NAPF Investment Conference 2014: A cap on annual management charges could lead to actively managed funds becoming unavailable to DC schemes, industry figures have said, as they called for greater transparency and innovation in DC investment.

Data analysis: Data show more than four-fifths of active defined benefit members remain contracted out, as consultants have said the costs associated with ending the arrangement have bolstered the hunt for alternatives.

The charity Alternative Futures Group has condensed its staff pension plans to two down from five in a bid to simplify its offering for auto-enrolment, achieving an 8 per cent opt-out rate in the process.

Plant hire company Hewden has stressed simplicity was crucial to its auto-enrolment project, and questioned whether hiring a consultancy always provided value for money.

News analysis: Voting strategies are growing in both popularity and complexity among institutional investors, after the Local Authority Pensions Fund Forum launched a drive to encourage gender diversity on the boards of companies it invests in.

BT has attracted interest for its pension increase exchange exercise from more than 30,000 members, as one of the highest-profile employers to offer the liability-reducing tool.

Essex Pension Fund is considering extending the tenure of its smaller-employer representative, allowing time for the government to provide more clarity on local government scheme governance changes.

Industry figures have called the triennial valuation process poorly suited to help schemes assess their needs, with technological advances allowing trustees to instantly assess their scheme’s funding level.

Industry figures have called for an increase to the trivial commutation limit after a Financial Conduct Authority report found small-pot holders were more likely to get a bad annuity deal.