South Africa has entered a new chapter in its development story via the launch of the South Africa Business Initiative for Impact (SABII). It was unveiled this month by the United Nations in South Africa alongside major business partners.
Launching SABII marks a decisive shift towards building an economy where business growth, social progress and environmental sustainability reinforce each other rather than compete for attention.
SABII is designed as a permanent national platform that brings together business, government and the UN to align resources, policy and investment behind shared priorities.
With South Africa recently holding the G20 presidency and pushing for fairer global financing systems, SABII becomes the home-grown mechanism that converts international commitments into local results.
At its core, SABII seeks to tackle South Africa’s most stubborn systemic challenges, such as joblessness, unreliable energy, climate risks, digital exclusion, food insecurity and a widening opportunity gap for young people. But it treats these issues not as isolated crises, but rather as interconnected problems that require coordinated action across sectors.
That systems-based design sets SABII apart from traditional corporate social responsibility programmes.
SABII is structured around four strategic pillars that together represent a roadmap for South Africa’s long-term sustainability and competitiveness. First, the energy transition and green mobility pillar aims to accelerate South Africa’s shift towards clean, reliable energy systems. South Africa emits about 435-million tonnes of CO2 a year, and transport accounts for 10% of that. Hence, it promotes renewable energy, industrial-scale green mobility, the electrification of transport, and local manufacturing opportunities linked to batteries and electric vehicles.
Second, the digitisation and digital inclusion pillar targets rural communities, informal workers and young people excluded from the digital economy. SABII frames digital access as a development right in a country where only 36% of households have fixed broadband, and rural digital exclusion exceeds 50%.
Without intervention, millions risk being locked out of the digital economy shaped by AI and rapid automation. The goal is to expand skills training, digital livelihoods, e-commerce participation and technology access.
Third, the human capital development pillar attempts to target 3.4-million young people who are not in education, employment or training.
Finally, the food systems transformation pillar promotes climate-smart agriculture, support for smallholder farmers, more equitable value chains and secure access to nutritious food.
With global warming increasing droughts, floods and crop failures that caused R36-billion in damages in 2023–2024 alone, South Africa’s food systems are increasingly vulnerable. Over 11-million people face food insecurity, while smallholder farmers, who produce up to 30% of local food, remain the most exposed.
What makes SABII notable is not just the pillars, but the philosophy behind them. In a country where public trust has often been eroded by fragmented efforts, siloed programmes and inconsistent follow-through, SABII’s emphasis on collective leadership represents a cultural reset. The UN describes it as a shift from short-term corporate visibility to long-term, measurable impact. Business leaders and government partners are expected to collaborate continuously, share accountability and deploy their expertise in ways that benefit society.
SABII arrives at a moment when the country needs a new development engine. Climate risks are rising. Youth unemployment and inequality remain among the highest in the world. Global markets are shifting toward low-carbon production. And communities are demanding more inclusive, accountable and people-centred economic growth.
If implemented with transparency, SABII could become one of the most consequential development platforms and a turning point toward a more sustainable, inclusive and future-ready South Africa.
