The American Floral Endowment (AFE) has announced the launch of a $2.5 million fundraising campaign to support Sustainabloom, a collaborative sustainability program created for the floral community. Initially established with seed funding from 10 organizations, Sustainabloom has expanded providing sustainability resources for the industry.
Sustainabloom is an industry-wide resource hub, launched in April 2024, designed to help businesses of any size advance their sustainability efforts. The program's free resources are developed by researchers and accessible to everyone in the industry aiming to support eco-friendly practices. These resources, which include guides, assessment tools, government funding opportunities, and certification information, seek to enable organizations to evaluate, initiate, or enhance their sustainability efforts for a more sustainable future.
Debi Chedester, CAE, AFE Executive Director said: "Sustainability is no longer just a goal—it's a necessity. With Sustainabloom, we're providing the entire industry with vital resources, free of charge, to support the transition to more sustainable practices. But to maintain and grow these offerings, we need the industry's help. Our $2.5 million fundraising goal will ensure Sustainabloom becomes self-sustaining, as contributions will form an Endowment fund where the earnings will be used annually to support the program in perpetuity."
Just this past month, the program expanded with four new guides covering topics like energy efficiency, carbon accounting, and sustainable inventory management, with four additional guides expected before year-end.
Amanda Solliday, NC State University Ph.D. student and Sustainabloom research team member said: "What we're learning today will continually evolve over the coming years. By securing sustainable funding, the Endowment can ensure ongoing resources to continuously update and provide the tools the industry needs to adapt and stay ahead."
Sustainabloom
sustainabloom.org