Resources hub

From thought leadership to technical pieces, knowledge hub keeps our members and pensions professionals up to date with the recent developments in the industry.

Why are Master Trusts so good at reducing risk?
09 April 2021

Why are Master Trusts so good at reducing risk?

Defined Contribution (DC) Master Trusts have become the arrangement of choice for many. In previous articles I’ve discussed the strong governance regime that they have in place and why this is so important. This article considers risks from three different viewpoints and examines why Master Trusts are so effective in reducing them.

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Supporting a sustainable COVID-19 recovery through ESG engagement
09 April 2021

Supporting a sustainable COVID-19 recovery through ESG engagement

Investor engagement on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues has evolved from a niche practice to a mainstream investor activity. This year, we are celebrating 20 years of engagement, having engaged more than 5,500 companies across 87 countries during this time period.

Find out More
The Rule of Six: Six top tips for managing risk
09 April 2021

The Rule of Six: Six top tips for managing risk

Trustees are legally required to have adequate internal controls in place for their scheme, and this includes procedures to manage risk. To comply with the Pensions Regulator’s Code of Practice on internal controls, trustees must be able to evidence the internal controls that ensure they remain satisfied that their scheme is being well managed in accordance with the law and the scheme’s rules.

Find out More
Heuristics and bias in trustee decision-making
09 April 2021

Heuristics and bias in trustee decision-making

Psychological research has shown that human decisionmaking is subject to numerous fallacies and biases. Experts’ decisions across a wide range of critical domains, including medicine and finance, are also demonstrably susceptible and so understanding bias and how it affects decisions is crucial for improving decisionmaking in a wide range of contexts. Funded by the Actuarial Research Centre of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, and with the support of Aon, who provided us with access to pension trustees, we conducted a series of controlled experiments designed to test for the use of decision heuristics in trustees.

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Recourse and your journey plan can you get there from here?
09 April 2021

Recourse and your journey plan can you get there from here?

The strength of the covenant will, in part, determine how much risk a scheme can take on its funding journey and, therefore, how long a scheme will take to achieve its long-term funding target. The starting point in evaluating the covenant is understanding where the legal obligation to your pension scheme lies.

Find out More
A tough ask: saving for an ill-defined event at an indeterminate date
09 April 2021

A tough ask: saving for an ill-defined event at an indeterminate date

How can you encourage people to save for retirement when they can’t be sure what retirement will mean, when it will happen, or how much they’ll need for it? Laura Stewart-Smith, Aviva’s Head of Workplace Savings and Retirement, looks at recent research to understand this dilemma – and how we might resolve it – within our present age of ambiguity.

Find out More
Why are Master Trusts so good at reducing risk?
09 April 2021

Why are Master Trusts so good at reducing risk?

Defined Contribution (DC) Master Trusts have become the arrangement of choice for many. In previous articles I’ve discussed the strong governance regime that they have in place and why this is so important. This article considers risks from three different viewpoints and examines why Master Trusts are so effective in reducing them.

Find out More
Supporting a sustainable COVID-19 recovery through ESG engagement
09 April 2021

Supporting a sustainable COVID-19 recovery through ESG engagement

Investor engagement on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues has evolved from a niche practice to a mainstream investor activity. This year, we are celebrating 20 years of engagement, having engaged more than 5,500 companies across 87 countries during this time period.

Find out More
The Rule of Six: Six top tips for managing risk
09 April 2021

The Rule of Six: Six top tips for managing risk

Trustees are legally required to have adequate internal controls in place for their scheme, and this includes procedures to manage risk. To comply with the Pensions Regulator’s Code of Practice on internal controls, trustees must be able to evidence the internal controls that ensure they remain satisfied that their scheme is being well managed in accordance with the law and the scheme’s rules.

Find out More
Heuristics and bias in trustee decision-making
09 April 2021

Heuristics and bias in trustee decision-making

Psychological research has shown that human decisionmaking is subject to numerous fallacies and biases. Experts’ decisions across a wide range of critical domains, including medicine and finance, are also demonstrably susceptible and so understanding bias and how it affects decisions is crucial for improving decisionmaking in a wide range of contexts. Funded by the Actuarial Research Centre of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, and with the support of Aon, who provided us with access to pension trustees, we conducted a series of controlled experiments designed to test for the use of decision heuristics in trustees.

Find out More
Recourse and your journey plan can you get there from here?
09 April 2021

Recourse and your journey plan can you get there from here?

The strength of the covenant will, in part, determine how much risk a scheme can take on its funding journey and, therefore, how long a scheme will take to achieve its long-term funding target. The starting point in evaluating the covenant is understanding where the legal obligation to your pension scheme lies.

Find out More
A tough ask: saving for an ill-defined event at an indeterminate date
09 April 2021

A tough ask: saving for an ill-defined event at an indeterminate date

How can you encourage people to save for retirement when they can’t be sure what retirement will mean, when it will happen, or how much they’ll need for it? Laura Stewart-Smith, Aviva’s Head of Workplace Savings and Retirement, looks at recent research to understand this dilemma – and how we might resolve it – within our present age of ambiguity.

Find out More