Beyond Certification: How True Sustainability Is Measured in the Floriculture Industry

And while these standards do matter, they only tell part of the story. Sustainability isn’t just a label; it’s a part of every step in how flowers are grown, handled, and delivered.

After more than two decades working directly with Kenyan growers, we’ve seen first-hand that true sustainability goes well beyond audits and badges. It’s about practical improvements, soil health, people, long-term resilience and a commitment to doing things the right way even when no one is watching.

In this blog, we want to take you beyond the certifications and show you what sustainable floriculture really looks like, and why it matters for your business.

Why certifications matter and what ours mean for you

Certifications are not the whole story, but they are an important foundation. In floriculture, they give wholesalers, retailers and supply-chain partners confidence that flowers have been grown and handled in line with recognised international standards.

At The Flower Hub, two certifications are particularly important to the way we work:

B Corp Certification

Being a certified B Corporation means our business has been independently assessed for ethical governance, worker wellbeing, community engagement and environmental responsibility.

For you, this means you’re partnering with a company that:

• operates transparently
• prioritises responsible sourcing and fair business practices
• is committed to long-term environmental and social goals

GLOBALG.A.P. Chain of Custody Certification (CoC)

This certification goes beyond farming practices and focuses on traceability and responsible handling throughout the supply chain. Our CoC certification ensures that once flowers reach us, everything from packing to cold-chain handling to export meets clearly defined standards.

For our customers, it means:

• certified traceability from farm to dispatch
• clear separation of certified and non-certified product
• compliance with retailer requirements in Europe and beyond

Grower Certifications

We work with a network of more than 70 accredited growers across Kenya, many of whom hold certifications such as Kenya Flower Council (KFC) Silver or equivalent standards.

These certifications help ensure responsible practices around:

• worker health and safety
• chemical and pesticide management
• water stewardship
• good agricultural practices

We choose to partner only with farms that uphold strong environmental and ethical principles, certifications simply confirm what we already see on the ground during our frequent farm visits.

What true sustainability looks like on the ground

Certifications provide structure however long-term sustainability comes from continuous improvement.

These are the areas that make the biggest difference in our sector:

1. Regenerative horticulture and soil health

Healthy soils are the backbone of the floriculture sector. Practices like composting (windrow, vermicompost and static piles), improved soil structure and reduced reliance on synthetic fertilisers support:

• stronger, more resilient plants
• better water retention
• improved crop consistency
• reduced environmental impact

These benefits flow straight through to you in the form of better-quality stems and fewer supply interruptions.

2. Water and resource efficiency

Kenyan growers have become leaders in precision irrigation, closed-loop systems and responsible nutrient management. These improvements help farms remain stable even when weather patterns shift — which ultimately supports your supply reliability.

3. Investment in people and communities

Sustainability isn’t only environmental, it’s also social.

Many farms invest in:

• on-site medical care
• childcare facilities
• training and upskilling for staff
• support for local schools and community groups

This leads to a stable, skilled workforce — a crucial element in keeping quality high and production consistent.

4. Innovation and continuous improvement

Growers continually test new varieties, refine irrigation, trial regenerative methods, improve compost systems, and share learnings across regions. This culture of innovation strengthens resilience and reduces risk across the entire supply chain.

5. Transparent, traceable supply chains

We audit, track and maintain communication across every step of the chain. That means when you place an order, you’re not just getting flowers, you’re getting clarity on where they came from, how they were grown, and how they were handled.

Why sustainability matters to your business

If you’re sourcing flowers at scale, consistency and reliability sit at the centre of your operations. Sustainable practices directly influence both.

Here’s how they translate into commercial value:

• Healthier soils = stronger stems + longer vase life
• Better water management = fewer production disruptions
• Community investment = a reliable, stable workforce
• Traceable systems = alignment with retailer and regulatory expectations

Sustainability isn’t just a “nice to have”, it’s a safeguard for your long-term supply chain.

How we support true sustainability at The Flower Hub

Our role is to connect you with growers who are committed not only to meeting standards, but continually improving them. We do this through:

• consistent on-farm quality checks
• technical support and agronomy partnerships
• training and knowledge-sharing forums
• long-term grower relationships built on trust and transparency
• responsible cold-chain and consolidation processes

When you source through The Flower Hub, you’re accessing flowers from certified farms and more importantly, from farms that are striving to do better every season.

If you want your flower sourcing to support real sustainability, not just certification, we’d be happy to help.

To learn more about our growers, our approach or how sustainable sourcing can fit into your business, reach out at enquiries@theflowerhub.com.