Public consultation opens for Kenyan, Dutch flower standards under SSCI review

KENYA – The Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative (SSCI) has opened a public consultation for two major floral certification schemes – the Kenya Flower Council (KFC) and MPS.

The consultation invites growers, exporters, retailers, and other stakeholders to share their views on the benchmarking of KFC’s Flowers and Ornamentals Sustainability Standard (FOSS) and the MPS-Socially Qualified (MPS-SQ) standard.

Running from October 13 to November 13, 2025, the consultation focuses on ethical trade, human rights, and sustainability in flower production.

“This is a key stage of the SSCI Benchmarking Process,” SSCI said in a statement. “It allows stakeholders to review and comment on the independent assessment to ensure transparency and accuracy.”

The Kenya Flower Council represents one of Africa’s largest flower-exporting industries. Through its FOSS standard, KFC promotes sustainable production that meets global market expectations on environmental and social responsibility.

MPS, a Dutch-based certification body, runs the MPS-SQ standard which focuses on fair working conditions, health, and safety in the agricultural sector.

Both organisations have long played a central role in improving labour standards and environmental performance in global floriculture.

“This consultation reflects our shared commitment to accountability and ethical trade,” said a spokesperson from the Kenya Flower Council.

“Stakeholder input will help ensure that our sustainability standards remain credible and effective.”

Strengthening global supply chain trust

SSCI, an initiative of The Consumer Goods Forum, benchmarks sustainability and social compliance schemes against globally recognised criteria. By reviewing standards like FOSS and MPS-SQ, SSCI aims to build greater trust in certification programmes used across supply chains.

According to SSCI, the benchmarking process helps buyers and producers align on expectations while reducing duplication of audits.

“Public consultation is central to our work,” an SSCI representative said. “We rely on open feedback to make sure these standards reflect real conditions in the field and uphold international human rights principles.”

The consultation follows recent efforts by SSCI to include more agricultural and floriculture schemes under its Primary Production scope.

These steps highlight the growing demand for social compliance and fair labour verification in agricultural supply chains.

Industry observers note that Kenya’s flower sector has made strong progress in recent years, driven by certification and international partnerships that promote worker welfare and environmental care.

The results of this consultation will determine the final recognition status of KFC’s FOSS and MPS-SQ within the SSCI framework once feedback is reviewed and final reports are approved.

Stakeholders can access the benchmarking reports and submit comments through SSCI’s official website before the November 13 deadline.

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