South Africans amongst most generous, says new philanthropy report

• First ever snapshot of global philanthropy using both money and time as metrics
• Ubuntu seen as driver in South Africa
• South Africa along with the United States, Ireland, and India lead the way as countries that donate significant amounts of money and time to charitable causes

South African high net worth individuals are amongst the world’s most generous philanthropists, giving both their time and money to charitable causes, according to Absa Wealth, citing a new report, Global Giving: The Culture of Philanthropy, from Barclays Wealth.

South Africa was found to be the second most financially generous nation behind the United States, and when it came to measuring which nations were the most generous in giving of their time, South Africa ranked fourth behind list-topping Ireland.

Nomkhita Nqweni, Managing Executive at Absa Wealth, said: “The concept of philanthropy is universal, however a strong sense of Ubuntu, and the inequality between rich and poor in South Africa, are the driving forces locally.”

Wealthy South Africans feel compelled to do something to help bridge the divide in society through philanthropy, added Nqweni.

The report, which surveyed 2 000 high net worth individuals from 20 countries around the world, measured the resources being invested into charities and causes by the wealthy across the world, using both money and time as gauges for the first time.

Furthermore, the report looks at some of the drivers behind giving behaviours, identifying unique cultural factors that shape a country’s philanthropic style and what motivates individuals to give to charity.

“This report provides a strong sense of how the global community is really engaging with philanthropy – above and beyond simply donating money. It is especially interesting to see the diversity of involvement in charities across global regions,” noted Nqweni.

The 'Benefactors' and the 'Volunteers'

The survey identifies two distinct groups of givers: the ‘Benefactors’ who are the most generous with their financial spending; and the ‘Volunteers’ who are more inclined to devote their time to charity.

Top five ‘Benefactor’ donors

(% of respondents who say philanthropy is one of their top three spending priorities)

USA 41%

South Africa 37%

Saudi Arabia 32%

Ireland 30%

Taiwan 28%

Top five ‘Volunteer’ donors

(% of respondents who currently spend five hours a week or more on charity)

Ireland 20%

India 20%

USA 17%

South Africa 13%

Qatar 11%

Money and Time

By plotting these results together the report reveals that the United States, Ireland, South Africa and India lead the way as countries that donate significant amounts of both money and time to charitable causes.

The emergence of these donors further supports the findings of Barclays Wealth’s 2009 Tomorrow’s Philanthropist report, which introduced a new breed of wealthy philanthropist; the ‘Go-Giver’. Socially aware, and motivated to give back to the communities they come from, ‘Go-Givers’ seek to support charities not only with financial aid, but also using their time and expertise to benefit causes.

Cultural Philanthropy

Of the four countries that ranked consistently in the top five of both indicators, the report investigates the cultural nuances that drive these countries to engage in philanthropy in this way. The report identifies factors including:

· Bridging divides in society in South Africa – A national philosophy known as ‘Ubuntu’ drives altruism and a desire to support charitable causes

· A strong sense of community in Ireland – Personal connections to communities and causes are driving contributions to charity

· The desire to combat omnipresent poverty in India – High net worth individuals have a strong sense that they must do as much as they can personally to combat society’s problems

· A sense of personal responsibility to help others in the US – An optimism about the creativity and innovation of individuals to solve problems and make changes in society

It is clear from the research that engagement in philanthropy is universal. This latest report however provides unique insight into the ways in which this commitment manifests itself across the globe, and the cultural nuances that drive this behaviour in these populations.

“By learning more about the ways in which people give, we can further develop our understanding of the global philanthropic landscape and the unique motivations that are driving the wealthy community to engage in charitable giving,” concluded Nqweni.