eShare Pensions Governance Blog

SPC partner with eShare to improve Pensions Industry Collaboration

Peter Mackness — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 08:06:18 +0000

The Society of Pensions Consultants has deployed the new eShare 2010 platform to improve communications with their members across the pensions industry.

eShare will be used primarily to pull together and distribute committee papers, to work on consultation documents, to store and share knowledge and to allow members to communicate with each other.

eShare is already used by other industry wide organisations in a similar manner including the Retail Pensions Managers Group and Raising Standards of Pensions Administration.
eShare was recommended to the SPC by one of their partners who use eShare’s full suite of governance solutions to deliver a broad range of services including an eShare web based secretariat function and devolved risk management services.

eShare already work with most of the major consulting firms and those that they don’t work with will often be accessing eShare through their clients. It makes life easier for them if they can log in and access SPC committee papers and consultation documents in the same way that they access their client committee papers and documents. They can use the same username and password and the system looks identical.

“eShare are one of the clear industry leaders in the provision of governance software, they came recommended by one of our largest members and we can see huge benefits to both our team and our members; It was an easy decision to make,” says John Mortimer, Secretary to the SPC, “While initially we will only be using a fraction of the functionality that eShare provides, even so we expect eShare will deliver significant efficiencies and will help us to work much more effectively with our members.”

eShare anticipate that the project will lead SPC members to look at areas where eShare can improve and broaden the services they deliver to their client base.

“We are working with pensions consulting firms across the length and breadth of the UK and overseas to help them to deliver better services to their clients using technology. Those consulting firms find that eShare increases their revenue, delivers a better service to their clients and leaves their competitors behind. It makes sense that the same principles should apply when working with each other.” said Alister Esam, CEO of eShare.

Pensions Schemes make Procedures work with eShare software

Emma@eshare — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:48:46 +0000

29th, July, 2010, Newbury, UK.
eShare is successfully rolling out it’s Procedure Management software to some of its most high profile clients and as a result is solving key man risk.
To ensure work is completed efficiently and accurately requires good procedures to be in place. But simply documenting procedures is not enough. The challenge is ensuring that the latest version is being correctly and consistently followed. All too often procedures gather dust in a file, while trustees and administrators simply do things the way they’ve always done them. This can lead to inconsistency, and actions not being completed in the best way for the scheme.
New governance software holds the key to making documenting procedures easy and efficient. Reliance on manual, paper-based processes is no longer sufficient. Governance software is now widely available and provides a user friendly, comprehensive system for recording, managing, planning and auditing all procedures as well as all aspects of scheme governance.
Alastair Knowles of BAA Pensions highlights the difference using Procedure Management software can make, “Having recently upgraded to eShare eProcedures we believe that this additional function will mean we can have confidence that relevant procedures are fully documented and are being followed and completed promptly and correctly. Now we can track a specific procedure instance, to see status and ownership.”
One example of using eProcedures is for Scheme Secretaries to manage and monitor how and what Third Party Advisors (TPAs) are doing for the Trustees. It gives the Trustees and the Scheme Secretary control of what procedures are used (how the work is performed) and each instance will allow the Trustees and Scheme Secretary to monitor the progress of any procedure. It gives the Scheme Secretary access to the TPA without having to constantly telephone and chase the administrators.
With a software based procedure system in place then Trustees and administrators can know and prove that the latest procedures are being correctly followed. Alister Esam, Managing Director, eShare, says “Schemes need to ensure procedures are actively followed, not just gathering dust on a shelf.” He continues “Don’t just pay lip service by documenting a procedure but then never referring back to it. Schemes need to find ways to ensure their procedures are active and relevant; it doesn’t have to be time consuming. Governance software saves time.”

Schemes continue to choose eShare to manage their Governance needs

Emma@eshare — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 15:51:10 +0000

Clifford Chance, Nationwide and the Amey Pension Scheme are amongst the latest schemes to appoint eShare as their governance software provider. They join over 200 other schemes already reaping the benefits that the eShare software brings.
eShare has been selected by these schemes to assist in streamlining and managing scheme governance, including meetings and scheme knowledge. David Cook, Senior Manager – Pensions Governance, Nationwide, explains “The eShare system offers us the means to deliver online governance processes and to fully engage our Trustees in all aspects of these processes.”
eShare simplifies the workflow and administrative processes surrounding scheme governance and allows Trustees to access information, communicate and collaborate with one another through a single, secure, central location, without requiring access to an internal computer network. Using eShare schemes are able to meet and even surpass various requirements set out by The Pensions Regulator.
“With eShare our aim is to ensure good governance is achievable for all schemes through continual development in response to our clients needs and industry demands.” says Alister Esam, CEO of eShare, concluding, “We are delighted to welcome Clifford Chance, Nationwide and Amey Pension Scheme as eShare clients. These schemes continue a trend for embracing specialised software to ease the governance burden”

Australia latest country to benefit from eShare Pension Governance Software

Rachel@eShare — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 10:39:41 +0000

Following the recent Australian launch roadshow, UK company eShare has secured its first Australian customer, NSW Fire Death and Disability Super Fund, thanks to the efforts of local partner ITM.

NSW Fire Death and Disability Super Fund was secured by ITM after Chris Matthews, Fund Secretary, presented the benefits of eShare to the Board. The Fund Directors were impressed and are keen to utilise many of its features with almost all eShare modules being deployed… including eKnowledge, eMeetings, eDecisions, eControls, eAppoint, Business Planner and Trustee Training.

Steve Shoreson, Managing Director of ITM says, “We intend to train the fund secretarial staff to become experts in eShare, enabling them to provide a quality experience to the Trustee Directors.”

Ensure your Advisors continue to add value to your Trust

Emma@eshare — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 09:56:21 +0000

It is important to be confident when reviewing an advisor that the information you have in front of you is objective data from the whole period of review, and not just a subjective view on how you feel about the advisor at the review date.

To help schemes manage appointment review objectively, and efficiently, Governance Software from eShare has a built-in Advisor Review feature, eAppoint, - so that you can be confident that you appointment reviews are carried out effectively without turning into an onerous administrative headache.

Use eAppoint to:

Record and maintain all information relating to an advisor in one site (e.g. fees, contacts, issues, etc.)
Gain a full and transparent view of all information relating to your advisors
Continually review advisor appointments, with trustees being asked to provide feedback on advisors after each meeting
Automatically track how promptly advisors complete post meeting actions and other activities
Enable trustees to log any issues with advisors, to be stored and presented at the next appointment review
Receive notifications via email when an appointment is due for review
Set future review dates, along with any mitigating actions

Find out more here.

Meet TPR’s updated Code of Practice on Trustee Knowledge and Understanding

Rachel@eShare — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 07:49:38 +0000

The Pensions Regulator released late last year the Second Issue of the Trustee Knowledge and Understanding Code of Practice, with the intent to further raise the standards of pension schemes to ensure good governance becomes an industry standard.

The legislative requirement is that trustees must be conversant with scheme documentation, and have appropriate knowledge and understanding. This requires trustees to keep their knowledge and understanding up-to-date so that it remains relevant. The solution is for schemes to embrace governance software to allow them to demonstrate compliance and even surpass The Regulator’s expectations with fully knowledgeable trustees.

eShare makes it simple to meet The Regulator’s guidance through the eKnowledge and Trustee Training modules.

Find out more:

eKnowledge - Trustee Knowledge and Understanding is assured with eShare

Trustee Training - To be effective Trustees need to continually refresh and update their skills and expertise

Latest eShare Case Study: Heinz

Emma@eshare — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 12:46:18 +0000

Heinz uses eShare to improve Trustee knowledge and drive efficiency

Heinz needed a platform to support the efficient running of a devolved pension fund for the Netherlands. The Fund is reaping the benefits of eShare through better knowledge sharing and more efficient meetings.

Arthur Theunissen, Manager Pensions and Projects, explains, “By having access to eShare and all Fund documents past and present, new board members get up to speed more quickly with the Fund. This is much better than the alternative of placing a large stack of printed documents on their desk and asking them to go through and learn the information they need.”

Click here to read the full case study.

Read all of our case studies here.

How are you reacting to The Pensions Regulator’s revised guidance on internal controls?

Peter Mackness — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 15:02:40 +0000

The Regulator’s revised guidance expresses the need for schemes to maintain an adequate risk register

However, the continued extension of The Regulator’s guidance must soon require schemes to allow all stakeholders to see, use and contribute to the risk register, as well as audit trails being available.

The only way to achieve such an integrated and effective risk management programme will be to turn to software.

Many schemes that have welcomed risk management and governance software can be confident that they are already fully meeting and surpassing The Regulator’s guidance and expectations.

Read about eShare’s response to The Pensions Regulator’s revised guidance on internal controls.

Read more about eControls and how it will benefit your scheme.

Online Decision-Making is a necessity following new Data Protection Act regulations

Emma@eshare — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:40:03 +0000

The new Data Protection Act powers coming into force on April 6th will mean that Trustees must evaluate the ways in which they handle data and will have to consider whether email is a suitable method for transmitting personal information.

The new laws will allow the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to fine Trustees up to £500,000 for serious data breaches. If data breaches do occur, the ICO will take into consideration whether sufficient measures were in place to attempt to avoid such breaches – email, however, is not an adequate approach to avoiding data breaches from occuring.

The solution is to embrace secure server technology in order to protect member data. Many schemes that have welcomed governance software are already able to make online decisions in a secure environment and will not be at risk of incurring fines from the ICO for data breaches.

Read about eShare’s response to the new Data Protection Act powers.

Find out more about how online decision-making software will benefit your scheme.

Another pension scheme benefits from eShare

Rachel@eShare — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:21:32 +0000

Anglian Water knew they needed a better way to manage their pension scheme governance data. With the introduction of eShare, Anglian Water is confident it can reduce the paperwork and administrative burden they face in managing their pension schemes.

“Trustees can find the information they need in just a couple of mouse-clicks. With the old system, users could spend three or four minutes trying to find the information they need.” – Richard Norton, Secretary to the Pension Schemes Trustees, Anglian Water Group

To read the case study in full, please click here