Posted on julio 7, 2020 by Monica Vera
The coronavirus has strongly affected the world and the vast majority of economic sectors, where the flower industry is no exception. In the first weeks of the pandemic, sales decreased dramatically, with the added concern of being in one of the most important seasons for the industry: Mother’s Day. However, the sense of responsibility and commitment with the earth and the thousands of workers led to all the necessary measures being taken with great speed to guarantee the stability of all.
This is an interview with Flores Aurora SAS, located in Suesca, Cundinamarca. A company made up of 660 formal workers. Check more about Flores Aurora at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SjWLD3pseA&t=10s
Flores Aurora SAS has been certified by Florverde Sustainable Flowers since February 2019. Its enlistment process to become certified “started in February 2016, that is, it took almost 3 years of preparation and implementation of the Florverde standard, to comply with all chapters and requirements…”
For this work, an environmental engineer joined the team, who led the entire process and the implementation of the standard, “the creation of all formats, process improvement, review of practically everything that the standard. The socio-environmental committee was created, indicators were created, etc.”
On the other hand, the management had to adapt and build infrastructure such as dressing rooms, post harvests, dining rooms, expansion of fumigation units, enclosures of pump rooms, new warehouses, etc. “In those almost 3 years of enlistment and preparation, an investment of almost 280 million pesos was made.”
Today, faced with the challenges that COVID 19 brings, we ask them about the practices that they are now implementing in the context of the situation (COVID-19).
“Since we were certified by Florverde, we have had 2 external audits per certifying entity (the initial and the recertification) and one unannounced audit, always at a level of compliance of almost 97%. Fortunately today our farms, infrastructure, processes, protocols, are all up to date and working (…) That does not mean that we do not continue to improve, there are always level 2 or 3 requirements, which remain as “continuous improvement” and little by little we are straightening and correcting details, the important thing is not to neglect the pace and discipline involved in maintaining compliance with the chapters and requirements of the standard”
These changes made them unknowingly preparing for this unusual situation because for the reactivation of the company, some of the COVID-19 protocols were easier to implement with the adaptations that had been implemented before for certification with the FSF standard.
“Economically perhaps the greatest benefit we have perceived has been in the area ofenergy. With the good practices and small investments that have been implemented we have managed to reduce consumption kW/h each year, which although the price per kW/h always rises, we have managed to reduce the cost of energy.
Socially we have made our workers work in a more comfortable, safer company, where they feel comfortable with all the facilities it has. In addition to the fact that they have also put on the shirt of being part of a sustainable company, where they have learned to be more careful and responsible with the environment, they have learned to recycle correctly, we have made them more aware that we are not only a company that produces flowers and generates employment. We are and go beyond that!
Environmentally, we already consider ourselves a sustainable company, implementing good environmental and social practices, we are contributing our grain of sand to take care of the planet and give the best use and management to both the inputs we buy and depend on to function, as well as the waste that we generate, we produce flowers with environmental, social and economic responsibility”
Without knowing it, companies like Flores Aurora SAS, on their way to become certified or remain certified, have implemented protocols that have made their company more environmentally and socially sustainable and these changes guided by the indicators have also made them stronger to face adverse situations and unexpected like the COVID-19 pandemic. We know that working for a more sustainable world in all that it implies, we will be able to work not only for the permanence of companies but for the stability of all the people who are part of them.
For now, from FSF, we work so that all certified and to be certified companies know the protocols that must be implemented and we also keep them informed concerning the actions related to their certification so that they can maintain their sustainability standards and protect life and the health of your collaborators and their families. See more at https://florverde.org/news/measures-for-maintaining-the-florverde-sustainable-flowers-certification-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/
