"We look forward to continuing this journey with your support and collaboration. Your feedback and insights are, therefore, invaluable as we strive for continuous improvement and accountability in our sustainability initiatives."

In our fiscal year 2024, we continued to accelerate our sustainability efforts with ongoing commitment to integrating sustainability into every facet of our operations. Our goal is to ensure that sustainability becomes intrinsic to the mission and drive of every EABL employee, department, and market where we live, work, source and sell.

This year’s report draws specific attention to our work in Championing Inclusion and Diversity – a fundamental aspect of our corporate ethos.

We believe that a diverse workforce, inclusive leadership, and equitable opportunities not only strengthen our organisational resilience but also drive innovation and sustainable growth. Inclusive workplaces foster environments where every individual feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives. This approach not only enhances employee satisfaction and productivity but also strengthens relationships with customers and stakeholders who come from equally diverse backgrounds.

To this end, we have unique policies and guidelines that support our women employees from the time they join our organisation, to the time they leave. Some of these policies and guidelines include the Maternal Leave Policy and the Thriving Through Menopause Guidelines which support women during key phases of their life cycle.

We are proud of our achievements in promoting gender diversity, as exemplified by our recognition at the Women on Boards Network (WOBN) Awards. Winning the “Organisation of The Year” category underscores our commitment to achieving gender parity in leadership roles and fostering an inclusive corporate culture.

Looking at our overall performance towards our Sustainability Strategy, ‘Spirit of Progress’ goals, I am pleased to report substantial progress across key sustainability metrics.

We delivered various community programmes across the region that ensured that at least 50% of the total beneficiaries were women. For example, we reached 4,841 people through our business and hospitality skills programmes out of whom 2,083 are women.

Also, I continue to be very proud of the fact that 40% of our farmer-partner base of over 60,000 are women. Additionally, over 700 are people with disabilities, demonstrating that inclusion and diversity is a part of our whole value chain.

Inclusive value chains foster a more equitable distribution of opportunities and benefits among all participants, leading to broader economic empowerment and social development. It also reinforces our commitment to ethical business practices and sustainable development goals, driving positive impacts across our industry and beyond.

As we reflect on the highlights of 2024, we are also grateful for the opportunities to engage with global stakeholders through pivotal events such as the Africa Climate Week and Summit, the visit of King Charles III to Kenya, and the Water Resilience Coalition Forum in Davos. At these forums, we showcased our initiatives in climate action and water conservation, demonstrating our leadership and commitment to sustainable practices on a global stage. We shared best practice, exchanged knowledge, and contributed to shaping a sustainable future.

Our success continues to be anchored on the power of partnerships. To this end, we extend our appreciation to all our partners such as the Upper Tana Nairobi Water Fund Trust – UTNWFT, The Western Kenya Water Project, UN Global Compact Kenya, UNEP and Sightsavers International, among others, who continue to support us to deliver on our commitment.

We also extend our gratitude to our corporate partners, communities and governments who continue to walk the journey with us.

We look forward to continuing this journey with your support and collaboration. Your feedback and insights are, therefore, invaluable as we strive for continuous improvement and accountability in our sustainability initiatives.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership and commitment to sustainability.