Governance for workplace pension providers

Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules require workplace pensions providers to have governance committees in place to ensure minimum governance standards are met.

The requirement applies to all providers of contract-based workplace pension schemes, including group personal pensions (GPPs), group stakeholder pension schemes and group self invested personal pensions (group SIPPs).

The type of pensions governance committee you need depends on how large and complex the scheme you operate is.

• Providers of larger or more complex schemes must have an Independent Governance Committee (IGC)
• Providers of smaller, less complex schemes may use an Governance Advisory Arrangement (GAA)

These governance committees will act in the interests of pension members, assess the workplace pension scheme's value for money and, when needed, raise independent challenge to you, the scheme provider.

Workplace pension governance committees: an effective solution

Independent Governance Committees (IGCs) must have a minimum of five members, including an independent chair.

• PSGS is ideally placed to act as independent chair to (or member of) your workplace pension scheme’s IGC. With decades of experience acting as chairman of the trustees for pension schemes, our extensive knowledge and experience would be a valuable addition to your pensions governance committee.

Providers of smaller, less complex schemes may appoint an independent third party to act as a Governance Advisory Arrangement (GAA).

• PSGS can provide an independent committee of five from our experienced pension trustee team; or three committee members to work with two individuals you nominate.

We can also provide professional secretarial services to pension scheme governance committees to ensure they are run efficiently, decisions are accurately recorded and actions are promptly followed up and managed.

To find out more about how we can help your IGC or GAA be truly effective, please contact us to talk it through.