Sustainability Report 2016 / 2017

26 Initiative Frosch Benefits of Surfactants based on European Plants: • 100 percent renewable raw materials • Protection of rainforest through non-use of tropical cultivation areas • Shorter transportation distances • Encourage cultivation of traditional plants • No dependence on surfactants from tropical cultivation • No monocultures • No competition with foodstuff production • Preserve and promote biological diversity Plant-based Surfactants: Cleaning Power from Nature Surfactants are wash-active substances that dissolve grease and dirt in the water. From the start, the Frosch brand has used purely plant-based sur- factants. If you want to forego use of petrochemical surfactants, as Werner & Mertz does, you have no choice beyond palm kernel or coconut oil. As a member of RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil), we are aware of the controversy surrounding tropical vegetable oils. That’s why our company began looking for reasonable alternatives. As the result of research work, we have been using surfactants made from European plants in the formulas for our products since 2013. Of course we insist on oils specifically for industrial use which pose no competition to food production. Native Cultivation Preferred For its cleaning and care products Werner & Mertz is increasingly relying on the use of vegetable oils from plants cultivated in Europe. Their composition, however, differs significantly from palm kernel oil, for example. As a rule, they require more complex processing and therefore more research and development effort. Werner & Mertz rigorously pursues the goal of devel­ oping suitable surfactants from native vegetable oils while retaining the familiar and highly appreciated properties of its Frosch brand cleaners. Suc- cess has already been achieved. Frosch scouring cream now contains up to 100 percent surfactants made from rapeseed oil! Werner & Mertz has developed a way to stabilize the unstable fatty acids in the rapeseed oil and to protect it from oxidation. The rapeseed is grown in Germany, France and Poland. Other plant-based surfactants in the formulas for Frosch products come from European cultivation. The linseed oil we process is from France and Belgium while the olive oil-based surfactants are from plants grown in Spain, Italy and Greece. Since 2013 many formulas for Frosch cleaners have been converted and now contain up to 100 percent surfactants from plants native to Europe. The success of the initiative speaks for itself. The company is on the way to converting the entire portfolio of Frosch products to the use of surfactants from European cultivation.