CBI News Bulletin November / December 2005

CBI News Bulletin Page 8 European Market Information
What MPS can do for you
Certification can polish your
image, but also help you improve
your performance
With the official launch of a new consumer label for
cut flowers, FFP, during the last edition of Hortifair,
compliance to environmental and social standards is
becoming more and more important. In the long run,
having the right certifications will be essential to
marketing your flowers. Sales aside, certification is
also an effective management tool, providing you
with clear insight into your company’s performance.
MPS is one of the organisations that issues internationally
recognised labels for environmental, social
and quality standards.
MPS began in the Netherlands in 1995 and since has become
an internationally renowned certifier operating in 38 countries.
At the request of the European Commission, it also has a major
role in the introduction of the Fair Flowers Fair Plants label
(FFP) in Europe. As a certifying institute, MPS is qualified to
perform company audits and to issue, or withdraw, any of a
number of MPS and ISO certificates related to environmental or
social standards.
As a grower, you can apply for certification or information
through the MPS website, which also contains detailed information
on the different labels available. On the basis of your
application form, MPS will offer you a contract and send a
regional coordinator to your farm for an initial introduction and
assessment. “At the first meeting the coordinator will go
through the contract with you and advise you as to which certificate
is most appropriate for your company”, explains MPS
international coordinator Piet van ´t Hoff. “The choice for a certain
label will depend on your market and your aspirations.
However, the environmental certificate can be seen as a minimum
standard required in any market or situation.”
Data monitoring
If you start with the environmental certification, MPS requires
you to supply extensive data on your use of chemicals, pesticides,
water and the like every four weeks. “It takes some disci-
pline, but once you are into a routine it is not a problem”, says
Van ´t Hoff. In exchange, MPS sends you a report each quarter
indicating your performance with regard to the standards you
are aiming for. With this report and the assistance of a software
programme available on the MPS website, you can adapt your
practices, for instance by replacing a hazardous “red” chemical
with a “green” one. This approach will help you in two ways.
First, it will give you the information you need to comply with
EU market standards. Second, it provides you with valuable
management information on the use of costly resources like
chemicals, pesticides and fertilisers. The reports of MPS can be
seen as a tool for identifying cost-saving measures.
After one year of reporting, MPS returns for a company audit
and decides on your certification. Thereafter your status is reassessed
with each quarterly MPS report. “Your certificate can
be upgraded or downgraded every quarter, but the decision is
based on the performance of the entire year prior to that
quarter”, explains Van ´t Hoff. “That way seasonal influences
are corrected.”
Step by step
The environmental label is typical for the step-by-step
approach MPS employs. Instead of having to comply to all standards
at once, the data you record are benchmarked and a
grade – from C to A – is given, according to your performance.
Thus you can phase out the use of hazardous chemicals and
look for alternatives. Gradually, you can improve the processes
on your farm and work towards the MPS-A level. After that, you
can choose to raise your social standards (MPS Socially
Qualified) or aim for the requirements of MPS-GAP (Good
Agricultural Practices).
The annual MPS fee varies from region to region. In Central
America and Africa it is between € 1700 and € 2000, Van ´t Hoff
says. In some cases this fee is supplemented with a hectare fee.
For this fee, MPS acquires, processes and monitors data and
sends quarterly reports. The costs for the audits are also covered
by the fee. Because of its role as certifier, MPS cannot give technical
assistance to companies facing problems complying to
the standards. Within the framework of its export development
programmes for cut flowers and young pot plant materials, the
CBI does provide this kind of support to its participants, either
at the request of the companies or on the basis of information
from MPS.
More information: www.my-mps.com.