The topic of sustainability has been your professional passion for many years. What is it about this topic that fascinates you?

Sustainability is very extensive and affects every single aspect of our lives. When I started to deal with the topic, I experienced a complete change in my way of life. I also noticed this with people around me. What always fascinates me about sustainability is that every small step is measurable and has an effect on leaving our children with a world worth living in. Too often we think that sustainability just means cutting consumption, but it brings new and exciting approaches to life as a whole in areas such as shopping, eating, living or traveling. 

You have been dedicated to sustainability at Evonik for more than 8 years - what are your tasks as Sustainability Metrics Manager?

My main role is to ensure that the sustainability performance of Evoniks activities is measured and recorded correctly and systematically. This includes our footprint (the best known is the Evonik carbon footprint, which is calculated annually), but also our handprint, i.e. the positive environmental and social effects that our products provide within the value chain.

To this end, we are working on the development and implementation of new tools in the area of Sustainability Excellence. In addition to the sustainability analysis of our portfolio, one of the most important tasks is also the impact valuation. This describes the measurement of the effects of our business activities as well as the assessment of our direct and indirect effects from an economic, ecological and social points of view.

Since the beginning of the year, I have also been working intensively on the topic of "Sustainability Finance" and the implementation of the new EU taxonomy regulation, which aims to promote investments in sustainable economic activities. A clear definition and threshold values have been defined for this. As a large company, Evonik will have to publish figures on so-called “taxonomy-compliant” activities (sales, CAPEX and OPEX)  beginning in January 2022.

What influence does your work have on your behavior in everyday life?

The work mainly influences my daily consumption. It is s not just about consuming better (e.g. buying less meat and tropical fruit or more second-hand items), but also about consuming less in general and reflecting on your purchases. Especially with the birth of my son, I had to deal with what was really necessary for a long time and tried to reduce my consumption where possible.

Which of the 17 goals of the United Nations for Sustainable Development (SDG) accompanies you most often in your job and why?

The SDG 13 “Measures for climate protection” is currently the goal that accompanies me the most. Evonik has formulated ambitious CO2 reduction targets by 2025 that can only be achieved through specific and innovative measures. "Simple" methods, such as the procurement of renewable energies, are not enough for this.