Hello, I’m thrilled to be joining the American Floral Endowment’s team as the senior program manager for the Sustainabloom program.

There’s a strong opportunity for floral businesses to meet growing consumer interest in sustainability, with many customers wanting to support and pay more for more sustainable flowers. Sustainable practices can also lead to operational efficiencies, cost savings, and new revenue streams, as demonstrated by fuel efficiency at Armellini, carbon credits at Continental Floral Greens, and plastics alternatives at Mayesh. 

This year, our focus is on supporting you as an implementation partner for sustainability. To do that, we are going to be very active with outreach and education, including a regular webinar series on topics including how sustainability shows up in everyday operations, creative ways to build community around sustainability, and how to effectively communicate your sustainability strategy to customers. 

I’ll also be connecting with many of you in person at upcoming industry events in 2026. Please look for me at SAF Next Gen LIVE, the Floral Distribution Conference (WFFSA), the IFPA Floral Conference, the AIFD Symposium, and Cultivate. Say hello if you’ll be there, too!

Look for new resources from us this year, as well. From a recent industry-wide survey conducted through the Sustainabloom program, we know that formal sustainability planning is an emerging practice across all segments of floriculture. In response to this need, we have created a free sustainability planning template for retail florists, with versions for wholesalers and growers coming soon. We encourage you to explore the template and hope you find it valuable as you shape your sustainability goals.

If you have any questions about the program or floriculture sustainability more broadly, please don’t hesitate to reach out (asolliday@sustainabloom.org). And if you’d like to know more about me and my background, see this announcement. 

I look forward to supporting your sustainability efforts this year! 

Amanda Solliday
asolliday@sustainabloom.org