At Neal Mast Greenhouses, we believe that true sustainability is a collective strategy that balances the needs of People, Planet, and Profit. We call this holistic approach "Sustainemunity." To us, being a sustainable business means more than just being eco-friendly; it means acting as a fair, ethical, and responsible employer while actively nourishing the community that supports us. We are dedicated to a future where our growth contributes to the well-being of our employees, the health of our environment, and the strength of West Michigan.
We are proud to share the beauty of our work with organizations that make a difference. Our commitment to the community is reflected in our annual donations of floral, vegetable, and herb plants to local partners, including the Ronald McDonald House, the Grand Rapids Art Museum, the Michigan Veterans Home, and YMCA Preschools. Beyond these local roots, we extend our reach through significant funding to the American Floral Endowment (AFE). By supporting the AFE, we invest in the long-term growth and sustainability of the entire floral community, fueling critical research that drives innovation and ensures a brighter, more resilient future for floriculture. Beyond direct donations, we empower our employees to give back. Through our Matching Flower Purchase program, we double the contributions made to Kids’ Food Basket, providing healthy meals and education to children in need, and Seed Your Future, a movement inspiring the next generation of horticultural professionals. We also proudly sponsor the America in Bloom YouTube Video Award, celebrating nationwide community beautification.
We hold ourselves to rigorous third-party standards to ensure our practices meet the highest environmental and social benchmarks. Our Veriflora® Certification, held since 2008, involves extensive annual audits with Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) to maintain our status as an environmentally and socially responsible grower. Furthermore, our fruit, herb, and vegetable programs have been Organic Certified since 2012, ensuring these crops are grown without pesticides or synthetic fertilizers while following strict sustainable farming protocols and record-keeping. As a leader in the industry, we are also proud to be among the top 5% of farms to earn the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) achievement. This proactive, voluntary program helps us minimize agricultural pollution risks and protect Michigan's vital surface and groundwater. With two of our locations already certified and the remaining two on track for completion by the end of 2026, we remain dedicated to preserving the natural resources of our home state.
Sustainability is a journey of constant improvement, and at Neal Mast Greenhouses, we are currently focused on several key initiatives designed to reduce our environmental footprint and lead our industry toward a more responsible future. Central to this mission is our ambitious resource reduction goal, where we aim to decrease our consumption of electricity, natural gas, and water by 20% over the next five years. By investing in more efficient technologies and smarter growing practices, we ensure that every plant we produce is grown with the utmost respect for the natural resources that sustain us.
Our commitment to a cleaner environment also extends to the lifecycle of our materials through a dedicated plastic reclamation program. We actively collect, reuse, and recycle agricultural plastics from garden centers, preventing thousands of pounds of waste from entering local landfills. Furthermore, we recognize our responsibility to the broader horticultural ecosystem by engaging in ongoing research regarding the sustainability and availability of peat moss. This ensures that our sourcing remains responsible and that we are contributing to the long-term health of the global growing community.
To celebrate these efforts and reinforce our culture of stewardship, we dedicate the first week of October each year to Sustainability Week. This annual event brings our mission to life through a variety of impactful activities, ranging from blood drives and comprehensive employee safety training to “Conquer the Chaos” days focused on cleaning our physical and digital environments. Combined with educational tours and community bulb giveaways, this week serves as a powerful reminder that our “Sustainemunity” approach is built on the daily actions and long-term vision of our entire team.