All Trustees articles – Page 9
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NewsSimpler statements delayed until October 2022
On the go: The government has decided to delay the introduction of simpler annual benefits statements until October 2022, following industry concerns about the amount of work required to implement them.
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NewsUK bumped up to 9th in Mercer’s Global Pension Index
On the go: The UK’s retirement system has improved, according to the latest Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index, but more must be done to reduce the gender pensions pay gap and adequacy for lower-paid workers.
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NewsRenewed calls for charges transparency in annual statements
On the go: Six in 10 pension savers are unaware of the charges they pay on retirement savings, prompting new calls for increased transparency for charges on annual pension statements.
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OpinionThe exodus from DB schemes continues to raise concerns
Buck’s principal and senior consulting actuary Mark van den Berghen details the latest changes in the pension transfer advice market and explains why trustees should consider appointing an independent financial adviser.
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NewsAdaption: How schemes can tackle climate and social issues together
As the COP26 conference draws near, the summit’s theme of ‘adaptation’ has raised questions around how schemes can align their environmental and societal commitments to protect the planet’s ecology and communities.
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NewsClimate awareness now ‘business as usual’ for schemes, Aon says
On the go: Managing climate change is now “business as usual” for pension funds, while other factors surrounding political instability have diminished in importance, Tim Manuel, co-head of responsible investment at Aon, told the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association’s annual conference.
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PodcastsPodcast: Schemes’ trustees cannot ignore social factors risks
Podcast: Climate change and environmental issues are front of mind for many pension schemes right now, but with the Covid-19 pandemic highlighting social inequalities at home and abroad, the social aspects of ESG investment cannot be ignored. For this episode of the Pensions Expert podcast, we talk to Stefan Lundbergh, director at Cardano, and John Howchin, secretary-general of the Council on Ethics for Sweden’s national pension funds, about why socially aware investing is so important for pension funds of all sizes — and how trustees can go about taking action.
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NewsPPF 7800 surplus jumps £25bn in September
On the go: The latest update of the PPF 7800 Index shows the aggregate surplus of the 5,318 defined benefit schemes measured jumped by more than £25bn to £108.8bn at the end of September, up from £83.2bn at the end of August.
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NewsSanofi scheme agrees £760m buy-in with L&G
On the go: The £3.1bn Sanofi Pension Scheme has agreed a £760m buy-in with Legal & General Assurance. Separately, the scheme terminated an emerging market manager and replaced it with two new managers during 2020.
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OpinionLook behind the mask to better understand colleagues’ struggles
With World Mental Health Day 2021 being celebrated on Sunday, Sarah Brennan, professional trustee at Dalriada Trustees, shines a light on the importance of supporting people with mental health issues in the workplace.
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PodcastsPodcast: Mandating net zero could ‘cut straight through’ fiduciary duties
Podcast: The government mandating default funds be aligned with ‘net zero’ would be a way around concerns about fiduciary responsibility, but there are questions about what this would mean in practice. Stuart O’Brien, partner at Sackers, and Gareth Stears, pensions technical consultant at Aries Insight, discuss environmental, social and governance issues, social housing, and the Pensions Regulator’s controversial criminal powers.
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NewsSTV Group reaches agreement on DB schemes’ valuations and funding
On the go: Glasgow-based media company STV Group has reached an agreement with the trustees of its two defined benefit schemes over its December 2020 funding valuations and recovery plans.
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NewsTrustees on the hook as ‘high street’ advice market goes into free fall
Trustees are being saddled with the burden of sourcing financial advice for members as the high street advice market goes into free fall, halving in just three years, LCP has said.
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NewsTPR criminal powers policy spurs more industry concern
The Pensions Regulator has published its policy on how it intends to use upcoming criminal powers to prosecute those who fall foul of new legislation, following widespread industry concern into the scope and extent of the powers.
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NewsBuilders’ merchant scheme secures £8m buy-in
On the go: The £9.4m Atkinson Northern Limited Retirement Benefits Scheme has secured an £8m buy-in with Legal & General Assurance Society.
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PodcastsPodcast: Understanding green and sustainable bonds
Podcast: The green bond market is forecast to hit $500bn (£366bn) by the end of this year, according to the Climate Bonds Initiative, while the UK government has just raised £10bn from its debut green bond issue. However, high demand and limited supply raises questions over pricing and yield, while the availability of suitable projects has ignited concerns over greenwashing. In this podcast, Arthur Leijgraaff, senior treasury officer at the Dutch development bank FMO, and Rik Klerkx, senior portfolio manager at Cardano, explain what goes into a green bond issuance, and what trustees need to ask of their asset managers and issuers.
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PodcastsPodcast: No way to avoid the indexation ‘rules lottery’ as inflation bites
Podcast: High inflation will spur more schemes to look to switch from the retail price index to the consumer price index, but there is still no way around the “rules lottery”. Eversheds Sutherland partner Stuart Earle and Aon partner Lynda Whitney discuss inflation, the botched attempt to raise the normal minimum pension age, and a new value for money framework.
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NewsRiver and Mercantile joins green gilts issuance
On the go: River and Mercantile has announced its participation in the government’s inaugural green gilts issuance.
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NewsStrike ballot set for October in ongoing USS row
On the go: The University and College Union has announced it will ballot staff over strike action in October following a breakdown in negotiations over the Universities Superannuation Scheme’s controversial 2020 valuation.
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NewsInsurers called to protect trustees against GMP claims
The lack of statutory protection afforded to trustees means the insurance industry will have to shield these professionals against claims related to guaranteed minimum pension equalisation in cases where benefits are secured with annuity providers, legal experts have warned, while uncertainty about trustees’ obligations remains.