A Kiambu flower company has won an international award for "prudent use of premiums" on its workers.
Valentine Growers, which is located at Kibubuti, was the only flower grower to get the award in the category of hired labour organisation in this year’s international fair trade in Berlin, Germany.
It was cited for "changing lives of their workers and community through fair trade premiums".
Denis Gakuru, the company's fair trade and ICT officer, said at the farm on Wednesday that the parameters considered included wages paid, treatment, impact that the fair trade premiums have had on employees, corporate social responsibility and environment preparedness on the ecosystem.
“We most value education where the fair trade premium goes to paying school fees to employee’s children from secondary school, tertiary learning upto the university and also for employees who want to further their education. We have also conformed to the collective bargaining agreement where our employees get their wages on time,” Gakuru said.
This year's International Fairtrade Awards happenened on October 29. More than 80 applications from 30 countries were received in four categories - Small Producer Organisation, Hired Labour Organisation, Trader of the Year and Campaign of the Year.
Marketing manager Joram Kanyua said Covid-19 had adversely affected the company but it recovered in April after reorganising and strategising on how to start the business again.
“We recalled our employees after the Covid-19 shutdown was lifted and we started the business again,” Kanyua said.
He feared that the second wave of the Covid-19 globally might affect the sale of their flowers in Europe - their biggest customer.
He said Valentine Growers wants to diversify in Russia and China.
“Normally we export over 25 million flower stems but this dropped due to the Covid-19. Wet lost two million stems worth Sh25 million. We are not talking of profits; we are talking of surviving this year,” Kanyua said.
Valentine Growers specialises in rose flowers for sale in European supermarkets.
Flower grader Jacinta Wanjira said the fair trade premium has helped the employees cater for their children's education. She thanked the company for not sacking workers or slashing their salaries due to Covid-19.