The certification is based on the principles of eco effectiveness, which were developed by the architect William McDonough and the process engineer and chemist Prof. Dr. Michael Braungart. The goal is to design products in such a way that they can be returned to biological and technical cycles. C2C certification looks at a product holistically, with an evaluation made in five categories:

1. Material health: All materials in the product should be harmless for humans and the environment.
2. Product circularity: After use, the materials should be recycled or composted easily.
3. Clean air and climate protection: The manufacturing process should have positive effects on air quality, the supply of renewable energies and the impact of greenhouse gases on the climate.
4. Water and soil protection: Responsible handling of water and the soil eco systems is important for certification.
5. Social responsibility: The manufacturer must comply with human rights laws and apply fair and just business practices.

Besides the formulations, the packaging may be assessed against C2C criteria. The C2C certification is managed by the non-profit organization Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. Compared to conventional Ecolabels, C2C certification is distinguished by its holistic approach and its emphasis on the circular economy. The certification results are divided into different levels of Gold, Silver and Bronze. Green Care Professional offers the broadest Cradle to Cradle portfolio of professional cleaning products.

Eiropas Savienības ekomarķējums (dabas aizsardzības pīpene) ir īpaši videi draudzīgu tīrīšanas produktu formulu izstrādes veicināšanas dzinulis. ES pīpenes logotips tika izveidots 20. gadsimta 90. gadu vidū kā Eiropas vides simbols. Tas apvieno visas nacionālās vides emblēmas un nosaka stingras prasības attiecībā uz videi draudzīgiem produktiem. Daudziem mūsu tīrīšanas produktiem, kas paredzēti Eiropai, tagad ir izstrādātas formulas, kas ieguvušas ekomarķējuma sertifikāciju. Kopš ekomarķējumu 1992. gadā brīvprātīgi pieņēma ražotāji, tas ir kļuvis par norādi tiem klientiem, kuri vēlas iegādāties vidi saudzējošus produktus.

Ziemeļu gulbis ir Ziemeļvalstu ekomarķējums. Ar to tiek sertificēti produkti, tostarp ķīmiskie tīrīšanas līdzekļi, kas atbilst vides aizsardzības prasībām.  Green Care Professional produkti, kam piešķirts Ziemeļvalstu ekomarķējums, atbilst tā stingrākajām prasībām attiecībā uz ekotoksikoloģiju. Sākotnēji Ziemeļu gulbis bija paredzēts lietošanai Skandināvijā. Šobrīd emblēma marķē produktus, kas tiek tirgoti arī ārpus Ziemeļvalstu reģiona. Ziemeļu gulbja marķējums tiek piešķirts dažās kategorijās, kurās ķīmiskajiem tīrīšanas līdzekļiem, piemēram, trauku mazgāšanas mašīnām paredzētajiem trauku mazgāšanas līdzekļiem, netiek piešķirts ES ekomarķējums.

Kopš 1990. gada tiek veiktas stingras pārbaudes Austrijas ekomarķējuma iegūšanai, un šo sertifikāciju ir ieguvuši produkti un pakalpojumi, kas atbilst šī marķējuma stingrākajām prasībām attiecībā uz kvalitāti un vides un veselības aizsardzību.  Federālās valdības izsniegtais ekomarķējums garantē, ka formulas nesatur bīstamas vielas un ka produkta dizains ir ilgtspējīgs, lietojams un standarta prasībām atbilstošs. Šis marķējums kā ekoloģiskas ekonomikas prakses kvalitātes zīme identificē produktus, ko ražojuši uzņēmumi, piemēram, Werner & Mertz, kas ir apņēmušies izstrādāt videi draudzīgus produktus.  

Air Label Score is the first international label that distinguishes products which guarantee high indoor air quality. The development is based on ISO 16000-3, ISO 16000-6 and ISO 16000-9, all of which relate to indoor air pollution. Every tested product is given a score of A+ (very low emissions) to C (high emissions) that reflect the toxicity risk from inhaling the detected pollutants. Green Care Professional offers a broad product portfolio with an A+ Air Label Score.

The “DermaTest” label stands for independent dermatological testing of products. Products that come into direct contact with the skin when used as specified (e.g. hand dishwashing detergents) or that have indirect skin contact through the materials to be cleaned (e.g. detergents) must undergo a dermatological test to prove that they are harmless to the skin. The test ensures the skin compatibility of the products and proves a lower risk of allergic reactions or irritations. Green Care Professional offers a product portfolio with a 5-star rating and an excellent rating from DermaTest.

The “RAL Quality Mark Recycled Plastic” shows that plastic is obtained from household waste collections like the Yellow Bag. The quality requirements ensure that the origin of the plastic can be traced through every phase of the process. It is possible to see where the plastic comes from, starting with the sorting process in recycling facilities to the use of the recycled material in new products. The RAL Quality Mark indicates how much post-consumer recyclate (in percent) is used in all the primary packaging (e.g., bottle + cap + label). With the RAL Quality Mark, the packaging of the Green Care Professional range can verifiy its high recyclate share in the complete primary packaging.

LEED, which stands for Leadership in Environmental & Energy Design, is a classification for high-quality ecological buildings. It is both a guideline and an incentive for the development and realization of sustainable construction projects. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED is considered one of the world’s most widely used certifications for green buildings. In 2012 the headquarters in Mainz was awarded LEED Platinum, the most demanding sustainability certification for buildings. The new construction was then Germany’s first industrial management building in the highest award class. Most impressive is the building’s energy efficiency. With wind power, photovoltaic cells and geothermal groundwater use, the building generates 20 percent more energy than it needs for ongoing operations.

EcoVadis certification is an assessment system for companies’ sustainability practices. A company is assessed in four categories of labor and human rights; ethics; sustainable procurement; and the environment. The overall result is assigned to the Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum level. Companies are told how many points were earned in each of the categories. That information makes the EcoVadis certification an instrument that helps companies improve their sustainability practices and create transparency in reports on their social and ecological impact. In 2022 Tana-Chemie was able to defend its EcoVadis Platinum certification for the second year in a row (2021 and 2022). The rating placed Tana-Chemie among the most sustainable companies in the world as only one percent of all assessed companies achieve the top grade.

EMAS certification (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) is an award granted by the European Union to companies whose activities and operations are particularly environmentally friendly. EMAS helps businesses to assess and improve their environmental impact by providing a framework that ensures companies continuously measure their environmental performance, improve it and report on progress. Werner & Mertz has voluntarily had its environmental impact validated against EMAS criteria annually since 2003 in Mainz and since 2005 in Hallein (Austria).

DIN ISO 14001 is the world’s most widely accepted and applied standard for environmental management systems. By fulfilling the requirements specified by the international norm, companies can improve their environmental performance, meeet their legal obligations, and reach their environmental goals. Compliance with the requirements is checked annually by an independent auditor. Tana-Chemie GmbH in Mainz and Werner & Mertz Professional Vertriebs GmbH in Hallein are ISO 14001-certified.

DIN ISO 50001 is the world’s most widely accepted and applied standard for energy management systems. By fulfilling the requirements specified by the international norm, companies can increase their energy efficiency and improve their energy performance. Compliance with the requirements is checked annually by an independent auditor. Tana-Chemie GmbH in Mainz and Werner & Mertz Professional Vertriebs GmbH in Hallein are ISO 50001-certified.