At the end of 2018 Sanlam finds itself again transformed in two major ways: following the conclusion of the last phase of the Saham Finances acquisition we are now the largest non-banking financial services group on the African continent, and we initiated a BBBEE transaction valued at more than R10 billion that will bring further impetus to transformation in South Africa.
These achievements bring responsibility: Sanlam is a key pillar of the continent’s financial infrastructure and South Africa’s success. Any material instance of failure or impairment of Sanlam would have a significant impact on the economies in which we operate and the financial lives of the people that we protect.
We take our role and contribution to a stable financial system seriously and are committed to supporting financial resilience, well-being, prosperity and inclusion.
Many stakeholders rely on Sanlam’s sustainability for a secure future. This means that we have to continually create new responses to changing economic, social and political environments in ways that balance different interests responsibly. We are also conscious that we have to be transparent in how we make these choices and allow stakeholders to shape our thinking in an integrated way.
We continue to celebrate 100 years in our integrated reporting, with an emphasis on our performance and progress in 2018, while also explaining how we remain true to our purpose: to build a world where people can live their best possible lives through financial resilience and prosperity. We contribute to our clients’ financial resilience by protecting them against the adverse financial consequences of unforeseen events. Our role within the financial system also contributes to the resilience of society in general through responsible capital allocation and providing stability when the system experiences internal or external shocks. Financial prosperity encompasses realising people’s financial goals over their lifetime, an important component of which is financial independence in retirement.
Our reporting retains a strong strategic focus. We recognise how current performance directs future prospects, and how governance structures and controls are essential in safeguarding the integrity of our leadership position.
We welcome your feedback. Please contact us and suggest how we can improve our reporting, disclosure and practices to the ultimate benefit of all our stakeholders.