UK&I – United Kingdom & Ireland
Here is what Experian employees are doing in the United Kingdom and Ireland …
Given the many challenges presented over the last 12 months, it’s extremely satisfying to have retained our status and I couldn’t be prouder of this achievement. Being certified as a Top Employer showcases our dedication to a better world of work, which has been exhibited through our excellent HR policies and people practices. It’s been a year like no other, and the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular, has been a real test of our business resilience. Hugely challenging for many individuals. I’m really proud of the support we have put in place, helping our people to reach their full potential and remaining true to our values and purpose. We have been determined to ensure that the diverse needs within our workforce are accommodated. Our ability to exercise progressive policies, such as greater flexibility and enhanced wellbeing offerings, has been essential for our people to adapt to a very different way of working successfully. We’ve provided a wide range of resources, including employee assistance programmes, mindfulness training and collaborative technology tooling, to ensure that our people have the relevant support to stay mentally well. But it is our people that have made this recognition possible. Despite our new working environments, they have been instrumental in ensuring our culture continues to thrive. I have heard so many great examples of how teams stay connected and support each other – from video walks and online games to competitions and virtual cocktail hours. This award demonstrates that we are clearly on the right path, but we won’t stop here. We’re always looking for new ways to do things and to improve as a business. By listening to our people and actively encouraging new ideas, we can continue to develop Experian as a great place to work. To find out more about the Top Employer certification, click here.
2020 has been a year that has significantly impacted us all and the shockwaves are likely to challenge us for some time to come. One of the big disappointments for the data and tech industry is the postponement or cancellation of a number of major events – including the likes of Women in Data, which Experian was a proud Gold sponsor in 2019. Although we are not able to celebrate the Women in Data flagship event in person this year, we are thrilled to be an official partner of the very first WiD Week. This is a fantastic opportunity that will allow us to virtually gather together, support each other, and learn while in a safe online environment, driven by content that the Women in Data community needs right now. We are particularly excited to be hosting a session on Tuesday 24 November, which will focus on our support of Girls in Data. In this session, Experian’s Emily Capewell and Louise Maynard-Atem will be providing some thoughts on their involvement with the recent data challenge we hosted during the last lockdown. The data challenge was designed to help inspire young girls and boys to pursue a career in STEM. Louise will also be speaking on Thursday about her experience of 2020 and how we can action change as we head into 2021. This will be one of six short stories to mark Women in Data’s sixth birthday. We are extremely excited to be involved with WiD Week and while it will be slightly different this year, we hope our involvement can help empower and encourage more women into the data industry, supporting the next generation of data scientists who can help shape the future. You can find out more about WiD Week here.
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.
This blog is written by Rachel Duncan, HR Director, at Experian. At Experian, we encourage our employees to bring their whole selves to work and have created a culture of inclusion that helps to fuel our continued product innovation. We understand the incredible value in having a truly diverse workforce and this means removing barriers and working through challenges we all may face in and outside the workplace. That’s why we are proud to be supporting Stonewall’s ‘Trans Rights Are Human Rights’ campaign today to help reform the Gender Recognition Act (GRA) 2004. We believe that all trans people should be protected and supported with legal and policy framework that enables them to live with dignity, privacy and respect, free from fear, isolation and discrimination. The GRA was introduced in 2004 to allow trans people to apply for legal recognition of gender in which they live. However, the process in doing so is expensive, intrusive and takes a very long time. To apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC), which allows someone to legally change their gender, the individual will have to overcome many psychological challenges and it can be very emotionally taxing. It’s estimated that just 12% of trans people have a GRC, despite 92% of trans people stating in the National LGBT Survey (2018) that they would be interested in getting one. GRA reform is therefore a key step in allowing legal gender recognition to become accessible to this marginalised community. The reform requests the removal of having to disclose a psychiatric report or proof of diagnosis in order to obtain legal recognition. It moves to allow trans people the human right to decide their gender for themselves and protect all trans and non-binary people’s rights to privacy and to family life. As well as this, non-binary people should be able to legally change their gender to reflect who they are including amending their birth certificate to reflect this. The reform should also include the removal of the spousal veto. This veto allows for the spouse of a trans person the decision as to whether they can change their gender and gives control over to someone who may not have their best interests at heart. We are fully committed in ensuring LGBTQ inclusion which means, as well as evolving our own internal policies and practices, we must also contribute to external debates that campaign for equality. Our Experian Pride network has been instrumental in helping us drive change throughout the business, whilst also educating and raising awareness amongst our colleagues about the LGBTQ community. This includes supporting a collaboration with Stonewall and our HR teams to create our new ‘Transitioning at Work’ policy, along with raising money for transgender charity, Mermaids. Experian is part of a growing group of leading businesses who have joined forces to support trans equality, so we hope that together we can make a real difference to the lives of trans people across the UK. See our interview with Lewis Hayden, Service Desk Specialist and Experian Pride Network Member.
Last year we revealed that there were around 5.8 million people in the UK who were virtually invisible to the financial system. These ‘credit invisibles’ might have limited financial data because they just turned 18 and are new to credit, or they may have recently moved to the UK. Alternatively, perhaps they conduct most of their transactions in cash or simply haven’t used credit for a long time. Either way, we wanted to spotlight the issue, to explain how we can help people regain control of their financial footprints and ensure more people get access to affordable financial products and services. So, as our support for Credit Awareness Week moves into its fourth year, we decided to check in on our progress. The positive news is that we have managed to reduce this financially excluded population by nearly half a million in the last 12 months, to just over 5.3 million – as the map below shows. Credit Awareness Week 2020 offers us all the chance to reflect on all the hard work that so many of us have put into tackling financial exclusion. As a result of this work, more people can access the mainstream services they need, and many are paying less than they otherwise would have. Yet there is much more which needs to be done. We need to continue to innovate and find new solutions to help widen affordable financial access for all. Promoting a better understanding of the things that people can do to help improve their financial track record. Together we can continue our mission to bring more people into the mainstream financial system and deliver better, more affordable products and services for everyone.
I am delighted to announce that Experian has been recognised by the Top Employers Institute as a Top Employer in the UK, Spain, Bulgaria and South Africa. The annual research programme recognises leading employers around the world. Organisations certified as Top Employers dedicate themselves to providing the very best working environment for employees through their progressive ‘people-first’ HR practices. Being recognised as a Top Employer four years in a row is a significant achievement for us, but it wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our incredible workforce. By listening to our people and encouraging new ideas, they have continued to help us develop our working culture and pushed the boundaries to create the best possible working environment. An integral part of this is to encourage diversity throughout Experian and that means building our ways of working and our approach in a way that offers equality of opportunity, supporting our employees from the moment they join our organisation, at every level, and letting people work flexibly, in the way that suits them. We have been working hard to create a place where everyone has the freedom to explore and share interests, no matter what their individual story is, without fear of judgement. The more inclined we are to bring our rich outside world to work, the more we will expose others to new perspectives and different thinking, making Experian a great place to work. I’m extremely proud of the progress we’ve made over the last 12 months, with my personal highlights including our on-going partnerships with the likes of Women in Data, Stonewall and the Business Disability Forum, as well as the development of our employee health and well-being offerings. It’s important that we continue to build on this success, looking for new ways to do things, and continuing to provide a working environment that our people love.
This blog is written by Matt Dunn, GTM Managing Director at Experian. The Women in Sales Awards recognises the exemplary efforts of individuals in sales teams across Europe. Open by nomination only, the awards celebrate the achievement of women who go above and beyond in their career. It aims to promote the needs for greater gender diversity in sales and executive leadership teams across the corporate landscape. We place significant emphasis on helping and supporting women to reach senior roles, and I’m delighted that seven colleagues – Laura Webster, Kathryn O’Brien, Liz Clarke, Ivelina Mihaleva, Bally Ubhi, Clare Brown and Caroline McCrystal - were nominated as finalists at the awards. Even better, Caroline was named as the overall winner in the ‘2019 Best Woman in Inside Sales’ category. Not only that, Caroline was also the winner of the ‘Most Distinguished Saleswoman of the Year’ award too. In total, there were more than 1,000 nominations from companies in 22 countries, which goes to show what a remarkable and fantastic achievement to be recognised in such a way. We’re extremely proud of all their efforts this year and I’m sure you’ll join me in congratulating all of the nominees and Caroline on their outstanding success.