Projects
Building Resilience in Kenyan Flower Supply Chains
For this project, a partnership came together to build on existing work and relationships. This consortium led by Fairtrade Foundation and MM Flowers represents the entire supply chain, from commercial partner, to NGOs and certification bodies, as well as education and industry forums.
WWW has been responsible for the 'gender lens' throughout the project as well as developing gender awareness training.
As COVID-19 hit, retailers in the UK and Europe reduced their flower orders to prioritise essential goods. Flights were grounded. Flowers destroyed, freight expensive and flower workers laid off.
It has been estimated that 90% of all flower workers across East Africa have somehow been affected through reduced pay, unpaid leave or loss of jobs. Women make up 60-70% of the Kenyan flower workforce and women are bearing the brunt of the crisis though out the country. Our report Impact of COVID-19 on Women and Girls in Kenya highlights the disproportionate impact on women and girls.
This presentation for the Co-op Ethical Trade Forum gives an overview of the project and another presentation for the ETI, using information from our report on the impact of COVID-19 on women and girls, gives A Gender Perspective to the project.
Other resources for the project include:
Gender COVID-19 Training - Response-Med
COVID-19 Posters - Fairtrade Africa
A Gender Learning Brief was also developed.
We worked with the Kenyan group, Workers Rights Watch, on re-editing the
Kenya Occupational Safety and Health
Revised Model Sexual Harassment Policy
which will help ensure that farms have access to a model policy to support women workers.
The end of project report and recommendations is available here and the report looking at consumers and demand is here. A video of all the projects funded by BP4GG is available on https://youtu.be/MYgozGPrMaQ
A final accolade for the project and project partners was the awarding of the 2021 'Treating People Fairly Award' to the Co-lead partner, MM Flowers, by the retailer Cooperative Group.
The project was funded by Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) as part of their Business Partnerships for Global Goals (BP4GG) and Vulnerable Supply Chain Facility (VSCF) and was managed by Mott MacDonald.
Other funding to support our engagement in this project came from Eleanor Rathbone Charitable Trust and the Network for Social Change.
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