Tiziana Is Passionate About Giving Back

Why is volunteering personally so important and valuable to you?

I have been with Evonik for almost 18 years and have gained a wealth of professional and personal experience. At a certain point, it became clear to me that I wanted to give something back. My involvement, among others with the Business and Professional Women Germany Club (BPW Frankfurt) and business@school, is closely tied to my belief that, as a society, we need to make better use of our full potential, starting with targeted support at an early stage in schools. When more people are able to contribute and develop their skills, it not only benefits the individual but also strengthens the innovative capacity and competitiveness of companies, especially in times of transformation and structural change such as those we are currently experiencing in the chemical industry.

For me, volunteering also means taking responsibility while at the same time gaining new perspectives through exchange and dialogue.

What motivated you to get involved with business@school in addition to your professional role?

At business@school, I have the opportunity to contribute my experience and my personal journey in a meaningful way and to serve as a positive example and role model. It is important to me to show that not every career path is predetermined or based on the same starting conditions. Growth often comes from seizing opportunities, questioning the status quo, and having the courage to make independent decisions. My goal is not to provide ready made answers, but to offer impulses and support high school students in developing their own perspectives. This mutual learning experience is particularly valuable to me.

You served as a jury member this year for the business@school Evonik Industry Award. How did you experience this, and what did you take away from it personally?

It was a very enriching experience. What impressed me most was how quickly the students' initial nervousness turned into pride in their achievements. The quality of the ideas and the open, peer level exchange clearly demonstrated how much potential high school students have and that sometimes all it takes is a bit of encouragement for that potential to shine. At the same time, formats like this serve as an important bridge between companies and society and contribute to actively shaping the future.