Switzerland Archives - Page 2 of 6 - Pension Policy International

01SepSeptember 1, 2023

Swiss pension funds consider high costs as main obstacle to invest sustainably

Swiss pension funds consider high costs arising from the integration of ESG standards into their investments as the main obstacle for the implementation of an effective sustainability strategy, according to a study consulted by the Swiss government. ESG investments require a certain amount of capital to deploy for research, as those strategies can be carried out internally or through the involvement of external service providers, mandating asset managers or advisors, or via the providers of ESG financial products, for example...

September 1, 2023

NewsESG, Investment, Pension Management, Switzerland

10MayMay 10, 2023

Switzerland. Funds from the second pillar – the pension funds are struggling with low returns

Turbulence in the economy and on the financial markets – the pension institutes are also feeling the effects. Last year was not a good one for pension funds. This is shown in the annual report of the Supervisory Commission on occupational pensions. In particular, the fall in share prices has meant that many pension funds have made losses. The majority of these losses could be absorbed thanks to their reserves, but by no means all, as Vera Kupper sums up. 1.1 trillion...

May 10, 2023

NewsPension Management, savings, Switzerland

17MarMarch 17, 2023

Swiss parliament backs pension overhaul but critics seek referendum

Parliament has approved an overhaul of the occupational pension scheme - a key element of Switzerland's social security system. However, voters are likely to have the final say on the issue as political parties on the left, possibly backed by the main farmer's organisation, have announced they will challenge the reform via a referendum. The legal amendment approved by parliament is intended to secure the level of the occupational pension, strengthen financing and improve the protection of part-time employees, notably women. At...

March 17, 2023

News2023, Occupational Pensions, Pension Reform, Switzerland

17FebFebruary 17, 2023

Switzerland. Phone scammers targeting pensioners in Zurich stole 6,7 million francs in 2022

Phone scammers targeting residents of Zurich succeeded in stealing 6,7 million Swiss francs in 2022, SRF has reported. The trick involves the scammers posing as police officers and calling victims to ask them to pay “bail” in order to release a relative from jail. Many of the victims were retired. Phone scammers try to trick hundreds each day in Zurich According to Swiss broadcaster SRF, phone scammers try to swindle the residents of Zurich out of their hard-earned money hundreds of...

February 17, 2023

NewsIncome, supervision, Switzerland

15DecDecember 15, 2022

Swiss pension fund association lays out ESG reporting standards

The Swiss pension fund association ASIP has published reporting guidelines for Pensionskassen investments following ESG standards that will apply from 1 January. The ESG reporting guidelines include the disclosure of qualitative information on how pension funds deal with this topic, and quantitative information on individual investments. According to the guidelines, Pensionskassen would publilsh qualitative statements on the goals and principles of their sustainability strategies, underlining for example if they are anchored to investment rules, and the investment approaches for different asset...

December 15, 2022

NewsESG, Switzerland

25OctOctober 25, 2022

Swiss regulator expects underfunding for pension funds facing volatility

The Swiss occupational pension supervisory commission – OAK BV – expects that a number of pension funds will end up underfunded at the end of the year as a result of market volatility and negative returns. Some pension funds may decide to ultimately trigger restructuring measures, depending on the specific situation of the scheme. Funding ratios of Swiss pension schemes in fact continued to fall this year, from 103.4% at the end of June to 99.5% at the end of September,...

October 25, 2022

NewsInvestment, Regulation, Switzerland

18OctOctober 18, 2022

Swiss parliament committee votes for compensatory measures to reform second pillar pensions

The social security and health committee of the Council of States (SGK-S), the upper house of the Swiss parliament, voted in favour of a proposal to change the second pillar pension system at its meeting last Friday. After in-depth analysis, and disagreements before the summer break, the committee has supported the idea to compensate the first 15 cohorts retiring after the reform enters into force for the reduction of the conversion rate – Umwandlugssatz – used to calculate pension pay-outs,...

October 18, 2022

NewsPension Reform, Switzerland

13OctOctober 13, 2022

Swiss state pensions to rise 2.5% to help offset inflation

The Swiss state pension will rise by 2.5% next year, the government said on Wednesday, to help offset the highest inflation the country has seen in nearly 30 years. The minimum payout of the state scheme will rise to 1,225 francs ($1,230) per month from 1,195 francs, while the maximum payout will increase to 2,450 from 2,390 francs. Minimum contributions for self-employed people will rise to help pay for the increase. The government reviews pensions every two years, with the intention of...

October 13, 2022

NewsAdequacy, Switzerland

26SepSeptember 26, 2022

Swiss voters support increase in women’s retirement age

Swiss have voted in favor of the proposal by a narrow margin in a referendum. Another proposal, on imposing stricter regulations on livestock farming, failed to pass. Swiss voters accepted the government's pension reform plan by a narrow margin on Sunday. The plan would raise the retirement age for women from 64 to 65, brining it in line with the age for men. Read also Sustainable finance policy a ‘blind spot’ for European pension funds A concurrent vote on imposing stricter regulations in...

September 26, 2022

NewsPension Reform, Retirement Age, Switzerland

22SepSeptember 22, 2022

Women at the heart of Swiss pension reform vote

Switzerland votes Sunday on a divisive pension reform plan the government says is vital to safeguard benefits, including a controversial push to raise the retirement age for women. After two previous attempts in 2004 and 2017, Bern is hoping it can finally garner enough votes for its bid to "stabilise" Switzerland's old age security system, at risk of being submerged by the giant baby boomer generation reaching retirement age as life expectancy rises. One tool for raising more income for the...

September 22, 2022

NewsGender Gap, Pension Reform, Switzerland

September 2023

Swiss pension funds consider high costs as main obstacle to invest sustainably

May 2023

Switzerland. Funds from the second pillar – the pension funds are struggling with low returns

March 2023

Swiss parliament backs pension overhaul but critics seek referendum

February 2023

Switzerland. Phone scammers targeting pensioners in Zurich stole 6,7 million francs in 2022

December 2022

Swiss pension fund association lays out ESG reporting standards

October 2022

Swiss regulator expects underfunding for pension funds facing volatility

Swiss parliament committee votes for compensatory measures to reform second pillar pensions

Swiss state pensions to rise 2.5% to help offset inflation

September 2022

Swiss voters support increase in women’s retirement age

Women at the heart of Swiss pension reform vote