Lessons learnt and charting the way forward — as Kakuzi PLC nears a century of growing avocado, macadamia, blueberries, tea, timber and livestock across Murang'a and Nandi Hills.
One of Kenya's longest-standing agricultural businesses, operating since 1927 and listed on both the Nairobi Securities Exchange and the London Stock Exchange. Productivity and stewardship of land, water and people have to grow together.
The headline results behind this year's report, measured against our environmental, social and governance commitments.
Trees planted across community & ecosystem restoration
Rainwater harvested & stored across 19 earth dams
Reduction in high-risk pesticide use, blueberry operations
Beehives maintained, supporting pollination & biodiversity
Directed to local suppliers in procurement spend
Invested in community initiatives, incl. Ksh 6.48M in education
People reached through 3 free medical camps
Sanitary absorbents + 2,000 soaps, Tabasamu programme
Consecutive year reporting under IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards (ISSB)
Of new suppliers pass risk-based ESG due diligence
Corruption cases recorded in the reporting year
Board ESG evaluation with independent external oversight
2025 tested Kenya's agricultural sector with volatile geopolitics, supply chain pressure and shifting climate patterns — and the Board kept its focus on sustainable operations, responsible governance and long-term stakeholder value.
Nearly a century of patient, deliberate growth has taught us that sustainability isn't a reporting exercise — it's how we work. As we approach our centenary, our purpose stays constant: to grow food well, treat people fairly, and care for the land that sustains us all.
It is a privilege to present our 2025 ESG Report as we draw closer to a milestone very few Kenyan companies have reached: a hundred years of continuous operation. For Kakuzi, this is a measure of trust earned, partnerships sustained, and commitment to the sustainable, long-term development of the land on which we do business.
Against a backdrop of global supply chain pressures, volatile geopolitics and climate variability, the Board and management stayed focused on what matters most: sustainable operations, responsible governance, and long-term value for our stakeholders. Our Audit and Risk Committee continued its rigorous review of internal controls, guided by a comprehensive risk map covering market diversification, geopolitical risk, environmental stewardship and tax compliance.
In 2025, we expanded our irrigation water storage capacity to 13 million cubic metres, directed over Ksh 74 million in procurement to local suppliers, reached 1,224 people through three free medical camps, and delivered 41,315 indigenous and commercial seedlings through our tree-planting programme.
As we approach 100 years, the challenges of climate change, food security and equitable development are intensifying, not diminishing. We reaffirm our commitment to all stakeholders: to grow together with purpose, operate with integrity, and uphold prudent decision-making that delivers value today while safeguarding resilience for generations to come.
For nearly a century, Kakuzi has been building patiently and deliberately — an integrated agribusiness rooted in genuine sustainability, not in name but in practice: as long-term custodians of the land, in how we support people, engage communities, and seek to grow together toward a resilient future.
We are guided by the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the UN Global Compact, and the Sustainable Development Goals — not as frameworks we follow reluctantly, but as the architecture of how we make decisions, manage risk and engage stakeholders. This year Kakuzi was recognised by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, in conjunction with the Danish Institute for Human Rights, for our human rights practices.
One area we're particularly proud of is water stewardship: rather than drawing from fragile ecosystems, we capture rainwater in earth dams during the wet season, a system backed by independent international accreditation. Our technical teams are also expanding integrated pest management and precision agriculture, and investing in AI-linked agricultural technology to improve efficiency while reducing our environmental footprint.
As we approach our centenary, we are struck by how much the world has changed since 1927, and by how constant our core purpose has remained: to grow food well, treat people fairly, and care for the land that sustains us all. We recognise and appreciate the contribution of everyone at Kakuzi — in the fields, factories, offices and surrounding communities — whose efforts make this journey possible.
More than a vision — it's how Kakuzi lives out sustainability day to day, aligned with the UN SDGs and Kenya's Agricultural Sector Transformation and Growth Strategy.
Education, health and livelihood programmes that uplift families and local businesses.
Quality, responsibly grown products that meet global sustainability standards.
Innovation, research and technology that strengthen resilience in agriculture.
Climate-smart agriculture that balances productivity with soil, water and biodiversity.
Investing in staff capacity, skills and well-being for a safe, empowering workplace.
Embedding ESG principles into every decision that guides our growth.
Long-term value creation is rooted in governance that places ESG at the heart of decision-making. The Board provides strategic leadership; specialised committees translate that oversight into practice.
Kakuzi operates under a governance framework that promotes ethical leadership, accountability and sustainable decision-making, embedding ESG principles across the business to align operations with long-term goals.
The Board comprises a Chairperson, two Executive Directors, four Non-Executive Directors and two Independent Non-Executive Directors. Gender balance is formalised through the Board Diversity & Inclusion Policy. In 2025, all Board members completed dedicated training on climate-related risk aligned to the TCFD framework.
Identified through our double materiality assessment — scored on financial impact to Kakuzi and Kakuzi's impact on people and the environment.
Grounded in Kenyan law and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, with oversight from the Board and IHRAC. Our SIKIKA platform — Swahili for "be heard" — runs two tiers: routine workplace matters, and serious allegations handled independently. In 2025, Kakuzi was recognised by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, with the Danish Institute for Human Rights.
2025 support spanned education (furniture for 33 institutions, teacher support at four schools), water & sanitation (eight washroom blocks, three water systems), healthcare (three free medical camps) and the Tabasamu menstrual health programme. Kakuzi Academy trains smallholder avocado farmers in agronomy, compliance and market access.
Every supplier and contractor is contractually bound to Kenyan labour law and Kakuzi's Supplier Code of Conduct, which prohibits child and forced labour. Due diligence runs from screening through document verification, on-site assessment and ongoing monitoring — firm on standards, supportive in implementation.
Welfare is defined broadly: physical safety, health, dignity, psychological wellbeing and social stability. 2025 saw a 50% reduction in serious injuries, supported by an enhanced OSH Week and a confidential employee assistance programme offering counselling.
Rests on three pillars: circular economy (macadamia husk to compost, shells to biomass fuel, avocado prunings to mulch), regenerative agriculture (integrated pest management, cover cropping, native buffer zones) and precise water management (sensor-based irrigation, smart meters, 19 earth dams).
Each division targets distinct products and markets, but all sit under a shared framework of climate resilience, land stewardship, ethical labour and supply chain transparency.
Targeting 100% traceability on own-estate volume via an upgraded field-to-packhouse system.
Aerial surveillance drones and electric fencing address pest and security pressure. Premium nuts fetched $13.76/kg.
Hydroponic cultivation scaling from 10 ha toward 100 ha, backed by an Environmental & Social Impact Assessment.
International tea price ran below cost of production in 2025; Kaboswa Estate recorded a financial loss despite a quality crop.
Mobile Bomas rotational grazing improves pasture and soil health. 100% free-range, 100% vaccination compliance.
10-year harvest cycle with a sustainable 100 ha/year capacity, targeting 100% seedling survival in 2026.
2025 marks Kakuzi's second year reporting under the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards issued by the ISSB, with reference to GRI Standards and SASB. ESG KPIs are linked to executive remuneration.
| Risk | Type | Horizon | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | Physical | Short-term | 3,483 kg of tea lost to a 2025 hailstorm; drainage & soil-bridging improvements underway |
| Drought | Physical | Short-term | Automated weather stations now inform irrigation decisions ahead of dry spells |
| Supply chain disruption | Transitional | Short-term | Diversifying shipping routes and logistics partners |
| Energy inefficiency | Transitional | Short-term | Replacing inefficient pumps and equipment with energy-saving alternatives |
Scope 3 — the majority of Kakuzi's footprint — improved year-on-year, as did Scope 2. Scope 1 rose and remains a priority for 2026.
"We pay what we owe, on time, in full. We do not pursue tax avoidance strategies, and we manage our tax affairs with the same standards of transparency and integrity that guide the rest of our business."
Kakuzi's sustainability, safety and agricultural practices continue to earn industry recognition.
Winner — Large Scale Orchards (100+ acres, Murang'a estates)
1st Runner-up — Large Scale Exporter (200+ containers)
2nd Runner-up — Agriculture Sector
"The Road to 100: Lessons Learnt and Charting the Way Forward" — prepared with reference to the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards (ISSB), GRI Standards, and SASB's Agricultural Products topics. Covers the twelve months ending 31 December 2025.