Leading South African financial institution, Standard Bank, has launched a free online platform, available on the bank’s website, to help and empower African businesses through the provision of practical environmental, social and governance (ESG) and sustainability solutions. The platform is called the Sustainability Academy, and it was developed to help deal with the sustainability and ESG knowledge gap, regarding the practical implementation of these principles (which have become increasingly important influences on investment and business decisions).

“As one of Africa’s largest financial institutions, we are committed to supporting sustainable economic growth by creating a net positive impact through our social, economic and environmental initiatives,” affirmed Standard Bank Business and Commercial Banking business ecosystems & sustainability executive head Dr Manessah Alagbaoso. “The Sustainability Academy represents our commitment to taking businesses across Africa (our clients and non-clients) along on this crucial journey towards a sustainable future.”

The Sustainability Academy’s launch followed a successful pilot programme, conducted in Eswatini, Ghana, Nigeria, Lesotho and South Africa. It was developed in collaboration with Microsoft and Philanthrosoft, using the cloud-based learning solution Community Training. This platform is powered by Azure. This collaborative network ensures user-friendly access across many African markets that is very secure and scalable.

“We are excited to work with Standard Bank on this transformative initiative,” highlighted Microsoft strategic account director Terisha Maharaj. “Our training platform is designed to democratise access to learning, and this collaboration perfectly exemplifies how technology can drive meaningful change across Africa. By providing Standard Bank’s clients with accessible, scalable sustainability education, we’re helping to build a more sustainable future for the continent while empowering businesses to thrive in the evolving global economy.”

The Sustainability Academy covers five main areas, namely ESG and sustainability principles and how they affect business performance; the exploration of the different forms of renewable energy generation, across the various types of industries; the production benefits and cost of climate-smart agriculture; the implementation of water and wastewater management processes; and the understanding and leveraging of carbon markets. The platform features secure access, through single sign-on authentication; bespoke Standard Bank content regarding sustainability; training modules that are sector-specific; integrated feedback and assessment tools; and dedicated support, provided by relationship managers.

“This initiative will not only improve business’s understanding of sustainability but also help reduce the knowledge gap in our markets around this critical concept,” pointed out Alagbaoso. “We are positioning African [small, medium-sized and microenterprises] to make informed decisions that benefit their businesses, communities, and the environment.”