Anglo American has announced a partnership with the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to support inclusive growth and sustainable development in South Africa through the company’s Impact Finance Network. This was announced in a press statement on Friday. The Impact Finance Network is an Anglo-American programme that provides long-term support to local businesses, helping them access the capital needed to scale and deliver social and environmental impact in the regions where the company operates.
Starting in January 2026, the FCDO will contribute up to four point five million pounds over four years to support the Impact Finance Network’s activities in South Africa. The funding, equivalent to one hundred million rand, will help create jobs and strengthen local economies by providing innovative businesses with technical assistance to become investment-ready. It will also connect these businesses with a network of investors seeking opportunities in social impact investments.
The FCDO funding will expand the recently piloted Catalytic Capital Facility in South Africa, one of the first of its kind in the region. The facility offers flexible patient capital that allows businesses in harder-to-reach areas to raise and de-risk the funding needed to grow. This is expected to support economic diversification and further contribute to job creation in the country.
Nolitha Fakude, Chair of Anglo American in South Africa, said, “In South Africa, we have a number of innovative enterprises looking to address some of the most pressing local development needs; however, they may be struggling to scale and grow due to perceived lack of investment readiness by potential investors. Our partnership with the UK’s FCDO provides invaluable support to the Impact Finance Network in its mission to help what we call impact companies in South Africa overcome this barrier, ensuring continued bespoke pre-investment technical assistance, as well as access to a local and global network of investors seeking forward-thinking, quality investment opportunities which support South Africa’s long-term development.”
British High Commissioner to South Africa Antony Phillipson said the UK is committed to supporting inclusive economic growth and sustainable development in South Africa. “Through this partnership with Anglo American’s Impact Finance Network, we aim to help innovative businesses access the resources they need to thrive, create jobs, and deliver positive impact. By unlocking investment and building resilient local economies, we are strengthening the foundations for long-term prosperity and shared opportunity,” he said.
Anglo American’s Impact Finance Network was first piloted in South Africa in 2021 to support growth-stage small and medium enterprises creating positive social and environmental benefits. The programme provides pre-investment technical assistance and connects businesses with investors. Since its launch, the programme has expanded to eight countries in southern Africa and South America. In southern Africa alone, ninety companies have received technical support, helping secure ninety million US dollars of third-party capital and supporting forty-six thousand livelihoods.
The partnership with the FCDO is expected to build on these achievements and provide additional support to businesses contributing to sustainable development across South Africa.
