Member nominated trustees require much more ‘support and investment’ from sponsoring employers and professional trustees than they are currently receiving, The Pensions Regulator has said.

Speaking at the Association of Member Nominated Trustees’ (AMNT) Summer Conference last week, TPR executive director Andrew Warwick-Thompson highlighted that “TPR wants all trustees to be seen as a knowledgeable, empowered first line of defence for scheme members.”

However, Warwick-Thompson noted that at present, there is: “a certain lack of engagement from some employers who do not fully recognise that a knowledgeable and empowered trustee board can be an asset to them too.”

As a result it was suggested that greater investment is needed to provide MNTs with the knowledge and training necessary to be able to “add as much value as possible”.

It was also added that “high-quality, professional trustees” is required to encourage an “environment of collective decision making” where trustees are respected and listened to.

“A key focus for TPR over the next year will be improving the standards of professional trustees and we will be working with the industry to develop propriety protocols and an accreditation framework that will bolster the effectiveness of the trustee board as a whole, which in turn will enable MNTs to add even greater value,” Warwick-Thompson added.

AMNT co-chair David Weeks commented: “We welcome Andrew Warwick-Thompson’s collaborative approach and are very pleased he decided to make AMNT members his final audience before departing TPR… it is encouraging to see organisations like TPR recognising their [MNTs] value and taking steps to ensure they are fully equipped to carry out their roles.”

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