Investment
'Good' net-zero pensions: Turning commitment into action
Tony Burdon and Nick Robins set out how to make the green pledges go further.
DB funding - January 2021: Deficits back to pre-pandemic levels, says PPF
Every month, several firms issue trackers of the aggregate defined benefit (DB) scheme funding position. See here for the January 2021 estimates on the various measures…
Industry Voice: Retiring members need your help
Members need support with at-retirement decisions more than ever. Do not fail them, says Ben Roe of Aon
Access adds £5.5bn of pooled assets with seven sub-fund launches
Access has onboarded another £5.5bn of Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) funds after launching seven sub-funds with Link Fund (LF) Solutions.
Martin Gilbert's AssetCo doubles stake in River & Mercantile
AssetCo has doubled its stake in River & Mercantile (R&M), as it looks to pivot its business strategy to develop an asset and wealth management business.
Covid increases investor focus on ESG but major implementation obstacles remain
One third of investors say the pandemic has increased their focus on ESG issues, with the issue now a focus across asset classes, research from bfinance shows.
RPI reform certainty drives hedging increase
Pension schemes increased their inflation hedging in the final quarter of 2020 as major issues were concluded in a “momentous geopolitical quarter”.
Scottish Widows targets net-zero across £170bn fund range by 2050
Scottish Widows will aim to halve the carbon footprint of its investments by 2030 on the way to achieving net-zero across its entire portfolio of investments by 2050.
Barclays partners with Smart for pension platform
Smart Pension and Barclays have partnered to provide small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with a quicker pensions solution with a wider selection of investment funds.
Dyfed cuts equity carbon footprint by 16%
The £2.7bn Dyfed Pension Fund will move 15% of its assets into low-carbon equity portfolios in a move to reduce its carbon footprint by screening out fossil fuel and thermal coal exposure.
No let up for NHS doctors on pension tax tribulations
The government has drawn a line under talk of broad reform of the pension system for higher-paid NHS workers, such as doctors who face high tax charges, opting instead to build on flexibilities introduced last year.
PPF consults on changes to actuarial assumptions
The Pension Protection Fund (PPF) has proposed several changes to its actuarial assumptions under various bases as part of a regular review, suggesting moves that would broadly improve scheme funding.
Working together to make a good bill better
While the progress of the Pension Schemes Bill is to be celebrated, says John Chilman, it is important to secure further consensus to ensure the best outcomes for open defined benefit (DB) schemes.
Treasury opts to give members deferred choice on McCloud remedy
The government has opted to proceed with its “deferred choice underpin” (DCU) route for implementing a remedy to the McCloud judgment for public sector workers.
Aegon and Mobius Life team up for DC property fund
Aegon Asset Management and Mobius Life have partnered to launch an active beta property fund for UK defined contribution (DC) pension schemes.
'Stars align' to boost health of UK schemes to more than pre-Covid levels
The health of the UK’s defined benefit (DB) pension schemes has surpassed that of their pre-Covid levels as they continued to recover through final quarter of 2020, Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM) research reveals.
Hymans Robertson appointed for investment consultancy at Staffordshire LGPS
The Staffordshire Pension Fund has reappointed Hymans Robertson to a seven-year contract for investment consultancy services.
Prudence prevails in USS consultation
Michael Bromwich says USS’ 2020 valuation ramps up prudence, but perhaps unjustifiably, resulting in higher contributions.
PGIM Real Estate launches UK affordable housing fund
PGIM Real Estate has launched a UK affordable housing fund, after raising initial capital of £190m from Northern LGPS and Brunel Pension Partnership.
Industry Voice: The EU-UK trade deal leaves open questions
But the exclusion of some areas brings opportunity for reform
TPR warns DC market must pay more attention to climate change
The defined contribution (DC) market must pay more attention to climate change, according to The Pensions Regulator (TPR).
PP Investment Awards: Multi Asset/Sector Credit Manager of the Year
Professional Pensions spoke to Wellington Management fixed income portfolio manager Campe Goodman as part of an exclusive series of interviews with some of the winners of the PP Investment Awards. This is what he had to say…
Smart Pension commits to net-zero emissions before 2050
Smart Pension has committed to net-zero emissions “well ahead of 2050”, and plans to halve its emissions “significantly earlier” than the Paris Climate Agreement deadline of 2030.