East African Breweries (EABL) has announced that it has spent Ksh. 5.9 billion on businesses owned by youth, women, and Persons Living With Disabilities (PLWDs) in the past financial year.
The amount represents 7.9% of EABL’s total supplier base, surpassing the initial target of 6%, as stated in its latest Sustainability Report. This is part of EABL’s broader strategy to promote economic inclusivity and empower underrepresented groups, by integrating them into the company’s supply chain.
Through this initiative, EABL aims to drive meaningful progress in fostering diversity while contributing to the economic empowerment of these marginalized groups.
The report also highlighted the region’s largest manufacturer’s value creation beyond the generation of value for shareholders and the manufacture and distribution of alcoholic beverages. It also highlights the effect of the company’s significant investments in renewable energy, water conservation, and community empowerment initiatives, and progress on meeting the targets.
This year, the company has so far provided business and hospitality skills training to 9,951 individuals, surpassing its annual target by 68%.
Additionally, through its Learning for Life Initiative, the company empowered 4,570 women against a target of 2,500 with training in business and hospitality skills. These include budgeting, timekeeping, negotiation, and mixology to enable them to get employment or set up their own businesses.
On the environmental front, EABL reduced the amount of water used in manufacturing its products to 2.93 litres per litre of packaged product, beating the target of 3.07 litres per litre. The company increased the amount of water replenished to 403,908 cubic metres, from 361,217 cubic metres last year.
The full utilization of the biomass plants at the breweries in Kampala, Kisumu and Nairobi has helped reduce EABL’s carbon footprint by reducing the company’s direct carbon emissions from 28.29 kilotons last year to 21.4 kilotons. With the biomass plants in Nairobi, Kisumu and Kampala now fully operational, EABL has increased the use of renewable energy to 75.49% of the total power used in its operations.
EABL also successfully implemented the project where they take back used spirit bottles from the market and in F24 collected more than 17 million bottles, with more than 500 youth employed to collect, wash, sort and store them before they are reused.
Speaking at the event to launch the report, Attorney General Hon. Dorcas Oduor SC, EBS OGW said, “As one of Kenya’s oldest and biggest companies, EABL has done a lot of pioneering work around ESG in the country and the region. I’m delighted when I see the work you have done and the progress towards sustainability and to prioritise the rights and dignity of every person, irrespective of their gender, age, physical ability or geographical location.”
On her part, EABL’s Group MD and CEO Jane Karuku said, “In 2024, we made significant strides in our commitment to gender equality by increasing the number of women in leadership roles across the business. Women now make up 45 percent of our leadership team, a reflection of our dedication to creating an inclusive environment that fosters equal opportunities for all.”