Climate Policy Engagement Analysis
Climate Lobbying Overview: Evonik appears to be actively engaged on climate change, taking mostly positive positions in its top-line messaging, it takes predominantly negative positions on specific climate policies in 2021-23. The company holds board positions in the European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC), and the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI), as well as memberships in several American industry associations, which are negatively engaged on key climate policies.
Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: Evonik seems to take a mix of positive and negative stances on climate action in its top-line messaging. The company expressed high-level support for the EU Green Deal and 2050 climate neutrality target in its 2022 Sustainability Report, published in 2023, and stated support for the UN Paris Agreement on its corporate website, accessed in October 2022. However, news outlet Handelsblatt reported in April 2023 that CEO Christian Kullmann suggested that a market based response to climate change is preferable over government regulation.
Engagement with Climate-Related Regulations: In 2021-23, Evonik showed limited but predominantly negative engagement with specific climate policies in the EU. In an open letter in June 2022, the company’s CEO did not support the EU Parliament Environment Committee proposal to increase ambition of the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism as well as the EU Emissions Trading System reform, stressing risks of carbon leakage. In a joint letter in December 2021, the entity did not appear to fully support the additionality principle in the EU's Renewable Energy Directive (RED) Delegated Act, advocating for flexible approaches and later phasing in renewable capacity requirements instead.
On the impact of land-use change on climate change, in its 2022 Sustainability Report, published in 2023, Lanxess appeared to support the EU Farm-to-Fork Strategy elements that are aimed at making agricultural production more resource efficiency by reducing surplus feed in the environment.
Positioning on Energy Transition: Evonik appears to be actively engaged on the energy transition, taking a mix of positive and unclear positions. On its corporate website, accessed in 2022, the company stated that hydrogen produced via unabated fossil fuels should be reduced and supported a role for green hydrogen. The company supported cleaner power generation, without clear conditions on what this includes, and the role of wind energy in the energy mix in a November 2021 social media post. In a joint letter signed in April 2023, the company strongly supported subsidies for renewables value chains in the EU Green Deal Industrial Plan.
Industry Association Governance: Evonik does not appear to have a detailed list of all of its industry association memberships. However, the company listed a few trade association memberships in different parts of its 2022 Sustainability Report. The entity did not disclose further details of the company's role within each organization's governing bodies, nor their climate change policy positions. Evonik has not published a review of its alignment with industry associations. The company holds board positions in the European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC), and the Verband der Chemischen Industry (VCI), and is a member of the Federation of German Industries (BDI), all of which are negatively engaged on climate policy in the EU and Germany. In addition, in the United States Evonik is a member of several negatively engaged industry associations, including the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM), American Petroleum Institute (API), and National Association of Manufacturers (NAM).