Experian 2009 Annual Report Download - page 45

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43Experian Annual Report 2009
Introduction
2 – 7
Business review
Corporate responsibility
Governance
44 – 72
Financial statements
73 – 148
43
Supporting key resources
The three resources that Experian
considers fundamental to its business
are people, data and technology and all
three feature in the CR responsibilities.
People
The people Experian employs need to
believe in the way the Group is being
managed, and social and ethical issues
are top of mind. ‘Doing it Right’ is
one of four behaviours expected and
measured globally through a standard
appraisal system. This year the Group
has taken steps towards formally
signing up to the UN Global Compact,
ensuring policies and processes
are aligned with Human Rights best
practice.
Despite Group cost efciency
measures, which included some
redundancies, the engagement
score, measured by the global people
survey, improved by 3%. Loyalty is
being encouraged partly through a
further commitment to volunteering,
exemplied by the UK’s ‘Inspire’
management development programme
and the community involvement
embedded in this, together with
developments such as the ‘Experian
Gift’, which allows each UK and
Ireland employee three days per year
in business time for volunteering
and has led to the hours donated
almost doubling.
Community donations from Experian
have increased this year with central
funds supporting regional projects to
help support the projects employees
believe to be important.
Data
Careful and secure data management is
also being inuenced by considerations
for society. Data security is part of
Experian’s culture, but the Group
seeks continual improvement and
has increased the resilience of its
Information Security programme
through a consistent approach in its
practices and a reduction of complexity.
Internal assessment programmes have
been standardised across each region
to further facilitate global reporting and
tracking of potential issues. Experian
continues to cover a wide area of risk
analysis and routinely reviews activities
by its resellers, vendors, clients,
internal processes and new business
initiatives.
Technology
Investment in technology is ongoing
but cost efciencies are important.
A major consideration in every
technology procurement process
now is not only the price tag but also
the ecological performance of new
hardware for data centres. Experian
is also working to understand the
approach its suppliers are taking
to environmental impacts and has
launched a survey on its corporate
website for suppliers and other
stakeholders.
Priorities for the coming year
Looking ahead, while challenges remain
in the external environment, Experian’s
focus is on investment to drive future
growth. Continuing and improving the
Group’s ability to see social, ethical and
environmental risks and opportunities
is an essential part of this growth
strategy.
A vision has been dened and
endorsed by the board. Objectives have
been set under the three strands of the
CR strategy to achieve this vision:
Embedding CR
– By 2011 further embed SEE risks in
the risk process and ensure each
business unit is addressing them in
their risk register.
– Express SEE risks and opportunities,
challenges and achievements more
explicitly and communicate these to
all employees.
Supporting social and
environmental innovation
– Build SEE opportunity reviews into
product development processes in
at least one region by the year ending
31 March 2010.
– Continue to provide funding for
‘Big Ideas’ and publicise the
programme internally.
Focusing the community
programme
– Evolve the community focus to
include an element of sustainability
for communities and spend at least
75% of central funds available for
community projects on this focus.
Experian’s full CR report can be found
online at www.experiancrreport.com
and a printed summary can also be
downloaded from this site.
Experian’s CR vision has been endorsed by the board.
– Experian’s working population understands the social, ethical and
environmental risks associated with the business and standard processes
take account of these on a day-to-day basis enabling the Group to create a
stronger and more sustainable business model.
– The opportunities social, ethical and environmental issues present
are regularly reviewed and Experian considers how it can help other
organisations become more sustainable with new products and services.
– Experian uses its skills, information and expertise to best effect in
interactions with its communities and helps them become more
self sustaining.