For many years Investec has formed partnerships in its local boroughs of Hackney, Newham and Tower Hamlets to help schools, start-up businesses, social enterprises, charities and other causes to support local people.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, more than one in five families in the UK lived in poverty. Today, with conditions exacerbated by unemployment, even more people need help. 

Feeding people is the greatest priority. Since the beginning of April Investec has committed to providing the funds to supply 18 food banks across the United Kingdom.

The support ensures more than 5,700 people in East London and 3,800 people outside of London receive the essential food items they need, every week. 

We're working with The Trussell Trust, First Love Foundation and Fresh Start Edinburgh.

Investec in South Africa has always held firm to the belief that we live in society, not off it. We have therefore made use of our own resources and our well-established network of partners and beneficiaries to mount a constructive response to the Covid-19 crisis by focusing on four key areas where we may have the biggest impact.

• Food Security: Engaging partners to distribute essential items to communities in all major centres where Investec operates.
• Healthcare: Enabling crucial Covid-19 testing; supporting medical professionals on the frontline; providing PPE, sanitizers and expanding care capacity.
• Education: Taking learning online by partnering to build the required infrastructure and ensuring students have access to data so they may participate in an e-learning platform.
• Economic continuity: Providing financial support for youth interns through staff salary contributions to the Solidarity Fund and executive pay cuts. 

Colleagues from our India office were given the opportunity to contribute a percentage of their April salary to the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund. Investec Capital Services India also donated to the fund.

Investec is supporting Food Bank for NYC with half of the proceeds earmarked for healthcare workers and first responders, and the other half for New York-based food banks helping the most vulnerable.

Investec has provided 195 food parcels for families most in need through the Guernsey Welfare Service and is continuing to support the GSPCA, helping the charity to look after the 350+ animals in their care and run their 24/7 animal ambulance service for a day.

Providing funding for charities that supply food banks. Colleagues are also making personal donations to a children’s charity and a women’s refuge charity.

Providing support to the Manx Solidarity Fund (MSF), a new charity set up specifically to support those directly affected by the coronavirus crisis, who fall outside of the Isle of Man Government assistance schemes.