The entry criteria set out below is for all category groups barring our Pension Scheme of the Year categories. To view the Pension Scheme of the Year category entry criteria, click here.

In addition to completing a short entry form, entrants will also have to write a submission and attach this to their online entry form. This must be no more than 4 pages (sides) of A4 long and be attached to the online entry form in a Microsoft Word or PDF file format.

All parts of the submission must refer to specific developments during the 12 months to December 31, 2023.

To download a copy of the entry guidance pack, click here.

PLEASE NOTE The following categories are only commercial third-party providers / asset managers and not pension schemes. Pension schemes, including LGPS pools, should enter our Pension Scheme of the Year categories. Should a pension fund have a genuine and substantial third-party investment business and feel they should enter the categories below, the submission should particularly focus on how their offering has helped its third-party clients.

Diversity and Inclusion Excellence Award:

The Diversity and Inclusion Excellence Award is open to the providers, advisers and asset managers that provide services to occupational pension schemes and trustees.

It aims to reward those firms that best promote diversity and inclusion within their own workforce as well as those who have contributed to industry-wide initiatives in this area.

Judges will, in particular, look at initiatives launched, conducted or largely completed during the year to 31st December 2023 - awarding up to 100 marks in this category.

The submission should be no more than 4 pages of A4 in length.

Innovation Awards For the four innovation awards:

DC Innovation of the Year, DB Investment Innovation of the Year, Technology Innovation of the Year and Retirement Innovation of the Year - judges will measure the submissions solely on the basis of innovations made over the past year (the 12 months to December 31, 2023).

Judges will award up to 100 marks - looking at the extent to which your firm has developed new services, products and offerings for clients and the extent to which these innovations helped pension schemes, sponsors, trustees and scheme members. The submission should also be no more than 4 pages of A4 in length.

All parts of the submission must refer to specific developments during the past 12 months.


Initiative Awards (Pensions Communication Initiative of the Year and Educational & Thought Leadership Initiative of the Year):

For the Pensions Communication Initiative of the Year and Educational & Thought Leadership Initiative of the Year awards, judges will measure the submissions solely on the basis of an initiative launched or largely completed over the past year (the 12 months to December 31, 2023).

The Educational and Thought Leadership Initiative of the Year category specifically aims to reward the consultancy or provider which has worked hardest to help trustees and employers understand the complex world of pensions and investments and those that have broken new ground in terms of pensions knowledge and understanding - either developing new ideas to help solve the issues pension schemes and trustees or challenging current orthodoxies over the 12 months to 31 December 2023.

Judges will look at the extent to which consultant and provider initiatives have helped trustees understand complex topics, make better decisions or look at things in a new way. Initiatives may include such things as thought leadership, articles, whitepapers, seminars, conferences, videos etc

For the Pensions Communication Initiative of the Year award, judges will look at the extent to which consultant and provider initiatives have helped engage scheme members or helped them understand their pension better. Initiatives should focus on the new innovations launched during the 12 months to 31 December 2023 and could include the use of technology; financial education; or simply the revamp of existing communications.

The submissions should also be no more than 4 pages of A4 in length. All parts of the submission must refer to specific developments and initiatives during the past 12 months.


For all other categories (those except the Innovation, Initiative, and Diversity and Inclusion accolades):

For all categories barring those above, judges will measure submissions against three set criteria - innovation, performance and service - in addition to looking at the entry forms submitted. 

The overall aim of these awards is to recognise providers that offer the highest level of innovation, performance and service to occupational pension schemes and their members - and have done the most to improve this level of performance, service and innovation over the past year (the 12 months to December 31, 2023).

Judges will award up to 100 marks on three set criteria - with up to 40 marks for innovation and up to 30 marks each on performance/benefit to clients and service standards.

The submission should be no more than 4 pages of A4 in length. All parts of the submission must refer to specific developments during the past 12 months.

The set criteria for the main submission, along with some ideas and pointers for things to include under each heading, are:

Innovation:
What specific innovations or new services have you launched over the 12 months to 31 December, 2023? What is available in addition to the basic core and value added services that are provided? How do you liaise with clients to ensure developments continue to meet their needs? Which new services have been introduced over the past year and how successful have they proved? How quickly can products and processes be adapted to meet market changes or to meet an individual client's needs?

Performance:
What has your performance been over the 12 months to 31 December, 2023 and how does this compare to your peers? Do you benchmark your services to clients and, if so, how do you compare against your peers? How do you measure how well you are performing for clients and how do you monitor performance or service standards and act on the results?

Service:
In what ways have you improved your service to clients over the 12 months to 31 December 2023? Have you provided any extra value services, such as training courses, seminars or education to trustees to clients over the period? Do you carry out formal research with clients to measure how effectively you meet or exceed their expectations?