By Olusegun Obisanya
The Sustainability Professionals Institute of Nigeria (SPIN) has inducted 64 new members at its 2024 cohort induction ceremony on Thursday, June 20, 2024. The event took place at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Victoria Island, Lagos, marking a significant milestone in the institute’s efforts to promote sustainable practices in Nigeria.
The induction ceremony, according to a statement from the Institute, was brought together by professionals from various sectors, institutional members including Access Bank, Dangote Cement, First Bank, IHS Towers and Lotus Bank, among others, emphasising their commitment to supporting a sustainable Nigeria. The event aimed to strengthen SPIN’s membership base and reaffirm its commitment to addressing gaps in sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices in Africa’s most populous nation.
In his keynote address, Professor Bongo Adi, Lagos Business School delivered a presentation titled: “The Role of Sustainability Professionals in Socio-economic Development.” He emphasised developmental activism as a key driver of sustainability practices and economic progress, urging the new inductees to take an active role in shaping Nigeria’s sustainable future.
Speaking, Vice President, SPIN, Ini Abimbola said, “SPIN remains committed to promoting sustainable practices in Nigeria. We charge our new inductees to imbibe good leadership traits as they join our mission.” She also hinted at ongoing plans towards achieving charter status for the institute.
In his presentation titled, “Positioning Social Enterprises as Key Drivers of Sustainable Development in Emerging Economies,” Osayi Alile stressed the need for more knowledge and collaborations at corporate and individual levels.
Director of Advocacy and Stakeholder Relations at SPIN, Ismail Omamegbe, outlined the institute’s plans for the new inductees.
“We will engage our new members through a comprehensive framework,” adding, “This includes capacity building, professional sustainability training, developing standards for sustainability practice in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa, creating online learning resources, and bench-marking our initiatives against similar associations globally.”
The 64 new professionals joined 136 other members, who were inducted into different cadres of the institution such as Fellow, Full Members, Associate Members and Student Members. Since its inception in 2019, The Sustainability Professionals Institute of Nigeria (SPIN) has been addressing gaps in Sustainability and CSR practices in Nigeria.
The institution has recorded major milestones such as the inclusion of 8 globally recognised professionals on the Board of Trustees, obtaining a partnership affiliation with the Institute of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (ICRS) in the United Kingdom, and transitioning from an Association to an Institute in November 2022.
