From Awareness to Recovery on Earth Day, How Koppert Cress is working to make a real impact
Category: Sustainability
On Earth Day, people around the world reflect on the state of our planet and humanity’s responsibility for it. On this day (22 April), issues such as environmental protection, climate change and sustainability take centre stage.
Micro Greens, Macro Impact
For Koppert Cress, this is not a one-off initiative, but a daily responsibility that is deeply embedded in the way we work. At Koppert Cress, sustainability is approached through the Ikigai principle: decisions are made at the intersection of impact, responsibility and long-term value. The focus is on the structural reduction of emissions, with the aim of achieving fossil-free cultivation and making the transition to climate-positive business practices, whereby more CO₂ is sequestered than emitted.
This approach starts with concrete measures, such as the transition to geothermal energy, the use of renewable energy, and innovative techniques such as capturing CO₂ from the outside air to avoid adding extra CO₂ to the greenhouse. Within this field, Division Q plays a key role as a project agency for horticultural innovation and sector-wide sustainability.
At the same time, Koppert Cress acknowledges that not all emissions can be avoided at present. For the remaining emissions, the company is focusing on targeted carbon offsetting through certified projects, including in collaboration with Tree-Nation. These projects contribute to reforestation, biodiversity restoration and local economic development.
This commitment is reflected in concrete action across various parts of the organisation. Trees are planted with every online order, including sales of Rob Baan’s book, to actively offset CO2 emissions. Specific visits and events are also included in this initiative.
This is not merely a matter of intention: by 2026, more than 21,000 trees will have been planted, a tangible result of the choices made every day and a concrete contribution to carbon sequestration and ecosystem restoration. In this way, sustainability becomes visible, measurable and directly linked to everyday practice.
A key principle remains that carbon offsetting is never a substitute for reduction. The greatest impact lies in making structural changes to processes, collaborating across the supply chain, and making conscious choices in production, logistics and consumption. After all, a significant proportion of total emissions originate outside direct operations, which makes collaboration essential.
Earth Day thus emphasises above all the need to look beyond isolated initiatives. It calls for an integrated approach in which measuring, reducing, offsetting and restoring are inextricably linked.
For Koppert Cress, this isn’t a goal for tomorrow, but a task for today. Because the future is in a hurry!
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