Sustainability Report 2016 / 2017

Besides transport performance, the logistical on-site processes were evaluated and incorporated in the annual end result. As part of our holistic approach, we select our service providers in accordance with our focus on sustainability. Our major partners such as Dachser, Quehenberger, Schenker and VLOG likewise incorporate sustainability as a core element in corporate decision making. Consequently, CO 2 emissions in Germany were reduced by 36 percent per ton-kilometer from 2008 to 2014 through the use of modern vehicles and fleet management (monitoring and managing fuel consumption, staff driving and braking behavior, etc.). The share of low-emission vehicles (Euro class 5 and better) has increased from 21 percent to 84 percent in Germany. Proportions in Belgium and Austria are 88 percent and 99 percent, respectively. From 2013 to 2014 the average transport distance decreased by 15 percent. Transport was reduced overall by shorter transport routes, more efficient transport (e.g., trucks used at full capacity, higher proportion of direct sales, less air freight) and the use of green energy. As a result, CO 2 e emissions went down by eight percent. Altogether CO 2 e emissions per ton of sales product were reduced by nearly 14 percent from 2013 to 2014. This achievement refers to 86 percent of all Werner & Mertz distribution systems. Digital Lot Tracing In March 2016 Werner & Mertz achieved another success with the in- troduction of lot traceability, an ambitious project that promises to deliver extra product safety. The core team working under the direc- tion of Project Manager Jürgen Partsch was made up of 17 employees from IT, Plant Logistics and Production. Since the warehouse manage- ment system was rolled out in Mainz, the number of users for this new tool has grown to 300. With our bottle supplier Alpla as a system user, the traceability of our packaging has also been simplified. Raw materials, semi-finished products and primary packaging are now registered digitally in our plant so that the entire supply chain can be tracked. In summer 2016 the second phase will begin to ensure digital traceability of all our materials at our two production sites from warehousing strategy and inventory management to the delivery of the end product. 37 Ecology