Making Money Make Sense: How Equiniti Powers Financial Fairness for Everyone

Starting your first job is exciting - earning your own money, enjoying independence and perhaps thinking about that big purchase. But amid the buzz, there’s a crucial element that is often overlooked: financial fairness. Knowing how pensions and savings work isn’t just for later life. Getting savvy about your financial future right from day one could be the smartest move you make.

Recently, Purpose Lab Ambassadors had the opportunity to share what financial fairness means to them. As students, many were already negotiating financial challenges and some had personal experience of family and friends who had faced significant barriers to managing their money. They also considered whether private companies have a wider role in building a fairer society. The message from them was clear: financial education is essential, and companies do have a real part to play.

Enter Equiniti. On the surface, Equiniti handles pensions, shares, and savings for millions across the UK and internationally. Behind the scenes, however, they're also powering fairness by ensuring financial services are accessible, transparent and inclusive for everyone, helping the elderly, digitally excluded and vulnerable people, protecting against fraud and making complex finance fair and understandable, especially for new employees starting out in their careers.

Ever heard of a Save As You Earn or Sharesave scheme? Equiniti helps businesses establish these straightforward plans, allowing employees - even young starters - to regularly save directly from their salary. It’s more than just building a savings pot or owning company shares; it’s about creating equal financial opportunities and fostering a fairer society.

So why does this matter now? Because the small financial choices made early on can drastically shape your future. Imagine the security of retiring comfortably because you started contributing at 20, not 40. Imagine the peace of mind from knowing you have a safety net in emergencies. Equiniti champions this mindset, promoting early financial awareness as a cornerstone of lifelong fairness and independence.

In a session with Caroline Gascoigne, Equiniti’s Group Apprenticeship & Qualification Manager, Purpose Lab Ambassadors discussed how financial fairness isn't just about money; it’s also about understanding and accessibility. Equiniti recognises this by offering user-friendly digital platforms and supportive, personal guidance. Whether you're digitally savvy or prefer traditional methods, Equiniti ensures no one is left behind.

Session participants also focused on the fact that businesses have significant power to create fairer societies. Equiniti embodies this role, demonstrating how businesses can positively influence social fairness. They don't just manage finances; they educate, protect, and empower individuals, bridging gaps in knowledge and accessibility. With 6000 employees, Equiniti also offers a range of careers, not just in finance but in customer service, tech development, human resources and fraud prevention, providing opportunities for people from every background to contribute to the company’s mission, helping their employees to help others manage their money.

So, if you’re celebrating your first pay day, remember: financial literacy and fairness matter immensely. Equiniti powers this fairness, quietly ensuring every individual, from graduates newly out of university to seasoned professionals, has equal opportunities to secure their financial futures. And that's something genuinely worth celebrating.