We want to make a sustainable way of life possible for the majority of society and in the process contribute to solving pressing environmental problems like the polluting of our oceans. One way we achieve that is with our Open Innovation strategy in which we make environmental innovations accessible to other market participants beyond the boundaries of our brands and our company. We are convinced that we can positively contribute to environmental protection  and earn consumer trust when our preferred solutions fulfill two criteria: 1. Consistent orientation on ‘scientific majority opinions’ instead of industry interests and 2. Wide-ranging, lasting acceptance on the part of average consumers by dispelling the notion that they have to give up something in order to clean with ecological products.

In political and social discourse Werner & Mertz is committed to diligent environmental and climate protection at national and European levels. The company’s concrete appeal is that climate protection, biodiversity and the circular economy be given a high priority at all times and that existing environmental protection laws be strengthened, not weakened. We believe that political decision makers are obliged to create the legal framework for bold, forward-thinking climate and environmental policies.

The Werner & Mertz Group distinguishes itself from the rest by its social engagement. Especially in environmental and social areas, the company has launched several initiatives on its own or with others:

Environment:

• Founding member of “Biodiversity in Good Company“
  • Companies commit to integrating biodiversity protection in their operational management systems
• Long-term cooperation with BOS Deutschland. Werner & Mertz supports the BOS orangutan rescue centers on Borneo with the reintroduction of rehabilitated orangutans and monitoring of animals returned to protected rainforests. The objectives of both partners are species protection on Borneo, maintenance and expansion of the orangutans’ habitat and a mutually beneficial exchange of information regarding palm oil and surfactants.
• Support of NABU biodiversity projects:
  • Species and climate protection, moor conservation, biological diversity on company premises
• Cooperate with NABU Rheinland­Pfalz on “Frosch protects frogs” project
• Support the LIFE project: National park Hunsrück­Hochwald der EU
• Support WWF project for the protection of the Austrian Morava-Djye floodplains
• Founded Recyclate Initiative in 2012 to reduce plastic waste
  • Werner & Mertz founded the Open Innovation initiative to promote the use of packaging waste from the Yellow Bag as material to create new plastic packaging
• CEO Reinhard Schneider becomes a member of Entrepreneurs for Future
• Reinhard Schneider received the German Environmental Award 2019. He donated the prize money of 250,000 EUR to BOS Deutschland for the reforestation of the rainforest on Borneo.
• Participation in international conferences on environmental and climate protection (e.g., Our Oceans Conference in Malta, G20 Workshop in Berlin, invitation to G7 summit, Circular Economy Stakeholders Conference in Brussels, EU Commission conference “Unwrapping the Package – Europe on the way to the circular economy)

Social:

• Regular donations of pallets with Frosch brand household cleaners, dishwashing and laundry detergents to Tafeln throughout Germany in conjunction with the logistics company Spedition Schmelzer

Werner & Mertz promotes the open exchange of ideas beyond the boundaries of its own company and industry. The company wants to make innovative, sustainable solutions known to the general public. The objective of its initiatives is the further development of its own ideas with regard to ecological, economic and political issues. The implementation is in the foreground, far from any announcements motivated by public relations. Concrete examples ought to motivate the industry and convince politicians to make greater demands for implementation. To that end, many employees get involved actively in industry associations, working groups and committees, and political organizations.

Werner & Mertz regularly takes a stand on federal laws and political measures that deal with the environment. At the European level, the EU Commission’s Green Deal, introduced in December 2019, plays an important role in our work. We actively support the deal’s proposed creation of a circular economy for plastic packaging in the EU along with stronger regulation of climate protection and lower Greenhouse Gas emissions.