The MPS-Socially Qualified (MPS-SQ) certification standard has been updated. The standard has been revised and adapted to the latest insights.
The most important changes are as follows:
- Emphasis has been placed on the fact that MPS-SQ guarantees good working conditions at the cultivation company.
- The certification cycle has been changed. As of the date on which the new standard comes into force, the certificate will be valid for one year instead of three years. This makes it more in line with MPS-GAP, making it easier to combine audits of MPS-SQ and MPS-GAP.
- The role of the prevention officer has been more clearly defined.
- Emphasis has been placed on the importance of employee interviews during the audit.
- The requirements concerning working hours and overtime are more in line with legislation and collective labour agreements.
- The environmental requirements have been dropped because they do not relate to the working conditions being certified.
- The minimum wage will now be based on the World Bank Poverty Line, because not all countries have a minimum wage or collective labor agreement and this is in line with the FSI guidelines.
- The texts have been rearranged into a more logical structure.
This new version of MPS-SQ is listed in the FSI Social Basket and will be submitted for accreditation by the Dutch Accreditation Council (RvA) in the next phase.
This new version has been ratified by the MPS Board and will be published on 1 June 2022. From 1 September 2022, companies with existing certifications will have the choice of being audited voluntarily against the new version of MPS-SQ or re-audited against the ‘old’ (current) version one last time. New companies applying for MPS-SQ certification for the first time will be audited and certified against the new version of MPS-SQ from 1 September 2022. From 1 January 2023, all companies will be certified against the new version of MPS-SQ.
The new version of MPS-SQ (version 10) will be published on the MPS website under ‘Documents’ on 1 June 2022.
Over 30 years ago, my journey at MPS began after I saw an advertisement in the newspaper. After the birth of my daughter, I was looking to return to work and joined the data entry department. At the time, all data was still entered manually from paper forms. Since then, I have seen the organisation grow and change, and I have grown along with it.Today, I work in the Service & Support department. No two days are the same: one day I help a customer with questions about record-keeping, the next I help them understand requirements from the auction or the UO. It is precisely this variety and the personal contact with customers that make my work interesting every day.
In 2008, I joined MPS through a recruitment agency as a secretary. I then held various positions within MPS and MPS-ECAS, including roles in the Service & Support team and as a planner. In 2018, I left the organisation for a while, but in 2023 I returned to MPS-ECAS as a back-office employee. The people are simply too much fun and the world of ornamental horticulture is so innovative that it kept drawing me back. Shortly afterwards, I started working at MPS as Coordinator Netherlands.
During the final year of my Environmental Sciences degree, I joined MPS for an internship. The internship worked out so well for both sides that I was able to stay afterwards. It felt like a natural next step, because I immediately felt at home here and was given the opportunity to continue developing myself.My work is very varied. I work on different projects and products, carry out research and analyses and contribute to practical solutions. I also manage various systems, support customers with complex technical questions and work with external parties. It is precisely this combination that makes my work interesting and ensures that no two weeks are the same.
I first joined MPS through a friend who worked in MPS’s student team. I continued working here while studying Commercial Economics, and at the end of my studies, in 2004, MPS asked if I wanted to join the organisation permanently. It seemed like a great opportunity, and more than twenty years later, I am still here.No two days are the same, and that is exactly what makes my work so enjoyable. A large part of my week consists of project meetings and translating needs from within the organisation into practical solutions. Thursday afternoon is a regular fixture, which I set aside with a colleague to make MPS 1% better every week. For example, we experiment with AI, build prototypes, improve processes or develop new ideas. The goal is always to work smarter and create more value for colleagues, customers and the organisation.