2021
2022
Future
More information
International
Support Team
MPS
GLOBALG.A.P.
Germany, Belgium, Italy and Spain
MPS is available as well as the combination GreenlinQdata/ GLOBALG.A.P. In Germany the combination AKOlogic/GLOBALG.A.P. is also available. You'll find more information and an explanation of how to get started on our website, under the heading 'GLOBALG.A.P.' and 'MPS'.
You'll find more information and an explanation of how to get started on our website, under the heading 'GLOBALG.A.P.' and 'MPS'.
Israel
In addition to MPS, digital environmental registration and environmental certification is also possible in Israel through GLOBALG.A.P. by means of the two local digital registration tools AKOLogic and FarmManager.
Kenya and Colombia
In Kenya and Colombia, KFC and Florverde are the alternative to MPS.
Ethiopia
In Ethiopia, only MPS meets all requirements. EHPEA is still working on linking digital environmental registration to the environmental certificate.
Other countries
In other countries, only MPS is currently available. Growers in these countries can therefore turn to MPS for digital environmental registration and environmental certification.
We are happy to help suppliers who are not yet digitally
registered and/or not yet certified.
A special Support team has been set up for this purpose.
The Support team was set up to inform you personally about the choices for digital environmental registration and to help you on your way. We understand that there is a lot of information coming your way and it may be difficult to make a choice. The Support Team will be happy to help you with that. They will introduce themselves to you: from left to right Auke Boerma, Vere Werlotte and Larissa Vlaar.
We offer you:
- Information and insight to be able to make a well-considered choice between the two providers for digital environmental registration and environmental certification.
- Personal guidance during the registration or registration procedure with one of the two providers.
The Support Team can be reached via our Contact Center:
- Call or whatsapp: 088 - 789 89 89
- E-mail: contactcenter@royalfloraholland.com
- Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday: 05:30 to 17:00, Friday: 05:30 to 16:00
In the MPS-ABC registration environment you perform the digital environmental registration. The CB MPS-ECAS carries out an audit of this. Based on the total score, your company will receive an MPS qualification: A+, A, B or C and corresponding certificate.
In addition to MPS-ABC, you can also obtain the MPS-GAP certificate, where GAP stands for "Good Agricultural Practices". With the combination of MPS-ABC and MPS-GAP, you fully meet the FSI criteria.
From registration to certification. How do you start?
MPS-ABC
- You can request an offer via www.my-mps.com/mps-abc
- After approval of the offer, you can start with digital environmental registration.
- After 13 consecutive 28-day periods of registration and successful completion of the first audit by MPS-ECAS, you will receive the MPS-ABC environmental certificate.
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Telephone |
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+31 (0)174 615 715 |
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+31 (0)174 615 715 |
Do you opt for environmental registration via GreenlinQdata?
This is how it works step by step:
GLOBALG.A.P.
You register with one of the registration tools that meets the FSI
criteria.
- At the same time, you can request an offer from one (or, if available, several) certifying body(ies).
- After the quotation has been approved, the CI of your choice will register you with GLOBALG.A.P. for the IDA module. After this you can then start digital environmental registration at GreenlinQdata.
- After 6 months of digital environmental registration and a successful audit by the CB of your choice, you will receive the environmental certificate. Do you already have a GLOBALG.A.P. IFA FO certificate? Then you can have an audit and certification for the IDA module after 3 months of digital environmental registration.
- You are not obliged to have an audit carried out after 6 or 3 months of digital environmental registration. You can also choose to have the audit carried out later (up to 12 months). This means that you will also pay the audit costs at a later date. Do you take into account the planning of the audit with the deadline set by Royal FloraHolland for environmental certification?
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E-mail address |
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+31 (0)174 615 715 |
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+49 221 57776 100 |
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+31 (0)85 224 0090 |
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+ 972-8-6803711 |
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+31 (0)50 501 1182 |
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+31 (0)88 214 3290 |
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+31 (0)174 615 715 |
Frequently asked questions
Why has Royal FloraHolland made environmental registration and certification a requirement to supply to the marketplace?
Royal FloraHolland has initiated mandatory environmental
registration and certification in order to create transparency and
accountability with regard to our sustainability efforts. This
allows us to jointly protect the reputation of our products, our
sector and our collective marketplace. Moreover, we meet the
increasing market demand for sustainability transparency; both
regarding the production of flowers and plants, as well as the
business operations of the growers.
In addition, thanks to digital environmental registration and
certification, growers can demonstrate their sustainable production
and the way they go about it. This will also grant them access to
the growing part of the market that only seeks to purchase
certified sustainable products. Furthermore, digital environmental
registration provides yet another advantage; the digital
registration of crop protection, fertilisers, water and energy will
give a wealth of insight to help improve business processes.
By obtaining an environmental certificate, the grower can demonstrate in a reliable manner that they comply with the requirements. And based on the certificate, buyers can purchase sustainable products in a targeted and efficient way.
Could I get a penalty if I haven’t started with digital environmental registration and environmental certification yet?
No. We are not enforcing and applying sanctions until further notice, and so we will not be imposing any penalties. We are now working on an adjustment plan, in consultation with the Members' Council. We will not be enforcing registration until we have a new plan.
What will happen in the near future? And when will there be more clarity on what enforcement may look like in the future?
On the one hand, over the next few months we will be exploring how we can act on our members' concerns constructively. In particular the compulsory nature, the costs, the speed and the fact that it must be digital are difficulties that are being mentioned. Along with the Members' Council, we will be looking at potential solutions as well as support for those solutions. It is still difficult to say how long this will take. We will not start enforcing until we have a widely supported, adapted plan.
On the other hand, there are discussions with traders on jointly collaborating on a plan of approach on how to encourage and achieve sustainable production and purchasing.
I have just started with digital environmental registration; is it better to stop now?
No. We are still advising our suppliers both to start and continue with digital environmental registration and environmental certification. Despite enforcement being postponed for now, digital environmental registration and environmental certification remains essential for the future of your company, our sector and our marketplace. The government is pursuing an increasingly stricter sustainability policy, and the demand from the market and society for transparency concerning production is also rising. Digital environmental registration and certification is the answer to this. It helps safeguard the reputation of our products, our sector, your company and our shared marketplace.
What does it mean for the cessation scheme?
We are contacting everyone who has opted for the cessation scheme. We are looking into what the best route is, together with the growers who signed up for this.
Why is it necessary for growers to obtain an environmental certificate in addition to all the (legally) mandatory registrations?
The legally mandatory registrations don't fully cover the current environmental requirements made by the market. An environmental certificate does; a digital environmental registration linked to a scheme is validated with an audit and possibly sampling. This way, the environmental performance of a grower can be transparently and reliably established. Moreover, an environmental certificate will demonstrate that a grower meets any legal requirements.
Digital and uniform registration is also important. There is a great need in the sector for reliable, secure data and information in anticipation to future developments such as footprints and estimating the environmental-impact. These developments will also help us strengthen the reputation of the products, the sector and our marketplace.
What are the requirements that an digital environmental registration and certification must meet? What is ‘market-compliant’?
The requirements have been laid down by the Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI). The registration involves the uniform and digital recording of the crop protection agents and fertilisers used as well as water and energy consumption. These are matters of which growers already keep records as required by law. Supplementary to this statutory requirement, the relevant information must now be documented digitally. A plan for Integrated Pest Management is also being requested. Requirements set by the FSI for certification focus in particular on the way in which inspection of the registration takes place (audit and possibly sampling).
It is my intention to cease supplying in the short term. Do different rules apply to me in that case?
If you, as a member of Royal FloraHolland, are going to stop supplying/selling product on the marketplace, you must indicate this in writing before 1 April 2021 by sending an e-mail to: stoppersregeling@royalfloraholland.com.
Please include the following information in your e-mail:
- Royal FloraHolland administration number
- Company name
- Contact person
- Termination date
The aforementioned provision does not apply to suppliers who are not members of Royal FloraHolland.
I am a supplier, but not a grower. Do the environmental registration and certification requirements still apply to me?
Do you not grow the products that you supply yourself (trading companies, 're-auctioneers', makers of arrangements, etc.)? In that case, different rules apply to digital environmental registration and certification. You do not have to complete any environmental registration. We do ask you, however, to prove that the products that you supply are environmentally certified. Please register via the non-growing supplier form, so that we can inform you about what this will look like for you and we can classify you in the correct category for enforcement.
How will my company benefit from digital environmental registration and certification?
Thanks to digital environmental registration and certification, you can demonstrate that you produce in a sustainable manner and how you go about it. This will also grant you access to the growing part of the market that only seeks to purchase certified sustainable products. Digital environmental registration provides yet another advantage: the digital registration of crop protection, fertilisers, water and energy will give you a wealth of insight to improve your business processes.
What is the position of Plantion and Veiling Rhein-Maas (VRM) regarding digital environmental registration and environmental certification?
Veiling Rhein-Maas
(VRM)
Royal FloraHolland is going to make mandatory digital
environmental registration and environmental certification part of
the Auction Regulations. This means that these rules will
automatically apply to all Royal FloraHolland growers (members)
selling at VRM, regardless of which percentage of their supply they
sell at VRM. Therefore, Royal FloraHolland growers who supply 100%
of their supply at VRM will also fall under the Royal FloraHolland
policy.
Plantion
Plantion also stresses the importance of digital
environmental registration and environmental
certification.
Plantion agrees that their members who supply at Royal FloraHolland must meet the obligation set by Royal FloraHolland regarding digital environmental registration and environmental certification. Plantion has also indicated that Royal FloraHolland can and may check in the event that Royal FloraHolland suppliers supply at Plantion.
Royal FloraHolland will remain in conversation with both parties.
How are the legislation differences per country handled in terms of environmental certificates?
Certificates require that companies comply with local legislation for the subjects/themes that are relevant to the scheme. In the case of crop protection, and its authorisation in particular, there are differences between countries. Sometimes, for example, 'old' active substances that are no longer permitted in Europe may still be used outside Europe. On the other hand, producers outside Europe are not always or not yet able to use the new, modern active substances.
In order to create a level playing field, MPS has created the MPS Blacklist for Crop Protection Products. This includes a number of old active substances that put too much of a strain on people and/or the environment, and are therefore not permitted within the scheme. If you are interested in this list, please contact MPS. Moreover, the European market often sets stricter requirements superseding local legislation in various countries. This means that for the manufacturer abroad, the market requirements are often leading and not the requirements of the local production country.
How can I make my certification known?
In our marketplace, one way for growers to demonstrate the sustainability of their production is to provide certificates. The certificates are already visible in the supply and on the clock, and in Floriday they can be found on the grower page. Supply is to follow. Buyers can include certificates in their selection/search criteria and thus find certified supply quickly and efficiently.
I have a European Organic Certificate (SKAL certified). Do I meet the requirements for digital environmental registration and environmental certification set by Royal FloraHolland?
For the time being, growers with a European Organic Certificate (SKAL certified) for their production as a whole are exempt from the mandatory digital environmental registration and environmental certification, introduced by Royal FloraHolland for all its marketplace suppliers on 1 January 2021. This is based on acknowledging the vision that organic growers have, and the fact that organic is a cultivation method in which limiting the crop's environmental impact is paramount; with, for instance, no chemical pesticides or artificial fertilisers being used. This exempts these growers from enforcing mandatory digital environmental registration and environmental certification, until at least 1 January 2022. We assume the FSI will accredit the European Organic Certificate as an environmental certificate by this date at the latest.
In practice, this means that for now - until 1 January 2022 at the earliest - growers with a European Organic Certificate (SKAL certified) for their entire production do not require any additional digital environmental registration and environmental certification for supplying to our marketplace.
I have a GRASP rating. Do I meet the requirements for digital environmental registration and environmental certification set by Royal FloraHolland?
GRASP is a social checklist issued by the organisation GLOBALG.A.P. Some retailers require GRASP as an extra to the GLOBALG.A.P. IFA certificate in order to find out a little more about the social conditions of production. GRASP is not a certificate and therefore does not meet FSI's requirements for an environmental certificate.
I have an On the way to PlanetProof label. Do I meet the requirements for digital environmental registration and environmental certification set by Royal FloraHolland?
Growers with an On the Way to PlanetProof certificate do not maintain a digital environmental registration. However, the Stichting MilieuKeur (SMK) is working on an extra module (add-on) for On the Way to PlanetProof certificate holders, which will enable them to meet FSI requirements, and in the process requirements that Royal FloraHolland have, in relation to compulsory digital environmental registration and environmental certification. The scheme is also working on an FSI benchmark, so that FSI also recognises On the Way to PlanetProof as an environmental certificate.
What are the costs for digital environmental registration and certification at MPS and GLOBALG.A.P.?
MPS
With the new MPS-ABC scheme, MPS fully complies with the standards for digital environmental registration and certification. MPS has reduced the fees for certification in March 2020. In order to gain access to the MPS-ABC registration environment a strongly reduced separate fee is charged for the first year. The certification fee will only apply in the second year, once audits, samplings, qualifications and certification have taken place. In addition, there is a hectare supplement depending on the size of the company. The certification fee was reduced for all growers, including current customers of MPS. For more information and precise costs, please visit the MPS website.
GLOBALG.A.P.
GLOBALG.A.P. offers a separate environmental module, IDA
(Impact-Driven-Approach), which meets the criteria set by FSI. De
IDA module consists of a digital environmental registration and
subsequent audit. The registration tool required for IDA in the
Netherlands is available from GreenlinQdata, AKOLogic and FarmManager.
You can also choose from one of the three certification institutes
(CIs), namely Control Union, SGS or MPS-ECAS. The total fee will
consist of the following components:
- Registration costs: registration of the supplier in the GLOBALG.A.P. database by the certification institute.
- Costs for using the registration tool.
- Payment to the GLOBALG.A.P. organisation for the IDA programme (depending on hectares).
- Audit of the IDA module (after 6-12 months).
I’m a Dutch grower and would like to start the digital environmental registration. What are my choices?
As a Dutch grower you can choose between MPS and GLOBALG.A.P. What do these providers offer and how does it work?
MPS
MPS offers a registration tool, certification institute (CI) and
environmental certificate all-in-one. The
MPS-ABC registration environment is where you complete the digital
environmental registration. The CI MPS-ECAS will
audit this. Based on the total score, your company will receive an
MPS qualification:
A+, A, B or C and corresponding certificate.
In addition to MPS-ABC, you could also get the MPS-GAP
certificate, where GAP stands for "Good Agricultural Practices".
The combination of MPS-ABC and MPS-GAP ensures that you fully meet
the FSI criteria.
GLOBALG.A.P.
GLOBALG.A.P. works with several existing registration tools and
certification institutes (CIs). In the Netherlands, GLOBALG.A.P.
works with GreenlinQdata as a registration tool. With regard to the
CI you can choose between Control Union Certifications, MPS-ECAS or
SGS. There are various certification options and the choice is
yours depending on your wishes and situation.
'I do not yet have an
environmental certificate'
You can start with the IDA module (Impact-Driven Approach) and
initiate the environmental registration via GreenlinQdata. The CI
of your choice will audit the digital environmental registration.
Afterwards, you will receive the proof of meeting both the
environmental registration requirements as well as those for
environmental certification.
In addition to the IDA module, you could also get the IFA FO
certificate (Integrated Farm Assurance for Flowers and
Ornamentals). The combination of IDA and IFA FO ensures that you
fully meet the FSI criteria.
'I already have a
GLOBALG.A.P IFA FO certificate'
To fulfil the requirement of digital environmental registration
and certification, you just need to start with the IDA add-on and
the digital registration via GreenlinQdata. This ensures that you
fully meet the FSI criteria.
Would you like more information about our providers or the
certification institutes? Please visit their websites for
additional information. Their customer service departments are also
there to offer assistance and answer any questions. Below you will
find all the websites and contact details.
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Website |
Telephone number |
E-mail address |
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+31 (0)174 615 715 |
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+49 221 57776 100 |
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+31 (0)85 224 0090 |
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+ 972-8-6803711 |
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+31 (0)50 501 1182 |
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+31 (0)88 214 3290 |
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+31 (0)174 615 715 |
Which registration systems meet the FSI criteria for environmental registration?
To comply with the requirements of digital environmental registration, a registration tool should at least register the following parts in a FSI approved manner:
- Pesticides
- Fertilizers
- Water
- Energy
The registration tool must also enter into an agreement with GLOBALG.A.P. for exchange of the registered data. Currently GreenlinQdata, FarmManager and AKOlogic meet the GLOBALG.A.P. registration requirements for the IDA module. The available tools can be found at:
More information and the current status about which registration tools are available for the GLOBALG.A.P. IDA module can be found on the GLOBALG.A.P. website.
I grow arable crops as well as floriculture. Which registration tool can I use to register both crops?
The MPS registration tool is suitable for floriculture only. The GreenlinQdata registration tool is aimed at floriculture, fruit and vegetables. Therefore, neither tool offers an option for growers who wish to register both floriculture and arable crops in one tool.
Growers in floriculture as well as arable crops who already use a registration tool, are advised to contact their current registration tool. You can ask them whether they are in the process of linking their system to GLOBALG.A.P. or MPS, so that you can be certified by means of your current registration tool.
You can find more information about the available registration tools accepted by GLOBALG.A.P on the GLOBALG.A.P. website:
Besides a registration tool, GreenlinQdata also offers the possibility of linking other registration tools to enable certification at GlobalG.A.P. for the IDA module/add-on. Enquire about this at your registration tool or at GreenlinQdata.
We also advise you to contact the certification institutes to add the IDA module to your audit.
How do I register with MPS?
Are you opting for environmental registration via MPS-ABC? This
is how it works, step by step:
MPS-ABC
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You can request an offer via www.my-mps.com/mps-abc
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After approval of the offer, you can start with digital environmental registration.
-
After 13 consecutive 28-day periods of registration and successful completion of the first audit by MPS-ECAS, you will receive the MPS-ABC environmental certificate.
How do I register with GLOBALG.A.P.?
Do you opt for environmental registration via Global G.A.P.?
This is how it works step by step:
GLOBALG.A.P.
You register with one of the registration tools that meets the FSI criteria.
- At the same time, you can request an offer from one (or, if available, several) certifying body(ies).
- After the quotation has been approved, the CI of your choice will register you with GLOBALG.A.P. for the IDA module. After this you can then start digital environmental registration at GreenlinQdata.
- After 6 months of digital environmental registration and a successful audit by the CB of your choice, you will receive the environmental certificate. Do you already have a GLOBALG.A.P. IFA FO certificate? Then you can have an audit and certification for the IDA module after 3 months of digital environmental registration.
- You are not obliged to have an audit carried out after 6 or 3 months of digital environmental registration. You can also choose to have the audit carried out later (up to 12 months). This means that you will also pay the audit costs at a later date. Do you take into account the planning of the audit with the deadline set by Royal FloraHolland for environmental certification?
I’m a foreign grower and would like to start the digital environmental registration. What are my choices?
Germany, Belgium, Italy and Spain
MPS is available as well as the combination GreenlinQdata/ GLOBALG.A.P. In Germany the combination AKOlogic/GLOBALG.A.P. is also available. You'll find more information and an explanation of how to get started on our website, under the heading 'GLOBALG.A.P.' and 'MPS'.
You'll find more information and an explanation of how to get started on our website, under the heading 'GLOBALG.A.P.' and 'MPS'.
Israel
In addition to MPS, digital environmental registration and environmental certification is also possible in Israel through GLOBALG.A.P. by means of the two local digital registration tools AKOLogic and FarmManager.
Kenya and Colombia
In Kenya and Colombia, KFC and Florverde are the alternative to MPS.
Ethiopia
In Ethiopia, only MPS meets all requirements. EHPEA is still working on linking digital environmental registration to the environmental certificate.
Other countries
In other countries, only MPS is currently available. Growers in these countries can therefore turn to MPS for digital environmental registration and environmental certification.
What do providers like MPS or GLOBALG.A.P/GreenlinQdata do with my entered data?
In any case, you remain the owner of these data and the provider may not do anything with your data without your explicit permission. Providers attach great importance to privacy and the protection of your personal data and entered data.
For the privacy statement of the registration tools, please refer to the website of the provider.
Is it possible to change parties later (MPS or GLOBALG.A.P./GreenlinQdata)?
You are always free to change parties at any given time after your choice for either of the two parties. The precise terms and conditions with regards to changing differ per party, and we recommend that you contact the parties to ensure the change goes as smoothly as possible.
Read the latest news about the mandatory, digital environmental registration and certification here.
Read more about the taken decisions and get inspired by your fellow growers!
General
- Offer environmental registration and environmental certification available
- Royal FloraHolland Management Board opts for phased enforcement of environmental registration and environmental certification
- Members' Council not unanimous in its recommendation on enforcement of environmental registration
- Second party for environmental registration will be available soon
- Digital environmental registration and certification remains a priority for our marketplace
- Royal FloraHolland makes environmental certification mandatory by the end of 2021
- Environmental certification is good for the image of the marketplace
Supplier
Buyer
Who can I contact if I have questions?
We understand that this is a lot of information and the choice is not a simple one. That's why the Support team is here. We wil try to make it as easy as possible.
1. Frequently Asked Questions: environmental
registration and environmental certification
You will find information, more details and frequently asked
questions on our website:
www.royalfloraholland.com/environmentalcertification
2. Can't find the answer you need?
Please contact our Contact Center. They will be happy to help
you!
- Phone and WhatsApp: +31 (0)88 789 89 89.
- E-mail: contactcenter@royalfloraholland.com
- Opening hours: Monday - Thursday: 5:30am to 5:00pm, Friday: 5:30am to 4:00pm
3. If you need personal guidance, our colleagues from
the Contact Center will refer you to our Support
Team.
This team was set up especially for this purpose. We will be
more than happy to answer any questions you may
have.
Would you like more information about our providers or the certification institutes? Below you will find all the websites and contact details.
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Website |
Telephone number |
E-mail address |
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+31 (0)174 615 715 |
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+49 221 57776 100 |
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+31 (0)85 224 0090 |
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+31 (0)50 501 1182 |
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+31 (0)88 214 3290 |
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+31 (0)174 615 715 |
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How can the Support Team help me as a grower?
We understand that digital environmental registration and environmental certification is a complex topic and that choosing between the providers is not easy. The Support Team is there for suppliers who have not yet started. We can offer you a helping hand in making the choice by personally informing you or even helping you on your way when registering with one of the providers. In this way, we want to make the process for suppliers easier and ensure that it runs smoothly.
In short, the Support Team offers:
- Expertise, for you to be able to make a conscious choice between the two providers of environmental registration and environmental certification yourself.
- Personal guidance with the registration procedure.
Have you already registered successfully, but still having difficulties during the registration? In that case, please contact the customer service departments at MPS, GreenlinQdata, AKOLogic, FarmManager directly so they can offer you personal guidance with each step in the registration process.
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Website |
Telephone number |
E-mail address |
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+31 (0)174 615 715 |
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+49 221 57776 100 |
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+31 (0)85 224 0090 |
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+ 972-8-6803711 |
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+31 (0)50 501 1182 |
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+31 (0)88 214 3290 |
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+31 (0)174 615 715 |
