now:pensions’ Trustee believes there are strong investment reasons to focus on responsible investing and sustainability, to help reduce financial risks from things like climate change, which can have a negative effect on the economy and investments in the long term.
About us Responsible and sustainable investing
Investing with a long term approach that benefits the environment and communities, and avoiding investments that may be considered harmful.
Investing to have a sustainable impact as well as for growth
We focus our investment strategy on three Rs: risk, return and real-world impact.
- Investing responsibly and sustainably helps to reduce the financial risks from things like climate change, which can have a negative effect on the economy and investments in the long term.
- We believe this will produce long-term benefits for our members, helping to grow their investments over time (return).
- And like us, many people welcome the idea that their pension investments could have a positive effect on the environment and society (real-word impact).
Independent Trustee beliefs
now:pensions is a UK master trust, managed by an independent Trustee. The Trustee believes that incorporating environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors, as well as real-world sustainability impact, into the investment approach helps mitigate risks, enhance returns and is in its members’ best long-term interests.
Aiming for net zero
We’re committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in our investment funds to net zero by 2050 at the latest. Net zero means not adding to the amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere, by balancing the levels of GHGs emitted into the atmosphere with the amount removed. We’ve also committed to lowering the carbon emissions in our investments to half the level they were at in 2019, by 2030.
Stewardship means we aim to engage with the companies we invest in to get the best value from our investments over the long term. We focus on investment returns but also account for the social and environmental value we get from the investments. For example, we aim to engage with companies to achieve net zero.
now:pensions has signed up to the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) UK Stewardship Code. This is an international code that demonstrates the highest standards of stewardship practices.
Government policy
We take part in pensions industry initiatives and regularly respond to government consultations about sustainability. We do this directly and through our investment manager Cardano.
(In November 2024 Marsh McLennan’s Mercer acquired Cardano Group, including the now:pensions master trust.)
Read our Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) report
Read our TCFD report
Frequently asked questions
See all supportYou have a now:pensions account that you and your workplace put money into. Your money is invested in one of our investment options.
In the investment plans, the money is invested with the aim of helping it to grow then preparing it for retirement, including reducing investment risk.
We also offer a shariah equity fund. Unlike the investment plans, the shariah equity fund doesn’t move into investments designed to prepare your money for retirement, including reducing investment risk, as you near your planned retirement age.
The way your now:pensions account is invested depends on the following things.
- Your planned retirement age. This is your State Pension age unless you’ve told us something different or changed it in now:u. It can affect how your savings are invested as you get closer to taking your money. Log in to now:u to check your planned retirement age.
The investment plans invest in different funds. The funds can invest in different assets such as equities (shares in companies), bonds (loans to companies or governments, with a promise to repay the loan plus interest at a later date), and other assets like cash and commodities (gold and industrial metals, for example). Learn more about our funds.
The value of your now:pensions account when you reach your planned retirement age will depend on a number of things.
- How much you and your workplace pay in over the years.
- How your investments perform.
- The age you start to take your money out of now:pensions.
- The costs and charges that come out of your account over the years.
- Any costs for selling your investments when you start to take your money out of now:pensions.
When you join now:pensions, your savings are invested in our lump sum plan. You stay in the lump sum plan if you don’t choose anything else. So if you’re sure you’ve never chosen another investment option, you’ll be in the lump sum plan.
To check which plan you’re in, log in to now:u and go to Investment. You’ll see the plan you’re currently invested in.
Log in to now:u and go to Investments.
Your investment plan shows the plan your pension savings are currently invested in.
Below this you can see:
- Investment change – how the value of your pension savings has changed since you joined now:pensions
- Current value of your pension savings – this is updated regularly and the value will go up and down in line with the value of the plan you’re invested in
- Money in and out – how much money has been paid in, and any money that’s been paid out, of your pension savings.
Choose See details to look at:
- the charges you pay us to manage your pension savings
- your current planned retirement age
- a breakdown of the investments in your plan.
See about our investment funds for more information.
It’s impossible to say. Investment values can’t be guaranteed. But you can check regularly how your investments are doing by logging in to now:u and going to Investment.
The value of your investments can go down as well as up. Past performance doesn’t mean future performance will be the same.
now:pensions can’t give you investment advice. If you’re not sure if a plan or fund is right for you, it’s a good idea to talk to a financial adviser who’s regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Learn more here.
