Our People
“In 2025, PPS reaffirmed its commitment to placing its people at the centre of long-term sustainability and value creation. The organisation proudly achieved a major milestone by being certified as a Top Employer in South Africa, a recognition that underscores its dedication to cultivating an exceptional workplace focused on employee well-being, development and engagement. During the year, PPS continued to foster a high-performance, low-ego culture grounded in its core values of extreme ownership, eternal curiosity and doing the right thing."
Masenyane Molefe
Group HR Executive
Our human capital philosophy
PPS is committed to attracting, developing and retaining talent that is deeply aligned with its strategic ambitions. This commitment is anchored in a compelling Employee Value Proposition (EVP) that reflects the organisation’s belief in the importance of its people and the environment it strives to cultivate. The EVP reinforces a culture of mutuality, high performance and purpose, one in which employees feel valued, supported, rewarded and empowered to grow. To maintain its competitiveness and relevance, PPS continuously benchmarks its EVP against leading global top employers, ensuring that its people experience remains progressive, differentiated and future‑fit.
Our culture
PPS continues to foster a high-performance, low-ego culture that is inclusive, purpose-driven and values-led. Recognition remains central to this journey, with the Dream Protector Awards celebrating employees’ achievements. Values-based training programmes such as The Values Factor, Working the PPS Way and Communicating the PPS Way remain in place. In 2024, PPS introduced an immersive workshop, PPS Values Through a Sustainability Lens, which continued into 2025. Employees also receive training on environmental and social issues to strengthen their understanding of environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles and PPS’s contribution to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
Our demographics
In 2025, our total headcount increased from 1 711 (2024) to 1 777. The staff profile is majority Black (African, Indian and Coloured) and two-thirds female.
| Nationality |
2024 |
2024 (%) |
2025 |
2025 (%) |
| South African (African, Indian, Coloured) |
1 286 |
75.2% |
1 328 |
74.7% |
| South African (White) |
378 |
22.1% |
389 |
21.9% |
| Foreign |
17 |
1.0% |
26 |
1.5% |
| Namibian |
30 |
1.8% |
34 |
1.9% |
| Total |
1 711 |
100% |
1 777 |
100% |
| Race |
2024 |
2024 (%) |
2025 |
2025 (%) |
| African |
803 |
48% |
839 |
49% |
| Coloured |
292 |
18% |
297 |
17% |
| Indian |
191 |
11% |
192 |
11% |
| White |
378 |
23% |
389 |
23% |
| Total |
1 664 |
100% |
1 717 |
100% |
| Gender |
2024 |
2024 (%) |
2025 |
2025 (%) |
| Male |
618 |
37% |
623 |
36% |
| Female |
1046 |
63% |
1094 |
64% |
| Total |
1 664 |
100% |
1 717 |
100% |
With 44.1% of the workforce being younger than 36, the company benefits from a mix of fresh, innovative ideas and seasoned insights. We have a strong focus on management and leadership development, and leverage age diversity to create an inclusive environment.
| Age |
2024 |
2024 (%) |
2025 |
2025 (%) |
| 20 to 25 |
124 |
7.2% |
124 |
7% |
| 26 to 35 |
635 |
37.1% |
659 |
37.1% |
| 36 to 55 |
845 |
49.4% |
881 |
49.6% |
| 56+ |
107 |
6.3% |
113 |
6.4% |
| Total |
1711 |
100% |
1777 |
100% |
Two-thirds of our employees have been with us for five years or less. Almost 25% of staff have been at PPS for more than a decade. This mix of new ideas and experienced perspectives creates an environment that promotes collaboration and growth.
Human capital management in 2025
Talent management and succession planning stood at the forefront of PPS’s people priorities in 2025, reflecting the organisation’s commitment to building a resilient and future‑ready workforce. Throughout the year, PPS drove targeted development programmes and implemented focused talent interventions to strengthen its leadership and specialist pipelines, ensuring that high‑potential individuals were identified, supported and positioned for growth.
PPS continues to prioritise professional development, skills acceleration and change readiness to ensure employees feel equipped, supported and empowered amid rapid technological evolution. This involves continuously reviewing and redesigning people processes to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) responsibly, while evaluating the impact of these changes on employee experience, roles and career pathways. By investing in capability‑building and fostering a culture of adaptability, PPS is positioning its workforce to confidently navigate the digital transformation journey and unlock the full potential of AI as a catalyst for growth.
Talent attraction and retention
Attracting and retaining talent continued to be a priority in a competitive labour market. PPS strengthened its EVP through new offerings designed to enhance workplace appeal and create an environment where top talent thrives. Initiatives focused on mutual benefits for employees and the organisation, including programmes promoting mental well-being, psychological safety, and targeted training and mentorship. PPS introduced school fee support for employees within defined eligibility parameters, reinforcing its commitment to employee well-being.
PPS continued to nurture long‑term relationships with former employees through the Friends of PPS event held in October. Thirty‑two alumni attended the engagement, where they were updated on the organisation’s performance, mutuality, new ventures and operational improvements. The event received positive feedback, including public appreciation shared on LinkedIn.
Employee wellness
The holistic wellness programme supported mental, social, physical, emotional and financial well-being through diverse initiatives. At our Parktown Head Office, employees had access to a fully equipped gym, walking and fitness groups. Bi-weekly mindfulness sessions and an upgraded wellness platform provided resources for stress management, mental wellbeing, yoga sessions and giving back to the planet. PPS also offered financial wellness sessions and educational support for employees’ children, alongside an extra day of leave for volunteerism.
Social engagement remained a priority, with Group-wide and divisional events, monthly in-person gatherings and hybrid-friendly networking opportunities fostering collaboration and community. These monthly gatherings included the much-loved PPS Potjiekos Competition, held in September to celebrate Heritage Month. Other notable events included Women’s Month celebrations, featuring empowerment activities, onsite mammogram services, prostate screenings and a popular Men’s Grooming Day, where employees could enjoy professional hair care and styling.
In addition, PPS hosted its annual Wellness Day, which featured health screenings, fitness activities and educational sessions to promote holistic well-being. Employees participated in the PPS Healthy Weigh Challenge, an annual initiative that encourages healthy lifestyle habits and supports weight-management goals.
To further strengthen awareness of employee benefits and resources, PPS introduced the HR Open Day, a fun and interactive event that showcased all the programmes and support available to employees. This initiative helped reinforce the organisation’s commitment to creating a workplace where employees feel informed, supported and valued.
Employment equity and transformation
PPS achieved 91.5% designated group representation by the end of December 2025 and has submitted an Employment Equity Plan (EEP) aligned to the new regulatory requirements, to the Department of Employment and Labour. While the PPS Group anticipates meeting the overall employment equity targets for senior, middle and junior management levels set out in its EEP, as well as the financial sector numerical targets issued by the Department, by the end of 2030, the Group does not expect to achieve the target at top management level within this period.
Employee engagement
In 2025, PPS transitioned from the traditional Employee Engagement Survey to the Barrett Culture Survey to gain deeper insights into cultural alignment and values. This internationally recognised tool measures how well personal values align with organisational values and provide a cultural entropy score to indicate organisational health.
The Barrett Culture Survey achieved a culture score of 73% and a healthy cultural entropy at 16%, which reflects a positive, values-driven environment and strong alignment between individual and organisational values. These insights will inform future initiatives to strengthen collaboration, innovation and adaptability as PPS continues its digital transformation.
Rewarding performance
Rewarding exceptional performance remains a cornerstone of PPS’s human capital management practice and is achieved through several mechanisms. All employees undergo a minimum of biannual formal performance reviews to complement ongoing performance management. Informal performance discussions and coaching occur more frequently throughout the year, and the outcomes of formal reviews are considered during the annual remuneration review. Retirement and disability benefits continue to form part of the EVP, with the latter providing employees with a salary should they be unable to work, either temporarily or over a longer period.
In addition to these mechanisms, PPS celebrates outstanding contributions through its annual Dream Protector Awards, which recognise employees who go above and beyond to protect and advance members’ dreams. These awards have become a highlight of the year, reinforcing the organisation’s values and commitment to excellence.
To further encourage exceptional achievement, PPS introduced additional recognition initiatives in 2025. These initiatives were designed to inspire employees to consistently deliver exceptional value and to foster a culture of appreciation and high performance.
Learning and development
A key trend reshaping human capital management is the accelerating influence of AI on workplace processes and organisational productivity. At PPS, AI is increasingly being used to automate routine, repetitive and time‑intensive tasks, allowing employees to redirect their energy toward strategic initiatives, deeper analysis and innovative problem‑solving.
This shift is improving operational efficiency and elevating the quality of insights and output across teams. As AI becomes more embedded in the flow of work, it is amplifying human capability by enabling employees to contribute at a higher level and drive meaningful business outcomes.
In 2025, PPS continued to invest meaningfully in learning and capability building, with the PPS Academy supporting staff through bite-sized learning, self-paced programmes and instructor-led training. This portfolio of initiatives strengthened capabilities across staff, leaders, advisers and members and laid the foundation for future readiness.
Flagship programmes included the AI Accelerator Programme, which embedded practical AI adoption through Microsoft 365 Copilot and built a strong community of AI champions. Launched in July 2025 in partnership with Pathfindr, the three-month programme equipped 230 AI champions with Microsoft 365 Copilot licences and bi-weekly workshops focused on applying AI in everyday workflows. The programme achieved an 86% adoption rate, with 197 champions actively developing use cases, experimenting with agents and crafting effective prompts. High engagement and strong feedback confirmed the programme’s value, establishing a robust community of AI champions and laying a solid foundation for scaled AI adoption. In 2026, AI adoption will be embedded into champions’ scorecards to further accelerate impact.
Lunch & Learn, a weekly online training session for staff, continued to strengthen the learning culture through regular sessions that supported compliance, digital literacy, leadership and PPS IQ outcomes. The launch of PPS IQ, which achieved a 72% overall score, provided valuable insights to enhance learning design and fairness going forward. In parallel, the Academy expanded values-based learning through sustainability-focused sessions, delivered comprehensive staff and leadership development across all career stages, invested in education through bursaries and critical skills funding, and extended learning beyond the organisation through adviser CPD, intermediary engagement and member programmes. Together, these efforts reflect a deliberate shift toward a more focused, tech-enabled, and outcome-driven learning ecosystem that supports PPS’s strategic objectives and long-term growth.
Training metrics
- Number of enrolments: 6 139 (2025); (2024: 8 120)
- Training hours: 2025: 36 028 (2024: 35 972)
- Number of staff trained through PPS Values through a Sustainability lens: 305 enrolments.
- Number of employees receiving study assistance (bursaries): 98 employees (2024: 105)
Staying competitive through people
Remaining competitive in a rapidly changing environment requires a workforce that is agile, skilled and engaged. In 2025, PPS continued to strengthen its human capital practices to ensure employees are equipped for current and future challenges. The emphasis was on fostering a culture of continuous learning, leadership development and adaptability, supported by initiatives that promote collaboration and innovation.
Targeted leadership development initiatives continued to strengthen strategic capability and succession depth. In 2025, selected senior leaders participated in the global leadership development programme delivered in partnership with Duke Corporate Education, a US-based executive education provider. This collaboration has offered our leaders valuable global exposure and practical insights into navigating complex and uncertain environments. The feedback from the 2025 programme has been overwhelmingly positive, and we are building on this success. Looking ahead, a new cohort of leaders will have the opportunity to attend the Duke global leadership development programme in 2026, ensuring our leadership continues to grow and adapt to global challenges.
These efforts reflect PPS’s commitment to creating an environment where employees can thrive, contribute meaningfully and grow alongside the organisation.
https://load.pps.co.za/human-capital-management