Sustainability Report 2016 / 2017

7 Innovative Product Development What Werner & Mertz products have in common is their ori- gin. They all come from the company’s own development de- partment, where innovative products are created and exist- ing products and processes are optimized. The contents, production, packaging and application are regularly put to the test. To meet our high sustainability standards, we thor- oughly analyze raw materials, formulas and packaging com- ponents. Our own assessment system checks the ecological, eco-toxicological and toxicological criteria and evaluates the components according to their source (regenerative when­ ever possible), properties, use phase (minimize potential hazards) and biodegradability. The internal assessment system has been applied to the entire product range. It shows where improvements can be made and where results were achieved in previous years. Frosch has become an eco pioneer in cleaning and care beyond European borders with its innovative development of effective cleaners based on natural ingredients that are friendly to the skin and the environment. The green care Professional brand is the pioneer of integrally sustainable, high-performan- ce hygienic solutions for professional cleaning in Europe. In pursuit of our sustainability goals, we take the experience and ideas gained in this area and apply them to the development of other parts of the company. They have fundamen- tally shaped our sustainable development guidelines and prompted changes to general processes, such as the continuous develop- ment of our Environmental Management Sys- tem based on EMAS criteria. Company