Nairobi: The Sustainable Inclusive Business (SIB) in collaboration with the Kenya Private Sector Association (KEPSA) and The Rock Group has launched the 2024 circular economy conference and awards to foster collaboration and inspire actionable change towards a sustainable and inclusive future. Speaking during the launch held on Thursday in Nairobi, KEPSA Chairman Dr. Jas Bedi announced that KEPSA has positioned itself as a torchbearer in advancing the sustainability agenda by investing in individual businesses to know their carbon and ecological footprint.
According to Kenya News Agency, SIB has implemented various projects to address pollution and champion the implementation of transformative regulatory frameworks. These initiatives aim to tackle the crisis through the Plastic Producer Responsibility project, which has facilitated workshops and media engagements to foster dialogue between businesses and policymakers on compliance with the proposed extended producer responsibility regulations. Dr. Bedi state
d that SIB is also working on re-developing the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) website to improve business access to policy materials and public notices while enhancing user experience.
Environmental advocate and author of ‘The Ocean Warrior’, Shanariha Evans, highlighted the potential of the circular economy in addressing climate change through biodiversity laws aimed at limiting biodiversity loss and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. She emphasized the importance of youth involvement in the circular economy, noting that innovative ideas from young people could lead to transformative policies. As the founder of the Young Warriors Club, Evans is dedicated to increasing active youth participation in environmental protection and advocates for climate literacy programs and environmental restoration.
Evans shared her ambitious goal of planting one million mangrove trees along the Mombasa coastline, having already planted 200,000 trees in 2024. She also mentioned the club’s success in collec
ting 120 kilograms of plastic waste from Mombasa’s shorelines in collaboration with her school. The conference launched by SIB is significant as it seeks to explore community-based solutions in the circular economy, aligning grassroots initiatives with business and community needs to create a sustainable, inclusive, and regenerative future.