This newsletter gives you highlights of selected sustainability insights that were, perhaps, too long (you) didn’t read (TLDR) or there’s just too much out there to read. The highlights presented cover insights gleaned from a global, regional (African), and national (Kenyan) perspective. Happy reading! GLOBAL: UNGA Economic & Social Council report on Progress towards the SDGs: Towards a Rescue Plan for People & Planet Published in late April 2023, this is a special edition report of the Secretary General to the UN General Assembly Economic & Social Council in July 2023. The report highlights the status of progress since 2015 against the global SDG indicator framework, and provides recommendations to rescue the SDGs and accelerate implementation between now and 2030.  The 17 SDGs are broken down into 169 targets and 232 indicators that provide clarity to governments, businesses, development institutions, civil society, and society as a whole on where exactly change needs to happen to achieve global sustainable development. So where are we on the SDGs halfway to 2030? 5 key areas for urgent action My two cents: The SDGs are the world’s roadmap to sustainable development for all. We have 7 years left to get it right – and we are the 1st and last generations who can. With the complex challenges that lie ahead, I really do think we will need stronger and more inclusive global multilateral systems to: convene, negotiate, enable multi-country collective action and response; and to monitor the scales of justice. AFRICA: World Bank Africa Pulse – An Analysis of Issues Shaping Africa’s Economic Future The Africa Pulse is a bi-annual publication from World Bank’s Africa Chief Economist, that highlight the economic prospects and challenges for the continent. This report’s subtitle is: Leveraging Resource Wealth During the Low Carbon Transition. Any ‘Afrophile’, reading this subtitle might feel a sense of unease perhaps from living memory of structural adjustment reforms, the unfortunate realities of the continent’s resource wealth, and fragile/weak, corrupt institutions. All the same, the fact remains that the African continent does have significant resource wealth that can support prosperity and a sustainable transition for its citizens and the global low carbon transition required. From the Africa Pulse April 2023 report, the economic outlook is bleak. This is no surprise. It’s bleak globally; and well, bleaker for Africa’s +50 countries. Here’s what the report highlights: Policy and action responses proposed by the report include: My two cents: Prepare and brace yourselves for tough(er) times ahead! ‘A snake that you can see, does not bite.’- African proverb. KENYA: Kenya Economic Survey 2023 The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics published the latest economic survey in early May. It’s a hefty document, and I highlight some key insights towards an easy review: My two-cents: This ties in for me with what the Africa Pulse report insights, and the global economic context we are in this year – and perhaps for a while longer. Recovery and building resilience will require sustainable development thinking and practice in our economy.  

This newsletter gives you highlights of selected sustainability insights that were, perhaps, too long (you) didn’t read (TLDR) or there’s just too much out there to read. The highlights presented cover insights gleaned from a global, regional (African), and national (Kenyan) perspective. Happy reading! GLOBAL: The Global Stocktake on Climate Action At the COP28 from 30th November to 12th December 2023, hosted by the UAE, the world will have its first-ever evaluation of our global response to our climate crisis. It’s the check point to see whether we are making progress, or not. But more importantly, it will be an opportunity to accelerate action by government, business, civil society and all stakeholders to get us all to limiting global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees. The March 2023 IPCC report, highlights that this decade is our chance to turn the tide “There is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a liveable and sustainable future for all.” The Global Stocktake is a global review (not national) in line with the Paris Agreement to check: GHG emissions reduction to limit temperatures to ideally 1.5 degrees Building resilience to impacts Providing financial, technical and capacity building support for climate action And help inform countries on improving the national action plans (NDCs) for submission in 2025 The 2 year Global Stocktake involves 3 phases: 1) data collection, 2) technical assessment, and 3) consideration of outputs – which will happen at COP28. In Q3 2023, a synthesis report will be released to inform the global political discussions at COP28, and highlight where action is needed. The World Resource Institute (WRI) gives 5 areas we should hope for decisive action from COP28, which I capture as: Accelerating GHG emissions reduction – From the March 2023 IPCC report, it’s clear we are already off track big time. National climate action plans must be more ambitious. Change across sectors and systems – Transformative and large-scale action must happen with a focus on a just transition. Addressing adaptation and resilience – Gaps in adaptation finance, timely access to technical and capacity building assistance, and loss and damage need timely action out of COP28. Re-aligning finance and technical resources to climate action – finance and investment has to shift focus to address climate priorities Moving from promises to implementation – leadership, cooperation and equity will be put to the test at COP28 and onwards, we need less talk and more action. My two cents: I am looking forward to the September 2023 synthesis report to know where action is needed. By the year-end festive season, we will have a sense of whether our government and industry leaders are going to be the change we want to see in the world or not. For me, I prefer to know the answer (good or bad) than not; and hopefully I will pay more attention to the actions not than words towards our closing window of opportunity.   AFRICA: Child Labour in Africa                                     The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations released insights in recognition of World Day Against Child Labour on 12th June 2023, that 82% of children in labour on this continent, work in agriculture. First off, what is child labour? According to the ILO, child labour is ‘work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development.’ It’s work that is dangerous and harmful to a child, and the ILO explanation goes deeper into this. Almost 1 in 10 children worldwide are in child labour (approx. 218M children).                       Across all regions, agriculture has the highest portion of child labour worldwide. Although all labour isn’t hazardous, work in the agricultural sector tends to go beyond safety and wellbeing limits (FAO, 2023). Because sustainability in supply chains is becoming a critical issue for any business. All sustainability related guidelines, certifications, reporting standards will generally have child labour as a hard and definitive NO. It is worth bringing to your attention the Children’s Rights and Business Principles developed by UNICEF, UN Global Compact and Save the Children. These principles expect business action to respect and support children’s rights in their activities and business relationships. They also align to other various international conventions and guidelines set out to safeguard children; with the fundamental view that the child’s best interests are the primary consideration. Here are the 10 Children’s Rights & Business Principles. All business should: ·         Meet their responsibility to respect children’s rights and commit to supporting the human rights of children   ·         Use marketing and advertising that respect and support children’s rights ·         Contribute to the elimination of child labour, including in all business activities and business relationships   ·         Respect and support children’s rights in relation to the environment and to land acquisition and use ·         Provide decent work for young workers, parents and caregivers ·         Respect and support children’s rights in security arrangements ·         Ensure the protection and safety of children in all business activities and facilities   ·         Help protect children affected by emergencies ·         Ensure that products and services are safe, and seek to protect children’s rights through them ·         Reinforce community and government efforts to protect and fulfill children’s rights   The Children’s Rights and Business Principles provide comprehensive guidance on the actions businesses can take to embed all 10 Principles into policy, operations and business relationships. With 40% of Africans below 15 years old, children’s rights cannot and should not be ignored. My two cents: If children are our future, as suggested by singer Whitney Houston; as adults, we had better get a move on putting things in good order!   KENYA: Africa Climate Summit Appoints a CEO In early June, President Ruto appointed Joseph Ng’ang’a CEO of the Africa Climate Summit (ACS) happening in Nairobi on 4th – 6th September 2023. The Africa

This newsletter gives you highlights of selected sustainability insights that were, perhaps, too long (you) didn’t read (TLDR) or there’s just too much out there to read. The highlights presented cover insights gleaned from a global, regional (African), and national (Kenyan) perspective. Happy reading! GLOBAL: 2023 Sustainability Leaders GlobeScan Sustainability Survey This is an annual survey by GlobalScan and The Sustainability Institute by ERM which asks sustainability experts which organizations – companies, non-governmental, and governments – are leaders in sustainable development; and what are priority sustainability issues. Over 500 sustainability experts across 60 countries participated in the survey. Key insights from the survey highlight: Climate change, biodiversity, water and deforestation as the most urgent sustainability issues to address Recent legislative and international agreements have given much needed momentum for sustainability action e.g. global biodiversity agreement to protect nature by 2030, the EU’s Green Deal for a climate-neutral continent, EU regulation on deforestation-free products ensuring EU citizens don’t use products that contribute to deforestation or forest degradation, US Inflation Reduction Act the single largest investment ever on climate action, and adoption of sustainability-related disclosures e.g. the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Disclosure (CRSD) which expects reporting on supply chains of EU-based companies that are outside the EU, among others. From an NGO perspective, WWF, Greenpeace and United Nations/Global Compact were the global NGO leaders in advancing sustainable development with collaboration and stakeholder engagement, and long term commitment being key reasons for their leadership. Patagonia overtook Unilever as the global corporate sustainability leader, with IKEA coming in 3rd. Embedding sustainability in core business models and strategy, evidence-based impact/action and clear targets and goals set these corporate leaders ahead of other companies. Last year, Patagonia new ownership structure made Earth its only shareholder. From a regional lens, the top 2 leaders were: North America: Patagonia; Microsoft; Europe: Unilever, IKEA; Asia-Pacific: Mahindra & Mahindra (automotive), City Developments Ltd (real estate); Africa & Middle East: Safaricom (telecommunication), Nedbank (financial); LatAm/Caribbean: Natura & Co (beauty), Suzano (pulp and paper). My two cents: I find this leaders’ ranking quite useful for understanding what ‘good’ practice in sustainability looks like, a goal post to aim for. The key issues also highlight what fellow practitioners globally, view as important sustainability issues. I must admit I was disheartened not to see social aspects of sustainability e.g. labour practices, health, human rights, inclusion, equity, social justice, etc. on the issues. Perhaps it seems obvious that climate, biodiversity, water, forests are inextricably linked to social/people and human wellbeing; or maybe social aspects are more pressing depending on the region/context you are in. It was great to see regional leaders also coming through – the more regional sustainability experts participate in this survey, the richer and more diverse this leader board can become.     AFRICA: Young Africans & the African Union Agenda 2063 Young Africans below 30 years make up 70% of Africa’s population South of the Sahara, and the Africa Union’s Agenda 2063 aims to achieve an integrated, prosperous and peaceful continent for this majority and the generations after them. With numbers like these, young African need to have a say in Africa’s strategic direction. The AU’s Office of the Youth partnered with the Austrian National Youth Council to set up an African Youth Reference Committee of 25 young Africans and 15 European youth representatives. The AU Youth Envoy has been calling for more representation in key Agenda 2063 priorities e.g. Africa Continental Free Trade Area which will require young African participation and engagement to succeed. In early July 2023, the 25 member African Youth Reference Committee was announced with representation from all 5 regions of the continent. Over 2000 applications were received from young African creating change in their communities and solving for global inequalities. The Committee’s one-year mandate is to accelerate participation of young Africans in Africa’s development process, and foster global youth dialogue. In 2008, The AU Youth Charter (which categorises youth as between 15 – 35 years of age) came into effect. The Charter is a legal and political document that gives strategic direction on African youth empowerment and development at a nationally, regionally and as a continent (theyouthcafe.com). Most African countries have ratified (given consent to, made it officially valid) the Charter, while a few have not. My two cents: I always find proportion of African youth astounding, and it becomes baffling that, with these numbers, it’s not automatic that youth are a part of or actively involved in key decision-making processes – at government, business, and community levels. When one considers the AU Agenda 2063, and any future thinking and decision-making happening on the continent, surely it’s time for ideas like youth shadow boards, cabinets, etc. to come to life.   KENYA: Kenya’s Sustainable Waste Management Act In late 2022, Kenya instituted sustainable waste management into law, this law becomes fully operational two years after it was instituted. This is a milestone achievement against pollution and for all Kenyans rights to a clean and healthy environment. Additionally, the law aims to spur economic opportunities in waste management, recycling and enable citizens’ behavior change. Rwanda, South Africa are already leading in this area. Although much about this law was highlighted in late 2022, as it now being operationalized and will soon be fully operationalized, it seemed worthwhile to highlight key aspects that individuals and organisations will need to put into place. NEMA (National Environment Management Authority) will lead in the standards and guidelines, enforcement, knowledge sharing on sustainable waste management. County governments are responsible for the devolved waste management function. Once guidelines are in place, house-hold waste segregation will be required by law. All entities (private, public) will also be required by law to segregate waste. Not doing so, will be illegal with fines and/or jail terms for non-compliance. Every household and all entities must transfer their segregated waste to licensed waste service providers. Private entities (as defined by NEMA) will be required to submit 3-year waste management plans, and annual reports on this. NEMA will have the mandate

This newsletter gives you highlights of selected sustainability insights that were, perhaps, too long (you) didn’t read (TLDR) or there’s just too much out there to read. The highlights presented cover insights gleaned from a global, regional (African), and national (Kenyan) perspective. Happy reading! Global: Sustainability Frameworks for Organisations Previously, business organisations were required to voluntarily self-report their progress on sustainability adoption to build credibility and show their commitment towards sustainable development values and principles. Various frameworks such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), UN Global Compact Network 10 principles and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) can be employed by organisations across the board to report their sustainability progress voluntarily. However, mandatory enforcement of sustainability reporting seems to have caught on. In January 2021, The European Commission introduced the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive 2021, a law that requires large corporations and listed SMEs in the region (over 50,000) to adopt a standardised sustainability reporting framework starting from Jan 2023. This directive differs from the EU’s 2014 Non Financial Reporting Directive as the new format requires submitted data to be audited. The international Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) international sustainability standards Board ISSB launched two inaugural industry-specific sustainability reporting standards, S1 that requires firms to report their sustainability risks and opportunities and S2 which is an extension of S1 that requires firms to report on transition risks and opportunities. Furthermore, all major global economies including the UK, the US, South Africa, China and Singapore have all followed suit and entrenched standardised sustainability reporting in law. My two cents: Sustainability reporting, whether complex or simplified, is becoming the norm for any company, especially if you expect to have investors, lenders (who are not your family, friends)! If you haven’t already, the sooner your company starts reporting the better. Your first report will be a challenge, it gets better – and importantly, your business’ operations and strategy will benefit more than you would have imagined. AFRICA: Regenerating Africa’s Economy and Forests The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) asserts that fair international trade policies contribute to sustainable development by creating jobs, fostering efficient use of resources and stimulating entrepreneurship to lift people out of poverty. In recognition of this, Africans are already pushing for an African free trade area to boost intra-African trade. A series of talks on the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) have been already held to create the infrastructure and institutions to make the agreement work. The latest discussions highlighted the importance of engaging the private sector in actualizing the FTA and the involvement of SMEs and women and also their empowerment in enabling more cross-border business. The AfCFTA initiative in conjunction with other entities such as the Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry has a series of programmes to aid women and SMEs in expanding their capacity under AfCFTA such as the Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade and Export Training Programme for SMEs.   Preserving Africa’s Forests Of all the seven continents in the world, Africa has the largest forested land mass. The good thing is that 90% of African forests are natural. However, they face a huge threat from over-exploitation of timber and illegal logging, agricultural expansion and mining and urbanisation. Between 2015 and 2020, Africa lost 4.41 million hectares of trees to deforestation annually. Some of the suggested ways to address this issue has been: My two cents: African communities should be empowered to manage local natural resources. In the case of forests, it would be more appropriate to empower local communities to manage forests for direct economic gain and also empower them to protect them. KENYA: Internal Security CS to Allow Integration and Resettlement of Refugees For several decades now, Kenya has remained as one of the most politically stable countries in the East and Central Africa region. Whenever one of the neighbouring countries faces political upheaval, Kenya hosts the refugees. South Sudan, Rwanda, Somalia are just a few. And as tensions rise in Ethiopia and Sudan, Kenya may once again be hosting additional refugees. For a country already facing high population, drought and hunger, an influx of refugees puts a strain on already strained environment and resources. Refugees in Kenya are highly dependent on humanitarian relief and are seen to pose a threat to the internal security of the country.  The United Nations High Commission for Refugees  (UNHCR) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) have been advocating for African countries to review their refugee policies. The key idea has been to review policies and laws to reduce refugees’ over reliance on humanitarian aid and allow them to engage in economic activities in the host countries. Kenya does not allow refugees to reside outside camps, operate businesses or even seek employment locally. However, this is bound to change. Kenya’s Internal Security Cabinet Secretary, Kithure Kindiki, has promised to allow integration and resettlement of refugees who are camped along the country’s borders such as Kakuma, Hagadera and Dadaab.  My two cents: Kenya can embrace refugees from all walks of life for humanitarian and other reasons. When allowed to integrate, refugees bring with them cultural diversity, productivity in new skills, compliment the job market and bring in fresh ideas and skills.

This newsletter gives you highlights of selected sustainability insights that were, perhaps, too long (you) didn’t read (TLDR) or there’s just too much out there to read. The highlights presented cover insights gleaned from a global, regional (African), and national (Kenyan) perspective. Happy reading! GLOBAL: Landmark UN Biodiversity Agreement In December 2022, the world reached an historic agreement to protect our nature. I thought I would highlight this here because global momentum is rapidly building towards protecting our global biodiversity; and importantly, so is the private sector’s integral role in conserving and protecting biodiversity. Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth and the natural patterns it forms. The key biodiversity/nature SDGs are SDG 14 (life below water), SDG 15 (life on land) (UNEP). The landmark Biodiversity Agreement adopted four goals and 23 targets to address biodiversity loss and restore natural ecosystems. Here are some key targets by 2030 I’d like to highlight: Require large and transnational companies and financial institutions to monitor, assess and transparently disclose their risks, dependencies and impacts of biodiversity on their operations, supply and value chains and portfolios Conserve and manage at least 30% of the world’s lands, inland waters, coastal areas and oceans. Today only 17% of terrestrial areas and 10% of marine areas are under protection. Restore 30% of degraded terrestrial and marine ecosystems Reduce loss of high biodiversity important areas to nearly zero Cut global food waste by half, significantly reduce overconsumption and waste generation Reduce by half excess nutrients and risks posed by pesticides and highly hazardous chemicals By 2030, phase out or reform subsidies that harm biodiversity by min. $500 billion per year; and scale incentives for biodiversity conservation Broadly the four overarching goals of the UN Biodiversity Agreement address: Maintaining and increasing the area of natural ecosystems; halting and reducing human-induced extinction of species, and maintaining and safeguard genetic diversity of wild and domesticated species Biodiversity is sustainably used and managed, including ecosystem functions and services and restoring ecosystems in decline Fair and equitable sharing of monetary and non-monetary benefits with indigenous and local communities of genetic resources, digital sequencing from genetic resources, traditional knowledge associated genetic resources, and protecting traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources Ensuring adequate means of implementation – finance, capacity building, technical and scientific cooperation, access to and transfer of technology This agreement impacts land and water use, farming practices, waste management practices, use of ecosystems functions, nature-related financial and non-financial disclosures, environmental and social impact assessments, equity and social justice, and more. My two cents: Business accountabilities and responsibilities are expanding – protecting nature will require fundamental business model change, transparency, disclosure and investment. We are headed into a new world where people, planet, peace, prosperity and partnership have to go hand in hand. If may be you are wondering why/how nature is key to human life, and that we are at a dangerous tipping point: WWF Living Planet Report 2022. EU De-forestation Free Regulation In May 2023, the EU adopted its de-forestation free regulation – I want to draw to your attention to this in case you missed it. This EU regulation is part of the EU Green Deal to protect the world’s forests, and focuses on commodities into the EU. Imports to the EU are one of the biggest drivers of global deforestation. It is another landmark international approach that is reinforcing the urgency to protect nature e.g. forests, ecosystems like wetlands, grasslands, etc. This EU deforestation free regulation currently tackles seven commodities – cocoa, coffee, soy, palm oil, wood, rubber, and cattle – and their derivatives and products e.g. chocolate, cosmetics, leather, furniture etc. Over the next few years’ additional products may be added to this list. The regulation requires that any company placing these commodities, derivatives and products into the EU market conduct due diligence to ensure they are deforestation-free as of 31st Dec 2020 i.e. the goods were not produced on land that resulted in deforestation or forest degradation after 31st Dec 2020. Large and medium-sized companies importing/exporting to the EU (non-EU based and EU-based) have 18 months after this regulation enters into law to implement the rules. My two-cents: It was inevitable that supply chains will take a bigger role in reducing negative social and environmental impacts; and instead (finally) be expected to make concerted effort to have positive impacts. Whether supply chains can adapt will come with a high price…in transforming operations, or perhaps continuing business as usual to push our environment beyond its limits. AFRICA: Nairobi Declaration on Climate Change The African continent’s first-ever climate summit took place in Nairobi in early September bringing together African and global stakeholders to discuss climate action from the African continent’s perspective. The Nairobi Declaration on Climate Change and Call to Action by African leaders, was the key output of the Africa Climate Summit, and it is Africa’s joint position on climate action for the 30 Nov – 12 Dec 2023 COP 28 in Dubai and beyond. There were many other discussions and outcomes from the Summit, Africa.com gives a summary: Africa Climate Summit: Wrapping Up a Milestone Event. Here are what Africa’s leaders committed to: Putting in place an enabling environment to attract investment in green growth and inclusive economies Driving Africa’s economic growth and job creation while limiting Africa’s emissions, leapfrogging traditional industrial development fostering green production and supply chains on a global scale Focusing economic development plans on climate-positive growth, just energy transitions, renewable energy generation for industry, restorative and climate aware agriculture, and essential protection and improvement of nature and biodiversity Strengthening continental (intra-African) collaboration, grid connectivity and accelerating operationalization of the AfCFTA agreement Advancing green industrialization prioritizing energy intensive industries to trigger renewable energy growth and adding value to Africa’s natural resources Boosting agricultural yield through sustainable practices to enhance food security and reduce negative environmental impacts Lead in developing global standards, metrics and mechanisms to value and compensate for protection of nature, biodiversity, socio-economic co-benefits and provision of climate services Finalise and implement Africa Union