September 2021

Danish pension sector adopts common climate reporting rules

Denmark’s pensions and insurance lobby announced today it has adopted a set of common climate reporting rules for the sector, as part of the ongoing work in the Nordic country to meet its 2030 emissions reduction goal. The new code – based on the comply-or-explain principle – covers CO2 emissions from investment assets, damage prevention, active ownership and the use of paper in everyday life, according to the announcement from Insurance & Pension Denmark (IPD). It has been devised as part...

Jamaica. John Robinson Is New Chairman Of The FSC

The Ministry of Finance and the Public Service has announced that former Deputy Governor of the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ), John Robinson, has been appointed as the new chairman of the Financial Services Commission (FSC). Mr. Robinson is a career economist and banker with experience in the financial sector spanning more than three decades, 36 of which were spent at the BOJ up to his retirement in 2020 as Deputy Governor. During his tenure, Mr. Robinson held critical roles at the...

UK. Draft CDC regulations hampered by poor definitions, industry warns

The government’s consultation into draft regulations governing collective defined contribution schemes requires more work on definitions if these pension funds are to be properly implemented, with the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association warning it could create a “back door” for unscrupulous employers. In a CDC scheme, contribution rates for employers and employees are set in advance, and members pool investment and longevity risk. These pension funds provide income in retirement, though the rate of increase varies and pension reductions are...

August 2021

Focusing on ‘What Should MENA Pension Systems Look Like for Next 50 Years’ Annual Arab Pensions Conference 2021 Convenes in Manama

How should we design the MENA pension systems for the next 50 years? How do we want our children and their children to retire one or two generations from today? This is the theme or big question the highly attended annual Arab Pensions Conference 2021 will be tackling in its next edition on the 16th and 17th of November. Read also Does it Matter to be Informal? Type of employment and political opinions in the MENA region Hosted in Manama digitally...

UK. Govt encouraged to make CDC pensions more flexible to improve take-up

The government should make the framework for collective defined contribution (CDC) schemes more flexible to encourage take-up and make it fairer for younger members, according to LCP. The firm’s response to the government consultation on CDC regulations said further flexibility was needed due to the framework having been drafted with the Royal Mail scheme in mind, leaving sponsors who may wish to explore different benefit structures facing limited options. Read also UK’s biggest pension scheme set to screen investments based on...

Canada. Union Files Legal Challenge Over OMERS’ Early Retirement Policy

A Canadian union has filed a legal challenge with Ontario’s independent pension regulator over the $82.4 billion Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS)’s policy for paramedic plan members’ access to early retirement options. According to the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), OMERS has two classifications for its members: normal retirement age 65 (NRA 65) and normal retirement age 60 (NRA 60). NRA 65 members can retire with an unreduced pension at the age of 65 at the earliest, or...

Turkey: New Regulation On Activities To Be Evaluated Within The Scope Of Insurance Services And On Distance Insurance Contracts Has Been Published

The new regulation details the rules on the insurances that can be provided linked to goods and services offered by businesses whose primary business activity is not insurance brokerage which is becoming to stand out in practice. As per the new regulation, business processes carried out under the abolished regulation will be required to be compliant with the new Regulation by 1 September 2021. Accordingly, with the new regulation, insurance intermediaries, banks and institutions incorporated under special laws and authorized to...

Regulator drops plans to cap investments for UK pension schemes

The UK pensions regulator has abandoned plans to limit investment freedoms for retirement schemes holding billions of pounds of assets, as Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak urge trustees to plough more cash into supporting the UK recovery. Read also UK. Pandemic widens pensions pot gender gap The Pensions Regulator has confirmed to the Financial Times that it will not proceed with a proposal, first outlined in March, to cap investment in unquoted assets to no more than a fifth of a...

July 2021

Mboweni pushing for major retirement change in South Africa

Finance minister Tito Mboweni wants a key regulatory change that will allow South Africans to access their retirement funds early. The finance minister said in a media briefing on Wednesday (28 July), that the change will be made with the proviso that workers use any funds in a responsible manner. He said that workers should be able to access a portion of their retirement funds during ‘difficult times’ – whether it be for a bond repayment or to pay off debt. “A...

US. Ohio Pensioners May Hold The Key To Finally Fixing America’s Struggling Public Pensions

It’s no secret that America’s struggling public pensions are a hot mess. Lack of comprehensive state regulation; the failure of legislative oversight; lay boards lacking investment experience; Wall Street donations to corrupt influential politicians and law enforcement indifference, all contribute to the morass. It seems, on the one hand, no one with authority over pensions wants to see improvements and, on the other, participants whose retirement security is at risk have no say as to how their savings are...