Group Sustainability and ESG

2020 sustainability highlights

The UN SDGs provide a solid framework for us to assess, align and prioritise business activities. The private sector, and in particular, the financial sector, have a pivotal role to play in their achievement. Our strategy is to harness the expertise in our various businesses and identify opportunities to maximise impact. We partner with our clients, investors and various stakeholders to support delivery of the SDGs and build a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable world.

Our two core SDG priorities

Reduced inequalities

Reduce inequality within and among countries

Climate action

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Our six secondary SDG priorities

We have six secondary SDG priorities that are globally aligned yet locally relevant to our core geographies and which reflect our current business model and growth strategy.

Quality education

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Clean water and sanitation

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

Affordable and clean energy

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

Decent work and economic growth

Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

Industry innovation and infrastructure

Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation

Sustainable cities and communities

Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

Partnering for prosperity for all

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all through:

SDG 4.3: Equal access to education

SDG 4.4: Increasing the number of youth with relevant skills

Within our operations	Provide staff bursaries Offer learning and development programmes to staff Provide CA programme Provide IT Grad programme Offer education benefits to staff’s family members.
Within our business	Contribute to a greater pool of talent and create economic participants Allocate 55% of Wealth & Investment philanthropy funds to education Fund educational solutions.
Within our communities	Fund educational programmes in South Africa (Promaths and bursaries) Fund Arrival Education in the UK Support external learnership programmes.

Within our operations	Provide staff bursaries Offer learning and development programmes to staff Provide CA programme Provide IT Grad programme Offer education benefits to staff’s family members.
Within our business	Contribute to a greater pool of talent and create economic participants Allocate 55% of Wealth & Investment philanthropy funds to education Fund educational solutions.
Within our communities	Fund educational programmes in South Africa (Promaths and bursaries) Fund Arrival Education in the UK Support external learnership programmes.

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all through:

SDG 6.1 Safe and affordable drinking water

SDG 6.4 Water use efficiency

Within our operations	Responsible sourcing of water in all Investec offices Innovative technology to reduce consumption and limit waste Encourage behaviour that ensures conscious water usage.
Within our business	Established expertise in, and fund water infrastructure Finance innovative water saving solutions Finance safe water storage.
Within our communities	Fund the installation of water storage that provides clean water to rural communities Donate to assist water-scarce communities in times of drought.

Within our operations	Responsible sourcing of water in all Investec offices Innovative technology to reduce consumption and limit waste Encourage behaviour that ensures conscious water usage.
Within our business	Established expertise in, and fund water infrastructure Finance innovative water saving solutions Finance safe water storage.
Within our communities	Fund the installation of water storage that provides clean water to rural communities Donate to assist water-scarce communities in times of drought.

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all through:

SDG 7.2 Increasing the share of renewable energy

Within our operations	Minimise and manage energy consumption in all offices through innovative technologies Draw from renewable sources where possible Encourage behaviour to ensure responsible energy use.
Within our business	Finance and develop renewable energy generation and transmission Participate in renewable energy projects globally Finance energy solutions for corporates and households.
Within our communities	Assist communities with renewable energy options Ensure renewable energy projects funded are able to supply local communities where required.

Within our operations	Minimise and manage energy consumption in all offices through innovative technologies Draw from renewable sources where possible Encourage behaviour to ensure responsible energy use.
Within our business	Finance and develop renewable energy generation and transmission Participate in renewable energy projects globally Finance energy solutions for corporates and households.
Within our communities	Assist communities with renewable energy options Ensure renewable energy projects funded are able to supply local communities where required.

Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all through:

SDG 8.5: Full and productive employment and decent work

SDG 8.9: Promote sustainable tourism

Within our operations	Publish HR, compliance and ESG policies, including a code of conduct Provide economic opportunities for 8 355 people Enable internal mobility.
Within our business	Finance and advise clients, including entrepreneurs and SMMEs, enabling them to grow their businesses, employ more people and contribute to overall economic growth.
Within our communities	Support youth employment through YES initiative Support community entrepreneurship programmes (Nextwork Global Exposure Programme in SA; Bromley by Bow in the UK).

Within our operations	Publish HR, compliance and ESG policies, including a code of conduct Provide economic opportunities for 8 355 people Enable internal mobility.
Within our business	Finance and advise clients, including entrepreneurs and SMMEs, enabling them to grow their businesses, employ more people and contribute to overall economic growth.
Within our communities	Support youth employment through YES initiative Support community entrepreneurship programmes (Nextwork Global Exposure Programme in SA; Bromley by Bow in the UK).

Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation through:

SDG 9.5: Upgrading technological capabilities

SDG 9.A: Facilitate sustainable and resilient infrastructure development

Within our operations	Use of modern, resilient and efficient IT infrastructure across all offices Targeted investments in our AI capability Provide digital workplace support.
Within our business	Provide sophisticated digital platforms for corporate and private clients Fund critical infrastructure projects Finance innovative technologies and fintech businesses.
Within our communities	Provide financial and other support for digital learning in rural and disadvantaged communities.

Within our operations	Use of modern, resilient and efficient IT infrastructure across all offices Targeted investments in our AI capability Provide digital workplace support.
Within our business	Provide sophisticated digital platforms for corporate and private clients Fund critical infrastructure projects Finance innovative technologies and fintech businesses.
Within our communities	Provide financial and other support for digital learning in rural and disadvantaged communities.

Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable through:

SDG 11.1: Providing access for all to safe and affordable housing

SDG 11.2: Providing access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all

SDG 11.C: Supporting sustainable and resilient buildings

Within our operations	Minimise and manage our carbon impact across all offices, including waste and air quality Encourage alternatives to reduce transport emissions.
Within our business	Fund sustainable transport systems Fund sustainable and resilient property developments Fund affordable housing projects.
Within our communities	Work with rural communities to conserve biodiversity and support the economy of wildlife to limit urbanisation Support local municipalities to become more waste and energy efficient.

Within our operations	Minimise and manage our carbon impact across all offices, including waste and air quality Encourage alternatives to reduce transport emissions.
Within our business	Fund sustainable transport systems Fund sustainable and resilient property developments Fund affordable housing projects.
Within our communities	Work with rural communities to conserve biodiversity and support the economy of wildlife to limit urbanisation Support local municipalities to become more waste and energy efficient.

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Group Sustainability and ESG

2020 sustainability highlights

Commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Our two core SDG priorities

Reduced inequalities

Climate action

Our six secondary SDG priorities

We have six secondary SDG priorities that are globally aligned yet locally relevant to our core geographies and which reflect our current business model and growth strategy.

Quality education

Clean water and sanitation

Affordable and clean energy

Decent work and economic growth

Industry innovation and infrastructure

Sustainable cities and communities

Partnering for prosperity for all

SDG 4: Quality education

SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation

SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy

SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth

SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities

Our global business impact

Ratings and ranking in the sustainability indices

Awards and recognition

Participation in industry initiatives and memberships

Download the full sustainability report

Sustainability and supplementary ESG Report 2020