Governance and System Structure

HORTICERT was developed in an open multi-stakeholder process. The consortium of stakeholders includes representatives from various sectors, including the growing media industry, trade, politics, scientific institutions and NGOs. Currently, more than 40 national and international organizations related to the horticultural industry are involved in the dialog.

The various stakeholders were actively involved in the development of the certification concept and contributed significantly to the development of the sustainability requirements, the methodology for the calculation of greenhouse gas emissions and the requirements for the traceability of supply chains.

The transparency and inclusiveness of the process ensured that various interests and concerns were adequately addressed. The involvement of experts and stakeholders from different sectors led to the development of HORTICERT as a practical, scientifically sound and credible certification system.

Also in the future, stakeholder participation will be crucial. To support the continuous development of the system, HORTICERT will be organized through a stakeholder organization open to all relevant market participants. Meanwhile, the day-to-day business of HORTICERT will be carried out by a limited liability company, which will be controlled by the stakeholder organization. This model enables efficient implementation of certification activities, while decisions and further development of the certification system continue to be steered by the stakeholders.

Overall, this organizational approach ensures that HORTICERT remains a dynamic system that can adapt to changing demands and challenges of the horticultural industry.

HORTICERT follows the principles of the International Social and Environmental Accreditation and Labelling Alliance (ISEAL). ISEAL is committed to improving certification programs and emphasizes the need for an inclusive and non-discriminatory organizational structure with balanced participation of different stakeholder groups in decision-making processes.