Sustainability has been a priority at VDA Plant for many years. In a time when the ornamental horticulture sector faces close scrutiny, the company has made a conscious commitment to transparency and accountability. One of their most powerful tools for achieving this is the HortiFootprint Calculator, developed by MPS and LetsGrow.com. This tool enables them to accurately map the environmental impact of both their operations and their products. “We don’t want to be trailing behind; we want to lead the way in transparency,” says owner John van den Akker. “That’s why we started early.”
What started with a general company footprint has grown into detailed insights into each product – and soon even by pot size. “Retailers want to know the impact of a specific pot,” explains sustainability consultant Ronald van Marrewijk. “A larger pot contains more substrate and therefore has a bigger footprint. The HortiFootprint Calculator highlights that.”
William Fransen
The HortiFootprint Calculator gives a clear picture of key factors such as CO₂ emissions and the impact of energy use, water consumption and fertilisers. These figures form a solid basis for talking to customers. “You can use them to underpin discussions and guide choices,” adds sales manager William Fransen. “The HortiFootprint Calculator makes the difference between emotion and fact.”
Gas, substrate and market pressure
Substrate is becoming increasingly sustainable, although costs remain a challenge. “We don’t want to make money out of being sustainable,” says Van den Akker. “But it also shouldn’t break the bank.” Gas remains an issue: switching completely to sustainable energy is costly and makes it difficult to stay competitive. “You also can’t make direct comparisons between products,” says Fransen. “An orchid has a different energy profile from a garden plant. The HFC helps us compare apples with apples.”
Understanding and support: working with MPS
VDA Plant has been a member of MPS for years and holds certifications such as MPS-ABC, MPS-GAP and MPS-SQ. The switch to the HortiFootprint Calculator was driven by the sustainability expectations of retailers, who often lead the way and therefore demand transparency. VDA Plant has recently moved from a company footprint to a product footprint, which gives them even more precise data.
Working with MPS plays a crucial role in this. “We’re not alone in this,” says Van Marrewijk, the consultant responsible for entering the footprint data. “Lisanne at MPS helps us interpret the data properly. She understands both the calculator and the realities of running a nursery.” According to Van Marrewijk, it is more than just a question of entering numbers: the data must be read and applied properly.
John van den Akker
The fact that MPS is proactively involved is appreciated. “They not only help with the technical side but also understand what happens in the workplace,” says Van den Akker. “Thanks to MPS, we trust the results and know we’re on the right track.”
From Costa Rica to retail shelves
VDA Plant also plans to integrate its overseas branch in Costa Rica in the process. “We already do many things well there, like rainwater collection and growing without using fossil fuels,” Van Marrewijk explains. “But you also need to be able to substantiate that.”
The HFC is constantly being refined to accommodate these situations. “The fact that MPS invests in this says a lot,” Fransen points out. “They listen to us growers in the field and translate that to improvements in the tool.”
The insights provided by the HFC have wide-ranging uses: for internal management, retail and consumer positioning. “People want to know what they’re buying,” says Fransen. “The HortiFootprint Calculator helps us tell that story, using real data.”
Learning, growing and inspiring
“We started using the HFC three years ago, and now we’re really seeing its true value,” says Van den Akker. “If you wait for everything to be perfect, you’ll be too late. It’s vital that we as a sector showcase our efforts.”
Van Marrewijk adds: “The HortiFootprint Calculator makes you take a critical look at your operations. It takes time, but the rewards are substantial. And with MPS, you’re not alone on this journey.”
Lisanne van den Berg
It is essential that more growers get involved, the team believes. “Currently, the number of participants doesn’t reflect the size of the sector,” says Lisanne van den Berg, sustainability specialist at MPS. “If we want to make a real difference, we need more growers participating. Only then can you see how the impact of your product compares to that of other growers. That makes benchmarking possible and the data even more valuable.”
Participation needs to be feasible for smaller growers, too. “If you make things too complicated, they will be put off,” Fransen says. “A simplified version of the HortiFootprint Calculator could help get them on board.”
Foundation for a sustainable future
VDA Plants believes that the HortiFootprint Calculator is the ideal tool for accountability in the sector. “It’s important to be transparent about your impact towards retailers and consumers,” Van den Akker says. “Thanks to the HortiFootprint Calculator, we can back up our claims with evidence.”
With transparency, collaboration and the right tools, VDA Plants is committed to contributing to a strong and sustainable future for the entire industry. “We want to actively help build a forward-looking sector,” Van den Akker says in conclusion. “With MPS’s support and the capabilities of the HortiFootprint Calculator, we can really make that happen. MPS is a dependable partner that helps us make sustainability a reality.”
