Sep 29, 2023

AFE becomes member of sustainability initiative

The American Floral Endowment (AFE) has become the newest associate member of the Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI). This partnership unites AFE, a U.S.-based floriculture funding nonprofit, with FSI, an international nonprofit with a focus on sustainability.

AFE’s membership with FSI is set to strengthen the floriculture industry through collaboration, sharing experiences and broadened perspectives.

“Sustainability is hugely impactful and affects floriculture globally. By joining forces, we are expanding the impact and effectiveness of both of our initiatives and programs,” stated Debi Chedester, CAE, executive director for AFE.

American Floral Endowment

AFE is an autonomous organization that supports a strong, unified floriculture community fostering industry innovation and growth to better connect people to flowers and plants in everyday life.

Founded in 1961, the endowment programs support and fund innovative research, educational grants, internships, and scholarships. These programs support growth and advancement for all segments of the floral industry.

Floriculture Sustainability Initiative

The Floriculture Sustainability Initiative is a market-driven initiative that brings together members of the international floriculture sector. They share the goal of finding more sustainable solutions for farmers, their workers, and families, for the environment, and for the future of the sector.

In 2013, FSI was established as an independent international non-profit association under Belgian law. Goals for 2025 include focus on the following three pillars – responsible production & trade, responsible conduct, and integrated reporting.

“Collaboration is crucial in our worldwide industry. By joining forces with AFE, we can share learnings, best practice and come up with innovative solutions, ensuring that people now and in the future can enjoy flowers and plants in their daily lives and find jobs in our sector that are both exciting and meaningful,” Jeroen Oudheusden, executive officer, FSI said.

FSI and AFE are already strategically working together to support additional sustainability education as AFE gears up to launch their highly anticipated Sustainabloom program later this year.

Sustainabloom represents a collaborative effort that brings together like-minded floral industry organizations and experts from both industry and academia, developing actionable plans, practical guides, and an array of resources tailored to all segments of the floral industry.

Jointly, AFE and FSI, are proud to announce this exciting partnership and together will invest in the future of floral, creating a stronger, more sustainable industry.

For more information, visit endowment.org and fsi2025.com.