In 1992 SMK (Stichting Milieukeur) is founded on the initiative of the Ministries of Housing, Spatial Planning, and Environment and Economic Affairs. The foundation develops and manages the Dutch Milieukeur quality label. SMK is also appointed by the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment as the Competent Body for EU Ecolabel. This means that SMK certifies products and services for the label on behalf of the Netherlands and contributes to the development of new (and revised) requirements.

Milieukeur becomes available for agri-food products. This is a huge milestone, making Milieukeur also available for food products. The start towards more sustainable production and consumption has been made.

SMK is developing a new label for more sustainable greenhouses: Green Label Greenhouse (Groen Label Kas). Greenhouses with a certificate have a lower environmental impact than comparable greenhouses. Moreover, thanks to GLK, horticulturalists can participate in the government schemes MIA and Vamil and the Green Projects Scheme. Certificate holders are also eligible for a BL Plus loan under the Agricultural Guarantee Credit.

The foundation develops the Barometer of Sustainable Terrain Management. This certification system helps companies and services (such as municipalities) with more sustainable management of public spaces. Initially, there are 3 levels of sustainability for certification: bronze, silver and gold. Now it is only silver and gold, where silver demonstrates that site managers and implementers apply more sustainable weed control on paving and green areas. Gold site managers take it up a notch. In addition to the requirements of the silver level, they ensure the sustainable purchase of green materials such as plants and trees and a clean outdoor area. Examples include the removal of graffiti, waste management and the reduction of dog dirt.

A new addition to the line of quality labels: Maatlat Duurzame Veehouderij (MDV). Livestock farmers with an MDV stable have a stable with a lower environmental impact. To be certified for this, there are measures in place for animal health and welfare. Livestock farmers who obtain the certificate can participate in the MIA and Vamil tax schemes and are eligible for the Borgstellingsfonds (Guarantee for SME agricultural loans). There is also a link with the Green Projects scheme.

SMK continues to grow. Florists can now certify themselves and achieve bronze, silver or gold level with the Sustainable Florist. It is also an important year for sustainable wood. The government has imposed itself to only purchase sustainable wood starting this year, which is why it has set up the Timber Procurement Assessment Committee (TPAC). SMK organizes the assessment of wood certification systems for TPAC.

Director Regien van der Sijp hands over the SMK leadership to Gijs Dröge. SMK’s mission remains unchanged: to develop, manage and audit transparent criteria in order to facilitate more sustainable production and consumption. The aim, however, is to use the instruments to have more impact.

Milieukeur Plant Products breaks through. After many years of efforts by SMK and stronger market orientation, supermarkets decided in 2016 to make potato, fruit and vegetable shelves more sustainable on a large scale and to apply the Milieukeur criteria in particular for this purpose. Various initiatives are also taking place from the retail sector to make ornamental horticulture products more sustainable.

Fleurop will also start with the Sustainable Florist. The organization aims to achieve national coverage with approximately 100 certified florists. The Sustainable Florists Group and FloraNL have already committed themselves to this.

SMK exists 25 years! And that does not go unnoticed. During the festive symposium SMK had a surprising revelation: Milieukeur was given a new, international name for vegetable products: On the way to PlanetProof. There were also major revisions to the certification schemes for Milieukeur and Groen Label Kas.

A good moment to reflect on the 9 managed and developed quality labels, to be proud of the role of Competent Body for EU Ecolabel and Register Green Declarations and TPAC to facilitate and test. Our production is not yet fully sustainable, but SMK is proving to be able to offer the compass towards sustainability.

At the request of two dairy companies, SMK is starting the development of a certification scheme for milk. This will be ready at the end of the year and the first On the Way to PlanetProof milk will be in stores just before Christmas.

SMK also started to implement the Green Scheme for Rabobank: a scheme whereby buyers receive a discount on their mortgage after the purchase of a new home if the home meets energy requirements and sustainable wood is used.

The billionth liter of more sustainably produced milk with the On the way to PlanetProof label has been handed over to Minister Schouten. Minister Schouten was struck by the fact that On the way to PlanetProof has become so visible in the supermarket in such a short time. “It is incredibly clever that the awareness of the certificate has grown so quickly. It’s an established name in the Netherlands and it stands for something, that’s clear.”

At the end of this year, we introduced ‘Sustainable Florist’ at the request of Florint (the international organization of national florists’ organizations). This is the international version of the Dutch certification scheme Barometer Duurzame Bloemist.

SMK developed a Maatlat for horse stables. The MDV for integrally sustainable stables provides for sustainability by means of measures that can be taken when constructing or rebuilding stables. When these measures are met, the MDV certificate can be issued.

The Maatlat Duurzame Veehouderij (MDV) is an instrument to stimulate the (re)construction and design of integral more sustainable barns. Stables that obtain the MDV certificate can participate in the MIA and Vamil tax schemes.

In addition, thanks to much interest from German florists, SMK is introducing the German version of the Barometer Sustainable Florist: the Nachhaltiger Florist.