Collective Defined Contribution (CDC) schemes are moving from concept to implementation, with the first multi-employer arrangements preparing to apply for authorisation. While politically endorsed, detailed regulatory guidance is still emerging, leaving trustees and employers weighing potential benefits against uncertainty.

This session examines CDC as a distinct benefit and investment model, exploring how collective risk-sharing changes outcomes, governance and long-term investment strategy. Drawing on early experience and emerging proposals, it focuses on what CDC may realistically offer, who it may suit, and what decisions schemes should, and should not, be making at this stage.

This session will address:

• How CDC differs from DB and DC in risk-sharing and benefit design
• How CDC enables different long-term investment approaches ?
• Which employers and schemes CDC may be appropriate for, and which it may not
• How trustees should approach CDC while guidance and authorisation evolve

Value for Money (VFM) is moving up the agenda. As regulatory frameworks develop, the conversation is shifting from whether to measure VFM to how to do it in a way that is consistent, comparable, and, crucially, useful for members and decision-makers.

From SEI’s perspective, VFM should be grounded in the total member experience and the outcomes delivered net of all costs, some distance from the current narrow focus on headline fees. That means assessing performance in context (objectives, risk taken, and time horizon), recognising the role of diversification and implementation, and testing whether governance and oversight of investment, administration and communication are strong enough to identify issues early and drive improvement.

This session explores what “good” looks like and if the framework proposed will end up even close to it. Will we have credible VFM assessments that support better member outcomes.

This session will address:

• What does “value” mean in a DC context—net outcomes, risk, member journey, and the quality of administration (not just fees)?
• How should the market balance objective historic evidence with forward-looking expectations, without creating incentives to game metrics or avoid long-term investment?
• Will the proposed framework work or be another regulatory burden that ends up a long way from the original objective and not serve the purpose it was meant for?

Schemes are increasingly exploring the role private markets can play in supporting long-term investment objectives. Alongside these opportunities, they introduce new challenges and considerations.

This session aims to provide a practical overview of how private markets work in a DC context, the key risks around liquidity, cashflow management and exit constraints involved and how these can be managed in practice. It will look at the governance frameworks required to support illiquid assets and how capabilities may need to evolve as allocations increase.

This session will address:

• The key risks associated with private markets and how they can be managed
• How liquidity, exits and cashflow profiles affect portfolio design
• The governance frameworks needed to support private market investing
• How governance capabilities evolve as portfolios become less liquid
  

Innovation in DC is increasingly being applied in targeted areas. From AI-enabled data cleansing and automated processes, to more personalised communications and decision-support tools, schemes are beginning to adopt new approaches where they can deliver measurable improvements.

This session will explore where innovation is being used in practice, what these tools are enabling, and where they are genuinely improving efficiency and outcomes. It will also consider how strategies can be simplified and future-proofed, and how schemes can adopt new technologies while maintaining appropriate governance and risk controls.

This session will address:

• Where innovation is being applied in practice, including AI in administration, data and member communications
• What current tools and technologies are enabling
• Where innovation is improving efficiency, engagement and decision-making
• How to balance innovation with simplicity, governance and risk

Guided retirement is becoming a central focus in DC policy. Intended to provide a clearer route into retirement for those who do not actively engage, it has raised practical questions around delivery, responsibility and design.

This session will explore recent developments, how guided retirement is expected to operate in practice and how it fits alongside targeted support, investment decisions and value for money. It will also look at how these solutions can improve retirement outcomes, while maintaining appropriate member protection. 

This session will address:

• How guided retirement is expected to work in practice
• How it is expected to interact with targeted support
• How will it fit alongside value for money and investment decisions
• What it means for schemes, providers and advisers
  

The Mansion House accords have placed greater focus on the role of DC schemes in supporting the UK economy through productive finance. We are now witnessing a more complex investment landscape forming, where schemes are not only assessing financial return, but also how capital can support domestic growth.

This session will explore where opportunities exist within UK markets and how schemes can access them. It will examine how to balance financial sustainability with broader economic objectives, and the role of professional judgement in navigating these decisions where clear frameworks are still evolving.

This session will address:

• The productive finance push following the Mansion House accords
• Where UK investment opportunities exist and how schemes can access them
• The alignment and trade-offs between financial return and UK economic impact
• How trustees and advisers can apply professional judgement in balancing objectives
  

It’s encouraging to see new approaches emerging to strengthen financial wellbeing, particularly in a time where short-term pressures can make long-term thinking more difficult. From targeted outreach that reconnects and supports disengaged members, to dedicated programmes building the financial capability of young people, there are organisations finding practical and accessible ways to improve understanding, confidence and engagement with money and pensions.

This session will explore how these initiatives are working in practice, how they are helping individuals prioritise long-term financial wellbeing, and how early education can equip younger generations with the skills they need to make informed financial decisions.

Consolidation is set to accelerate as the Government’s asset scale requirements begin to take effect. This session will explore the practical realities of small pot consolidation, examining key questions around how it will operate in practice, the emerging authorisation framework for consolidators and what it will mean for schemes managing growing volumes of deferred pots.

We’ll also unpack the member perspective during these transitions, and how consolidation can be delivered in a way that maintains confidence, clarity and trust.

This session will address:

• How small pots consolidation is expected to operate in practice
• What the emerging authorisation framework may look like for consolidators
• What consolidation means for schemes managing deferred pots
• Practical challenges in large-scale transitions and how to manage them
• How to maintain member confidence and trust throughout consolidation
  

Research in Finance will deliver a data-led view of the forces reshaping the UK pensions landscape, exploring how investment allocations are evolving, how regulation is influencing industry direction, and what this means for long-term retirement outcomes.

Drawing on the latest research and behavioural insights, the session will also examine changing attitudes towards saving and investing across generations, alongside the ongoing challenge of member engagement and what genuinely works when communicating pensions and investing to different audiences.

This session will address:

• Where the UK pension landscape is heading (investment allocations and direction of movement)
• What direction regulation is forcing the industry
• Attitudes towards saving and investing - how older and younger investors differs
• How to engage Gen Z investors
• RiF’s view on how to get members engaged in their pension - what works and what doesn’t work when trying to engage audiences in the investment world