Our plants are grown using the most environmentally-friendly technology.
- Electric forklifts are used in the greenhouse where the Zamioculcas are grown to deliver and collect the plants. This means that plants and people are not exposed to any polluting exhaust gases.
- The feeding water is recirculated, filtered and largely disinfected. This prevents contaminated water from ending up in the soil.
- As much as possible is done to make the plants strong and resistant to pests and diseases. This minimises the use of chemicals. If crop protection is required, we try to use biological pest control where possible. So we use geckos to keep the population of spiders in our greenhouses to a minimum. Geckos and spiders eat the same food, and the use of geckos keeps the spider population under control in a natural way. The advantage of geckos compared to spiders is that they leave droppings on the plant’s leaves.
For that reason our nursery is MPS-ABC (A+) certified. You can also view our certification status at https://www.volgjebloemofplant.nl/nl (by entering our registration number 680088 or 802608).
MPS-ABC
MPS-ABC is an environmental certificate that shows how sustainable the operations are at the company where the plants are grown. This is done by recording and monitoring the usage of crop protection products, fertilisers, water and energy. This usage is compared with the independently calculated and standardise reference usage.
The MPS-ABC certificate uses various grades: MPS-A+, A, B, and C, whereby the better the environmental performance, the higher the grade. MPS-A+ is the highest grade, and MPS-C is the lowest. Independent audits and product samples at the company safeguard the reliability of the MPS-ABC certificate. That means you can be sure that MPS-ABC certified products contribute to a better world.
You can find more information about MPS-ABC here: https://www.my-mps.com/certificaten-producent/mps-abc
MPS GAP
MPS-ABC is the underlying certificate in order to be able to display MPS-GAP. Every day we track the use of our crop protection products, when the equipment has been maintained, and how we handle the crop.
MPS SQ
MPS Socially Qualified (SQ) is suitable for companies that want to show that their products have been grown in good working conditions. MPS-SQ allows you to meet the demands of the retail channel. The MPS-SQ certification scheme sets out requirements relating to health, safety and working conditions.
MPS-SQ is based on universal human rights, the Codes of Conduct of representative local organisations, and the international agreements of the ILO (International Labour Organisation).
Nederlandse Bloemen Beraad (Dutch Flower Forum) (represented by FNV Bondgenoten, Both Ends and Organisatie Latijns Amerika Activiteiten) has been closely involved in implementing these international codes of conduct (ICC) within MPS.
In order to safeguard the legitimacy of the social standard to which the trade unions and human rights organisation have lent their name, representatives of these organisations are welcome as observers at the audits that take place at the company.