Sustainability

Standards

Certifications
We are committed to working with customers to ensure that we have, and maintain, the highest qualities and standards in our operations.

Our producer sites are subject to a range of ethical and environmental audits such as Fairtrade Labelling Organisation-Cert (FLO-Cert), Kenya Flower Council (KFC) – Gold Standard and EurepGap, which develops standards for the global certification of good agricultural practices.

On product stewardship, our sites have Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems to ensure high standards of food safety and we are active members of industry regulatory bodies advising on product standards and promoting product safety.

Projects
On every Fairtrade accredited farm, a ‘Joint Body’, consisting of directly elected members of the workers as well as delegates of the trade unions and the farm management, decides on the use of their Fairtrade premium. The use of these funds is very diverse; with some projects, direct needs of the workers are addressed while others benefit the local community. Here are just a few examples of many where Fairtrade is making a difference.

Flamingo Crèche
Facilities provide day care for mothers working at both production sites at Flamingo. Crèches are open from 6.00 am to 5.00 pm and provide day care for all children up to the age of four. The children are looked after by qualified teachers and carers. The facility also provides health care for the children and nourishing meals.

Anaesthesia machines
The Kericho District Hospital treat people from three districts in the area and carry out surgical procedures. In the past the hospitals experienced a number of uncertainties during surgery due to delays in the reversal of general anaesthesia. These delays were caused by malfunctions and breakdowns of the old machines. Many of these machines were obsolete and as a result unable to be repaired. This prompted the two hospitals to forward their proposals to Finmax for assistance in securing new and efficient equipment. Finmax approved the proposal and purchased the 2 anaesthesia machines for both hospitals.

Panda Self Help Group Employee Vaccination Project
The Panda Self Help Group was established in January 2003 as the Joint Body of Panda Flowers near Naivasha/Kenya. The Vaccination Project involved immunising all employees against common diseases found in the area. PSHG carried out a vaccination project which vaccinated against Typhoid fever and Hepatitis B. Since the start of this project the occurrence of employees infected with typhoid has dropped to almost zero percent.

Poshomill Building Project
This project is located within the company on a one acre piece of land which was donated by Panda Flowers Ltd to the Panda Self Help Group. The purpose of the building was to house the JB office and the Posho mill project. The Posho mill is an income generating activity started with an aim of nourishing workers and surrounding community with maize flour. Maize flour is used to prepare ugali, a meal which is the staple food for most communities in Kenya. The building was constructed in order to also accommodate a training facility. The 1 acre piece of land which was donated by Panda Flowers has now become property of Panda Self Help Group.