Driving conservation at scale: USD175 million sustainable financing for Wilderness

Wilderness Holdings Limited is a globally recognised conservation and eco‑tourism group whose business model directly links tourism revenues to the protection of natural habitats, wildlife preservation and community development. Operating across biodiversity‑rich regions, the organisation plays a critical role in advancing sustainable livelihoods and long-term conservation outcomes. 

Our collaboration began with a deep understanding of the client’s strategic priorities and operational requirements. We structured a five-year senior secured funding package comprising a USD125 million term facility and a USD50 million revolving credit facility. This solution was designed to strengthen liquidity, extend debt maturities and provide a flexible capital platform aligned with Wilderness’s cashflow profile. 

A defining feature of the transaction is its classification as pure‑play sustainable finance. More than 90% of Wilderness’s operating expenditure is directed toward green and social activities, including biodiversity conservation, eco‑tourism operations, land preservation and socioeconomic empowerment. This positions the financing as sustainability‑led by design, with impact embedded at the core of the business model.

This transaction highlights how targeted financing can support businesses that deliver both commercial value and meaningful social and environmental impact. By enabling Wilderness to scale its conservation-led model, the deal contributes to protecting Africa’s natural ecosystems while supporting economic opportunities in local communities.  

Through partnerships like this, Standard Bank continues to back clients who are building resilient, purpose-led businesses and shaping sustainable growth across the continent.