Greenhouse Sustainability will, on March 13, 2025, host the inaugural Horticultural Footprint Event at Op Hodenpijl in the pleasant Midden-Delfland countryside of Schipluiden, Netherlands. This landmark gathering unites stakeholders across the horticulture supply chain—from breeders to growers, wholesalers, retailers, and sustainability experts—to address one of the industry’s most persistent issues: reducing environmental footprints while maintaining optimal productivity.
As global demand for flowers grows, so does the urgency to align floriculture with climate and floriculture sustainability goals, and this event, therefore, emphasizes the critical role of footprinting in achieving sustainable horticulture, offering actionable insights and tools to drive systemic change. It aims to change the way the horticulture sector approaches environmental stewardship, offering a transformative agenda that incorporates insights, practical knowledge, and invaluable networking opportunities for all who will attend.
What to Expect at the Horticultural Footprint Event
The conference’s agenda reflects the sector’s ever-changing needs, with sessions designed to detailly explain the concept of footprinting and build partnerships among industry players. It will feature expert insights on footprinting and sustainability, cross-sector perspectives on sustainability, as well as networking opportunities with industry leaders. You can also, be sure to get all the hands-on information about Greenhouse Sustainability's tools.
Speakers including Mark Zwinkels from Colours of Nature, Marloes Rodewijk of Porta Nova, Marco van der Goes of HouwenPlant, and Sandra van der Veer of Oxin Growers, will present keynote addresses, sharing case studies on reducing emissions through sustainable cultivation and supply chain optimization. Such will include adopting seasonal, field-grown flowers that can slash footprints by 90% compared to heated or airfreighted alternatives, as well as many other topics that touch on floriculture sustainability.
Others including Floor Schamp, the Strategic Advisor on Sustainability, De Vereniging van Groothandelaren in Bloemkwekerijproducten (VGB), and Rick van der Linden, the Manager of Software Development and Senior Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Specialist at Greenhouse Sustainability, will also make presentations, as well as Niels van den Beucken, the Managing Director of Arte Group. Greenhouse Sustainability will showcase its footprint calculators like the HortiFootprint tool, which helps growers input data on energy, water, and materials to visualize their environmental impact. This aligns with the EU’s FloriPEFCR initiative, standardizing footprint calculations to fight greenwashing.
Also, with the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) mandating transparency, the event will guide attendees on compliance, while there will, also, be discussions highlighting waste-to-resource strategies, such as composting organic waste and using biodegradable packaging to curb landfill methane emissions.
Greenhouse Sustainability:
“This event welcomes everyone involved in the horticulture industry! Whether you're a grower, wholesaler, retailer, or other supply chain partner, you'll find valuable insights and connections. We encourage participation from all sectors of horticulture, including fruits, vegetables, and floriculture.”
Why Footprinting Matters in Floriculture
Floriculture’s environmental impact is significant, driven by energy-intensive practices like greenhouse heating, long-distance transport, and synthetic fertilizer use. A single rose grown in a fossil-fuel-heated greenhouse or airfreighted from faraway countries can emit up to 2.4 kg of CO₂e per stem—equivalent to the annual carbon budget of an individual in a climate-conscious world.
Footprinting quantifies these emissions across scopes including direct emissions that incorporate fuel combustion in greenhouses, indirect energy which is all about the purchased electricity uses, and supply chain emissions which focuses on transport, packaging, and waste. Mapping these impacts means businesses identify their ‘hotspots’ and implement targeted reductions, such as switching to renewable energy or optimizing logistics.
Footprinting as a Competitive Advantage
As is widely known by now, sustainability is no longer niche; it is a market imperative as consumers increasingly favor eco-certified flowers. Roughly 64% of global shoppers are willing to pay more for sustainable goods. Certifications like MPS, Florverde, and Fairtrade validate environmental efforts, while initiatives like the Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI) aim to cut sector-wide footprints by 2025.
For businesses, therefore, footprinting opens up opportunities for cost savings including through the use of energy-efficient LEDs and renewable energy that reduce long-term expenses. It, also, unlocks market access as many retailers and consumers now prioritize low-carbon suppliers. Plus, it builds brand loyalty and trust among eco-conscious buyers.
Why Attend This Very First Horticultural Footprint Event?
This event offers a unique opportunity to enhance one’s knowledge of footprinting and its role in sustainable horticulture. It, also, presents opportunities to discover the latest advancements and best practices in environmental impact reduction and to connect with industry leaders, experts, and peers who share the passion for sustainability.
Also, as climate regulations intensify and consumer expectations evolve, footprinting is seen as the linchpin of sustainability. Thus, in furnishing the industry with knowledge, tools, and collaborative frameworks, this event not only addresses the prevailing environmental sustainability challenges but also builds towards a low-carbon prospect in the floriculture industry. So, schedule it and register to attend this Horticultural Footprint Event.
Featured and header images by @greenhousesustainability.
