Alliance Data 2014 Corporate Responsibility Report Highlights Progress In Key Performance Areas, Establishes Multi-Year Goals

Company commits to $50 million community investment over next five years

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Sep 03, 2015, 09:00 ET

DALLAS, Sept. 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE: ADS), a leading global provider of data-driven marketing and loyalty solutions, issued its annual Corporate Responsibility report, which encompasses activities across the corporation, including its headquarters and three lines of business – Alliance Data's card services business, Epsilon and LoyaltyOne. Download a copy of the full report.

"At Alliance Data, corporate responsibility is engrained in our culture and a point of pride for our associates. We have the opportunity and a responsibility to protect consumer privacy and data, invest in our associates and the communities where we operate, and lessen our impact on the planet," said Ed Heffernan, president and chief executive officer of Alliance Data. "While this report captures some of the phenomenal things our company is doing, the goal was not to paint a pretty picture of our initiatives, but rather, to be transparent about our strengths and opportunities. We know being a good corporate citizen is a never-ending commitment, and the pride we have in our successes fuels our drive to be better and do greater things."

Knowing there is always work to do and a new goal to strive toward, the 2014 report also highlights Alliance Data's new multi-year goals focused on increasing our responsible corporate citizen position.

Some highlights and goals from the report:

Data:

Acted as an active leader and advocate on Capitol Hill for data privacy and security
Formalized internal enterprise-wide threat intelligence sharing team
Strengthened and established partnerships with other industry-leading threat intelligence sharing groups

Goal: The company will remain committed to proactively protect and educate its clients and consumers as they will always require an ongoing, dedicated effort as the company continually monitors and evaluates threats, strengthens its processes, protocols, and collaboration with industry peers and regulators.

People:

Invested more than $5 million in associate training and development
Logged nearly 350,000 hours of training by associates
Launched new recognition tool where more than 90 percent of associates logged on and generated more than 200,000 recognitions.

Goal: Reduce voluntary associate turnover by 1 percent annually and continue to increase associate engagement and enablement scores.

Community:

Invested more than $5.1 million in the community, an increase of 13 percent from the previous year.
Volunteered more than 18,000 hours, an increase of 20 percent.
Collected more than 400,000 pounds of food for those in need.

Goal: A 2020 goal has been set to invest $50 million in the community over the next five years, continuing to work toward the company's goal of reaching a best-in-class benchmark, or giving 1 percent of EBITDA.

Environment:

While scope 1 and 2 emissions were up by 10 percent compared to 2012 baseline, the company has increased revenue by more than 45 percent during the same timeframe, and will continue to find ways to do more with less.
Planted 30,000 trees through American Forests
Attained LEED® EB:O&M Gold certification at Toronto-based LoyaltyOne

Goal: Reduce combined scope 1 and 2 emissions by 5 percent over the next three years.

Trust, integrity, and transparency have been part of the foundation of Alliance Data's success and have allowed the company to maintain record performance and growth since its inception. The company will continue to annually report on its performance and set goals for future progress.

About Alliance Data

Alliance Data^® (NYSE: ADS) is a leading global provider of data-driven marketing and loyalty solutions serving large, consumer-based industries. The Company creates and deploys customized solutions, enhancing the critical customer marketing experience; the result is measurably changing consumer behavior while driving business growth and profitability for some of today's most recognizable brands. Alliance Data helps its clients create and increase customer loyalty through solutions that engage millions of customers each day across multiple touch points using traditional, digital, mobile and emerging technologies. An S&P 500 and Fortune 500 company headquartered in Plano, Texas, Alliance Data consists of three businesses that together employ more than 15,000 associates at approximately 100 locations worldwide.

Alliance Data's card services business is a leading provider of marketing-driven branded credit card programs. Epsilon^® is a leading provider of multichannel, data-driven technologies and marketing services, and also includes Conversant^®, the leader in personalized digital marketing. LoyaltyOne^® owns and operates the AIR MILES^® Reward Program, Canada's premier coalition loyalty program, and holds a majority interest in Netherlands-based BrandLoyalty, a global provider of tailor-made loyalty programs for grocers.

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Alliance Data's Safe Harbor Statement/Forward Looking Statements
This release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such statements may use words such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue, " "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend, " "may, " "predict," "project," "would," and similar expressions as they relate to us or our management. When we make forward-looking statements, we are basing them on our management's beliefs and assumptions, using information currently available to us. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, these forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

If one or more of these or other risks or uncertainties materialize, or if our underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may vary materially from what we projected. Any forward-looking statements contained in this presentation reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. We have no intention, and disclaim any obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future results or otherwise, except as required by law.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this presentation regarding Alliance Data Systems Corporation's business which are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year. Risk factors may be updated in Item 1A in each of the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for each quarterly period subsequent to the Company's most recent Form 10-K.

Contact:
Shelley Whiddon
214-494-3811
[email protected]

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SOURCE Alliance Data Systems Corporation