All Opinion articles – Page 15
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OpinionSmall schemes lagging larger peers on cost transparency
Data crunch: The release last week of the government’s response to the ‘Review of the default fund charge cap and standardised cost disclosure’ has resulted in me being repeatedly asked for my thoughts on the conclusions.
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OpinionTrustees must take action to prevent admin operational issues
A scheme’s financial covenant is the trustees’ primary concern, but contingency plans should also be in place for managing ongoing administration should an employer fail.
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OpinionHow the pandemic drove financial innovation
One of the few positive side effects of crises is that they drive spectacular examples of innovation.
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OpinionThe hidden cost of coronavirus
The 2020 coronavirus pandemic is causing worldwide economic disruption, lockdowns, ill health and, sadly, death, and will have a huge and lasting financial impact.
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OpinionCovid recovery, net-zero and policy: Outlook for UK infrastructure in 2021
Will pensions be put to work in the effort to build the UK back better next year?
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OpinionValue for money: Is 60:40 really good enough for Generation DC?
Pensions regulators rightly stress the primacy of value for money and good governance in defined contribution pensions. New proposals advocate that DC fiduciaries should adopt a uniform framework for analysing VFM based on three elements: charges and transaction costs, customer service, and investment performance.
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OpinionOnline trustee meetings: You’re on mute!
With three rounds of quarterly online trustee meetings behind us, it is unlikely we shall return to traditional governance models of every meeting being in person.
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OpinionThe growing appetite for ESG exclusions
Pension schemes are increasingly focusing on integrating environmental, social and governance considerations into their investment strategies.
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OpinionStrength in numbers: How to keep scheme members engaged with ESG
Investing responsibly, and the need for investors to consider how a company behaves in environmental and societal terms, has been propelled into the limelight in recent years.
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OpinionPension professionals yet to reach consensus on ESG monitoring best practice
In November 2019, the Society of Pension Professionals conducted a survey of its membership, covering pension professionals from a range of disciplines, to try to understand what they were seeing in practice on environmental, social and governance matters.
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OpinionPressure builds on small DC schemes to consolidate
Covid-19 looks to be accelerating the trend towards consolidation in the defined contribution industry, and the UK government is keen to see the transition take place at an even faster pace.
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OpinionShaming those who cop to breaches sweeps cyber problem under rug
The pensions industry has long been criticised for its reliance on paper communications and siloed systems, but times are changing and pensions administration has joined the 21st century.
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OpinionTrustees need help to solve ESG puzzle
As winter approaches, many schemes are starting to switch their attention away from their annual compulsory investment disclosures, and towards how they ensure that their policies are implemented.
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OpinionChanges to pre-packs step in the right direction
The Insolvency Service has stepped in to strengthen the position of defined benefit schemes in pre-pack administrations, but the new veto right is not universal.
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OpinionSole trustee code of practice will improve schemes’ risk management
The recent release of the sole trustee code of practice by the Association of Professional Pension Trustees will ensure a continued drive for improved governance and standards for pension schemes.
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OpinionDC costs need more transparency to create member confidence
Regulators rightly stress the primacy of value for money and good governance in defined contribution pensions. However, achieving these key objectives can be challenging due to a lack of transparency.
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OpinionReducing business risk from data breaches
Cyber crime is now a major threat to the pensions and savings industry, with growing incidences of data breaches being reported in the press.
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OpinionHow schemes can improve member communication during pandemic
The current global pandemic, which has trapped thousands of people at home, divided families and closed offices all over the world, has put great strain on the ways in which we communicate.
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OpinionPension funds set to play a bigger role in solving homelessness
Institutional investors have an opportunity to play a role in delivering a lasting solution to homelessness, a social issue that affects more than 300,000 people in the UK and is set to only get worse as the coronavirus pandemic continues to take its toll on the economy.
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OpinionSmaller schemes could benefit from ‘fast-track lite’ option
As the consultation on the Pensions Regulator’s funding code of practice closed on September 2, there was general agreement across the industry regarding the proposed twin-track compliance approach, albeit with concerns about whether bespoke will be able to live up to its name — or merely be fast-track in disguise.