About us Stewardship

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.

Smiling woman in business attire facing the camera with arms crossed

We believe effective stewardship can lead to better outcomes for our members. So we work to influence companies, regulators and stakeholder groups. Where possible we use our voting power as shareholders to encourage the companies we invest in to take action to reduce sustainability risks. We also encourage them to make progress towards our three priority sustainability themes: climate action, gender equality and living wages.

The UK Financial Reporting Council describes stewardship as the: ‘responsible allocation, management and oversight of capital to create long-term value for clients and beneficiaries leading to sustainable benefits for the economy, the environment and society.’ 

Read our Stewardship Policy

download-bottom

Our Stewardship Policy sets out the trustee’s beliefs on stewardship in alignment with the UK Stewardship Code.

Portrait of female barber smiling in hair salon

UK Stewardship Code

We’re proud that now:pensions has signed up to the UK Stewardship Code. Read our submission.

Our responsible and sustainability focus

Responsible and sustainable investing means investing with a long–term approach that benefits the environment and communities, and avoiding investments that may be considered harmful.

Find out more

Frequently asked questions

See all support

You 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. 
  • 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.