Floriculture is one of Africa\u2019s most lucrative export sectors and can bring significant benefits to producer communities, but only where operations are conducted in a manner that is sustainable and respectful of the rights of workers and communities.<\/p>\n
Thorns Amongst the Roses summarises the human rights impacts that the International Peace Information Service (IPIS), the Global Horticultural Workers and Environmental Rights Network (GHOWERN), and other research institutes, have observed in the flower growing and cutting industries of Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. These impacts are placed within a business and human rights framework, wherein the legal source for relevant rights are outlined and further detail is provided on the context in which rights can be affected. Principle findings include:<\/p>\n
The paper concludes that, as with all industry and business practices, those engaged in the horticultural industry can gain a great deal of insight by looking at social and environmental issues through a human rights lens. Stakeholders can be affected by the horticultural industry in number of profound and multi-faceted ways. Failure to do human rights due diligence to identify and address any potential negative impacts on stakeholders not only risks violating international human rights standards but will undermine both a business\u2019s workers and the communities surrounding its operations. It therefore ultimately undermines the sustainability of a company\u2019s business model itself.<\/p>\n