General information about the Farm

The farm employs 800 people permanently and is the largest employer in the district.
50% of the employees are housed on the farm with their families.
50% of the employees are female.
Employment is from 18 until 55 years.
The farm is situated in a rural area 40 km from the nearest town, Kitale. The area is not supplied with electricity and has dirt roads. There are limited facilities for healthcare and schooling.

Staff Housing on the Farm

In 2003 the Farm invested in building 32 staff houses using appropriate technology. This building scheme was a pilot project for a community housing project that will be developed in 2010.

Employees’ involvement in the management of the farm

A Workers' Council has been functional for six years to optimize the communication between the managment and the workforce. Meetings are held on a monthly basis. Togehter with the farm committtee the Farm's Rules and Regulations document has been developped which is handed out to all new employees.
A Women's League is active to discuss gender issues on the farm.
A Health and Safety committee is involved in the management and creation of awareness on all H&S issues.

Financial Issues

Since 1999 a savings and credit cooperative ( MEO SACCO) was started at the employees' initiative, with the support of the company. The aim is to provide employees with development loans for housing and education. This savings scheme is having a marked positive impact on the personal development of the employees and their families.
Bonus schemes based on the quality of performance are an integral part of the benefit scheme of the company.
Interest free credit for maize and milk and medical expenses is given out on a monthly basis.

HIV/Aids

An HIV/Aids policy is in place. Already since 1998 the company has been involved in activities to create awareness on HIV/Aids among the employees. Since 2005 a VCT centre (Voluntary Counseling and Testing) has been in operation on the farm and since 2007 ART ( Anti Retroviral Therapy) has been available to seropositive employees.

The farm's HIV/Aids program is part of the much larger community HIV/Aids program which has also been developped by the company.

Membership of accreditation schemes

Currently (2009) the farm holds the following memberships:

• a silver membership with the Kenya Flower Council
• A-status with MPS (Milieu Project Sierteelt)
• MPS GAP (Good Agricultural Practice) and MPS SQ (Socially Qualified)

These accreditations assure that the company adheres to a good standard in the field of Environmental, Health and Safety and Social Responsibility Management.

The Mount Elgon Trust

There has been a constant expanding of the community programs and a consequent need for outside funding for the projects that were initiated by the company. For that reson all projects have now been placed under a Trust called The Mount Elgon Trust ,which was founded in 2006.
The trustees are 2 executive directors of Mount Elgon Orchards, 2 senior managers of Mount Elgon Orchards and a representative of the Catholic Diocese of Kitale.
In this way the projects can solicit for external funds and Mount Elgon Orchards Ltd.acts as the main sponsor for the trust.
Mount Elgon Orchards is still responsible for the funding of all salary costs of the projects and the basic running costs. The external funds are being used for the physical development of the projects and extra activities.
All physical developments since 2006 have been built on land that has been acquired by the Trust.