Dutch ornamental plant breeder and grower KP Holland has spent the past several years systematically measuring and reducing its climate impact, not through broad sustainability pledges, but through data. "We like working with numbers," said John Vreugdenhil of KP Holland at the Horticulture Footprint Event 2026. "That means the figures have to add up. It shouldn't just be a good story, it has to be well-founded."
KP Holland is a family business based in the Netherlands, active since 1950 in the breeding and cultivation of Spathiphyllum, Kalanchoë, and Curcuma across eight sites. Sustainability has shifted from a choice to a condition for survival. "We have concluded that only companies that invest in sustainability will survive in the long run." For KP Holland, operating under the motto 'Plant Excellence', longevity is precisely the goal.
© Martijn Haas | FloralDaily.com
Quantification and validation of data
The process began with a footprint calculation covering the year 2022. "A number comes out, but the question is: what does it actually tell you?" By calculating across multiple years, patterns emerged. With three years of data, it became possible to identify trends and draw comparisons. "Then you can start comparing and suddenly see where things are changing."
The scope was later expanded to include propagation. Xclusive Uganda, the company's cutting supplier, was also asked to provide data. "That way you can keep refining and get a clearer picture of where your impact actually lies."
To ensure reliability, the calculations were independently verified. "We had our footprint audited, are the figures correct, are the assumptions sound, is the data complete?" That external validation gave the company confidence that the numbers could serve as a genuine basis for decision-making.
Roadmap to climate neutrality
Once the data was in place, the next question became: where do you want to go? The direction is broadly set by European climate targets toward 2050, with the greenhouse industry aiming to move faster.
In collaboration with aaff and Epiic, KP Holland developed a sustainability roadmap to 2040. Energy accounts for roughly 80 to 90 percent of the company's total emissions. The roadmap therefore focuses heavily on energy saving and decarbonisation, worked out per site. "Every energy cluster has its own characteristics, so you have to look at what works location by location."
The roadmap is deliberately kept flexible. "We know things will change. We can't foresee everything." Some steps may be delayed if the economics don't stack up; others may be accelerated. External factors, CO₂ levies and subsidies, reinforce the same direction. "If it doesn't come from within, you'll be pushed there economically anyway."
Chain-wide collaboration
A key insight from the process is that no company can do this alone. "You can calculate a footprint, but what can you actually do with it?" KP Holland actively seeks comparison with other growers and chain partners, including Dutch Flower Group, and participates in collectives such as Air-So-Pure, 100%-Groen, and Versnellers Sierteelt. The goal is not to rank performance, but to understand underlying assumptions. "How can it be that someone comes out lower or higher? That's where you learn."
Collaboration accelerates progress. "Alone you may move faster, but together you get further." On complex topics such as crop protection and fertilisers, a collective approach is, in Vreugdenhil's view, essential.
Communication and accountability
The footprint is not only an internal management tool, it also supports external communication. "We can now substantiate what we do. It's not just a good story; it checks out." That matters in a sector that regularly faces public scrutiny. "We are often still reacting to negative coverage." Data changes that dynamic. "You can tell the story proactively, show the steps you're taking, and demonstrate the enormous progress the sector has already made in recent years."
Future perspective
Major steps often require significant investment and technical complexity. But progress also comes in smaller increments. "Small steps are still steps." Annual optimisation of input use and incremental efficiency gains accumulate over time.
The long-term destination is fixed; the path remains in motion. By continuing to measure, adjust, and collaborate, KP Holland aims to maintain grip on a trajectory that keeps evolving. "We know where we stand, where we want to go, and what steps we can take. That gives you a foundation." Vreugdenhil's message to fellow growers is clear: "Get started with your footprint."
For more information:
KP Holland
[email protected]
www.kpholland.nl
