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At Experian we recognize our teammates are central to our business success. By including people with disabilities in our workplace, we gain their unique perspectives and different approaches to problem solving.  Experian is committed to supporting this community and we are delighted to be named a 2023 Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion by the American Association of People with Disabilities and Disability:IN. For the second year in a row, we earned a score of 100 out of 100 in the Disability Equality Index (DEI), the world’s most comprehensive benchmarking tool that measures disability workplace inclusion. We continue to explore and prioritize ways to enhance our flexible work environment and engage with those who can help lead the charge most effectively. Creating a better tomorrow extends to third parties we work with and serve. We launched a pilot program called the Support Hub, which gives disabled people and those with additional support needs an easy, one-stop portal to tell organizations what they need to access essential services; it also helps organizations meet their obligations to better identify and support vulnerable customers.  We’re proud to partner with National Disability Institute to support its Financial Resilience Center that provides information and resources to help people with disabilities and chronic health conditions build their financial resilience, and with National Disability Institute and Disability:IN to explore how financial service providers can better support equal access to financial opportunities. Our inclusion in the DEI for the third consecutive year honors the determination, creativity, and empathy of our colleagues with disabilities as we strive to be a great place to work. Learn more about Experian in its Power of YOU: 2023 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report.

Many times during the course of our last fiscal year, Experian was asked to describe its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) “program.” We found this difficult to do. Because DEI isn’t just a “program” at Experian. It drives our mission, our partnerships, and our company culture. We’re happy to share our progress in the Power of YOU: 2023 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report. In this edition of our global report, you’ll see how our mission of financial inclusion is at the center of our products and services; how we support our consumers, clients and communities; and how we seek and attract the best talent across the world. Our teammates are key to progress and impact. Together, we drive innovations to meet consumers’ needs, such as Experian Go and our new auto insurance comparison shopping service in North America. The Support Hub pilot in the United Kingdom helps disabled people get easier access to essential services like banking and utilities. We’re proud of programs like Transforme-se in Brazil for people in vulnerable circumstances, which provide scholarships and training in STEM. In the first month, more than half of the participants improved their social and financial standing. Across the globe, partnerships with nonprofits and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have impacted more than 18 million people so far. I hope you’ll enjoy reading the report to understand why our efforts around inclusion and belonging make Experian such a great place to work. You’ll also gain an appreciation for our ongoing focus on supporting the communities in which we live, work, and serve, and helping consumers achieve their life goals.

Nearly 50 million consumers have a nonexistent or limited credit history. That is a major problem in need of a world-changing idea. Experian, in its ongoing efforts to promote financial equity and inclusion, introduced a new offering last year that directly addresses this problem: Experian Go™. This free program empowers “credit invisibles” to establish their financial identity within minutes. And it has already helped tens of thousands of consumers who are new to credit establish an Experian credit report, a critical first step to things like buying a car or renting an apartment. Now Experian Go has been recognized with the prestigious Fast Company 2023 World Changing Ideas Award for the company’s use of innovative technology to promote financial inclusion. Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas Award celebrates the most impactful and innovative ideas that have the “potential to drive true change.” The award seeks to elevate finished products and brave concepts that make the world better, with the goal of honoring ingenuity and fostering innovation. Experian Go addresses a crucial need by providing individuals with no credit history with the tools necessary to participate in the financial system and better manage their credit. Experian Go’s award follows last year’s recognition of Experian Boost®, a first-of-its-kind feature designed to help consumers improve their credit profile and thrive financially, in Fast Company’s 2022 World Changing Ideas Awards. Millions of people have connected to Experian Boost to improve their FICO® Score by reporting their on-time utility, telecom/phone, rent and video streaming service payments. By giving consumers control over their credit, they can make real, substantial progress in their financial health journey by getting “credit” for paying bills on time. The innovative solution tackles inequity and exclusion from the credit economy, enabling consumers to add positive payment history directly into their Experian credit file and potentially boost their FICO® Score instantly. At Experian, we believe that technology has the power to do many things, and changing the world is one of them. Experian Go is part of our mission to help provide financial inclusion for all, and we look forward to creating more innovative products that focus on helping people.

Experian research shows more than a quarter of Black and Hispanic consumers are invisible to the credit market, compared to 16% of Asian and White consumers. This is a significant gap that all of us can improve. At our North American headquarters, a group of young scholars took the lead on finding solutions. Four teams representing Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) visited our campus and shared their creativity and personal stories with us in the finale of the inaugural #IYKYK Hackathon. The Hackathon was the culmination of a six-month Center for Financial Advancement® Credit Academy, created in partnership with HomeFree-USA. Through live sessions with Experian credit education experts and self-paced content, more than 250 scholars from 14 HBCUs learned about credit, financial tools, and how to build generational wealth through steps like homeownership. The teams from Alabama State University, Fisk University, Morgan State University and Shaw University made it to the finals and presented their ideas for the next best credit education program for their peers. Left to right, top to bottom: Fisk University, Morgan State University, Shaw University and Alabama State University In addition to their presentations, what was also impressive was the inclusivity in participation. Just at the finals alone, these student leaders represented six countries, eight different languages, the LGBTQ+ community, different faiths, and more. The “Credit Stingers” from Alabama State University took home the prize, a $40,000 scholarship for their idea of a gamified app called “Credit Rush.” In order to overcome obstacles, students watch a video or take a quiz about credit in order to advance to higher levels. Other features of “Credit Rush” include the “Hive,” a library of credit education materials, chat, daily calendar functions and more. The “Credit Stingers” from Alabama State University took home the prize, a $40,000 scholarship for their idea of a gamified app called “Credit Rush.” Many of the student leaders are already putting what they’ve learned into practice. They shared how they’ve been able to rent their own apartments for the first time, help their recently immigrated family members establish their credit identities, and make decisions that will help them eventually buy a home. They showed immense passion. They are committed to being knowledge ambassadors, sharing information about credit with their classmates, families and friends, making their communities the true winners of this program.

Our people play a vital role in innovating new ways to better serve our customers, developing new technologies that advance inclusion and financial growth for consumers while helping other team members along the way. Our purpose-driven culture is clearly changing the game. Recognized by Fortune as one of America’s Most Innovative Companies, we’re pioneering innovations to help consumers navigate the complicated road to financial freedom. First, there’s Experian Boost™, our innovative product that allows people to improve credit scores by adding payment records to their profiles of previously untracked expenses such as utilities, mobile phone payments and streaming services. And now we’ve created a way to get rent payment histories into credit reports as well. We also changed the game with our new Experian Go™ product that enables those with no credit history to create a credit report. This program opens the front door to the financial ecosystem for millions of consumers by helping them establish their financial identity and move from credit invisible to scoreable. These products are just a few examples of how our company culture embraces change and enables us to innovate. We focus on problems that need to be solved and put the energy and resources behind developing solutions that solve them. And the industry recognition continues, which represents a validation of the culture of innovation we’ve built, with feedback coming from our employees, customers, and other industry experts.  Other wins include: The 2023 BIG Innovation Awards that recognized the company for delivering innovative products, such as Experian Go™, that help consumers thrive financially Experian Boost™ was selected for Fast Company’s 2022 World Changing Ideas Awards.  We were named a Great Place to Work’s Best Workplaces for Parents in 2022 and Top 30 Employer for Working Families in 2022. These are merely steps in our journey. Stay tuned for what’s next.

We’re thrilled to announce that Experian North America has been recognized as a Top Workplace by the Orange County Register for the 10th consecutive year, with an additional “Excellence Award” for our work / life flexibility. This honor is a testament to our innovative employee culture, and keeping connected, engaged and energized as a hybrid workforce. This Orange County Register award recognition is based on the results of confidential employee surveys that assess the performance of hundreds of successful companies throughout our community. We recognize that our employees are the driving force behind our decade-long achievement as a Top Workplace. Our talented team is dedicated to both their own growth and pushing us forward, and we’re grateful for all they do to make Experian such a great place to work. Employee collaboration from our hackathons and company-wide product overviews have sparked remarkable innovations, such as Experian Go and Experian Boost. These products are especially helpful to members of diverse backgrounds and low-income households. Our Mental Health First-Aiders program is another example of employees coming together to support each other.  Our commitment to creating a supportive, purpose-driven culture is reflected in multiple awards from authoritative sources such as Great Places to Work. Not only was Experian listed among the "Best Workplaces for Parents," we’re also honored to be included on their list of "Best Workplaces for Millennials." Additionally, we’re passionate about giving back to the communities in which we work and live. We take pride in our company’s numerous contributions to organizations focused on the well-being of people from a diverse array of backgrounds. From creating the Experian Volunteer Leadership Network to our financial support of community organizations such as Ascend, National Urban league, HomeFree-USA and the Pathways Forward Initiative, we’re dedicated to helping people in need. We believe all these factors have led to our success as a company and a desirable place for people to build thriving careers. We’re honored that leading organizations like the Orange County Register and Great Places to Work recognize our efforts to make the world a better place. We want to make sure that we continue to innovate; that our products and services are first-best-and-only in their respective industries; and that we take very good care of our constituents.

I recently came across a quote that said, “The world you see is created by what you focus on.” As I look back on my last 16 years with Experian, I see a lot of truth in this. While Experian has historically been recognized as a business-to-business organization, over the last several years, we’ve had a transformational shift in focus that’s fundamentally changed our business. This shift has made our world look a lot different than it used to. Today, consumers are at the center of everything we do. They’re the driving force behind our innovation and growth. Every day, millions of consumers come to Experian looking for ways to improve their financial health and we’ve been building one of the largest global member bases. These direct relationships put us in a unique position. We can listen to consumers to hone our focus – and we do. Just like in everyday relationships, listening builds trust and respect. It helps us understand what consumers want and allows us to innovate to meet them where they are on their financial journey. In 2019, we heard consumers’ call for more control of their data and responded with Experian Boost®[1]– a first-of-its-kind feature that allows consumers to contribute information directly to their Experian credit file. To date, we’ve helped 8.6 million consumers instantly improve their FICO® Scores[2] with an average increase of 13 points. Since launch, we’ve continued to listen and enhance the feature to maximize the number of consumers who can benefit. Shortly after we brought Experian Boost to market, we wanted to ensure consumers who paid their monthly telecom and utility bills from their savings or credit cards could benefit alongside those who paid these reoccurring bills through their checking account, and we did. Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, at a time when television streaming had skyrocketed, we wanted to ensure consumers who subscribed to video streaming services, including Netflix®, Hulu™, HBO Max™, Disney+™ and others, could use these monthly payments to build their credit histories, and we did. We regularly connect new streaming service partners to Experian Boost. Most recently, consumers who subscribe to Paramount+, Peacock, Showtime® and ESPN+ can also contribute their on-time bill payments directly to their Experian credit file through Experian Boost. Earlier this year we introduced Experian Go™ - a free, first-of-its-kind program to help “credit invisibles,” or people with no credit history, begin building credit. Within minutes, credit invisibles who enroll in the program can have an authenticated Experian credit report, tradelines and a credit history by using Experian Boost and instant access to financial offers through Experian Go. Since launch, more than 84,000 consumers have established an Experian credit report through Experian Go and become visible to potential lenders. As a next step, today we’ve announced a new beta release of Experian Boost that allows consumers to contribute qualifying, “positive” residential rent payments directly to their Experian credit file.  This capability makes Experian Boost the only feature that can instantly improve a consumer’s FICO® Score 8through positive rent payments at no cost. This is the next step in our commitment to helping consumers get the credit they deserve. With the beta release, consumers who rent from over 1,500 of some of the largest U.S.-based property management companies, and who pay their rent directly to their property management company or through platforms like AppFolio Property Management, Buildium®, Yardi® Breeze and Zillow® Rental Manager, can add qualifying positive rent payments to their Experian credit file through Experian Boost. Based on preliminary analysis[3] highlighting the potential impact of positive residential rent payment reporting through Experian Boost, we estimate 66% of consumers will see an instant increase to their FICO® Score 8, a FICO® Score 8 improvement of nearly 10 points on average for those who receive a boost and are new to using Experian Boost. And we’re not done yet. To ensure more renters can benefit, we’ll continue to add new property management companies over time. In later phases, we’ll update the feature further to add individual landlords and smaller property management companies over time. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished so far and, as we look ahead, I’m excited for the ways we can help consumers that are yet to come. With our focus on consumers and our ability to listen and innovate, I believe we’ve just scratched the surface in terms of our capacity to help bring financial power to all.    [1] Results will vary. Not all payments are boost-eligible.  Some users may not receive an improved score or approval odds. Not all lenders use Experian credit files, and not all lenders use scores impacted by Experian Boost®. Learn more. [2] 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. [3] Analysis completed using FICO® Score 8 with Experian data. Experian and the Experian trademarks used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Experian and its affiliates. The use of any other trade name, copyright, or trademark is for identification and reference purposes only and does not imply any association with the copyright or trademark holder of their product or brand. Other product and company names mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners. Licenses and Disclosures.

At Experian, we are proud to have a culture where our teammates can bring their whole selves to work. Perhaps no one exemplifies that spirit as much as our newest United for Financial Health partner, pop artist Jake Wesley Rogers. Jake is debuting a two-part Financial Glow Up video series across his social media channels to raise financial health awareness. Known for his bold style in music, fashion and expression, Jake is lauded as a queer storyteller through a universal lens and will soon take his talents on the road, as the opening act for Panic! At The Disco’s tour this fall. His new videos are a creative and intimate look inside the financial aspects of his career. He takes us along as he prepares for his upcoming tour, highlighting how managing everyday financial decisions, like using Experian Go, can empower consumers. Our partnership with Jake is the latest in a trio of new United for Financial Health partnerships focused on the LGBTQ+ community. Last month, we announced our support for Born This Way Foundation and its Channel Kindness, and we’re excited Jake is joining our efforts with another new Experian partner, True Colors United which aims to end homelessness among LGBTQ+ youth. Earlier this year, we announced a process to help transgender and non-binary consumers change their name on their Experian credit report without losing their credit and financial history. During Pride Month, our weekly Twitter #CreditChat addresses important financial topics such as Financial Tips for Same Sex Couples and the LGBTQ+ Community. To learn more about Experian’s commitment to financial empowerment for all, check out The Power of You: 2022 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report. You can catch the first of Jake’s new Financial Glow Up videos on his Instagram and TikTok, and by searching #JWRExperian on those channels.

In my role as Chief Sustainability Officer at Experian, I often hear from communities that feel that they’re not seen or heard. That they’re marginalized. I’m proud that our United for Financial Health (UFH) program can be a global catalyst towards financial inclusion. This is the kind of work UFH is supporting with two new partners: Born This Way Foundation (BTWF) and True Colors United. Founded by Lady Gaga and her mother Cynthia Germanotta, Born This Way Foundation supports youth mental health and created Channel Kindness, a digital storytelling platform. Experian is proud to support an expansion of Channel Kindness, which will be a safe space for young people to reflect on significant financial days throughout the year such as college graduation, tax day and a #BeKind21 Campaign event focusing on the role kindness plays in a person’s financial wellness. True Colors United was founded by Cyndi Lauper, and aims to end homelessness among LGBTQ+ youth. We will collaborate with them to create financial literacy resources to help this “invisible” community overcome barriers to fair and equitable access to credit and financial tools. These new partnerships are just a couple examples of our support for the LGBTQ+ community. Earlier this year, we achieved a 100% rating on the Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation in the U.S., making Experian a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality for the fourth consecutive year. We also received a Silver Award from Stonewall for our commitment to inclusion of LGBTQ people in the workplace. We provide a process to assist trans and non-binary consumers with name changes to their Experian credit reports. During Pride Month, our weekly Twitter #Creditchat addressed important financial topics such as Financial Tips for Same Sex Couples and the LGBTQ+ Community. We look forward to sharing stories from Channel Kindness and the resources from True Colors United. To learn more about Experian’s commitment to financial empowerment for all, check out The Power of You: 2022 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report.