The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) members consist of thousands of growers of flowers and ornamental plants around the world who are together united by one essential goal – promoting the place of plants in people’s lives.
AIPH hosts several conferences, webinars and events such as the International Grower of the Year award throughout the year. Read about these along with the latest news about the association’s activities.
AIPH’s key aim is to stimulate demand for ornamental trees, plants and flowers worldwide. We are committed to supporting growers in achieving this by protecting and promoting the interests of the industry.
AIPH International Conference: The path to sustainability in ornamental horticulture
30 September 2021 - , 10:00 am - 4:45 pm BST
The path to sustainability in ornamental horticulture
Sustainability is now a high priority, at Board level, for many businesses in the ornamental horticulture industry. Not only is it critical for making a better world, but it is a core part of business decision making for many companies.
AIPH partnered with GreenTech Live & Online, the Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI) and FloraCulture International (FCI) to create a virtual online international conference on ‘The path to sustainability in ornamental horticulture’ on 30 September 2021.
Speakers, from around the world, evaluated what the industry is doing to become more sustainable, how we can measure progress and what the future holds. Following a keynote presentation from Dr. David Bek of Coventry University, UK, the conference discussed the role of certification and progress in key areas including plastics, growing media, energy, pesticide reduction and people.
The recordings from the conference are available to all who attended here. For those who did not attend but are interested in viewing the recordings, access is available via registration.
“The global ornamental horticulture industry makes such a positive contribution to the planet in so many ways but to create a truly sustainable supply chain we need to share initiatives and work together. This conference provides the perfect platform for taking this forwards.”
Tim Briercliffe, Secretary General, AIPH
Keynote Speaker: Dr. David Bek, Coventry University
Dr David Bek is a Reader in Sustainable Economies based at the Research Centre for Business in Society at Coventry University (UK), where he co-leads the Sustainable Production and Consumption Cluster. David has extensive experience undertaking research into sustainability within horticultural supply chains, especially cut flowers. He has worked alongside organisations in the fruit, wine and flower sectors in South Africa, to develop training courses and monitoring and evaluation tools to promote enhanced sustainability in practice. David is especially interested in developing an evidence base to demonstrate how innovations within sustainability practice can lead to improvements in businesses’ resilience, productivity and profitability. He is also engaged with projects which seek to shift the focus of standards and certifications away from audit-dependency towards an approach based upon continuous improvement.
Mariska Dreschler, Director, GreenTech
Mariska Dreschler is on a mission for food safety and security. As the global team leader of the GreenTech Worldwide events she builds bridges and creates communities for the better the understanding, collaboration and growth of the global horticultural practice. In the firm believe that, when united, healthy food can be provided for everybody around the world. Mariska has a degree in Bachelor Business Administration and has a 25 year background in entrepreneurship, business strategy, business development and event management.
As Director Horticulture she accelerates business in the food and flower production industry by organizing and developing platforms with the purpose to connect communities, both face-2-face and digital. The GreenTech portfolio consists of GreenTech Amsterdam as the worldwide leading trade show on horticulture technologies and GreenTech Americas as the regional trade show in Mexico.
Stimulating and measuring change – industry taking the initiative
Dr Audrey Timm, AIPH Technical Advisor
Dr Audrey Timm is a horticultural scientist specialised in ornamental horticulture. Spanning many aspects of horticulture, Audrey’s career has covered academic research in South Africa, industry support, training and on-farm research and development in Australia, and promoting the connection between design and ecology in urban landscapes with the University of Sheffield in the UK.
Since joining AIPH as Technical Advisor in early 2019, Audrey leads their Green City initiative with the purpose of increasing the quality and quantity of living green in urban environments, and nurturing a strategic shift in city form and function. Audrey also manages AIPH’s programmes in Plant Health, Sustainability, and Novelty Protection. Through knowledge exchange, advocacy, and networking, Audrey supports AIPH’s position as the world’s champion for the power of plants.
Albert Haasnoot, Royal FloraHolland
Albert Haasnoot has been working at Royal FloraHolland since 1994. In the beginning of his career he was responsible for the direct sales and auctioning of flowers and plants. In recent years he has been involved in programmes and projects in the field of innovation and sustainability. Albert is the Commissioner of the EU project FloriPEF and on behalf of Royal FloraHolland board member of the Dutch Green City Foundation and member of the advisory board of the club of 100 of WUR. He is also actively involved on behalf of the floriculture sector in the Floriade EXPO 2022 in Almere.
Daan de Vries, CEO, MPS
Daan de Vries (Amsterdam, 1972) was appointed as CEO of the MPS Group in December 2020. Before joining MPS, he held various senior management and executive positions. He worked at the Rainforest Alliance (formerly UTZ) in sectors such as cocoa, coffee and tea, most recently as Chief Innovation and Technology Officer. He was the pioneering program manager of the UTZ cocoa program, which became the largest sustainability program for cocoa worldwide. Before UTZ, he worked in sustainability and strategy consulting, the largest Dutch timber trade group and an internet start-up. Daan holds an MBA from INSEAD and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Delft University of Technology. Daan has been working on sustainable chains for agriculture, food and wood for more than fifteen years.
Jeroen Oudheusden, Executive Officer, FSI
Jeroen Oudheusden has been working in the floriculture sector for the last 27 years after graduating on Business Management from the University in Amsterdam. He held various management positions at the Flower Auctions in the Netherlands. During the last 9 years he has been an independent consultant in the field of process improvements and sustainability. He has been leading the FSI initiative from its inception in 2013, helping the initiative grow from 18 to currently 75 international members and supported the transformation of the sustainability side of the sector. On behalf of the Dutch Government, he also chaired the formation of the Dutch RBC on adhering to OECD and UN Guiding principles and currently acts as program manager for the implementation since the start in September 2019.
Nora Meijerink, Global Sustainability Manager, Chrysal International
Nora Meijerink is the Global Sustainability Manager at Chrysal International. Chrysal has a strong focus to reduce waste and water usage for every stage in the horticultural chain, through our products, advice and protocols. We are keeping flowers fresh longer as the market leader in flower care. Together with our partners we strive to set the standard for sustainability in our industry.
Nora has taken the sustainability program Chrysal Cares, which was started in 2009, to the next level since she joined the company. She is responsible for our renewed sustainability strategy, the ambitious goals we set for the near future, for getting everyone on board and integrating the sustainable mindset in everything we do. She is also guiding four groups of students on different topics, for which we have been part of two editions of the SDG traineeship. In 2019, we have fully calculated the carbon footprint of all Chrysal products together with Ecochain and we have improved the packaging of many of our most used products. Moreover, we are part of several partnerships such as FSI and Circular Plastics Alliance.
She holds a Bsc degree in Business Administration and a Msc degree in Marketing Management from the Rotterdam School of Management.
Panellists
Bill Hardy, Canada, Chair of AIPH Green City Committee
Bill has had many roles and responsibilities within the horticulture industry over the years and has always had an avid involvement in industry professional development, education, and certification.
Bill is active with several industry associations including: the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association – Communication Director and 2nd Vice President; HortEducationBC – Founding Director and current Business Manager; Canadian Garden Council – Founding Director and CNLA Representative; International Association of Horticulture Producers – Chair Green City Committee; and the Green Cities Foundation – Director at Large
During the conference, will bring the focus onto the AIPH Green City initiative and how the content of this programme integrates with the AIPH vision as the world’s champion for the power of plants.
Cecilia Luetgebrune, Growing Media Europe
Cecilia Luetgebrune is the Secretary General of Growing Media Europe, coordinating and managing all activities of the association since its foundation in 2016. She has a proven track record in political interest representation on a national and European level and is highly experienced in developing key relationships with political decision makers and external stakeholders.
Cecilia has been working in public affairs in the fields of agriculture, hunting and wildlife conservation in Berlin and Brussels since 2010. She holds a Masters in Agricultural Science from the Humboldt University of Berlin.
Prof. Charlie Hall, Ellison Chair in International Floriculture, Texas A&M University
A native of North Carolina, Dr. Charlie Hall received a B.S. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Tennessee in 1984, a Master’s Degree in Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape Design from the University of Tennessee in 1986, and his Ph.D. from Mississippi State University. He began his academic career at Texas A&M University in 1988, where he spent 13 years on the faculty before joining the faculty at the University of Tennessee in 2002. In August 2007, Dr. Hall returned to Texas A&M University as Professor and Ellison Chair in International Floriculture.
Dr. Hall’s expertise is in the production and marketing of Green Industry crops. He is nationally recognized in academia and among the horticultural clientele he serves. His major research, teaching, & extension areas of specialization include strategic management, market situation/outlook, cost accounting, and financial analysis for Green Industry firms.
Dr. Hall currently serves as the Chief Economist for AmericanHort and Co-Chair of the Advisory Council of Seed Your Future. He is former President and Past-President of the board of directors for America in Bloom. He received the Paul Ecke, Jr. award from the Society of American Florists for professional contributions to the floral industry and the Porter Henegar Memorial Award from the Southern Nursery Association for significant contributions to ornamental horticulture research and to the Southern Nursery Association.
He is an Honorary Lifetime Member of the Texas Nursery and Landscape Association and has received TNLA’s Award for Outstanding Service to the Nursery Industry. He is also a member of the Hall of Fame and Honorary Lifetime Member of the Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association. Dr. Hall has received Texas A&M University’s Association of Former Students’ Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching and the Vice Chancellor’s Award in Excellence for Student Counseling and Relations. He is a member of Alpha Gamma Rho agricultural fraternity and has received their Grand Presidents Award and Brother of the Century designation.
Chris Leichtenberg, Account Manager & Sustainability Specialist at Royal VBW (Dutch Florist Organisation)
As son of a florist it was clear that he took over his fathers flowershop. After his eduction as master florist he started working at different flowershops.
He also worked as on Flower exibitions, flowerfairs in Europe up to Moskow. In 2007 after working as parter at his fathers flowershop he took over the shop. At this moment he wanted to make
his retailconcept more sustainable. So he became one of the first 10 sustainable florists in Holland. As an inovator he was able to interest MPS as a client and was a advisory board to the staf of MPS.
He also participated as Fair Flower and plants member at that time. The knowledge of sustainability is now deployd as sustainability specialist at VBW to help Dutch florists as member of VBW to certify as Sustainable florist.
Derek Taylor, Managing Director of Kirton Farm Nurseries Ltd
Derek set up his small wholesale perennial and herb nursery in Hampshire (UK) in 1984 with his wife Caroline. After many years growing crops for garden centres and larger multiple DIY outlets they decided on a change in direction to take their plant production outside the standard run of the mill market range. Over the last 16 years they have moved the growing and marketing of their plants in a very marked sustainable direction, under the trading brand of ‘The Hairy Pot Plant Company’.
Every side of the business has seen a long series of developments on their journey to become a more sustainable finished product, which in itself is currently pretty unique in the UK market place. The trading name derives from the 13cm coir fibre pots in which all the crops are grown and marketed in, they use peat free composts, market fairly locally in branded, returnable and reusable wooden display trays, label the plants with card labels waterproofed with vegetable starch and threaded onto bamboo skewers and screen print wooden POS boards. Their own wind turbines power the site and many energy saving investments have been made to reduce the impact the business has on the worlds resources.
Most of the sustainable solutions used are bespoke products developed by the business, which has placed the nursery in a very positive commercial position in these challenging times.
Elise Wieringa, Quality Assurance and Sustainability Manager, Royal Lemkes
Elise Wieringa works as Sustainability Manager at Royal Lemkes, a plant service provider for large retail organisations.
She lived and worked on 5 continents and applies her (cultural) knowledge and experience to find solutions for the many challenges we face in the field of sustainability.
Being a source of inspiration, information and support to colleagues and partners in the supply chain to achieve a better and greener world (with potplants).
“Together” is the base on which many projects like “pot of the future, a circular plantpot” and Footprint Fridays (inspiration sessions for growers) are built to realize her dream for a bright and positive future for all.
Let’s Plantify the future. Together.
Kiki Fernandes, Founder of Kariki Ltd and CEO of Marginpar
Richard Fernandes, more commonly known as Kiki, founded the cut flower company Kariki Ltd in Kenya in 2001 and has since then been instrumental in growing the business across both Kenya and Ethiopia.
Currently, Richard is CEO of the Marginpar Group which in addition to the operations in Kenya and Ethiopia includes Marginpar bv in the Netherlands with partner growers in both Tanzania and Zimbabwe.
Richard is a member of the Royal Flora Holland Members Council and current Chairman of the Kenya Flower Council. In addtion Richard is a board member of The Flower Hub & The Flower Source.
Richard has also in the past served as Joint Managing Director of Homegrown Kenya Limited, and Chairman of both Kenya Highland Seed Company and Kenya Educational Trust.
Leo Swart, Cresultant
Cresultant (Leo Swart) started in 2016 for the horticulture industry. Leo is committed to helping the horticultural sector to make the changes that it is currently facing. It is extremely important for an organization to seek and establish connections throughout the entire chain. With or without the applications of smart technologies and data. And that is, especially in the beginning, quite exciting. Leo has experience in all facets of horticulture and my network extends worldwide. See my LinkedIn profile for more detail.
Leo’s education and experience relevant to the panel session “Plastics and the Circular Economy” is wide. He worked for more than 25 years for plastic pots and trays producers. Today plastics are in the picture many times to change how we handle it as an industry. It is extremely important that we know from production to end use how we deal with it the best way. Again connection. Recently completed a research report Floriculture Circular for “Versnellingshuis, Nederland Circulair” as an initiative from ministry of Infrastructure and Water management from The Netherlands. Making this report (together with Innoventuri) gained a lot of info concerning chances and challenges what is needed towards a circular floriculture industry.
Lisa Heinemann, Project Manager Food Security Standard, Welthungerhilfe
Lisa Heinemann is a certification and development cooperation professional with over 6 years experience in sustainability certification.
She holds a Master’s degree in social sciences from the University of Cologne, Germany, and is passionate about exploring opportunities for smallholder farmers in international value chains. Lisa believes that verified responsible business can make a change for people in less developed countries while bringing a multitude of benefits to businesses
opting for joint growth.
Currently, she works for Deutsche Welthungerhilfe e.V., a private organisation acting in the area of development cooperation and humanitarian aid where she manages the Food Security Standard as a practical tool to include food security into sustainability certification.
Maarten Bánki, Sustainable Development Manager, Royal FloraHolland
Maarten Bánki is the manager of Sustainable Development & Quality at Royal FloraHolland.
With a dedicated team, he works on several topics in the field of sustainability such as:
Developing a reliable and transparent marketplace for certified flowers and plants
Zero waste and circular use of resources
The migration towards CO2 neutral energy use
The advantages of “Green” for communities, cities and buildings
Maarten has been working for RoyalFloraHolland for seven years now and previously worked for Royal FrieslandCampina, one of the largest dairy cooperatives in the world.
Maarten obtained a master’s degree in agricultural economics at Wageningen University & Research
Maarten is board member and treasurer of FSI
Melanie Dürr, Global Product Manager Flowers & Plants, Fairtrade International
Melanie is an international category lead as strategy setter, expert, project and team leader for Fairtrade Flowers & Plants. She manages sustainable product and supply chains, is responsible for international business development, and launched new (online) tools to increase transparency.
Moritz Böcking, Managing Directorof Klasmann-Deilmann
Moritz Böcking joined Klasmann-Deilmann in 2011 as Managing Director. Prior to this role, he worked at Epuron GmbH in the development, Financing and Sale of Renewable Energy Projects.
Klasmann-Deilmann is the leading corporate group in the international substrate industry, with sales and production companies in Europe, Asia and America.
Nada van Schouwenburg, Win-Win Strategies, Women Win
Nada van Schouwenburg is a programmes specialist at Women Win, an international women’s rights organisation and fund. Her work with Women Win focuses on women’s economic empowerment in international value chains, specifically the Floriculture sector in East Africa and the Netherlands. In her capacity, she is an active member in the Dutch Responsible Business Conduct Agreement Floriculture and FSI, where she advocates for a gender-responsive due diligence process and living wages for all workers in the supply chain.
Richard Fox, Union Fleurs President and Sustainability Director for Flamingo Horticulture, Kenya
Flamingo Horticulture is one of the largest growers, processors and exporters of horticultural products in Kenya for in-store sale to all the major UK and European retailers and for home delivery. It is an integral part of Flamingo International, a vertically integrated flower and vegetable growing and marketing group built on sustainable and responsible sourcing.
Richard has been involved in the horticultural sector in Kenya for the past 30 years and over the last 10 years has championed the drive for sustainable environmental and social practices in the industry.
He is a past Chairman of the Kenya Flower Council; a founder and board member of the international Floriculture Sustainability Initiative; the current President of Union Fleurs, the international floriculture trade association; and Chairman of the KEPSA Kenya-Brexit Trade team.
Susannah Ball, Ball Horticultural
After graduating college in 2005, I worked for 8 years in sustainable agriculture on livestock and produce farms in the Catskill region of upstate New York. In 2017 I returned to the family business, working in product management for several years before taking on the company’s sustainability initiatives in 2020.
Steve Harper, from the UK’s Growing Media Responsible Sourcing Scheme
Steve is the CEO of Southern Trident and also the Chairman of the Responsible Sourcing Scheme for Growing Media, he was also Chairman of the Growing Media Association in the UK from 2014 for 5 years.
He has held a number of senior roles in the growing media industry for a little over 20 years working with Sinclair Horticulture, Vital Earth, Bord na Mona, The Greener Gardening Company and latterly Southern Trident.
During this time he has actively developed peat-free growing media launching both the Happy Compost and Vital Earth brands, with Vital Earth being the first peat-free to beat all peat-based growing media in Gardening Which’s? annual growing trials back in 2009. He is now looking at how coir can be further developed as a core growing media for the future and improve its environmental credentials as it becomes a growing part of the solution in the UK to replace peat.
Sven Hoping, Global Sales Director TEKU at Pöppelmann
Sven Hoping’s career at Pöppelmann TEKU® began in 2001 with a dual course of study. He gained international experience during his subsequent work for John Deere, before returning to Pöppelmann TEKU® in 2009 as Export Sales Manager. In July 2017 he became Global Sales Director of the Pöppelmann TEKU® Division. Pöppelmann TEKU® develops and produces plastic plant pots and cultivation systems for the professional horticulture industry. The diversity of the range with over 600 products in more than 2.000 versions offers the ideal solution for every type of cultivation. From pots and trays through to custom printing, Pöppelmann TEKU® offers you everything from one source with a clear and consequent position for circular economy solutions. These solutions are bundled in the company-wide initiative Pöppelmann blue®.
William Gee, Head of Sustainability, Freddie’s Flowers
William Gee works as Head of Sustainability at Freddie’s Flowers, an online flower retailer operating in the UK and Germany. He holds an Msc in Sustainable and International Development from the University of Utrecht, and upon returning to the UK has passionately applied his knowledge to the floral sector. William founded the company’s sustainability department in early 2019 after pitching to the board of directors on the growing need to formally incorporate an ESG strategy into their business model. Following on from this, Freddie’s Flowers has achieved carbon neutrality (certified by the Carbon Trust) and set ambitious emissions reduction targets through the Science-based Targets initiative. It has also joined the Floriculture Sustainability Initiative and committed to their 2025 targets. Finally, William has supported the company’s expansions abroad ensuring that their ESG values are held at the forefront. In late 2020 Freddie’s Flowers expanded into Germany, with further plans to launch in Austria, The Netherlands, Belgium and California before the end of 2021.
Ximena Franco Villegas is an industrial engineer and MSc. in Environmental Management for Sustainable Development. Her master’s thesis research was devoted to minimizing climate change through avoided deforestation in oak forests. She has additional studies in Management of Development Organizations, Climate Change, Socio-environmental Certifications, Project Management and Leadership, among others.
She holds the leading role at the Biodiversity Information System of Colombia (SiB) from the Alexander von Humboldt Institute; she was also part of the Natura Foundation starting initiatives such as the research line on climate change, and the certification of agricultural processes, and others. She was also part of IDEAM as head of the Office of Environmental Science and Technology.
She currently heads the Sustainability and Environmental Affairs Department of Asocolflores and directs the Technical Secretariat of Florverde Sustainable Flowers, a certification initiative to guarantee the sustainable production of flowers and ornamentals, through an internationally recognized third party seal.
12:10 What does a sustainable ornamentals industry look like?
Key players in the global ornamentals industry will debate the importance of sustainability to their businesses and organisations and how they see the challenges of sustainability changing their businesses and the future of the industry.
Panellists include:
Dr. David Bek, Coventry University (Chair)
Mr. Maarten Bánki, Sustainable Development Manager, Royal FloraHolland
Mr. William Gee, Head of Sustainability at Freddie’s Flowers
Mr. Richard Fox, Union Fleurs President and Sustainability Director for Flamingo Horticulture, Kenya
13:00 Ms. Nora Meijerink, Global Sustainability Manager, Chrysal will discuss with Mr. Tim Briercliffe, AIPH Secretary General, her view on how the flowers supply chain will need to address sustainability and how that is happening.
13:15 BREAK
Stream Sessions
13:45 Introduction to stream sessions
Presentations will be available to view prior to the conference for each of the following sessions. Each will focus on a panel discussion with the presenters.
Mr. Sven Hoping, Global Sales Director TEKU at Pöppelmann
14:25 Growing Media
Panellists include:
Mr Tim Briercliffe, Secretary General, AIPH (Chair)
Mr. Steve Harper, CEO of Southern Trident and chair of Responsible Sourcing Scheme for Growing Media
Ms. Cecilia Luetgebrune, Growing Media Europe, Germany
Mr. Moritz Böcking, Managing Director of Klasmann-Deilmann
15:00 People
Panellists include:
Ms. Melanie Dürr, Global Product Manager Flowers & Plants, Fairtrade International (Chair)
Ms. Nada van Schouwenburg, Win-Win Strategies, Women Win
Mr Kiki Fernandes, Marginpar, Kenya
15:35 Sustainability Marketing
Panellists include:
Mr. Bill Hardy, Canada, Chair of AIPH Green City Committee (Chair)
Prof. Charlie Hall, Ellison Chair in International Floriculture, Texas A&M University
Mr. Derek Taylor, Managing Director of Kirton Farm Nurseries Ltd
Mr. Chris Leichtenberg, Account Manager & Sustainability Specialist at Royal VBW (Dutch Florist Organisation)
16:10 Closing Remarks
16:20 Conference close
International Sustainability Survey
At the Spring meeting in April 2021, AIPH members approved the adoption of the AIPH Sustainability Policy.
The policy describes the ambitions of AIPH to serve the ornamental horticultural industry and to support the industry as a sustainable and resilient global industry across all aspects of the supply chain.
We have prepared the AIPH International Sustainability Survey that aims to identify areas where AIPH can have the most impact in supporting the global ornamental horticultural industry in reaching, maintaining, and extending resilience and sustainability across all supply chain sectors.
AIPH will use the survey to prepare a report on global attitudes and initiatives on sustainability in our sector and these will be presented at our Sustainability Conference on 30 September and reported in FloraCulture International Magazine. It should also provide a valuable global benchmark on this topic.
Royal FloraHolland is a cooperative of growers and we have brought together growers and buyers for over 100 years. We strive for sustainable success for our members by working together with all parties in the floriculture industry, so that the industry continues to grow. We believe that we are smarter and better together, and can do more at less cost than if we each operate on our own. Together, we are becoming increasingly efficient and sustainable and are working towards a future-proof floriculture industry.
We are the biggest marketplace for floriculture in the world and one of the most important export sectors in the Netherlands.
We are developing our marketplace into a digital B2B platform for the floriculture industry with the broadest, deepest and most sustainable range of flowers and plants available worldwide. Ordering, payment, delivery, we ensure that everything is possible through our platform. We connect growers and buyers with all parties in the industry. We are committed to long-term sustainable development. This is how we not only become smarter, more sustainable and more efficient, but also build a future-proof sector. Come join us – Connect to grow.
Royal FloraHolland’s mission is ‘Growing opportunities together’, we connect parties in the floriculture industry and create opportunities for sustainable growth and success on the global market.
PERA Event is an international service agency for special events, M.I.C.E. entertainment and event counselling. Based in Istanbul, Turkey, the group offers solutions, support and services to participants in the development and implementation of International Horticultural Exhibitions.
Expo 2021 Hatay will be hosted across two sites in Antakya and Iskenderun and the organisers expect to attract over two million visitors. Hatay Metropolitan Municipality will continue its hard work organising the event to stimulate city greening and sustainable development for the Hatay region and the local economy.
The expo is due to take place from 10 December 2021 to 30 May 2022. As an AIPH approved International Horticulture Exhibition (B Category), it will enable cooperation and information sharing to address essential issues such as healthy lifestyles, green cities, sustainable living, education, and innovation.
Chrysal is a main driving force in the flower and plant industry and worldwide market leader in flower food. Whether you grow, transport, sell, or simply enjoy the beauty of cut flowers and potted plants in your own home, Chrysal offers the best solutions to keep them looking fresh for longer.
GreenTech Live & Online
GreenTech is the global meeting place for all professionals involved in horticulture technology. GreenTech focuses on the early stages of the horticulture chain and production issues relevant to growers.
GreenTech Live & Online takes place from 28-30 September and allows horticultural professionals to meet in-person and online.
The Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI) is a market-driven initiative that brings together members of the international floriculture sector. Towards 2025, FSI members will continue to build on the progress made on transparency, responsible production and trade, positive impact and improvement in the floriculture supply chain.
Founded in 1990 and first published by Ball Publishing, FCI is the horticulture industry’s leading B2B digital publication with a global readership of over 125,000 readers through our network of partner associations and organisations. It serves producers of cut flowers, flowering and green potted plants, bedding plants, perennials, trees, shrubs, seeds, young plants and bulbs.
CIOPORA is the International Association of Breeders of Asexually Reproduced Horticultural Varieties.
Breeders of such varieties account for two-thirds of all Plant Variety Right (PVR) titles in the world. For more than 50 years, CIOPORA has been representing these breeders in all matters of Intellectual Property (IP) Protection, aiming to foster an environment in which the innovation of these breeders can flourish. The main priority of CIOPORA is the constant development and enhancement of systems of Intellectual Property Protection for plant innovation. CIOPORA enjoys the observer status at the Administrative Council of CPVO and the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV). CIOPORA unites breeders of all asexually reproduced horticultural plants with a broad portfolio of species and varieties on the market. CIOPORA is a member-based, non-profit organisation with currently 125 members from over 20 countries on five continents.
ENA (European Nurserystock Association) is an organization representing nurserystock producers’ organizations all over Europe. Considering the need for closer economic, social and cultural cooperation at European level; conscious of their responsibility towards the nursery stock profession and mindful to obtain and further the health and prosperity of the nursery stock industry, European organisations representing nurserystock producers have established a European association, called ENA.
Florint is a non-profit interest group that represents and supports the professional florist associations of the world. We successfully improve the business life of floral entrepreneurs, and help nurture the flower industry!
Union Fleurs represent, promote and defend the interests of the international floricultural trade.
Union Fleurs was founded in 1959 in Brussels as an international umbrella organisation for national associations and companies active in the floricultural trade.
Its main purpose is to represent and promote the interests of traders of cut flowers, cut foliage and pot plants.
Union Fleurs has nowadays members in 20 countries worldwide, gathering over 3.000 companies involved in the import, export, wholesale and distribution of cut flowers and pot plants.
China Flowers & Horticulture is one of the most authoritative and influential periodicals of the floriculture industry in China. It was founded in 2001, sponsored by the China Flower Association and directed by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration. The magazine editorial committee is composed of secretaries of flower associations and branches of the China Flower Association and nearly 50 well-known flower horticultural entrepreneurs in China.
The magazine is published biweekly, on the 1st and 15th of each month, which is printed in full colour coated paper in the international 16K version. It aims at introducing industry policies, researching the theories, guiding mass consumption, and fostering the development of the industry. It highlights guidance, knowledge and practicality and integrates policies, scientific technologies, production, and market information together to meet the needs of readers. It timely reports the latest trends of the market and prices, provides a detailed explanation of new policies, professional investigation of hot spots, and global latest flower technology. It also introduces the newest varieties and products of the industry in detail and provides practical technology and experience.
GrowerTalks/Green Profit is the combined grower and retailer magazine produced by Ball Horticultural Company in West Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1937 by George J. Ball, GrowerTalks is one of the global horticulture industry’s longest-standing and most-respected publications, serving growers throughout North America with timely production and marketing information. Ball Publishing also produces nine e-newsletters, including the widely read Acres Online by Chris Beytes, which are available for free around the world.
More and more specialisation in horticulture was one of the reasons for the creation of Pod Osłonami PL. It is devoted to the cultivation of vegetables and ornamental plants in greenhouses and foil tunnels, as well as issues related to the growing production of berry plants undercover.
Vegetable and floriculture specialities have a lot in common and they often interpenetrate in practice – for example in traditional farms growing in tunnels, where tomatoes or cucumbers are grown in the spring cycle and chrysanthemums in autumn. Also in modern farming, for example, vegetable and decorative novelties are promoted – such as pot tomatoes or mini-peppers with ornamental fruit intended for sale in garden centres. With the changing economic situation in horticulture, it is worth being open to any new products that allow you to exist and stay on the market.
I hope you will be interested in the articles presented on the Pod Osłonami PL website. Over time, they will be expanded with new sections, I will be grateful for your suggestions on the topics presented. Feel free to jointly create the content of the portal.
Promote your business as a champion of sustainability at the international virtual AIPH Sustainability Conference on 30th September.
AIPH sponsorship opportunities provide you the opportunity to market your latest products and innovations to a global audience and network with key decision makers from around the world.
Dr David Bek is a Reader in Sustainable Economies based at the Research Centre for Business in Society at Coventry University (UK), where he co-leads the Sustainable Production and Consumption Cluster. David has extensive experience undertaking research into sustainability within horticultural supply chains, especially cut flowers. He has worked alongside organisations in the fruit, wine and flower sectors in South Africa, to develop training courses and monitoring and evaluation tools to promote enhanced sustainability in practice. David is especially interested in developing an evidence base to demonstrate how innovations within sustainability practice can lead to improvements in businesses’ resilience, productivity and profitability. He is also engaged with projects which seek to shift the focus of standards and certifications away from audit-dependency towards an approach based upon continuous improvement.
Mariska Dreschler is on a mission for food safety and security. As the global team leader of the GreenTech Worldwide events she builds bridges and creates communities for the better the understanding, collaboration and growth of the global horticultural practice. In the firm believe that, when united, healthy food can be provided for everybody around the world. Mariska has a degree in Bachelor Business Administration and has a 25 year background in entrepreneurship, business strategy, business development and event management.
Dr Audrey Timm is a horticultural scientist specialised in ornamental horticulture. Spanning many aspects of horticulture, Audrey’s career has covered academic research in South Africa, industry support, training and on-farm research and development in Australia, and promoting the connection between design and ecology in urban landscapes with the University of Sheffield in the UK.
Albert Haasnoot has been working at Royal FloraHolland since 1994. In the beginning of his career he was responsible for the direct sales and auctioning of flowers and plants. In recent years he has been involved in programmes and projects in the field of innovation and sustainability. Albert is the Commissioner of the EU project FloriPEF and on behalf of Royal FloraHolland board member of the Dutch Green City Foundation and member of the advisory board of the club of 100 of WUR. He is also actively involved on behalf of the floriculture sector in the Floriade EXPO 2022 in Almere.
Daan de Vries (Amsterdam, 1972) was appointed as CEO of the MPS Group in December 2020. Before joining MPS, he held various senior management and executive positions. He worked at the Rainforest Alliance (formerly UTZ) in sectors such as cocoa, coffee and tea, most recently as Chief Innovation and Technology Officer. He was the pioneering program manager of the UTZ cocoa program, which became the largest sustainability program for cocoa worldwide. Before UTZ, he worked in sustainability and strategy consulting, the largest Dutch timber trade group and an internet start-up. Daan holds an MBA from INSEAD and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Delft University of Technology. Daan has been working on sustainable chains for agriculture, food and wood for more than fifteen years.
Jeroen Oudheusden has been working in the floriculture sector for the last 27 years after graduating on Business Management from the University in Amsterdam. He held various management positions at the Flower Auctions in the Netherlands. During the last 9 years he has been an independent consultant in the field of process improvements and sustainability. He has been leading the FSI initiative from its inception in 2013, helping the initiative grow from 18 to currently 75 international members and supported the transformation of the sustainability side of the sector. On behalf of the Dutch Government, he also chaired the formation of the Dutch RBC on adhering to OECD and UN Guiding principles and currently acts as program manager for the implementation since the start in September 2019.
Nora Meijerink is the Global Sustainability Manager at Chrysal International. Chrysal has a strong focus to reduce waste and water usage for every stage in the horticultural chain, through our products, advice and protocols. We are keeping flowers fresh longer as the market leader in flower care. Together with our partners we strive to set the standard for sustainability in our industry.
Bill has had many roles and responsibilities within the horticulture industry over the years and has always had an avid involvement in industry professional development, education, and certification.
A native of North Carolina, Dr. Charlie Hall received a B.S. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Tennessee in 1984, a Master’s Degree in Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape Design from the University of Tennessee in 1986, and his Ph.D. from Mississippi State University. He began his academic career at Texas A&M University in 1988, where he spent 13 years on the faculty before joining the faculty at the University of Tennessee in 2002. In August 2007, Dr. Hall returned to Texas A&M University as Professor and Ellison Chair in International Floriculture.
As son of a florist it was clear that he took over his fathers flowershop. After his eduction as master florist he started working at different flowershops.
Derek set up his small wholesale perennial and herb nursery in Hampshire (UK) in 1984 with his wife Caroline. After many years growing crops for garden centres and larger multiple DIY outlets they decided on a change in direction to take their plant production outside the standard run of the mill market range. Over the last 16 years they have moved the growing and marketing of their plants in a very marked sustainable direction, under the trading brand of ‘The Hairy Pot Plant Company’.
Elise Wieringa works as Sustainability Manager at Royal Lemkes, a plant service provider for large retail organisations.
Richard Fernandes, more commonly known as Kiki, founded the cut flower company Kariki Ltd in Kenya in 2001 and has since then been instrumental in growing the business across both Kenya and Ethiopia.
Cresultant (Leo Swart) started in 2016 for the horticulture industry. Leo is committed to helping the horticultural sector to make the changes that it is currently facing. It is extremely important for an organization to seek and establish connections throughout the entire chain. With or without the applications of smart technologies and data. And that is, especially in the beginning, quite exciting. Leo has experience in all facets of horticulture and my network extends worldwide. See my LinkedIn profile for more detail.
Lisa Heinemann is a certification and development cooperation professional with over 6 years experience in sustainability certification.
Maarten Bánki is the manager of Sustainable Development & Quality at Royal FloraHolland.
Melanie is an international category lead as strategy setter, expert, project and team leader for Fairtrade Flowers & Plants. She manages sustainable product and supply chains, is responsible for international business development, and launched new (online) tools to increase transparency.
Moritz Böcking joined Klasmann-Deilmann in 2011 as Managing Director. Prior to this role, he worked at Epuron GmbH in the development, Financing and Sale of Renewable Energy Projects.
Nada van Schouwenburg is a programmes specialist at Women Win, an international women’s rights organisation and fund. Her work with Women Win focuses on women’s economic empowerment in international value chains, specifically the Floriculture sector in East Africa and the Netherlands. In her capacity, she is an active member in the Dutch Responsible Business Conduct Agreement Floriculture and FSI, where she advocates for a gender-responsive due diligence process and living wages for all workers in the supply chain.
Flamingo Horticulture is one of the largest growers, processors and exporters of horticultural products in Kenya for in-store sale to all the major UK and European retailers and for home delivery. It is an integral part of Flamingo International, a vertically integrated flower and vegetable growing and marketing group built on sustainable and responsible sourcing.
After graduating college in 2005, I worked for 8 years in sustainable agriculture on livestock and produce farms in the Catskill region of upstate New York. In 2017 I returned to the family business, working in product management for several years before taking on the company’s sustainability initiatives in 2020.
Steve is the CEO of Southern Trident and also the Chairman of the Responsible Sourcing Scheme for Growing Media, he was also Chairman of the Growing Media Association in the UK from 2014 for 5 years.
Sven Hoping’s career at Pöppelmann TEKU® began in 2001 with a dual course of study. He gained international experience during his subsequent work for John Deere, before returning to Pöppelmann TEKU® in 2009 as Export Sales Manager. In July 2017 he became Global Sales Director of the Pöppelmann TEKU® Division. Pöppelmann TEKU® develops and produces plastic plant pots and cultivation systems for the professional horticulture industry. The diversity of the range with over 600 products in more than 2.000 versions offers the ideal solution for every type of cultivation. From pots and trays through to custom printing, Pöppelmann TEKU® offers you everything from one source with a clear and consequent position for circular economy solutions. These solutions are bundled in the company-wide initiative Pöppelmann blue®.
William Gee works as Head of Sustainability at Freddie’s Flowers, an online flower retailer operating in the UK and Germany. He holds an Msc in Sustainable and International Development from the University of Utrecht, and upon returning to the UK has passionately applied his knowledge to the floral sector. William founded the company’s sustainability department in early 2019 after pitching to the board of directors on the growing need to formally incorporate an ESG strategy into their business model. Following on from this, Freddie’s Flowers has achieved carbon neutrality (certified by the Carbon Trust) and set ambitious emissions reduction targets through the Science-based Targets initiative. It has also joined the Floriculture Sustainability Initiative and committed to their 2025 targets. Finally, William has supported the company’s expansions abroad ensuring that their ESG values are held at the forefront. In late 2020 Freddie’s Flowers expanded into Germany, with further plans to launch in Austria, The Netherlands, Belgium and California before the end of 2021.
Ximena Franco Villegas is an industrial engineer and MSc. in Environmental Management for Sustainable Development. Her master’s thesis research was devoted to minimizing climate change through avoided deforestation in oak forests. She has additional studies in Management of Development Organizations, Climate Change, Socio-environmental Certifications, Project Management and Leadership, among others.
