More than just words

For Sanlam, shared value is demonstrated through non-financial performance activities that play a key role in uplifting the quality of lives of people in Africa and India. Shared value is achieved through our contribution to the UN SDGs, economic growth and social investment activities and practices.

View Sustainability report

2022 FIGURES

Partnerships

Creating positive social impact through our focus areas of financial inclusion and access by leveraging strategic partnerships

CDP

CDP Climate change score: B (higher than the financial services sector average of C)

UN Global Compact

Sanlam joined the Network in 2022

Top Employer

Awarded Top Employer in South Africa for the 7th consecutive year

R130 million

Sanlam invested R130 million in CSI in 2022

Participation

Key participant in the National Green Finance Taxonomy initiative and the TNFD pilot


Sanlam’s purpose and sustainability strategy

As a leading financial services company, we recognise the critical role we can play in building a better tomorrow. Our purpose is to empower generations to be financially confident, secure and prosperous by making ourselves accessible, promoting financial education, financial inclusion and providing superior financial advice to protect and grow wealth.

We are committed to doing business in the right way by operating responsibly to positively impact the economy, environment and society that creates a sustainable and resilient future for all. In many of the markets where we operate, accelerated socio-economic development and climate change management outcomes enable meaningful social change.

We are building on our purpose-led strategy across the Sanlam Group as part of our ongoing sustainability journey to focus on shared value creation, deepening financial inclusion, driving sustainable investment decisions throughout our assets under management, our value chains and ecosystems, and optimising value through our strategic partnerships.

Our strategy is aligned to seven United Nations Sustainable Development Goals we have prioritised where we believe we can be most effectively focus our efforts and make the greatest impact of shared value creation, measured against domestic and global sustainability standards so we can benchmark our progress.

The four pillars of our sustainability strategy

Shared value creation in Africa and India

We are deeply aware of the critical role we can play in building a better tomorrow by creating an enabling environment for sustainable, inclusive economic growth. We want to be part of the long-term solution to create sustainable economic impact throughout the financial ecosystem that brings meaningful social change to deliver shared value. Our purpose-led strategy is focused on operating as a responsible business and delivering long-term sustainable growth to create shared value for our stakeholders, society and improve the lives of every individual within the communities where we operate.

ESG integration in asset management, value chains and ecosystems

As an investor and asset owner, we ensure we invest responsibly into solutions and companies that are enabling positive economic and social change. Sustainable investing is the cornerstone of our strategy and we believe that safeguarding economic, environmental and social assets is the foundation for a healthy economy that generates sustainable returns for the future. Our purpose-driven sustainability aims to improve quality of lives, livelihoods, protect resources and preserve the environment for future generations by creating resilience. We do this through our sustainable investing frameworks which incorporate ESG factors into our investment processes.

Financial inclusion

We know that financial inclusion is key to unlocking sustainable and inclusive economic growth that facilitates socio-economic development and we see this as the bedrock of our strategy. Sanlam believes that everyone should have access to a well-functioning financial infrastructure and know-how to preserve, manage and grow their wealth. By providing ease of access to financial services, we aim to enhance, improve and grow financial access and education to economically active populations who were previously excluded from the financial system to help our clients and stakeholders secure a resilient future for all.

Strategic partnerships

We recognise our role in creating and maintaining a sustainable system that enables people to realise their financial goals over their lifetime. We do this by creating a sustainable value chain with strategic partners who help create shared value at every point.We leverage our partnership model to enable thriving financial ecosystems, optimise digital transformation, enhance our sustainable investment decisions and create shared value, all of which are key enablers for us to deliver on our purpose.

THE FOUR STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PILLARS ABOVE ARE UNDERPINNED BY SEVEN THEMES THAT ARE ALIGNED TO OUR PRIORITY UN SDGS.

We focus our efforts by prioritising seven UN SDGs that provide the biggest opportunity to create shared value. These are SDG 3 – good health and well being; SDG 4 – quality education; SDG 8 – decent work and economic growth; SDG 10 – reduced inequalities; SDG 11 – sustainable cities and communities; SDG 13 – climate action; SDG 17 – partnership for the goals.

Consistent value and trust for our clients

Sustainable value for our shareholders

Financial inclusion

Economic growth

Integrating with our societies

Enabling environmental resilience

Value enhancing ecosystems

Relationships that matter

Our stakeholder engagements are aimed at helping us blaze a trail of financial confidence and for the creation, maintenance and protection of social capital for Sanlam across the various stakeholder groups and client segments.

Clients

Employees

Shareholders and the investment community

Business partners and suppliers

Distribution partners


Media

Civil society

Organised business and industry

Government

Regulators


Our commitment to responsible investment

Sanlam Investments provides retail and institutional clients in South Africa, the United Kingdom and elsewhere in Europe access to a comprehensive range of specialised investment management and risk management expertise. The manner in which institutional investors approach environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues is gaining increased attention around the world. Globally, it is estimated that there are US$22,89 trillion of assets being professionally managed under responsible investment strategies — an increase of 25% since 2014.

Pension funds, insurers and asset managers should be equipped to understand and respond to potential risks and opportunities arising from ESG-related factors in order to safeguard the assets that they invest on behalf of their clients. Understanding ESG issues and the potential impact of ESG factors on both their investment strategy and the broader operating environment is therefore an integral part of good governance for institutional investors.

As value investors, Sanlam Investments’ investment philosophy is to make use of opportunities created when prices differ from their fair value. Generally, Sanlam invests in assets that are trading below its fair value estimate and disinvests from assets that are trading above its fair value estimate. Sanlam’s team of analysts therefore conduct in-depth research to gain insights into what an asset is truly worth, instead of what investors are willing to pay.

Accordingly, we promote the incorporation of environmental, social and governance factors (ESG) into investment decisions to better understand the risks and opportunities inherent in our investments. To guide this process, we subscribe to the global UN-supported Principles of Responsible Investment (PRI) and have adopted the Code for Responsible Investing in South Africa (CRISA) principles. We also acknowledge the need and importance of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and our country’s National Development Plan. As part of our commitment to this agenda, we will report on progress annually through the PRI and CRISA framework.

We invite Sanlam shareholders to engage with our investor relations team for more information.

A dedicated transformation office

We want to be at the forefront of transformation in the financial sector and support confidence through empowerment. Sanlam established a transformation office which effectively came into being on 1 March 2020. The aim of this office is to ensure that the Group has a defined and articulated transformation positioning and approach.

See more on transformation

ESG

External ratings



Sanlam Foundation

The Sanlam Foundation’s mandate is to be the custodian of Sanlam’s legitimacy as a responsible corporate citizen. To create shared value, the foundation drives increased positive social impact and helps protect Sanlam’s reputation as a trusted, relevant organisation, that is part of the fabric of the societies within which the Group operates.

See more information on the foundation

Key resources