Driving Workforce Transformation Through Career Mobility and Leadership Readiness

Stephanie Rizzuti, Vice President of Global Talent Management, Equifax

Stephanie Rizzuti, Vice President of Global Talent Management at Equifax, brings a people-first approach to build talent strategies that support growth across global teams. Her career began when she joined a business process improvement team led by an inspiring CHRO. That experience sparked her passion for HR and set her on a path of continuous learning and leadership. Over the years, Stephanie has taken on global roles in HRIS and organizational development. As Director of Learning, she helped create an award-winning leadership program emphasizing openness, collaboration and career development. Known for her hands-on style and belief in the power of mentorship, she continues to champion environments where people can thrive.

Recognizing Stephanie’s leadership in aligning HR initiatives with business strategy and fostering a culture within the organization, this interview delves into insights on empowering employees to own their career growth through behavioral frameworks and leadership grounded in continuous improvement and core values.

Empowering Career Ownership: Connecting Skills, Values and Career Mobility

Global Career Paths is a multi-year initiative launched by Equifax in 2023 to empower employees to take greater control of their career journeys. Designed to support professional development at every level, the program equips employees with tools to sharpen their skills, explore new opportunities and take meaningful steps forward in their careers.

To bring this vision to life, we introduced Equifax Behaviors, four behavior scales (developing, applying, leading and inspiring) that clarify what strong performance looks like across roles. These behaviors are closely aligned with our global career framework, offering clear, actionable guidance. For example, while a developing employee demonstrates foundational competence with our “customers first” value, someone applying that value operates independently and drives results through knowledge and initiative.

Complementing these behavioral expectations are success profiles, which outline the experiences, skills and mindsets needed to progress through each role. These profiles are embedded into AI-powered tools like the Workday Career Hub, which offers personalized training and development recommendations to help employees reach their goals.

Together, these initiatives reflect our HR team’s mission to attract, retain and engage the best talent and talent philosophy that empowers people to lead their own development. We make it possible for them to do the kind of work that brings both professional and personal development, a rewarding career and individual fulfillment.

Developing High-Potential Talent: Cross-Cultural Role-Play Scenarios Help Build Capability

Effective leadership development is built on several interconnected pillars. It begins with small, global cohorts that create an intimate, trust-based environment for open and honest dialogue. This setup encourages vulnerability around growth areas while fostering strong cross-cultural relationships, which are critical for leading in a global context. Adding cross-cultural role-play into these cohorts enhances psychological safety while giving participants a practical space to build capability.

I’m also a huge fan of integrating cutting-edge technology into the mix. Advanced tools like AI-driven simulations introduce realistic challenges in a controlled environment, offering personalized real-time feedback that accelerates learning and reinforces decision-making under pressure.

"Give high-potential employees challenging opportunities to push them out of their comfort zone and expose them to real-world global issues. If you want to create an invaluable experience, provide opportunities for them to travel and spend quality time in global locations. There is no replacement for firsthand exposure to other cultures, where employees can gain a deeper perspective and exercise adaptability"

Using Performance Insights Strategically: Data-Driven Metrics for Ready Successors

Equifax’s HR function places a strong emphasis on succession readiness, particularly at the top leadership levels. Our data-driven approach integrates performance metrics to guide strategic decisions on development and leadership opportunities. Data doesn’t just inform, but it tells a story and raises critical questions. While individuals on a senior leader’s succession plan are high performers with the potential to advance, our focus is on preparing them to take that next step immediately. This involves a deep dive into the skills, behaviors and experiences necessary to elevate our pool of ‘Ready Now’ leadership successors. By continually refining our approach, we ensure leadership readiness is an immediate priority.

Key Advice for Aspiring Leaders: Modeling Values and Driving Continuous Improvement

At the core, leadership should model company values as the standard practice. Strong leaders must focus on care, coaching and balancing empathy with accountability, driving results and celebrating success. It’s about cultivating an environment where every employee can thrive with the ultimate goal of making the organization the best place to work.

At Equifax, our leaders are committed to a culture of continuous feedback. We actively listen to employees and use their input to shape a more inclusive, responsive workplace. When people feel heard and supported, they grow and in turn, so does the company. We know that if we provide employees with the right support and development paths, we ensure they remain our biggest asset and competitive advantage. Employee feedback enables us to achieve our strategic priorities.

Personally, I champion a mindset of constant improvement. No matter how perfect we think something may be, a new perspective, technology or tactic always makes us realize we can make it even better. This mindset drives innovation and keeps employees engaged and motivated.

AI

HRIS