DOCUMENT NO: KK-HR-2.00
Statement of Commitment
Kakuzi PLC is committed to respecting and promoting Human Rights as guided by the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and the four principles of the UN Global Compact: Human Rights, Labour, Environment and Anti-Corruption.
We respect all internationally recognized Human Rights frameworks including the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the International Bill of Human Rights 1948, the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights to Work 1998, the Bill of Rights under the Constitution of Kenya and the Kenya National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (2020-2025).
In the conduct of business, we commit to abiding by National Laws, Policies and Standards whilst guided by relevant International policies and standards.
Aligned with our Code of Conduct & Ethics, our Human Rights Policy is complemented by the following policies and frameworks: Standard Operating Procedures on Human Rights Defenders; Environmental Policy; Health and Safety Policy; Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy; Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking Policy; Whistle Blowing Policy and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Frameworks.
Scope of Commitment
This Policy applies to employees of Kakuzi and extends to those that we conduct business with including suppliers, service providers, contractors, partners and surrounding communities all of whom we shall encourage to respect the principles of this Policy. In line with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we shall strive to leave no one behind and pay particular attention to vulnerable groups such as women, children, Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) and persons living with disabilities.
Stakeholder Consultation
Our commitments are founded upon the recognition that the community we live in, the people and institutions we interact with, the environment we enjoy and the products we trade in are all integral to meeting our responsibility of respecting Human Rights. As a result, we are committed to prioritizing approaches that uphold the dignity and respect of all people through integration of sound environmental management and promoting diversity, equality and inclusion.
Kakuzi will continue to collaborate with government institutions, key partners, business associations and civil society organizations in order to leverage on their relevant areas of expertise and obtain feedback on our progress in implementing this Policy.
Equality and Non-Discrimination
We acknowledge that a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace plays a key role in enhancing our productivity and positively impacting on lives. We aim to promote a working environment that is anchored within principles of free choice of employment, equal opportunity, non-discrimination, safe working conditions and access to remedy.
We engage our employees through our grievance mechanism, thematic committees and anonymous surveys to understand our impacts and make improvements. The company has an ongoing gender mainstreaming process across business functions and will establish more platforms of engagement as required in this required.
Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence
An important aspect of the UNGPs is that businesses are expected to integrate a continuous Human Rights due diligence process of assessment of impacts, integration of actions, tracking of actions and communicating on progress to relevant stakeholders.
Kakuzi has put in place such a due diligence process that is anchored within stakeholder feedback, grievance analyses and impact assessments for effective prevention, mitigation and remediation of impacts.
We recognize that Human Rights and the environment are intrinsically intertwined; and that a sustainable environment is a prerequisite for the full enjoyment of Human Rights. We are dedicated to adopt an integrated approach to Human Rights and the environment in order to identify any linkages between our operations and the impacts on our communities.
Protecting Human Rights Defenders(HRDs)
We are committed to consulting with, listening to, and learning from all our stakeholders including HRDs as an integral part of our decision-making process, continuous improvement efforts, policy implementation and reviews. HRDs are defined as any person or group of persons working to promote and protect Human Rights. They are generally not defined by who they are, but by what they do.
Kakuzi recognizes the important role played by HRDs and supports a safe and enabling environment for their lawful activities. We do not tolerate any threats, intimidation, harassment, or violence directed at any of our stakeholders, including HRDs. We take any allegations of retaliation seriously and conduct thorough investigations involving independent experts where necessary.
We respect freedom of opinion and freedom of expression in our engagement process to ensure that our employees, communities and stakeholders can freely express their concerns and participate in societal affairs. To further strengthen these commitments, we have developed a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on HRDs. This SOP aims to raise awareness of the role of HRDs, and clarify the supports and safeguards provided by our independent grievance mechanism.
Providing Remedy For Adverse Impacts
We have an Independent Operational-Level Grievance Mechanism (OGM) that provides our stakeholders with an avenue to voice their concerns in relation to adverse impacts that may have been caused, contributed or directly linked to the company.
The OGM operates in tandem with other due diligence measures including independent assessments on our Human Rights impacts, grievance analyses, stakeholder feedback and our award-winning Sexual Harassment Awareness, Reporting and Prevention Program (SHARP). These serve as an early warning system, enabling prompt address of adverse impacts whilst at their lowest level.
Our objective is for our employees to feel valued and respected through a mutual dialogue approach in addressing concerns.
Implimentation, Governance and Oversight
Annually, Kakuzi PLC will develop a Human Rights Action Plan around salient issues with actionable items, internal responsibility allocation and implementation timelines. The following outlines our strategy towards implementing this policy and annual Human Rights action plans:
Working with an Independent Human Rights Advisory Committee to the Board (IHRAC) and an Independent Monitor to publicly report on the rigour of OGM implementation.
Supporting a Senior Management function to spearhead the development and implementation of our Human Rights strategy.
Continuing to implement an Independent Operational level Grievance mechanism (OGM) in line with the UNGPs and for impacts that may be caused, contributed by, or linked to our operations.
Integrating Human Rights and gender sensitive approaches into our policy, operations and management systems.
Undertaking due diligence measures anchored within stakeholder feedback, independent impact assessments and grievance analyses for effective prevention, mitigation and remediation of impacts.
Building awareness through provision of trainings to our employees and suppliers to enhance compliance with this policy and their roles in upholding the policy.
Engaging in ongoing and meaningful dialogue with our stakeholders about the effectiveness of our actions.
Monitoring and disclosing our Human Rights performance to ensure accountability and continuous improvement.
Revision Date: May 2024|| Approved by The Board|| Revision No. 02/2024
