DEInvest Annual Survey 2025 – Available Now
We are pleased to announce the release of the DEInvest Annual Survey 2025, a leading industry report that benchmarks diversity, equity and inclusion and delivers in-depth insight into South Africa’s asset management industry. Download your copy below and watch the highlight reel featuring key findings from this year’s survey.
The Township Economy Report
The Township Economy is a R900 billion market that represents nearly a third of South Africa’s population and plays a vital role in shaping the country’s social and economic fabric. Far from being marginal spaces, townships are hubs of innovation, entrepreneurship, and resilience. From spaza shops and fast-food outlets to digital adoption, tourism, housing, transport, […]
Quota or Catalyst? Interrogating the 2025 Employment Equity Regulations Through a DEI Lens
This paper analyses the Employment Equity (EE) Regulations of April 2025, assessing their potential to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in South African workplaces. It argues that while the regulations represent a progressive shift towards substantive equality, implementation challenges and systemic barriers persist. Key themes explored include wage inequality, skills development spending, flexibility in […]
Critical Review: Draft Transformation Fund Concept Document (March 2025)
Download the Review In this review, we assess the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition’s (dtic) proposal for the establishment of a R100 billion Transformation Fund. We critically examine the document’s assumptions, highlight gaps in strategy and implementation, and offer constructive recommendations to strengthen its impact on economic transformation, enterprise and supplier development (ESD), and […]
From University to Asset Management: Closing the Gender Gap [DEI in Focus Series, February Edition]
Introduction Gender equity in asset management remains a pressing issue, mirroring broader challenges in workplace diversity. A key factor shaping workforce representation is the transition from higher education to employment. This research examines the gender distribution of students and graduates at South African universities and compares it to the representation of women in the asset […]
27four DEI Index Framework: Kicking Off Our 2025 DEI in Focus Series
As we step into 2025, 27four is excited to launch a monthly series focused on the 27four DEI Index. Originally introduced in late 2024 as part of the DEInvest Annual Survey 2024 – Benchmarking Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the framework provides a comprehensive overview of the South African asset management industry. This series will reintroduce […]
DEI in asset management – 27four launches SA’s first benchmarking framework
Financial services group 27four has launched South Africa’s first benchmarking framework to measure diversity, equity, and inclusion for the asset management sector. “The 27four DEI Index framework offers a comprehensive approach to measuring DEI in South Africa’s asset management industry. It assesses asset managers across five key dimensions – ownership, representation, equity, impact, and governance […]
fundHERforward: Insights from the Publicly Run Working Capital Application and Screening Process
At 27four, we’re deeply committed to shaping the future of emerging female fund managers. As Lester Freamon, from the Wire, once said, “We’re building something, here, detective, we’re building it from scratch. All the pieces matter”. This sentiment resonates strongly with our recent experience during the fundHERforward publicly run working capital application and screening process. […]
Gender.conomics monthly asset manager performance survey – launch edition
We are proud to announce the launch of Gender.conomics™. This pioneering initiative serves a dual purpose: showcasing the investment performance of women fund managers in mainstream public markets asset classes and raising awareness about the importance of gender lens investing. DEInvest represents an umbrella of initiatives aimed at advancing the prospects of first-time and emerging […]