‘Nice to look at your
business operations differently’

Wholesale Heyl, based in Honselersdijk, focuses entirely on the German professional florist. This family-run company supplies flowers, plants, and related products, having become highly efficient in this over the years. Since 2022, the business has been mapping its carbon footprint proactively, as emphasized by director Koen Heijl, noting that customers aren't requesting it. “We're exploring for ourselves the potential and benefits of this.”

Heyl’s customers place their orders online. “Orders placed before 17:00 are delivered by 07:00 the following day,” explains Koen Heijl. “However, we’ve opted to deliver to florists three times a week. This results in fewer stops and reduced truck movements, saving us kilometers.”

The wholesaler values this approach. “Firstly, it generates cost savings, and secondly, we consider it crucial to handle our materials and resources efficiently,” states Heijl. “We’re seeking the right balance regarding sustainability, but we also don’t want to overdo it, especially since our customers aren’t particularly focused on it.”

Aversion To Bureaucracy
Heyl reports that German customers primarily value tidiness and reliability. Their perspective on sustainability differs significantly from what’s currently seen in the Netherlands. “German florists rarely inquire about it, and unlike large retail chains, they have no interest in the associated bureaucracy. Furthermore, they don’t want to impose requirements on us or other suppliers.” Heyl also isn’t keen on this bureaucracy, which often breeds a certain aversion to anything sustainability-related. According to him, a sustainability label frequently leads to unnecessary complications. “However, this doesn’t negate our desire to investigate potential sustainability improvements within our own operations. The CSRD discussion was also relevant for us for a while, until those requirements were dropped. Nevertheless, I believe it’s important to continue thinking about these matters collectively.”

Consequently, Heyl collaborated with Greenhouse Sustainability to find a method of evaluating the wholesale business beyond just time, costs, and service. Since 2022, the entire wholesale operation has been assessed at the company level in terms of CO2 emissions. “By calculating our carbon footprint, we gain new insights and can determine if we can optimize our business processes.” This has so far yielded minor improvements. “Previously, we disposed of all waste, including green waste, with the general refuse out of convenience. Now, we’ve started separating it. Similarly, when selecting packaging, we now consider factors beyond just the immediate needs. How can we reduce material usage without compromising quality?”

Driven by the pursuit of efficient florist deliveries, Heyl is also examining transport. “After all, the majority of our carbon emissions stem from transport. Should we continue using diesel or explore alternatives? Currently, we’re too small to implement significant changes, but we continue to investigate options. You can purchase more expensive, greener diesel, but you’d only do so if your customers demanded it. In our case, customers don’t request this at all, so for now, we’re making different considerations.”

Practicing Without Pressure
Heyl explains that the wholesale business is, in this way, ‘practicing with its carbon footprint’. “And we observe that the companies around us are also doing this. This allows us to take steps together, without significant external pressure. We’re truly in a phase of exploring the potential and benefits for ourselves and our customers. We’re consciously unskilled, so to speak, but we’ve begun.”

Koen Heijl has known Henri Potze of Greenhouse Sustainability for many years. “Henri has foreseen a necessary direction for our sector for a decade. He was one of the few who recognized this early on and articulated it well. I consider him and his team remarkable pioneers. Personally, this also held a certain appeal, which is how this whole endeavor came about for me.”

Taking Small Steps
Internally, sustainability is now definitely on Heyl’s organizational agenda. “It’s really interesting to look at your business operations from a different angle and to continuously take small steps to improve them. What opportunities exist? Some things work, others don’t,” concludes Koen Heijl. “However, our customers don’t ask for labels, and it doesn’t seem likely that this will change in the near future. Of course, there are always some enthusiasts among your clientele, but not to the extent that we need to adjust our business processes accordingly. But we’re keen on opportunities, so we’ll try it anyway. Because you can learn from trying.”