As the year draws to a close, we were delighted to officially welcome GCNK Board members, partners and friends to an evening of celebration as we welcomed them to our newly opened office at Principal Place. Led by our Board Chair Martin Ochien’g and Executive Director Judy Njino, this special evening marked an important milestone for the Global Compact Network in Kenya since its launch in the country back in 2005.
This move marks a new chapter in our journey, symbolizing growth, independence, and renewed commitment to advancing the UN Global Compact Principles and the SDGs in Kenya's Private Sector.
We were honored by the presence of our former host Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) represented by the A.g CEO Tobias Alando and former KAM CEO Phyllis Wakiaga, who provided critical administrative support to the Network secretariat for several years.
We were privileged to also have Stefan Engels, formerly with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), whose presence reminded us of our humble beginnings. It was through UNDP that Global Compact Network Kenya was first proposed in 2005 with additional support from leading business coalitions KEPSA and FKE. Starting out with 5 signatories, our participant base now stands at over 300, a testament to the growth of the responsible business movement in Kenya.
Joined by our Board members Abdi Mohamed-CEO & MD Absa Bank Kenya and Sheila Masinde-Executive Director, at Transparency International-Kenya, our sister network Global Compact UK, the event also provided an opportunity to reflect on 2024, a year filled with significant achievements, including expanding partnerships, strengthening private-sector engagement, and driving impact across Kenya.
We look forward to new beginning and a bright future ahead!