Recently, smaller schemes, now contemplating buyout for member benefits, have notably multiplied. The rise in schemes attaining full buyout funding will heighten competition in the de-risking market, underscoring the importance of meticulous preparations. Challenges may arise for smaller schemes, given insurers' inclination toward larger, more commercially attractive transactions. With a deal-making superfund and a proposed public sector consolidator targeting the smaller segment, these schemes must act decisively now to secure their endgame.

This session will address:

• How can smaller schemes improve their buyout game?
• How can good admin help smaller schemes in their Endgame journeys?
• What will happen to the market once insurers snap up larger transactions?

Private capital plays a crucial role in tackling global challenges such as degradation of ecosystems and biodiversity loss and the imperative to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Channelling investment into strategies such as woodland creation, peatland restoration as well as directly into businesses that preserve and restore our ecosystem is essential for addressing these issues. Such nature-positive projects can provide investors with a unique opportunity to not only have a real-world impact by regenerating nature and biodiversity on land and sea but also to generate attractive financial returns on their capital.

This session will address:

• Why natural capital?
• How can investors make the case for adding it portfolios?
• What are the risks and other important considerations of natural capital?

With a number of pension schemes now closer to their end-game, it is crucial not to overlook the importance of active engagement and maintaining momentum. Moving from a growth phase to a "safe harbour" requires careful consideration of advice, strategy, implementation, and stakeholder management.

During this critical phase, it is essential for schemes to stay proactive and ensure that they do not "take their foot off the gas". Join VLK's Rob Scammell, Lead Portfolio Manager UK, to explore how schemes can best prepare for the single biggest transaction they will ever do.

As the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) approaches its 20th year, David Shaw, Director of Strategy & Policy, will reflect on the PPF’s progress in its own journey as well as broader developments in the defined benefit (DB) landscape. Working in partnership with industry, sponsors, and trustees, has played a critical role enabling the PPF to effectively serve its existing members and levy payers; collaborative working with industry will remain vital to deliver our common purpose to secure the best possible outcomes for DB members in future.

This session will address:

• Data and analysis from the Purple Book and 7800 Index Updates on DB scheme funding trends
• How the PPF stands today and how its responding to recent developments, including lowering the PPF levy,
• How we could work together in future through the new PPF-run consolidator supporting those schemes that are ‘unattractive’ to commercial providers.

Even in defined benefit (DB) pensions, a lot can change in six months – which is why we carry out our biannual survey of the industry. Schemes continue to adapt to the new landscape of higher yields and following the liquidity challenges of 2022, as well as ever-increasing reporting and regulatory obligations.

Have the fears of recession and liquidity/collateral shocks been relegated to the past? What does sustainability mean to schemes today? Regulation is a burden, but how bad is it? What does this all mean for long-term funding objectives, and do schemes have the right governance structure in place to achieve these? These are the questions we aim to address in our most recent volume of DB research, where we surveyed and interviewed industry participants on their priorities, concerns, and hopes for the future.

At this session, we will share the findings from our fourth survey, shining a light on the current themes and focuses for DB pension schemes and analysing where the industry is going.

TPT Retirement Solutions will address: 

No Paper Tigers: Listed Securities – How asset owners can ensure meaningful engagement/voting policies

Real Assets: Real Impact – Access to the real assets that are having real world impacts

Case Studies: Statera Energy/MaresConnect/Synera

Dirty Secrets: Acknowledging the difficulties with funding transitions through helping carbon intensive industries reduce footprint

What Can I do? General practical steps to help asset owners across asset classes monitor and drive real change