Firstrand Report to Society 2020
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2020 report to society CONTENTS 01 Report purpose 02 Foreword 04 Group profile 06 Macroeconomic context 08 Role of financial institutions in society 10 FirstRand’s shared value contract with society 11 The United Nations Principles for Responsible Banking REPORT 12 Making progress PURPOSE 14 Deploying the group’s balance sheet to 01 drive economic growth and inclusion FIRSTRAND’S PURPOSE IS TO 42 How the group’s products and transactional BUILD A FUTURE OF SHARED 02 platforms deliver financial inclusion to broader society PROSPERITY THROUGH 03 58 Treating customers fairly ENRICHING THE LIVES OF ITS 64 Addressing transformation and CUSTOMERS, EMPLOYEES AND 04 employment equity THE SOCIETIES IT SERVES. 72 Providing an enabling environment 05 for employees This is the foundation to a sustainable future and will preserve the group’s enduring promise to create long- 82 A CSI strategy designed to contribute term value and superior returns for its shareholders. 06 to upliftment 07 102 Managing the group’s environmental impact Whilst FirstRand’s Annual Integrated Report focuses on the group’s financial and operational performance, 121 Looking ahead the Report to Society aims to provide deeper insight 122 External assurance statement into the social impact of that performance. FirstRand continues to refine its thinking and processes to This report covers the FirstRand better determine and measure this social impact. group including its subsidiaries. The report links to the Annual Integrated Report (www.firstrand.co.za). All reported data is for the year ended 30 June 2020, unless indicated otherwise. Information in the profiled case studies may relate to events and initiatives that occurred after 30 June 2020 but before the issue date of this report. 02 irstRand and its operating Notwithstanding the COVID-19 focus businesses provided help to on lives and livelihoods, environmental many stakeholder groups in and social matters must continue to responseF to the pandemic. The group inform corporate purpose. As a public rapidly mobilised cash flow relief solutions affirmation of the group’s commitment for its customers; enabled the majority of to addressing the societal, economic our employees to work remotely and and environmental needs of the countries provided well-being support to assist in which we operate, FirstRand has them in adjusting to very challenging become a signatory to the reporting circumstances. Also, through the SPIRE framework of the Task Force on Climate- fund we assisted government and broader related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) society to tackle healthcare and food and to the United Nations Principles for security challenges. Responsible Banking. The COVID-19 pandemic accentuated This affirmation aligns to FirstRand’s the interconnectedness of the health of purpose statement to build a future of FOREWORD the planet, humans and the economy and shared prosperity for our customers, afforded us the opportunity to reflect on employees and the societies we serve. THIS HAS BEEN AN UNPRECEDENTED YEAR. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC how we live, how we work and how we I believe that the social impact strategies HAS HAD A PROFOUND IMPACT ON THE WORLD. IN SOUTH AFRICA IT do business. The pandemic demonstrated we have embarked on, many of which are RESULTED IN THE DEEPEST GDP CONTRACTION SINCE THE SECOND that we share the natural environment, covered in this report, demonstrate our WORLD WAR. THE ASSOCIATED LOCKDOWN DEVASTATED THE we share our living spaces and that we deep commitment to delivering on this ECONOMY AND IT WILL BE A LONG, HARD ROAD BACK TO RECOVERY. need effective government. The pandemic purpose. proved that when we partner with others, we can do so much more, and this last point will be particularly key to South Africa’s recovery. Government and business must continue to work together to get the country back onto a sustainable growth path. Alan Pullinger, CEO Report to Society | FIRSTRAND GROUP 0202 03 03 GROUP PROFILE FIRSTRAND’S OPERATING FOOTPRINT THE GROUP HAS A MULTI-BRAND STRATEGY, WITH A NUMBER OF LEADING CUSTOMER- FACING BRANDS IN THE PORTFOLIO London irstRand Limited FNB represents FirstRand’s activities in the retail (FirstRand or the and commercial segments in South Africa and United Kingdom RETAIL AND F the broader African continent. It is growing its J group) is a portfolio of COMMERCIAL Guernsey < franchise on the back of a compelling customer < integrated financial BANK offering that provides a broad range of innovative services businesses financial services products. s China operating in South Africa, certain markets in Nigeria sub-Saharan Africa and RMB represents the group’s activities in the India corporate and investment banking segments in Ghana < in the UK. CORPORATE Q South Africa, the broader African continent and AND Kenya Many of these businesses are India. Its strategy leverages a strong origination INVESTMENT s leaders in their respective franchise, a leading market-making and BANK Angola s segments and markets, and offer distribution offering, a strong private equity track Zambia a broad range of transactional, record and a growing transactional platform. TOTAL EMPLOYEES: lending, investment and insurance Namibia products and services. South Africa 49 233 WesBank represents the group’s activities in Group earnings remain significantly instalment credit, fleet management and insurance tilted towards South Africa. INSTALMENT in the retail, commercial and corporate segments AND FINANCE SA EMPLOYEES: of South Africa. WesBank has a unique and long- The group’s strategy outside of PROVIDER South Africa includes growing its standing model of partnering with leading motor presence and offerings in certain manufacturers, suppliers and dealer groups. 40 668 key markets in the rest of Africa, where it believes it can build competitive advantage and scale Aldermore represents the group’s activities in the Botswana over time. In the UK, the group UK. It has a clear strategy of offering simple aims to build further franchise UK SPECIALIST financial products and solutions to meet the needs Lesotho Tanzania value through scaling, digitisation LENDER of underserved small and medium-sized and disruption. enterprises (SMEs), as well as homeowners, Eswatini Mozambique professional landlords, vehicle owners and savers. Report to Society | For a detailed review of the operations refer to the Ashburton Investments represents FirstRand’s Annual Integrated Report asset management activities. Ashburton has an Full-service banking Full-service banking, insurance Branch ASSET < (www.firstrand.co.za). active investment management strategy spanning and asset management MANAGEMENT Q Investment banking s Representative office traditional and alternate investments as well as J UK specialist banking unique on-balance sheet opportunities. FIRSTRAND GROUP 04 05 MACROECONOMIC CONTEXT The macroeconomic environment created by South Africa’s already extremely weak Given this backdrop, financial institutions must play an active role in the COVID-19 crisis is now considered to be domestic position was further worsened by the helping economies and society recover from the impacts of COVID-19. the worst global economic crisis since the COVID-19 crisis and resultant lockdown, with They have the tools to drive sustainable, inclusive economic activities Second World War. It resulted in three limited fiscal space to support the economy. and positive social outcomes. simultaneous and profound shocks: to global South Africa’s high debt levels and the trade; to global confidence, causing financial potential for additional sovereign credit conditions to tighten significantly and abruptly; downgrades may further impact the economy. Financial intermediaries are able to: and to economic activity following the The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) lockdown policies adopted by most of the provided monetary policy support, 1 provide products and services 4 enable investment world’s major economies. This translated into implementing 275 bps of rate cuts since the that assist people to create in transformational a once in a generation economic stress event. start of the crisis, however, the real-economy wealth and save for their futures infrastructure impact of COVID-19 remains deep given the This scenario prompted coordinated efforts loss of economic activity, tax revenue, and by central banks and governments to lower household and corporate income. These interest rates and simultaneously provide challenges will result in higher levels of fiscal stimulus packages to cushion the impact bankruptcies, structural unemployment – 2 provide leverage for businesses 5 provide low-income consumers of the economic shock to the real economy. particularly amongst the youth – and the to grow, create jobs and access to financial services Despite these actions, global financial disruption of global supply chains which improve lives through digital platforms, conditions are expected to remain challenging enabling economic productivity means certain industries will not fully recover. Report to Society and any form of recovery will be contingent on | proof that the spread of the virus in developed economies has peaked. 3 provide a secure and readily 6 alongside the South African available platform for payments Reserve Bank, ensure the stability and efficiency of the financial system FIRSTRAND GROUP 06 07 FOREIGN LOCAL ROLE OF FINANCIAL Cross-border payments FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS INSTITUTIONS IN Foreign direct related to the Foreign direct investment and export/import