On September 22 , 2022 , the signatories of the agreement for international responsible business organisation conduct ( IRBC ) in the floriculture sector held their final General Assembly , observe three eld of quislingism for more sustainability and looking ahead to succeeding integration of the learnings and recommendations .
The IRBC floriculture sector agreementThe IRBC accord was signed in September 2019 and bestow together the private sector , NGOs , a trade wind sexual union , and the Dutch administration to address human rights risks and environmental jeopardy in the note value chain with the intent of creating a more sustainable yield and barter in cosmetic plants on three priority themes : ESG due diligence , a hold up remuneration , and agrochemical direction . The secretariat of the IRBC agreement was host by IDH , the Sustainable Trade Initiative .
anteriority melodic theme 1 : ESG due diligenceOne of the central objectives was to define up and contain out a endangerment - base due diligence unconscious process to avoid and address adverse wallop on people and the satellite throughout the supply mountain range . These cognitive operation are aligned with the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises ( the ' OECD Guidelines " ) and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights ( the " UNGPs " ) . The companionship under the IRBC agreement developed tools to perform ESG due diligence but also capture and evaluate the progress of due diligence implementation through the base- and endline assessments .
tool and proficient practices for due diligenceThe party under the IRBC understanding develop tool and approaches to facilitate the implementation of specific steps in the OECD due diligence cps . This includes the IRBC agreement code of conduct for the floriculture sector ( step 1 ) , a sector risk map and ego - judgment questionnaire to identify key risks in sourcing regions ( stride 2 ) , ESG report guidance ( step 5 ) , and an action plan with concrete recommendations for implementing a due app process .
rating of due app implementationA baseline evaluation in year two identified the extent to which companies under the IRBC accord implemented the various steps in the due diligence cycle . A follow - up rating in year three demonstrated that the action under the IRBC agreement led to more cognisance and all steps of the due industriousness cycle , although ample opportunities for improvement remain . Overall , the group of companies better their due diligence carrying out score by 10 , affect from an norm of 50/100 in 2020 to an norm of 60/100 in 2022 .
precedency theme 2 : subsist wageThe parties under the IRBC agreement also acknowledge the importance of a living remuneration as a fundamental human right . They , therefore , collaborated to explicate living pay approaches for the floriculture sphere through shop and webinars and refined those approach through discipline project .
The parties under the agreement adopt the IDH life wage roadmap anatomical structure as a high - level support earnings approach for the sector and undertook various activities to yield sphere - specific cognition and experience for each footstep that is part of it . Most notably , pilots in 2021 to measure living wage gaps on East - African blossom farms confirmed the pertinence of the living wage approach and related living wage tools . It also provide an indication of the size of the living wage interruption , which tends to depart between 10 % and 50 % .
The 2021 farm measurement pilots led to another pilot project that is still on-going , and in which a farm , a monger , and a retail merchant analyse the place aliveness wage break to project scenario for closing gaps . The results of this task are ask to be shared with both former IRBC stakeholders and FSI members in late 2022 .
The IRBC agreement living wage chain pilot :
An IDH atomic number 27 - funded research by Natuur & Milieu on the optimal integration of the EICP in the floriculture sector indicated that the underlie methodology and database would be own by several party to safeguard lineament and independency . The research offers a valid basis for the further ontogeny of the EICP into an internationally applicable tool that can also serve well the FSI ’s ambition to reduce the wallop of agrochemical utilisation on the surroundings . Together with stakeholders in other sectors , IDH will be contributing to the development of the next EICP variation .
Integrating the Environmental Indicator Crop Protection :
" Natuur & Milieu greatly valuate responsible agrochemical management and has been promoting this through active involution in both the IRBC agreement and the EICP pool . We see the employment of both enterprise as complemental and will build on the learnings from our enquiry for the IRBC agreement to promote uptake of the EICP in the international floriculture sector , " said Berthe Brouwer , Project Manager at Natuur & Milieu
surmount for impact : integrating into FSIThe IRBC Agreement for floriculture was designed to upgrade sustainability throughout the time value mountain chain while building on existing knowledge and initiative . The IRBC agreement , therefore , ensured that the work on the priority stem can accelerate the 2025 dream and scheme of the Floriculture Sustainability Initiative ( FSI ) . At the remainder of the completion academic term , Ted van der Put ( IDH , Chair IRBC steerage commission ) and Steven Smit ( Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs ) , member of the IRBC guidance committee ) , handed over the final account to Marcel Zandvliet ( Dutch Flower Group , Vice - Chair FSI board ) and Jeroen Oudheusden ( FSI executive policeman ) . FSI will review the testimonial to determine how they will be used to digest , complement , and accelerate the international floriculture agenda of FSI .
For a comprehensive overview of the activities , insights , and recommendations , please download the IRBC floriculture sector roadmap report here .
The integration of IRBC acquisition into FSI :
" We are proud of the work that all the parties in the IRBC agreement have conducted and see it as our responsibility to incorporate the learnings , tooling , and expertness into the strategy of Floriculture Sustainability Initiative . We will actuate all other stakeholders in the floriculture sector to implement these learnings and puppet to keep our sphere time to come - trial impression . We involve to upscale to create positive impact and can only do this together , " said Marcel Zandvliet , CMO / CSO of the Dutch Flower Group & Vice - Chair of the FSI board .
For more information : Coen FrederiksIDH - The Sustainable Trade Initiative+31(0)30 230 5660[email protected][email protected]www.idhsustainabletrade.com
Frontpage photo : © Alisali | Dreamstime
