At A Glance
At a Glance When an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type 2ince the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release ince the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the releaseince the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the releaseince the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the releaseince the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release
Experian, the global information services company, has identified five key factors currently making people and organisations more vulnerable to large-scale cyber fraud. Speaking at the renowned Merchant Risk Council EU Congress on May 19th in Seville, Spain, Experian’s Global Identity and Fraud Director, Hugh Steed, shared his insights with nearly 500 eCommerce fraud and payments professionals. A wealth of stolen data available to fraudsters. Wholesale data theft is one of the fastest growing crimes facing people and organisations today, with hundreds of millions of digital identities compromised every year. Fraudsters are increasingly targeting on-line credentials over previously preferred data, such as credit cards. The exponential growth of malware. After data breaches, malware is the criminal’s key method of obtaining digital identities. From mobile applications to traditional desktop platforms, malware manifests itself in many different forms and its volume is ever increasing. Fraudsters are targeting both end users and enterprises to acquire these valuable credentials for use in sophisticated frauds. The frequent username and password reuse by consumers. Experian’s research revealed that the majority of internet users consistently use a small set of usernames and passwords to secure multiple different accounts; including social media, email and online shopping sites. More specifically, people have on average up to 26 online accounts protected by only five different passwords. This greatly increases the risk that fraudsters can use data stolen from one source to successfully access other accounts held by the same user. An increase of multi-channel interaction between customers and business. People now have access to multiple digital and physical channels, enabling them to interact with businesses, manage accounts and make transactions. However, this diverse channel environment also facilitates the work of cyber criminals as each open channel is an opportunity to commit fraud and securing these channels is a significant challenge for enterprises. The trade-off between security and user experience. As companies consider the necessary steps required to increase online account security, they are conscious that they cannot risk adversely affecting the customer experience. Customers making transactions online today expect a seamless journey and are likely to be put off by onerous visible security procedures. Hugh commented: "Experian’s research shows that fraud today is often a complex cycle that starts with data theft and proceeds through a set of discrete staging points, ending with a fraudulent transaction. “Rather than being instantaneous, the fraud process can span weeks or even months often with different criminal organisations involved and data changing hands. However, the very nature of this cycle means that there are systems that can be implemented to detect and stop such fraud early and before it causes losses that are significant in scale. To put things into context, for a handful of our largest customers alone, we have helped them detect and prevent fraud worth over $500 million dollars.” Felipe Fernandez-Atela, President of Experian in Spain, said: "Protecting people and businesses from the threat of fraud is one of our main goals. In fact, companies using our fraud prevention solutions consistently outperform the industry benchmarks in areas such as ‘decline rates’ and ‘fraud rate by order’ – both of which are typically 15 times below the industry average. We have the expertise, both in our products, services and skills of our people to help ensure society is more protected against this type of crime.”
The benefits of the Internet of Things are only as strong as the weakest connected point. Having a plan in place to prevent fraud that businesses and consumers can use to manage risk and increase security when using Internet-enabled products, also known as the Internet of Things (IoT), is critical. Connected devices such as smartphones and tablets, and a tremendous number of consumer products — including cars, heart monitors and household appliances — are now connected to the Internet. Many of these connected products have weak security and controls, creating points of weakness in users’ critical private networks, systems, and data. Adam Fingersh, senior vice president and general manager of Experian’s fraud and identity business, shared several fraud prevention strategies that businesses and consumers can use to manage risk and increase security while using Internet-enabled products, also known as the Internet of Things (IoT). Please read all the security tips on our Insights blog and learn more about Experian’s Fraud and Identity business.
Experian DataLabs in North America and Gimbal, Inc., a leading mobile engagement and location intelligence solution, are working together on breakthrough data and advanced analytics experiments. By leveraging Gimbal’s suite of macro-location geofencing and micro-location beacons, these findings could help retailers offer instant credit to customers as soon as they walk into a store, as well as give creditors the ability to prequalify their customers on demand for car and home purchases based on the location of their mobile devices. “In our lab, we are working on what the future could look like when consumers walk into a retail store, shop for a car or find their dream house,” said Eric Haller, executive vice president, Experian Global DataLabs. “This alliance with Gimbal is one example of how Experian is on the forefront of innovation and doing good things with data.” Experian’s new state-of-the-art DataLabs facility in San Diego, Calif., is outfitted with Gimbal industry-leading beacons to help Experian’s data scientists use breakthrough experiments to analyze data and deliver greater competitive advantages. “We are excited to work with a global data-driven company like Experian to utilize the rich location data our solution creates,” said Brian Dunphy, senior vice president of business development at Gimbal. “Further, it is great to be part of a collaboration effort that could enable Experian’s clients to offer mobile instant credit and prequalification to their customers once they’ve opted in, further helping to make their customers’ journey much simpler by leveraging their mobile devices and smart applications enabled by the Gimbal platform.” Experian DataLabs is staffed by teams of Ph.D. scientists and applied research practitioners with expertise in advanced analytics and modeling, as well as other statistical methods. The labs provide access to Experian resources such as broad, secure consumer and commercial credit data and demographics, which can guide Experian clients in determining their approach. Projects often tackle high-dimensionality problems where computer science, applied mathematics and business acumen intersect to create solutions that can be implemented cost-effectively. Experian DataLabs operates globally with labs in San Diego, Calif.; London, England; and São Paulo, Brazil. To find out more about Experian’s data innovations and the Experian DataLabs, please visit https://www.experian.com/big-data/datalabs.html.
Originally published in MarTech Advisor. As technology increases, today’s consumer continues to demand and expect better service. According to recent Experian data, the biggest challenge for businesses over the next 24 months is increasing customer expectation. It has become more important than ever for marketers to be smarter, more personable, and more relevant than ever before. In order to not get beat by competition, brands need to deliver a personalized and seamless Omnichannel experience. Data will play a critical role in informing decisions and ensuring the customer experience is maximized. This requires you to move from push marketing to insight-driven response and prediction. Insight like time of day, past purchases, weather, location, devices and more make it possible to provide exceptional value through every interaction. But before we can begin focusing on activation, we need to make sure to step back to basic fundamental thinking and think about our customer journey. Identifying Your Customers We have always put customers front and center. The old way to identify customers used to involve past-looking exercises meant to inform future large-scale marketing decisions. We would focus on our best customers and pinpoint key moments in their brand experiences that may need improvement or redesign. In today’s world of customer-centricity, we have to move past the idea of a random sample customer journey. Instead, be ready to react to each unique touch point in a way that adds value and encourages further brand interactions. Today’s version of the customer journey map should cover each individual’s path of touch points, make contextual decisions at each subsequent interaction, and develop and automate the process at scale. With this approach, the unique path each customer has taken up until this moment can inform the next message or offer we deliver at a 1:1 level. This is where predictive analytics come into play. According to TDWI Research, the top five reasons why companies want to use predictive analytics are to predict trends, understand customers, improve business performance, drive strategic decision-making, and predict behavior. In order to truly identify each individual customer, a mix of transactional and behavioral data need to be incorporated into the predictive modeling. Linking Your Profiles Ninety-nine percent of companies believe achieving a single customer view is important to their business, but only 24 percent believe they have achieved it today. According to Experian Marketing Services’ 2015 Digital Marketer Report, the biggest barrier for marketers to achieve cross-channel success is data linkage. For instance, say you have a customer who does all their research online during the week and then over the weekend shops in a brick and motor store to actually make purchases. If brands aren’t identifying the customer as one profile, they are most likely spending too much energy and time on trying to get the digital profile to transact online. There are two ways to establish user identity across devices. The deterministic method relies on personally identifiable information (PII) to make devise matches when a person uses the same email address to log into an app and a website, thereby creating cross-device linkage. Probabilistic cross-device matching is achieved by algorithmically analyzing thousands of different anonymous data points including device type, operating system, location data associated with bid requests, time of day and a host of others to create statistical matches between devices. For example, if a phone, a tablet and a laptop connect to the same networks or Wi-Fi hotspots in the same places every weekday, it’s safe to surmise that all three devices belong to a specific commuter. And while deterministic matching seems like the better more exact solution, users don’t always stay logged in or use the same email address everywhere. That is why it is important to use a combination of these techniques and other supplemental data to ensure you have an accurate single-customer profile. Automating The Process Once we have achieved a clear vision of each customer, we can automate the whole process. The ability to deliver the right message to the right person at the right stage in his or her buying process has increased the speed to conversion. However, it is not as simple as set it and forget it. You need to constantly be adding great content and paying really close attention to what people are responding to. In addition, there is no substitution for a human component. Automation works most effectively when the right team is involved in processing and make sure that customers’ needs are actually being met. The customer journey is and has always been at the backbone of business success. Being able to identify what motivates a customer gives us the insight needed to make smart marketing and business decisions. Today’s technology gives us an easier and quicker means to that data, but it is how we use and manage that data to provide a memorable customer experience that really sets us apart. Marketers need to make sure that every touch is smarter, more personable, and relevant in order to excel and advance. Emad Georgy is the Senior VP of product development and product management at Experian Marketing Services. Follow Emad at @EmadGeorgy, and Experian Marketing Services at @ExperianMkt, on Twitter.
National Small Business Week is finally upon us, and we are proud to recognize the businesses that have had such a profound impact on the country, as well as our local communities. They truly are the heartbeat of the U.S. economy. Experian will be celebrating this week by hosting several activities to help small businesses manage their financial well-being and make decisions that enable success moving forward. Below are some of this week’s activities, as well as some resources that are available to small businesses: OFFERS: During National Small Business Week, small business owners will be able to access a free copy of their business credit report. By monitoring their business credit, small business owners can avoid unpleasant surprises when applying for funding, protect their business from potential identity theft, correct inaccuracies and build their business credit score. EVENTS: Tuesday, May 3 1 p.m. eastern – Experian has teamed with BBVA Compass to present a free webinar that explores the power of building and maintaining business credit, as well as examines how to obtain the capital needed to start a business. Thursday, May 5 1 p.m. eastern – A video chat with Experian and several other small business experts will air to discuss how small business owners can better manage their financial well-being. Learn how small businesses can access financial capital. RESOURCES: We will also post a week-long blog series dedicated to helping small businesses manage and understand their financial situation. Visit http://info.inbound-bis.com/blog to see all the great tips. To get a copy of your business credit report and assistance in understanding the impact maintaining a positive credit profile can have on a small business. To understand how financial plans and changes to commercial credit information can impact a business credit score, visit http://sbcr.experian.com/scoreplanner. To better understand and learn the benefits managing your business credit, visit businesscreditfacts.com At Experian, we understand how vitally important small businesses are to our local communities. After all, they are a critical component of job growth and success to the economy. But we also understand there are a number of challenges small businesses experience along the way. This is why Experian is committed to ensuring entrepreneurs and small business owners have access to the right tools, resources and expert advice to help manage and grow their businesses.
By Lisa Hertzberg, LifeSmarts Program Director Headlines bemoan the lack of personal finance being taught in our schools. Most students will graduate with little to no education on personal finance basics. But, with Experian’s help, LifeSmarts is making a difference for students across the country. Together, we are helping students get on the right path to a lifetime of success by equipping them with the financial knowledge and consumer skills they need to make informed, responsible choices. LifeSmarts, an educational program and scholarship opportunity, offers teens the opportunity to learn about the “real world” while in high school. LifeSmarts prepares students to be knowledgeable consumers and workers, and more engaged citizens. A student from Florida put it this way at the recently-held 2016 National LifeSmarts Championship: “Ignorance is the disease. LifeSmarts is the cure.” As the nation’s premier consumer education program and competition for high school students, the goal of the LifeSmarts program is to create smart, confident citizens prepared for today’s fast-paced, global marketplace. LifeSmarts does this by focusing on five core content areas: personal finance, consumer rights and responsibilities, technology, the environment, and health and safety. LifeSmarts is a program of the National Consumers League, the nation’s longest-serving consumer advocacy organization, and extends NCL’s mission to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers. LifeSmarts begins in the classroom. Using the treasure trove of lessons and learning activities found at www.LifeSmarts.org, educators provide classroom instruction on money management, budgeting, banking, credit, and much more. Content vocabulary helps educators focus instruction and provides students with a scaffold to use to synthesize new terms and concepts. The fun hook: Competition! What sets LifeSmarts apart and makes it fun for educators and students alike is competition. Students proceed through several levels – often beginning with local competitions in the classroom. When they are ready, students also compete online, at the state level, and state champion teams meet every April, during National Financial Literacy Month, to compete head to head for the National LifeSmarts Championship. This year’s 22nd anniversary event was in Denver, and four days of action-packed competition and fun culminated in the team from Pennsylvania being crowned this year’s national champs. Teams from Florida, Tennessee, and Hawaii also placed. During competition, students correctly answered such challenging questions as these: Name two things you can do to prevent excessive impulse purchases: Your mom co-signed for your credit card. If you don’t pay your credit card bills, whose credit records will be affected? Name the federal agency that enforces credit laws that protect your right to get, use, and maintain credit? Credit can be a valuable tool if you use it wisely. Name one thing you can do to use credit wisely? Name one advantage of the higher education savings account known as a “529”? Signed in 2003, the federal FACT Act allows consumers to request what consumer report for free once every twelve months? Teens gain knowledge through LifeSmarts that they are able to begin using right away in their daily lives—unlike some other traditional high school subjects. They also actively pass this knowledge and their new consumer skills on to peers and family members. Participants recognize an increase in self-efficacy due to participation in LifeSmarts, and, in the words of several recent LifeSmarts alumni, here is how LifeSmarts has helped them: LifeSmarts has helped me gain an interest in the stock market and our economy. In the time since I began in LifeSmarts I have opened an IRA and a money market account. When purchasing a car, I knew it was best to shop around and look for the best deal. And also, since I was buying used, I knew I needed to get the VIN and do a background check on the car and see if it had ever been in any accidents. I looked at several different stores and Web sites before I bought my camera, exercising my right to choose and also finding the best camera for my money. I just moved into my own apartment and have my own bank account and bills to pay. LifeSmarts gave me the know-how to handle my business on my own – from auto, rent and health insurance, to managing my money. I learned that you could actually call a credit card company and ask to have your interest rate lowered, and I did it. It is gratifying to work with long-term partners such as Experian. Over the past 20 years Experian has provided in-kind donations of time and expertise, such as writing competition questions, reviewing content, serving as officials at state and national LifeSmarts competitions, and serving on the LifeSmarts Advisory Board. Our partnership with Experian has provided LifeSmarts participants with a deeper understanding of credit issues, especially credit reports, and credit scoring. Experian has also generously supported LifeSmarts financially throughout that time, providing funding to help LifeSmarts extend its reach to other Student Leadership Organizations such as Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), 4-H, and local JumpStart Coalitions. Funding from Experian has also allowed LifeSmarts to explore opportunities for growth in large, urban school districts. By partnering with LifeSmarts Experian has shown a commitment to educating the next generation and investing in today’s youth. When I think of what I didn’t know about consumer issues when I was a 16-year-old high school student, I’m even more impressed by the young people who participate in the LifeSmarts consumer education program and competition. Our goal is that everyone will learn something when they participate in LifeSmarts. So after reading this blog, did you learn something new? Were you able to answer those challenging questions that our champions conquered? For more, follow us on Facebook and check out the 5-question Daily Quiz! Answers: Set a time limit; consider changing how and where you shop; avoid shopping with impulsive buyers; give yourself a set “splurge” budget; keep a list of things you really want/need; keep your credit cards at home; limit the amount of money you carry Both yours and your mom's FTC; Federal Trade Commission Know the real cost of debt; don’t use credit to live beyond your means; read the fine print when comparing credit options; pay your bills in full each month; keep your total credit payments to less than 10% of your monthly income Deposits grow on a tax-deferred basis; when money is withdrawn to pay for higher education, it is taxed at the student’s rate; some states provide tax breaks in addition to the federal tax breaks; the money can be used for colleges in any state Credit report; personal credit report Photos Courtesy of: Jonathan Phillips Photography
Experian Marketing Services, a recognized leader in data-driven marketing and cloud-based marketing technology, today unveiled an audience management platform that will change the way the advertising industry buys and measures media. The Audience Engine platform deterministically links and matches data across the marketing ecosystem in a unified, automated platform for targeting, execution and measurement of addressable advertising campaigns. Advertisers, agencies and publishers can use Audience Engine to build and execute addressable advertising campaigns at scale in just a few clicks. Experian® developed the platform to automate the process of finding an advertiser’s audiences where they are today — at scale, across channels, networks and online and offline platforms. It provides users with a single, agnostic platform to create, understand and activate their addressable advertising campaigns leveraging a combination of first-, second- and third-party data sources. For TV advertisers, this includes linear, addressable and over-the-top audiences, such as connected TV. While in beta over the last nine months, more than 70 brands have used Audience Engine to launch addressable TV campaigns. Brands across verticals including major automotive, travel, retail and consumer packaged goods have already seen success, with an average sales lift of 67 percent. “We built Audience Engine with an open ecosystem in mind. As a result, we’ve been very successful in securing major accounts that have contributed to the impressive scale of our platform,” said Kevin Dean, president and general manager of targeting, Experian Marketing Services. “Our audience management platform allows media companies to monetize their data by making it accessible to the industry in a privacy-compliant, agnostic environment. Meanwhile, the media companies remain in control of their data and how that data is used for marketing.” Key facts about the Audience Engine platform Reach: Users of the Audience Engine platform can reach 85 percent of the entire U.S. population with addressable advertising campaigns. Advertisers can reach 100 percent of the household-level addressable TV operators in the United States through Audience Engine. People-based audiences, not cookies: Unlike a data management platform (DMP), Experian’s audience management platform generates “people-based” audiences by deterministically connecting data from across the industry, including online and offline platforms. It does not rely on cookies. Experian has direct partnerships with over 20 of the country’s largest media providers across TV, online, mobile, email and direct mail to enable deterministic matching and distribution across more than 8 billion variables. Media partners include Facebook, Yahoo, Viant, AOL, Cablevision, AT&T and Dish Network, among others. Users: Audience Engine is for users on both the buy and sell sides of advertising. End users include advertisers, agencies, media publishers and DMPs. Flexibility for distribution: Audience Engine offers users the flexibility to distribute audiences in perfect orchestration with demand side platforms (DSPs) and DMPs including Videology, Turn, MediaMath, x+1 and Lotame. Industry and partner quotes “Experian has become a critical component to today’s addressable ecosystem,” said Jamie Power, managing partner, Modi Media. “In five years, we’ll look back on this platform as a significant milestone in the ease and evolution of Advanced TV Advertising. Their direct link to the MVPD infrastructure drastically improves our ability to implement Addressable campaigns in reasonable time with accurate data and measurement." “Experian’s Audience Engine is integral to the future of TV and advertising,” said Andre Swanston, CEO of Tru Optik, which provides media and entertainment behavioral data for Audience Engine. “Our partnership with Experian has made Tru Optik data on the consumption of streaming media content available across addressable TV, opening an entire new revenue opportunity for our company and providing media companies and agencies with the insights they need to reach consumers, who are increasingly consuming content across multiple screens.” How Audience Engine works Directly in the Audience Engine platform, users are able to: Create custom audiences by selecting from their customer files and Experian’s consumer database (the largest in the world), as well as segments from other unique, emerging data sources. Users see the quantity and scale of the target audience immediately and can export the file within minutes. View audience insights that illustrate who this addressable audience is in terms of geographic, demographic and lifestyle attributes. The audience insight tool can be exported immediately into a report. Choose the channels and portals to distribute the addressable campaign across all channels: online, mobile, email, TV and direct mail. The audience targeting file is validated seamlessly to eliminate duplicate files across audiences. Through Experian’s matching capabilities embedded within the platform, users are able to view where an advertiser’s audience is active, regardless of the channel or platform. The platform then delivers addressable audiences for advertisers and agencies to use in their campaign targeting, all in a privacy-compliant manner. Users can view performance in a closed-loop reporting environment that shows the impact of their addressable campaigns across offline and online sales. “Traditionally, advertisers and media buyers think about the channel first — whether that’s targeting an audience via TV, on Facebook or an app — before they know if their audience is active in that channel. Audience Engine reverses this process,” said Dean. “The traditional approach gives advertisers ‘reach,’ but also results in a lot of wasted money, inaccurate data and irrelevant ads. With our audience-management platform, reach can be achieved with a level of unprecedented precision.” To learn more about the Audience Engine platform, please visit Experian’s website: http://ex.pn/audienceengine.
I’m pleased to share that Experian has taken another important step in the transformation of our Consumer Services business, having signed an agreement to acquire CSIdentity Corporation (CSID). The name CSID may not be familiar to most, but it’s a major provider of identity theft and fraud detection solutions in the United States. CSID is the technology platform that sits behind many other identity solution providers, and it’s CSID’s innovation that powers many of the core features of identity protection products marketed under other brands. Experian is familiar with CSID as we have partnered with them in the past, given the synergistic nature of our products. Helping Consumers and Businesses … Beyond being a very important step for our business in North America, I want to highlight how joining forces will help businesses and consumers alike. The combination of our products and services creates a powerful solution in the identity theft protection world. By bringing together Experian’s industry-leading Consumer Services products with the proprietary technology and innovation of CSID’s identity protection platform, we will be able to offer consumers and clients best-in-class credit and identity solutions. This acquisition significantly enhances our ability to address consumers’ advanced needs for tools to protect their identity and detect fraud. CSID has developed a sophisticated and patent-protected technology platform that discovers when identity information has been possibly compromised, and notifies consumers of the activity so that immediate action can be taken. By combining Experian’s credit expertise and CSID’s enhanced capabilities in identity management, we will be able to provide consumers with the ability to manage both their credit and their identity information in one proposition. This two-level approach using credit and identity information enables us to proactively inform consumers that their identification data has been compromised using CSID identity solutions, and advise them that stolen identity information is actively being used in credit inquiries and new account openings. Business Strategy … Consumer adoption of identity-related services is growing globally, driven in part by identity-related trends such as increasing digital activity and the threats around cybersecurity. We now have clear sight of a larger and more dynamic market that provides us with greater opportunities to leverage the entire range of Experian data and analytics capabilities to address the growing needs of consumers. And identity theft protection is a big part of our growth plan. This effort puts the consumer at the center of our decisions. Our aim is to significantly enrich the consumer experience by providing access to a broad range of information, including credit, automotive, health, and identity to help consumers make more informed decisions and control their information. CSID has existing contracts with many industry participants. I’m confident Experian’s breadth of data and analytics capabilities could add real value to these relationships. The Details … As is common in a deal such as this, the agreement is subject to Hart-Scott Rodino regulatory approval. Once that is concluded, we will be in a position to talk in even greater detail about how and why this acquisition will be a powerful win for helping businesses and consumers navigate the modern era of personal identity theft protection services. We’re delighted by the opportunities the acquisition of CSID brings, and we look forward to welcoming the CSID team to Experian. Craig Boundy Experian North America CEO
On Tuesday, Experian held a press conference and ribbon cutting ceremony with San Diego Mayor, Kevin Faulconer to announce and celebrate the expansion of the data and innovation lab in North America. The new 10,000 square-foot state-of-the-art facility will allow Experian to use breakthrough experiments to good things with data. Mayor Faulconer spoke about creating innovative jobs and opportunities in San Diego and welcomed the growth, ingenuity and creativity that Experian’s talented employees will bring to San Diego. Eric Haller, Executive Vice President of Experian’s DataLabs, joined Mayor Faulconer in addressing the three major broadcast news networks in San Diego, as well as reporters from the San Diego Business Journal, San Diego Union-Tribune and Reuters. “At this point, I’d like to think of this not as a finish line for our labs but a starting point. We have a lot of great opportunity ahead of us, and we hope that in this lab we'll start to achieve our vision around the future of banking, retail and automotive,” said Haller. Experian DataLabs currently staffs 30 employees in San Diego and plans on doubling the team within this year. Click the links below to view media coverage from the event. http://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/22084420?token=f65a02f2-ab51-4766-9f99-deeee5ec8788
Experian has expanded its growing North America DataLabs in San Diego to further innovation and enable leading data scientists to help clients and businesses solve strategic marketing and risk management problems through advanced data analysis processes, research and development. This new state-of-the-art facility will be equipped with beacons, biometrics and emerging technologies to keep Experian on the forefront of innovation. “We are proud that Experian has selected San Diego as home for its new innovation lab facility. This commitment from an information services giant like Experian is further validation that companies are expanding, growing and helping us to create more jobs in San Diego,” said San Diego Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer. “San Diego is indeed a world-class city of innovation, and our highly skilled scientific and technology talent is clearly helping to make San Diego a destination for new businesses, jobs and opportunities.” Experian DataLabs is staffed by teams of Ph.D. scientists and applied research practitioners with expertise in advanced analytics and modeling, as well as other statistical methods. The labs provide access to Experian resources such as broad and secure consumer and commercial credit data and demographics, which can guide Experian clients in determining their approaches. Projects often tackle high-dimensionality problems where computer science, applied mathematics and business acumen intersect to create solutions that can be implemented cost effectively. The first innovation lab was launched five years ago to provide clients with innovative techniques and applications to capture the value hidden within their data assets. The labs allow data scientists to conduct breakthrough data experimentation to present a larger picture and deliver greater competitive advantages. “We want to provide our team with an environment that will further inspire them, spark their powerful creativity and drive innovation for Experian and our clients,” said Eric Haller, executive vice president, Experian Global DataLabs. “I’m so very proud of the team and to be part of a truly innovative and entrepreneurial company like Experian that had the foresight five years ago to allow us to create these labs. The future is bright for us and our clients, and I can’t wait to see the good things with data that will come out of this new facility.” Experian DataLabs operates globally with labs in San Diego, Calif.; London, England; and São Paulo, Brazil. Click here to view video coverage from yesterday's ribbon cutting ceremony featuring San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and Executive Vice President of Experian DataLabs, Eric Haller.
Experian Marketing Services released its 2016 Digital Marketer Report. The eighth annual study reveals the challenges, priorities and other key issues impacting marketers worldwide. This year, the top challenge marketers faced also is their top priority: knowing their customers’ needs, wants and attitudes. Thirty-eight percent of marketers cited knowing their customers as their top challenge in 2016, and 52 percent named enhancing their customer knowledge as one of their top three priorities. Other top challenges indicated by marketers include increasing visibility over competitors and staying ahead of new marketing trends. The integration of technology and collecting, linking and managing data also were key priorities. “The future of marketing is being driven by sophisticated, channel-agnostic consumers who expect exceptional experiences every time. This reality poses a real challenge for organizations, as consumer intolerance for mediocre brand interactions puts more pressure on brands to leverage their data and technology,” said Ashley Johnston, senior vice president of global marketing at Experian Marketing Services. “Today’s brand marketers realize the significance of knowing their customers, but it’s still problematic. Our research found that regardless of the company size or industry, marketers around the globe still find this to be a top challenge.” Findings from the study will be explored in detail during a live Webinar on April 13, 2016, which will include an insider look at how Publishers Clearing House has overcome data and technology challenges to center its marketing programs on the customer. Webinar attendees will receive an exclusive Digital Marketer cheat sheet that highlights the report’s top statistics. To reserve your spot for the Webinar, sign up at https://www.experian.com/marketing-services/digital-marketer-report.html. Experian Marketing Services surveyed more than 1,000 marketers worldwide to identify the biggest opportunities and challenges for marketers around the world. The annual report benchmarks the key issues that brands face as they try to engage audiences with relevant messages in an often complex digital environment. Additional findings of interest from the 2016 Digital Marketer Report: Eighty-one percent of marketers report challenges in achieving a single customer view Enterprises cite making messages contextually relevant as their top challenge Seventy percent of respondents work in marketing teams that are integrated either fully or somewhat, up from 61 percent in 2015 Personalization helps achieve a 158 percent increase in click rate Sixty-six percent of marketers plan to implement predictive modeling over the next year and 68 percent plan to run mobile campaigns Eighty-six percent of marketers build segmented audiences for paid advertising “Now in its eighth year, the Digital Marketer Report contains key insights and trends that thousands of marketers have come to rely on every year,” added Johnston. “Our research and analysis focus on the areas we anticipate being the most impactful for marketers moving forward — particularly for brands that are committed to surprising and delighting their customers with every interaction.” The full 2016 Digital Marketer Report can be downloaded here: http://go.experian.com/dm16report. Past editions of the Digital Marketer Report have been recognized with awards such as the Killer Content Award (Demand Gen Report) and Stevie Award® (American Business Awards).
![[Infographic]: Off-lease Vehicles Surge Back into the Market](http://www.experian.com/blogs/news/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Feature-Leasing-Image1.png)
As automotive leasing trends to new heights, a rapid influx of off-lease vehicles are returning to market. Experian Automotive’s latest infographic explores the surge in off-lease vehicles, including which models and vehicle segments are most popular. Click here to download this infographic.
We are thrilled that for the sixth consecutive year, Experian has earned a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s (HRCF) 2025 Corporate Equality Index (CEI). This recognition underscores our commitment to LGBTQ+ workplace equality. We are honored to join the ranks of 765 U.S. businesses that have been awarded the HRCF’s Equality 100 Award, celebrating our leadership in fostering an inclusive workplace. Experian’s dedication to supporting the LGBTQ+ community is reflected in several key initiatives: Name Change Process: We have a process for transgender and non-binary consumers to update their names on credit reports, ensuring their identities are accurately represented. LGBTQ+ Allyship 101 Training: This new training program is available to all Experian employees, promoting allyship and understanding within our workforce. Pride ERG Parenting Committee: Launched to support parents, grandparents and guardians of LGBTQ+ individuals, this committee provides valuable resources and community. Transgender Resource Guide: This guide supports employees who are transitioning at work, offering education and resources for colleagues and managers. Partnerships: We collaborate with organizations such as Out & Equal, GenderCool, The Trevor Project and Born This Way Foundation’s Channel Kindness to provide financial health, mental health and other resources to empower both our internal and external communities. At Experian, we are proud to be part of this movement towards greater equality and inclusion. We remain dedicated to fostering a workplace where every employee feels respected, valued and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. Learn more about how we drive social impact in English, Portuguese and Spanish.
Achieving Top Workplace recognition for 12 consecutive years is no small feat, yet Experian North America has done just that. Named a Top Workplace by the Orange County Register once again, this milestone reflects not just policies or benefits but what truly makes Experian exceptional: our people. As Hiq Lee, Chief People Officer at Experian North America, notes, this honor is a testament to the remarkable contributions of our team. Experian’s employees shape an environment where innovation, inclusivity, and purpose thrive. More Than Work What sets Experian apart is our engagement with the world and community. Through initiatives like the Experian Volunteer Leadership Network and partnerships with organizations such as the Octane Foundation for Innovation and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Orange County Education Foundation, our impact extends beyond the workplace. In 2024, we earned additional recognitions, including being named one of the World’s Best Workplaces™ by Fortune and Great Place to Work®. We were also recognized as one of the Best Workplaces for Parents, Millennials, and in Technology. The Secret to Success Our success lies in focusing on people. Experian is a place where careers are built, ideas are encouraged, and employees feel valued. Initiatives such as, Employee Resource Groups foster belonging, Mental Health First Aiders provide support, and technology hackathons inspire creativity. Innovation at the Core Innovation continues to drive our success. By leveraging technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning, we are redefining decision-making and fraud prevention. This commitment to innovation empowers businesses and consumers worldwide, aligning with our mission to promote financial inclusivity. Looking Ahead For Experian, being a Top Workplace for more than a decade isn’t a finish line—it’s a springboard. With an ongoing commitment to our employees and communities, we continue to evolve, creating better experiences for our team, clients, and the world.
Experian is celebrating the one-year anniversary of The Legacy League Game Show™, a dynamic and interactive event that has revolutionized financial literacy education for students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs). This innovative program, part of the B.A.L.L. for Life™ initiative, combines the excitement of a game show with essential lessons on credit and financial management. We marked the occasion where it debuted in 2023: at EntreprenUTSA at the University of Texas San Antonio. The Legacy League Game Show™ has traveled to ten universities such as Morgan State and Shaw Universities and major events across the United States. The National Urban League describes the event as transformational; HomeFree-USA calls it a “model for how to teach anything to Gen Z and other generations.” Thousands of students have participated across the country, and more than 99% report an increase in their financial literacy after the experience. As someone whose family didn’t discuss money matters growing up, this impact is especially gratifying. In addition to making learning fun, The Legacy League Game Show™ addresses a critical issue: financial invisibility among young consumers, particularly within communities of color. Forty percent of consumers under 25 are credit invisible, with 26% of Hispanic and 28% of Black consumers affected, compared to 16% of their white and Asian peers. Special guests, including rapper and college basketball standout Flau’jae, comedian and actor Mike Merrill, Louisiana State University wide receiver Chris Hilton, Jr. and Grammy-nominated D Smoke have joined the game show, adding star power and excitement. Next year, The Legacy League Game Show™ will hit the road again, visiting more schools and events. We already have stops planned at the #IYKYK Pitch Competition in partnership with HomeFree-USA, the University of Illinois in collaboration with the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE), and the UnidosUS National Conference. Check out the action from our 2024 stops by clicking here.Learn more about Experian’s commitment to underserved communities in The Power of YOU 2024: Diversity, equity, inclusion and social impact report.
Modernizing the conversation around credit and financial literacy is a key commitment for Experian, especially for young adults. That’s why we partner with organizations like the Singleton Foundation to produce “Your World on Money,” to meet young people where they are, with engaging, easy-to-understand video shorts about credit, budgeting, and saving and more. We’re thrilled this commitment and creativity has earned both Gold and Bronze Anthem Awards, which recognize excellence in social good, celebrate the impactful work of organizations and initiatives that are driving positive change. Financial literacy is often not taught in schools, and the language around credit and personal finance can be intimidating. By normalizing these conversations, we hope to inspire confidence and action, helping young adults make informed financial decisions as they navigate life’s milestones. Our United for Financial Health partnership with the Singleton Foundation continues with our new series, the Finance Couch, where college students join our experts on a coach in the middle of a Los Angeles campus to answer their money questions. And our Anthem Award-winning series, HeartBroke, helps couples whose relationships are tested with financial issues to determine if they can work through it or end up HeartBroke(n).
Great Place to Work and Fortune have named Experian as one of the 25 World’s Best Workplaces™ 2024. This recognition highlights more than an award—it shows a commitment to our strong People First culture. Experian Chief People Officer Jacky Simmonds shares insights on how our people across the globe cultivate this culture, staying ahead of the curve through a unique blend of inclusivity, empathy, and a shared purpose. What does it mean to you, and to Experian, to be named among Fortune's World’s Best Places to Work? At Experian, we have long aspired to be one of the best companies in the world to work for, and over the past few years, we have made this a priority. Our journey has been marked by a commitment to putting our people first and fostering the collaborative and inclusive culture that sets us apart. This recognition reflects the common values that we share across our many countries and cultures and the dedication of our colleagues across our business. We spend so much of our time at work, so I think it’s important that every interaction – from the interview process to joining and every daily interaction – is a positive one where people are welcoming, supportive and generally just really nice people to work with. Reaching this milestone gives all of us at Experian some recognition, but also it is inspiring as we continue to strive to attract top talent who share our values, share our purpose and make every day an enjoyable one. How does Experian create an environment where employees feel empowered to innovate and contribute ideas that drive real impact? To fulfill our mission of bringing Financial Power to All™, we need as many voices, experiences and backgrounds as possible, so we can represent our clients’ differing needs. This culture of inclusion drives our innovations. We have employee-led initiatives, such as internal Hackathons that bring together these diverse perspectives to develop products and services like Experian Boost, Experian Go, Experian Smart Money Digital Checking Account, Experian Support Hub, and Transforme-se so we can serve the communities in which we live and work. How has Experian adapted to changing employee expectations since the pandemic, and what steps has the company taken to support employee well-being and work-life balance? We know that our people really value the ability to have flexible work model, so they can work to fulfill their role in a way that works for them. For some this is fully remote, for others it is hybrid so a balance of remote and in office, and for others in office, where their role requires it fully. We know from the feedback that we get that our people appreciate that we trust them and they have flexibility to deal with varying commitments that we all have outside of work. We also know that since the pandemic there has been an increased focused on wellbeing. Sponsored by our Chief Financial Officer, we embarked upon an initiative to invest in how we support people who may need additional support. We are very proud of our Mental Health First Aiders programme, which has trained around 400 colleagues across the world representing 23 countries and 28 languages and helping their teammates access resources. These volunteers receive consistent, ongoing and updated training. What specific initiatives or programmes at Experian do you believe set the company apart in terms of supporting professional growth and career development? We have invested in a number of things that we believe really make the difference. The first is developing great leaders at every level. Today’s leaders have many more challenges, many different age groups, a balance of remote and in person working, together with teams based in many different locations. Great leaders build great teams, so we think it’s important to invest in their development. That’s we built a leadership development portal – The Leadership Exchange – that has a wide range of resources to support them, including development programmes tailored to their needs. We also want to ensure that everyone at every level can develop their skills and progress their careers. So we launched our annual Global Careers Week, Experian University, and built a world-class digital curriculum so everyone can access the form of development they need based on their role or aspirations. There really is something for everyone. This way, we help our teams stay ahead of trends and ensure our business is equipped with the skills needed for the future. Looking forward, what are key goals or priorities for further enhancing Experian’s culture and employee experience? We’re truly proud of this amazing recognition, but we always strive to get better and acknowledge there’s always more to be done. We see an opportunity to make things easier in the way we leverage advanced technologies like AI to further enhance employee experience. For example, more personalised learning pathways, improved tools for productivity and collaboration. We make sure we don’t lose the human touch, but we also want to make the most of these innovations so we stay relevant with our largely tech populations. Being named one of the world’s best workplaces reflects Experian’s unwavering commitment to be recognized for having a great culture where people can do their best work with people they enjoy working with. Learn more about what makes Experian a World’s Best Workplace in the People section of our Annual Report and the Experian Power of YOU Report 2024: Driving social impact and diversity, equity and inclusion, available in English, Portuguese and Spanish.
At Experian, we’re proud to observe Veterans Day and celebrate the contributions of our teammates and their families who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. This year, we’re especially excited to be ranked #20 on Forbes’ 2024 Best Employers for Veterans list. The list is based on input from over 24,000 veterans who were surveyed by Statista. These veterans, from the Armed Forces, Reserves, and National Guard, work for companies with more than 1,000 employees. They rated their employers on factors like work atmosphere, salary, health benefits, career development, and programs specifically designed for veterans. We’re grateful for how our Veterans Employee Resource Group (ERG) supports the military community, from participating in events like Wreaths Across America, Carry the Load, and the Murph Challenge, to building wheelchair ramps for veterans’ homes. The Veterans ERG just completed its 20th ramp last month. With a goal of bringing Financial Power to All™, Experian provides free credit reporting to active-duty members and supports financial literacy and education through our partnerships with Support the Enlisted Project (STEP) and Operation HOPE. As part of our observance of Veterans Day, we invite veterans to join us for this week’s #CreditChat, “Transitioning to Civilian Life: Financial Considerations for Veterans” on Wednesday, November 14, from 3–4 p.m. ET. Thank you to all who have served our country. And we thank our veteran colleagues who bring their leadership, dedication and passion to Experian every day.
We believe that financial literacy leads to empowerment. That is why Experian supports initiatives and partners with community organizations to deliver financial education. We also develop products and services that give more control to consumers over their credit profile and financial health. As part of advancing our mission of Financial Power to All®, we are proud to announce we are helping more than 5,000 Hispanic individuals nationwide by relieving $10 million dollars of consumer debt. To provide families with this boost, we joined forces with ForgiveCo, a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC), to administer the acquisition and cancellation of qualifying consumer debt for the selected recipients. Beneficiaries will also receive a one-year premium Experian membership for free that offers access to their Experian credit report in English and Spanish[i], FICO® Score[ii], bilingual educational content, and other financial resources. We hope this effort helps raise awareness of the importance of financial literacy for everyone, and that Experian has resources to help individuals reach their financial dreams. To amplify the message, we collaborated with multi-platinum, award-winning singer and songwriter Prince Royce and you can see his video here. In fact, we have been making a concerted effort the last several years to evolve our educational resources and products to better support all underserved communities. Some of our other activities include the creation of the B.A.L.L. for Life initiative that connects African American and Hispanic youth with financial education, supporting scholarships for Asian Americans through the Ascend organization, providing custom resources for Out & Equal and Born This Way Foundation for the LGBTQ+ community, supporting the NextGen Innovation Lab for Disability:IN, and sponsoring credit counseling for the military community with Operation HOPE. For resources in Spanish, Experian offers a credit e-book and consumers can access a full suite of articles at the Ask Experian blog here. [i] Only Experian credit reports are available in Spanish. All other services associated with an Experian membership are available in English only. English fluency is required for full access to Experian’s products. [ii] Credit score calculated based on FICO® Score 8 model. Your lender or insurer may use a different FICO® Score than FICO® Score 8, or another type of credit score altogether. Learn more.
Even though 26 states now have a personal finance course as a requirement for high school graduation, 40 percent of college students do not feel they have enough knowledge about how to manage money. It’s a challenge that the Center for Financial Advancement® (CFA) Credit Academy addresses with participating Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). A collaboration between Experian and HomeFree-USA, the program culminates in the #IYKYK (If You Know You Know) Pitch Competition and a couple hundred new knowledge ambassadors about financial health and credit. Here, competition finalists share their advice for students as they hit campus for a new school year: MALAYA MELTON, Alabama State University Advice I'll give to incoming freshmen is to try to apply for scholarships. It takes some of the burden off. For me, I took about two years making sure that I got the right amount of scholarships before coming to school, because I knew that I wouldn't be able to afford it. My family won't be able to afford it. So, try to be very serious about applying for scholarships, and apply to internships that also get you money that you can use towards school or your personal development. JAZMIN FELIZ ORELLANA, Bowie State University Don't take out loans if you don't have to. I think many freshmen forget that they'll have to pay off those loans once they graduate after a certain time, and that definitely can affect their credit, especially if they're not able to pay for it. OLUWATOSIN OYEKEYE, Alabama State University Save your money, save your money, save your money. It's okay to go to a college in your hometown. Save as much money as you can, because you really don't know where you'll need it. If you get that credit card, make sure that you're paying all the payments on time. Do not wait till the last minute to pay it. PHILIP OMO-TAIGA, North Carolina A&T State University Budgeting. I think that's really what plays into the whole thing of credit, which is there obviously to help you. But it can also go really, really bad. When you think about what it takes to find that healthy balance, you got to learn how to budget because you may go through a period where you're not working. So now it's like, "Okay, now I got to leverage this money that I maybe have saved up. Maybe think about my credit so that I'm not burying myself into a hole. I'm not working, so there's no way I can pay it down." I think when it comes to finding that healthy medium, budgeting is definitely key. CALVIN CHARLES III, Bowie State University A secure credit card. I think freshman year is a great way to enter college (with one) because you're going to have items and things that you are going to have to pay for anyway. Why not begin building your credit there? I can personally say my first credit card I opened at 18, so that gave me the years of credit history. ESANTE-JOY MCINTYRE, North Carolina A&T State University It is never really how you start, but it's how you finish. Freshman year I might not have that scholarship. But I promise you by sophomore year I had $10,000 from outside scholarships, I had $10,000 from doing pitch competitions, $5,000 from here, from there. So, don't give up on the idea of searching. If you are able to search, you'll find it. Those opportunities and resources are out there, and Experian is just a testament to that.
Amid some of the financial challenges that underserved communities experience, members across the financial services community remain committed to championing initiatives and programs that drive greater financial inclusion. In fact, collaboration has led to the inclusion of non-debt related payment information on consumers’ credit profiles, as well as digital services that make it easier to manage money. These efforts have helped to broaden access to fair and affordable financial resources for more individuals. While significant progress has been made, there is still more work to do. However, some of the misconceptions and myths about the financial services community are hindering further advancement. Debunking these myths will accelerate progress by building trust between the financial services community and consumers. Person withdrawing money from ATM contactless Myth #1: “Financial institutions have no interest in underserved consumers or credit invisibles.” The truth is, banks and credit unions want to say “yes” to more prospective borrowers, including individuals and families from underserved communities. Beyond being the right thing to do, it’s an opportunity to potentially build lifelong relationships with a relatively untapped market. A show of good faith to communities who have largely been ignored by the financial system could lead to customer loyalty that may extend to their family and friends. That’s why participants across the financial ecosystem have been proponents of including expanded data sources—such as on-time telecom, utility and video streaming service payments—on to consumer credit reports, as well as exploring other Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)-regulated data sources, including payment data on short-term small dollar loans and expanded public records data. Making this data more accessible to lenders provides a more comprehensive view of a consumer’s ability and willingness to repay outstanding debt—an actionable solution to extending credit to consumers without lenders taking on additional risk. Myth #2: “There is a lack of trustworthy financial education resources.” The financial services community and affiliated organizations recognize that empowering people with financial knowledge and skillset are critical to consumers’ financial success. In fact, banks and credit unions are partnering with nonprofits and non-governmental organizations to better understand the unique challenges and opportunities within specific communities and provide relevant tools and resources. For example, Experian’s B.A.L.L. for Life (Be A Legacy Leader) program, launched in partnership with the National Urban League, serves as a catalyst for engaging with Black communities and low-income youth through live events and digital financial education. Subject matter experts, professional athletes, celebrities, and other influencers share their experiences and expertise, covering topics such as banking, credit, financial management and investing. In addition, to help people improve their financial management, Experian partners with the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC). The NFCC connects consumers with certified financial counselors to help them address various pain points, including debt management, homeownership, student loans or small business cash flow issues. Myth #3: “Underserved communities have few opportunities to build credit and enter the mainstream financial system.” People from underserved communities, as well as younger consumers and recent immigrants are often excluded from the mainstream financial system because they lack an extensive credit history. Historically, it’s created a vicious cycle; in order to get credit, you have to have credit. Fortunately, there has been a sea change in innovative solutions to address the specific needs of these populations. These include new credit scoring models and microfinancing which provide financial services to individuals who may have been excluded from traditional banking systems. In addition, by incorporating expanded data sources, such as telecom, utility and residential rental payments onto credit reports, lenders have more visibility into consumers who may have been excluded by traditional credit scoring methods.These programs help individuals and families from underserved communities establish and build a credit history that could enable loans, or the ability to rent an apartment or open their dream business. An example is Experian Boost®, a free feature that allows Experian members to contribute their history of making utility, cellphone, insurance, residential rent and video streaming service payments directly into their Experian credit profile. By incorporating nontraditional credit data like paying utility bills on time, online banking transactions, rental payments and verified income data, more people can establish a credit profile that can potentially qualify them for a loan. More Inclusion, Fewer Myths It’s encouraging that community organizations and banks are beginning to see the economic and social benefits of aligning on financial literacy and inclusion. As more initiatives come online, underserved populations will be able to establish a better financial foundation. Then, we can declare the myths to be history.
Experian is wrapping up several inspiring days at the 2024 Disability:IN Conference. We are a proud Presenting partner, and as part of our support this year, we had the honor of being the key sponsor for the NextGen Innovation Lab Pitch Competition. This initiative brings together young adults to develop innovative products or services that benefit individuals with disabilities. It provides a platform for young minds to harness their creativity and technical skills to solve real-world challenges faced by the disability community. This year, we challenged these NextGen leaders to create a product or service specifically for young adults with disabilities that can help them build their credit or improve their financial literacy. Only 10% of working aged people with disabilities consider themselves to be financially healthy, according to a recent study. Eight enthusiastic and passionate teams shared their ideas and the top two vote-getters’ pitched live, “Shark Tank” style, in front of thousands of conference attendees. The winner: Team 7’s “Experian Expedition,” which enhances the accessibility of the existing Experian app and adds new experiences such as an accessible credit card that also features braille; voice-guided, American Sign Language and closed-captioned exercises; and an incentive program for young adults as they reach various financial health milestones with cash back and coupons. We congratulate Team 7 and all of the teams for their collaboration with Experian and each other. The ideas and services developed through the NextGen iLab have the potential to make a significant impact on the disability community, enhancing accessibility, independence, and quality of life for millions. Sponsoring the NextGen iLab is just one of the many ways Experian is committed to disability inclusion. For the third consecutive year, Experian has achieved a top score in the Disability Equality Index (DEI) 2024. This accolade underscores Experian's ongoing efforts towards inclusivity in our workplace, products and services that are accessible and beneficial to individuals of all abilities, including the Support Hub, Financial Resilience Center, Inclusion Works, and the CMO/CCO Coalition. We’re proud our efforts are recognized by Disability:IN and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). To learn more about Experian’s commitment to inclusion, check out our Power of YOU Report 2024: Driving social impact and diversity, equity and inclusion in English, Portuguese and Spanish.
Making a real difference in the world starts with embracing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and accelerating social impact. It's not just the right thing to do, but it's also key to our mission of creating a better tomorrow, together. DEI isn't just a buzzword for us; it's at the heart of everything we do. Whether it's in our sustainability strategy or our day-to-day operations, we're committed to driving positive social impact and closing the financial wealth gap in underserved communities. It starts with our people. We’re proud to share their dedication and work in this year’s Experian Power of YOU Report 2024: Driving social impact and diversity, equity and inclusion in English, Portuguese and Spanish. Within these pages, you’ll see how we foster belonging with our teammates, and champion DEI beyond the walls of Experian. From developing products like Experian Smart Money to expanding Experian Boost in the United Kingdom, and launching Advance XScore in Peru, we're dedicated to making a difference in the world around us. To that end, you’ll see we’ve also included, for the first time, our new Positive Social Impact Framework, which will reinforce and help our clients, consumers and employees further understand how we are making a difference in our communities. At Experian, we strive to build a brighter, more inclusive future – for our employees, our clients, and our communities. Together, we can make a real difference.
Caps and gowns. Pomp and circumstance. Loans and debt. As the class of 2024 celebrate their college graduations, more than 43 million of them leave school with a total national debt of more than $1.6 trillion. Some are on better financial footing than others – with no debts as they start their careers – because of early financial and credit education. These learnings fueled ideas for students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) who competed in this year’s #IYKYK Pitch Competition (If You Know You Know), sponsored by HomeFree-USA and Experian. The challenge: to create solutions that help their peers become debt-free within five years of graduation. Here, finalists share some advice for graduates on how they can start their post-collegiate lives on solid financial footing: OLUWATOSIN OYEKEYE, Alabama State University You're not too young. I feel like most people think it's until you're married or you have kids before you should take your financial life seriously. From your first couple of first paychecks, look into where you can invest. If you don't want to live from paycheck to paycheck, look for ways to grow your money. Take your credit seriously. If you want to own a home, you want to buy a car, these things are important. It's not too early, it’s also not too late to start taking these things seriously. JAZMIN FELIZ ORELLANA, Bowie State University You don't have to start off with a credit card with a $10,000 limit. You can easily start off with a secured credit card. And that's actually one of my biggest pieces of advice. Get a credit card, be mindful with it, don't spend, don't max it out, but definitely just practice and start using it to see if you're actually able to maintain your credit. That's a piece of advice that definitely has worked with me, especially with building up my own credit, which I hope to get soon to 800. MARCUS HARRIS, North Carolina A&T University Always go out and explore opportunities that could first boost your credit and put you in a more financial-free state. For example, with Experian, they have an Experian Boost program that when you're in school, if you have rent, you rent an apartment, you could apply that. Or even the Netflix subscription, you can apply that to the Experian Boost program and therefore you can help build your credit over the time. TAYLOR PAYTON, Bowie State University To college students who are about to graduate, once they get that job offer with a lot of zeros behind it, be mindful of lifestyle influences. Just because you're making a certain amount of money does not mean you have to spend all of it. Be mindful not to keep up with the Joneses. CHIOMA KALU, Alabama State University There's something my sister used to say. She used to say, "Pay now, play later. Or if you play now, you pay later." I feel like if they focus during their youth when they can really do these things and really go out there, do the jobs, focus on paying off everything, getting that financial literacy, getting that financial freedom, and then at age 30 you're already set up for life. That makes more sense than just going through life, just ballin’, and then at the end of the day, if you have to pay when you're like 60? You're still paying student loans? Come on, now. CALVIN CHARLES III, Bowie State University Do not get caught up in social media. Just because you want to live in the city doesn't mean that that's what you have to do. And there's nothing wrong with roommates. They can allow you to reach your actual goals. Every meal does not have to be eaten out. Social media creates a lifestyle that you wish to live, and living in that moment is great, but you have to think about your future and building that wealth for yourself directly afterwards. All of these students were part of the Center for Financial Advancement Credit Academy. To learn more about this program that supports HBCU students, click here.