Experian 2010 Annual Report Download - page 52

Experian Annual Report 2010 Business review50
Corporate responsibility (continued)
Embedding CR in
everyday business
CR-related performance can only
accelerate once it becomes second
nature for employees to consider the
SEE needs of society in mainstream
business decisions. In 2010, Experian
concentrated on building CR into
standard processes and creating
a better understanding of what CR
means to everyone across the Group.
By communicating the natural linkages
with the business strategy, it is easier
to demonstrate the relevance of SEE
considerations.
Building CR into processes
It was a year of signicant improvement;
all risk processes at Experian, from
corporate to business unit level, now
reference SEE considerations. Any
new data source in the US business
is assessed according to a set of
fair information values and this
process is being adopted across all
geographies. A global code of conduct
has been developed and is now being
implemented, and the business is
running training programmes to ensure
compliance with national legislation.
Experian takes into consideration every
aspect of information security in its
data centre management and invests
heavily as it expands. Data centres are
also acknowledged to make the biggest
impact on Experian’s carbon footprint.
Energy savings in data centres have
ensured this footprint has not increased
despite a rise in capacity and data
processed.
Better understanding
Improvements in regular internal
communications, through magazines,
intranets, meetings, blogs and
webcasts, are helping raise employee
awareness. A university study led
by an MBA student gave a thought-
provoking insight into the level of
awareness in the UK audience, which
fuelled a programme to raise the
visibility of CR. This programme was
sponsored by CEO Don Robert, whose
video introduction to the CR report
demonstrates his personal commitment
to improving understanding.
Focusing the
community programme
Central funds are set aside to support
the regional community programme.
To make sure these funds have the
most impact, Experian has developed
a focus on nancial education and
entrepreneurship. In the last year, the
target was to spend at least 75% of the
allocated US$794,000 on this focus.
In fact, 81% was achieved, spent on a
range of projects across Experian’s
regions. A major nancial education
project in the US is reaching out
specically to minority and underserved
communities. In Brazil, a project
involves Experian’s own employees in
coaching community leaders, parents
and teachers in nancial awareness.
Experian Denmark has set up a
partnership with the Danish Tax ofce,
targeted at supporting vulnerable young
people as they leave home. In the UK,
Experian is focusing on younger people,
reaching them before debt becomes
an issue, and is working with a national
charity, Debt Doctors. The Asia Pacic
business identied suitable strategic
projects for the rst time in 2010 and
Experian Singapore is beginning work
to support communities in Mongolia
and Cambodia.
In addition to this focused approach,
Experian contributed to the disaster
relief funds following the devastating
earthquakes in Haiti and Chile.
Employees led the way, giving very
generously, and the business matched
their donations and gave additional
funds. A total of US$150,000 was
given following each of the disasters,
largely to the Red Cross, but also
to organisations that were local to
Experian’s operations in Santiago.
There was a signicant rise in employee
volunteering and employee fundraising
during the year. Volunteering has now
been built into leadership development
programmes in the UK and Experian
is capturing volunteering activity in
EMEA, including South Africa, for the
rst time.
Innovating for social benet
Experian has a unique set of skills and
resources. Applying these skills to
create a product or service that solves
a social problem is probably the best
way the Group can make a positive
social impact. Seed funding is provided
to support the exploration and early
development of products or services.
Termed ‘Big Ideas’, these relatively small
amounts are invested to encourage 'big
thinking’ across a broad spectrum of
social issues.
The rst project reported under this
programme has now led to a proposal
for a mainstream business development
in micronance. The original funding
supported a period of development,
working with the World Bank, to examine
how Experian’s products and services
could make the process of micro lending
more efcient and ultimately make loans
cheaper for the disadvantaged. A case
study is described in the full CR report.
Community investment
2010
US$’000
2009
US$’000
Funds from Experian plc 1,001 937
Financial donations from Experian subsidiaries 932 1,012
Employee time volunteered 595 353
Gifts in kind 343 222
Management costs 179 185
Total from Experian 3,050 2,709
As % of Benchmark PBT 0.34% 0.32%
Employee fundraising 679 466
GUS Charitable Trust donations 602 423
Total value of all giving 4,331 3,598
As a % of Benchmark PBT 0.48% 0.43%
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