Namibian Sun

For Bank Windhoek, corporate social responsibility extends beyond their societal impact and underpins their culture and aligns with their purpose of being a connector of positive change. In response to the appeal by President Hage Geingob to the private sector, Bank Windhoek announced certain initiatives to address the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
To neutralise the Covid-19 pandemic, they believe a collective effort is required.
“A national pandemic such as Covid-19 requires a collective effort from all sectors of the country. Ultimately, we are responsible for communities that we operate in,” said Jacquiline Pack, Bank Windhoek’s executive officer of marketing and corporate communication services.
To date they have made a substantial investment in the protection of the health and safety of their staff and have procured sanitising solutions, masks and gloves for their staff nationwide. They have also enabled many of their staff to work from home and have supplied the necessary tools for them to carry out their tasks and ensure they can continue to deliver the best possible client service.
For the duration of the lockdown, all their branches nationwide will be closed on Saturdays to minimise social interaction further.

Ensuring the safety of customers

This focus has not only been directed towards employees, but the bank has also shared initiatives they have in place to protect their diverse clientele as well.
“Different customers will have different needs during this pandemic. As such, those needs need to be addressed in ways that are specific to the circumstances of each client. A one size fits all approach is detrimental to the longevity of small businesses, for example, if we were to assess them in the same way as bigger, more established businesses,” Pack further added.
Bank Windhoek has further put in place a fast-track application process for the deferment of capital and interest payments on term loan facilities, vehicle and asset finance, mortgage loans and overdraft facilities up to N$ 2,5 million and for an initial period of up to three months. The fast-track process is designed to simplify applications and facilitate quick response by the bank to ensure clients are assisted timeously.
The special arrangements are available to clients who are in good standing with the bank and aims to specifically support SME’s with a turnover of under N$10 million a year, clients in the tourism sector, the agriculture value chain, transport and health sectors as well as clients who may have lost all or part of their salary income due to the fallout of Covid-19.

Joining the fight against Covid-19

Bank Windhoek has further committed N$258 000 to translate relevant information about Covid-19 to all vernaculars and to broadcast it on radio.
“It is important for the community to receive information about the pandemic in their mother tongue for the messages of preventing the spread Covid-19; social distancing, frequent washing of hands, not touching your eyes, mouth and nose with hands that are not clean and refraining from personal greetings with handshakes to every Namibian citizen,” Pack further stated.
Pack believes it is also important to communicate the symptoms of the coronavirus and to provide details of the Covid-19 helpline.
The bank also recognises that senior citizens often rely on the interest earned on their investment and have decided to offer them preferential interest rates on fixed deposits for periods of 12, 18 and 24 months.
Bank Windhoek would like to confirm that the return and capital are guaranteed for the period and will not change over the term of the investment. They aim to stabilise investment income during these uncertain times and that the interest will be paid monthly to a client nominated bank account.
Clients with a senior save account will further benefit from no transaction fees at Bank Windhoek ATMs, free point of sale transactions and free access to all electronic channels until the end of April.
“We have engaged with the ministry of health and social services to assist in the purchasing of chemical testing agents required in testing for Covid-19. An amount of N$332 000 has been made available for testing kits and Nasopharyngeal Swab Collection kits. Engagements with the ministry of health is ongoing as we realise that times are uncertain and further needs may arise,” Pack added.
Bank Windhoek is a proudly Namibian bank and is committed to help address the plight of our country and our people to ensure the sustainability and future growth of our clients and ultimately the Namibian economy.
“We ask everyone to follow the government directives and World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines stipulated to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Stay safe and stay home, together we will overcome Covid-19,” Pack concluded.