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Experian – winner in their sector - UK’s most comprehensive analysis of CR reporting trends

A good example of an approach that is fit for purpose.  Experian has a clear strategy, convincingly argued, and the C0² figures falling.  They aren’t the most carbon intensive business, but they recognise their responsibilities and are taking action.  A good progression would be more engagement with the workforce and the supply chain to roll the message out to a wider audience.

The Support Services Sector:

As this is a very diverse sector, with very different types of companies, it is difficult to compare overall.  Support services are generally much newer to corporate responsibility reporting and therefore the reports are not as advanced as they are in other sectors, for example utilities or consumer goods.

The reports focused on social issues and were comparatively light on reporting the breadth of CR performance data.  The company also need to work on the presentation of the CR information: two have very little additional CR information on their websites; and only one has a well designed and easy to read downloadable PDF report.

On climate change none of the reports have a great deal of content.  Each of them states that their environmental impact is lower than other sectors but there is no comparison with companies within the sector, or a real picture of any climate change policy and strategy for the company. 

Overall, reporting in this sector has improved this year but it can do better, particularly with regard to more detailed performance metrics and targets, along with how CR activities have been integrated into the business and strategy.

The winner for this sector is Experian – impressive as it’s a first time reporter and it is also independently assured.

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Third party benchmarks

  Experian was included in the FTSE4Good Index on its demerger from GUS.  We have since been reviewed and retained membership in our own right.  FTSE4Good is an investable index of companies judged by FTSE to meet published criteria in their social and environmental management and performance. 
     
  Experian was included for the first time in the Dow Jones Global Sustainability Indices, the first global indices to track the performance of companies judged to be sustainability leaders. The index is based on an independent rating of the results from a comprehensive questionnaire.  Thousands of companies are assessed with the top 10% in each sector being included.  Experian is included in the DJGSI World and STOXX indices, being listed in the Support Services sector.
     
  Experian responded to the Carbon Disclosure Project – an investor-led initiative to standardise and promote company reporting on climate change issues.  Experian’s response is published on the CDP website.
     
 

In 2007, asset managers Insight Investment initiated a project to assess how 125 companies, covering the FTSE100 (excluding investment trusts) and large cap European stocks, were managing their greenhouse gas emissions in order to develop a systematic understanding of the wider implications of climate change for their investments and to identify companies whose management of the risks and opportunities presented by climate change fell short of good practice. The average score of the companies assessed was 46% and Experian’s score was slightly below that at 39%. 43 companies scored over 60% and 21 companies scored less than 20%.
     
The Observer logo   Experian was ranked 39th out of the FTSE100 by the Co-Operative Investments, which published a ranking of the most ‘ethical’ investments in The Observer Magazine.
     
Salter baxter logo Salterbaxter advises organisations on their corporate communications, design, strategy and corporate reporting and has built a reputation as a lead consultancy in the field of Corporate Responsibility. Their research team creates the Directions report each year and include what they state is the UK’s most comprehensive analysis of CR reporting trends. They invite an independent panel to review CR reports and last year Experian’s report was judged to be best in sector, although still with room for improvement.


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