Staff Writer
Standard Bank Namibia has launched the Sustainability Academy, a free online learning platform aimed at helping Namibian businesses build resilience and adopt climate-smart practices.
The bank said the academy is designed to close sustainability knowledge gaps by offering practical guidance that businesses can apply in day-to-day operations.
As environmental, social and governance performance increasingly shapes investment decisions and trade relations, the platform seeks to help companies transition sustainably while remaining competitive.
Speaking at the launch, Gerhard Mukuahima, head of agribusiness at Standard Bank Namibia, said sustainability has become an economic requirement rather than a voluntary choice.
He said Namibia is changing rapidly in sectors such as agriculture, energy, mining and logistics and businesses must adjust to climate-conscious models.
He added that the Academy aims to help firms reduce risk, strengthen operations and identify new opportunities in a shifting global economy.
The Academy provides training across key areas, including an introduction to sustainability and ESG principles, renewable energy solutions suited to local conditions, climate-smart agriculture and resource-efficient farming, water and wastewater management, and the use of carbon markets.
The platform is delivered through partnerships with Microsoft and Philanthrosoft and is hosted on a cloud-based Community Training platform powered by Microsoft Azure.
The bank said this allows secure and accessible learning for users across all regions.
Accessible through Standard Bank’s website, the Sustainability Academy offers single sign-on access, sector-specific content and learning modules supported by the bank’s relationship managers.
Microsoft strategic account director Terisha Maharaj said the partnership shows how technology can widen access to learning and support sustainable development across Africa.
She said the platform is built to expand access to education while helping businesses respond to global sustainability demands.
The Academy follows a pilot phase in several African markets, where it recorded strong uptake among business and commercial banking clients. Standard Bank said feedback from the pilot helped refine the content now available for Namibian businesses.
Mukuahima said the initiative forms part of the bank’s wider effort to go beyond traditional banking services. He said the Academy is open to all Namibian businesses, not just Standard Bank clients, to support sustainable growth, efficiency and contributions to Namibia’s climate commitments.
The bank said the platform aligns with national priorities such as green industrialisation, the energy transition and climate-resilient agriculture, as well as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), including SDG 17 on partnerships.
Standard Bank plans to add new modules in the coming months to cover emerging sustainability trends, sector-specific ESG needs and practical tools to support climate-smart initiatives.
Caption
Gerhard Mukuahima, head of agribusiness at Standard Bank Namibia.
