Sanlam is a broad-based South Africa-based financial services group working mainly in the insurance sector and operating in 44 countries, 34 of which are located on the African continent.

With most of the developing world facing ESG pressures, Sanlam has a strategic role to play in the sustainable development of emerging markets, as highlighted by Ian Kirk during his presentation. He spoke about the need to work collaboratively to address the insurance protection gap, and about the importance of improving insurance resilience and providing new solutions to the markets. Sanlam is achieving this by embedding ESG into its thinking and moving away from the conventional approach to insurance. The group’s current initiatives in this regard, all of which are anchored around the broader UN PSI initiative, include working with local authorities in Tanzania and South Africa to reduce the risks surrounding infrastructure products, investing in green energy funds for emerging markets, and making a difference for people living with HIV by providing comprehensive life insurance. 

Ian Kirk, Group Chief Executive Officer of Sanlam,

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