The value of transparency

The launch of the 2026 Capricorn Group Social Value Report signals a deliberate shift towards evidence-led, accountable and honest reporting, demonstrating how purpose translates into measurable change.Trust is the currency of financial services. When a group of companies commits to being a Connector of Positive Change, it implicitly promises that the value it describes is real, that its investment reaches the people it intends to serve, and that it will be as candid about unfinished work as it is about achievement. The 2026 Capricorn Group Social Value Report is, above all, an act of keeping that promise.For Capricorn Group and the Capricorn Foundation, transparency is neither a compliance formality nor a communications exercise. It is a governance discipline and a moral commitment, one that keeps us accountable to communities, funding stakeholders, regulators and the public.Why disclosure mattersNamibia remains one of the world’s most unequal societies, with deep and interconnected challenges including unemployment, food insecurity and uneven access to quality education. In this context, corporate social investment is not charity at the margins of business; it is part of how a responsible institution earns its social licence to operate. Yet good intentions are not enough. Communities, funders and the public are entitled to ask a harder question: What changed, and how do you know?Disclosure is our answer. By publishing a comprehensive account of our corporate social investment (CSI) and sponsorship activity, we invite scrutiny rather than avoid it. A report that reveals its methods, numbers and limitations is more credible than a polished narrative of uninterrupted success. Transparency is what separates storytelling from accountability.What we disclosed in 2026Covering 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026, the report consolidates CSI and sponsorship activity across Capricorn Group, Bank Windhoek, Bank Gaborone, Capricorn Asset Management, Entrepo and the Capricorn Foundation. It presents the full picture, including scope, governance, funding, focus areas and results across Namibia and Botswana.During the year, the Group, its subsidiaries and the Foundation invested N$29.3 million in CSI and sponsorship initiatives, up from N$26.7 million. The Foundation allocated N$14.1 million to education, economic advancement, vulnerability, health and sustainability programmes across all 14 regions of Namibia. Since 2020, it has invested N$56.7 million in communities. Group-wide, education received 25% of CSI funding, followed by sport at 21%, vulnerability and welfare at 17%, and economic advancement at 14%.The report also explains how these funds are governed. The Foundation receives contributions linked to the prior year’s profit after tax from Bank Windhoek, Capricorn Asset Management and Entrepo. Its audited annual financial statements comply with IFRS for SMEs and the Companies Act of Namibia, while oversight rests with the Foundation board and the Group board’s Social and Ethics Committee.Our disclosure principlesBehind the report sits a consistent set of principles that shape how we choose to be transparent.Completeness comes before convenience. We report the full range of Group and subsidiary activity, including sponsorships, employee volunteering and subsidiary-led initiatives, rather than showcasing only our strongest stories.Honest attribution is equally important. We recognise that many outcomes are shared achievements. Unless stated otherwise, the Foundation does not claim sole credit for results delivered with implementing partners, communities, government and other funders.We are also focused on outcomes, not only activity. We are moving beyond counting inputs and beneficiaries to assessing what changed, what endured and what can be strengthened or scaled.Our contribution is also mapped against recognised frameworks. We align our work with Namibia’s Vision 2030 and NDP6, as well as the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Zero Hunger (SDG 2), Quality Education (SDG 4), and Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8), so that progress can be assessed against external standards.Finally, there is candour about limitations. Where data is still maturing, projects are in their early stages, or targets remain unmet, we say so.Governance, compliance and the discipline of trustTransparency without governance is merely presentation. For the Capricorn Foundation, accountability is anchored in the board, chaired by the Group chairperson, a management committee that reviews funding applications and project progress, and quarterly reporting on decisions, stakeholder engagements and strategic priorities. Together, these mechanisms give the board continuous visibility of resource allocation and performance.Accountability also requires regulatory compliance. As a registered Welfare Organisation and an accountable institution registered with the Financial Intelligence Centre, the Foundation fulfils its Namibian legal obligations, including sanctions screening. Financial controls, audited statements, an annual general meeting and the annual Social Value Report provide partners and the public with assurance that funds are managed responsibly.From counting activities to measuring changeThe report also signals a shift in mindset. As our portfolio matures, we are moving beyond impressive numbers towards stronger evidence. Monitoring and evaluation will increasingly assess whether lives have improved, dignity has been upheld and resilience has been built, not simply whether activity took place. We are also strengthening the initiatives we support so that they can mature, scale and become more self-sustaining.When business success is connected to social progress, value extends far beyond the balance sheet. That value must be visible, verifiable and shared. Transparency demonstrates that our purpose is more than a promise: it is how we earn, and keep, the trust of the communities we exist to serve.Marlize Horn is the Group Chief Brand and Corporate Affairs Officer of Capricorn Group and the Executive Officer of the Capricorn Foundation.

The value of transparency

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Republikein 2026-09-16

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The value of transparency

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Republikein 2026-09-16

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