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This year we celebrate our 100th birthday. We're not the same company that began back in 1918, and the world isn't the same either. So what's changed in the last 100 years?

Discovering the world around us

100 years ago we weren't quite sure how big the world was. We had never heard of other galaxies far, far away. In fact, we didn't even know Pluto existed.

Since then, we've gone to the moon and back, and back again. We're watching massive developments in the commercial space industry, and this year we'll get to see the world's first space tourists board a trip around the moon.


The age of technology

Nobody knew what a television was in 1918, but that year saw the invention of the superheterodyne radio circuit – a technology built to last that's used in every radio and television set today.

Now we have apps that make our lives easier – helping us get there faster, become fitter and do business better. We have smart devices, smart homes and online streaming platforms that put us in complete control of our entertainment, so we can choose what we want to watch, when and where we want to watch it.


Did you know:

The term "robot" was first used in 1921. This year, artificial intelligence has advanced to a robot called FORPHEUS who can read your body language and probably beat you at table tennis.

Getting around

Back then, cars were still a big dream and the horse and buggy was the most common way to get around. The few who were wealthy enough to own cars wouldn't have to take a drivers' test until the late 1950s.

In 1918, no one could have predicted the internet, let alone that it would be available in cars. Today, we have electric cars that run off energy and vehicle sensors that guide us into tight parking spaces. We're looking at a future where self-driving cars rule the road and flying cars are (let's face it) inevitable.

Did you know:

The fortune cookie was invented in 1918 by David Jung, a Chinese immigrant who passed them out in the street hoping to inspire the poor with a bible verse.

Although we've seen a lot of positive change over the last century, we live in a society where things aren't always built to last. A society where we consume a lot and throw away too much. That's why Sanlam has spent the last 100 years building a better world, knowing that others will inherit it. Here's to the next 100!



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