Advantages
Running a flower store in accordance with the requirements of the Sustainable Florist is often a considerable effort and there are costs involved. An important starting point for the quality label is that becoming more sustainable produces advantages. Check them out below:
Preferred position
More and more business customers, as well as consumers, are demanding more sustainable products and companies that supply such products. When concluding contracts with business partners, there is, therefore, greater certainty of sales.
Image
The certificate of the Sustainable Florist can help your business in a positive way. Think for example of your (sustainable) image with local residents, municipality, or other social environments. The Dutch information organization Milieu Centraal is also positive: the Sustainable Florist scores maximum on ‘Control’ and excellent on ‘Environment’.
Cost reduction
By working according to the criteria of the Sustainable Florist, florists use, for example, less water and energy. It is good to keep track of these kinds of points of interest for your own business operations. This also has an impact on more efficient operations. In this way, you will find out to what extent the cost savings will cover the certification costs or investments.
Socially Responsible Purchasing
With a certificate from the Sustainable Florist, the products and services supplied meet the requirements of Socially Responsible Purchasing (SRP). Since the new Public Procurement Act, it is permitted to require a hallmark in the technical specifications of the contract, in the award criteria or as a contract condition.
PIANOo, the tender expertise center of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, provides clear information on the conditions for asking for hallmarks in tenders.
Interest rebates on loans
The Dutch bank Rabobank offers an interest rebate for its Impact Loans. Certificate holders of the Sustainable Florist in the Netherlands are eligible for these loans. These are business loans from € 250,000 and up, with an interest rate discount of up to 0.65%.
Valuation
More sustainable products and services have added value, which should be reflected in the price. Business buyers will then give a higher price for a florist’s product and services because they are more sustainable. Unfortunately, this additional price is not always the case (yet), but you can at least ask for it. SMK supports the hallmark holders in their request for an additional price by paying attention to this.
