Equifax Announces Five-Year Commitment to Operation HOPE; CEO Joins Board of Directors
More Than $500,000 in Support Pledged to Help Communities Improve Access to Credit and Build Financial Responsibility
ATLANTA, Sept. 9, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Equifax, Inc. (NYSE:EFX), a global leader in consumer, commercial and workforce information solutions, today announced a multi-year, $500,000 partnership with Operation HOPE, the financial dignity non-profit committed to providing financial empowerment to underserved communities.
As part of the partnership, Equifax Chairman and CEO, Richard F. Smith, will join the Operation HOPE National Board of Directors to promote the aligned goals of the two organizations, and Equifax Personal Solutions President, Trey Loughran, will join Operation HOPE's Southeastern Board.
"Operation HOPE's mission directly reflects Equifax's own values and initiatives of helping responsible individuals achieve financial empowerment," Smith said. "We are pleased to partner with them to enable greater financial literacy among underserved consumers and communities across the country. By helping people gain access to credit, you open doors – whether it's to a car loan, a better mortgage, or the opportunity to go to college. We look forward to joining Operation HOPE to further assist this worthy initiative."
"We are pleased to gain the support of Equifax, so that we can change people's lives. Their $500,000 commitment over the next five years will give Operation HOPE more opportunity to help small businesses and individuals improve their credit scores," said John Hope Bryant Operation HOPE founder, chairman and CEO. "It is one of the cornerstones of our 700 Credit Score Community, a program that will turn underserved communities into emerging markets, giving people the keys to more resources and wealth."
Equifax's commitment will support the growth of Operation Hope's 700 Credit Score Community as well as the urgent need for credit information for those communities affected by natural disaster served by Operation HOPE's Coalition America. Executives from Equifax will participate in Operation HOPE's Global Financial Dignity Summit in Atlanta this November. Additionally, Equifax will work closely with Operation HOPE's Financial Dignity Center which is based out of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta.
About Equifax
Equifax is a global leader in consumer, commercial and workforce information solutions that provide businesses of all sizes and consumers with insight and information they can trust. Equifax organizes and assimilates data on more than 500 million consumers and 81 million businesses worldwide, and uses advanced analytics and proprietary technology to create and deliver customized insights that enrich both the performance of businesses and the lives of consumers.
Headquartered in Atlanta, Equifax operates or has investments in 18 countries and is a member of Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500® Index. Its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol EFX. In 2013, Equifax was named a Bloomberg BusinessWeek Top 50 company, was #3 in Fortune's Most Admired list in its category, and was named to InfoWeek 500 as well as the FinTech 100. For more information, please visit www.equifax.com.
About Operation HOPE, Inc. (HOPE)
Since its inception in 1992, Operation HOPE has served more than 2 million individuals. The financial dignity nonprofit has also directed more than $1.5 billion in private capital to low-wealth communities; it maintains a growing army of 20,000 HOPE Corps volunteers, and currently serves in more than 300 U.S. cities, as well as South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates.
CONTACT: Meredith Griffanti
Media Relations
(404) 885-8913
meredith.griffanti@equifax.com
Released September 9, 2013