Sustainable certificates

Environmental certificates have been introduced in order to safeguard the quality and sustainability of the entire floriculture sector. Because there are quite a few quality marks, we would like to help you by providing some further clarification. If you would like to read more about the steps that we as a company are taking in terms of sustainability, please click here.

MPS A, A+, B, C

MPS-ABC is more than just a certificate. It is also a monitoring tool with which nurseries can reduce their environmental impact by making adjustments. The recorded consumption of fertilisers, energy, fuel, water and lighting is used to measure how sustainable a nursery’s production is. The ability to visibly monitor these factors results in more considered use of resources. Growers can use this data to make their operations even more sustainable.

MPS A+ is highest achievable level within the MPS-ABC system. This requires minimum scores for requirements in terms of crop protection products, energy and fertilisers.

Ehpea Gold / Silver

EHPEA (Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association) is a voluntary organisation that was founded by five growers in 2002. The label monitors the social and environmental performance of affiliated flower, cuttings and vegetable exporters in Ethiopia.

The EHPEA (Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association) certificate features three levels: bronze, silver and gold. At Heemskerk Flowers we offer you Gold and Silver products in our webshop, which you can find using our sustainability filter.

The certificate particular focuses on social conditions. It safeguards issues relating to forced labour, child labour, unionisation rights, discrimination, health, safety, wages and working hours. The certificate shows whether a nursery is operating with corporate social responsibility, and at what level.

A number of requirements have also been stipulated for the production in terms of traceability, environment, safety and hygiene.

KFC Gold / Silver

The Kenya Flower Council (KFC) is a voluntary organisation made up of independent growers and exporters of cut flowers and ornamental plants which was founded in 1996. The Kenya Flower Council quality mark particularly focuses on social conditions. It safeguards issues around forced labour, child labour, freedom of association, discrimination, health, safety, wages and working hours. A number of requirements have also been formulated for the production relating to traceability, environment, safety and hygiene.

Roses and summer flowers in particular bear this quality mark.

Gold is the highest level that a nursery can achieve in terms of social conditions.

Planetproof

The ‘On the way to PlanetProof’ approach is very broad in terms of making the floriculture sector more sustainable. Sustainability topics that are important for outdoor and enclosed cultivation are climate and energy, biodiversity and landscape, crop protection, fertile soil and fertilisers, water, packaging and waste.

A search function is available on the PlanetProof website (www.planetproof.eu) which can be used to find out which nurseries are certified on the basis of nursery name or certificate number.

Organic

Flower growers who are certified as being organic grow in partnership with nature. They only use natural fertilisers such as horse manure and compost. Organic growers applied crop rotation to ensure that the soil remains healthy, and they also remove weeds mechanically.

The (cut) flowers, (pot) plants and bulbs that bear the European quality mark for organic products are guaranteed to have been grown without the use of chemical pesticides, genetic modification or artificial fertilisers. The check on compliance with the rules for organically grown products is performed by SKAL.

A search function is available on the SKAL website (www.skal.nl) to search for organic nurseries on the basis of nursery name of certificate number. This makes it quick and easy to check which nurseries are certified as being organic.

Florverde

Florverde is an independent social and environmental standard. Flowers with a Florverde certification have been produced responsibly. Florverde certification requires flower growers to take measures that protect workers' rights, apply best environmental practices and comply with national regulations. Florverde also helps ensure quality by prescribing the correct (environmentally friendly) care and handling of flowers.