several years now.

Teams at different Evonik locations get involved across borders, offer collegial advice, organize networking days and events, create a platform for common topics, and actively participate in projects and committees to groW together.

Evonik Queer Alliance for Learning and Support is a community of employees who identify as LGBTQ+ or who are interested in supporting and uplifting their LGBTQ+ colleagues.

We are committed to providing opportunities to connect, learn, and advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion and acceptance within Evonik.

BUILD is dedicated to engaging and supporting all Black employees in Evonik’s expanding global network. Through recruitment, advocacy, and career development, we strive to foster equity and representation for Black employees at all levels of leadership. We believe our united voice will drive sustainable advancement for all Black employees.

ASPIRE stands together with our drive to create an inclusive work environment. We wish to create avenues for the important exchange of information and knowledge within the ERG, collaborating with other ERGs and external community groups, as well as Evonik’s leadership.

The Early Career Professionals @ Evonik will be a place for young professionals to come together for guidance, support, build self-esteem/ confidence, and accelerate networking. By having a network of young professionals at Evonik, this ERG will help retain and onboard more young professionals to the company. As an ERG, are paving a path of success for young professionals.

The mission of the Evonik Veterans Employee Resource Team is to embrace our proud community of employee veterans who support and encourage each other through shared experiences, veteran recruitment, career development, veteran inclusion, professional growth, community outreach, and retention. Bringing together our unique background of military service, we seek to harness these strengths to better serve Evonik

Evonik's Diversity Council

Evonik embodies diversity with a workforce exceeding 31,000 individuals across 100 countries, reflecting a spectrum of ages, educational backgrounds, nationalities, races, disabilities, cultures, beliefs, sexual orientations, and genders. This diversity fortifies us, enhancing our strength and value across Evonik.

Thomas Wessel, Chief Human Resources Officer and Sponsor Diversity Council

More diversity means more success in economic, social, innovative, and environmental terms.

Lauren Kjeldsen, Chief Operating Officer Custom Solutions and Representative Diversity Council

Diversity brings us closer to customers. Operating in every global market, we aim to provide solutions to our customers by leveraging our diverse workforce to comprehend their needs and identify emerging trends.

CLAUDINE MOLLENKOPF, HEAD SPECIALTY ADDITIVES AND REPRESENTATIVE DIVERSITY COUNCIL

We also see workforce diversity and inclusion as a driver of sustainability: The green transformation begins in the hearts and minds of our employees.

MATTHIAS RUCH, HEAD CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS AND REPRESENTATIVE DIVERSITY COUNCIL

We stand up for each other and respect being different.

HEIKE BERGANDT, HEAD HR EXECUTIVES & TALENT DEVELOPMENT AND REPRESENTATIVE DIVERSITY COUNCIL

It is important that we create a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and free to be themselves. This leads to higher motivation, better results, employee attraction, and retention.

VIVIANE PAPA, HEAD HR TALENT MANAGEMENT AND REPRESENTATIVE DIVERSITY COUNCIL