The Pensions Administration Standards Association (PASA) has appointed Isio as expert partner and chair of its newly established Derisking Journey Management Working Group (DJMWG).

The appointment underscores PASA’s commitment to supporting schemes through the complex and evolving journey of defined benefit endgame strategies, including buy-in/buyout, consolidation, self-sufficiency, and other de-risking solutions. The group will focus on the key challenges around with liability management, including ongoing data management, benefit conversion, quote standards, post-transaction reporting, and member options at retirement. Additionally, the working group will be responsible for delivering guidance, thought leadership, and recommendations to help trustees, sponsors, and administrators navigate liability management more effectively. It will also serve as a forum for industry collaboration and knowledge sharing, with membership drawn from leading insurers, legal advisors, administrators, and actuaries.

Border to Coast Pensions Partnership has launched a £2.6bn Global Multi-Factor Equity Index Fund.

This is its first index proposition, which aims to enable partner funds to pool assets into a customisable strategy and significantly reduce costs. The fund is expected to, compared to partner funds’ existing solutions, deliver significant savings in fees every year due to the benefits of collective scale and strong strategic partnerships. It was designed in close collaboration with partner funds and expands cost-effective access to global equity strategies within the pool. The proposition will blend stocks and target five traditional fundamental factors – value, momentum, quality, low volatility, and size. Border to Coast Pension Partnership will retain full control over the evolution of the fund, including its decarbonisation metrics and policy on exclusions, ensuring the proposition considers the long-term financial risks that net zero and responsible investment policies seek to mitigate. Launched in May with support from five of its partner funds, Border to Coast Pensions Partnership has appointed global investment manager BlackRock to manage the proposition in conjunction with STOXX as the index administrator.

The London Pensions Fund Authority (LPFA) and Local Pensions Partnership Administration (LPPA) have reaffirmed their commitment to protecting members' retirement savings by signing The Pensions Regulator’s (TPR) pledge to combat pension scams.

The TPR pledge establishes clear expectations for the pensions industry, encouraging trustees, providers, and administrators to demonstrate their commitment to safeguarding members from the impact of pension scams. It was developed by the Pension Scams Industry Group (PSIG) and reflects the core principles of PSIG’s Code of Good Practice. In particular, signatories must raise awareness among scheme members and beneficiaries and implement regulatory and legislatively compliant processes to assess and respond to potential scam risks in receiving schemes. In addition to this, signatories of the pledge must stay informed about current scam tactics to inform their due diligence and actively refer to the warning flags highlighted in TPR’s Guidance, Financial Conduct Authority alerts, and reports from Action Fraud.

Smart Pension has achieved Living Wage and Living Pension accreditation.

Smart Pension is among the first pension providers to receive Living Pension accreditation, reflecting its focus on supporting its employees. The company’s mission is to improve retirement outcomes, savings habits, and overall financial wellbeing. The accreditation has been well received internally, with staff responding positively to the recognition of long-term investment in their financial future. This step aligns with Smart Pension’s broader aim of helping individuals better prepare for retirement. The Living Wage Foundation’s real Living Wage is the only UK wage rate independently calculated based on the actual cost of living, rather than government policy.

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