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In the chronicles of business evolution, one often recalls Amazon's humble beginnings as an online book seller before transforming into the e-commerce giant we know today. Reminiscent of that journey, Experian has undergone its own transformation. It has long since ceased to be simply a “credit bureau” and has instead embraced a story that is far more dynamic and which defies this caricature. The Real Experian: When people associate Experian with being a credit bureau, our response is a resounding, “Yes, but that is only a part of our story." It is the beginning chapter—as data evolved to ‘Big Data’, we layered in technology to understand that data, catapulting our company into a different realm. Today, Experian is a global force with a presence in over 30 countries, boasting a team of 22,000 professionals dedicated to harnessing the power of data and analytics for the betterment of businesses, societies, and consumers worldwide. Embracing Data and Analytics: At the core of our story lies a commitment to embrace data and analytics in a way that only Experian can. We collaborate across our operations to deploy advanced technologies, artificial intelligence, and to tap into rich data. The result? A powerful impact on businesses, societies, and consumers alike. Only Experian can: We are proud to share our story of how we power opportunities in a way that only Experian can. Experian leaders worldwide provide a glimpse into what sets Experian apart in the modern landscape of advanced technologies and powerful analytics. You can read the 5-minute story here. Continual Evolution: Experian's evolution from the world's leading credit bureau to a global data and analytics powerhouse is an ongoing journey. Our vision propels us forward, driving us to continually redefine our role in an ever-changing landscape. As Experian continues to evolve, our commitment to making a powerful difference remains unwavering. Our story is one of transformation, innovation, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Join us on this journey, as we redefine what it means to be a global leader in data and analytics.
Experian celebrates its fifth consecutive year of achieving the highest score in the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index (CEI), solidifying our position as a leader in LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion. Our enduring commitment to LGBTQ+ equality and inclusion has not only earned us this prestigious recognition, but also underscores our dedication to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive. Michele Bodda, Executive Sponsor of Experian’s PRIDE ERG said, “I am incredibly proud to see our company achieve this milestone recognition again. It's a testament to the dedication of our entire Experian family in fostering an inclusive and accepting workplace where everyone can be their authentic selves.” LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusion in ActionOur score of 100 in the 2023 CEI is a testament to our continued efforts in promoting LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion. Here are some of the initiatives that exemplify our commitment: Progressive Benefit Programs: Experian offers comprehensive benefit programs that encompass transgender services and provide equal coverage to same and different-sex domestic partners and spouses. These benefits support the diverse needs of all our employees. Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Policies: Our non-discrimination and equal employment policies are committed to fairness and respect for all employees, transcending federal requirements and embracing inclusivity without regard to gender identity or sexual orientation. Transgender and Nonbinary Identity Support: We've created a process for transgender and non-binary individuals to update their identity documentation without emotional and financial strain. We also suppress their former names (deadnames) from Experian credit reports. The Power of YOU Initiative: To foster an inclusive work culture, Experian actively supports LGBTQ+ employees through initiatives like the Power of YOU campaign and the PRIDE Employee Resource Group. Check out the 2023 Power of You DEI Report to learn more. Celebrating five consecutive years of earning the highest possible score on the CEI is a milestone that underscores our continued dedication to creating an inclusive work environment where every employee, feels supported, valued, and empowered. For more information on our HRC Award and the 2023 Corporate Equality Index, check out the full report here. You can also learn more about Experian’s awards for our work supporting consumers, businesses, and our employees here.
Experian North America has once again been recognized for its inclusive work environment and corporate culture by The Orange County Register. This marks the 11th straight year that Experian has been named to the list of Top Workplaces. The publication annually surveys employees at hundreds of local businesses to evaluate their respective companies on a variety of criteria. According to the OC Register, we earned the accolade based on a positive company culture and listening to our team. This was highlighted by employees’ response to our collaborative and engaging work environment — one that enables every team member to clearly understand their own personal contribution to the company's mission. By welcoming a wide range of ideas and opinions, we’ve been able to create a favorable environment for employee achievement while continuing to develop new and better ways to serve our clients and benefit consumers. This latest award builds on other recognitions the company has received, including being recognized on Fortune’s list of the “100 Best Companies to Work For.” Great Places to Work, a global authority on workplace culture, has listed Experian as one of the “Best Workplaces for Parents™” and one of the “Best Workplaces for Millennials™” “While business strategy is core to our growth and success, the only way that strategy gets executed is to build a culture that makes workers want to stick around and give their best each day,” said Jennifer Schulz, Experian North America CEO. “I am proud that we are recognized for driving an award-winning culture, while staying true to our growth strategy.”
Today, we stand at the forefront of a digital revolution that is reshaping the financial services industry. And, against this backdrop, financial institutions are at vastly different levels of maturity; the world’s biggest banks are managing large-scale infrastructure migrations and making significant investments in AI while regional banks and credit unions are putting plans in place for modernization strategies, and fintechs are purpose-built and cloud native. To explore this more, I recently had the privilege of attending the annual Reuters NEXT live event in New York City. The event gathers globally recognized leaders across business, finance, technology, and government to tackle some of today’s most pressing issues. On the World Stage, I joined Del Irani, a talented anchor and broadcast journalist, to discuss the future of lending and the pivotal role of data and AI in building a more inclusive financial system. Improving financial access Our discussion highlighted the lack of access to traditional financial systems, and the impact it has on nearly 100 million people in North America alone. Globally, the problem affects over one billion people. These people, who are credit invisible, unscoreable, or have subprime credit scores, are unable to secure everyday financial products that many of us take for granted. What many don’t realize is, this is not a fringe subset of the population. Most of us, myself included, know someone who has faced the challenges of financial exclusion. Everyday Americans, including young people who are just starting out, new immigrants and people from diverse communities, often lack access to mainstream financial products. We discussed how traditional lending has a limited view of a consumer. Like looking through a keyhole, the lender’s understanding of the person in view is often incomplete and obstructed. However, with expanded data, technology, and advanced analytics, there is an opportunity to better understand the whole person, and as a result have a more inclusive financial system. At Experian, we have a unique ability to connect the power of traditional credit with alternative data, bringing a more holistic understanding of consumers and their behaviors. We are dedicated to leveraging our rich history in data and our expertise in technology to create the future of credit and ultimately bring financial power to everyone. The future of lending After spending two days with over 700 industry leaders from around the world, one thing is abundantly clear: much like the early days of the internet, today, we are at the cutting-edge of a technical revolution. Reflecting on my time at Reuters NEXT, I am particularly excited by the collective commitment to drive innovative, and smarter ways of working. We are only beginning to scratch the surface of how data and technology can transform financial services, and Experian is positioned to play a significant role. As we look to the future, I am excited about the ways we will create new opportunities for businesses and consumers alike.
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.
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.