The East African Breweries Limited spent Sh5.9 billion in youth, women, and people with disabilities-led businesses last year.

This represents 7.9 percent of EABL’s total supplier base, surpassing the initial target of 6 percent.

“In 2024, we made significant strides in our commitment to gender equality by increasing the number of women in leadership roles across the business,” EABL Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Jane Karuku said.

“Women now make up 45 percent of our leadership team, a reflection of our dedication to creating an inclusive environment that fosters equal opportunities for all.”

Karuku spoke today during the unveiling of the firm’s sustainability report, which also highlights its investments in renewable energy, water conservation, and community empowerment initiatives and progress made on meeting the targets.

In 2024, the firm provided business and hospitality skills training to 9,951 individuals, surpassing its annual target by 68 percent.

Through the Learning for Life Initiative, the company empowered 4,570 women—against a target of 2,500—with training in business and hospitality skills, including budgeting, timekeeping, negotiation, and mixology—to enable them to get employment or set up their own businesses.

On the environmental front, EABL reduced the amount of water used in manufacturing its products to 2.93 liters per liter of packaged product, beating the target of 3.07 liters per liter.

The company also increased the amount of water replenished to 403,908 cubic meters, from 361,217 cubic meters last year.

The full utilization of the biomass plants at the breweries in Kampala, Kisumu, and Nairobi has helped reduce EABL’s carbon footprint by reducing the company’s direct carbon emissions from 28.29 kilotons last year to 21.4 kilotons.

With the biomass plants in Nairobi, Kisumu, and Kampala now fully operational, EABL has increased the use of renewable energy to 75.49 percent of the total power used in its operations.

“As one of Kenya’s oldest and biggest companies, EABL has done a lot of pioneering work around ESG in the country and the region. I’m delighted when I see the work you have done and the progress towards sustainability and to prioritise the rights and dignity of every person, irrespective of their gender, age, physical ability or geographical location,” Attorney General Dorcas Oduor said.