Supporting small businesses and communities to grow and thrive

Small businesses and entrepreneurs play a critical role in economic development and are an important source of incomes and livelihoods in local communities.

Across our distribution chain, we engage every day with millions of retail customers who play a critical role for our business as an important point of connection with our consumers. In 2019, our small retailer development program spanned eight countries, providing over 15,000 businesses with access to tools such as business management training, affordable financial services and store infrastructure improvements. In Colombia, Ecuador and Peru the program specifically focuses on female entrepreneurs, helping play a role in advancing gender equality and women’s economic empowerment.

Beyond this, in South Africa we established the South African Breweries (SAB) entrepreneurship program to help create sustainable jobs and drive an inclusive economy. To date, we have contributed to the creation of over 6,200 jobs, against our ambition to help create a total of 10,000 jobs. In 2020, the program will be focused on women owned small retail outlets, and women farmers.