Aon can support you in developing your strategic business plan — ensuring the long-term objectives for your pension arrangements are clearly documented, with a clear vision and mission statement for all areas, and an integrated governance structure, to ensure that your performance against objectives is monitored effectively — supporting the efficient achievement of your stated aims.
We can help you wherever you are in setting your long-term strategy from:
Our colleagues across the UK have supported a number of our clients develop and manage their strategic plans.
The discussion we had on strategic objectives has enabled the trustee board to broaden our thinking beyond our funding and investment objectives.
We know that those who have a clear strategy tend to be more effective in reaching their goals. The same is true in relation to pension arrangements. Whatever your situation, understanding what you want to achieve across a range of areas, including your financial objectives, and also your member experiences and governance aims ensures that all activity is aligned to what you are seeking to achieve. What’s right for a scheme heading towards buy-out looks very different to a scheme where members are continuing to build up pension benefits. This feeds into a range of areas, including investment strategy, how you engage with your members, your administration and data interface risks, and how your governance is structured.
A business plan is more than just a calendar of events — it helps you think through what activity is needed and when, in what order actions need to be tackled and importantly what actions do not take you towards your ultimate goal. We can support you in working with your other advisers to link all the elements together into a holistic plan, helping you assess what's feasible in what timeframe, what activities are dependent on other elements, and therefore the most efficient path through the programme of work.
We can then create a governance framework that puts some rigour around that — risk/return analyses can be used to ensure focus is on those that bring optimal results first; agenda items are considered in the context of how they support the long-term goals; clear measurable targets for achievement each year and support in reviewing performance against these objectives. Resources can then be assessed (using our skills and diversity assessment if required) to ensure that you have the right people supporting in the right areas, and that these value-add projects can be completed in the timeframes agreed.
Linking the strategic objectives to the strategic risk register, which is used to support active decision-making, ensure that both the risks and the opportunities that support the long-term goals are monitored on an active basis.
Circumstances change, market opportunities come and go — we can help you review your strategic business plan on a regular basis to ensure that it remains fit for your purpose.
Sponsors and trustees have an important role to play in deciding what options to make available to members and how much member support should be in place. Aon is well placed to help trustees and sponsors consider which member option solution best meets their needs.
Choosing the best risk reduction strategy can prove challenging. Our experts help trustees and sponsors understand their motivation for risk reduction. We analyse each pension scheme's unique position and ensure adequate preparation is undertaken, and we have settled risk using our full range of solutions for pension schemes of all shapes and sizes, consistently implementing the best solution at the right time.
If you wish to speak to someone about our governance services please contact us.
Contact us
Jonathan Craven
Partner
Anne Salzedo
Associate Partner