11 MAR 2021
Kakuzi Plc Sexual Harassment Awareness Reporting and Prevention (SHARP) Program wins Sedex Responsible Business Award for best health & safety/labour programme 2020.
Kakuzi Plc was named the winner of Best Supplier Health & Safety/Labour Programme at the Sedex Responsible Business Awards. The award recognizes companies that have successfully implemented a programme related to health and safety and/or labour practices.
The Sedex Responsible Business Awards shine a spotlight on responsible sourcing programmes and broader sustainability initiatives, recognising those organizations going above and beyond.
Our Sexual Harassment Awareness Reporting and Prevention (SHARP) Program, was described as a “very necessary voice in the space of sustainability,” by judges.
As Kakuzi, we have a ZERO Tolerance approach to Sexual Harassment and we recognize that sexual harassment in the workplace will not stop on its own – we choose to be part of the solution to stop workplace sexual harassment.
This led to the creation of our Sexual Harassment Awareness Reporting and Prevention (SHARP) Program that seeks to create awareness on sexual harassment and provide our employees, the community and other stakeholders avenues of reporting any cases.
Through our Anti-sexual harassment policy, we declare our intention to hold perpetrators responsible and ensure justice to the victims. Confidentiality and assurance against retaliation have been guaranteed through the policy.
Employees are empowered through the provision of relevant information on our sexual harassment policy and are encouraged to participate in revisions to the existing policy, reporting mechanisms and comprehensive programme.
Each employee at Kakuzi has been provided with a wrist band with contacts that are managed by an independent third party to lodge any sexual harassment report through WhatsApp or text message.
This ensures confidentiality and assurance against retaliation is guaranteed and provides an avenue that ensures any cases reported are handled promptly.
Other avenues of reporting have also been made available to ensure all our stakeholders have access to a variety of reporting options. Including reporting through our whistleblowing contacts, certification bodies and the police.
The Sexual Harassment Awareness Reporting and Prevention Program also involves mental healthcare for victims where they are given psychological support if needed.
See our Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy
The SHARP campaign is aimed at building open teams and encouraging everyone to have a voice. Employees are empowered through the provision of relevant information on our sexual harassment policy and are encouraged to participate in revisions to the existing policy, reporting mechanisms and comprehensive programme.
This sensitization is done regularly to ensure we continuously fight against sexual harassment in the workplace. As part of our sensitization, we dedicate a week annually to SHARP dubbed ‘SHARP week’.
SHARP week is a time in which we run activities that bring focus on our Anti-sexual harassment policy, avenues of reporting and the importance of eradicating sexual harassment in the workplace.
The main purpose of these activities is to:
“Our responsibility as a company goes beyond making the workplace safe and sound; it extends to ensuring an environment free from all forms of harassment, sexual harassment included.”
Simon Odhiambo Executive Head - Corporate Affairs.
“Sexual harassment was a topic most people used to shy away from but the SHARP programme has created awareness empowering us on what it is, how to stop it and how to report it.”
Ruth Wanjiku, Kakuzi guard.
We continue to explore new approaches that show promise in addressing sexual harassment.
Watch a feature on our SHARP program here:- Kakuzi PLC: Bringing Sexual Harassment into Focus through the SHARP Program
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