Now 100% FSI Compliant

The Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI) is a global sector initiative that aims to make sustainable floriculture the norm. It brings together growers, traders, retailers, and industry organizations to improve transparency and sustainability across the entire flower supply chain.

It uses a “basket of standards,” consisting of 16 sustainability standards. These focus on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), environmental and social responsibility, or a combination of these areas.

Marginpar joined FSI in its early years and embraced sustainability as a core value.

Marginpar has 16 farms in four countries: Kenya and Ethiopia (own farms), Tanzania and Zimbabwe (partner farms). To ensure FSI compliance and sustainable practices, all our farms are certified in three areas: environmental, social, and GAP. We use the term ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) to assess the different aspects of sustainability.

Not all certifications are the same. The MPS label, for example, is divided into three parts: MPS-ABC for the environmental component (with A+ being the highest level); MPS-SQ for the social component; and MPS-GAP for sustainable and safe cultivation practices. By comparison, the Kenya Flower Council (KFC) label combines all three components into one certificate.

Sustainability is not a separate project. It is part of how we grow flowers every day.

Across all our (partner) farms in Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe, we work with internationally recognized certification programs that assess our practices and continuously encourage improvement. Achieving 100% FSI compliance means that all our farms and partner farms are certified under schemes recognized by FSI. These certifications cover both environmental and social standards and are independently audited.

For our teams on the farms, this reflects efforts to:

• Create safe and fair working environments;

• Invest in employee well-being and community development;

• Protect natural resources such as water and soil;

• Grow flowers with care for biodiversity and ecosystems.
  

For florists, transparency and responsible sourcing are becoming increasingly important. Customers want to know where flowers come from and how they are grown. Being fully FSI compliant means that when you work with Marginpar flowers, you can trust they come from responsibly certified farms.

It also supports the broader transition of the floriculture sector toward more sustainable practices: something we believe benefits everyone in the chain, from grower to florist to consumer.

While achieving 100% FSI compliance is an important milestone, we see it as the next step in an ongoing journey. We will continue to improve our environmental impact, strengthen social programs on and around our farms, and keep sharing how our flowers are grown.

Because sustainability is something you build every day.