Michael Mapstone, CEO, Anglo American Foundation
The world has changed, communities don’t need more talk from us. They need capital that moves at the speed of their ideas.
That call to action carried through to the IPASA Annual Philanthropy Symposium, where we joined IPASA and WINGS to co-host G20 & Beyond: Philanthropy’s Role in the Post-2025 Agenda. The event brought together South Africa’s funding community to unpack a new report on philanthropy’s engagement in the G20, reflect on South Africa’s legacy as host nation, and explore how philanthropy can sustain its influence beyond 2025. Working hand in hand with IPASA locally and WINGS globally, we are building stronger bridges across the sector, and helping to elevate philanthropy’s role in the G20 cycle.
Philanthropy and the B20
As the business arm of the G20, the B20 brings together leaders to shape policy for more inclusive and sustainable growth. Philanthropy plays an important role in this space, using flexible capital to take early risks, build partnerships, and turn policy into action. Rather than filling funding gaps, it helps connect business priorities with social outcomes to drive lasting change.
This year, CEO Michael Mapstone took part in the Employment and Education Task Force as part of Anglo American’s representation, bringing a philanthropic perspective to discussions on youth skills and jobs for the future. Our partner WINGS contributed to the Finance and Infrastructure Task Force, highlighting philanthropy’s role in mobilising capital for inclusive growth. Krutham also supports this work through research on catalytic capital, blended finance, and impact investment regulation, helping to strengthen collaboration between philanthropy, investors, and government.
Youth Leadership and Global Voice: Reflections from Y20
At the Y20 Summit in South Africa, philanthropy helped elevate youth voice from token participation to true decision-making power. As the official youth engagement group of the G20, Y20 brought together young leaders from across the globe to shape a future that is inclusive, fair, and green. Our Head of Partnerships and Programmes, Southern Africa, Shingi Bimha, opened the summit with a call to action: “The future is not something that happens to us. It is something we create, together.”
The Anglo American Foundation was proud to walk alongside Y20 as a sponsor and partner, helping to ensure youth perspectives informed the G20 agenda. In her address, Shingi reflected on Africa’s young people as creators, innovators, and problem-solvers whose tenacity fuels progress. She urged funders to take more risks, back locally led innovation, and recognise the informal economy as a vital engine of opportunity. Her message resonated throughout the summit: change happens when young people are at the centre of decision-making, shaping solutions that are relevant to their own communities.
Youth, tech and creativity at 44 Main
That same spirit is coming to life in Johannesburg’s historic CBD, where 44 Main is being reimagined as a place where creativity meets technology and youth drive the city’s next chapter. The former HQ of Anglo American and a a symbol of mining and industry, is now transforming into a vibrant hub for artists, coders, and entrepreneurs, a space where imagination fuels innovation.
Through partnerships with organisations such as RLabs, JoziMyJozi, WeThinkCode, and the John Kani School of Arts, the Anglo American Foundation is helping to unlock creative and digital pathways for young people. Within its walls, exhibitions, performances, hackathons, and creative labs are building skills and sparking collaboration across disciplines.
Philanthropy is playing a catalytic role in this transformation, supporting new ventures that connect art, culture, and technology. In doing so, 44 Main is becoming more than a building. It is a movement for youth-led creativity, collaboration, opportunity at the heart of Johannesburg’s revival.
Unlocking Economic Opportunities
During the G20 Climate and Environmental Sustainability Working Group Ministerial Meeting in Cape Town, we joined Unilever, PETCO and the Alliance to End Plastic Waste for a week of collaboration focused on advancing the circular economy and exploring how philanthropy can help drive green economic opportunities. Representing the Foundation, Shingi Bimha joined a panel on sustainable waste management to share how philanthropy can de-risk innovation by testing and learning in areas where corporates may not yet be ready to invest, from dignifying the work of informal waste reclaimers to advancing tech-led recycling and circular solutions. As she noted, this is where catalytic change begins, by connecting early-stage ideas with long-term systems change and ensuring the people who keep recycling systems moving share in the benefits of a more circular economy.
Philanthropy can help de-risk innovation by testing and learning in areas where corporates may not yet be ready to invest, from dignifying the work of informal waste reclaimers to advancing tech-led recycling and circular solutions. It’s where we can unlock catalytic change.Shingi Bimha, Head of Partnerships and Programmes, Anglo American Foundation
We were also proud to support ANDE Southern Africa’s Entrepreneurship Learning Series as part of the G20 process, a dynamic conversation on how to build thriving and inclusive startup ecosystems. Hosted under the SU20 Capsule, the session brought together entrepreneurs, policymakers and partners including Fetola, IdeiaLab and Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropies to explore what effective startup policy looks like in different contexts. The key message was clear: there is no one-size-fits-all approach to entrepreneurship. Locally grounded policies that integrate value chains, strengthen small businesses and nurture global competitiveness are essential to creating resilient economies where innovation and opportunity can truly flourish.
Our Head of Impact and Learning, Beatrice Watermeyer, and Head of Programme and Partnership Development, Shingi Bimha, recently came together to co-author an opinion piece for the Independent Philanthropy Association South Africa (IPASA) titled “The Youth Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Requires Shifting the Needle at Scale.” The article explores how philanthropy can help move beyond pilot projects to achieve large-scale impact for youth entrepreneurs, with a focus on supporting ‘self-starter’ entrepreneurs in South Africa’s townships. Building on the momentum of the piece, the Foundation will co-host a follow-up roundtable with IPASA to deepen the discussion, bringing together funders, partners and ecosystem actors to explore practical pathways for supporting youth entrepreneurship and fair work at scale.
Looking Ahead
As the world gathers in South Africa next month, it is a moment of pride and possibility. The Foundation’s collaborations throughout the G20 process have shown that real change begins locally, with partners who understand their communities and are trusted to lead.
While the global spotlight turns to South Africa, our sights are also set on what comes next. The work continues through our partners who are testing new models, building connections, and shaping a more inclusive future. As the G20 moves to its next presidency, the lessons and partnerships forged here will continue to grow, proving that catalytic philanthropy rooted in local leadership can drive global change.