Industry News

WALTERBORO, S.C. –  Floralife, a division of Smithers-Oasis Company, and worldwide leader in providing solutions throughout the flower journey from propagation to presentation, is launching its 2025 sustainability initiative, a long-term plan targeted for 2025 that implements the reduce, re-use, recycle and respect principles in four areas: water, innovation, production and consumption, and climate action.

“We created this plan to address our impact on the planet and society, focusing on three main pillars of sustainability—environmental, social and economic,” explained Jim Daly, vice-president, Floralife/Grower Global Operations and Corporate Research.

The initiative is being led by Floralife product manager Mark Allen, who received certification in Business Sustainability Management from the University of Cambridge.

Plan development began more than a year ago, when the team recognized the need for a formal sustainability plan with established goals and objectives.

“Our 2025 sustainability plan provides accountability,” said Daly. “It establishes where we are and what we want to achieve over the next five years, while providing flexibility to be adaptable to industry changes.”

While the plan has extended goals and objectives that will continually be evaluated, several projects are currently under way, working towards meeting the performance metrics of the 2025 plan. A sampling of these projects includes:

• Development of alternate packaging options that will eliminate single-use plastics, more specifically, the creation of a diverse sustainable film range to satisfy both the sustainability pillars and customer needs;
• Reusable flower food shipping containers for circular economies;
• Carbon footprint assessment of all of Floralife product lines, beginning with the Floralife Express 200 range bulk liquid, conducted by third-party, Carbon Footprint Ltd.;
• Sea freight protocols that will significantly reduce carbon footprint, yet will successfully transport flowers without jeopardizing quality.

The 2025 plan is a collaborative effort shared by the many stakeholders in Floralife’s business, including suppliers, operations, logistic partners and employees.

“The essence of the Floralife 2025 plan is to reshape our thinking and company culture,” added Daly. “We are on a journey of ever compounding improvements towards our environmental responsibilities.”

The Floralife brand includes a complete line of products that support the entire cut-flower distribution chain from harvest to vase; from growers to wholesalers and from supermarkets and retail shops to the consumer. Floralife products provide the ultimate enjoyment experience for the end consumer with solutions for pretreatment, hydration, transport and storage, and flower food solutions for nourishment and conditioning.

For more information on the Floralife 2025 sustainability initiative, contact Mark Allen, at mallen@smithersoasis.com or a local Floralife representative.

About Smithers-Oasis
Smithers-Oasis’ global expertise of the plant and flower business stretches from propagation to presentation. With locations in 20 countries and resources around the world, Smithers-Oasis manufactures floral foam products, postharvest products, growing media and flower arranging supplies for the floriculture industry. Oasis and Floralife are two of the company’s most recognized brands founded in 1954 and 1938, respectively. With more than 60 years of experience with foaming technology, Smithers-Oasis also develops specialty foams for a wide variety of applications including packaging, impression, absorption and molding. The company’s driving purpose is “to help people express and experience emotion by adding value to flowers and plants.” Smithers-Oasis is a privately-owned company, is headquartered in Kent, Ohio, U.S. For more information, visit www.floralife.com/en or www.smithersoasis.com.