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Experian works hard at having a workplace culture where everyone feels a sense of belonging. We’re constantly evolving and improving, and proud to share several recent acknowledgements that we’re on the right track. We have a robust multi-generational employee base, and know that the diversity of perspectives and experience spark innovations that lead to financial inclusion for all. Millennials make up the largest portion of our workforce and we’re thrilled to be named a Fortune Best Workplace for Millennials. Millennials want to work for organizations that offer fair pay and meaning, inclusive benefits beyond parenthood, gender equity, flexibility and safe spaces, according to Great Place to Work (GPTW). Employee comments to a GPTW survey indicate our team believes we are doing well: “One question you ask is do we hire people who fit in... No, we don't always - which is why we can innovate and create change - if everyone agrees on every approach, we wouldn't be nearly as successful as we are. That's one thing that makes it a great place to work - our diversity of thought and approach to problems.” Gender equity has been a focus of ours, from recruiting to talent development. Almost half of our new hires, current employees and promoted talent identify as women. Further demonstrating our commitment to diversity and inclusion, former Experian North American CEO Craig Boundy is ranked the #12 Best CEO for Women 2021 by Comparably. This ranking is based on 10 million ratings across 60,000 companies, Every CEO on the list is in the Top 5% of all CEOs rated by female employees. Experian also earned several other awards from Comparably: Best HR Teams of 2021 Best Company Outlook of 2021 Best Places to Work in Los Angeles 2021 Top 10 for Career Growth “I've worked for a ton of different technology companies and have never seen such a strong leadership team nor seen a company invest so much in their employee's future!” (quote from GPTW survey) “Opportunity to grow and move around various lines of business through your career within Experian - allows you to continue to challenge yourself and grow without leaving the organization.” (quote from GPTW survey) Comparably’s Annual Best Places to Work Awards rely solely on the input of employees, which makes these honors especially meaningful. We appreciate their feedback and their contributions every day. Check out our 2020 Power of YOU report to learn more about our coworkers, leadership and how we serve our communities.

Last week, I had the chance to take part in a few really important conversations and further exemplify our leadership and commitment to driving financial inclusion. On July 13, I had a frank dialogue with Derrick Johnson, President of the NAACP, during their 112th NAACP Virtual Annual Convention. Our conversation centered around economic inclusion, the wealth gap and the ways companies, like ours, can help provide education and access to financial services. During my conversation with Derrick, he referred to credit as a currency. I think that’s absolutely the right way to talk about it. Credit gives people access to financial services. It can divide people or bring them together to achieve their goals. We recognize there are millions of consumers who lack access to credit today. That’s why we continue to innovate through tools like Experian Boost, our free tool that enables consumers to contribute positive payment data to their Experian credit report. Especially in underserved communities, consumers may not get credit for paying their utility bills, cell phone bills, or even their streaming services, and they should. This provides a more accurate picture of their financial situation. I also participated in a virtual press conference with the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and leaders from PNC, HomeFree-USA and Fifth Third Bank to discuss our participation in Project REACh, which stands for Roundtable for Economic Access and Change. It brings together leaders from the banking industry, national civil rights organizations, business and technology to reduce barriers that prevent full, equal and fair participation in the nation’s economy. We were approached to participate because of our deep understanding of credit risk and our ability to help financial institutions make informed credit decisions through data and advanced analytics. Our role is to help develop programs with the Alternative Credit Scoring Utility Team and Small Business Opportunity Team that drive financial inclusion. Our participation in Project REACh is the latest example in a string of efforts to address this important issue, including Experian Boost and our flagship lender score Experian Lift, which leverages all Experian assets to improve consumer’s access to credit. We believe that every individual deserves the opportunity to reach their fullest financial potential through fair and affordable access to credit. By sharing information around tools like Experian Boost, expanding credit education through partnerships like the NAACP, and working with leaders in the industry through Project REACh, we can help increase financial access and empower consumers to enter into the credit ecosystem – some for the first time. We’re committed to working side-by-side with regulators, businesses and consumers to eliminate credit invisibility and improve financial equity and access.

At Experian, we create a better tomorrow by powering opportunities for consumers, customers, our people and communities.  We use the full range of our capabilities to drive financial education and inclusion, and one of the ways we do this is through our United for Financial Health programme. I am delighted to announce the launch of this important programme in two of EMEA’s markets today.  We’re excited for the positive difference our two new partnerships will make to help vulnerable consumers financially recover from the impacts of Covid-19. In Italy, incidents of domestic violence have increased considerably during the global pandemic, with the Italian National Institute of Statistics reporting a 75% increase in calls to anti-violence helplines in 2020 alone.  Further statistics show women are particularly affected by unemployment due to Covid-19, reducing victims’ financial independence and their ability to escape from situations of abuse.  The increase in domestic violence since the onset of the pandemic has also been highlighted globally by the UN. To help those impacted, we intend to partner with MicroLab and Microfinanza, who support women victims of domestic violence, foreign caregivers, and young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs).  Our partnership aims to help these people access credit, so they have the financial means to improve their current situation, and take steps toward creating a better tomorrow.  We will collaborate to deliver financial education, and we intend to develop an app that captures open (non-traditional) financial data to help them build their credit profiles. In South Africa, unemployment stands at 32.6%.  A large proportion of people in the country run or work for small to medium-size enterprises (SMEs). By helping these organisations access affordable credit so they can continue to operate through the pandemic, we believe we can have a tangible impact on people’s employment. We will partner with the National Small Business Chamber, a non-profit membership organisation that supports SMEs.  Together, we will educate small business owners on their financial and credit health, empowering them to improve their personal and business credit profiles to access the funding required to maintain and grow their businesses. Combined, we estimate our partnership with our NGO partners will reach 3.8 million consumers, helping deliver on our Company’s commitment to reach 100 million people by 2024. We start work on these projects today on our path to creating a better tomorrow.

At Experian, we strive to be an organization where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and we’re committed to having a positive inclusive culture. Hiq Lee, president of Experian’s Business Information Services, has been a key leader in driving our diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. We are thrilled to share that The Council for Inclusion in Financial Services is recognizing her work, honoring her with this year’s Trailblazer Award. The award recognizes demonstrated excellence in establishing new and creative Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives that are influencing transformation in the recipient’s industry and their communities. Also serving as Experian’s Diversity and Inclusion Executive Co-Chair, Hiq has been instrumental in establishing many of our employee resource groups and the leadership collective that continues to evolve the way we celebrate our diversity. Hiq shares how we celebrate DE&I every day: What is Experian doing to ensure a positive work environment for employees? In 2017 we started our Power of You movement to raise awareness about Experian’s efforts in diversity, equity and inclusion and provide employees transparency into the initiatives that are part of the program. Subsequently, we advanced policies across a wide range of initiatives such as pay equity, paternal leave, flexible working arrangements, and corporate social responsibility to help employees feel empowered to work at Experian. Then in 2018, we launched Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), which are company-supported networks run by employees, which create a strong sense of community and connection. All of our ERGs have a core set of objectives that describe the positive impact they focus on making. As of today Experian has eight active ERGs, which focus on Military Veterans and Patriots, the African American community, the Asian community, the Latinx community, the Indian community, the Experian Pride Network, Women, and individuals with disabilities and mental health & well-being. Corporations and their DEI efforts are under a microscope today, and many of those efforts can be seen as uniform across all major companies. What sets the ERGs at Experian apart? Experian ERGs were formed to provide tangible support to our employee base by strengthening the feeling of community and belonging across our organization. At Experian, we realize that digital transformation is human transformation. We understood that culture and belonging have to be at the heart of our organization in order for our teams to drive and develop the best products and innovations. We genuinely embrace a culture where everyone has a true sense of belonging, knowing they can show up every day and be who they are, professionally and personally. We work hard to create an environment where everyone is comfortable bringing their whole self to work, regardless of differences and backgrounds. It’s about advancing a culture that not only respects differences, but actively celebrates them. What are the most essential contributions someone who is spearheading DEI initiatives at their company can make? The key is empathy and a profound desire for elevating the communities we work and play in. There are several essential components to trailblazing DE&I efforts, including an affinity for change and passion for embracing cultures outside of one’s own. There’s also a significant importance in engaging employees at all levels of management. At Experian, we operate in 44 countries around the world and aim to emphasize and highlight the unique experiences and perspectives in our employees’ own words, describing their experience as members of an organization that values and celebrates diversity and inclusion. What does this award mean to you and your role at Experian? I’m humbled by such recognition as there’s always so much to learn and so many perspectives through which we can assess the world around us. This award is special because I’ve invested time and energy into creating more equitable and diverse spaces, not only at Experian but also in my community. Our teams are committed to creating opportunities for small businesses and consumers to succeed. We know that having a diverse team only helps further that mission. What are your most important values as a leader? The leaders who I have come to respect and look up to have a few principle values in common. Those values are grounded on integrity, authenticity, nonjudgmental and empathy. I also believe it’s important that leaders genuinely have passion for their team and are whole heartedly dedicated to helping their team’s development. These values will help influence shaping our inclusive culture where people can thrive and feel amazing coming to work every day, charged and ready to go the extra mile for their leaders.

Customer needs have changed dramatically over the course of the pandemic, and as some parts of the world begin to move back into what we recognize as normality, the scale of change across today’s credit landscape is now emerging. New research from Experian’s Global Decisioning Report shows how the impact of payment assistance programs, coupled with changes in spending and savings behaviors, now requires lenders to look beyond traditional approaches to decisioning. Our research found that 1 out of 3 consumers remain concerned about their finances. However, at the same time the research also found that consumers are no longer reducing their discretionary spending as much as they were six months ago, with high-income households starting to spend the most.  These differences make it difficult for lenders to truly comprehend customer needs throughout this abnormal time. This report reveals three things lenders should do to navigate the complexity of the current lending and credit environment: Leverage data and advanced analytics – this will ensure lenders have a comprehensive understanding of the risk and opportunity of their portfolio as well as visibility into changes to customer profiles.  Proactively engage customers – offer new credit and other products to support those that are recovered and ready to engage. Prepare for a potential wave of delinquency – as payment holidays come to an end, lenders should make it easy for customers that are still struggling. Lenders must offer online support and flexible terms that help customers solve their problems.   The online customer experience and credit risk management are more connected than ever before. Lenders need to make sure they have the technology in place that supports the entire customer journey, from decisioning, to onboarding, to customer management and collections. Those that do will be able to deliver credit decisions that are fair and fast, giving more consumers access to the credit they deserve.  Experian surveyed nearly 9,000 consumers and 2,700 businesses from around the globe to learn more about how they’re stabilizing their finances and returning to growth. Download a copy of the eBook here.

We sit in a pivotal position in the societies where we operate. For us, using our expertise in data to help tackle big societal issues, is much more than an opportunity. It’s a responsibility that we take very seriously. And we are passionate about creating a dynamic and diverse workplace. We want to be one of the best companies in the world to work for, a business that our employees are proud to be part of, where people of all backgrounds have equal opportunities to grow and succeed. That’s why this year we are announcing the publication of two new global reports, recognising our commitment to diversity, inclusion and sustainability. The launch of our first Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report highlights our dedicated focus on creating an environment where people of all backgrounds have equal opportunities to grow and succeed. The publication of this new report is a step forward for us in increasing transparency around our progress and goals. As part of this, we are announcing our new target of increasing the number of women in the senior leadership team to 40% by 2024. Our commitment to sustainable business practice is also stronger than ever. This year’s Sustainable Business Report sets a number of goals to help us create a better tomorrow for everyone. Including reaching 100m people through our social innovation products by 2025 (from 2013) and that by 2030 we will cut our scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% and our scope 3 emissions by 15% - recognising the urgent need for more businesses to accelerate their response to climate change. You can read more about the work we are doing in the full reports here: Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report Sustainable Business Report

As the demand for digital transactions exploded due to the pandemic, businesses transformed operations and had to forecast how to balance the ever-increasing trend while managing customer expectations. New research from Experian’s 2021 Global Identity and Fraud Report shows that as more consumers go online, expectations for a secure experience are higher than ever and that the types of security consumers expect are shifting towards invisible protection. Our research found that 2 out of 3 businesses have increased concern about the overall level of fraud since the pandemic. Unsurprisingly, security is still a top concern for consumers, with 55% citing security as the most important aspect of their online experience. However, consumers are also looking for methods of data protection that are both convenient and trustworthy. One of the report’s most significant findings was the increasing comfort and preference that consumers have for physical and behavior-based—or invisible—methods of security. 74% of consumers ranked physical biometrics first based on their perceived security physical biometrics, followed by pin codes sent to cell phones at 72%, and behavioral analytics requiring no effort from the consumer third at 66%. Notably, passwords didn’t earn a spot in the top three preferred methods for authenticating customer identity, even though nearly every digital account and device includes some sort of password protection. This indicates a new shift in consumer thinking that moves away from the realm of the password. Businesses have an opportunity for a new approach to security, layering visible and invisible methods. By leveraging data and observations garnered throughout the customer journey, companies can facilitate accurate recognition and authentication at each discrete decision. The same insights that companies use to improve the customer experience power that continuous authentication—and reduce friction across the customer’s journey. In a post-pandemic landscape, businesses that prioritize security in a convenient format will meet and exceed consumer expectations. The 2021 Global Identity and Fraud Report is composed of three waves of survey data collected throughout the pandemic. The business and consumer surveys span from June 2020 to January 2021 across 10 countries including Australia, Brazil, Germany, France, India, Japan, Singapore, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States. Click here to view the full 2021 Global Identity and Fraud Report.

Today is Transgender Day of Visibility. A day to celebrate trans people around the world, highlighting their experiences, perspectives and also unfortunately spotlighting the discrimination and challenges they still face. A recent report from TotalJobs found that the number of trans workers in the UK surveyed who said they hid their gender identity at work has risen in the past 5 years – from 52% in 2016 to 65% in 2021. It also found that 43% of trans employees surveyed said they had left a job because the environment was unwelcoming, up from 36% in 2016. This should make us all sit up and want to take action. At Experian, we want colleagues of all gender identities to feel comfortable and safe bringing their whole selves to work. We’ve been working hard on how we can continue to improve the support we offer our trans and non-binary colleagues. We realise that choosing to be open about one’s gender identity is a very personal decision, but all trans and non-binary employees should feel safe at Experian if they choose to disclose. Last year we re-wrote our Transitioning at Work policy to ensure it is reflective and inclusive of the experiences and identities of employees who may use it. We offer paid leave to attend medical appointments and we also provide help in changing your records on our systems. Where an employee chooses to disclose information about their gender identity or status, we treat this information with the utmost confidentiality. We never share this information without the written consent of the individual. We encourage our employees to self-identify and recognise the issues in the current Gender Recognition Act. In September, we supported Stonewall’s Trans Right are Human Rights campaign, pushing for its reform. We continue to monitor the progress that has been made but also progress that is yet to come. It’s important you know that Experian will never ask for you to show a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) and we respect your right to privacy as to whether or not you have one. At Experian, we take an always listening, always learning approach to building awareness and acceptance. Creating safe spaces for meaningful dialogue is something we really strive for. It is the responsibility of all our employees to respect their colleagues and to create an inclusive workplace where everyone feels they can belong. We have zero tolerance for discrimination, bullying or harassment and take any incidents very seriously. Experian continues to work with the Experian Pride Network UK&I alongside LGBTQ+ charities Stonewall and Mermaids in the UK to further the inclusion of our trans and non-binary employees. We want all trans and non-binary employees at Experian to feel safe and be able to be themselves at work and we expect all colleagues to support each other to make that real.

As consumer demand for the digital channel continues to increase at an exceptional rate it has created an opportunity for businesses to serve the growing ranks of connected consumers. The most important thing is for businesses to ensure they are putting the consumer at the heart of the relationship. Experian has been studying insights related to consumer behavior and business strategy throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. For the third wave of our Global Insights Report we surveyed 3,000 consumers and 900 businesses across the globe in January. We observed not only consumer demand for the digital channel increasing but that fact that these trends are persisting. We believe that what started as necessity has turned into a preference. According to the report, 38% of consumers expect to increase their online activity in the next 12 months. Furthering our belief that the preference for digital transactions persists, 60% of consumers are using a universal mobile wallet to make digital payments. We also found that the two top activities among consumers online are personal banking (58%) and ordering groceries and takeout food (56%). The report also shows that security remains at the top of consumers’ minds when they are transacting online. 55%of consumers say security is the most important factor in their digital experience – this is highest in the UK (65%), followed by Japan (64%). All in all, the new research confirms that this shift to online activity, which continues to increase with no indications of slowing down, is a contributing factor to consumers’ growing appetite for digital. In this regard, we found that businesses have taken notice and are investing more resources around the digital experience. In fact, 9 in 10 businesses have a strategy in place related to the digital customer journey. 47% of businesses have put this strategy into place since Covid-19. In addition, more than a third of businesses are increasing staff or support for digital operations and experience. Fraud is the biggest challenge among businesses. However, 55% of businesses plan to increase fraud management budgets. As we move towards a post-pandemic era, and more consumers start to prefer banking and shopping online, a digital channel strategy simply isn’t enough. There needs to be a re-imagined customer journey that connects identity, preferences, products, and service. And data and technology have the power to help transform your customer relationships.