Sustainability

Sustainability at the Heart of Our Business

The demand for green, healthy, social, and sustainable solutions is increasing. As a company, we continue to evolve and develop in areas such as corporate social responsibility and respect for people and the environment. This is how we work towards a cleaner and more sustainable production of our plants. In this blog, we share what we do to make that happen.

Integrated Cultivation

In collaboration with nature, we make our crops resilient so that they have a healthy immune system. Nature is a fascinating world that works circularly and has solutions for everything. We work systematically and scout our crops weekly, ensuring that we avoid unpleasant surprises during cultivation as much as possible.

Our philosophy is: organic when possible, chemical when necessary, and always within the regulations prescribed by Europe. Only when all biological methods fail do we resort to chemical products. We strive for a clean future, but we also need to be able to reset the cultivation process if necessary. This way, we meet the increasingly stringent environmental requirements set by our customers.

Did you know that the best and cleanest plants in Europe come from the Netherlands? 

With significant regulatory pressure from the Dutch government, the standards are set very high, and plants are grown in the Netherlands in the most sustainable and clean way in the world.

Using Biology in Our Greenhouses 

Water

We are careful with water. When it rains, we capture the rainwater and use it for our plants. Since the early 90s, we have been reusing the water we give to our plants. This allows us to save on both water and nutrients. We sample the water that returns from the plants and base our feeding schedules on that. We give the plants exactly what they need and take soil samples to check if the potting soil is in balance. This way, we create strong plants that can withstand challenges.

Recycled Cultivation Pots

For over 20 years, our terracotta cultivation pots have been made from almost 100% recycled plastic (polypropylene).

We say almost 100% because 1 to 2% of the dye is needed to create the terracotta color, and this small percentage is usually made from new material. The pigment is then added to new polypropylene material, which is then mixed with the recycled material when it is turned into granules.

Our pot supplier collects broken pots from us and other growers and turns them into new pots. They also add household waste plastic to the mix. By using recycled plastic pots, we want to contribute to reducing the use of new plastic and decreasing the overall amount of plastic we use. All plastic that we can no longer use in our business is sent to our pot supplier, who processes it into new cultivation pots. This is a circular flow to reduce new plastic!

Climate Control

The climate in our greenhouses is controlled via computers. On our greenhouse roof, we use Stegdoppel plates. These are two plastic plates with "stege" between them, creating an insulating air space. This setup helps keep the heat inside, saving 30% of heat compared to a glass greenhouse.

We divide our crops into sections within the greenhouse, which allows us to adjust temperature settings per section. Our tropical plants require more heat compared to other sections, which we keep cooler. As a result, the gas usage has decreased. We also use fans to ensure even temperature distribution.

Energy and WKK Use 

The heat needed for optimal plant growth comes from the use of a WKK (combined heat and power unit). A WKK is a motor powered by gas, which drives a generator to produce electricity for the grid.

The cooling of this machine is done using the water in the heating network of our greenhouses. The CO2 produced during electricity generation is used in our greenhouses, as plants need CO2 to grow. By working this way, we utilize the by-products (heat and CO2) of the WKK to produce electricity.

Waste Management

Waste is a resource, which is why we separate our waste into different streams. This includes organic green waste, plastic, and building materials. A great example of sustainability in the supply chain is our recycled plastic cultivation pots mentioned earlier.

Certification and Transparency 

We have been a participant from the very beginning in MPS (Milieu Programma Sierteelt). We are certified for the following labels:
🏅 MPS A – Advanced environmental management
🏅 MPS GAP – Good agricultural practices
🏅 MPS Social – Corporate social responsibility
🏅 GRASP – Good social practices and working conditions

These sustainability certifications give us insight into what we do and where we can improve. We also calculate the footprint of our products to make informed decisions for a more sustainable future.

A Clean Future

A clean future doesn’t happen by accident. We are committed to contributing to a better and cleaner living environment for ourselves, our employees, and future generations.