SABMiller has invested some $6 million (£3.8 million) into entrepreneurial projects around the world during the last year, as part of its commitment to foster business creation around the globe.

Through financial support, retail training, mentoring and support for businesses, the brewery company, which has brands including Miller Genuine Draft and Pilsner Urquell, is giving entrepreneurs the tools needed to thrive.

It believes in creating an ‘ecosystem’ for small start-up businesses to grow in, rather than simply offering grants or seed finance.

So far the organisation has supported entrepreneurs in South America, the USA and South Africa to help their small businesses grow.

SABMiller believes that small and micro businesses are ‘critical’ to economic growth due to the role played in meeting the needs of local consumers and larger businesses.

The business has now been supporting entrepreneurship since 1995 through its Enterprise Zone and has a large number of support networks.

SABMiller hopes that, through its efforts to create new entrepreneurial companies, local jobs and incomes can be created as well as removing people from poverty and giving more economic empowerment to women.