The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) is now formally a member of the Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI) following approval at the FSI Board meeting on 12 December.
FSI is an initiative formed of a collaborative group of stakeholders within the ornamental horticulture supply chain. With the help of funding from the Sustainable Trade Initiative the body is developing an Equivalency Tool for comparing and evaluating industry certification schemes from around the world. Sustainability issues are at the heart of what FSI is looking at so the focus of the Equivalency Tool will be the environmental and social standards within certification schemes.
Commenting on AIPH’s involvement in FSI AIPH Secretary General, Tim Briercliffe said “Growers around the world work hard to comply with the demanding requirements of many certification schemes. It is important that the industry addresses social and environmental issues and certificated growers pride themselves on the sustainability standards they achieve. The large number of certification schemes that exist for flowers and ornamental horticulture can be confusing for all those involved in the trade. The new Equivalency Tool, under development by FSI, will enable all parts of the supply chain to compare sustainability standards between schemes which must be a good thing.”
He continued “There is always a danger however that growers become forced to introduce practices and procedures which help tick boxes during an inspection but do nothing to genuinely enhance sustainability and simply reduce business productivity. Through the AIPH Environment and Plant Health Committee we will ensure that the views of growers are fully represented during the development of FSI. We look forward to working with the FSI team, driving sustainability standards and promoting best practice.”
FSI Executive Officer Jeroen Oudheusden commented “We are pleased to have AIPH on board with FSI and look forward to working with them as the initiative progresses. It is important that the voice of growers is properly heard in this process and we know that AIPH will ensure it is.”
The Equivalency Tool will be launched by FSI at IPM Essen in January 2014.
Contacts
Tim Briercliffe, AIPH Secretary General
Email: sg@aiph.org Tel: +44 (0) 118 9308956 Mobile: +44 (0) 7885 750324
Website: www.aiph.org
Follow AIPH on Twitter @AIPHglobal
International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH)
AIPH is a co-ordinating body representing horticultural producers' organizations all over the world. It was set up in Switzerland in 1948 to stimulate the international marketing of flowers, plants and landscaping services. Currently membership consists of 26 organisations from 19 countries. For further details visit www.aiph.org.
Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI) – www.FSI2020.com
Why the FSI?
The sector is held back from mainstreaming sustainability in the floriculture sector and increasing demand for sustainable flowers by a number of particular barriers. History has shown that individual fragmented projects have had impact and at the same time have not reached a mainstream level. Therefore the sector as a whole has decided to take responsibility and create an initiative that is desired, created and maintained by the sector and its stakeholders. The will to make sustainability mainstream and a license to deliver is carried throughout the sector and by creating an overarching structure the FSI can face up to the challenges of the barriers and other possible challenges in the future.
The spirit of FSI:
- International agenda & vision on mainstream ambition
- Joint action & proactive strategy on current and future sustainability issues
- Strong member commitment & accountability on agreed activities & results
- Business driven initiative with full membership & strong participation of CSOs and other stakeholders.
- Light organizational structure
FSI vision: Our dream
All actors are working together towards a healthy, vital and sustainable floricultural sector.
FSI mission: What do we want to be to make our dream come true?
FSI wants to be an international, floricultural platform working together in a pre-competitive manner towards a sustainable sector by providing incentives and tools for its members.
Ambition: What do we want to achieve?
FSI wants to achieve that 90% of the internationally traded flowers and plants by FSI members will be sustainably produced by 2020.
Source: International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH)
