The Kenya Flower Council (KFC) held its second annual Pinnacle Sustainability Awards at the Emara Ole Sereni Hotel in Nairobi on 12th September 2025, celebrating the remarkable transformation of Kenya’s floriculture sector into a global sustainability leader. The event, themed “Flourishing With Purpose,” honored farms and organizations demonstrating exceptional commitment to environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic sustainability.
Kenya’s floriculture industry has evolved from humble beginnings in the 1990s to become the world’s fourth-largest exporter of cut flowers, commanding a 6.4% share of the global market. The sector supplies over 40% of Europe’s flower imports while reaching markets across the Middle East and Asia. In 2024 alone, the industry generated over USD 1 billion in foreign exchange earnings.
The economic impact extends far beyond export revenues. The floriculture sector directly employs 200,000 people and supports up to 2 million livelihoods indirectly. It contributes 1.25% to Kenya’s GDP as a standalone sector, rising to 3% when the broader horticulture industry is included, making it a critical pillar of the national economy.
Evolution of the Awards Program
The 2025 edition marked a significant evolution from the inaugural awards. This year, KFC members actively nominated their own farms and organizations in categories where they demonstrated the strongest sustainability impact. This participatory approach enhanced transparency, encouraged peer benchmarking, and strengthened sector-wide learning.
The awards featured nine categories with 42 participants from across 11 counties, including 39 producer members and 3 associate members. Twenty-three participants advanced to the final level of competition, showcasing the industry’s widespread commitment to sustainability excellence.
Sustainability Standards Driving Transformation
Central to the industry’s transformation has been the development of the Flowers and Ornamentals Sustainability Standard (FOSS), a globally benchmarked code of practice that has enabled Kenyan producers to meet international market requirements while advancing social, environmental, and economic sustainability.
The impact of FOSS implementation is evident in the industry’s adoption statistics: 92% of member farms now use Integrated Pest Management, 85% have adopted efficient irrigation systems, and over 60% rely on renewable energy sources.
Award Winners and Category Champions
Golden Bloom Award Winners
The prestigious Pinnacle Sustainability Golden Bloom Award recognized farms setting the highest benchmarks of excellence with the fewest non-conformities:
- Large Scale: Timaflor Limited
- Medium Scale: Kariki Ltd KR Farm-Juja
- Small Scale: Jangwani Roses PLC
Category Winners by Sustainability Focus
Environmental Excellence:
- Most Efficient Constructed Wetland: Kisima Farm Limited
- Best Sustainable Packaging: Red Lands Roses SEZ PLC
- Best Soil Health Management: Tambuzi Limited
- Best Organic Waste Management: Carzan Flowers (K) Limited ST Farm-Rongai
Social Impact:
- Best Employee Welfare Programs: Nini Limited
- Best Community Partnership Program: Kisima Farm Limited
Innovation and Leadership:
- Sustainability Excellence Award: Flamingo Horticulture (K) Limited – Kingfisher Farm
- Innovation Award: Sian Flowers-Maasai Flowers (K) Limited
- Young Growers Award: Benev Flora Limited
Vision for the Future
Speaking at the event, KFC CEO Clement Tulezi outlined an ambitious vision for the sector’s future: “Climate change, regulatory shifts, logistics disruptions, and global competition continue to shape the future of our industry. But with innovation, unity, and vision, I believe we will not only survive but thrive. Our goal remains clear: to make Kenya the world’s most sustainable, competitive, and trusted source of high-quality flowers.”
KFC Board Chair Chris Kulei emphasized the collective nature of the industry’s progress: “Your commitment to showcasing your sustainability journeys is a testament to the progress we are making as a sector. You are the reason these Awards exist — to recognize and amplify the work being done on the ground every single day.”
International Recognition and Partnership
Mr. Filippo Amato, First Counsellor and Head of Trade Section at the EU Delegation, commended the industry’s role as a force for positive change: “You are the ambassadors of Kenya’s commitment to sustainability. You are not only producing beautiful flowers that brighten homes across Europe, but you are also demonstrating that business can be a force for good, creating jobs, investing in communities, and protecting the environment for future generations.”
Strategic Industry Initiatives
The ceremony also highlighted the Kenya Flower Council’s strategic initiatives beyond sustainability recognition. The organization has been advancing conversations around sea freight development to reduce costly air freight dependence while expanding exports through more environmentally friendly logistics solutions. Simultaneously, they have been engaging extensively with government officials on taxation, levies, and trade policy issues to create a more enabling environment for growers.
International partnerships have been strengthened to ensure Kenyan flowers remain competitive despite tightening global regulations, including compliance with the EU’s Green Deal and increasingly stringent phytosanitary requirements. These efforts represent the comprehensive approach necessary to maintain Kenya’s leadership position in global flower markets while advancing sustainability objectives.
Supporting Partners
The success of the Pinnacle Sustainability Awards was made possible through collaboration with key industry partners including RentCo Asset Leasing, Stanbic Bank, Royal FloraHolland, PKF, Air France–KLM, and GIZ. Their support demonstrates the collaborative spirit driving the industry’s sustainability transformation and the recognition of floriculture’s strategic importance to Kenya’s economic development.
As Kenya’s floriculture industry continues its remarkable evolution, the Pinnacle Sustainability Awards serve dual purposes as both recognition of current achievements and inspiration for continued progress. The shift from viewing sustainability as mere compliance to embracing it as a core competitive advantage reflects an industry that has matured beyond simple export success to become a model for responsible agricultural development.
The Kenya Flower Council, established in 1996 and representing approximately 80% of Kenya’s floriculture exports, remains steadfast in its commitment to advancing sustainable, responsible, and safe production practices through globally benchmarked standards.