Press Release
Charity campaign by CMS Berlin and SapoCycle Germany
Over 300 hygiene bags packed with recycled hotel soaps for Berliner Tafel
Doing good together and acting sustainably: On 4 September 2025, eight volunteers from CMS Berlin, Messe Berlin's trade fair for cleaning and hygiene, packed over 300 hygiene bags for people affected by poverty. Together with Bernise Rivière and Carola Di Francesco from SapoCycle Germany e.V., they filled the bags with recycled hotel soaps from SapoCycle and other hygiene items. The team then handed over the bags to LAIB und SEELE, a campaign run by Berliner Tafel, the churches and rbb. The bags were distributed to people affected by poverty at the distribution points of the Evangelische Kirchengemeinde Mariendorf-Ost and the City-Kirchen Steglitz.
‘It was a wonderful experience for all of us to get directly involved and do something very practical for people affected by poverty,’ says Ruth Senitz, Director of CMS Berlin.
The non-profit organisation SapoCycle Germany e.V. has made it its mission to save used hotel soaps from the rubbish bin, recycle them hygienically and donate them as SapoCycle soaps to people affected by poverty in Germany. This helps in two ways: on the one hand, waste in the hotel industry is reduced, and on the other hand, people affected by poverty receive a hygiene product that gives them a sense of well-being and a better quality of life.
In cooperation with people with disabilities, 1,500 recycled SapoCycle soaps are produced every month in the Lebenshilfe Nuremberg workshop.
Bernise Rivière, founder and first chairwoman of SapoCycle Germany e.V., emphasises: "Our mission is simple: to combine sustainability and social responsibility. Every recycled bar of soap not only means less waste, but also more dignity and quality of life for someone who urgently needs it. The campaign with CMS Berlin was a wonderful example of how companies and initiatives can work together for the common good."
With this campaign, CMS Berlin (23-26 September 2025) is anticipating its focus on housekeeping and sustainability. On 26 September, Bernise Rivière will present SapoCycle Germany at CMS.
.png)
Media professionals can use press photos from CMS Berlin for their editorial reporting.
More information: www.cms-berlin.de
About SapoCycle Germany e.V.:
SapoCycle Germany e.V., founded in December 2023 as SapoCycle's first social franchise, collects used hotel soap, recycles it and distributes it free of charge to people affected by poverty. The aim is to reduce waste, promote social inclusion and make hygiene accessible to all.
Contact:
Bernise Rivière
Founder & First Chairwoman SapoCycle Germany e.V.
germany.sapocycle.org
bernise.riviere@sapocycle.org
About CMS Berlin
As the leading trade fair for cleaning and hygiene, CMS Berlin will once again bring the industry together live in Berlin from 23-26 September 2025. At the eleventh CMS Berlin 2023, over 420 exhibitors from 25 countries presented a complete market overview of products from all areas of commercial cleaning technology on more than 31,000 square metres. Around 21,000 visitors gathered information at the four-day trade fair. This means that CMS Berlin attracted more visitors than ever before.
CMS Berlin is organised every two years by Messe Berlin GmbH. The supporting organisations are the Federal Guild Association of the Building Cleaning Trade (BIV); the Cleaning Systems Association of the German Engineering Federation (VDMA); and the Industrial Association for Hygiene and Surface Protection for Industrial and Institutional Applications (IHO).
Further information: www.cms-berlin.de
About Messe Berlin
Berlin has been a trade fair destination for 200 years, and has been one of the most important such hubs for many decades. Messe Berlin – the state’s own trade fair company – conceives, markets and organises hundreds of live events every year. It strives to be an outstanding host for visitors at all events, generate optimal business stimuli, and provide fair conditions for everyone. This concept is reflected in the company slogan: Messe Berlin – Hosting the World.