Social
The Melitta Group’s long-term success depends to a significant extent on the people involved along the value chain – from its own workforce to the employees of its suppliers and partners, and the consumers of its products. Treating their needs, expectations, and rights with respect is therefore an important part of the Group’s corporate identity.
The focus is on topics such as employee development, diversity and equal opportunities, occupational health and safety, labor and human rights, as well as on product safety, quality, and transparency. As a family-owned company, the Melitta Group sets high standards in these areas – both for its own operations and for collaboration with partners in its respective markets.
Own workforce
As of December 31, 2025, the Melitta Group employed 5,522 employees worldwide (headcount). Due to its international presence and the varying requirements across its individual business fields, the Group needs people with a variety of skills, experience, and outlooks. Diversity is therefore viewed as a major strength – regardless of age, gender, origin, cultural background, or education. The Group is committed to offering all employees equal opportunities for their professional development.
There is a particular focus on promoting women to leadership positions. The goal of increasing the proportion of women in leadership positions to at least 30 percent by 2025 was already achieved in 2024. In 2025, this proportion had reached 30.7 percent.
| (headcount year-end) | 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Total number of employees1 | 5,522 | 6,070 |
| White-collar staff | 3,374 | 3,682 |
| Blue-collar staff | 2,148 | 2,388 |
| Temporary staff | 190 | 73 |
- The discrepancy with the chapter “Our fiscal year” stems from the fact that the number of employees is reported in the Sustainability Report accordance with IFRS, it is reported as the average headcount for the fiscal year.↩
Diversity
(headcount year-end)
The Melitta Group attaches great importance to continuous and challenging training and professional development. Group-wide employee development initiatives are supplemented by programs within the individual operating divisions to meet the diverse needs of the various business fields.
A further priority is occupational health and safety. Comprehensive safety measures – often going beyond the statutory requirements – are in place, particularly at the production sites. In 2024, a Germany-wide occupational health and safety system was introduced, and a regular exchange of best practices among occupational health and safety officers was established and further expanded in 2025. At the same time, the operating divisions continuously refine their own occupational health and safety measures with a particular focus on prevention and avoiding behavior-related accidents.
Health management and health promotion are also high priorities. The respective offerings are regularly reviewed and refined. Various surveys show that, overall, employees are highly satisfied with the training and health offerings provided.
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of deaths due to work-related injuries | 0 | 0 |
| Number of work-related injuries | 69 | 80 |
| Rate of work-related injuries | 1.46 | 1.65 |
| Most common work-related injuries | Cutting, crushing, hitting, other | Crushing, hitting, cutting, twisting, tripping, slipping |
The most important measures in 2025 included:
- Expansion of work-life balance management
- Publication of a magazine for employees who provide care for family members
- Implementation of a corporate influencer program, including content on employer branding and sustainability topics
- Occupational health and safety: quarterly exchange of experiences with safety specialists and standardization of topics such as risk assessments, hazardous substance registers, etc.
Corporate influencer program
Learn more
Workers in the value chain
The Melitta Group not only takes responsibility for its own employees but also for the people throughout its global supply and value chains. The goal is to ensure respect for human rights in all business activities and value creation areas and to fully comply with the relevant duty of care. In doing so, the Group is guided, among other things, by the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct, the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights, the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the ILO Core Labor Standards.
The Melitta Group believes that the greatest risks of potential human rights violations are to be found in complex, internationally organized supply chains – particularly in the value creation area of coffee. For this reason, its measures focus primarily on procurement and management processes along the supply chains. The central framework is the Group-wide Supplier Code of Conduct, which sets out clear requirements for suppliers and business partners. The goal is not only to monitor compliance with standards but, above all, to promote continuous improvement and empower partners along the value chains.
In the fiscal year 2025, the Group-wide risk management system was further expanded to implement the requirements of the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (“Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtengesetz” – LkSG). Key components included the comprehensive cataloging of all direct suppliers, as well as risk analyses at the country, product group, and supplier levels. Suppliers posing an increased risk were subject to in-depth reviews. At the same time, processes for supplier certification, training, and social audits were further developed. All new suppliers undergo a risk assessment and approval process that complies with the LkSG.
In its coffee business, the Melitta Group also works with partners and industry organizations committed to improving social standards in coffee-growing regions. Activities include participation in the German Coffee Association, as well as joint projects and whistleblower systems in the respective countries. The goal is to identify risks early on, increase transparency, and achieve sustainable improvements in working and living conditions along the supply chain.
Support in Tanzania
Learn more
Customers and end-users
The Melitta Group aims to be one of the quality leaders in its markets and to differentiate itself from the competition through durable, reliable, safe, and user-friendly products. To this end, it sets high standards throughout the entire value chain – from the raw materials and components it uses, to the production processes, and the finished product. Suppliers are selected and evaluated according to clearly defined quality criteria. Certified quality management systems, international standards, and comprehensive control and assurance mechanisms ensure quality and product safety in the production processes. At the same time, requirements such as repairability, reusability, recyclability, and eco-friendly disposal are becoming increasingly important and are systematically integrated into product development.
The Melitta Group also places great emphasis on information and dialogue. Consumers receive extensive information about products, their use, and their features via packaging, websites, and digital offerings. There are also numerous service and communication options. Feedback from consumer surveys, product tests, and customer interactions is continuously incorporated into the further development of the Group’s products and services.