The Agreement for International Responsible Business Conduct (IRBC, Dutch: IMVO) in the Floricultural sector brings together the private sector, NGOs, a trade union, and the Dutch government, to address human rights risks and environmental risks in the value chain with the aim to create a more sustainable production and trade in ornamental plants. Many of the ornamental plants you find in the stores are sourced and traded across the globe. The complexity of the international value chain calls for a collective effort to prevent or mitigate adverse impacts on people and planet. Accordingly, the parties have joined forces under the IRBC agreement to leverage their efforts.

Insights and recommendations

The IRBC agreement came to an end at the closing assembly in September 2022, during which the insights and recommendations from 3 years of collaboration were shared with stakeholders from beyond the IRBC agreement. These insights and recommendations can be found in the below roadmap reports. More general information about the IRBC agreement can be found by further down this page.

The IRBC Floriculture Sector Roadmap

The insights of three years of collaboration and the recommendations and perspective on future development have been summarized in the IRBC Floriculture Sector Roadmap and the IRBC Floriculture Sector final report.

  • IRBC Floriculture Sector Roadmap (English)

    Progress and future steps for a more sustainable floriculture sector

    More info
  • IMVO Convenant Sierteeltsector Roadmap (Nederlands)

    Voortgang en vervolgstappen voor een duurzamere sierteeltsector

    More info
  • IRBC Floriculture Sector Final Report (English)

    Summarizing three years of collaboration for improved sector sustainability

    More info
  • IMVO Convenant Sierteeltsector Eindrapportage (Nederlands)

    Een samenvatting van drie jaar samenwerking voor verduurzaming

    More info

Background and setup

The IRBC agreement was designed to promote sustainable supply chains by aligning with internationally recognized guidelines from the OECD and UN. Furthermore, the parties under the agreement built on existing knowledge and structures to ensure that the activities and results of the IRBC agreement do not duplicate but rather accelerate existing sustainability initiatives.

International guidelines and Due Diligence

The collaboration under the IRBC agreement is pursuant to the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (OECD Guidelines) and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), whereby the Parties’ intention is to make substantial progress, within a three-year period, towards improving the circumstances of those who may experience adverse impacts in connection with the floriculture sector.

The OECD guidelines and UNGPs agreements require companies to carry out risk-based due diligence to avoid and address adverse impacts on people and planet associated with their value chain. Due diligence is a central theme in the IRBC agreement. Each company participating in this Agreement will ensure a satisfactory due diligence process. The IRBC agreement facilitates this through building capacity and developing tools and best practices.

Connection with the Floriculture Sustainability Initiative

The IRBC Agreement for floriculture was signed in 2019, with the aim of promoting sustainability throughout the value chain whilst acknowledging the sector’s existing platforms and initiatives. As such, the IRBC Agreement for floriculture builds on the Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI). The Agreement will support, complement and where possible accelerate the international floriculture agenda of the FSI.

Who was involved?

The Agreement has been signed by private sector players (companies, sector organisations and an auction), a trade union, NGOs and the Dutch Government. As signatories, these parties contribute to the realisation of the ambitions in the Agreement. In addition to the signatories, the Agreement is supported by several stakeholders, who have expressed their support for specific activities described in it.

Resources for due diligence

Resources for various steps of the due diligence cycle, delivered under the IRBC agreement.

  • 1. IRBC Floriculture Code of Conduct (EN)

    A sector code of conduct with principles for responsible business conduct across the supply chain.

    More info
  • 1. IMVO Sierteeltsector Code of Conduct (NL)

    A Dutch version of the sector code of conduct with princples for responsible business conduct across the supply chain.

    More info
  • 1. IRBC Floriculture Code of Conduct flyer (EN)

    English explanatory note to explain the code of conduct and how to use it in the context of due diligence.

    More info
  • 1. IMVO Sierteeltsector Code of Conduct flyer NL)

    Dutch explanatory note to explain the code of conduct and how to use it in the context of due diligence.

    More info
  • 2. Floriculture sector map (NL)

    Results of a sector risk assessment performed by the IRBC Due Diligence working group.

    More info
  • 2. Floriculture trade statistics (EN)

    Report with key statistics of floricultural trade flows, complementing the floriculture sector map.

    More info
  • 2. Supplier Self Assessment Questionnaire

    A self-assessment to help identify and assess how potential adverse impacts are covered

    More info
  • 1-5. Recommendations for due diligence (NL)

    Recommendations (individual and collective) for a due diligence action plan

    More info
  • 5. Reporting template and guideline

    A quick guide for reporting on responsible business conduct

    More info
  • 1-6. Due diligence & EU legislation explained (NL)

    An explanatory note to explain the concept of due diligence and the anticipated EU legislation around it.

    More info
  • 6. Setting up a grievance mechanism

    Advice on how to set up a grievance mechanism to provide in access to remedy

    More info

The IRBC agreement and annual reports

The formal agreement texts and annual reports of the IRBC agreement floriculture sector.

  • IMVO Convenant Sierteeltsector (NL)

    Formele tekst van het IMVO Convenant Sierteeltsector

    More info
  • IRBC Agreement Floriculture sector (EN)

    Formal text of the IRBC Agreement Floriculture

    More info
  • IRBC Floriculture annual report 2019-2020 (NL)

    Annual progress report for year 1 (1 September 2019 - 31 August 2020)

    More info
  • IRBC Floriculture annual report 2020 - 2021 (NL)

    Annual progress report for year 2 (1 September 2020 - 31 August 2021)

    More info
  • IRBC Floriculture annual report 2019 - 2022 (EN)

    Progress report for the full term of the IRBC agreement (1 September 2020 - 31 August 2021)

    More info
  • IRBC Floriculture annual report 2019 - 2022 (NL)

    Progress report for the full term of the IRBC agreement (1 September 2020 - 31 August 2021)

    More info

Governance

The secretariat of the IRBC agreement is facilitated by IDH, the Sustainable Trade Initiative, with managerial support from a Steering Committee and implementing support from thematic working groups.

Steering Committee

The Steering Committee oversees the progress of the IRBC Agreement and is tasked with decision making related to overall strategic issues. The Steering Committee is comprised of representatives from the private sector, NGOs, a trade union, and the Dutch government.

  • Ted van der Put

    Executive Advisor

    IDH, the Sustainable Trade Initiative

  • Ellen Lakeman

    Private Sector

    Dümmen Orange

  • Nada van Schouwenburg

    CSO

    WomenWin

  • Raimon Loman

    Private Sector

    Dutch Flower Group

  • Stefanie Miltenburg

    Auction

    Royal FloraHolland

  • Steven Smit

    Government

    Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs

  • René Kouwenhoven

    Trade Union Official International Affairs

    FNV

Secretariat

Contact the IRBC Secretariat for more information.