Sustainability has a long tradition at our company and is an integral part of our corporate philosophy. As a modern chemical company, we have a special responsibility toward people, our environment, and society.
Sustainability has a long tradition at our company and is an integral part of our corporate philosophy. As a modern chemical company, we have a special responsibility toward people, the environment, and society. Under our motto "Making a difference for generations," health protection and social responsibility are our top priorities. To this end, we are guided by the three-pillar model from the Brundtland Report of the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development in order to continuously improve:
Environmental sustainability:
We contribute to the preservation of natural resources and biological diversity and pay attention to environmental protection in the production, distribution, and consumption of our products.
Social sustainability: We are committed to corporate social responsibility for the people in our company and in society as a whole.
Economic sustainability:
Quality, service, innovation, and other factors form the basis on which we continue to grow in order to create and maintain valuable jobs and secure our investment strength.
Environmental protection
"Every innovation must be more environmentally friendly than anything we have done before — and that applies to the entire product lifecycle."
Dr. Thomas Schnell
As a sustainability pioneer in the industry, we want to lead by example. Reviewing our value chain with the aim of reducing CO₂* is an ongoing process within the company. We work every day to improve our CO₂* footprint by calculating and reducing our operational emissions. We offset what cannot be reduced through climate protection projects. Our partners should also benefit from this. Our expert advisors will put together an ideal climate range for you, enabling us to reduce the CO₂ emissions caused by our cleaning and disinfecting agents and offset the remaining CO₂, thus facilitating sustainable hygiene.
The DR.SCHNELL climate control range
creates transparency
DR.SCHNELL analyzes the CO₂* emissions of the DR.SCHNELL products used with the help of our certified CO₂* calculator (in accordance with DIN EN 14067).
avoids CO₂*
On this basis, CO₂* savings potential is defined jointly and appropriate measures, such as switching to ECO products or more sustainable work processes, are introduced to support our partners in working in a more environmentally friendly manner.
and offsets CO₂*
Residual emissions can be voluntarily offset in certified climate protection projects using the ISO 14067-certified calculation method.
Go to the calculation basis »
Social responsibility
Our employees and customers should see themselves as part of the DR.SCHNELL family and feel at home with us. We believe that a company that has been a successful part of society for several generations should be committed to helping those who, due to social disadvantage, have a right to a fair chance and an equally successful future.
Humanity and team strength Our employees receive above-average expertise through further training, we pay above the standard rate, offer flexible models for balancing work and family life, subsidize childcare, and promote health through free preliminary examinations, sports programs, and health days.
Customer-oriented thinking
Our customers are our partners, and their well-being is very important to us. We promote this through user-safe products and dosing systems and inclusive, multilingual training measures for our customers' employees.
Giving back to society
Our support is based on many pillars. We sponsor social organizations and make regular donations to people who lack the bare necessities. Employees are given time off for social engagement and, where possible, we give preference to companies that employ socially disadvantaged people for our production.
Responsibility for the supply chain
We regularly review and evaluate our suppliers in terms of their compliance with environmental, social, and ethical standards as part of our corporate social responsibility policy. Our purchasers take these performance criteria into account when making procurement decisions.
We are constantly increasing our recycled content ratio and declaring war on packaging waste. Our highly concentrated products are fundamentally more sustainable than ready-to-use products. The ECO Collection is available in bottles and canisters made from 100% recycled PCR plastic, while our ECOLUTION series reduces packaging waste through liquid ultra-high concentrates and avoids it altogether with self-dissolving granulate sticks in compostable envelopes. We encourage refilling with bulk containers and refill packs.
Our ECO Collection was awarded Cradle to Cradle Gold certification in 2020, meaning it meets the highest standards in terms of material health and responsible use of resources. From manufacturing and application to recycling or disposal, the ECO Collection contributes to sustainability, resource efficiency, and eco-effectiveness—without producing any environmentally harmful waste.
Our photovoltaic system at our Munich site generates more than half of the electricity required for our production, and we feed some of it into the public grid. Since 2020, we have been optimizing our production water supply by expanding our osmosis systems. A water treatment plant reduces the burden on the municipal sewage system in terms of chemical and energy consumption and reduces the production of climate-damaging gases.
The transport of our high and ultra-high concentrates generates significantly lower emissions than ready-to-use products, as the complex transport of water is minimized. Our ECOLUTION sticks even eliminate the need for water transport altogether. Loading and storage space is optimally utilized thanks to the low product volume and weight. For our logistics, we completely avoid air freight and keep transport routes short.
Since 2022, our Strong 3 products have been delivered in packaging made from 30% recycled plastic. This allows us to keep our environmental promise and save up to 18% CO₂* per package.
In our annual environmental statement, we present our environmental goals and provide a detailed overview of our environmentally relevant activities and data, including resource and energy consumption, emissions, waste, etc.
Environmentally friendly production
Since 1998, we have been assessed according to EMAS, the European Union's seal of approval for environmental management. The Eco-Management and Audit Scheme, also known as the EU Eco-Audit, is voluntary and serves the purposes of environmental management and environmental auditing. EMAS-certified organizations make an effective contribution to environmental protection, save costs, and demonstrate social responsibility.
Certified environmental management
The international standard 14001 is a central element of the European EMAS Regulation (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme). The EMAS registration certificate also confirms that we comply with ISO 14001—the requirements for an environmental management system that enables an organization to improve its environmental performance, fulfill legal and other obligations, and achieve environmental objectives.
Lower environmental impact than comparable products
We offer a complete Ecolabel product line for building cleaning and kitchen hygiene. All products in this line are environmentally friendly, highly effective, and certified according to EU Ecolabel and/or Nordic Swan. The EU Ecolabel alerts consumers to more environmentally friendly products. That is why the label sets requirements for the ingredients and degradability of certified products.
Gold award for sustainability awareness
For the seventh time in a row, we have been awarded CSR Gold status by Ecovadis. The international platform analyzes and evaluates the environmental and social practices of companies in four areas (environment, labor and human rights, ethics, sustainable procurement) according to 21 CSR indicators. DR.SCHNELL is thus among the top 5% of the companies evaluated.
GOLD certificate: Closed product cycle
In August 2020, some of our products were awarded the Cradle to Cradle Gold certificate. This is an approach to a consistent and comprehensive circular economy, which also focuses on the use of raw materials after they have been used. Precious resources are reused and not wasted.
Credible and environmentally friendly
We have voluntarily committed ourselves to the A.I.S.E. Charter since 2007. The Charter for Sustainable Cleaning seal recognizes detergents and cleaning agents that are manufactured in a more environmentally friendly manner. It is awarded by A.I.S.E., the International Association for Soaps, Detergents, and Maintenance Products. The seal checks whether a company meets the requirements for credibility and environmental protection. We have been a member since 2007 and were first assessed in 2008.
Certified environmental compatibility
The Nordic Swan also certifies environmentally friendly detergents and cleaning agents. These products are highly biodegradable in water and contain few hazardous materials. While the EU Ecolabel is recognized in all member states of the European Union, as well as in Norway, Liechtenstein, and Iceland, the Nordic Ecolabel is the official environmental label of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Iceland).
Germany's most sustainable brand
Germany's most sustainable brand: In 2013, the jury selected DR.SCHNELL as one of the top three brands. The criteria were our “pioneering role” in the industry and our “excellent brand impact.” The German Sustainability Award recognizes exemplary sustainability achievements. It is Europe's largest award for ecological and social commitment.
GUTCert
To calculate the voluntary CO2* surcharge, the raw materials we purchase are accounted for according to the “cradle-to-grave” principle. The main databases used to create the product footprint are the EcoInvent database Ver. 3.8 (2021, latest version) and GHG Protocol. We have had our approach verified by GUTCert experts to ensure that it is scientifically correct and have been certified as compliant with ISO 14067 (Carbon footprint of products - Requirements and guidelines for quantification).
ISO9001 certification: Full focus on our customers' needs
The quality of products or services is no coincidence. The best possible quality must be carefully planned and consistently implemented, which is why we have had our quality management system audited in accordance with the ISO 9001 standard since 1998. This ensures that our management and processes are constantly improving and that our customers have a reliable partner with whom they can grow together in the long term.
Cyclos CTP: Award-winning sustainable packaging
The “Recyclable” label from Der Grüne Punkt, issued by the cyclos-HTP Institute, confirms the excellent recyclability of our packaging. Our containers are 100% recyclable, which reduces the need for newly produced plastic.
