Flower Label Program - FLP
At a glance
This document provides an overview of the Flower Label Program standard system.
The FLower Label Program is one of the several standard systems that are referenced in Standards Map, the interactive
web-based tool on private standards developed by the T4SD program of ITC.
What is the Flower Label Program (FLP)
The Flower Label Program is a private, non-governmental, not-for-profit
association that promotes socially and environmentally responsible
flower, fern, plant and foliage cultivation. FLP is a joint initiative of
human rights organizations, labor unions, churches, flower producers
and flower retailers.
The Flower Label Program implements 10 principles made available
in its International Code of Conduct (ICC). FLP’s Guidelines document
provides detailed information on how to implement these specific
objectives and requirements, providing detailed explanations on each
of the 10 principles of the ICC. As a general rule, when countries’
national laws are above FLP’s standards, the most stringent provision
applies.
What products are covered by the standard
system
FLP covers flowers (300 varieties of roses, carnations, lilies,
hydrangeas, ornithogalum, calla, limonium/statize) and foliage
(leatherleaf ferns, tree ferns, ming ferns, aspidistra, sprengeri,
eucalypthus, strawberry tree, italien ruscus, foxtail ferns, salix).
What are the key features of the standard
system
•
Under the “Flowers. Of course, naturally” program, FLP
has launched two new standards.
• FLP regional for local suppliers which satisfy the FLP
standards and market their product within a radius of
200km of their production site.
• FLP Bio Certified organic producers which fulfill FLP’s
social criteria and organic farming guidelines. These
producers can also obtain the FLP certificate bio/
organic.
• Farms that are certified according to the Fairtrade standard
•
•
may apply for FLP membership on the base of the FLO-Certinspection. This is due to an agreement between FLP and
FLO-Cert.
Unlike Fairtrade, FLP does not set specific premiums. The
price of FLP flowers is defined by the correlation between
supply and demand.
FLP retailed products can be found in Europe and
the United States while the sourcing takes place from
countries worldwide.
FLP: facts and figures (as of November 2010)
•
•
•
54 FLP-certified farms in six countries,
13,000 employees work on FLP-certified farms.
The total production area of FLP certified cultivation is around
1,300 hectares.
Support
FLP provides free of charge online access to information and documents
that help companies understand the FPL program and what needs to be
done to participate in the certification program.
FLP Contact Details
FLP e.V.
Richard-Wagner-Str. 16
50674 Köln
+49 (0) 221 - 3406645
[email protected]
www.fairflowers.de
Source: Standards Map, Market Analysis Tools, International Trade Centre and the Flower Label Program, http://www.fairflowers.de.
For more information, visit Standards Map or send us an e-mail: [email protected].
Last up-date: January 2011
The FLP standard
system is applicable
to producers in the
following countries and
regions
Detailed maps displaying countries
where certification / verifiation is
currently operational and countries
where certified products / services
are sold can be generated on ITC’s
Standards Map website.
6 countries
ASIA Sri Lanka AFRICA Kenya EUROPE Germany, Portugal
SOUTH AMERICA Chile, Ecuador
How to become FLP certified
Step 1:
Preparation: If interested in becoming an FLP member, contact FLP which will send the FLP Guidelines together
with other basic info (flyer, brochures, etc.) and a Pre-Inspection-Questionnaire. This form assesses the general
situation and the conditions on the farm like the number of employees and other general information about the
production units.
Step 2: Audit: The farms are audited by third-party certification bodies. Representatives of NGOs and trade unions have
the right to join the audit (independently of a membership in FLP association). The audit is always conducted by
two experts, one woman and one man.
Step 3: Certification: The audit report is presented to the FLP Certification Committee. The members of this committee are
members of NGOs and Trade Unions represented in FLP Association. The committee decides whether the farm
complies with the main points of the FLP standards and can be accepted as a member. The grower receives a
report which lists non-compliant areas. The grower might provide a time-frame by which certain non-compliances
must be fixed. If the decision is positive the grower receives a certificate providing the right to sell products with
the FLP-label. The certificate is valid for one year.
Step 4: Re-certification: FLP members have to undergo a full re-inspection every year. In the meantime, FLP may conduct
unannounced spot checks regarding specific aspects. FLP-growers must agree that FLP coordinators and
representatives have free access to their farms without prior notice.
Source: Standards Map, Market Analysis Tools, International Trade Centre and the Flower Label Program, http://www.fairflowers.de.
For more information, visit Standards Map or send us an e-mail: [email protected].
Last up-date: January 2011
What areas does the Flower Label Program standard system cover
The following table provides an overview of FLP principles and requirements and related compliance policies covering social, environmental and
economic areas applied in production, processing and trade.
Immediate requirements
Explanation of Standards Map interpretation of compliance policies in the FLP standard system:
Immediate Requirement: FLP “Guidelines for the socially and environmentally responsible production of cut flowers, ferns, plants and foliage” provide for “critical
requirements”, which are presented in Standards Map as “Immediate requirements”.
Short-term requirement: Those provisions of FLP guidelines that are not “critical requirements” are presented in Standards Map as “Short-term requirements” that
have to be fulfilled within 12 months.
Long-term requirement: Some provisions of FLP guidelines are presented as “Long-term requirements” when they are expressed with a long-term compliance policy
- more than 3 years.
Recommendation: Some provisions of FLP guidelines are presented as “Recommendations” when they are expressed with a “..should...” and no specific timeline for
compliance.
Environment
Social
Soil
Work/labor rights
Soil conservation/erosion
Chemicals
Equipment and training on chemical
use
Management of chemicals
Waste
Waste management - collection,
treatment, disposal
Reuse of materials to reduce waste
Economic
Conditions of work
Safety at work (ILO 184)
Safe work environment
Safe handling chemicals
Healthy work conditions
No forced labor (ILO 29&105)
Child labor prohibited (ILO 182)
Condition of employment
Contract labour policies and
practices
Transparency of employment
practices
Living wages to cover basic human
services/savings
Minimum age (ILO 138)
Maximum number of working hours
set
Workers empowerment
Freedom of association (ILO 87)
Collective Bargaining (ILO 98)
No discrimination at work (ILO 111)
Continued on next page.
Source: Standards Map, Market Analysis Tools, International Trade Centre and the Flower Label Program, http://www.fairflowers.de.
For more information, visit Standards Map or send us an e-mail: [email protected].
Last up-date: January 2011
Short-term requirements
Environment
Social
Soil
Social/human rights
Soil related nutrients and fertility
Forest
Reforestation of depleted forests and
woodlands
Chemicals
List of prohibited chemicals
Storage/disposal/waste
Biodiversity
Wildlife
Waste
Waste management - collection,
treatment, disposal
Reduction of waste through
prevention
Recycle waste which cannot be
prevented
Food security measures explicitly
stated
Promotion/enhancement of education
Promotion/enhancement of medical
care
Housing and sanitary facilities in place
Gender issues
Gender policies and best practices
Women’s rights at work
Health and safety of women
Cultural/religion rights (ILO 169)
Work/labor rights
Conditions of work
Safety at work (ILO 184)
Training on safety issues
Safety equipments and emergency
kits
Access to safe drinking water
Pollution management
Access to sanitary facilities at work
Composting
Access to medical assistance/
insurance
Disposal of waste
Water
Defined use/management strategies
Reduction of water through
prevention
Other
Economic
Condition of employment
Contract labour policies and
practices
Written contracts
Leave days clearly specified
Pensions and social security benefits
Harvesting/post-harvesting practices
Settlement - infrastructure and
buildings
Source: Standards Map, Market Analysis Tools, International Trade Centre and the Flower Label Program, http://www.fairflowers.de.
For more information, visit Standards Map or send us an e-mail: [email protected].
Last up-date: January 2011