NEWS

System Update of the HORTICERT System Documents now available

We are pleased to announce the System Update of the HORTICERT System Documents (Version 1.0, March 2026). These documents can be found on the HORTICERT-Website. The System Updates reflect international stakeholder input, the latest scientific findings and significant enhancements to the Certification System. The System Update is mandatory for all HORTICERT System Users, HORTICERT Auditors and cooperating Certification Bodies. Previous versions will no longer be available and must not be used. We welcome any feedback on these updates.

Succesfull 3rd nationwide “Peat-Free Gardening!” campaign week in March 2026

HORTICERT once again supported the campaign week as a partner. Organized by the Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity in collaboration with the Agency for Renewable Resources e. V. (FNR), the campaign week highlights the importance of climate and peatland protection and aims to introduce hobby gardeners to peat-free gardening.

HORTICERT at the launch of the Peat Reduction Round Table at IPM Essen 2026

As part of IPM Essen 2026, HORTICERT participated in the launch of the Peat Reduction Round Table. The event was organised by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity (BMLEH) under the leadership of Parliamentary State Secretary Silvia Breher and marks an important step towards further reducing the use of peat in potting soils and professional growing media.

HORTICERT at IPM 2026 in Essen – an inspiring week!

On 30 January 2026, the IPM – the world’s leading trade fair for horticulture – came to a close, once again proving to be a key platform for exchange and innovation.

After four days of meaningful conversations, fresh perspectives and strong momentum for more sustainable growing media, we would like to take this opportunity to reflect.

On November 25, 2025, the 9th HORTICERT Stakeholder Workshop was held in Berlin, welcoming more than 60 participants both in person and online. Representatives from industry, retail, research institutions, NGOs, and other organizations came together to mark an important milestone: the successful completion of the HORTICERT project phase.

We are pleased to announce the successful recertification of five companies under the HORTICERT certification system, issued by Control Union Certifications Germany GmbH.

The Empowering Consumers (EmpCo) Directive (EU) 2024/825 directly addresses the challenge of consumers to assess the credibility of sustainable claims. From September 27, 2026, the EmpCo directive introduces stricter requirements for environmental marketing and, among other, for the use of sustainability labels. The good news is that HORTICERT already aligns closely with the new requirements of the directive for certification schemes that are at the basis of sustainability labels.

The HORTICERT team proudly returned to the International Plant Fair  (IPM) ESSEN 2025 for the second time, reaffirming its commitment to advancing sustainable and peat-free growing media in horticulture. The IPM has established itself as a key platform for the international exchange of ideas and innovations in horticulture and proved to be highly valuable for HORTICERT once again this year.

On October 10, 2024, we hosted the 7th HORTICERT Stakeholder Workshop – the first time the event was held in a hybrid format, allowing participation both virtually and on site in Berlin at the Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft.

In December 2023, HORTICERT has started the third and final project phase for the “Development and implementation of an international certification system for peat substitutes”. 

We are pleased to announce that Erdenwerk Gebrüder Mayer, the growing media producer of the German DIY store toom Baumarkt, is the first company in Germany to pass the HORTICERT audit successfully and thus receive official HORTICERT certification.

Based on third-party verification, HORTICERT certification guarantees that ecological, social and economic sustainability requirements for peat substitutes are met. Studies and own calculations show that the emissions of coconut-based peat substitutes are significantly lower than those of peat. This means that coconut-based peat substitutes with HORTICERT certification represent a sustainable alternative to peat and play an essential role in achieving the goal of a largely peat-free growing media industry with reduced GHG emissions, as the following information shows.

In November 2023, HORTICERT has completed the second project phase for the “Development and implementation of an international certification system for peat substitutes”.

In autumn 2022, HORTICERT has started the second project phase for the “Development and implementation of an international certification system for peat substitutes”.

The project “Development and implementation of an international certification system for peat substitutes” is conducted by Meo Carbon Solutions GmbH and started in November 2021.