January 2022

It’s Not ‘Woke’ for Businesses to Think Beyond Profit, BlackRock Chief Says

Laurence D. Fink, the founder and chief executive of the investment giant BlackRock, has become one of the most influential voices in business over the past decade in pushing corporate leaders to think beyond profits, to their social purpose. Read also Canada. ESG challenges: talent shortage and lack of consistent standards Mr. Fink has delivered his words in annual letters that have drawn remarkable attention, but also criticism from all corners: that he is beholden to politically correct antibusiness activists, or...

China’s birth rate drops to record low in 2021, population aging

The birth rate in mainland China slipped to a record low in 2021, government data showed Monday, despite efforts by the Chinese government to prevent the country's population from aging further. In China, 10.62 million babies were born in 2021, a rate of 7.52 per 1,000 people, the lowest level since Mao Zedong founded the Communist-led People's Republic of China in 1949. Read also David Sinclair explains what an ageing population means for economies around the world The population aged 65...

UK. Expert calls on pension funds to fill fintech growth funding cap

The author of a major review of UK fintech has called on pension funds to back British entrepreneurs and fill a major growth funding gap in the sector just as government reviews whether to relax restrictions on pension fund investment. Ron Kalifa, who masterminded the government-commissioned Kalifa Review of Fintech last year, told City AM that pension funds have an opportunity to help British entrepreneurs grow their business domestically and drive job creation rather than selling at the growth stage. He...

Why Women Need to Take a More Active Role in Their Financial Futures

By Stacia Williams Too many women leave decisions about their financial futures to their husbands — and that’s hardly a retirement plan. And because women tend to live longer than men, it’s imperative that they take an active role in plotting out what’s happening with the money that will see them through the latter part of their lives. How to go about that? Any good retirement plan breaks down into five areas: income, investments, taxes, health care and legacy. Retirement income typically...

Pensions and demographic risks

Pensions and demographic risks

Different demographics of the population experience different pension risks, depending on age, location and various other factors. Read also Pensions in Germany: How the new government plans to solve an age-old issue Also, the fact that the UK population is getting older and living for longer could be viewed as a demographic risk in itself. Read also UK. Double tax whammy risk for big pension withdrawals As Jon Young, financial planner at WealthFlow, says: “Your pension pot has to last for longer and...

1 in 5 Women Are Facing Retirement Setbacks Due to Pandemic

The pandemic is contributing to a widening wellness gap between men and women. In particular, as the public health crisis lingers, women in the workforce are reporting burnout at twice the rate of men, as well as shouldering greater mental health burdens than most other groups of workers. Read also US. The clock is ticking on retirement security bills, industry experts say According to a new retirement survey from insurance and financial services company Nationwide, women's prospects for retirement are suffering,...

Jamaica launches historic tourism pension scheme

Jamaica launches historic tourism pension scheme

Jamaica’s tourism industry made history on Wednesday with the launch of the long-awaited Tourism Workers Pension Scheme (TWPS). Read also Estonia. State to provide option of increasing second pension pillar deposits The scheme is expected to, directly and indirectly, benefit hundreds of thousands of people employed in the industry. Read also Wages and pensions fall in Uruguay due to economic policy A defined contributory plan supported by legislation, the pension scheme will require mandatory contributions by workers and employers. Read also Jamaica. Informal Sector...

UK. FCA’s SDR intent welcomed; greenwashing fears remain

The Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) proposals on sustainability disclosure requirements (SDR) have been welcomed by industry experts, although concerns remain over the need for one "harmonised" and understandable system for all investment products. The regulator previously launched a discussion paper seeking views on the proposed SDRs for asset managers and FCA-regulated asset owners, which aim to “empower” pension scheme trustees to consider climate-related factors in their decision making. Industry organisations have welcomed the FCA’s intention behind the proposals, with Interactive Investor...

Pensions in Germany: How the new government plans to solve an age-old issue

Germany's ageing population continues to cause uncertainty about the future of the pension system. Here's how the new government is planning to make ends meet. The issues with Germany’s pensions pot are well documented. Thanks to the country’s ageing population, over the next 10-15 years, a huge number of people will go from being tax payers to pension recipients, creating a troubling imbalance between people paying into the system and people drawing money out. It’s a problem that has been plaguing...

Pensions and benefits will not keep up with cost of living, warns think tank

Pensions and benefits will not keep up with cost of living, warns think tank

Benefits should rise to match the soaring cost of living as millions face crippling price rises driven by energy bills, a think tank has said. Read also UK. Pensions largest component of household wealth – ONS Many benefits and the state pension are inflation-linked, but - by convention - rates for this year were set before prices started rising rapidly. Read also UK. Parliament moves to ban flat fees on small pots It means most will only go up by 3.1% in April,...