Sustainability certification
Together we grow a green future
The number of growers with an environmental certificate keeps increasing, will you join us too?
What are the benefits of environmental registration and certification?
With sustainability certification, you achieve several results at once. First of all, you make it visible to buyers that your products have been grown in a sustainable way. This way, you contribute to a positive image of our sector.
By showing that you are certified, you maintain access to the growing share of the trade that buys exclusively certified. Using your certificates, the floral trade companies buys in a targeted and efficient way. In an increasing number of countries, the floral trade companies are is also required by law to buy traceable products y. Legislation for this is also emerging in the Netherlands. In short: the need for certification is therefore growing, especially for trade purposes.
Sustainability is broader than just environment: it relates to people, the planet and the economy. So social aspects and sustainable and responsible production of ornamental crops are also important.
Royal FloraHolland, like a number of our trade companies and other partners with a high trade value, is a member of FSI: the Floriculture Sustainabilty Initiative. Together, FSI members want to make the floriculture sector more sustainable. Sustainability certification in the floriculture sector means that growers are certified according to the requirements of the Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI Basket of Standards)
By showing that you are certified, you maintain access to the growing share of the trade that buys exclusively certified. Using your certificates, the floral trade companies buys in a targeted and efficient way. In an increasing number of countries, the floral trade companies are is also required by law to buy traceable products y. Legislation for this is also emerging in the Netherlands. In short: the need for certification is therefore growing, especially for trade purposes.
Sustainability is broader than just environment: it relates to people, the planet and the economy. So social aspects and sustainable and responsible production of ornamental crops are also important.
Royal FloraHolland, like a number of our trade companies and other partners with a high trade value, is a member of FSI: the Floriculture Sustainabilty Initiative. Together, FSI members want to make the floriculture sector more sustainable. Sustainability certification in the floriculture sector means that growers are certified according to the requirements of the Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI Basket of Standards)
What is Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI)?
Larger version in FSI flyer
Royal FloraHolland, like a whole number of our major (trade) partners, is a member of FSI: the Floriculture Sustainability Initiative.The Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI) is a market-driven initiative with members (including growers and grower organizations, trading companies, breeders, retail etc.).
FSI members have a common purpose goal to have the percentage of production certified according to FSI requirement (Basket of Standards) and the percentage of certified product purchased by trading companies as high as possible (ideally 100%). Together, FSI members make the floriculture sector more sustainable.
The FSI Basket of Standards consists of 3 pillars: Good Agricultural Practice (GAP), Environmental and Social. If you, , want to meet the FSI requirements, you need to obtain a certificate from the GAP pillar), a certificate from the environmental pillar ( and if applicable a certificate from the social pillar. Currently a social certificate applies to risk countries, but in the long run it will also apply to non-risk countries.
View the FSI flyer for more information or visit www.fsi2025.com.
FSI members have a common purpose goal to have the percentage of production certified according to FSI requirement (Basket of Standards) and the percentage of certified product purchased by trading companies as high as possible (ideally 100%). Together, FSI members make the floriculture sector more sustainable.
The FSI Basket of Standards consists of 3 pillars: Good Agricultural Practice (GAP), Environmental and Social. If you, , want to meet the FSI requirements, you need to obtain a certificate from the GAP pillar), a certificate from the environmental pillar ( and if applicable a certificate from the social pillar. Currently a social certificate applies to risk countries, but in the long run it will also apply to non-risk countries.
View the FSI flyer for more information or visit www.fsi2025.com.
How does my company become FSI-compliant, how does it work?
- Get an environmental certificate
- Achieve a GAP certificate
- Achieve a Social certificate
Environmental certificate
You arrange environmental certification in three clear steps: select, register and certify. First, you select a provider of an eco-label and a digital registration tool. Then you keep track of plant protection products, fertiliser, water and energy. After several months, you apply for the certification audit. You can count on support from the providers of the registration tools and the certifying institutions from the start, and natural capital from Royal FloraHolland.
Watch videos on environmental registration, with experiences and tips from other growers, a purchaser/ buyer and a florist.
Watch videos on environmental registration, with experiences and tips from other growers, a purchaser/ buyer and a florist.
Watch videos
Step 1: Select a provider
Select one of the two providers MPS and GLOBALG.A.P. (or in Kenya KFC and in Colombia Florverde).
Step 2: Register
Start, after approval of the offer, with digital environmental registration, the registration of your data regarding crop protection products, fertilisers, water, and energy in the registration tool.
Step 3: Certify
After completing sufficient periods of environmental registration and the successful audit, you will receive the environmental certificate.
GAP/Social certificate
With GAP and social certification, you meet requirements in areas such as traceability, environment, plant protection products, and sustainable production conditions and working conditions of employees
You arrange for GAP and/or Social certification in a few straightforward steps: Get a quote from a certification body (CB), make sure you meet the certification requirements, conduct an internal audit and commission an external certification audit.
Of course, the certifying institutions or Royal FloraHolland can help you further along the way.
Step 1: request a quote
Request a quote for a GAP certificate at one of the certifying institutions.
Step 2: Comply with certification requirements
Map out the necessary business processes by which you meet the certification requirements and make sure all practical points within the company are in order.
Step 3: Internal audit
Conduct an internal audit using the GAP certificate checklist.
Step 4: Certification audit
Have an external audit carried out by competent certifying body.
You arrange for GAP and/or Social certification in a few straightforward steps: Get a quote from a certification body (CB), make sure you meet the certification requirements, conduct an internal audit and commission an external certification audit.
Of course, the certifying institutions or Royal FloraHolland can help you further along the way.
Step 1: request a quote
Request a quote for a GAP certificate at one of the certifying institutions.
Step 2: Comply with certification requirements
Map out the necessary business processes by which you meet the certification requirements and make sure all practical points within the company are in order.
Step 3: Internal audit
Conduct an internal audit using the GAP certificate checklist.
Step 4: Certification audit
Have an external audit carried out by competent certifying body.
Overview of registration tool providers and certifying bodies by country
Brochures
The brochure about environmental registration is available in de following languages and versions:
English - English for Kenya
German
Hebrew
Spanish
Italian
Do you have questions or need help?
View the list of frequently asked questions: Q&A
Is your question not here? Then get in touch with our Contact Centre.
Is your question not here? Then get in touch with our Contact Centre.
- Email: contactcenter@royalfloraholland.com
- Call or whatsapp: 088 - 789 89 89
- Monday - Thursday: 05.30 to 17.00
- Friday: 05.30 to 16.00
Experiences and tips
Karolien Tesselaar-van Tilburg, from grower Tesselaar Alstroemeria and member of the Members' Council of Royal FloraHolland: “With a sustainable business, you hold the future in your hands. Raw materials are in ever shorter supply and we seek answers to energy and water issues. I notice that we do a lot quite well as growers, but we do not publicise it enough. This creates a distorted picture of our industry and that is a shame.”
Grower Henk Kwakernaak: “We started when a customer in England required certification. In the meantime, there are more and more customers who I can only deliver to on a certified basis. It is not of immediate benefit to me personally, but it is clear to the trade that you work conscientiously.”
Grower Jan Nederpel: “Environmental registration makes you very aware of your consumption and gives you insight. It is not just your own responsibility, but also the image you present to society and buyers. You simply need to be open and honest. Soon, there will not be a single trader who will be willing to procure uncertified products, because a trader also needs to have a proper administration.
Trader Bab Star: “When it comes to the environment, we have a message to share. There is, indeed, a demand on the market for certification, just have a look at the growing number of members of Fleurop and the Sustainable Florist Barometer. That is growing fast. There is an increasing demand for certification worldwide, otherwise you cannot deliver. Ever more rules is not what entrepreneurs want, but we can no longer escape it.”
Meesterbloembinderij Coen en Eline van Buren: “Business customers request it ever more often. If you want to participate in a call for tenders then sustainability is an important item and it is, therefore, important that you go along with that development. Our purchaser pays close attention to the growers where he purchases. We also want to pass on the trade to the next generation and that is why it is important that the entire chain becomes more sustainable. When our daughter turns 60, we want this to still be possible, albeit in a responsible manner.”
Current state of being on certification
Of Royal FloraHolland's total product revenues, 83% are already environment-certified and 71% are FSI-compliant by early 2024.
Our guiding principle is that everyone can participate. Our approach is therefore aimed at stimulating, by guiding growers well and making participation easier. We do this in close cooperation with our FloraHolland Product Committees (FPCs). We ask all suppliers to become FSI-compliant. This is also included in the sustainability regulations belonging to the auction regulations.
Our guiding principle is that everyone can participate. Our approach is therefore aimed at stimulating, by guiding growers well and making participation easier. We do this in close cooperation with our FloraHolland Product Committees (FPCs). We ask all suppliers to become FSI-compliant. This is also included in the sustainability regulations belonging to the auction regulations.
Related news
