12 Nov 2021
Naspers joins UN Global Compact
Naspers, a global internet group and one of the largest technology investors in the world, has joined the United Nations Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative.
Cape Town, South Africa, 12 November 2021: Naspers, a global internet group and one of the largest technology investors in the world, has joined the United Nations Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative.
As a special initiative of the UN Secretary-General, the United Nations Global Compact is a call to companies everywhere to align their operations and strategies with Ten Principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption. Its ambition is to accelerate and scale the global collective impact of business by upholding the Ten Principles and delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through accountable companies and ecosystems that enable change. With more than 14,000 companies and 3,800 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries, and 69 Local Networks, the UN Global Compact is the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative — one Global Compact uniting business for a better world.
“We are happy to announce that we have signed on to the United Nations Global Compact to further accelerate our sustainability efforts,” said Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, South Africa Chief Executive Officer of Naspers.
Prajna Khanna, Global Head of Sustainability at Naspers, added: “Sustainability is at the core of what we do. Our focus on the provision of online services to consumers helps reduce our environmental impact while enabling newer, smarter and greener ways to serve the everyday needs of people around the world. As a global group with many local operations and investments, we work hard to maximise our positive impact and find solutions for shared global challenges. Signing the UN Global Compact is a demonstration of our commitment to the values at the heart of the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact.”
“I welcome and congratulate Naspers for joining the UN Global Compact. It is a commitment to integrate sustainability into the business in a meaningful way and to deliver measurable impact on our development challenges as framed by the SDGs. It is also a leadership opportunity for Naspers to use its significant footprint in South Africa and indeed globally to help shape the corporate sustainability agenda,” said Dr Achieng Ojwang, Executive Director of Global Compact Network South Africa.
Participation in the UN Global Compact requires signatories to report yearly on their commitment to the universal sustainability principles and development goals. Naspers’s integrated annual report will outline the company’s ongoing efforts and progress. To learn more about the UN Global Compact, visit https://www.unglobalcompact.org
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Naspers’s letter of commitment to UN Global Compact can be viewed here.
About Naspers
Established in 1915, Naspers has transformed itself to become a global consumer internet company and one of the largest technology investors in the world. Through Prosus, the group operates and invests globally in markets with long-term growth potential, building leading consumer internet companies that empower people and enrich communities. Prosus has its primary listing on Euronext Amsterdam, and a secondary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and Naspers is the majority owner of Prosus.
In South Africa, Naspers is one of the foremost investors in the technology sector and is committed to building its internet and ecommerce companies. These include Takealot, Mr D Food, Superbalist, Autotrader, Property24 and PayU, in addition to Media24, South Africa’s leading print and digital media business.
Naspers has a primary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (NPN.SJ), a secondary listing on the A2X Exchange (NPN.AJ) in South Africa, and has a level 1 American Depository Receipt (ADR) programme which trades on an over-the-counter basis in the United States of America.
For more information, please visit www.naspers.com.
Naspers Labs
In 2019, Naspers Labs, a youth development programme designed to transform and launch South Africa’s unemployed youth into economic activity, was launched. Naspers Labs focuses on digital skills and training, enabling young people to pursue tech careers.
Response to COVID-19
Naspers contributed R1.5 billion of emergency aid to support the South African government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This contribution consisted of R500 million towards the Solidarity Fund and R1 billion worth of PPE sourced and distributed to South Africa’s front-line healthcare workers. In addition, Naspers contributed R6.9 million to the Nelson Mandela Foundation's EachOne FeedOne programme to support families who COVID-19 has impacted with meals for a year.