Stephanie Baxter
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Articles by Stephanie Baxter
Maps engages with market to inform Money Guiders tender for Wales
The Money and Pensions Service (Maps) is conducting a pre-tender market engagement to help develop a Wales-wide peer learning network as part of its Money Guiders programme.
LGPS Central launches global active EM bond fund
A £630m global active emerging market bond fund has been created by LGPS Central with initial investments from four pension funds.
ESG: A Silver bullet for member engagement?
Getting people to engage with their pensions has been notoriously challenging for the industry, Stephanie Baxter writes.
DB transfer activity rises as 60% show signs of possible scams
More members transferred out of defined benefit (DB) pension schemes in October after September's record lows while values were surprisingly stable, according to XPS Pensions Group's Transfer Watch.
PensionBee to launch fossil fuel-free fund by end of 2020 as customers commit £31m
PensionBee is planning to roll out its fossil fuel-free fund by the end of this year after receiving £31m in fund commitments from customers in under a week.
Maps to create checklist to help over-50s affected by Covid-19 plan for future
The Money and Pensions Service (Maps) will develop a ‘later-life checklist’ to help over-50s who have been affected by Covid-19 and need to plan for their financial future.
DB schemes make gains in Q3 but covenant concerns remain
Defined benefit (DB) pension schemes almost recovered to pre-coronavirus levels in the third quarter after strong performance of growth assets and a rise in nominal interest rates.
Pension Sync teams up with My Digital to support new era of quantum employment
Technology platform PensionSync has partnered with quantum employment pioneer My Digital to help contractors and employers manage pensions as more workers do temporary work for multiple firms.
LGPS needs to outline goals and priorities to get meaningful climate reporting from managers
Pension funds should think about what they want to achieve from climate change data reporting in order to make better informed decisions, according to a panel at the Pension and Lifetime Savings Association’s (PLSA) Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)...
McCloud final rules could be delayed; LGPS told to collect data now
The final McCloud rules for the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) in England and Wales could delayed due to other regulatory priorities but funds are being urged to start collecting the necessary data.
Northern Ireland proposes McCloud remedy changes for LGPS
The Department for Communities in Northern Ireland has proposed rules to remedy historic age discrimination for its Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) following the widespread McCloud reform.
Mercer rolls out climate transition solution to help investors move to 1.5 degrees
Mercer has introduced analytics and advice to help investors move their portfolios in line with the Paris Agreement's aim to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees.
LGPS 'should adopt outcomes-based approach' to improve governance
Local government funds should ditch prescribed governance models and move instead towards an outcomes-based approach with minimum standards, a report has proposed.
West Midlands Pension Fund set to absorb transport authority fund
The government is consulting on merging the £0.5bn West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority Pension Fund (WMITAPF) with the £15.7bn West Midlands Pension Fund (WMPF).
Trustee enquiries about bundling admin and investment rise 50% at Aviva
Aviva has seen a 50% year-on-year increase in the number of enquiries from pension schemes that use investment and administration on separate platforms seeking to move to a bundled provider.
Shining a spotlight on professional trusteeship
Matthew Giles looks at how the new standards and accreditation framework will impact professional trustees
PPF weathers the storm but challenges lie ahead
The lifeboat fund is in a good position despite reserves taking a £0.6bn hit. But the ramifications of the EU judgment on member compensation is an area of concern for CEO Oliver Morley, writes Stephanie Baxter
We need legislation on DB transfers
Margaret Snowdon says the industry remains handicapped, regardless of multiple layers of protection adopted on a voluntary basis
Employers say master trusts are best pension for employees
Nearly 60% of UK employers consider defined contribution (DC) master trusts to be the "most suitable" pension fund for their employees, according to research by Buck.
Five pitfalls to great trustee decision-making
Rachel Croft says over- or under-confidence and not being decision-ready are just some of the things that get in the way
PPF funding ratio falls 4.2 points after absorbing Kodak scheme
The lifeboat fund's reserves have fallen by £0.6bn but investment performance weathered significant market volatility, increasing assets under management by £2bn.
Pensions minister: Saving trends on right track but we must go further
With record numbers saving for retirement, Guy Opperman says we have an opportunity to make it easier for people to engage with their pensions
Affordable housing: A big idea opportunity for pension funds
Brian Cronin says an affordable housing equity fund would provide a lifeline to dealing with the housing crisis and also give a much-needed boost to pensions
Boris Johnson would be detrimental to pensions as PM, say Buzz peers
Boris Johnson would be detrimental to pensions if he becomes prime minister later this month, a majority of Buzz respondents said.
What does Woodford's fund suspension mean for schemes?
The suspension of the renowned manager's equity fund serves some important lessons and highlights the importance of properly managing liquidity, writes Stephanie Baxter
How trustees can react to the regulator's DB funding code
Matthew Harrison looks at what the forthcoming defined benefit funding code of practice means for pension schemes
The dangers lurking in investment manager contracts
Judith Donnelly explains why pension trustees need to review and negotiate investment documents and highlights some of the worst examples of unfair clauses
Unpacking gender inequality
Gregg McClymont says to really tackle the gender pensions gap, the government must look at measures to improve childcare provision across the UK
Sir Ed Davey: Pension funds must divest from fossil fuels and stop worsening the climate crisis
A former energy and climate change secretary has said that by continuing to invest in fossil fuel firms, pension schemes are just making the climate change crisis even worse.
Women in Pensions Awards 2019 - Shortlists published
Here they are - the finalists for the Women in Pensions Awards 2019...
How the declarations of intent regime could prove to be a mixed blessing
The government's proposed framework could hamper good corporate deals, which could affect the sustainability of DB sponsoring employers, writes Stephanie Baxter
Read all about it
Alan Pickering says lay trustees have to subscribe to lifelong learning, often picking up new skills on the way
Pension freedoms - still rather controversial but surely now here to stay
Malcolm Mclean says although he initially supported Freedom and Choice, he is now less certain it was such a good idea given the consequences for the consumer
ESG - it's just more of the same
Richard Butcher says ESG is simply more of the same of what we do now, so why isn't it properly catching on?
Back to Buck: How the consultancy returned to its roots
After many changes in name and ownership over the past 22 years, Buck has gone back to its roots. David Piltz tells Stephanie Baxter why being smaller and nimbler is better
All pension customers should be treated equally
Ros Altmann urges the industry to address injustices and inefficiencies, and engage in direct-to-consumer marketing that promotes pensions properly for the mass market
So what's your value for money?
Henry Tapper shares his thoughts on how IGCs could provide value for money statements that people wanted to read
My concerns over DB data and dashboard
Paul McGlone says let's start with the basics, re-unite members with their DB schemes, and provide some very basic information
PIP buys onshore wind farms for £50m
Scottish Equity Partners (SEP) has sold its portfolio of onshore wind farms across the UK and Ireland to the Pensions Infrastructure Platform (PIP) for £50m.
LISA or a pension pot… or both?
Michael Johnson compares a pension pot with a Lifetime ISA from the perspective of a millennial
SSGA 'revolutionises' pooled LDI sector with funds launch
State Street Global Advisors has created a solution to help small to medium-sized defined benefit (DB) schemes access benefits typically only available for larger segregated mandates.
Some sponsors face a nasty Brexit surprise from their DB schemes
Marc Hommel says some employers are insufficiently prepared to engage their trustees on how they intend to manage liquidity and other adverse aspects resulting from Brexit
A bulk annuity market innovation for small schemes
The challenges for small pension funds to buy out their liabilities are well-known. A solution has emerged and is set to become popular across the DB universe, writes Stephanie Baxter
We have more to do on pensions scams
Margaret Snowdon says while there has been progress on tackling scams, particularly on cold calling, trustees are not out of the woods yet
Uncovering the depths of hidden talent
The PLSA's Caroline Escott says investors and stakeholders must continue to ask for better information on issues that affect the motivation, skills and productivity of the workforce
We should welcome TPR's involvement in the LGPS
John Gray predicts teething problems ahead and says regulation will result in a cultural shock for some schemes
One third of schemes have calculated transfer values for GMP equalisation
One third of schemes have calculated transfer values for guaranteed minimum pension (GMP) equalisation, according to last week's Pensions Buzz respondents.
A Brexit-obsessed government is not all good for pensions
Steve Webb says the sooner government as a whole, and HMRC in particular, has the bandwidth to return to the domestic agenda, the better it will be