Global financial education in Vertex DNA

Established: 1989
Industry: Pharmaceuticals
No. of employees: 4.8k employees

Winner of Global Impact via Financial Education – Financial Wellbeing Impact Awards 2023.

The challenge

Vertex’s financial wellbeing has been live for employees over one year across 20 countries around the world. Vertex’s aim was to contextualize both financial education and employee benefits, to make a difference to different employee groups within the business, at different times of year. The goal through working with nudge is to ensure financial education and benefit communication is impartial yet personalized to individuals.

Vertex’s global employee community was fragmented with no active conversation around money. And the team didn’t know what benefits employees needed to support their unique set of circumstances.

The solution

Vertex developed a 360-degree approach to financial inclusion, and designed a financial education experience that was consistent for all global employees. The team has created a holistic approach to financial wellbeing with inclusive communications that drive awareness of the full benefit program.

The strategy utilizes awareness campaigns to draw attention to financial education and supporting benefits from the program e.g. over the festive period, they issued communication directing people to wellbeing benefits like Headspace, Ginger and a fitness benefit to help people navigate the festive season. The team has also hosted a series of in-person training sessions for different groups, including: ‘women and finance’ following International Women’s Day.

Creating a holistic approach to financial wellbeing has meant the team has delivered inclusive communications that have increased awareness of the full benefit program. The team has, alongside nudge, produced engaging, interactive money masterclasses suitable for employees across all locations. The team has focused on global benefits with actionable steps for employees. For example, Vertex’s employee share purchase plan info was included in a recent masterclass, as well as in a reward nudge.

Vertex ensures the financial education covers globally applicable topics that are inclusive of global benefits. The team uses data from nudge’s platform to shape their strategy for the future. What’s more, Vertex supports their people’s family finances because of the insight gathered in their nudgenomics.

The outcome 

Since the launch, Vertex has run two company-wide surveys including benefits/wellbeing and in the latest pulse survey that closed on 23rd January 2023, the score was 81. 

110 Vertex employees globally attended the Money and Mental Health masterclass, and 120 attended the Women and Finance session (over 10% of the Vertex population). Attendees gave the session an average of 5/5 for presentation and 4.8/5 for content.