SABMiller is one of the world's largest brewers with brewing interests or distribution agreements in over 60 countries across five continents.  Today, over 100 years after the South African Breweries Ltd was founded in Johannesburg, SABMiller has a large part of its business, its history and its pride invested in Africa.  Of over 50 000 employees worldwide, over 14 000 work in SABMiller’s African businesses. 

In June 2005 SABMiller received Highly Commended and Big Tick Awards from Business in the Community for its contribution to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in Africa.

SABMiller is a founding sponsor of Business Action for Africa.

trade

Alongside other members of Business Action for Africa, SABMiller has been a vocal supporter of a positive outcome of the Doha Trade Round for Africa.  Read BAA letter on trade.

enterprise

The Eagle Lager project, undertaken by SABMiller’s Ugandan operation – Nile Breweries Ltd – was developed to provide Ugandans with an affordable and healthy quality beer made from the locally-produced sorghum.  In partnership with the Ugandan government, the Eagle Lager project has stimulated agricultural research and development into the use of sorghum for brewing and created a permanent and stable market for 8500 local sorghum farmers.

Eagle is now Nile Brewery’s top brand with a market share of around 20%.  Local Ugandan farmers are benefiting from contracts to grow the sorghum at guaranteed prices.  The project has also resulted in knowledge and skills transfer in agronomic aspects of farming and crop husbandry.   Read more.

human development

As a company with significant operations in developing countries, one of SABMiller’s biggest business risks, particularly in Africa, is the HIV/Aids epidemic which impacts employees, customers and local communities.  Over the past nine years SABMiller has developed and implemented a comprehensive HIV/Aids strategy which has resulted in measurable changes in the behaviour and attitudes of the company and, more recently, in some of the local communities around its breweries in Zambia and Uganda. 

In 2005 SABMiller received commendations from the Global Business Coalition on HIV/Aids and Business in the Community for its HIV/Aids programmes in the workplace.  Read more.

perceptions of Africa

SABMiller Chief Executive, Graham Mackay, has been a vocal advocate of the business potential of Africa.  Read more

In July 2006 an article by Graham Mackay was published in South Africa's Business Day newspaper. Download the article