Our Commitments
Our Commitment to Financial Inclusion
At Equifax, we recognise the profound impact that financial inclusion can have on individuals and communities. Our involvement in the Financial Inclusion Action Plan (FIAP) program is a natural extension of our core purpose: to help people live their financial best. Joining the FIAP network aligns with our organisational strategy to create economically healthy individuals and communities by providing equal opportunities to access affordable, mainstream financial services.
At Equifax, our purpose is to help people live their financial best. We strive to make a significant contribution to the creation of economically healthy individuals and communities, and are focused on giving people an equal opportunity to access affordable, mainstream financial services. We are pleased to join the Financial Inclusion Action Plan (FIAP) program and become part of the FIAP community as we work towards these goals. Positive economic change starts with a single financial opportunity. Financial inclusion is about having the knowledge and the freedom to make choices. It’s about people having access to useful and affordable financial products. And it’s about ensuring fairness and transparency so people can make better decisions and create habits that improve their financial wellbeing. Establishing individual financial health and wealth can change the trajectory of families and communities for generations.
Melanie Cochrane, Group Managing Director, Equifax Australia and New Zealand.
FIAP Highlights
Innovating for greater access
Leveraging our global data, powerful analytics and fraud prevention tools, we develop solutions like Equifax One Score to bring financial opportunities to more people, including 'thin file' and 'credit invisible' consumers.
Empowering through knowledge
Raising awareness of free consumer credit reports and developing a Financial Inclusion Hub to enhance financial literacy.
Protecting and supporting
Collaborate to enhance public awareness of fraud and scam protection and support data breach victims against potential financial loss.
Fostering employee wellbeing
Maintaining and expanding our Financial Wellbeing Program for employees, including access to money coaching sessions and Equifax products.
About Equifax’s Financial Inclusion Action Plan
At Equifax, we recognise the profound impact that financial inclusion can have on individuals and communities. Our involvement in the Financial Inclusion Action Plan (FIAP) program is a natural extension of our core purpose: to help people live their financial best. Joining the FIAP network aligns with our organisational strategy to create economically healthy individuals and communities by providing equal opportunities to access affordable, mainstream financial services.
Through our FIAP, we are committed to supporting the overall FIAP goals of financial inclusion and financial resilience, promoting inclusive growth, and reducing inequality across Australia. This plan provides a framework that integrates, refines, and extends our existing actions while also exploring new avenues to enhance financial wellbeing for all Australians.
Our FIAP Development Process and Beyond
Our dedicated FIAP workgroup, comprised of key representatives from across the business, has worked to:
Understanding financial vulnerability
We identified the key risks and underlying causes of financial vulnerability across Australia’s diverse consumer landscape.
Embed core principles
We integrated the fundamental principles of financial wellbeing into our strategic operations, ensuring a cohesive and holistic commitment throughout the entire organisation.
Develop new actions
We brainstormed and designed new, measurable actions aligned with the FIAP framework, focusing on areas where Equifax can make the most significant difference.
Our FIAP impacts a wide range of stakeholders, including our customers, employees, vulnerable groups, the broader community and our business partners.
Starting Over
Reconstructing your life from scratch can be an uphill task for many
Starting over in life, whether after a major life event, a career change, or relocating to Australia, can feel overwhelming, especially when it comes to your finances. At Equifax Australia, we understand that rebuilding your financial foundation requires clear information and support. We are here to help you get a fresh start by providing the tools and knowledge you need to regain financial confidence.
Helping yourself reboot all over again
How to start over and reboot your life one step at a time
Explore the challenges people face when starting over with tips to help you break through.
Ways to rebuild your credit score when starting over
Take control of your financial health now with our practical steps to help rebuild your credit score.
30 ways to jump start your savings and get back on your feet
Get back on your feet and reset your finances with our practical budgeting tips.
Navigating financial hardship can feel like an impossible task, but you’re not alone.
Going through financial challenges can be a stressful time in your life. Whether it’s the result of a job loss, relationship breakdown, or rapid interest rate rises, understanding your options can help you work through this phase while protecting your long-term financial health.
Empowering yourself
Starting afresh in a new country can be stressful for the uninitiated
Coming to a new country can be a fresh start, but it often means you're also starting over with your financial history. New migrants and expats may have a limited or "thin" credit file, making it difficult to access financial services. We help bridge this gap by offering resources and services designed to build financial awareness and empower new Australians.
Rebuilding your credit as an immigrant
Ways to rebuild your score as an expat/immigrant
See tips and ways in which you can start rebuilding your credit score.
Building your credit profile from the ground up
Funding life in a new country can be tricky. Learn easy wins to achieve.
Tips for your next big financial purchase and its impact on credit score
Working towards your next big life goal is an exciting time. Learn how to plan with confidence
Knowledge is your first step toward progress and
we are here to help
The Help Centre is a central hub for users to find answers to a wide range of questions related to personal and business credit services. It also provides a search function and organises topics into clear categories such as Complaints, Credit Reports, Credit Scores, and Identity Theft
Statement from the FIAP group – Good Shepherd AUNZ
FIAP members are part of an important movement to improve financial wellbeing and promote inclusive growth in Australian communities. Financial stress and hardship can impact us all at any stage in our lives. Through the FIAP program, our goal is for organisations across all sectors to contribute to financial health and wellbeing, ensuring hardship can be identified early, managed, and overcome. This includes supporting their own staff and families, as well as the people they serve. By building capacity, raising awareness, and increasing access to appropriate supports and services, organisations can drive better social and economic outcomes, strengthening engagement and prosperity for students, employees, and the wider community. We congratulate Equifax for its commitment to improving the financial health and wellbeing of its community and making important progress in its first year as a FIAP member. There is still much to do in an environment of growing inequality and financial strain. We look forward to working together to ensure the highest level of care and support is provided to vulnerable students and to generate even greater impact in the years ahead as the FIAP program evolves.
Stella Avramopoulos, Chief Executive Officer
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Equifax is a global data, analytics, and technology company dedicated to helping people live their financial best. Our blend of data, powerful analytics and innovative Cloud technology helps make financial opportunities more accessible.
In each of the 24 countries where we operate, Equifax is focused on helping people gain equal opportunities to access affordable, mainstream financial services for life’s important milestones. Our business was founded on the principle of enabling better, more inclusive financial outcomes. We believe that more data drives better decisions, which is why Equifax Cloud was custom-built to manage and leverage vast, diverse datasets. This approach provides unparalleled access to the insights necessary to help bring greater access to financial opportunity to more people.