Engaging younger generations earlier 

The core challenge is timing. Pension planning often begins too late, even though early contributions are crucial. Yet for many young people, retirement feels too distant to prioritise. 

Speakers highlighted financial literacy and pension awareness as key tools but stressed that education must go hand in hand with practical solutions. Well-designed systems, such as automatic enrolment, can significantly increase participation, while pension tracking tools can help individuals keep oversight in increasingly mobile careers. 

Addressing persistent inequalities  

Fairness between generations also depends on fairness within them. The gender pension gap remains substantial, driven by unequal pay, career interruptions and the unequal distribution of unpaid care work. This comes on top of social trends such as rising numbers of single mom households. Tackling these structural issues is needed to ensure adequate pensions for all. 

Across countries, pension systems face the same challenge: balancing financial sustainability with adequate retirement income. Demographic change has made this more difficult, while longer life expectancy puts pressure on systems designed under different assumptions. 

Multi-pillar approaches that combine public, occupational and private pensions, are widely seen as part of the solution. However, these elements must complement each other effectively. 

The role of insurance and system design 

Insurers play a key role in managing longevity risk and providing stable retirement income. But for systems to work, products must be transparent, easy to understand and comparable. 

Transferability is equally important. As careers become more flexible, pension rights must be easier to transfer across jobs and borders. 

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