What is FSI?
The Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI) is a market-driven initiative with members (including growers and grower organizations, trading companies, breeders, retail).
FSI has established a benchmark (comparison) against which various certificates have been assessed in the floriculture sector. Certificates that meet this benchmark are FSI-compliant and are in the FSI Basket of Standards. The FSI Basket of Standards consists of 3 pillars: GAP (Good Agricultural Practice), Environment and Social. In each of these pillars, growers can obtain a certificate. The full list of accepted certificates can be found at FSI 2025 - Floriculture Sustainability Initiative.
Why sustainability within the floriculture sector?
Every day we work hard with all links in the supply chain to produce beautiful, high-quality flowers and plants that delight consumers. At the same time, consumers are increasingly demanding more sustainably grown flowers and plants. Retailers, including supermarkets, garden centres, web stores and florists are also making more and more demands in terms of sustainability, and we are faced with stricter laws and regulations. We want to stay ahead of this as a sector by showing how our flowers and plants are grown, so that future generations can also enjoy beautiful and sustainably grown flowers and plants.
How does certification benefit my company?
With sustainability certification, you achieve several results at once. First of all, you make it visible to buyers that your products are grown in a sustainable way and according to GAP (good agricultural practice). In this way you contribute to a positive image of our sector. By showing that you are certified, you maintain access to the growing part of the trade that buys exclusively certified. In an increasing number of countries, trade is also required by law to buy traceable. In short: this increases the need for certification, especially with a trade node in mind.
Sustainability is broader than just the environment: it relates to people, the planet and the economy. Social aspects and sustainable and responsible production of ornamental plants are therefore also important. Royal FloraHolland, like a number of our (trade) partners with high trade value, is a member of FSI: the Floriculture Sustainability Initiative. Sustainability certification in the floriculture sector means that growers are certified according to the requirements of the Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI Basket of Standards).