Standard Bank Namibia Limited
Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2019, 2021, 2022, 2023)
Reporting Period: 2019
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Climate Change
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Governance
- Sustainable Finance
- Human Rights
- Financial Crime Prevention
- Employee Wellbeing
- Community Investment
Environmental Achievements
- Reduced electricity consumption in South African operations by 8.3 GWh, exceeding the 8 GWh target.
- Reduced water consumption in South African facilities by 15,760 kl.
- Improved CDP score for water management from C to B-.
- 86% of USD 2.77 billion in energy investments since 2012 was for renewable energy.
Social Achievements
- Launched Last Mile program to support selected individuals in transitioning to CEO roles, with a focus on increasing female representation.
- Invested R878 million in skills development (2.5% of staff costs).
- Launched a Cybersecurity Academy, training 75 employees.
- Financed 103 small-scale solar PV projects in South Africa (9.5MW).
Governance Achievements
- Adopted a new ESG governance framework recognizing ESG as a separate risk type.
- Increased representation of women on the Standard Bank Group board to 33% (from 22% in 2018).
Climate Goals & Targets
- Not disclosed
- Reduce direct emissions by 79% by 2040 (South Africa operations).
- Reduce water usage by 110,000 kl (16%) at metered sites in South Africa by 2021.
Environmental Challenges
- Data collection challenges in Africa Regions.
- Inadequate local and regional climate science information, scarce portfolio-level climate data, and a lack of detailed climate-related risk information associated with clients.
- Cybersecurity threats.
- Skills shortages in cybersecurity.
Mitigation Strategies
- Investing in improved metering and data capture and analysis systems.
- Establishing a TCFD working group.
- Participating in UNEP FI’s TCFD pilot program.
- Creating a Cybersecurity Academy.
- Investing in enhancing cyber resilience.
- Implementing a continuous testing and monitoring strategy.
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: Not disclosed
Responsible Procurement
- Supplier sustainability requirements
- Respect for basic human rights
- Clean and safe working environment
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Droughts
- Extreme weather events
- Hotter temperatures
Transition Risks
- Job losses
- Skills shortages
- Technology risk
- Policy and governance risks
Opportunities
- Renewable energy projects
- Green financing opportunities
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: UN Principles for Responsible Banking, Equator Principles, TCFD guidelines
Certifications: ISO 27001 (Africa shared core banking platform)
Third-party Assurance: Not disclosed
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 7 (Affordable and clean energy)
- Goal 13 (Climate action)
Initiatives in renewable energy, sustainable finance, and climate risk management contribute to these goals.
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- VAF Solar Asset Solution
- ECO 2 Fleet
Awards & Recognition
- SA Graduate Employers Association, Employer of Choice award
Reporting Period: 2021
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Cybersecurity
- Ethics and conduct
- Employee health and wellbeing
- Climate-related risk and disclosures
- Balancing Africa's need for affordable energy with climate considerations and a just transition
Environmental Achievements
- Launched a digital solution for automated real-time due diligence on third parties.
- Financed five projects totaling R461,439,500 under the green bond framework, resulting in significant CO2 emission reductions and job creation.
- Issued a R1.4 billion green bond to finance renewable energy assets.
Social Achievements
- Implemented a new performance management digital solution.
- Refreshed diversity and inclusion strategy.
- Improved gender pay distribution and population group pay distribution in South Africa.
- Launched a digital solution to improve complaints handling and customer experience.
- Reduced complaints by 14% compared to 2020.
- Implemented a sustainability support program for SMEs in Stanbic IBTC.
- Assisted almost 4,000 employees with food hampers and baby products following social unrest.
Climate Goals & Targets
- Net zero carbon emissions from financed emissions by 2050, net zero across operations by 2040 (existing) and 2030 (new).
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Environmental Challenges
- Wide range of stakeholders with different priorities.
- High ESG risk rating for the sectors in which Standard Bank operates.
- Criticism from environmental organizations for financing fossil fuel infrastructure projects.
- Increase in cyber and information risk due to increased digital transactions.
- Conduct breaches, although non-material.
- Impact of Covid-19 pandemic on employee mental wellbeing.
Mitigation Strategies
- Improved ESG skills on the board and through independent advisors.
- ESG risk management integrated into enterprise risk management framework.
- Development of group climate policy and targets.
- Strengthening processes and controls in cybersecurity.
- Refreshing code of ethics and conduct and associated governance structures.
- Providing support and resources for employee wellbeing, including vaccination access and mental health initiatives.
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: Not disclosed
Responsible Procurement
- Encouraging procurement from local suppliers
- Minimising negative environmental and community impacts
- Protecting worker health and safety
- Third-party code of conduct based on group code of ethics
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Drought
- Floods
- Declining mean precipitation
- Inundation of coastal zones
- Lower crop yields
- Loss of biodiversity
Transition Risks
- Regulatory changes
- Market shifts
Opportunities
- Supporting Africa's transition to a lower-carbon economy
- Partnering with clients on climate transitions
- Improving access to reliable and sustainable energy sources
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: TCFD, UN Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB), Equator Principles, IFC Performance Standards, King IV
Certifications: Null
Third-party Assurance: PricewaterhouseCoopers Inc. (PwC) provided limited external assurance on selected performance data.
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Not disclosed
Not disclosed
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Green bonds
- Social bonds
- Sustainable finance solutions
Awards & Recognition
- Two awards from the Ombudsman for Banking Services
Reporting Period: 2022
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Financial Inclusion
- Job Creation and Enterprise Development
- Sustainable Finance and Climate Change
- Infrastructure
- Trade & Investment
- Education
- Health
Environmental Achievements
- Reduced paper use by an unspecified amount.
- Recycled 99% of waste including e-waste by the end of 2023 (target).
Social Achievements
- Launched D.A.D.A. program, training 25,000 women-led businesses.
- 202 female employees participated in leadership training.
- Implemented a feeding scheme providing 115,000+ meals to students.
- Provided KShs 2.5 million to support children's education.
- Conducted cancer screenings for 15,582 beneficiaries.
Governance Achievements
- Updated code of ethics and conduct in 2022.
- Implemented a new approach to conduct risk reporting.
- Undertook an initial assessment to identify material risks and impacts.
Climate Goals & Targets
- Pathway to Net Zero BA accreditation or ISO 14001 certification by end 2026.
- 50:50 gender parity in workforce and management.
- 2% differently abled employees by 2023.
- 30% procurement spend to marginalized groups by 2025.
- 90% digital tool utilization by primary customers by 2024.
- Net Zero for new building facilities by 2035 and existing facilities by 2040.
- All new facilities to be green certified from 2023.
- Recycle 99% of waste by end 2023.
- 50% reduction in paper use by 2025.
- Lending to green projects to represent 10% of total book by December 2023.
- 100% client screening for loans >KShs 500,000 by end 2024.
- 100% assessment of all critical 3rd parties for ESG risks by December 2023.
- Climate risk framework in place by August 2023.
Environmental Challenges
- Increasing employee turnover.
- Climate change risks (physical and transition).
- Managing reputational risk.
- Financial risks associated with ESG factors.
Mitigation Strategies
- Refined employee onboarding process.
- Developed a climate risk framework and policy.
- Implemented rigorous screening processes for clients and suppliers.
- Integrated ESG considerations into credit risk management.
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: 100% assessment of all critical 3rd parties for ESG risks by December 2023 (target)
Responsible Procurement
- Third-party code of conduct.
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRI, TCFD
Reporting Period: 2023
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Climate Change
- Financial Inclusion
- Job Creation
- Sustainable Finance
- Infrastructure Development
- Education
- Health
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Governance
- Human Rights
Environmental Achievements
- Reduced carbon footprint through energy-saving measures in buildings, installation of smart meters, and a commitment to net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.
- Issued debut Green Bond to finance renewable energy projects.
- Windhoek head office is the most highly rated green building in Namibia.
Social Achievements
- Launched 'Flexi-Funeral' insurance policy.
- Hosted the second SMME Finance Symposium.
- Donated N$806,000 to FAWENA and N$400,000 to Never Walk Alone charity.
- Continued Buy-A-Brick initiative, building 21 houses in 2023.
- Supported MycoHab project (now a separate entity) for sustainable housing.
- Improved employee net promoter score by 6%.
Governance Achievements
- Implemented robust risk management processes and frameworks for ESG risks.
- 98% of employees completed mandatory compliance training on AML/CTF and anti-bribery and corruption.
- Maintained conduct risk within risk appetite.
Climate Goals & Targets
- Mobilise N$1.6 billion by 2026 for sustainable finance.
- Achieve net zero carbon emissions from operations by 2040 and from financed emissions by 2050.
- Improve home loan market performance in 2024.
Environmental Challenges
- Rising interest rates and increased food and fuel prices impacting consumer loan performance.
- Static home loan market.
- High levels of youth unemployment.
- Bush encroachment impacting the biosphere and agricultural sector.
Mitigation Strategies
- Relaxed specific lending criteria to assist customers.
- Introduced new measures to improve home loan market performance.
- Implemented various support mechanisms for SMMEs.
- Supported initiatives for youth development and education.
- Partnered with organizations to produce sustainable charcoal from invader bush.
Supply Chain Management
Responsible Procurement
- Prioritising B-BEE third-party suppliers
- Implementing capacity building programmes
- Ensuring immediate payments to suppliers
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Water scarcity
Transition Risks
- Regulatory changes in the energy sector
Opportunities
- Growth in renewable energy sector
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: UN Sustainable Development Goals, Paris Agreement, African Union’s Agenda 2063, Namcode
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 7 (Affordable and clean energy)
- Goal 8 (Decent work and economic growth)
- Goal 9 (Industry, innovation, and infrastructure)
- Goal 10 (Reduced inequalities)
- Goal 13 (Climate action)
Initiatives align with Namibia's NDP 6, Vision 2030, Harambee 2, and the UN SDGs.
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Flexi-Funeral insurance policy
- PayPulse Informal Market offering
- Insurance for solar plants
Awards & Recognition
- EMEA awards for Best Bank and Best Investment Bank in Namibia
- Golden Arrow awards
- Diamond Arrow award
- Bank of the Year Award from The Banker magazine