In collaboration with Greenhouse Sustainability, Zentoo will map the environmental impact of all locations where its affiliated growers cultivate chrysanthemums. This initiative marks a significant step for the growers' association in its ambition to become more sustainable. "At Zentoo, our aim is not only to make a difference today but also for future generations," the organization states.

Zentoo is a collective of 14 chrysanthemum growers, each with their own production sites. However, they share their expertise and jointly market their chrysanthemums under the Zentoo brand. "Our goal is to be a leading group of growers consistently pursuing the highest quality, with sustainability as a core value," explains quality manager Rob van den Broek, who has also been responsible for sustainability within Zentoo for several years. "We aspire to make the ornamental horticulture chain greener, but significant challenges remain. Therefore, Zentoo intends to map the environmental impact of each location to identify areas for improvement. While we recognize energy as a major impact category, we need to determine how to reduce its consumption and optimize efficiency across all our operations."

Improvement
A pilot project involving footprinting was previously conducted, but this occurred before the implementation of FloriPEFCR, the European standard. Now, Zentoo is committed to seriously calculating its footprint, according to Van den Broek. "Through a comprehensive footprint analysis, we aim to gain insight into the environmental impact of our 23 production sites. This analysis comprises 16 different components, including CO₂ emissions, water consumption, and ecotoxicity. This will enable us to accurately assess the progress we have already made and pinpoint areas where further improvement is possible."

Greenhouse Sustainability is actively supporting Zentoo in both the collection and expert interpretation of all relevant data. Furthermore, Van den Broek notes that the footprint will be calculated retrospectively for the past five years. "By rigorously comparing different locations and assessing the effectiveness of various sustainable innovations, we can collectively implement highly targeted steps toward even greener chrysanthemum cultivation. We firmly believe that truly understanding our impact is the critical first step toward meaningful change. By vividly visualizing our environmental footprint, we are actively establishing a strong foundation for continuous improvements and vital innovations within our sector. This powerful collaboration is bringing us ever closer to a truly transparent and future-proof horticulture industry."