Clear structures and responsibilities

Our sustainability engagement is part of the remit of Chief Corporate Management. It is supported by the Advisory Council, which advises and assists Chief Corporate Management with the further development of the Melitta Group’s attitudes and fundamental alignment. The commitment of our shareholders is also an important basis for our actions.

The Sustainability Strategy Board, which is composed of Chief Corporate Management and the Managing Directors of the operating and corporate divisions, decides on the strategic development of the Group’s sustainability engagement.

Within the Corporate Communication and Sustainability division, the Sustainability Team steers and coordinates the Group-wide transformation and provides impetus for the development of Group-wide sustainability strategies and roadmaps, as well as for the individual programs of the operating divisions. In cooperation with the other corporate divisions and operating divisions, it refines our sustainability engagement, ensures its integration into the corresponding business strategies, and defines the sustainability targets and KPIs. In addition, the Corporate Sustainability Team is responsible for Group-wide sustainability communication and stakeholder dialogue.

A Sustainability Supervisor has been appointed for each operating and corporate division, who reports to the respective Management Board and – if necessary, together with other designated sustainability managers in the respective specialist departments – coordinates and ensures strategy integration and the implementation of the measures. Working groups on individual focus topics have also been formed at strategic or operational level.

Communication guided by standards

We regularly report on our sustainability performance and the activities developed for this purpose. To this end, we prepare a comprehensive Sustainability Report and a Sustainability Update on an alternating annual basis. Both reporting formats are based on a Declaration of Conformity with the German Sustainability Code (“Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitskodex” – DNK), which is also audited in accordance with the requirements of the CSR Directive Implementation Act (“CSR-Richtlinien Umsetzungsgesetz” – CSR-RUG). Moreover, we report on our progress in articles, editorials, and posts on our website, on our Intranet, and on the social media channels we use. We also participate in public discourse with events, exhibitions, speeches, and contributions to discussions.

We apply external standards throughout our communications to enable transparent and comparable measurement of our progress. The content and structure of these standards is based on the requirements of the German Sustainability Code (DNK). In some cases, we also use extended KPIs and requirements of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), as well as the requirements of the EU guideline on CSR reporting (“CSR Directive”, 2014), and the German CSR Directive Implementation Act of 2017 (CSR-RUG). With regard to the reporting of greenhouse gas emissions, we employ the standards and emission factors of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.

What we achieved in 2022

• Enhanced the Sustainability Supervisor network
• Expanded communication measures, especially in social media channels, and participated in external podcasts and blogs on the topic of sustainable transformation
• Participated in panels, trade shows, lecture series, and exhibitions in the field of sustainable transformation
• Promoted exchange, cooperation, and communication culture

What we are currently working on

• Linking existing governance structures in the areas of risk management, compliance, HR, finance, and sustainability
• Expansion of sustainability structures in the operating divisions
• Further expansion of communication activities in cooperation with other organizations and initiatives