Turning sustainability data into better decisions
As sustainability expectations multiply across the ornamental horticulture supply chain, growers are being asked to measure more, demonstrate more and prepare for what comes next. MPS Managing Director Linda Hoogendoorn-Veelenturf explains how reliable data can turn those demands into practical improvements, stronger businesses and greater commercial trust.
By Rachel Wakefield
Linda Hoogendoorn-Veelenturf became Managing Director of MPS on 1 November 2025. She talks to fci about helping growers navigate mounting sustainability requirements, use reliable data to guide decisions and turn measurable progress into credible evidence.
Sustainability in ornamental horticulture is no longer represented by one standard, one audit or one customer request. Retail expectations, regulation, supply-chain reporting and certification requirements are increasingly converging, often leaving growers to navigate several demands at once. So where should they begin, and how can data become a useful tool rather than another administrative burden? fci put these and other questions to Linda.
A changing commercial landscape
Sustainability is increasingly becoming a commercial requirement. How are expectations placed on ornamental growers changing? “The expectations placed on growers have changed fundamentally. Sustainability is no longer seen as an ambition or a nice-to-have; it has become a licence to operate. Customers, retailers, governments and financial institutions increasingly expect growers to demonstrate, with reliable data, how they produce and where they are improving.
At MPS, we believe that sustainability starts with understanding. Growers can only improve what they measure. By helping them gain insight into their environmental performance, we enable them to make better decisions, improve continuously and demonstrate their progress with confidence.
What we see is that growers are no longer only expected to deliver high-quality flowers and plants. They are also expected to provide transparency about their environmental impact, the responsible use of resources and, increasingly, their social performance. That creates new challenges, but also new opportunities.
Because MPS has been collecting sustainability data from the international floriculture sector for decades, we also see developments emerging long before they become formal market requirements. That allows us not only to certify performance, but also to help growers prepare for what comes next.”
Which forces currently have the greatest influence on growers?
“It is no longer one single factor. Growers are operating in an increasingly complex environment where market expectations, legislation, retailer requirements and supply-chain reporting all come together.
Retailers continue to play an important role because they translate sustainability ambitions into purchasing requirements. At the same time, legislation is becoming more demanding, while companies throughout the supply chain need reliable sustainability data to meet their own reporting obligations.
For growers, this complexity can become overwhelming. Our role is to make sustainability manageable. Rather than responding separately to every new request, growers need one reliable foundation that provides insight into their environmental and social performance and supports credible reporting.
Certification certainly plays an important role in this process, but we see it as the outcome of a much broader journey. It is the combination of reliable data, continuous improvement and independent verification that creates trust throughout the supply chain.”
Our role is to make sustainability manageable.
Linda Hoogendoorn-Veelenturf Managing Director, MPS
From measurement to improvement
What does credible, measurable progress look like in day-to-day horticultural production? “Real sustainability progress happens in everyday decisions on the nursery. It is not about one major investment or one successful audit; it is about consistently making better choices based on reliable information.
That starts with understanding how resources such as crop protection agents, fertilisers, water and energy are being used. Once growers have that insight, they can identify opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce environmental impact and strengthen the resilience of their business.
At MPS, we believe data only becomes valuable when it leads to action. Record-keeping is therefore not the objective; better decision-making is. By translating data into practical insights, growers can benchmark their performance, monitor improvements over time and focus their efforts where they have the greatest impact.
Sustainability is ultimately not about collecting information. It is about using knowledge to continuously improve.”
How have growers’ attitudes towards certification changed, and which misconceptions remain?
“The conversation around certification has changed significantly. Years ago, certification was often viewed primarily as a customer requirement or an administrative obligation. Today, we increasingly see growers recognising its value as a management tool that helps them better understand and improve their own business.
The strongest growers are often those who know their business best. They understand where resources are being used, where efficiencies can be gained and where risks may arise. Reliable data gives them the confidence to make informed decisions.
One misconception we still encounter is that certification is simply about passing an audit. In reality, the audit is only one moment in an ongoing process. The real value lies in the continuous collection of meaningful data, the insights that data provides and the improvements that follow.
Certification should never be the goal in itself. Its real purpose is to provide confidence: confidence for growers in their own decisions and confidence for customers that sustainability claims are credible, measurable and independently verified.”
With so many reporting, data and certification requirements, what is a sensible starting point for growers?
“A good starting point is to create a clear overview of where you stand and where your environmental impact lies.
Sustainability can feel overwhelming because growers are confronted with many different requests from customers, retailers, certification standards and legislation. Trying to respond to each requirement individually quickly becomes complex and time-consuming.
Our advice is to build a strong foundation. Start by measuring the environmental aspects that matter most, understand where your impact lies, and create a reliable routine for collecting meaningful data. Once that foundation is in place, every next step becomes easier. At MPS, we believe sustainability is a journey, not a checklist. Growers do not need to solve everything at once. By starting with reliable insight into their own operations, they can make informed decisions, improve step by step and be better prepared for future market requirements.
From collecting and interpreting sustainability data to certification, audits carried out independently by our sister organisation MPS-ECAS, and practical guidance, MPS brings the different elements together in one place. This gives growers a clear overview of where they stand, what is required and what their next steps can be. With one organisation for insight, verification and support, they can work on sustainability in a structured way, whether they are just starting out or are already at an advanced stage.”
Sustainability that strengthens the business
What practical steps can growers take without compromising crop quality or business resilience? “Sustainability should never come at the expense of crop quality. In fact, the two often go hand in hand.
The most successful improvements are usually not radical changes, but small, well-informed decisions made consistently over time. Using crop protection agents more precisely, optimising fertiliser application, reducing water usage, improving energy efficiency or minimising waste can all make a significant difference when supported by reliable insight.
A good example is the growing use of biological crop protection. We see growers all over the world testing biological solutions, often starting with part of a crop to see what works under their specific growing conditions. This allows them to take controlled steps without putting crop quality at risk. The availability of chemical crop protection agents is decreasing rapidly, so growers certainly feel that pressure. But what I find particularly encouraging is that the motivation goes beyond regulation or availability. Many growers genuinely want to use biological solutions wherever possible and turn to chemical crop protection only when necessary.
Every nursery is different. What works for one grower may not be the right solution for another. That is why data is so important. It enables growers to understand their own situation, identify opportunities for improvement and make decisions that fit both their crop and their business.
Our ambition is not simply to help growers reduce their environmental impact. It is to help them become more resilient, more efficient and better prepared for the future. Sustainability is strongest when it supports both the environment and the long-term success of the business.”
How can growers balance sustainability investment with rising labour, energy, input and compliance costs?
“This is one of the biggest challenges facing horticulture today. Growers are under pressure from rising costs on multiple fronts, while expectations around sustainability continue to increase.
That is exactly why sustainability should not be approached as an additional expense. The real cost often lies in not knowing where resources are being used efficiently and where opportunities for improvement exist.
Reliable insight enables growers to make better investment decisions. It helps them identify which measures deliver the greatest environmental and economic benefit, allowing them to prioritise actions that strengthen both sustainability and business performance.
In our experience, the most resilient businesses are not necessarily those that invest the most. It’s the businesses that have a clear understanding of their performance across the entire operation, from cultivation and operational processes to environmental and social aspects. Good data creates clarity, and clarity leads to better decisions.
Sustainability is therefore not about spending more. It is about investing smarter.”
How can stronger sustainability performance support profitability, market access and long-term resilience?
“Sustainability and profitability are often presented as competing priorities, but we increasingly see the opposite. Businesses that understand their environmental performance are often better equipped to improve efficiency, manage risks and respond to changing market expectations.
At the same time, sustainability has become a commercial differentiator. Customers, retailers and supply-chain partners increasingly expect transparent and independently verified information before entering or continuing commercial relationships.
For growers, this means that sustainability is no longer only about reducing environmental impact. It is also about maintaining market access, strengthening customer relationships and building trust.
At MPS, we see sustainability as a strategic asset. Reliable data enables better decisions, continuous improvement creates resilience, and independent verification provides credibility. Together, these elements help growers build businesses that are not only more sustainable today, but also better prepared for tomorrow.
Ultimately, the growers who will be most successful are those who see sustainability not as an obligation, but as an opportunity to strengthen their business for the long term.”
Sustainability is not about spending more. It is about investing smarter.
Linda Hoogendoorn-Veelenturf Managing Director, MPS
People, responsibility and trust
How should workforce welfare and social responsibility form part of a grower’s wider sustainability strategy? “Sustainability is about much more than environmental performance. A truly sustainable business takes responsibility for both the impact it has on the environment and the people who make that business possible.
Healthy and safe working conditions, fair employment practices and opportunities for personal development are fundamental to building resilient businesses. Increasingly, customers and supply chain partners also expect organisations to demonstrate how they care for their workforce, because social responsibility has become an integral part of sustainable business.
For growers, this should not be viewed as a separate sustainability pillar or an additional obligation. Social responsibility should be embedded in the daily operation of the business, just as quality, continuity and environmental performance are.
At MPS, we believe sustainability is strongest when people, planet and business performance are considered together. By providing internationally recognised standards for environmental, social and quality performance, we help growers demonstrate that sustainability is not just part of their strategy, but part of the way they do business every day.”
How can certification demonstrate progress without becoming another administrative burden?
“Certification should make things easier for growers, not add another layer of complexity.
Growers are increasingly asked to demonstrate that their products are produced responsibly and that their business meets environmental and social requirements. These expectations come from across the supply chain, from retailers and traders to landscapers and other customers, and the requirements are not always the same.
This is where certification can make a real difference. Rather than having to respond to every request separately, growers can use recognised MPS certification to demonstrate that they meet relevant requirements. Our role is to bring these different needs together and make the process as straightforward as possible, from certification and audits to the information needed to demonstrate compliance.
Ultimately, growers should be able to focus on running and improving their business, rather than repeatedly having to prove the same things in different ways. MPS helps them provide the assurance the market is asking for, while reducing complexity and making certification as practical and efficient as possible.”
How can growers communicate their progress credibly and avoid accusations of greenwashing?
“Credibility starts with transparency. The days of making broad sustainability claims without evidence are behind us. Customers, retailers and regulators increasingly expect organisations to support their claims with reliable, measurable and independently verified information.
At the same time, growers should not feel they need to present themselves as perfect. Sustainability is a journey of continuous improvement, and stakeholders appreciate honesty about both achievements and challenges.
Demonstrating measurable progress over time is often more powerful than claiming to have reached the finish line.
Reliable data provides the foundation for credible communication. Independent verification adds confidence. Together, they enable growers to communicate their sustainability efforts in a way that is transparent, trustworthy and resistant to accusations of greenwashing.
Ultimately, trust is not built through marketing claims. It is built through evidence.”
Trust is not built through marketing claims. It is built through evidence.
Linda Hoogendoorn-Veelenturf Managing Director, MPS
Preparing for what comes next
What will growers increasingly need to measure, prove or communicate to maintain commercial trust? “The future of horticulture will be shaped by transparency.
Growers will increasingly be expected to provide reliable information about environmental performance, resource efficiency, carbon emissions, biodiversity, water use and social responsibility. Sustainability data will become an integral part of doing business, rather than an additional reporting requirement.
We also expect a growing focus on footprinting and life-cycle assessments, enabling businesses to better understand and communicate the environmental impact of their products. At MPS, we continue to invest in practical tools and internationally recognised methodologies that help growers prepare for this next phase of sustainability.
However, the future is not only about measuring more. It is about understanding more.
The businesses that will succeed are those that use data to gain insight, use insight to drive improvement and use independent verification to build trust throughout the supply chain.
That is the role we see for MPS. Not simply as a certifying organisation, but as a knowledge partner that helps growers navigate an increasingly complex sustainability landscape with confidence, clarity and credibility.”