So here we are, another public holiday- and a collective sigh from the business community who are on their last fumes for 2023 and trying to close out initiatives for the year. The reverse is the impending long weekend celebrations for wananchi- Christmas just came early.

But besides the abrupt announcement of the holiday, and as advocates of Sustainability, we Akira Consult Limited applaud the gesture as it is a step in the right direction in the Environmental space of #esg . The broad purpose of sustainability in the corporate sense is to ensure organisations are set up to produce their goods and offer their services for the long term and with the triple P- #peopleplanetprofit in mind.

So back to the tree planting holiday, why is it important for us both as individuals and as corporates? The truth is that our climate is not as predictable as it used to be- if you are in the farming sector, your business analysis must now include a #swotanalysis of the rain patterns and contingencies if it does not rain. This threat to production, leading to food shortages and therefore high cost of living should drive us to want to actually plant one tree come the 13th of November.

Our president in December 2022 committed to a tree planting initiative to plant 15 billion trees by 2032, a move aimed at: reducing greenhouse emissions, stopping and reversing deforestation and, restoring 5.1 million hectares of deforested and degraded landscapes. For us, this is how we can participate in the initiative, not in compliance but for the greater good of our country and indeed the planet. Globally it is in line with the Paris Agreement of 2015 where Kenya became a signatory in 2016. The tree planting exercise is timely as the world and indeed nations gear up for #cop28uae where it is expected that nations shall report back on their progress in meeting the #sdgs , where Climate Change is expected to be an important conversation under #sdg13 .

So back to US. Does your tree count? Yes, it does. It is reported that 15 billion trees are cut down each year (makes the tree planting initiative of seem redundant now huh?) yet, trees and indeed forests are the no. 1 protector against climate change-absorbing green house gasses such as carbon dioxide, which trap heat and energy, raising the earths temperatures and leading to adverse weather effects such as el nino, hurricanes, destruction of bio diversity and back to us, making life uncomfortable and expensive.

So planting trees is actually good for us and #governance always celebrates when the tone comes from the top. It would have been ideal that the exercise is better co-ordinated with all stakeholders so that it is not subject to ridicule so that the right structures and enabling systems would greatly improve its success to remain a meaningful and #sustainable initiative. Have a plan!

So plant your tree come the 13th and save the planet!