Certification explained
What "organic" really means here.
Certification is not handed down — it is co-created with you. Here's how we make traceability and trust visible.
Why "organic" needs clarity in South Africa
In South Africa the term organic is both powerful and problematic. It holds the promise of health, trust, and care for the earth — yet it is currently unregulated by law. There is no national legislation defining what may be labelled "organic," leaving producers and consumers vulnerable to misuse and greenwashing.
To fill the gap, the South African Organic Sector Organisation (SAOSO) developed a voluntary national Standard for Organic Production and Processing, harmonised within the Family of Standards of IFOAM – Organics International. Floreer aligns itself with these standards and is an active member of SAOSO, INOFO, and IFOAM International — connecting local practice to global principles.
Participatory Guarantee Systems
Around the world, grassroots movements have recognised that trust and transparency — not bureaucracy — are the real foundations of organic certification. Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) embody that belief: a community-based assurance system built on peer review, participation, and social networks, where farmers, consumers, and coordinators collaborate directly to verify compliance and share knowledge.
"Participatory Guarantee Systems certify producers based on the active participation of stakeholders, built on a foundation of trust, social networks, and knowledge exchange."
— IFOAM
Floreer is building the internal systems to establish its own regional PGS chapter across the Garden Route — and in the meantime we are boots-and-all involved in the local Outeniqua PGS group.
Our interim model — rigorous self-verification
Until our PGS chapter is crafted, Floreer acts as an informal but rigorous second-party verifier. We don't rely on self-claims. We build direct, weekly relationships with every producer — observing soil health, pest management, animal welfare, and post-harvest handling. Where a grower is still transitioning, we use the label "Organically Grown": practices personally verified by Floreer as free from synthetic fertilisers, pesticides, GMOs, and exploitative inputs. It is not a shortcut — it is trust earned through relationship.
The five founding principles
Trust & Transparency
Open dialogue between producers and consumers.
Ecological Integrity
Protection and regeneration of living systems.
Continuous Learning
Knowledge-sharing and collective education.
Social Fairness
Dignity and justice in all relationships.
Local Resilience
Strengthening regional food sovereignty.
Why it matters
For Floreer, "organic" is not a marketing label. It is a global production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems, and people — relying on ecological processes, biodiversity, and cycles adapted to local conditions rather than inputs with adverse effects. This transforms certification from an inspection process into a community practice, where every member becomes a steward of integrity embedded in our region.