social impact

TransUnion, a global information and insights company, has launched a bold new campaign, ‘Be the Reason Things Change’, aimed at making financial inclusion a reality for more South Africans. This powerful initiative calls on individuals, communities, businesses, and institutions to join a movement for change, one that ensures every person is seen, supported, and given the tools to participate in the formal financial system.

In a country known for both its beauty and inequality, where access to formal credit remains out of reach for many, ‘Be the Reason Things Change’ seeks to break down the barriers that keep people excluded, by focusing on consumer education, innovation, and community engagement. The campaign is designed to help South Africans take control of their financial futures, regardless of who they are or where they come from, whilst also advocating for businesses to embrace alternative data and innovative scoring solutions to see and serve the unseen. By doing so, they too can empower the disempowered, expanding access and inclusion, and enabling more people to participate meaningfully in the financial ecosystem and live the lives they deserve.

“At TransUnion, we believe in a world where the impossible becomes possible, where the unseen are finally seen, and where every South African deserves the opportunity to participate fully in the economy,” says Lee Naik, CEO TransUnion Africa.

’Be the Reason Things Change’ is more than a campaign slogan; it’s a call to action to take part in building a more inclusive financial system. Through innovative data solutions and consumer education, we aim to spark a national conversation about breaking down barriers in the credit landscape and ensuring financial empowerment is accessible to all. Ultimately, we want more South Africans to be included in the formal financial economy, empowering them to understand how access to credit can transform their lives and enable them to uplift their communities,” says Naik.

Addressing South Africa’s Financial Inclusion Challenge

Many South Africans continue to face obstacles in accessing formal credit and quality financial services. Traditional systems often feel exclusive or out of reach, especially for underserved individuals and small businesses, because they rely heavily on past borrowing behaviour as the primary measure of creditworthiness. According to TransUnion’s CreditVision® Telco Data Score data-modelling, over 1.4 million credit-invisible South Africans open new credit accounts each year, contributing to more than four million new accounts over the past three years*. Yet traditional scoring models frequently fail to assess these consumers accurately, leaving over 16 million adults outside the formal credit system. Successfully integrating these and other excluded consumers into the economy could contribute an estimated R173 billion to South Africa’s GDP.

A significant portion, approximately 35% of new-to-credit consumers are under the age of 25, many entering the workforce for the first time and using credit to cover essentials such as work clothing. This highlights the urgent need for innovative, inclusive tools that better reflect the realities of younger, digitally active individuals who may lack a conventional credit footprint.

TransUnion is shifting the paradigm by embracing alternative data, creating new scoring capabilities, and ensuring that individuals who were once unclassifiable can now be assessed fairly and accurately. Its “Be the Reason Things Change” campaign responds to this need by equipping the public with practical tools, credit education, and the confidence to take charge of their financial futures.

Collaborative Effort with Global Partners

The campaign is supported by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, has played a key role as a technical advisor and promotor of credit information tools in South Africa, reinforcing the global imperative to expand equitable access to financial services.

“We are proud to support TransUnion’s ‘Be the Reason Things Change’ campaign, which aligns closely with our mission to advance inclusive economic development,” says Cláudia Conceição, IFC Regional Director for Southern Africa. “By removing barriers to credit access, this initiative empowers individuals and communities to build financial resilience and unlock economic opportunity, key pillars of long-term social impact.”

This collaboration highlights the value of cross-sector partnerships in tackling systemic financial exclusion, combining local insights with global best practices to deliver scalable solutions.

Empowering Through Education, Innovation, Investment and Africa Firsts

‘Be the Reason Things Change’ will see TransUnion roll out a fully integrated marketing campaign designed to demystify the credit system and empower people from all walks of life. Key pillars of the campaign include:

• A first-ever interactive peelable billboard in Africa, installed at Melrose Arch, located by the entrance off Corlett Drive in Johannesburg. 
• A first-ever digital billboard aimed at reaching audiences beyond the Johannesburg area.
• Transformational stories from campaign ambassadors include Springbok rugby stars Makazole Mapimpi and Lukhanyo Am, as well as fashion entrepreneur Tshepo Mohlala
• Springbok, Lukhanyo Am and fashion entrepreneur, Tshepo Mohlala will be launching the campaign at Melrose Arch on 21 August 2025 where they will peel the first layers of the billboard and share their own personal journeys.
• Over R10m valued in sponsorship and investment in e-learning credit courses for over 5,000 South Africans.
• Practical education: Simple, clear resources to help people understand credit scores, manage debt, and make informed financial choices.
• A unique AI-powered digital film piece.
• Innovative Solutions: New offerings to help enable lenders to see consumers previously unseen, empowering consumers to access new credit opportunities

‘Be the Reason Things Change’ is about rewriting the story around credit and creditworthiness,” says Naik. “We want every South African to understand how credit works, what their score means, and how they can maintain and improve it. More importantly, we want them to believe they can be the reason things change.”

Campaign Execution Partners

The campaign was brought to life through a dynamic collaboration with creative agency 1 Over One, who led the conceptual development; local production partner Run Jump Fly, who delivered a unique AI-powered digital film piece, FleishmanHillard South Africa and Capacity Relations who provided strategic PR, media and activation support to amplify the message and ensure meaningful engagement across key audiences.

Join the Movement

TransUnion invites all South Africans to join the movement for financial inclusion. To learn more, participate in the campaign, and access educational resources, visit www.transunion.co.za/bethereason.

Consumers can get their free annual credit report from TransUnion here.

^{* The three-year period refers to an analysis of the TransUnion Credit Bureau database over the period for January 2022 – December 2025.}