Europe

UK - The Trades Union Congress has attacked employers who and their "slow retreat" from decent occupational pension provision.

UK - Four MPs who are trustees of the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund have passed an industry qualification aimed at boosting standards.

UK - The UK regulator has denied allegations that it is backtracking on its soft commissions and unbundling proposals, which it says are a necessary step to appropriate ‘market led' regulation.

UK - Most finance directors believe businesses should promote benefits such as flexible working to improve the quality of life for employees, a new survey shows.

UK - The Financial Services Skills Council has teamed up with the International Compliance Association to establish the first set of industrywide standards for compliance.

UK - The £2.6bn J Sainsbury Pension & Death Benefits Scheme has appointed Lafayette and Financial Risk Management (FRM) as its hedge fund of fund managers.

UK - Hymans Robertson has replaced Watson Wyatt as investment consultant at the pension funds of Essex County Council and the South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council.

ITALY - A number of Italian contractual pension funds are looking at performance guarantees, as they begin to offer diversified investment strategies to their members for the first time.

UK - Master class sessions are being run to inform business leaders on the benefits of a proactive approach to corporate social responsibility.

UK - Royal & SunAlliance's Kevin O'Boyle outgunned all opposition at the UK Pensions Awards shooting gallery attraction.