AIPH Conference Highlights the Road to Sustainability Through Technology
The AIPH International Horticultural Industry Conference is part of the 77th AIPH Annual Congress, held in Ghent, Belgium. | International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH)
The AIPH International Horticultural Industry Conference, held on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, during the 77th AIPH Annual Congress in Ghent, brought together more than 100 delegates from across the world to examine how ornamental horticulture can secure a sustainable and technology-driven future. Expert voices from every link in the value chain — growers, retailers, researchers, policymakers, and global trade representatives joined the debate.
Sustainability: From License to Operate to Future Security
Opening the day, Headline Sponsor Juan Carlos Isaza, Senior Technical Expert at GLOBALG.A.P., framed the challenge: “Sustainability has shifted from a USP to a license to operate — and now it moves beyond that, to securing our future. We have made remarkable achievements as a sector, but the responsibility is to push the boundaries further.” He highlighted GLOBALG.A.P.’s programs, including a new social initiative expected to join the FSI basket next year, underlining the role of stakeholder-driven action.
Independent Sustainability Consultant Daan de Vries zoomed out to the planetary scale. Citing the Stockholm Resilience Centre’s “nine planetary boundaries,” he asks: “Can we innovate our way out of trouble?” Examples such as translucent solar panels, sheep wool substrates, and hot-water weed control sparked debate and challenged delegates to consider innovation not as an option, but as an imperative.
Union Fleurs Secretary General Sylvie Mamias “zoomed in,” contextualizing the European picture: “For the EU, sustainability is about more than the environment — it’s about circular economy, biodiversity, and quality of life. This regulatory shift means our industry must embed sustainability in business strategy, with robust reporting, innovation, and open communication. And through collaboration, floriculture has often been ahead of other sectors.”
The Great Growing Media Debate
Chaired by AIPH Secretary General Tim Briercliffe, the Great Growing Media Debate brought sharp perspectives from across Europe, with frank contributions from Cecilia Luetgebrune, Secretary General of Growing Media Europe; Jennifer Pheasey, Director of Public Affairs at the Horticultural Trades Association; and Julia Ostrowski of Horticert, this Industry Conference’s Silver Sponsor.
Luetgebrune was very direct about the sector’s position: “We must be honest — peat is still the most suitable medium for many crops. But that doesn’t mean we stop looking for alternatives. Instead, as she declared passionately, it means the transition must be guided by facts, science, and transparency, and not ideology.”
Representing the U.K., Pheasey underlined the urgency of change: “With 25% of our growers already peat-free, the U.K.’s transition is gathering pace. But ambition has to be matched with support; we cannot afford to jeopardize the future of our growers in the process.”
From Germany, Ostrowski added the certification perspective: “As sustainability becomes central to trade, verification is essential. At Horticert, our role is to provide the tools to prove credibility and to ensure growers are recognized for their efforts.”
The discussion revealed diverging national approaches to peat and its alternatives, from the U.K.’s accelerating transition to Germany’s regulatory pathway and Europe-wide policy drivers. Delegates noted that the debate went beyond a technical exchange, touching on the credibility and sustainability of alternatives, and highlighting the economic, environmental, and social implications of change.
Industry Action Panel
The closing sustainability panel brought powerful global perspectives, with contributions from Augusto Solano, President of Asocolflores (Colombia); Stefanie Miltenburg, Head of Public Affairs at Royal FloraHolland (Netherlands); Juan Carlos Isaza, Senior Technical Expert at GLOBALG.A.P. (Germany); Marco van der Sar, Chair of the Plants & Flowers Foundation (Netherlands); and Jeroen Oudheusden, Executive Officer of the Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI) (Netherlands).
Solano underlined the social dimension of sustainability: “Our responsibility goes beyond the farm gate. It is about people — about peace in the home, about health, about the well-being of the communities where we work.” At the same time, he was frank about the communication gap: “As an industry, we are still not communicating strongly enough what we are doing. We have a good story to tell — but it must reach society.”
Miltenburg highlighted the reputational pressures facing growers: “Nice stories and open days are no longer enough; real credibility comes with changed behavior, backed by data. Certification has been our answer, and our major buyers are now committing to fully certified sourcing.”
Isaza considered the cost for producers that invest in sustainable solutions and certifications: “Producers have to pay the cost; it’s not taken up by the supply chain most of the time. Good practices help recover the investment, but that’s only possible to a certain level. There are some costs that are never recovered or take some time to recover. We need to simplify the process, use more technology to make it more cost-efficient.”
Oudheusden spoke about FSI’s evolution and the urgency of collective action: “If you think sustainability comes at a cost, consider the cost of not being sustainable. Our sector is a frontrunner compared to many others, but we need to double down on data, harmonized standards, and transparent communication if we want to keep our license to operate.” He put it bluntly: “If a crop cannot be produced sustainably, perhaps we should question whether we should be growing it at all.”
From the consumer side, van der Sar emphasized the importance of perception and trust: “Reputation is 80% behavior and only 20% communication. Consumers need proof that we are changing, and footprint data will be crucial in winning over the neutral majority who could become our biggest growth opportunity.”
For additional information on sustainability and technology insights from the AIPH International Horticultural Conference, including consumer perspectives and a look at how AI is affecting some aspects of the industry, please read the original article found on the AIPH website.
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