Windhoek: The Namibian Standards Institution (NSI) on Tuesday launched two new certification schemes aimed at promoting environmental sustainability and occupational health and safety in organisations across the country.

According to Namibia Press Agency, NSI Chief Executive Officer, Eino Mvula, stated at the launch that the introduction of the NAMS/ISO 14001 Environmental Management System and NAMS/ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management System certification schemes reflects Namibia's commitment to sustainable development and international best practices.

Mvula noted that Namibia's rich biodiversity, wildlife resources, coastline, and unique ecosystems are central to the country's economy, supporting sectors such as tourism and fisheries. He highlighted that increasing environmental challenges, including climate change, land degradation, biodiversity loss, pollution, waste generation, and water scarcity, require a proactive approach.

He explained that environmental management systems provide organisations with a structured framework to identify and manage environmental impacts, ensure compliance with legislation, improve resource efficiency, and drive continual improvement. "Certification to ISO 14001 standards provides objective evidence of an organisation's commitment to environmental responsibility and operational excellence," he added.

According to Mvula, certified organisations will receive a mark of conformity demonstrating compliance with the international standard, while also contributing to the strengthening of Namibia's national quality infrastructure. He noted that the certification schemes complement Namibia's environmental legislative framework, including the Environmental Management Act of 2007, by enabling organisations to move beyond minimum compliance towards responsible corporate governance and continuous environmental improvement.

Mvula further noted that growing global demand for environmentally responsible products and services makes certification increasingly important for sectors such as mining, manufacturing, tourism, agriculture, fisheries, logistics, and energy. He encouraged organisations that have not yet implemented environmental management systems to begin the process and urged already certified entities to continue strengthening their environmental performance.