Lazada launches Sustainability Academy to empower Southeast Asian businesses

The Lazada Group is launching a brand-new program called Lazada Sustainability Academy (LSA) designed to encourage sustainable growth within the digital commerce ecosystem.

The LSA seeks to empower small and medium Southeast Asian businesses with the knowledge and mindset necessary to transform sustainably and future-proof their operations.

The LSA curriculum is comprised of three essential components to assist sellers on their journey towards sustainability: Bite-Sized Learnings, the Ask the Experts Interview Series, and the Seller Acceleration Camp.

• Bite-Sized Learnings: Jointly designed with the Singapore Environment Council (SEC), fortnightly e-learning content will be developed for the Lazada University learning platform through blog articles, visual images and videos. Developed for sellers who are new to sustainability, the content aims to introduce businesses to fundamental sustainability concepts and the benefits of sustainable transformation with quick-to-digest, easy-to-understand content.
• Ask the Experts Interview Series: External knowledge partners from International Trade Centre, Centre for Governance and Sustainability, NUS Business School, Deloitte, SEC, Bureau Veritas and Synagie are invited for interviews to provide in-depth, nuanced insights into what it takes to run a business sustainably. These will be available on Lazada University, YouTube, and Spotify every other week.
• Seller Acceleration Camp: Sellers who are ready to adopt sustainable business practices will be invited to an intensive bootcamp, where they can learn actional sustainable practices and effective measurement of the impact of sustainability. This is paired with a six-month coaching program by subject matter experts before outstanding participants will receive an award recognition from Lazada for embracing responsible business practices. The camp was first piloted in Indonesia on 18-19 October to 30 selected local sellers, in partnership with Kopernik, International Trade Centre and Modalku.

The LSA provides a holistic education system structured to support sellers at any stage of their sustainability transformation. A comprehensive spectrum of resources are made available for these sellers, arming them with the requisite tools and knowledge to grow sustainably within the digital commerce market.

Arif Mujafar, owner of Clothing shop Bali Swalayan on Lazada Indonesia, and participant at Lazada Indonesia's Seller Acceleration Camp, commented on the programme, "This two-day bootcamp has been an eye-opening experience for me, as the program provides in-depth and valuable insights into sustainable practices."

"The topic of environmentally-friendly packaging resonated with me particularly as I can see its direct impact on the environment. I'm excited to continue with the rest of the program in the upcoming months, to learn more about sustainability and how it can help us address the issues we are currently facing."

This partnership with SEC marks Lazada's latest initiative under its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) framework. Lazada is committed to contributing towards a greener world, making it the first e-commerce platform to offer dedicated sustainability education for responsible business practices within the digital commerce ecosystem.

General Counsel of Lazada Group, Gladys Chun, stated, "This program is one step closer towards our greater goal of enriching the lives of all participants in the digital economy while building towards a resilient and sustainable future, and we are committed to helping our sellers excel for sustainable growth."

Assistant Executive Director of SEC, William Wong, remarked, "Through this partnership, we aim to equip businesses with the knowledge and tools they need to not only survive but thrive in an increasingly eco-conscious world. SEC is thrilled to be part of this initiative, working together towards a greener and more sustainable digital commerce ecosystem."