Nedbank empowers its employees to drive community change

Nedbank Namibia recently launched the 2025 Nedbank Team Challenge, an annual employee volunteerism initiative that empowers bank employees to actively support non-governmentalorganisations (NGOs) in Namibia.The initiative, which kicked off in September, saw 4 selected employee teams take on projects in social welfare, environmental and waste management, education, and agriculture sectors. Each team was provided seed funding from the bank to initiate their projects, with additional support available to ensure long-term success and meaningful outcomes.Nedbank Namibia’s head of communications, Gernot de Klerk, said the initiative is aimed at community upliftment. “As money experts who do good, we believe in going beyond financial services to uplift the communities we serve. The Nedbank Team Challenge is a powerful way to harness the passion and creativity of our employees, while reinforcing our role as an industry leader in sustainable development.”The initiative is rooted in Nedbank Namibia’s ethos and reflects the bank’s strategic focus on corporate social investment. By encouraging employees to collaborate on real-world challenges, the Nedbank Team Challenge strengthens team morale, fosters cross-functional collaboration, and builds a culture of empathy and innovation. Each project was planned carefully to ensure the impact goes beyond short-term relief to create lasting change. The teams selected for this year’s Nedbank Team Challenge, include the Groundbreakers, which is based in Windhoek and is collaborating with a local NGO to construct an urban vegetable garden to address the need to curb malnutrition in the community. The second team, Ngandu, is based in Rundu, and they are collaborating with a recycling centre to turn waste into profitable products by collecting plastic waste and converting it into reusable products like bricks and pavers. The third and fourth teams, the Unstoppables, and the Tura Saviours, are based in Windhoek and they are collaborating with a local education centre and orphanage, respectively. The Unstoppables is aiming to educate and support volunteers at the education centre, as well as donate funds from fundraising efforts towards the centre. The Tura Saviours are working on building a boundary wall at the orphanage.Staff volunteerism plays a crucial role in enhancing organisational effectiveness and social impact. Research shows that when employees are encouraged to participate in volunteer initiatives, it leads to increased job satisfaction and stronger team cohesion. Volunteerism fosters a sense of purpose and belonging, which can translate into higher productivity and retention rates.Moreover, it strengthens an organisation’s reputation and aligns corporate values with broader societal goals, such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. By integrating volunteerism into corporate culture, organisations not only contribute to community development but also cultivate leadership, empathy, and innovation among their workforce.The Nedbank Team Challenge reinforces the bank’s leadership in community development and sets a benchmark for corporate volunteerism in Namibia’s financial sector. The initiative aligns with global efforts which position Nedbank as a forward-thinking, socially responsible institution.

Nedbank empowers its employees to drive community change

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Namibian Sun 2025-10-09

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Nedbank empowers its employees to drive community change

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Namibian Sun 2025-10-09

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