Foundation in Sustainable Floristry

CPD Certified

A Foundation in Sustainable Floristry teaches florists how they can the support the UN Sustainable Development Goals and tackle the Triple Planetary Crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. This is achieved by applying science-based sustainability principles to floristry, and identifying practical actions florists can undertake in their design and business practices.

The online course is externally certified by CPD UK as meeting global Continuing Professional Development principles, and all students who successfully complete the course will receive a certificate of completion.

Learning objectives

The Foundation in Sustainable Floristry has been developed for all skill levels, from beginners through to teachers.

Upon the successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Recognise the value of natural capital, its relationship to the three pillars of sustainability and connection to human and societal well-being.
• Identify the critical role of business in driving system change.
• Define global floriculture functions and describe how it has changed over the past 50 years
• Identify the impacts of the Triple Planetary Crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution
• Describe key environment-related issues associated with floristry and cut flower supply chains
• Identify some of the social & workplace issues associated with global floriculture
• State what actions we can take as an industry to address the Triple Planetary Crisis and the support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
• Explore ways to promote connections between nature and humans through floristry

Curriculum

The course is rich in original video content and is structured over 14 units between 30 – 50 minutes per session.  Over 9 hours online, students will explore a range of topics including:

• the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
• the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution
• what’s involved in commercial flower production
• sustainability issues within global floriculture supply chains
• identifying carbon and chemical hotspots within the floriculture chain
• the circular economy Vs take-make-waste linear system
• the waste pyramid and waste processing
• floral foam, floristry plastics and the issue of plastic pollution
• a new principles-based system for decision-making

Florists must complete a Foundation in Sustainable Floristry course to become an SFN Member.