Firms redesign urban and workplace spaces to support mothers

As Kenya marks Mother’s Day, companies and urban spaces are increasingly introducing policies and facilities aimed at supporting women balancing work and family responsibilities.

Rosslyn Riviera Mall says it has seen a growing number of women using malls as flexible workspaces as hybrid and remote working arrangements become more common.

CEO Joshua Muinde said modern mothers are increasingly looking for spaces that allow them to combine work, shopping and family activities in one location.

“The biggest shift we are seeing is that modern mothers are no longer willing to live in two separate worlds; work in one, family in the other,” he said.

The mall has introduced facilities such as lactation pods, baby-changing areas and family-friendly spaces targeting mothers and young families.

Muinde said the mall is also planning additional amenities including dedicated mother-and-baby parking spaces and short-stay co-working pods.

“Time has become the most valuable currency for this generation of mothers, and they are deliberately choosing environments that respect that reality,” he added.

At the workplace level, Del Monte Kenya CEO Wayne Cook says the firm is strengthening policies aimed at improving the welfare and empowerment of women employees.

Cook said the company has committed to implementing Women Empowerment Principles to improve gender inclusion across management levels.

“We are measuring not just the numbers, but also women representation in different management levels because these are areas we want to improve on,” he said.

Cook noted that Del Monte Kenya has already introduced lactation facilities within its operations alongside breastfeeding policies designed to support working mothers.

“We are looking at things like lactation facilities and breastfeeding policies as part of the broader women empowerment agenda within our working environment,” Cook added.