Pensions Management Awards 2005

Most Effective Ongoing Communications

Winner: The Pensions Trust

Effective membership is arguably one of the most important features of a pension scheme, but equally one of the most difficult to get right.

The judges were looking for clear, relevant and easy to understand information from the entrants, and in particular, schemes that could demonstrate creative and imaginative ways of communicating complex information to their membership.
As well as scheme literature and paper-based communications, the judges considered the internet, CD-Rom, video and cassette based entries.

But the key to winning this award is to demonstrate that the communication material provided is easy to understand by all sections of the membership, irrespective of their existing pensions knowledge. Ease of access and tailored communication are also important, given that not all members have internet access.

The judges singled out two outstanding submissions, which were head and shoulders above the rest of the entrants in this category.

Although the judges found it difficult to choose between the two, the ultimate winner was The Pensions Trust.

The Pensions Trust's submission was described by one of the judges as "just excellent" and that "it couldn’t be faulted" because of the excellence of its "easy to understand website, CD-Rom, pensions calculator and audio arrangements for the blind".

The judges also like the way the website communicated at different levels extremely well and "covered all of the bases, using technology simply and straightforwardly".