Werner & Mertz owner and eco-pioneer Reinhard Schneider at the 9th Anthropocene Forum in Heiligenblut

“Functioning ecosystems are the foundation of economic activity”

Environmental pioneer Werner & Mertz is committed to protecting species diversity, preserving biodiversity, and safeguarding habitats for people and wildlife. At the 9th Anthropocene Forum in Heiligenblut, Austria, Werner & Mertz owner Reinhard Schneider explained in a ZEIT talk why sustainability is an economic necessity.

Nature does not need us—but we depend on functioning ecosystems as the foundation of our lives and economic activity. This is the philosophy of Werner & Mertz. At the 9th Anthropocene Forum, company owner Reinhard Schneider discussed these issues with leading experts and demonstrated how Werner & Mertz puts its philosophy into practice. From the selection of raw materials and product design to decisions on production locations, the family-owned company consistently prioritizes biodiversity. Intact biodiversity is not an abstract environmental concern for the company, but a direct prerequisite for quality, availability, and the further development of product solutions. A key factor here is resource independence and raw material resilience.

“Nature shows how powerful systems can be—without waste. For me, sustainability therefore does not mean sacrifice, but often greater quality and efficiency. At the same time, it becomes clear that fossil-based economic activity not only harms the environment but also creates political and economic dependencies. Sustainable solutions demonstrate that high performance is also possible in a resource-efficient way—and that they enhance our security,” says Reinhard Schneider.

Schneider emphasized that circular products are not only ecologically sound but are more relevant than ever from both an economic and a security policy perspective. “Measures that would promote a diversified raw materials policy no longer dependent on oil and fossil resources would at the same time significantly strengthen resource resilience from a security policy standpoint. The alignment of environmentally correct action—combined with increased resilience and resistance to external pressure—has not even been fully understood yet. Political action does not follow causal chains and science, but rather lobbying interests,” Schneider criticizes in the ZEIT talk.

He advocates for political framework conditions that create steering effects and thus promote sustainable action.

According to Schneider, the main driver for sustainable action on the consumer side is the experience of personal benefit: “We need visions of a future in which people want to live—visions that have an immediate impact.” Behavioral change cannot be achieved through fear. In its communication with consumers, Werner & Mertz relies on positive imagery while at the same time raising awareness of individual responsibility. Asked about his personal vision for the future, Schneider replied: “When millions of consumers realize that they themselves hold the most powerful instrument for accelerating ecological transformation and preserving nature in their own hands—the power of demand.” In practice, this means consumers should choose providers that are trustworthy, moving in the right direction, and demonstrating that the associated additional costs do not burden the consumer’s budget. “If people became aware of this, it would create a transformation pressure on the economy that even policymakers could not ignore,” Schneider adds.

As a holistically sustainable company, Werner & Mertz aims to protect and preserve entire ecosystems, not just individual species. The environmental pioneer is therefore involved in local and international partnerships dedicated to protecting biodiversity and safeguarding habitats for people and wildlife.

In cooperation with the Austrian Alpine Club, Werner & Mertz has been committed since 2019 to maintaining the vital balance of local flora and fauna. Through mountain forest projects and environmental construction sites, the company supports the sustainable care and protection of alpine landscapes. Each year, Werner & Mertz enables around 40 such projects. Volunteers work together to reinforce trails, plant trees, or maintain meadows. These hands-on conservation efforts contribute to preserving the Alps and protecting biodiversity.

In Germany, Werner & Mertz has been working with NABU (Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union) for more than 25 years on numerous biodiversity projects.

The company is also a founding member of the “Biodiversity in Good Company” initiative and maintains a long-term partnership with BOS Germany. The organization protects orangutans and their habitat—the tropical rainforest of Indonesia—while working with Werner & Mertz to preserve valuable peat swamp forests. For his commitment, Reinhard Schneider received the German Environmental Award from the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU) in 2019. He donated the prize money of €250,000 to BOS Germany to support sustainable reforestation of the Mawas area. Together with the Action Group for Species Conservation (AGA e.V.), Werner & Mertz is also involved in preserving and protecting mangrove forests in Kenya. These unique ecosystems provide habitats for numerous animal and plant species, stabilize coastlines, and play a crucial role in global climate protection by storing large amounts of carbon.