Investment
The waking market for sole trustees
Sole trustee appointments are featuring more often in tender proposals as schemes seek nimbleness and expertise. James Phillips looks at a Kempen white paper on the burgeoning market.
Barnett Waddingham appoints Camradata for ESG services
Barnett Waddingham has used a Camradata service to source bespoke ESG manager research and market insights, as well as establish universes and strategies for ESG-related funds for clients.
Civil Aviation Authority awards £4bn fiduciary mandate to BlackRock
The Civil Aviation Authority Pension Scheme (CAAPS) has appointed BlackRock to run a £4bn fiduciary mandate for its growth portfolios.
Scrap flat-fee structures on low-value DC pots, industry agrees
Close to two-thirds of industry respondents to a Professional Pensions poll agreed they would like to see flat-fee structures on low-value defined contribution (DC) pots scrapped.
Industry Voice: Sustainability in bond markets amid Covid-19 - ESG in focus
Is this health crisis turned economic shock the ESG inflection point that markets needed? In this Q&A, we discuss the outlook for ESG and PIMCO’s approach to sustainable investing.
DB funding - August 2020: Strong markets return £59bn deficit reduction
Every month, several firms issue trackers of the aggregate defined benefit (DB) scheme funding position. See here for the August 2020 estimates on the various measures…
Nearly half of advisers could exit DB market in 12 months, say Royal London and LCP
Nearly half of financial advisers currently operating in the defined benefit (DB) transfer market could exit by this time next year, with issues surrounding professional indemnity (PI) insurance appearing to be the main driver of change, research has...
Salvus Master Trust launches pension sharing order product
Salvus Master Trust has launched a product that will accept cash equivalent transfer values (CETVs) from a final salary scheme granted as part of a Pension Sharing Order (PSO).
Trustees told to step up as FCA contingent charging ban takes effect
Trustees are set to have an increased duty of care to ensure employees and members make informed choices when accessing their pension, according to Wealth At Work.
Plumbing Pensions launches governance review
The Plumbing and Mechanical Services (UK) Industry Pension Scheme has appointed independent consultant Pi Consulting to conduct a review of its governance.
WPC seeks scam victim responses for impact of freedoms inquiry
The Work and Pensions Committee (WPC) is hoping victims of pension fraud will respond to the call for input ahead of its much-anticipated inquiry reviewing the impact of the introduction of pension freedoms five years on.
PP Webinar: The outlook for alternatives
Professional Pensions is holding a webinar on the future of alternatives on 8 September at 3pm.
Recovery plans fall by 2.2 years as schemes expect target within ten years
The average recovery plan length for schemes in deficit has fallen by 2.2 years compared to three years ago, according to an Aon study.
Regulators have not yet got to grips with how to close down crooks, warns TTF
The Transparency Task Force (TTF) has questioned whether the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is “fit for purpose” following years of concern relating to the manner in which it exercises its investigative powers.
Third way needed in DB funding code; 'Evolution not revolution' urged on covenant
Oversimplification must be avoided in The Pensions Regulator’s (TPR) proposed revision of the defined benefit (DB) scheme funding code, and a third way might be necessary, the industry has said.
PFS warns of post-lockdown pension transfer request 'spike'
A potential surge in pension transfer requests as a result of the economic fallout from lockdown could see demand for advice rocket, putting increased pressure on the profession, the Personal Finance Society (PFS) has warned.
Lothian divests funding from non-Paris aligned companies
The Lothian Pension Fund has pledged to no longer supply funding through new bond or equity investments to companies not aligned with the Paris Agreement.
In a post-Covid world, pension funds need to cast a wider net
Blair Reid looks at how multi-asset credit can help pension funds through the economic crisis provoked by the pandemic.
Industry reaffirms need to gain savers' trust as dashboard data call for input closes
The data behind the pensions dashboard must be secure, transparent, and comprehensive enough to gain the trust of savers, the industry has said.
PIC invests £130m in central Manchester build to rent housing regeneration project
Pension Insurance Corporation (PIC) has acquired a prime city-centre site in Manchester as the location for its first build to rent (BTR) project, investing £130m to fund the construction of 520 residential apartments, over 6,000 square feet of commercial...
PPI to research ways to improve ESG engagement
The Pensions Policy Institute (PPI) has launched a research series focused on identifying practical ways to improve trustee and contract-based scheme provider engagement on ESG issues.
Industry backs climate risk disclosure proposals but raises implementation concerns
The industry has broadly backed proposals to require the largest schemes to publish climate risk disclosures but raised concerns about the workload of implementation as well as how to standardise the methodology used.
PPI report flags concerns over financial sustainability of master trusts
The master trust industry is unlikely to breakeven on costs until around 2025, with the big four providers having already spent £1bn on setting up their offerings, research by the Pensions Policy Institute (PPI) finds.
