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Sustainability

Ordinary is not sustainable

haybales and wind turbines

The desire to make a meaningful contribution to the world in which we live is at the heart of our values at Investec. Making an unselfish contribution to society, nurturing an entrepreneurial spirit, embracing diversity, and respecting others, underpin our aim to be responsible corporate citizens.

Investec recognised within top 100 sustainable companies

Investec has been recognised as one of the Global 100 most sustainable corporation for 2023
 
  • Investec has ranked 52, up from 76 the previous year
  • Investec has ranked as the most sustainable bank in South Africa in the Global 100 Index
  • Investec has ranked as the second most sustainable bank globally in the Global 100 Index

Contributory to this ranking, we expanded our sustainability product offering during the past financial year, with an increase in renewable energy investments. Further, we saw an improvement in our board diversity, with an increase in women on the board from 43% in ‘23 to 58% in ‘24 (as at 31 March 2024).

Fani Titi
Marc Kahn, Investec Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer

The world’s sustainability challenges are inherently complex. Investec always finds it encouraging to be recognised for our perseverance in addressing these critical issues and to be rated among the world’s most sustainable companies. We are particularly pleased to have improved our ranking to 52nd from 76th. It’s also important to acknowledge how much work remains to be done.

Group Sustainability Report 2024

Our group sustainability report highlights our sustainability performance over the period 1 April 2023 - 31 March 2024. Read more for an overview of our performance, progress and priorities over the past financial year.

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£16.2mn

Invested in our people and growing talent and leadership in the past year

£10.0mn

Contributed to society through our community programmes in the past year

Disclosed our Scope 3 financed emissions

for the third year with a strategy to reach net zero by 2050

Investing in our people

The expertise and dedication of our employees are fundamental to meeting our clients’ needs and delivering distinctive results.
We employ people from all over the world with various academic, ethnic and social backgrounds. Our culture ensures a stimulating and progressive work environment that inspires entrepreneurial, free thinkers with a conscience.
Learn more

Supporting our communities

We support the communities in which we exist, with a particular focus on education and entrepreneurship.
We believe this will help to create opportunities for employment, wealth creation and contribute to the social and economic empowerment of others. The active involvement of our people through volunteering remains at the core of our community programmes and reflects the depth of the Investec heartbeat.
Learn more

Caring for our environment

A clean, resource-rich natural environment supports the growth of business and the economy and is vital for healthy communities.
In all our operations, we strive to find smart, sustainable solutions that make business sense but are also environmentally responsible. We’re also passionate about preserving biodiversity and prolonging life on our planet, and work towards the sustainable existence of wildlife, among other programmes.
Learn more

Operating responsibly

Our business decisions are driven by our values and the intention to live in society, and not off it. As an Investec client, you’re sure to be dealing with a sustainable, financially resilient business, which is here for the long term. We also benchmark ourselves to the highest moral standards and offer you investment opportunities in line with your own ethical values.

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Financial strength and resilience

The financial strength and resilience of our business depend on a balanced business model that supports our long-term growth vision. This enables us to deliver value to our stakeholders and the best service to our clients. We aim to maintain an appropriate balance between revenue earned from operational risk activities, and financial risk activities. 

Sound corporate governance

Investec’s values and philosophies provide the framework against which we measure behaviour.  We require all our people to act with integrity and conduct themselves to promote and maintain trust. We view all employees as custodians of ethical behaviour which is reinforced through internal processes, policies and procedures. All international business units operate in accordance with our corporate governance principles. 

Our approach to tax

At Investec, we are committed to conducting our tax affairs in an open and transparent way. 

Responsible procurement

We recognise the potential for our procurement and supply chain practices to be agents for change in our endeavours to operate responsibly. We have environmental, social and ethical considerations incorporated into our procurement policies and encourage our suppliers to support our aim for a sustainable future.

Responsible financing and investing

As a financial services organisation with a strong footing in both the developed and developing world, we believe we can make a meaningful contribution to society and the environment. We welcome opportunities for our clients and businesses in cleaner and renewable energy sources, energy efficiency and responsible financing and investing. 

Our approach to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

We believe that the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a solid framework for us to assess, align and prioritise our activities. We recognise the pivotal role that the private sector, and in particular, the financial sector, will have in their achievement. Our strategy is to harness the expertise in our various businesses and identify opportunities to maximise impact by partnering with our clients, investors and various stakeholders to support delivery of the SDGs and build a more resilient and inclusive world.

Group Sustainability Report 2024

Climate-related Financial Disclosures Report 2024

Other reporting requirements

UN Principles for Responsible Banking report 2024 PDF 5.82 MB
GRI Index 2024 PDF 9.39 MB
SASB Report 2023 PDF 187.9 KB