DC Pensions Conference 2021
Our 2021 DC Pensions Conference looked at the art and science of developing successful defined contribution (DC) pensions strategies – helping you deliver better outcomes for all stakeholders involved.
The DNA of DC: where science meets art
See how the development of successful DC pension strategies requires a healthy mix of science (data analytics, actionable insights, technical expertise) and art (innovative thinking, expert consultancy, emotional intelligence).
Identify the building blocks needed to provide and maintain world class DC pension benefits – part of our DNA focus to help organisations and pension schemes evolve and thrive.
Held over five days in one hour streams, this free-to-attend event brought together hundreds of trustees, in-house pension managers and HR and Benefits professionals to gain fresh perspectives on DC pension topics and strategies.
Recorded: Monday 15 November
The craft of good governance
With regulators ramping up governance around workplace pensions, how can good governance be achieved? Is this just a tick-box exercise to deal with a burdensome task? Or is there an ideal opportunity to create a framework and benchmark that will achieve better outcomes?
In this stream we will hear from a cast of corporate and industry leaders, all experts in their field, offering practical solutions on how to create a best in class governance framework.
See how the application of science (process, skills, analysis and knowledge) and art (freedom, innovation and creativity) helps to build a governance environment that delivers informed, effective decision making.
Join us as we kick-off the conference and set the scene for the remainder of the week, where we drill down into the various aspects to help you better understand your DC DNA and achieve better DC pension strategy outcomes.
Recorded: Tuesday 16 November
Leaving a lasting impression through ESG
DC providers have a key role as stewards of members’ assets to ensure savings are invested responsibly. But ‘responsible investing’ and ‘sustainability’ mean different things to different people. What does it mean for DC providers?
In this stream we’ll review the DC pension provider landscape and look at the way in which ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) factors are currently integrated into their DC scheme offerings and how this is intended to safeguard future retirees’ savings. With the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) having taken place days before this conference, net zero goals will be front and centre of mind.
Hear from a panel of DC providers as they discuss mapping the route to net zero - including the merits of climate solutions such as green bonds, sustainability-linked bonds and carbon offsets - whilst avoiding greenwashing.
And with climate risk grabbing the headlines, let’s not forget about the importance of social factors for good stewardship. Our panel of DC providers will also share with us with how social factors are covered within their policies (e.g. ESG/stewardship or voting policies) and the approaches they have in place to manage the risks and opportunities associated with social factors.
Recorded: Wednesday 17 November
Sculpting security in post-retirement
In a post-Freedom world we have lost the notion of DC being a pension system. Arguably it’s now simply a way to help people build long-term savings pots, rather than provide an income in retirement.
Inertia has been used to solve the pension coverage problem (through auto-enrolment) and we use inertia to help solve the accumulation problem (through default contribution rates and default investment funds). So why not use inertia to solve the at-retirement problem?
Our third stream moves to the afternoon as we welcome Professor Jeff Brown, who served as a senior economist at the White House Council of Economic Advisers. He will discuss the retirement savings issues faced in the US and why substantial change is needed. We’ll then explore how this resonates with the UK and will set out a blueprint for what an ideal default at-retirement framework could look like.
The stream ends with a look at one of Barnett Waddingham’s partner’s retirement aspirations. How are they using Maslow’s hierarchy of needs to frame their plan? Also, what retirement insights are they getting from conversations with family and friends?
Recorded: Thursday 18 November
Mastering meaningful engagement
A crucial ingredient to the success of DC pensions is relevant and timely member communications. How do you effectively engage a diverse workforce – varying by age, gender, affluence, culture, education and indeed accessibility - at critical times in their DC pension journey?
Julie Richards, Group Director of Pensions at Walgreens Boots Alliance, will examine the way in which organisations communicate to a multi-cohort workforce and how this can be improved. And Beatrice Andrew, a consultant at LAB Group, will explore how behavioural science plays a part in how to create meaningful engagement.
We will also gain a global perspective from Uche Enemchukwu, CEO and Co-founder of Nelu Diversified Consulting Solutions, a global diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) consultancy that specialises in employee benefits and Total Rewards. Before founding Nelu, Uche led retirement compliance at Boeing, which has some of the largest and most complex benefits plans in existence.
Recorded: Friday 19 November
Critiquing consolidation
The pensions world seems to be a merry-go-round, with governments and heads of industry following the last ‘big thing’ to have worked on a different continent. In our final stream we explore what the future of pensions may look like.
Given that we’re following the trends set by Australia, this is an ideal opportunity to hear from The Honourable Nicholas Sherry, former Minister for Superannuation and the architect of compulsory pension saving in Australia.
Nick will discuss the key drivers behind consolidation in Australia and how this resonates with what’s going on in the UK. What are the positives and negatives we need to be aware of, particularly in relation to market consolidation? Is bigger always better? And where does Nick think the UK is heading?
We’ll follow this with a look at how the decisions we’re making now will affect generations of people going forwards. What does the new generation of people entering the workforce want from the pension system? And how should the system be best designed to meet these demands?
Meet our Speakers
"I really enjoy the crispness of your virtual conferences and the ability to focus on gaining fresh insights."
Our actuarial expertise
Our heritage in actuarial science means we are ideally placed to examine the DNA profile of a business. We go deeper than simply extracting, analysing and interpreting data. Our approach involves getting under the skin of a business and bringing information to the surface – unlocking an organisation's DNA.
By turning this information into insights and actions, we can help your organisation to grow and to flourish. It’s an approach we’ve used in our own strategic and operational development – and one which has helped us to thrive over the past 30 years.
