SoGreen Movement

EFB is part of the SoGreen movement

a sector organization of Global Green

“SoGreen unites the green world” Henrik Bos (president of ELCA)

On 20 November 2020, Henrik Bos, president of the European Landscape Contractors Association (ELCA), has launched the SoGreen movement, a global stakeholder group that unites all green industries. ‘To start this international sector organization for the global green industries has been one of the biggest goals during my time as president of ELCA.’

SoGreen Unites

Although the official start of the SoGreen movement will take place in January 2021, SoGreen was already presented by Henrik Bos at the virtual World Urban Parks Congress, organized in Tirana (Albania). During this Congress, the World Urban Parks became the latest partner of this joint global alliance for living green. Henrik Bos is very excited about this: ‘Only when the green sector unites on a global scale can we have the greatest impact, and can we keep our planet green for future generations.’

Green is ‘not just beautiful’

Henrik Bos, who has been president of ELCA since 2019, emphasized that it is no longer enough to only see the decorative value of green: ‘We have to make clear that the importance of greenery is much more than just being beautiful decoration.’ It is high time the world realizes that trees and plants can solve a lot of the problems. Planting more trees in cities, for example, will cool down urban heat islands, while giving city-dwellers a pleasant green view. Trees and other plants can also reduce fine particles and carbon dioxide in the air and even run-off rainwater.

Green is a common goal

Green industries already recognize their crucial role. Henrik Bos specifies: ‘The green sector builds the green infrastructure that serves our eco-system and offers nature-based solutions to aid biodiversity. The green world is our world.’ Henrik Bos speaks from experience. As a landscaper in Finland, he has worked on the development of a sustainable operating model for the landscape industries, called KESY, that was recently used to redevelop the Tikkurila River Park in Vantaa in Finland from a difficult wetland area into a welcoming oasis.

SoGreen is a global solution

As the rest of the world is also struggling with the effects of global heating and other challenges, SoGreen wants to unite all global partners in the green sector. This is crucial, says Henrik Bos, because ‘It is no longer enough to represent only one part of the green sector. We need to unite all the green industries; from gardens to public spaces and buildings, from suppliers to green professionals in design, creation and maintenance. It is not enough to merely invest in innovation. We need to work together.’

The following organizations are now part of the SoGreen movement:

The EFB is looking forward to exchange and collaborate within this movement.

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ELCA represents 13,000 companies with 125,000 employees in 24 countries Europe. For more information about SoGreen and ELCA, please contact Marie Mertens at the ELCA office in Brussels, at: +32(0)468 35 11 91 or at: contact@elca.info.

(11/ 2020)

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Instagram: onthegreenmove

Hashtags: #onthegreenmove #SoGreen #livinggreen