Opinion – Sustainable business in Namibia: Operations, ethics and society
Recent headlines in Namibia, from the Ohorongo-Cheetah Cement merger decision and teachers’ salaries failing to keep pace with the cost of living, to major em
Opinions
2026-07-312026-07-31By Correspondent
Recent headlines in Namibia, from the Ohorongo-Cheetah Cement merger decision and teachers’ salaries failing to keep pace with the cost of living, to major employers not meeting employment equity requirements and the illegitimate use of athletes at the recent Public Enterprises (PE) Games, all point to a deeper question: To what extent can we consider Namibian business systems and operations ethical? More importantly, is ethics intentionally embedded in our daily commercial practices, or is it treated as an afterthought?
As a scholar and practitioner in business management, I see ethics not as a peripheral issue but as central to how we design and manage operations.
Businesses, whether in Namibia or elsewhere, are complex systems because they are run by human beings – capable of honesty and care, but also of self-interest and neglect. This duality makes it essential for society to be deliberate about ethics in commerce.
Research increasingly shows that while profit may be the immediate goal of many enterprises, ethical behaviour is the most sustainable long-term business strategy.
