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From the early days of creating business opportunities for the Afrikaner minority, to the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries’ Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) initiatives in post-apartheid South Africa, Sanlam has been at the forefront of economic empowerment.

• In 1940 Federale Volksbeleggings (FVB) was formed, to pave the way for Afrikaner investment in business enterprises.  
• In 1946 Bonuskor was registered, for the re-investment of policy bonuses, allowing Sanlam to mobilise capital for the development of Afrikaner businesses.  
• In 1960 Sankor was formed, to undertake further development projects when Bonuskor's capital totalled R10 million.  
• In 1963 Federale Mynbou and Anglo American announced the formation of Mainstraat Beleggings. Federale Mynbou obtained control of General Mining.  
• In 1985 Sankorp was formed, to undertake major development projects.  
• In 1993 Sanlam spearheaded Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) by transferring effective control of Metropolitan Life (Metlife) from Sankorp to the Black shareholders of Metlife Investment Holdings (Methold), a Black-controlled company (85% Black policy-holders at the time). This was the first step taken by Sanlam towards meaningful economic empowerment of previously disadvantaged groups. The transfer of control from Metropolitan Life, with its total assets of      R5 000 million at that stage, to Black control was intended as a transaction based on business principles and empowerment. The transaction resulted in the formation of New Africa Investments Limited (NAIL), and was structured in such a way that the then Sanlam-Sankorp group would remain involved and transfer skills. At the time 92% of Metlife's new business was generated from Blacks, while 87% of Metlife's field personnel and 76% of the field personnel's first line management were Black. Sanlam's approach was that Blacks should not only contribute to the economy by providing labour, but also by controlling capital.  
• In the 1990s Sanlam sold stakes in companies like Plessey, Fedics, Avis and NuClicks to a wide range of black empowerment consortia.  These and other BEE transactions were worth more than R1 250 million.  
• In 1996 Sanlam was the first company in Southern Africa to launch a development fund (providing start-up capital of R100 million). Operating until 2002, the Sanlam Development Fund (SDF) and Community Builder Fund (CBF) were pioneers in the financing of empowerment-related projects, including infrastructure, private equity and venture capital projects. Since their inception, SDF and CBF have invested in over 100 empowerment projects, mainly in SA, but also in the SADC region. These projects were underpinned by a thorough appreciation for value drivers and risk-reducing factors critical to ensuring the success of empowerment transactions. Later, the development of the Sanlam Development Fund-of-Funds (SDFoF) extended Sanlam's reach in development investments.  
• In 1998, with Sanlam's demutualisation, more than 2.2 million South Africans were given the opportunity to share in the Group's future. An estimated 32% were Black shareholders and Blacks held approximately 20% of the shares (direct shareholding). Demutualisation was viewed as part of Sanlam's objective to transform to a world-class financial services organisation. At the time Sanlam also paid R278 million into the government's Umsobomvu Fund for job-creation.  
• In 2000, Sanlam outsourced its transport service to its black employees who provided the service, thereby giving them the opportunity to establish their own business, namely On Time Chauffeur Services. It also outsourced printing and reproduction facilities to a BEE group, Koerikai. In each case an effective transfer of skills was ensured.  
• On 20 August 2002, Sanlam was one of the companies who committed to the development of a BEE charter for the financial sector, at the NEDLAC Financial Sector Summit. A BEE scorecard was consequently developed to support the measurement of performance in this regard, and on 4 December 2002 the Sanlam Board approved Sanlam's BEE policy.  

• In 2003, Sanlam announced a major BEE transaction with empowerment consortium Ubuntu-Botho. With this significant milestone in Sanlam's history, Ubuntu-Botho acquired an initial 10% equity stake in the company. Ubuntu-Botho is a broad-based empowerment consortium which comprises various interest groups representing SA's nine provinces, including respected business, traditional and community leaders, women, church, youth and trade union groups, and established empowerment companies.

From the early days of creating business opportunities for the Afrikaner minority, to the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries’ Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) initiatives in post-apartheid South Africa, Sanlam has been at the forefront of economic empowerment. Click here for more information.