Sustainability
Acting Sustainably – Today and Tomorrow
Voluntary commitments, significant resource savings, continuous reduction in the quantities of ingredients used, initiatives to reduce and optimise packaging materials, initiatives for water protection and biodiversity, studies to determine environmental influences, consumer education – the spectrum of industry commitment to sustainability is broad – and also ‘old’. The study ‘Sustainability in the German detergent industry’ published in 2002, for example, was the starting point for the dialogue platform FORUM WASCHEN, in which 39 institutions are now involved.
You can find two examples of successful sustainability initiatives in the industry right here, and an overview of all activities via a link below (in German only).
Cosmetic Products & Sustainability
In today's world, assessing a company's sustainable conduct is an integral part of its economic evaluation. Companies therefore strive to demonstrate sustainable development across all aspects of their operations. This also applies to manufacturers of cosmetic products. As the trade association representing cosmetic product manufacturers, the IKW is able to address those aspects of sustainable conduct that affect all companies equally.
These include, amongst others, the...
- ...communication of the social and economic benefits of the industry and its products
- ...collaborative development of voluntary measures to ensure product quality and safety
- ...promotion of dialogue with consumers and other stakeholders
Initial Stocktake
In order to determine which aspects of sustainability can be taken into account by cosmetic product manufacturers, the IKW carried out an initial stocktake. The results impressively illustrate how sustainable practices are being implemented across the cosmetics industry. Notwithstanding this, the cosmetics industry will continue to work towards achieving further improvements in the future.
Dialogue Platform FORUM WASCHEN
FORUM WASCHEN is a dialogue platform that has existed since 2001, bringing together more than 30 societal groups ("stakeholders") committed to sustainable practices in washing, rinsing, and cleaning in Germany. The aim of the FORUM WASCHEN dialogue platform is to change the behaviour of households and industry towards sustainable consumption and production in relation to washing, dishwashing, and cleaning in private households. All three dimensions of sustainability (social, ecological, and economic) are taken into account. Learn more
- 25 Years of FORUM WASCHENFor 25 years, FOWA has provided a platform for exchange, dialogue, and knowledge transfer on the topic of sustainable practices in the home.
- 36 actorsThe participating societal groups represent all three dimensions of sustainability (social, ecological, and economic).
- Multiply AwardedBy UNESCO and the German Federal Government's Council for Sustainable Development.
The focus of FORUM WASCHEN is not solely on laundry, but on the question of how sustainable consumption and resource-efficient behaviour can be implemented in everyday life. Practical knowledge with concrete savings potential — both for environmental resources and household costs — is shared, and in doing so a valuable contribution has been made to consumer information and sustainable everyday living for a quarter of a century.
Commit for our Planet
‘Commit for Our Planet’, a sustainability initiative by Cosmetics Europe, the European association of cosmetics manufacturers, is aimed at the entire European cosmetics industry.
Results of the progress report
- Climate, packaging and natureAlmost 70 per cent of respondents committed to all three areas: climate, packaging, and nature.
- Climate and packaging goalsOver 85 per cent of respondents have committed to both climate and packaging targets.
- Climate goalsTwenty-seven of the 20 respondents to the survey have committed to at least one climate goal.
First progress report
Since the launch of Commit for Our Planet 2022, 36 companies in Germany and Europe have already signed up as partners of the sustainability initiative with a large number of projects. IKW has been involved since the beginning and supports companies on their path to greater sustainability. The first progress report shows the companies' high level of commitment.
Sustainable washing and cleaning
The sustainability initiative of the European laundry, home care and cleaning products industry ‘Sustainable washing and cleaning’ (‘Charter 2020+’) has achieved the following results:
Successes of the initiative:
- Seal clarityThe product-related seal of the initiative is recommended as a ‘very good choice’ by the German government's ‘Seal Clarity’ project.
- 45 per cent less energy consumption45 per cent less energy consumption per ton of detergent and cleaning agent produced since the initiative was launched in 2006.
- 46 per cent less carbon dioxide emissions46 per cent less carbon dioxide emissions per ton of detergent and cleaning agent produced.
About the initiative
By 2023, 15.7 billion products with the product seal have been sold since its introduction in 2011. The initiative was founded in 2005 by the International Association of Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products (A.I.S.E., Brussels). The initiative aims to ensure that participating companies throughout the supply chain continuously operate more sustainably.
On 4 and 5 December 2025, the German Sustainability Award (Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis, DNP) brought together leading figures from politics, business, science, and civil society in Düsseldorf. With more than 3,000 participants, around 150 speakers, and a wide range of formats including MasterClasses, TransMissions, and DeepDives, the congress offered a comprehensive platform for exchange, inspiration, and new impetus around sustainable transformation. Last year, Thomas Keiser, Managing Director of the IKW, once again had the honour of serving as a jury member for cosmetics and for laundry, cleaning, and household products, actively contributing to the evaluation and discussion of sustainable strategies.