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People’s engagement with financial information and their understanding of how organisations use it to make decisions about the products and services they can access has been growing for many years.    Experian has played a role in this journey. We were the first to allow people to view their credit report at any time and see their Experian Credit Score with the launch of CreditExpert in September 2003. It has allowed people to view their own information through a lender’s eyes, so they can understand how to improve their situation.   We’re excited to announce the next huge leap forward – the launch of Experian Boost in the UK.    Now for the very first time, people can instantly increase their credit score to help them access more financial products and services at better rates.  Experian Boost is a free service which allows people to use a secure Open Banking platform to share their everyday transactions – from council tax to digital entertainment subscriptions, such as Netflix and Spotify. These payments have never been factored into a credit score before, so adding them should broaden access to financial services.  Our analysis shows that more than 50% of people will see their credit score increase from using Experian Boost. But, crucially, the service will not make people’s score go down when they sign up to Boost.   People are also in total control of their data. If they wish, they can withdraw their information with a few clicks, and they are still free to re-join at any time. But by keeping Boost activated on their Experian account they can build a stronger payment history which could help them get their credit card, loan or mortgage they want.  We’re confident this is going to be a significant moment in how people represent their financial profile to organisations. Five million people have signed up for Boost in the US since it launched last year, with three million of those seeing their score increase.  At Experian, we strive to put people in control of their financial data and the launch of Boost is entirely in line with this goal.   Now it’s over to you – give your credit score a Boost.

October marked Black History Month (UK) – a celebration of the culture, heritage and achievements of Black people past and present. Although we weren’t able to celebrate in person this year, our Black at Experian employee network were still able to serve up an incredible range of inspiring webinars, videos, articles and podcasts covering topics discussing Black British culture, ways to discuss race and racism with our children, as well as the importance of being an ally. This exciting schedule of activities has been the perfect opportunity to learn more and many of us were personally touched by the stories of our Black colleagues who have openly and courageously shared their thoughts and experiences with us all. But as Black History Month comes to an end for another year, it’s essential that our support doesn’t stop here. As an organisation, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity for all. And our Black at Experian network has already been instrumental in helping us understand how we can improve in some of these areas. Part of this includes signing the Business in the Community (BITC) ‘Race at Work Charter’. By working alongside BITC, as well as our other employee networks, it’s helping us create initiatives that will continue to drive positive change and inclusion for all. We are committed more than ever to leverage our differences as individuals and use this broad range of talents to develop our competitive advantage as a business. We’ve made good progress in a short space of time, but this is just the beginning. We are looking forward to continuing this important journey in building a workplace that embraces a more diverse and inclusive culture.

02 November 2020 is a day we’re really proud of at Experian – our Danish Credit Bureau turns 150 years old!    As we prepared to celebrate this milestone with our people, our customers and all our wider stakeholders, we delved into our archives.  We found extraordinary pieces of our history that still resonate with us, with how we do business, today.  On this historic day, it’s my pleasure to share some of these here.   In 1783, a Danish merchant wrote a polite request to a potential customer who was asking for credit to provide information about their circumstances rather than their “Happiness and Piousness”.  It’s the earliest example we have of a credit check.  Businesses still need that information today, and it’s a demand Experian helps meet globally every day.     Købmandstandens Oplysningsbureau, or KOB, is a name that still appears on Experian products.  Evidence of not only offering data and information services that meet businesses and consumers’ needs, but being a trusted provider of accurate data and information.  We continue to publish a quarterly analysis of start-ups across industries in the Nordics, which started when we first printed a solvency book in 1930.    In 1928, KOB had a woman on its Board of Directors.  Mrs M C Gazette served alongside three men, and during her tenure created the Gazette Fund, a hardship fund to which employees could apply in times of need.  The fund ran until 2016, when it moved to a different structure for fiscal reasons.    In 1938, the German Information Agencies demanded the names of Danish businessmen of Jewish descent be given to them.  We uncovered a news article from 1945 showing our Chairman rejected this demand, safeguarding the trust those consumers placed in our business, and morally doing the right thing.    Both actions by former Board members exemplify principles we continue to hold dear at Experian today.  Operating in the Experian way, we safeguard the information we hold, we embrace diversity, are inclusive, and strive to ensure all our people feel free to bring their whole and unique self to work at our Company, contributing to our high performance culture.  What is clear from these examples and others in this celebratory digital storybook published today, is data has been at the heart of all we do for 150 years, and it will continue to be in future.  From the early days, when we helped Danish businesses assess creditworthiness of their customers, through to today, we’re still empowering businesses and consumers to manage their data with confidence.    We’re grateful for the many years our customers have trusted us to provide them with data and insights that help their businesses to thrive.    We’re proud of our employees in the past, and those we have with us today.  As a team, we work daily to value each other, safeguard our future and delight our customers.     It has been an exciting journey, and we have only just begun. We are investing in the future, through new technology, talented people and innovative solutions that power opportunities that create a better tomorrow for our employees, our customers, consumers and the communities in which we operate.   We’re celebrating today, and we’re excited about the opportunities ahead of us too.   

Having a diverse workforce is vital to help us innovate and deliver on the needs of our increasingly diverse clients and consumers. Over the years, we’ve made some great progress, but there’s so much more we can do and it’s going to take the collective effort of all of us to continue to move the needle. That’s why we’re gearing up to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD). It’s a day celebrated in many countries around the world to recognize the achievements of women and drive equality among men and women. At Experian, IWD activities are extending throughout the month of March. Have a look at what’s going on around the world as Experian celebrates this important day: Asia Pacific The Asia Pacific region is hosting a range of activities across our offices in March, which will include round-table and speaker events as well as an opportunity to network and pledge their support for IWD. EMEA and UK&I EMEA and UK&I are joining together for IWD to support and celebrate diversity and inclusion. The week started with a video of employees from both regions reflecting on what diverse teams bring to our business. Employees will also be invited to a variety of events to engage and network with inspirational women and hear stories from our leaders on what diversity means to them personally. Latin America Throughout the month of March, Latin America has been running a campaign to share stories of achievements in their region and raise awareness about breast cancer prevention and other diseases more common in women. On IWD, there will be a panel of women leaders who will address issues such as the social inclusion of women in the region, women’s participation in the labor market, Experian’s commitment to female leadership and the importance of a work/life In Brazil, IWD is kicking off with a presentation by members of the United Nations to present their 50-50 Gender Equality program (which aims to eliminate gender inequalities by 2030) and how they are working with companies around the world to achieve this vision. Employees will have an opportunity to hear from leaders in our business about diversity and inclusion plans for the region, and listen to a panel of external speakers discuss diversity challenges and career development. North America Our employees in North America will be kicking off the week with celebrations across their ITS’ 13 offices in the region. Each office will have daily activities throughout the week, and all employees – including virtual and those based in smaller offices – will be invited to attend webinars focused on Diversity and Inclusion topics. On IWD, there will be panel discussions with senior leaders who will speak on various career development topics. To close out the week, there will be a special Book Club discussion on March 9. We will continue to update this blog post all week with pictures and other ways we’re celebrating IWD. Bookmark this page and come back.

I work at SEGA, a global games company. I first met Nakamura-san, my contact at Experian, about eight or nine years ago. I remember telling him at the time that I was a little sceptical of credit report and analytic companies – I thought they were either too expensive or their reports weren’t detailed enough. However, a year later I needed help from a company like Experian, and I thought I’d put them to the test.   My team and I were starting to communicate with overseas markets, to work with companies around the world. So, I phoned Nakamura-san. It was a business negotiation, so I had my poker face on – I played the usual mind games you have to, insinuating that if Experian did this job well then our company might be able to offer them even more business in the future.   Safe to say, they passed the test. We’ve been building a really positive relationship with Experian for the last eight years.   We’re working with companies in Hong Kong, Taiwan and London at the moment. To work with them, we need information – for instance, we need to know if they’re actually located where they say they are. Even if a company gives us an address, it’s always possible that it operates from a different country – we’ve all heard about companies and their tax havens. When we have these questions, Nakamura-san and his team at Experian collect and analyse data on these companies, and give us very thorough information – breaking it all down and explaining everything to us really clearly.   It’s really difficult to get the rich, detailed analysis of data you need, but Experian provides us much better data than any of our previous credit research companies managed to. They consult with us, and help us use this data to get our business to a better place. I’m very grateful for it – they’ve added great value to our business. Mr. Shinji Mutazono, Team Manager, SEGA Group Companies Finance Department, SEGA Holdings CO., Ltd. 

In Malaysia, nearly 280,000 people live without electricity. By volunteering with the Liter of Light program, we’re bringing solar panel lights to remote villages, transforming the quality of life and brightening the darker hours for families. In Malaysia, more than 1 percent of the population lives without electricity – one of life’s basic necessities – which equates to nearly 280,000 people living in darkness after the sun goes down. Some people have never had electricity in their life, making simple tasks like cooking or reading nearly impossible after dark. I wanted to change that. My day job is to support and enable individuals within Experian to pursue various career opportunities, but what I’m most passionate about is the way Experian helps me invest in my local community through the Heart of Experian Corporate Social Responsibility program. This year, my team and I had the chance to collaborate with Liter of Light (LOL) – a global, grassroots movement committed to providing affordable, sustainable solar light to people with limited or no access to electricity. In February, we joined one of their projects to install 60 solar street lights in the village of Orang Asli, an indigenous community in the Cameron Highlands.   Over the span of two days in February, a group of 30 Experian volunteers built and installed the solar panel lights. On the first day, the LOL team taught us how to build the panels, teaching us the skills needed to cut wire, assemble PVC pipes and drill holes. The second day, we rode in Jeeps through muddy roads and a three-foot deep river to reach the village. We spent hours unloading the lights and assembling the panel boxes, plotting the village maps and identifying the right spots to install the solar panel lights. I was happy to see some of the local villagers’ curiosity and participation throughout the day. Some helped us assemble the lights while others prepared the right spots for installation by building bamboo stands. The weather was kind to us, so by 5 p.m., nearly all the lights were installed – just before dark! After completing all the hard work, our team recorded a group video using a drone that all of the Orang Asli children chased after. Thanks to our service project providing light to a village in darkness, 150 villagers in Orang Asli will now have more productive, higher-quality lives during the dark hours of the day. I’m so glad I got to play a role in that.