Business and Human Rights

Kakuzi PLC is a listed Kenyan agricultural company trading on both the Nairobi and London Stock Exchange engaging in the cultivation, processing and marketing of avocados, blueberries, macadamia, tea, livestock and commercial forestry.

Human Rights Policy

Human right and gender equality are at the core of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development. To strengthen human rights within Kakuzi, the company has mainstreamed human rights in line with UNGP Human Rights Standards.

Operational Grievance Mechanism

In 2020, we established a Gender and Human rights division that would oversee human rights issues across the business augmenting our contributions towards SDGs 3 and 5.

In March 2021, Kakuzi embarked on the development of a Human Rights Policy. Approved at the highest level of the company, the Policy provides a basis for embedding the responsibility to respect Human Rights across all business functions. The Policy sets out a roadmap on how the company upholds human rights through the integration of a human rights due diligence process of identification, mitigation and remedying of adverse impacts. The Policy also provides for gender mainstreaming and extends its commitments to supply chains such as contractors and suppliers who are encouraged to respect the principles of the policy.

The Human Rights Policy was developed to speak to the Company’s commitment to respect Human Rights and embed the responsibility to all business functions. Due to the commitments made by this policy, the Independ Human Rights Committee (IHRC) in collaboration with external stakeholders subsequently revised four other major policies including the recruitment and selection policy, the anti-sexual harassment policy, the disability policy and grievance resolution amongst others. The Human Rights policy was developed in line with the UNGPs principles and the need to focus on areas that will enable the Company achieve the most meaningful progress toward the realisation of Human Rights. In addition, the policy was also reviewed by IHRAC and other external stakeholders during the reporting period.

The following key issues formed the pillars of the policy:

  • Spurring public corporate commitments to respect Human Rights.
  • Increasing transparency on Human Rights performance through benchmarking and public reporting.
  • Driving the development of the internal architecture (e.g., policies, procedures and staffing) to prevent, mitigate, and remedy.
  • Expanding the scope of risk beyond risks to the business to include a broader set of risks to rights holders.


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Kakuzi Plc’s Operational Grievance Mechanism (OGM) is a systematic, transparent, non-judicial process for receiving, investigating, and addressing company-related grievances from affected communities, workers, farmers who supply avocados through Kakuzi’s economic empowerment program, and other relevant stakeholders. In Kiswahili language Kakuzi’s OGM is called SIKIKA, meaning “to be heard”.

The platforms were established after extensive stakeholder consultations and multiple direct engagements with local communities to explain the two distinct grievance procedures of Kakuzi’s Operational Grievance Mechanism (OGM) ‘SIKIKA’ Tier I and II.

The overall objective of SIKIKA is to enhance Kakuzi’s existing processes to respect Human Rights, provide access to remedy for those impacted by Kakuzi’s operations or business relationships and to strengthen relationships with all its stakeholders. The OGM’s approach is focused on identifying early resolution and remedy for grievances through a transparent process of fact finding and respectful dialogue aimed at mutually-agreed outcomes. SIKIKA’s robust procedures are designed to provide all participating stakeholders a fair process and reasonable opportunities to present their case. Where a particular party may face certain risks or disadvantages vis-à-vis others, SIKIKA will provide appropriate safeguards and support to ensure a fair and safe process for all. In line with enhancing accountability, SIKIKA has an Independent Monitor that ensures the processes are fully aligned to the effectiveness criteria of the UN Guiding Principles.

SIKIKA is aligned with international human rights standards, including the International Bill of Rights and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). More specifically, SIKIKA’s design is based on the OGM effectiveness criteria outlined in Principle 31 of the UNGPs, i.e. legitimacy, accessibility, predictability, equitability, transparency, rights-compatibility, a source of continuous learning, and engagement and dialogue.