On April 2nd, Royal FloraHolland, the Dutch cooperative that manages flower auctions, published its new sustainability regulations, following a decision made by its board on March 21st. This marks a historic turning point, as it sets the stage for the exclusion from auctions, by the end of 2027, of horticultural producers who do not comply with the standards set by the Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI). These requirements go beyond environmental certifications to also include social criteria and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP).

The new rules will come into effect starting January 1st, 2026, with some exemptions extended until July 2027. The acceleration of this initiative follows FSI’s recent agreements with MPS to develop certification schemes tailored to small businesses, and with FoodPLUS, the organization behind the international GlobalG.A.P. standard. FloraHolland’s move aligns with its goal of achieving 100% certified supply — a target that already accounts for three-quarters of its current turnover.

The new regulation is expected to undergo further changes in the future. As stated in the introduction: “At present, these sustainability regulations relate only to certification, but in the future they may be expanded to include other aspects of sustainability.” Furthermore, in the section titled “The Small Growers Program,” a note specifies: “In due course, social certification will also become mandatory for non-risk countries (in the Global North),” and once in effect, “it will be included in all audits under the Small Growers Program.”