At PEP, we believe that education is crucial to the future of our country. The PEP Academies is our flagship social investment project. There are several PEP Academies running in existing schools throughout South Africa. By helping to inspire learning and giving hope, the PEP Academy is designed to make a positive difference to the lives of our young people. The PEP Academy not only helps keep children at school but also gives Grade 4 learners extra tuition in literacy and numeracy – the building blocks of education. PEP Academies are selected according to specified criteria by PEP’s partner in the initiative, Social Innovations, and the Department of Education, which has fully endorsed the programme.

In 2019 there are 25 PEP academies operating within existing schools across four provinces helping to build stronger early learning foundations for more than 4000 Gr 4 and 5 learners. From 2008 - 2019, the PEP Academy has helped more than 18 500 learners, hundreds of teachers and school managers.

PEP has also partnered with Thandulwazi, a programme of the St. Stithians Foundation, to extend its teacher development programme to the Limpopo province. In 2019, about 200 teachers are being offered early childhood education support and training in the Modimolle area.

Other corporate social investment initiatives

PEP manages several funds that provide support hundreds of local organisations every year.

• Santa Shoebox is a national project PEP supports financially and the contents of the boxes are available for donors to purchase at any PEP store. To date, 858 673 Christmas shoeboxes were donated to underprivileged children across the country.
• At head office PEP employees, known as Dynamos, are also encouraged to do voluntary service. Because education lies at the core of PEP’s social investment, an underprivileged primary school chosen annually to assist with various projects. PEP supports their work with funds and time off work.
• Head office Dynamos prepare almost 10 000 sandwiches for Mandela Day’s 67 minutes campaign every July and departments gets the opportunity to make around 1 000 sandwiches for needy children of various Tygerberg Meals on wheels institutions every month.
• PEP believes in giving back to the communities it serves and each PEP region is empowered to give back to the communities at a local level.