The company Freek van der Velden in Delfgauw is the 100th FloraHolland grower participating in the Fair Flowers Fair Plants campaign. Van der Velden grows potted gerberas and is one of the growers marked with ‘F’ at the auction clock. Along with their environmental certification MPS-A, these producers also have the MPS-Socially Qualified (MPS-SQ) certificate, as required by the international standard of Fair Flowers Fair Plants.
MPS-SQ stands for good labour conditions. This forms part of sustainability in the consumers' opinion. Seeing the familiar label in the shop tells the consumer that these are 'honest' flowers and plants. Currently, about 1000 florists and garden centres in Scandinavia, Austria, Germany and the Netherlands sell Fair Flowers Fair Plants products. To make these labelled products even better known among consumers, there is a need for a wider range.
The 100 FloraHolland growers participating in Fair Flowers Fair Plants have a combined turnover of 600 million euros. Under this label products from around the world are sold, because the international standard is uniform everywhere. A trader in the supply chain within this concept must meet the criterion of traceability. The retailer receives from the participating trader an invoice or consignment note listing which of the purchased products are labelled with 'F'. Products labelled with 'T' at the clock are also acceptable for Fair Flowers Fair Plants. These products come from Fair Flowers Fair Plants growers who have been temporarily assigned to MPS-B and marked with 'T' for 'temporary', as they will soon return to MPS-A status.
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