The NTUC LearningHub (NTUC LHUB) Green Academy will bring together training content and industry partners, skills accreditors, and employers in an integrated ecosystem, to champion green jobs and skills essential for sustainability adoption. It will focus on five key pillars: (1) Sustainability Foundation, (2) Sustainability Reporting, (3) Cleaner Energy, (4) Agri-Aqua-Tech, and (5) Sustainable Finance.The NTUC Sustainability Signature Programme is also introduced under the academy and is Singapore’s first implementation-led sustainability training programme with Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) ASEAN Network, to guide SMEs on their sustainability transformation journey through a structured three-phase approach.A joint Industry Insights Report by NTUC LHUB and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) ASEAN Network on Driving Sustainability in SMEs, unveiled at the event, uncovers gaps and challenges in sustainability awareness, adoption, and training among SMEs.
SINGAPORE, March 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — NTUC LearningHub (NTUC LHUB) today announces the official launch of the NTUC LHUB Green Academy, officiated by Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations, at the “NTUC LearningHub Sustainability Symposium: Driving a Greener Future Together” event. The NTUC LHUB Green Academy serves as a platform that brings together over 20 key stakeholders including training content and industry partners, skills accreditors, and employers in an integrated ecosystem, to champion green jobs and skills essential for sustainability adoption.
Also introduced at the event is the NTUC Sustainability Signature Programme (NTUC SSP), Singapore’s first implementation-led sustainability training programme co-developed with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) ASEAN Network, for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The programme is offered under the NTUC LHUB Green Academy to help SMEs identify their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals, integrate sustainability into their operations, and enhance compliance and risk management. It also aims to build SME capacity to publish a sustainability report, enabling them to meet supply chain requirements, access capital, and fulfil regulatory reporting obligations, strengthening their business resilience and market competitiveness.
In developing the NTUC SSP, insights were gathered from a joint research report by NTUC LHUB and GRI ASEAN Network. The report, titled “Industry Insights Report on Driving Sustainability in SMEs”, was unveiled at the event and uncovers gaps and challenges in sustainability awareness, adoption, and training among SMEs.
A Collaborative Learning Ecosystem for the Green Economy
The NTUC LHUB Green Academy is established with a focus on the practical application of skills in five key pillars: (1) Sustainability Foundation, (2) Sustainability Reporting, (3) Cleaner Energy, (4) Agri-Aqua-Tech, with (5) Sustainable Finance slated to launch later in the year. With sustainability becoming a key business imperative, the academy also aims to help businesses navigate evolving regulations, integrate sustainable practices, and meet ESG reporting standards. Please refer to Annex A for more information on the NTUC LHUB Green Academy.
As a collaborative learning ecosystem, the NTUC LHUB Green Academy brings together key stakeholders with the aim to prepare workers and companies for the green economy. To drive this, NTUC LHUB signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with ten leading training content and industry partners, and skills accreditors to jointly work on curriculum development and accreditation to ensure the programmes are relevant and industry recognised. As part of the agreement, there will be a continuous review of the programmes to align with emerging trends and best practices in sustainability. Please see Annex B for the full list partners.
In addition, NTUC LHUB also signed MoUs with ten employers to drive workforce transformation. Under the MoUs, the employers will partner NTUC LHUB to identify emerging job roles and skills, commit to upskilling their employees, and promote sustainability awareness. Please refer to Annex C for the full list of employers.
“Sustainability is no longer a choice but a necessity for businesses to stay competitive and resilient in today’s evolving economic landscape. At NTUC LearningHub, we are committed to equipping both employers and workers with the tools and knowledge needed for sustainable transformation. The NTUC LHUB Green Academy builds on this commitment by providing a dedicated platform to bring together leading industry and content partners and sectorial stakeholders into this ecosystem, and to guide businesses and individuals embarking their upskilling journey in green skills. The academy not only helps businesses achieve their sustainability goals but also supports workers through targeted upskilling, ensuring that no one is left behind in this transition,” said Mr Tay Ee Learn, Chief Sector Skills Officer, NTUC LHUB.
Helping SMEs in Sustainability Transformation and Implementation
The NTUC SSP is launched under the NTUC LHUB Green Academy, in collaboration with the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and Grant Thornton Singapore. The programme is Singapore’s first implementation-led sustainability training programme co-developed with GRI ASEAN Network, and is designed to guide SMEs on their sustainability transformation and implementation journey, through a three-phase approach – (1) Diagnose, (2) Transit, and (3) Implement – to equip them with tools and knowledge to navigate their sustainability journey effectively.
The programme also leverages NTUC’s Awareness, Resources, and Community (ARC) framework established in collaboration with Grant Thornton Singapore in June 2024[1]. This ensures a structured and comprehensive support system to help employers achieve their sustainability goals while empowering workers through upskilling initiatives.
Additionally, the complimentary ESG Assessment for Sustainability Transformation (EAST), available on the Synesgy platform and powered by Europe-based credit and business information provider CRIF, helps companies evaluate their readiness and take actionable steps based on their sustainability stage. The NTUC SSP is delivered over a span of 12 hours across three sessions, followed by a three-month period for businesses to implement sustainable practices. Please refer to Annex D for more information on the NTUC SSP.
“SMEs are essential to our economy but face challenges in adopting sustainable practices due to limited resources and expertise. Sustainable growth can benefit workers too, and NTUC is focused on helping them and businesses overcome these hurdles. The NTUC Sustainability Signature Programme offers practical training and support to help SMEs adapt to evolving standards, which can ensure better job opportunities, enhanced job security, and long-term career prospects for our workers,” said Mr. Desmond Tan, Deputy Secretary-General of NTUC.
Joint Industry Report Uncovers Sustainability Gaps and Challenges Among SMEs
The joint “Industry Insights Report on Driving Sustainability in SMEs” by NTUC LHUB and GRI ASEAN Network was also unveiled at the event. The report is based on a survey of 200 SME business leaders conducted in October 2024, and a focus group discussion (FGD) held in November 2024 with 38 participants from regulators, financial institutions, government bodies, large companies, SMEs, and trainers.
Key findings from the report reveal that less than one-third of SME leaders (9% very important, 22% important) view sustainability as critical to their business. Furthermore, fewer than one-fifth of SMEs regularly assess and monitor their economic, environmental, and social impacts. Around three-fifths of respondents (61%) also reveal that their businesses do not comply with sustainability-related requirements, while nearly two-thirds (64%) report that their business does not have certifications in sustainability.
In terms of training, about two-thirds (69%) of SME leaders indicated that they have not attended any sustainability-related training or workshops before, with FGD participants emphasising the need for more targeted capacity-building programmes, particularly in sector-specific areas such as carbon footprint tracking and risk assessment.
These findings were discussed at the panel discussion, where the speakers explored these challenges in depth, noting that limited access to resources and expertise, as well as competing priorities, often hinder SMEs from advancing their sustainability goals. Please refer to Annex E for more information on the report and the panel discussion speakers.
“The findings highlight the significant challenges that SMEs face in adopting sustainability practices, including limited time, lack of skilled personnel, knowledge gaps, regulatory complexity, and financial constraints. These barriers often prevent SMEs from seeing the long-term value of sustainability, despite its growing importance in today’s business landscape. By providing tailored solutions – such as practical self-assessment tools and capacity-building programmes – we can help empower SMEs to overcome these challenges and seamlessly integrate sustainability into their operations. This strategic support is essential for enabling SMEs to drive meaningful change and contribute to sustainable development in Singapore and beyond,” said Dr Allinnettes Go Adigue, Director, ASEAN Network, GRI.
To download a copy of the “Industry Insights Report 2025 on Driving Sustainability in SMEs”, please visit www.ntuclearninghub.com/media/research-reports/2025/Sustainability.
Download a copy of the annex here: https://ntuclhub.sg/GreenAcadPRAnnex
About NTUC LearningHub
NTUC LearningHub is the leading Continuing Education and Training provider in Singapore which aims to transform the lifelong employability of working people. Since our corporatisation in 2004, we have been working with employers and individual learners to provide learning solutions in areas such as Infocomm Technology, Generative AI & Cloud, Sustainability, Healthcare, Tourism, Retail & Food Services, Employability & Literacy, Business Excellence, Workplace Safety & Health, Security, Human Resources & Coaching and Foreign Workers Training.
To date, NTUC LearningHub has helped over 34,000 organisations and achieved more than 3.2 million training places across more than 3,000 courses with a pool of about 1,000 certified trainers. As a Total Learning Solutions provider to organisations, we also forge partnerships to offer a wide range of relevant end-to-end training. Besides in-person training, we also offer instructor-led virtual live classes (VLCs) and asynchronous online learning. The NTUC LearningHub Learning eXperience Platform (LXP) — a one-stop online learning mobile application — offers timely, bite-sized and quality content for learners to upskill anytime and anywhere. Beyond learning, LXP also serves as a platform for jobs and skills development for both workers and companies.
For more information, visit www.ntuclearninghub.com.
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/ntuc-learninghub-launches-green-academy-offers-implementation-led-sustainability-training-programme-with-gri-asean-network-for-smes-302405674.html
SOURCE NTUC LearningHub
