Celebrating our South African soul

What heritage means to us at M&G Investments

Every year on Heritage Day, we take the opportunity to honour the heritage of the many cultures that make up the people of our business - and South Africa. We wholeheartedly support the spirit of this day in its celebration of cultural diversity and social cohesion in our nation.

At M&G Investments, our greatest asset is our people. Our collective experience and skill drive the excellence in investment performance and service that we aim to deliver to our clients. Recognising and embracing individual heritage is, as such, core to our success.

Diversity powers our business forward

Having teams with rich diversity is not only an intentional part of our transformation journey, but it is also, in our experience, a competitive advantage in our industry. Bringing many different perspectives to the table enables us to assess risks and opportunities with greater depth, which inevitably leads to better decision-making.

When we consider the enormous cultural wealth of our nation, we are proud that it is reflected in our staff. It enhances our ability to understand the unique needs and preferences of our clients, enabling us to tailor more effective investment strategies.

Our shared heritage helps us to harness global opportunities

Our people have built a strong domestic business over time with excellent investment capabilities, and we work consistently to ensure our resilience in an ever-changing South African landscape.

While we will always be a business with real South African soul, we are also part of a leading global investment manager, and our vision for growth is global. We’re excited about the continued integration with our colleagues in the UK and our offices around the world, and the expertise and insights that we can leverage to the benefit of our clients here at home.

An opportunity to share our different cultures

To celebrate Heritage Day this week, we continued a wonderful M&G Investments tradition called ‘Bring a Dish, Make a Difference’. Our colleagues are encouraged to prepare and bring a dish to work that reflects their cultural heritage. Everyone is invited to dress in their traditional clothes and sample the dishes, with the vibrant flavours and colours on display reminding us how our diverse backgrounds contribute to making M&G Investments such a dynamic workplace.

Making a positive difference in our community

For every dish contributed, M&G plc makes a donation to U-turn. M&G Investments Southern Africa then matches this amount, helping to keep people off the streets by providing much-needed beds and support.

Founded in 1997, U-Turn is making a significant impact on the issue of homelessness in Cape Town. It launched in Johannesburg at the end of 2022, which was the first step towards becoming a truly national organisation. U-Turn has refined a four-phase skills development model that meets homeless clients where they are at and walks the full journey out of homelessness with them.

Heritage is meaningful for us to embrace in our business, and as South Africans

Heritage is essential to our identity and continuity as a business, and as individuals. It makes up our South African soul. We hope you have enjoyed Heritage Day, gathering with your colleagues or loved ones to celebrate what makes you unique and what also brings you together. Let’s continue to honour the diversity that enriches our lives and strengthens our communities.