The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) is reimaging corporate social investment through trust, flexibility and long-term partnerships.
In a country in which inequality remains deeply entrenched, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) has chosen to view corporate social investment (CSI) as a long-term commitment to dignity and opportunity. Rather than simply disbursing funds, it has built a model rooted in trust – one that empowers community-based organisations (CBOs) to respond to real needs in real time.
The JSE supports South Africa’s development by investing primarily in education, health, community development, environmental sustainability and social justice. But what sets the JSE apart is how it does this – through flexible, partner-led funding that recognises the complexity of social change. Its approach enables organisations to respond to emerging needs, unlock opportunities and build resilience.
The JSE uses two main vehicles for development:
- JSE CSI partnerships: Multi-year, discretionary grants offered to a diverse portfolio of nonprofit and community organisations.
- JSE Empowerment Fund (JEF) Bursary Programme: A trust-funded bursary scheme supporting tertiary education for talented, financially disadvantaged students.
JSE CSI partnerships
In 2025, the JSE invested over R8 million across 28 partner organisations, most of them nonprofits working in Gauteng, the Western Cape, and beyond. These partners span a broad spectrum, from those building school infrastructure and training teachers to those offering psychosocial support, food security, and disaster relief. Increasingly, many operate across multiple sectors, reflecting the interconnected nature of the challenges they face. Sector support includes:
- Education: Supporting school infrastructure, bursaries, teacher training, and digital skills development.
- Community development: Funding organisations that address food security, disaster relief, and holistic community upliftment.
- Health and wellbeing: Backing initiatives that provide healthcare, psychosocial support, and services for vulnerable groups.
- Social justice and advocacy: Supporting organisations tackling gender-based violence, disability inclusion, and refugee support.
The sector profile of CSI partners has shifted since 2024 – education remains a major focus (32%), but there is now equal representation in cross-cutting work (32%), where partners operate across multiple social issues, such as community development, disaster relief, and more. This may also reflect a change in how organisations classify and self-report their work.
While job creation isn’t the JSE’s primary goal, its CSI investments helped create 68 jobs across 10 partner organisations in 2025. More importantly, its approach has enabled organisations to weather crises, innovate, and grow – often in ways that would have been impossible under traditional funding models.
JSE Empowerment Fund (JEF) Bursary Programme
Alongside its CSI partnerships, the JSE runs the Empowerment Fund (JEF) Bursary Programme, which is funded by the JSE Empowerment Fund and managed as a trust. It supports high-achieving, financially disadvantaged students in pursuing degrees in finance, actuarial science, IT and related fields.
In 2025, the JSE invested R12 million to support 51 students, covering not just tuition and accommodation, but also stipends, books, and wellness services. For 73% of recipients, this support made the difference between studying and staying home.
The programme is rigorous – only second- to honours-year South African students at selected universities are eligible, and recipients must maintain strong academic performance. However, it’s also deeply supportive – through the TSHETO Leadership Coaching Academy, students receive training in time management, public speaking, and exam preparation, as well as psychosocial support.
Only specific degrees are supported. These include:
Bachelor of Commerce in Finance
- Bachelor of Accounting Science
- Bachelor of Economic Science
- Bachelor of Commerce in Information Technology or Informatics
- Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
- Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science
- Bachelor of Science in Computational and Applied Mathematics
- Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics.
The qualifying universities are:
- University of Pretoria
- University of Witwatersrand
- University of Johannesburg
- University of Cape Town
- University of the Free State
- University of KwaZulu-Natal
- University of Limpopo
- North-West University
- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
- Fort Hare University
First-time applicants must achieve a minimum aggregate of 70% when applying. Support is renewed each year, provided students attain at least a 60% aggregate. Most bursary recipients have been sponsored for two years (37%) or less, with 32% supported for less than a year and 17% for one year.
Measurable outcomes for bursary recipients
The outcomes are striking:
- A full 98% of students said the bursary contributed to their personal growth and development.
- 95% of current recipients and 80% of alumni expressed a desire to give back, financially or through mentorship.
- None of the alumni surveyed were unemployed. Those not studying further had all secured work within three months of beginning their job search.
In addition, 73% of bursary recipients said they would not have been able to pursue their degrees without JSE support, and 98% said their bursaries had opened up employment opportunities that were otherwise out of their reach.
The power of unrestricted funding – trust as a tool for transformation
Unrestricted funding – defined as financial support that can be used flexibly by organisations – is one of the most distinctive aspects of the JSE’s approach. This type of funding is prevalent across most partners, though the share varies widely, from minimal to almost total.
While the share of unrestricted funding varied in 2025, 77% of partners reported using it mainly for core programmes and delivery – not overheads – underscoring how trusted partners prioritise impact when given the freedom to do so. Nearly 70% rated this flexibility as critically important to their survival and growth.
The JSE’s approach sets it apart – of the 70 South African companies surveyed by Trialogue for its 2025 primary research into CSI, 91% stated they would not provide unrestricted funding to implementing partners (up from 69% in 2023).
When it comes to outcomes, unrestricted funding has proved crucial in the following areas:
- A rapid response to emergencies: The Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) Response Fund was able to disburse emergency funding to community-based organisations affected by sudden donor withdrawals.
- Shifting priorities as needs arose: Nolk’s Angels Old Age Home directed funds to meet pressing needs, such as essential groceries and toiletries, but also to channel some of these monies into marketing, assisting the organisation with securing more support.
- Sustaining essential services: The Salvation Army used JSE funds to cover a R4.2 million shortfall for an elderly home, ensuring continued care for vulnerable residents.
- Ensuring programme success: The National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) directed funds towards teacher workshops, transport and coordination – expenses that are essential to programme success but rarely covered by restricted grants.
- Innovation and programme expansion: Rays of Hope Community Development Foundation launched a new GBV Prevention Programme in early childhood centres, while Action for Blind and Disabled Children invested in critical software and infrastructure upgrades.
“JSE unrestricted funding assisted a great deal as we were able to use it where needed,” said nonprofit Action for Blind and Disabled Children. “Restricted funding can only be used for certain things, so other things are neglected. In this way, we were able to purchase programmes for the blind students as well as update existing software and do maintenance where necessary.”
Lessons learnt
The JSE’s approach demonstrates the transformative potential of unrestricted funding and strategic partnerships. Key recommendations for the future include:
- Showcasing the value of flexible funding through case studies and storytelling.
- Strengthening recognition and visibility of the JSE’s role at the community and beneficiary levels.
- Leveraging the JSE’s convening power to create multiplier effects through joint events and networking platforms.
- Integrating bursary graduates into the JSE talent pipeline to maximise return on investment and support youth employment.
Visit www.jse.co.za for more information.
