Covestro LLC is a new company—sort of. Until 2015, it was the Material Sciences division of Bayer. Now as an independent company, it’s not only establishing its new image and identity as a world leader in the polyurethane and polycarbonate manufacturing and supply sector, it is working to establish a corporate culture of sustainability, mentorship and diversity.
And to achieve part of it—diversifying its supply chain—Covestro President Jerry MacCleary told the African American Chamber of Commerce PowerBreakfast audience he would like their help.
“We have committed to developing a new culture,” he said during the April 21 event at the Rivers Club, Downtown. “The one I hope we have is vibrant, colorful, and has people who are risk-takers, who think faster, and where everyone is treated with respect.”
MacCleary said the company has made strides toward creating a more diverse future for the company. One example is its Adopt-A-School program, designed to get kids interested in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) early so they can drive the industry in the future.
He said the program recently brought kids from Imani Christian Academy in East Hills to the company’s campus.
“I got harder questions from their fifth graders than I get at town hall meetings,” he said.
Another step MacCleary has taken in that direction has been the hiring of Dina Clark, who was in attendance along with the company’s entire procurement team, as its head of diversity and inclusion.
Clark, formerly the senior director of equity and inclusion for the YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh and past executive director of the Western Pennsylvania Diversity Initiative, has already developed a North American Diversity Council for the company’s entire operation. Externally, though, Covestro wants to do more, according to MacCleary.
“We also need to look outside. We can’t do it ourselves,” he told the audience. “We are committed to setting up a supplier diversity program, but it’s not there yet—for one thing, we still need a website portal to make it easy—But that means an opportunity has arisen; help us set up the right system. Help us do it. With a strong collaboration and partnership, aligned with innovation and sustainability, join us on this journey.”
African American Chamber President and CEO Doris Carson Williams thanked MacCleary for his presentation and said she would be delighted to help in that effort, saying she would coordinate with the procurement team and set up a seminar for chamber members on how to do business with Covestro.
Williams also welcomed new members and thanked everyone who attended last month’s sales workshop, and highlighted upcoming events including; A candidate’s forum, May 3 at the Rivers Club; The chamber’s Annual Meeting and Luncheon, May 9 at the Omni William Penn hotel with keynote speaker Michael McGarry, chairman and CEO of PPG; A June 7 seminar on “How to do Business With ALCOSAN;” And the June 16 PowerBreakfast featuring Dollar Bank President James McQuade.
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