Over the past year, Home Credit has made headway on its ESG (environmental, social and governace) commitments with the delivery of several initiatives. The company ramped up efforts to promote financial literacy with in-person classes and workshops, digital and social media content and partnerships with leading financial influencers and national radio broadcasts.

In tandem, Home Credit also accelerated digitalisation and the progressive roll-out of its global mobile app, which offers customers and retailers a greater range of products and services.

As a result of these efforts, the percentage of new customers who used regulated financial services for the first time increased 19 per cent to 42 per cent in 2022, compared to the previous year. Many were women who have traditionally not been able to access such services in developing markets. A record 222.5 million people also benefitted from Home Credit’s financial literacy content in 2022.

Radek Pluhar, CEO of Home Credit, said “I am pleased that the business has made further progress, which will drive our ESG agenda to new heights. We embarked on several meaningful projects to foster social inclusion, build resilience and help people from disadvantaged backgrounds access new opportunities. With the support of our colleagues, we know that our ESG approach is having a beneficial impact on the communities that we serve."

“We also know that financial access needs to go hand in hand with financial knowledge. We have a huge responsibility to ensure that our customers understand how to use our products responsibly. In 2022, we supercharged our approach to customer education, working alongside subject-matter experts to incorporate new trends and behavioural economics into our content,” he added.

Annica Witschard, CEO of Home Credit Vietnam said, “One of our key missions is to open more opportunities for Vietnamese consumers to enter the formal, regulated economy for the first time. I am proud that our business invests heavily in financial inclusion activities that are helping to unlock opportunities for the unbanked in this country."

"Sustainable business approaches are helpful for our long-term growth as a business but also the personal and financial growth of our customers.”

The report highlights that last year, 42 per cent of customers were using regulated financial services for the first time, a 19 per cent increase from 2021. From collaboration with influencers in Indonesia and national workshops in India to daily radio broadcasts in the Philippines and beyond, Home Credit invested significant resources to develop financial literacy activities, reaching a record 222.5 million people globally in 2022.

A noticeable improvement in the financial inclusion of women in Home Credit markets, with women making up 36 per cent of customers in 2022 as the company focused on outreach for female communities.

The company supported more than 60 charitable initiatives globally, including volunteering at orphanages and schools, donating equipment to Kazakh emergency services, and contributing to typhoon relief in the Philippines. Overall, Home Credit dedicated nearly $900,000 to philanthropic activities in 2022.

In Vietnam, Home Credit served more than 14 million customers, an increase of 9.4 per cent compared to 2021. The company recorded the healthiest non-performing loan ratio in the market at below 3 per cent. It also partnered with 11,000 local retailers, increasing 17 per cent compared to 2021.

Home Credit Vietnam is currently home to more than 6,000 employees from 19 ethnicities in Vietnam. The company has provided 0 per cent interest loan to more than 100 disadvantaged women in Vietnam. It has also supported more than 500 disadvantaged children in remote areas in the country.