Kenya Power unveils sustainability strategy to tackle climate change, boost resilience

From left: Dawie Pieterse, Chief of Party for Power Africa at RTI International, Judy Njino, Executive Director of Global Compact Network Kenya; Joy Brenda Masinde, Kenya Power Chair Stephen Vikiru, General Manager of Finance.  [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

State utility firm Kenya Power will entrench sustainability in all its business operations going forward.

This is after launching its Sustainability Strategy 2024 themed; Powering a Sustainable Future and which has four pillars namely; environmental stewardship, social responsibility, robust governance and economic resilience.

The strategy’s tenets have been drawn from United Nations Sustainable Development (SDG) Goals 3, 5 , 7, 8,12,13,15,16 and 17 on Good Health and Wellbeing, Gender Equality, Affordable and Clean Energy, Decent Work and Economic Growth, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, Consumption and Production, Climate Action, Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions and on Partnership for the Goals.

It is also aligned to Vision 2030 and Nationally Determined Contributions(NDCs). 

The strategy is expected to drive the implementation of measures to reduce environmental carbon footprint, prioritisation of inclusivity and well-being of the company’s stakeholders, responsible utilisation of resources and upholding of corporate and ethical practices.

It also identifies key initiatives that will enable the company to take action towards mitigating climate change.

These initiatives will include the promotion of the adoption of e-mobility and e-cooking technologies, enhancing clean energy sourcing and the development of eco-friendly infrastructure.

“The Sustainability Strategy will guide us to anchor our operations as a responsible corporate citizen on reliable short-term and long-term activities that will enable us to remain responsive to emerging challenges such as climate change,” said Kenya Power’s Managing Director and CEO, Dr. (Eng.) Joseph Siror.

He added: “Our goal is to build a strong, resilient, and sustainable energy ecosystem that not only safeguards and protects the environment, but also caters to the needs of the communities within which we operate.”

Siror said the above in a speech read on his behalf by Stephen Vikiru, General Manager Finance.

Board of Directors Chairman Joy Brenda Masinde underscored the importance of integrating sustainable business practices.

She also said the Board will provide guidance and leadership to ensure that the company upholds sustainability for the benefit of all its stakeholders.

“We aim to ensure that our pursuit of economic goals does not compromise the wellbeing of future generations. This alignment is not merely a strategic imperative but a moral obligation that will significantly enhance our long-term competitiveness and operational resilience,” she said.

 Under climate change, the company said it will take a baseline survey to know how much Greenhouse Gas(GHG) emissions it produces to know how to know how to reduce it.

Judy Njino, executive director, Global Compact Kenya welcomed the launch of strategy, which she said comes few months after the launch of Kenya Power Foundation in September for its commitment to undertaking sustainable Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives across the country.

"This strategy launch and past critical milestones in embedding suitable practices in Kenya Power  is a commitment to force for good in society and contributing to broader development agendas," she said.

Ms Njino said sustainability  is no longer an option but a business imperative, which has become an essential and integral; modern part of business practices today since its the foundation of upon which resilient, innovative and forward-thinking businesses are built.