Effects of the Florverde Sustainable Flowers certification on floriculture companies affiliated with Asocolflores

• Main Author: Ricardo Andrés Bogotá Roncancio
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Universidad Santo Tomás 2016-01-01
• Series: Signos
• Subjects: Florverde; flores; responsabilidad social; sostenibilidad; certificación socioambiental
• Online Access: https://revistas.usantotomas.edu.co/index.php/signos/article/view/3794
• ISSN: 2145-1389; 2463-1140

This study aimed to determine if there are differences between flower companies certified in the scheme Florverde Sustainable Flowers (FSF) and those that are not, in their social and environmental practices within the framework of social responsibility (SR). Based on RS practices included in FSF, an opinion survey was applied to managers and interviews were conducted with workers. The identification of differences between certified and non-certified companies allowed establishing the effects of FSF certification on the companies studied. Differences were found in the implementation of SR practices for 41 of the 74 variables analyzed in the environmental categories, labor practices and consumer affairs. The benefits of FSF certification are analyzed from two perspectives. From the internal perspective, FSF contributes to produce with a sustainable approach, to organize the internal processes of the companies and to comply with applicable legislation. From the external perspective, FSF improves the corporate image to the market, to workers and to the community. For these reasons, the flowers companies have in the FSF certification scheme a valuable tool to apply the core subjects and issues of SR in its operations.