Aldi Suisse has successfully completed its "Rose Program," an initiative launched in 2020 in Kenya with the goal of structurally improving the living conditions of workers employed on Fairtrade-certified flower farms, extending beyond traditional interventions along the supply chain. Implemented in collaboration with Fairtrade Max Havelaar, the project was supported by a donation of over €300.000 from the Swiss retailer and focused not only on production standards but, above all, on the domestic dimension of the families involved.
Although Fairtrade standards already impose stringent requirements regarding working conditions, health protection, and environmental compliance on farms, the program has intervened where certifications normally don't reach: the private living environments of floral sector workers. In many rural areas of Kenya, families still cook on open fires, with significant health consequences due to constant exposure to smoke, as well as high costs for charcoal and paraffin and the considerable time required to procure firewood.
The operational cornerstone of the initiative was a €160.000 fund for interest-free loans, established for six Kenyan flower farms and designed to continue operating even after the formal conclusion of the five-year project, thus ensuring continuity and long-term financial sustainability. Thanks to this targeted financing, over 3.810 families—approximately 60% of the target group—have gained access to clean energy solutions, including improved high-efficiency cookstoves and solar lamps for home lighting.
The adoption of these technologies has resulted in an average 50% reduction in energy costs related to meal preparation, generating an immediate and measurable economic benefit for the families involved. At the same time, 66% of employees, particularly women, reported significant time savings, no longer having to spend hours a day collecting firewood. This has also had a positive impact on family organization and participation in training or work activities.
A further 66% of participants also reported an improvement in their family's health, attributable to reduced exposure to fumes from traditional combustion. Overall, 67% of the target group now benefits from improved socioeconomic conditions, as the time and economic resources saved are progressively reinvested in education, professional development, and new income-generating activities.
The program also supported the planting of approximately 27.000 fruit tree saplings, strengthening families' food self-sufficiency and creating additional economic opportunities through the sale of agricultural products. With the conclusion of the "Fairtrade Rose Program," ALDI SUISSE reaffirms its commitment to fair trade and measurable improvements along the entire supply chain, emphasizing that the impact generated will continue well beyond the formal project duration.
"The Rose Program clearly demonstrates how we can achieve concrete improvements for local communities along our supply chain. We are very pleased with the results achieved," said Jérôme Meyer, Country Managing Director of ALDI SUISSE. Fairtrade Max Havelaar also emphasizes the initiative's systemic reach: "Better access to clean energy significantly contributes to people's health and promotes the reduction of CO₂ emissions. At the same time, workers and their families benefit financially," commented Melanie Dürr, Head of International Cooperation for the organization. The Kenyan experience thus represents a replicable model of integrated intervention along the floriculture supply chain, capable of combining social responsibility, energy transition, and local economic development in a spirit of shared value between modern distribution and the regions where raw materials originate.
