We create sustainable value by building consumer internet companies that address big societal needs – they improve people’s everyday lives and enrich the communities they serve. We back local entrepreneurs, providing the funds and support they need to help them grow and achieve their dreams. Our local focus combined with our global scale means the companies we operate and invest in are able to deliver far-reaching impact.
Sustainability is at the core of what we do. Our focus on digital platforms helps to keep our environmental impact light, while enabling newer, smarter and greener ways to serve the world’s every day needs.
Our approach
We are a global group operating and investing in consumer internet companies in around 100 markets across the world. We own companies outright and we also invest in companies, with varying holdings from small minority stakes to majority stakes.
To maximise the positive impact we can have on the world, we apply good governance and a clear-sighted assessment of our group. A comprehensive materiality assessment informs the priorities we set.
Material areas
These companies have variances on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues due to the vast spectrum of sectors and geographies that we invest in. We typically have board seats in these companies and our board members carry our philosophy to these boards.
We also offer engagement on specific ESG topics, setting up communities where best practice is shared, and training is accessible to both majority and minority interest businesses.
Within our direct holding companies (Naspers and Prosus), we set high standards and expectations, prioritising our focus on topics that are material to our stakeholders.
Where we hold a majority-stake in a controlled company, we work closely together to ensure they reflect our own principles on topics material to their business and operations.
And where we hold a minority stake in a non-controlled company, we demonstrate best practice to them and they are fully accountable and responsible for their own environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance.
Our core segments
We pursue growth by building leading companies that empower people and enrich communities, across our core focus segments of Classifieds, Food Delivery, Payments and Fintech, plus other online businesses including Etail. And we are looking to capitalise on the next wave of growth through our Ventures arm: with effect from 1 April 2021, the Group will report on a new core segment, Edtech (which covers online education).
From food delivery to classifieds, we invest in and build online platforms where small and medium businesses can reach their customers online, often for the first time.
Sustainability governance
The board oversees and is ultimately responsible for sustainability at the group. The risk committee and the sustainability committee assist the board in discharging this responsibility, including monitoring progress against the board approved sustainability plan.
The CEO and the executive management team decide on the development and execution of the sustainability strategy. The global head of sustainability drives the identification of sustainability risk and opportunities and implementation of the sustainability plan across the group. The global head of sustainability reports to the group general counsel, a member of the executive management team, who reports to the CEO. Sustainability champions across the businesses are responsible for the implementation of various sustainability initiatives in the businesses.