Sanlam is proud to be recognised as a Top Employer and has been ranked the 5th Top Employer in South Africa for 2026, based on the Top Employers Institute’s recognition of Sanlam’s unwavering commitment to progressive people practices, innovative human capital strategies and a culture that empowers every employee to thrive.
2026 marks the 11th consecutive year in which Sanlam has been recognised by the Top Employers Institute, a global authority on recognising excellence in people practices. The recognition is an acknowledgement of Sanlam’s people practices meeting rigorous standards in Human Capital and workplace excellence, confirming that Sanlam is among the best places to work worldwide.
Sanlam’s Top Employer certification is representative of the financial services group’s commitment to maintaining exceptional people practices. “We are incredibly proud to be recognised as the 5th-ranked Top Employer in the country. Top Employer recognition is not something we achieve alone. While we work hard to create a diverse environment where each of our employees can thrive professionally, our employees’ commitment to this business and dedication to our clients is what makes us shine. We hold the highest regard for the care, commitment and excellence that our people bring to everything they do. It’s this spirit that drives our success and shapes our culture,” says Sana-Ullah Bray, Group Executive: Human Capital at Sanlam.
“This achievement is testament to our commitment to cultivate a high-performing workforce that embodies our Group’s values and actively engages our employees. It inspires and reminds us of the power of purpose-driven performance. We will celebrate this achievement with our employees as we continue to live with confidence, lead with purpose and make a lasting difference together,” says Bray.
Sanlam’s Human Capital team places continuous focus on problem-solving and innovating to ensure that the Group’s people practices are modern, purposeful, and appealing – nurturing today’s workforce and attracting tomorrow’s. In 2025 the team implemented several initiatives to enhance the company’s culture, improve employee wellbeing, and ensure that Sanlam’s practices remain relevant and attractive to current and prospective employees alike.
Some of the standout achievements this year include:
- Digital Transformation: Sanlam’s AI Academy is equipping employees with future-ready skills through a comprehensive, personalised learning experience. Covering a wide range of topics, from AI ethics and leadership to practical productivity tools and prompt engineering, the Academy helps employees build a powerful skillset for the future while strengthening Sanlam’s competitive edge. Interactive simulations allow employees to practise real-life, work-related scenarios in a safe environment, enabling deeper capability development tailored to individual career goals.
- Purposeful Leadership: Leadership at Sanlam is about purpose beyond profits. To embed this ethos, the Group introduced the Sanlam Leadership Promise and Principles, which guide leaders in role modeling and shaping the behaviours and values and drive engagement and unlocks the full potential of our people and partnerships. Recognising that leaders play a pivotal role in enabling cultural transformation, Sanlam is rolling out these principles across the Group to ensure consistent, values-based leadership.
- Workplace Belonging: Sanlam continues to champion diversity and inclusion across all levels of the organisation. The company’s approach to Workplace Belonging is embedded in its culture, with leadership focusing on creating an environment where every employee can thrive, feel valued, and contribute their best.
- Holistic Wellbeing: The Sanlam Group champions a truly holistic approach to employee wellness – supporting employees’ physical vitality, emotional resilience and financial confidence. Through a wide range of programmes and resources, Sanlam empowers employees to thrive in every aspect of life, both inside and outside the workplace, reinforcing Sanlam’s belief that wellbeing is foundational to a high-performing, caring organisation.
“A purpose-driven Human Capital strategy is a critical enabler for our business strategy. Our culture, leadership approach and people practices continue to evolve in alignment with changing business contexts as well as our employees’ expectations. Against the backdrop of the business strategy, our Human Capital ambition is to attract the best diverse talent in the market, to create a culture that is inclusive and meaningful to our people, and ultimately a work environment in which our people can grow and live with confidence,” says Bray.