Corporate Responsibility
The following is written by Jan Barratt, Experian. We owe everything to the millions who lost their lives in the Great War, fighting for our freedom. Without their sacrifice, the world we know would be a very different place. This November marks a whole century since the guns finally fell silent on WW1. It’s only fitting we use this landmark anniversary to remember and celebrate everything they did for us. The Games of Remembrance 2018 is an opportunity to do exactly that. Inspired by a generation’s love of football and its ability to unify, The Games of Remembrance harnesses the power of the beautiful game to remind us all of the immense bravery and sacrifice of millions. We’re proud to sponsor the Games and to play a small part in helping those memories live on and to commemorate the people who lost their lives in the conflict. Furthermore, we’re thrilled that this year’s celebration comes to Nottingham, a place where Sir John Peace, Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, and the late Eric Barnes built up Experian from its roots almost 50 years ago. Today, we employ more than 2,000 people across the East Midlands region. We’re proud to be sponsoring the Games of Remembrance, and we are proud to be part of the Nottingham community. We remember.
This article is by Michele Pearson, general manager of Experian Mortgage, and co-sponsor of Experian’s PRIDE employee resource group (ERG) Like most of us in the LGBT+ community, my coming out story is more like an unfinished novel than a tightly worded chapter in a book once read and forgotten on a bookshelf. It unfolded over the years. I wasn’t always confident enough to be fully out, but I never pretended to be something I wasn’t. For me, there wasn’t a day of reckoning or a loud declaration. I arrived at this point over the years, and there were two pivotal incidents that served as catalysts for me. First, after working at Experian for several years, a male colleague stunned me when he said his feelings were hurt that I didn’t trust him enough to bring my whole self to work. I was dumbstruck by his frankness and desire to know the real me. And second, I realized I couldn’t ask my children to go through life with two moms confidently and comfortable if I wasn’t truly authentic in every aspect of my life as well. For me, coming out happens again and again. I will always need the quiet confidence to say, “I’m a mom, a daughter, a friend. I’m an executive. And yes, I am gay.” When Experian asked me to lead our company’s LGBT+ ERG, I took a moment of pause. Yes, this was a big decision, but ultimately, drawing on that confidence, it was an easy decision to make. In light of the 30th anniversary of National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11, I want to assure people wondering if acknowledging diversity is significant, it is. The difficulty some of our LGBT+ colleagues face making daily decisions about where they can be fully present aren’t merely insecurities. They are the realities of being LGBT+. No federal law exists protecting the rights of employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in the United States. In 28 U.S. states, employees aren’t afforded state-level protection for sexual orientation, meaning they can be fired for being lesbian, gay or bisexual, and it’s even worse for transgender members of the workforce. The fear is real for many members of the LGBT+ community – but so is the motivation to seek change and create an inclusive workforce in America. Just imagine working in America if everyone felt as safe as I do to bring their whole selves to work? The mental and emotional energy I expended hiding my whole self from my colleagues many years ago saddens me. Could I have bonded with others quicker, positively affecting team performance and achieving goals faster? Could I have helped someone else know it was OK to be fully themselves at Experian and watched them confidently come into work every day? Today, I’m not raising my voice for myself. I’m raising it on behalf of talented LGBT+ employees across the country and to tell business leaders that the economic results they’ll receive by instilling and nurturing inclusion is worth it. According to research presented at Deloitte’s IMPACT 2017 conference, organizations with inclusive cultures are six times more likely to be innovative, six times more likely to anticipate change and respond effectively, and twice as likely to meet or exceed financial targets. It’s the right thing to do. I feel fortunate to have spent the last 20 years at a company that is overt in saying it’s OK to be who you are: You are not only welcomed here, you belong here.
The following is written by Alison Sharp, Experian. Mental illness affects thousands of people in the UK, their friends, families and work colleagues. In fact, one in four of us will be affected by mental health issues at some stage of our lives. It\'s hard enough to experience mental health problems, without having to face the judgement, shame and isolation that often surrounds it. Today is World Mental Health Day, an opportunity for us, and others, to help raise awareness of mental health issues. However, our work to change the way people think and act about mental health problems doesn’t stop here. I am proud that our MD, Charles Butterworth, signed the Time to Change pledge last month, to help bring an end to mental health discrimination and show our commitment to supporting mental health awareness. Signing the pledge marks the beginning of a shift to make sure well-being and mental health support becomes the norm for us. I believe that the workplace should be an environment where everyone can thrive, no matter who they are. Experian joins the wide movement of more than 800 organisations that have signed the Time to Change pledge, including E.ON, British Gas, Ernst & Young, Transport for London, Royal Mail, Barclays, Shell, Pepsico, the Church of England, Sunday Mirror, Marks and Spencer, WH Smiths and many NHS trusts, universities, and local authorities. At Experian, we are dedicated to making colleagues feel more support and connected to the help we have, as and when they need it. I truly believe that mental health is something that shouldn’t be brushed off or pushed aside and I hope that if you are suffering, or know someone that is, that you have the courage to reach out for support because after all, it is OK to not be OK.
As the owner of one of those increasingly popular voice-controlled assistants, I get a weekly email from the supplier suggesting new things to ask it to do or help with. Rather conveniently, this week’s update arrived this morning and includes the suggestion: “[Hello], can you do maths?” I use the word ‘conveniently’ because among the various tasks on my to-do list today is ‘write a short blog about numeracy’. So now I have an introduction. Like literacy, numeracy – understanding and being able to apply numbers – is a vital life skill. They are both key foundations of our education from the earliest of ages and go on to support opportunity and achievement throughout our schooling, into the world of work and beyond. Low levels of numeracy in adult life can be a major obstacle to success. Most employers require at least basic maths skills. And if you struggle with numbers, making successful financial decisions about the money that going to work generates will be very challenging. But this is the reality for many adults today. In the UK, almost half of us possess the maths skills expected of an 11 year old. This is according to National Numeracy, a charity that champions the importance of good numeracy and provides tools to help people improve. So when National Numeracy asked Experian to support the UK’s first National Numeracy Day on 16 May we were delighted to say yes. I’m certainly looking forward to working alongside a number of other big brands as well as numeracy ambassadors Rachel Riley and Martin Lewis. It’s a great fit for Experian, a company with a long track record of supporting initiatives designed to help people make successful decisions, particularly around personal finances. Our learning resource Values, Money & Me is already used in primary-school classrooms around the country to help cement good financial habits from an early age. Similarly, millions of adults track the health of their credit with the help of a free Experian account, and use the built-in eligibility features to secure better deals on financial products. Like others, we firmly believe that maths skills and financial success are closely linked, so we’re delighted to be helping support and promote National Numeracy Day. We’ll be encouraging as many people as possible to tackle the National Numeracy challenge and, where necessary, to take follow-up steps to brush up on their maths skills and, as a result we hope, improve their financial futures. Written by: James Jones, Head of Consumer Affairs, UK&I
Promoting a better understanding about how the credit economy works and improving financial awareness, so that people can take control of their financial situation with positive, proactive decisions, is absolutely fundamental to our business strategy. This is encapsulated through our financial education programmes. In partnership with Young Enterprise, we have created 28 Centres of Excellence for schools to support children’s financial education. And through Experian’s Values, Money & Me, we have created the UK’s first free online teaching resource to help children develop their financial knowledge and abilities. Credit Awareness Week is, then, a natural place for us to continue that focus. And to take that conversation more widely, to our industry partners, for us all to consider how we might find better ways of working, and drive better outcomes for our customers. There’s no doubt that we are living through a period of significant financial uncertainty. At times like this it is important that consumers are aware of all the options available to them from a financial perspective. And we believe your credit score is one of the first things you should look at. It’s perhaps surprising then that our annual Credit Awareness Week consumer survey found that public awareness of credit and how it can be used to help with day to day challenges still remains relatively low, despite some signs of improvement – potentially driven by the widespread availability of free score services. The percentage of people who said they know their current credit score went up from 22% to 26%, while 47% have ever checked their credit report, up from 45% last year. However, there is still much misunderstanding coming through. 39% of those surveyed wrongly believe their own credit score can be affected by a previous resident of their address having a poor credit score, while 14% think, incorrectly, that checking their own credit report and score has an impact on their credit rating. More than a quarter (26%) are also wrong to believe having a high income can affect their score, while 14% are incorrect to think checking their own score has an impact. The number of people who believe that the system needs to provide clearer explanation about how the decision was made when credit is refused has also increased. What the results of our poll tell me is that more needs to be done in promoting a better understanding about all the options available, like the existence of eligibility and comparison services which are designed to help empower people shop around for better deals and, where credit is concerned, avoid damaging their score while they do so. So there is work to do in building a better understanding about how credit works, which is something we are committed to and that’s why we are supporting this campaign. To help, Experian and Credit Strategy have launched an improved ‘credit refusal pathfinder’ [add hyperlink] tool, to help guide people who apply for credit and get turned down. I’d encourage everyone, even those of us who think we know this business inside out, to take a look at the tool. And, in the spirit of building greater trust and transparency with our customers, let’s take this opportunity to have a think about what we in the industry can do to make things clearer for people. Helping them understand how lending decisions are made and empowering them to take control of their financial situation and make better, sustainable choices through affordable access to finance.
As any new employee knows, it takes time to adapt to a new company and set of coworkers. I recently joined Experian’s team of 56 employees in the Netherlands office after hearing about the company’s inspiring work in the community. I was eager to get to know each colleague outside of our daily tasks so I could learn what type of CSR projects could work for our office. Luckily, I arrived just in time to participate in a new volunteer partnership with Stichting Present. Stichting Present is an organization that facilitates volunteering programs to support those facing poverty, poor health and social isolation. This new partnership gave my coworkers and I the opportunity to volunteer in the community. During last year’s holiday season, the Experian team collected personal hygiene items such as shampoo and body wash to donate to homeless individuals or those with mental health issues. This past spring, we spent two full days doing renovations for Stichting Leren Doen, a program that teaches at-risk students how to fix and sell bicycles. The students’ program was, by coincidence, moving into Experian’s old office building, so my coworkers and I helped give the place a makeover – we put in new floors, painted the walls, stairs and desks, installed new computers and completed some electricity work. Working together as a team helped us connect on a deeper level as we served those in need. These experiences have given me the opportunity to get to know and appreciate my colleagues better. For example, during the project, I learned that two of my colleagues had bonded with a young woman with autism who was the only female student of Stichting Leren Doen. Although the young woman was reserved at first, she eventually opened up and mentioned that she walked three hours to and from school every day. My colleagues were surprised by this admission and informed the director of the program. Since Stichting Leren Doen is a bike repair education program, the director presented her with a new bike to help shorten her commute. Her face lit up – she loved it. I cannot imagine a more fitting welcome to Experian. Opportunities like these are exactly why I joined the firm and why I am excited for the opportunities ahead. Giving back to the community is a big passion of mine, and I cannot wait to spend more time volunteering and getting to know my colleagues. Naomi Hardeveld HR Business Partner, Netherlands
Before you read this blog post, I thought providing you with an introduction to who I am might be helpful. My name is Jennifer Schulz and I am a 46-year-old white American woman whose DNA indicates my ancestors originated mostly from Europe with a very small trace from East Asia. I am married to Bob Roback, my partner in life. I am the mother of two incredibly active boys, ages 8 and 5. I am the bonus mom to our daughter (20) and son (soon to be 18). I am a sister, daughter and friend. I am also the very proud leader of Experian’s Health, Auto and Targeting businesses in North America. As #metoo swept social and mainstream media and drove hundreds of thoughtful articles on a whole host of gender related topics, I found myself reflecting and feeling genuinely grateful to be at Experian. During my interview and onboarding process four years ago, I came to realize that Experian had a great culture full of smart and genuinely caring people. It was – and still is – a culture characterized by a strong client orientation and financial performance, and genuinely wanting to do the right thing. It continues to be an organization with a determined focus on improving its diversity at the top. Our leadership knows that to stay innovative and attract and retain talent we have to make diversity a priority. As the global sponsor of Women in Experian and a member of the North American leadership team, I have had the honor of witnessing the progress the company has made as an organization over the last couple of years. We’ve invested time and resources to build out programs, change policies and make our organization even more inclusive. We’ve made progress around the globe: In the last year, we’ve added two incredibly strong women to our Board of Directors – Caroline Donahue and Ruba Borno. They join Deirdre Mahlan who has been on the Board since 2012. With these additions, women will comprise 27% of our Board. We continue to develop a strong proportion of women through our leadership programs globally. This is feeding our future talent pipeline. We launched Women in Experian in 2016 and now have active programs in every region supporting a range of initiatives including enhancing our parental leave and flexible work policies, creating mentorship and sponsorship programs, examining and addressing pay disparity and requiring our recruiters to present diverse candidate pools. Experian was one of 28 companies globally recognized on the Anita Borg Leadership Index of organizations that show strong representation and development of women technologists. We have continued to develop and adjust family friendly policies in a number of countries, aimed at giving given greater flexibility and choice for working parents and families. Although we celebrate progress, we know that we have more work to do. We need to increase the diversity in our senior leadership ranks. We need to increase the number of women in technology. And, most importantly, we need to continue to keep diversity and inclusion a priority. The other night while I was driving my son to his soccer practice, I received a work call. He sat quietly while I talked for a few minutes, well accustomed to my attempts to balance work and life. When I hung up the call, my son asked me, “What is International Women’s Day?” I answered by telling him (reminder he’s 8) that historically women haven’t always been treated fairly and that this day is about honoring and recognizing all the men and women who are working to make things fairer. He then asked if it was my full-time job. Suppressing a laugh, I said no, it’s not my full-time job but it’s an important part of it. He asked, “Why?” Why? I looked in the rear-view mirror and said, “Because I want to try to make the world better for you, your brothers and your sister.” I believe at Experian we are doing just that … making progress. Our momentum is building and tomorrow will be better. #PressforProgress
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.
In the United Kingdom, the Financial Inclusion Commission has previously expressed concern that 31 percent of the adult population has experienced one or more signs of financial distress, such as regularly accruing overdraft charges and using credit to pay for essentials each month. While the Bank of England has warned U.K. households about the risk and effects of their alarming, yet growing, dependence on loans and credit cards, knowing how to manage debt successfully is a vital skill many lack. While most individuals do comfortably manage their debt repayments, many unexpectedly face tough times, especially following disruptive life events that complicate financial management. Since joining Experian from university in 1992, I have been involved in a number of developments and initiatives to help people better manage their money, particularly during difficult times. Years ago, I oversaw the launch of our first telephone helpdesk for the UK public, and today I still answer questions online and occasionally on the radio from individuals worried about their credit scores and loan payments. After years of one-on-one interactions, my team and I have discovered that the key to growing our capacity to serve the community is through partnerships. To provide more effective support for U.K. consumers, Experian began to partner with debt advice charities that give free and professional guidance to people, including about credit score issues. Experian’s role is to make sure debt advisors understand the nuances of credit reporting and credit scoring when talking to and helping their clients. We provide this support in a number of ways. In the last year alone, we have trained more than 600 debt advisors through workshops and seminars, and provided free credit reports to more than 60,000 individuals through debt counselling outlets. Additionally, we have used our insight and data consultancy services to help a number of charities better understand, engage with and support their clients, for example, by identifying their clients’ preferred communications channels. This has included the Money Advice Trust, which runs National Debtline, and StepChange Debt Charity, a leading UK debt counselling provider. Our partnerships within the debt advice sector have not only enabled us to support, educate and empower more consumers to reach their financial goals, but also helped Experian better understand consumers’ greatest fears and misconceptions when it comes to finances. I have enjoyed representing Experian for the past 25 years including working with a number of great organizations and really passionate individuals – so much so that I jumped at the opportunity to join the board of a new debt advice charity, The Debt Counsellors Charitable Trust, a couple of years ago which was very much focused on helping the most vulnerable people. The relationships I’ve developed with these intelligent, ambitious debt advice advisors and charities has really inspired and humbled me. They work tirelessly every day to ensure households in the U.K. can reach their financial milestones – including, importantly, when things go wrong – and I am grateful to be a part of this important network. James Jones: Head of Consumer Affairs, U.K.