Canadian defined benefit pension plans maintained their solvency levels through the second quarter of 2019, according to Mercer’s latest pension health index. The index, which represents the solvency ratio of a hypothetical plan, reached 106 per cent as of June 30, 2019, an increase from 102 per cent at the year’s outset. The current solvency […]
While defined contribution plan members want to know they’ll have stable income through retirement with flexibility around accessing their funds, the Canadian market needs to evolve to include a broader range of retirement products to accommodate that. According to a Mercer survey of 1,000 Australians over the age of 55, DC plan members most want an […]
Environmental, social and governance issues are becoming a bigger part of executive compensation, according to a new report by Mercer. In a survey of 135 North American organizations, 30 per cent said they’re currently using ESG metrics in their incentive plans, while 21 per cent are considering doing so. It also found organizations are more […]
In Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, pension funds are increasing their exposure to equities at the expense of fixed income, according to a new report by Mercer. In aggregate, over the five-year measurement period, average allocations to equities for the growth markets covered by the report rose eight percentage points to 40 per […]
In Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, pension funds are increasing their exposure to equities at the expense of fixed income, according to a new report by Mercer. Over the five-year measurement period, in aggregate, average allocations to equities for the growth markets covered rose eight percentage points to 40 per cent, while […]
Whose jobs are put most at risk by artificial intelligence and automation? Common wisdom says it’s men, particularly blue collar men whose jobs are primarily manual labour, such as factory workers put at risk by robotics or truck drivers put at risk by the advance of driverless cars. However, the truth is more complicated. Many […]
It may not happen this year, or next year, or even the year after that. But sometime between now and 2025, Canadian employers will almost certainly need to re-think their retirement policies in response to Canada Pension Plan expenses that began to go up in January. Canadian pension experts say higher mandatory contributions to the CPP and the […]
Drug plan design changes are often unavoidable, whether they’re due to a carrier modifying contracts across the board or an employer looking to manage ballooning costs. Generally, “plan sponsors are looking at programs like more managed formularies and, potentially, maximums,” says Suzanne Lepage, a private health plan strategist in Kitchener, Ont. “Changes driven at the […]
Amid the growing popularity of incorporating environmental, social and governance factors in investing, a Dutch pension fund is partnering with index-provider FTSE Russell to design a custom passive index that incorporates some of the United Nations’ sustainable development goals. Pensioenfonds Detailhandel has been incorporating ESG principles for almost five years, says Henk Groot, head of investments […]
When the World Economic Forum met this year in Davos, Switzerland, it chose a very timely topic: the fourth industrial revolution that’s about to be wrought by automation. Like every revolution, it will have winners and losers. Artificial intelligence will massively increase productivity and create jobs that don’t even exist today. But at the same time, it will […]