We regularly write and speak about our research. Below you can find a selection of research outputs from the Sustainable Cut-Flowers Project. Enjoy your reading.
Journal Articles
- Privett, S.,Bek, D., Bailey, R., Binns, T., Rainmondo, D., Kirkwood, D. & Euston-Brown, D. (2019) Conservation in the context of wildflower harvesting: the development and implementation of a Vulnerability Index on the Agulhas Plain of South Africa. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 1-20 https://doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2019.1687428
- Privett, S., Bek, D., Bailey, R., Binns, T., Rainmondo, D., Kirkwood, D., & Euston-Brown, D. (2019). Conservation in the context of wildflower harvesting: the development and implementation of a Vulnerability Index on the Agulhas Plain of South Africa. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, (In-press), (In-press). https://doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2019.1687428
- Lanari, N., Schuler, R., Kohler, T., & Liniger, H. (2018). The impact of commercial horticulture on river water resources in the Upper Ewaso Ng’iro River Basin, Kenya. Mountain Research and Development, 38(2), 114-124. https://doi.org/10.1659/MRD-JOURNAL-D-16-00135
- Bek, D., Binns, T., Blokker, T., McEwan, C., & Hughes, A. (2016). A high road to sustainability? Wildflower harvesting, ethical trade and social upgrading in South Africa’s Western Cape. Journal of Agrarian Change, 17(3), 459-479. https://doi.org/10.1111/joac.12149
- Blokker, T., Bek, D., & Binns, T. (2015). Wildflower harvesting on the Agulhas Plain, South Africa: Challenges in a fragmented industry. South African Journal of Science, 111(11/12), [2014-0160]. https://doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2015/20140160
- Hughes, A., McEwan, C., & Bek, D. (2015). Postcolonial Perspectives on Global Production Networks: Insights from Flower Valley in South Africa. Environment and Planning A, 47(2), 249-266. https://doi.org/10.1068/a130083p
- McEwan, C., Hughes, A., & Bek, D. (2014). Futures, ethics and the politics of expectation in biodiversity conservation: A case study of South African sustainable wildflower harvesting. Geoforum, 52, 206-215. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2012.09.010
Books and Book Chapters
- Timms, J. (2017). A Sociological Approach to the Problem of Competing CSR Agendas. In: Vertigans, S. and Idowu, S. O. (eds.) Corporate Social Responsibility. Cham, Switzerland: Springer https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-35083-7_6
- Timms, J. (2012). Where Responsibility Lies: Corporate Social Responsibility and Campaigns for Rights of Workers in a Global Economy. Unpublished PhD thesis. London: London School of Economics. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/3070/
Reports, Briefs and Working Papers
WHITE PAPERS AND POLICY BRIEFS
- Bek, D., & O’Grady, K. (2018). Summary Report: The Scale, Structure and Sustainability of the Wild Fynbos Harvesting Supply Chain in the Cape Floral Kingdom. Access here.
- Bek, D., & O’Grady, K. (2018). Report: The Scale, Structure and Sustainability of the Wild Fynbos Harvesting Supply Chain in the Cape Floral Kingdom. Access here.
- Bek, D. (2018). Why the Business Case for Sustainability Matters. (White Paper Series). Coventry: Coventry University. Access here.
- Lanari, N., Liniger, H., & Kiteme, B. (2016). Commercial Horticulture in Kenya: Adapting to Water Scarcity. Access here.
WORKSHOP REPORTS
- Lanari, N., Timms, J., & Bek, D. (2019). 2019 Workshop Report – Driving Sustainability in the Cut-Flower Industry. Coventry: Centre for Business in Society, Coventry University.
- Lanari, N., Timms, J., & Bek, D. (2018). 2018 Workshop Report – Standards, Certifications & Sustainability in the Cut-flower Industry. Coventry: Centre for Business in Society, Coventry University. Access here.
- Treunicht, M., Bek, D. & O’Grady (2018). Workshop Report – Developing and Action Plan Supporting the Cape Flora Industry. Workshop held at Houwhoek Hotel, Grabouw, Western Cape 22nd November 2018.
- Lanari, N., Timms, J., & Bek, D. (2017). 2017 Workshop Report – Global Cut-flower Production Network Project. Coventry: Centre for Business in Society, Coventry University. Access here.
FIELD GUIDES
- Van Deventer, G., Bek, D., & Ashwell, A. (2016). The Pocket Field Guide for Wild Flower Harvesting. South Africa: Flower Valley Conservation Trust. Access here.
- Van Deventer, G., Bek, D., & Ashwell, A. (2016). Field Guide for Wild Flower Harvesting. South Africa: Flower Valley Conservation Trust. Access here
Blogs and Online Outlets by the Project Team
- Webinar: Blooming Opportunities: Getting into cut flowers
- The Wild Fynbos Industry: Understanding the Good and the not so Good
- Responding to a Blooming Nightmare Covid-19 shakes up the Horticulture Industry
- Going beyond Compliance? Driving Sustainability in the Global Cut-flower Industry
- Valentine’s Day: five ways to ensure your flowers are ethical
- Tackling the Plastics Crisis: Back to the 3Rs
- Protea Power: How Sustainable is the Cape Flora Industry’s Rapid Growth?
- Sustainability Moves Up the Agenda for British Florists: Local Responses to Global Supply Chain Challenges
- Can the New Era of Retailer-Led Certification Schemes Shift the Sustainability Dial?
- ‘Less is More’ in Retailer Supply Chains: What are the Impacts on Sustainability?
- Say it with Flowers: Working with Industry to Reconsider the Ethics of the Flower Supply Chain
- Sustainable Business is Good Business: A view from the Cut-Flower Industry
- St Valentine’s Day: Time to Consider the Ethics of the Flowers we Send?
- Adapting to Climate Change or being proactive in reducing its onset? Floraculture International article, January 2021
- Sustainability and growing the future in: FLOWERS MAGAZINE ISSUE 80 FEB-MAR 2021 (1)
Selected Conference Presentations
- Bek, D. (2019). Sustainability brings opportunity for the garden industry at Cultivating Retail. Horticulture Trades Association Cultivating Retail Conference, November 19th 2019. Access the video of David’s presentation here
- Bek, D., Binns, T., Nel, E., Fleener, R., & Basubas, D. (2019). Spaces of Hope in the threated landscapes of South Africa’s Cape Floristic Region. Annual Conference of the Royal Geographical Society, 27-30 August 2019.
- Fleener, R., Binns, T., Nel, E., & Bek, D. (2019). Collaborative Landscape Governance and the Conservation-Development Nexus: An Investigation of the Agulhas Biodiversity Initiative. Annual Conference of the Royal Geographical Society, 27-30 August 2019.
- Bek, D. & Timms, J. (2019). Business as usual? Trajectories of environmental upgrading in the South African Cape Flora Industry. Development Studies Association Annual Conference, 19-21 June 2019.
- Timms, J. & Bek, D. (2019). Corporate social responsibility as a vehicle for negotiating and navigating private sector development partnerships: Benefits and risks in practice. Development Studies Association Annual Conference, 19-21 June 2019.
- Bek, D. & Timms, J. (2019). Corporate social responsibility and private employment regulation: a challenge to precarity and inequality in neo-colonial supply chains?. British Sociology Association Annual Conference – Glasgow Caledonian University, 24-25 April 2019.
- Timms, J. & Bek, D. (2019). Corporate social responsibility and private employment regulation: a challenge to precarity and inequality in neo-colonial supply chains? British Sociology Association Annual Conference. Glasgow Caledonian University, 24-26 April 2019.
- Bek, D. (2019). The Future of Plastics in the Retail Supply Chain. Keynote address to the Association of International Horticultural Producers Sustainability Conference, Noordwijk, Holland, April 2nd 2019.
- Timms, J. (2019). CSR in a globalising world: The importance and limitations of an historical approach to understanding responsible transnational business today. BAM Management and Business History SIG Event, 12 January 2019.
- Bek, D. & Timms, J. (2018). Logos and Labour Rights: The role of private standards in promoting good employment practice in global supply chains. Work, Employment and Society Conference, 12-14 September 2018.
- Bek, D. & Timms, J. (2018). Upgrading in the South African Cape Flora Industry: Bifurcation, Barriers and Behaviours. Development Studies Association Annual Conference, 27-29 June 2018.
- Bek, D. & Timms, J. (2018). Configuring Governance in Sustainable Supply Chains. Annual Conference of the International Sustainable Development Research Society (ISDRS), 13-15 June 2018.
- Bek, D. (2017). Awareness, knowledge and assumptions: promoting ethical and sustainable practices in cut-flower value chains. “Things you really need to know” – Awareness-raising as a socio-cultural practice Workshop, 12-14 October 2017.
- Bek, D. (2017). Making Governance work for sustainable supply chains. Development Studies Association Conference, 6-9 September 2017.
- Bek, D. & Timms, J. (2017). Invisible Certifications within neo-colonial Supply chains; the thorny case of ethical cut-flowers. Annual Conference of the Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers), 30 August – 1 September 2017.
- Timms, J. (2017). The Protestant Ethic, Corporate Responsibility and Irresponsibility: The case of ethical flowers. Worker’s Education Study Day Workshop, 23 June 2017.
