Access to financial and digital empowerment We are innovating to reach under-banked and underserved Case study: Empowering customers Con individuals and small business customers with financial services by: t e Developing accessibility solutions for customers and SMEs. We build in Barclaycard in the UK and the US xt and Appr on accessible services such as Sign Video and high-visibility cards for customers with disabilities, and share advice and provide learning to help Credit Score and the Money Worries Hub are two initiatives o other businesses become more accessible. We also provide targeted developed to support and empower UK customers by giving them ach products, such as the Barclaycard Initial Card, to help enhance access to knowledge and resources to take control of their financial health. credit for those with limited credit histories and provide a way to build They show how Barclaycard colleagues use their internal knowledge, their credit health over time. skills and resources to provide holistic support for customers. Hosted Enhancing digital skills. In 2016, we used our Digital Eagles network to on the Barclaycard website, the hub is the first of its kind for a UK help people become empowered to operate in the digital economy, reduce card provider, leveraging real-life, financially challenging events to exclusion and enhance access to a range of digital tools and services. In provide tangible and relevant stories to help them understand how Shar addition, we have also provided digital skills training through our Digital Barclaycard can support them when they need it most. Within the ed Gr Wings online learning platform. online account management Credit Score provides customers with a o Improving access to financial literacy and financial health. We use detailed, free credit score helping to promote responsible credit wth Ambition improvements in technology and analytics to develop a range of tools to behaviour and educate customers about the importance of provide better and quicker information and money management maintaining their credit health. capabilities. We provide proactive and reactive support to customers in The free credit score service has been used by more than 650,000 financial difficulty, and develop new financial education resources with a customers and more than 100,000 have visited the stories and range of experts including apps and gamified learning platforms, such as information on the Money Worries Hub. Financial Wings, our online financial skills learning platform. Garry Hepherd, Relationship Manager at StepChange Debt Charity See pages 44-48 for further detail on our product portfolio and supports the work that Barclaycard is doing: “The Money Worries accessibility initiatives. Hub has been a great addition in helping people with debt worries. Gener We know that people can often have sleepless nights and if they can al S Further information on our programmes is available access help and advice online 24/7, confidentially and anonymously tandar at a time that suits them, it really helps them to face up to that debt at home.barclays/citizenship. problem and seek help as early as possible. d Disclosur In Barclaycard US, Jennifer Hitchens recently embarked on a mission to provide Barclaycard Ring card members with a clearer path to es credit health. Jennifer partnered with the credit experts at advanced analytics Case study: Financial Wings company FICO, the company behind the FICO® Score, the standard In April 2016, Barclays launched Financial Wings, our free online money measure of consumer credit risk in the United States. Working with Specific S Senior Scores Consultant, Roy Pfeifer, Jennifer co-ordinated a 12-day management tool. With content written in collaboration with experts ‘Ask FICO’ online event which connected members of the Barclaycard from the Money Advice Service, StepChange Debt Charity and National Ring Community directly with the credit experts at FICO. The event tandar Debtline, Financial Wings looks to give colleagues and customers the opened up long-term benefits for card members and consumers, knowledge, skills and confidence to plan financial goals and deal with while improving existing products and services. d Disclosur the financial impact of life’s ups and downs. The website employs FICO’s Roy Pfeifer, describes his initial reaction to Jennifer’s idea: gamification to help users engage with the information and users can test their knowledge and earn points in a series of games. “When Barclays approached us about doing the ‘Ask FICO’ es programme, we were really excited about the opportunity to help On launching Financial Wings, Clare Francis, Savings and Investing directly answer questions that Barclays customers are asking about Expert at Barclays said: “Every day we hear from customers who FICO scores. Like Barclays, we are trying to get credit education out want to understand how to make the most of their money but find into the marketplace and to help people better understand credit KP managing their finances a complex and daunting task. We are scoring and how credit scoring affects their lives.” MG Assur committed to supporting their achievement of financial fitness and believe that Financial Wings will help many to achieve this.” Talking about her experience of using Financial Wings, Rachael Murphy, ance S ta Community Banker said: “I made time last week to complete my t #financialwings and it has been really helpful to see some of the emen problems our customers might be facing from their point of view. Some t great tips for customers and staff on budgeting and where to go for help!” Talking about Financial Wings, Raymond Petit, Managing Director of Community Banking said: “Financial Wings was created to empower people and give them the confidence to make better financial decisions. With Financial Wings we want to remove any fear or confusion by providing essential information in manageable chunks.” home.barclays/annualreport Barclays PLC Environmental Social Governance Supplement 2016 • 11