Earlier this year, the FlorIT (Florist Impact Tool) was launched, a tool that allows florists to calculate their footprint. Ruud Steur, founder of florist platform FloraNL, co-founded it. Now he is committed to promoting the use of the tool among affiliated florists. From now on, for example, FloraNL's website will show which florists are the most sustainable. “Hopefully every florist will eventually jump on this train,” he says.”

FlorIT was officially introduced this year by the VBW (Royal Association of Florist Shopkeepers). Through Ruud Steur of florist platform FloraNL, the trade association came into contact with Greenhouse Sustainability, which developed the tool. “With FloraNL, we facilitate some 250 florists at the back end in their operations. We offer support so they can focus on selling flowers and plants. You have to think about things like ICT, ordering processes, invoicing, website, but also a bit of sustainability. I myself was the first certified sustainable florist in the Netherlands in 2009 and FloraNL's objective was for all florists to take that step. We abandoned that commitment more than three years ago because florists saw too many bears on the road. I therefore started looking for an accessible alternative without obligation, but with the hope that florists themselves will understand the importance of sustainability. That's how I got into a conversation with Henri Potze of Greenhouse Sustainability, who suggested developing a footprint tool for florists.”

Future-proof
Although Sturgeon took the initiative for the tool, it was decided by mutual agreement to place further direction with the VBW. “That way it could be taken up more broadly and also offered to non-FloraNL florists. Although I did help think about the further interpretation.” Now that FlorIT is a fact, Sturgeon wants to work mainly to promote the tool and encourage florists to also calculate their footprint. “The first florists have already done so and a number are currently working on it. But of course we would like many more florists to join. To future-proof your business, we believe it is important to work professionally by automating and focusing on your own customers, but also by becoming more sustainable. Only then will you still exist as a florist in ten years.”

FloraNL is strong in B2B. That market also has a strong focus on sustainable products, Steur points out. “For both B2B and consumers it is therefore convenient to be able to search by sustainability criteria. This has now been made possible on the FloraNL website. One can now search a florist by region and specialty, but also, for example, by footprint calculation through FlorIT. So you can see exactly who did and who didn't. And we also make the footprint itself transparent, so you can compare florists with each other.” Sturgeon says that this sustainable search feature on www.FloraNL.nl will also be highlighted via social media. He hopes this will encourage florists to eventually calculate their footprint as well, but also that those who have already done so will continue to work to further reduce it. “Buyers of flowers and plants are becoming more discerning and the demand for sustainable products is growing. So you can really compete with each other in this area. And we're also going to measure how often people search our website based on sustainability. We will share that data again with our florists, so at some point they will realize that they can't be left behind. But again, we're not going to force that from FloraNL, every florist has to start seeing the importance themselves and make that choice.”

Accessible
Sturgeon is pleased with the tool Greenhouse Sustainability developed. “FlorIT offers exactly the approachability I was looking for when I first approached them. The tool allows florists to calculate their footprint at a lower cost and with less effort. How that gets picked up, we'll have to wait and see. But I am positive. I see it as a locomotive that starts slowly, but goes faster and faster. I hope everyone will soon jump on that train, and I really believe they will. That is not only in the interest of society, but also of the florist themselves.”

Florists interested in signing up for the Footprint tool - FlorIT can visit https://vbw.nu/themas/duurzaamheid/aanvragen-florit