Julia Schmitt, Erik Hansen,
"Teaching Case Study: Beyond Cleaning: Werner & Mertz's Sustainable Product Innovation with Cradle to Cradle"
, in The Case Centre Cranfield University, Wharley End, Bedfordshire. MK43 0JR, UK, 5-2023
Original Titel:
Teaching Case Study: Beyond Cleaning: Werner & Mertz's Sustainable Product Innovation with Cradle to Cradle
Sprache des Titels:
Englisch
Original Kurzfassung:
Werner & Mertz is a large family-run business and manufacturer of sustainable cleaning agents based in Germany. It is well known for its 'Frosch' brand in German-speaking markets and beyond. It became a world leader in the circular economy and the first European company in its industry to commercialize a gold-level cradle to cradle (C2C) product certification. This required to redesign their products and packaging for biological and technical cycles and to remove substances of concern much beyond legal requirements. The innovation journey was complex but ultimately successful. The case focuses on how this environmental pioneer adopted C2C in its innovation processes, established new collaborations across the value chain, co-developed radically new recycling technologies and related material streams in a cross-sector partnership, and changed its marketing paradigm for successful commercialization of circular products. As a pioneer in the industry, Werner & Mertz also had to wrestle with hesitant suppliers, dynamics in the partnership setting, insufficiencies in the certification standard, missing support of the new industry solution by competitors, and unsupportive policy contexts. This case has been made available free of charge. For terms & conditions go to www.thecasecentre.org/freecaseterms
This item is suitable for undergraduate, postgraduate and executive education courses.
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