News » 24.09.2025 - Kenya Flower Council hosts second edition of Pinnacle Sustainability Awards
The Kenya Flower Council (KFC) hosted the second annual Pinnacle Sustainability Awards at the Ole Sereni, Emara, in Nairobi. The event honored achievements in sustainability, innovation, and leadership within the floriculture industry.
The Pinnacle Sustainability Awards are the first of their kind in Kenya, reflecting the sector's progress since the 1990s. Kenyan floriculture has grown to become the world's fourth-largest exporter of cut flowers, holding a 6.4 percent share of the global market. The industry is an important part of Kenya's economy, employing about 200,000 people directly and supporting up to 2 million livelihoods indirectly. It contributes 1.25 percent to the national GDP, and up to 3 percent when the broader horticulture sector is included.
A moment of pride! All winners of the Kenya Flower Council's Pinnacle Sustainability Awards 2025 gather for a group photo.
The 2025 awards introduced a new structure compared to the inaugural event. Members of the Kenya Flower Council nominated their own farms and organizations in categories where they had made the strongest sustainability impact. This approach aimed to increase transparency, encourage peer benchmarking, and promote sector-wide learning.
A key part of the industry's transformation has been the adoption of the Flowers and Ornamentals Sustainability Standard (FOSS), a globally benchmarked code of practice. The standard has allowed Kenyan producers to meet international market requirements while improving social, environmental, and economic sustainability. According to KFC, 92 percent of member farms now use Integrated Pest Management, 85 percent have adopted efficient irrigation systems, and more than 60 percent rely on renewable energy.
The 2025 awards included nine categories and involved 42 participants from 11 counties. Thirty-nine were producer members and three were associate members. Of these, 23 participants advanced to the final stage of the competition.
From left: Mr. Filippo Amato from the EU Delegation, Chris Kulei (KFC Board Chair), and Clement Tulezi (KFC CEO) pose with the winners of the Pinnacle Sustainability Golden Bloom Awards
The awards recognized both category winners and Golden Bloom Award achievers. Timaflor Limited received the Pinnacle Sustainability Golden Bloom Award in the large-scale category, Kariki Ltd KR Farm–Juja was recognized in the medium-scale category, and Jangwani Roses PLC received recognition in the small-scale category. Kisima Farm Limited was awarded for Most Efficient Constructed Wetland, with Kariki Ltd KN Farm–Naivasha and Carzan Flowers (K) Ltd ST Farm–Rongai as runners-up. Red Lands Roses SEZ PLC was recognized for Best Sustainable Packaging. Tambuzi Limited won in the Best Soil Health Management category, followed by Carzan Flowers (K) Ltd ST Farm–Rongai and Flamingo Horticulture Mt Kenya.
Kariki Ltd BT Farm in Nanyuki receives a plaque recognizing it as one of only eight farms to achieve Gold Certification under the Kenya Flower Council's Floriculture Sustainability Standard (FOSS).
In Best Employee Welfare Programs, Nini Limited took first place, while Kariki Ltd BT Farm–Nanyuki and Red Lands Roses SEZ PLC were runners-up. Carzan Flowers (K) Ltd ST Farm–Rongai received the award for Best Organic Waste Management, followed by Equinox Horticulture Limited and Flamingo Horticulture Mt Kenya. Kisima Farm Limited won in the Best Community Partnership Program, with Syngenta Kenya Cuttings Limited and Kariki Ltd BT Farm–Nanyuki as runners-up. Flamingo Horticulture (K) Limited–Kingfisher Farm won the Sustainability Excellence Award, followed by Rainforest Farmlands Kenya PLC and Sian Flowers–Maasai Flowers (K) Limited. The Innovation Award went to Sian Flowers–Maasai Flowers (K) Limited, with Rift Valley Roses (K) Limited and Syngenta Kenya Cuttings Limited as runners-up. Benev Flora Limited won the Young Growers Award, with Rift Valley Roses (K) Limited and Kariki Ltd KN Farm–Naivasha as runners-up.
KFC leaders and partners shared their perspectives during the event. Chief Executive Officer Clement Tulezi addressed the challenges and opportunities ahead, noting the influence of climate change, regulatory changes, logistics disruptions, and global competition. He emphasized the importance of innovation and collaboration to maintain Kenya's position as a sustainable and competitive source of flowers.
TradeMark Africa Country Director, Lillian Mwai Ndegwa, is awarding one of the winners a plaque
Board Chair Chris Kulei, who is also Director of Sian Flowers, highlighted the collective progress within the industry. He stated that the commitment of members to sustainability was the driving force behind the awards, which were designed to recognize and amplify the work being done on the ground.
Representing the European Union Delegation, Filippo Amato, First Counsellor and Head of Trade Section, commended the industry's contribution to sustainability and development. He described the nominees and winners as ambassadors of Kenya's commitment to responsible production, noting their role in creating jobs, investing in communities, and protecting the environment while supplying flowers to European markets.
Source: www.floraldaily.com
« Back