Anne Keogh xxx
A lot has changed since 1971. Some of our current members were not even born by then! There have been many changes in planning, health and safety regulations for the construction industry and a lot of changes to pension regulation in that time, with technology advances in both industries.
CERS has been providing pensions and looking after the interests of the construction sector for the last 50 years. Regulations in the pension industry have significantly changed over that time and this includes the recently transposed IORP II regulations.
These regulations bring a range of additional governance requirements to pension schemes in Ireland. CERS is a master trust arrangement with an independent trustee company providing an important additional layer of independent protection for employers and members.
This structure removes the burden of pension governance from employers and provides peace of mind at no extra cost, thus freeing up your time so you can deal with developing your own business without having worries or time constraints associated with being a trustee or having a requirement to hire a pensioneer trustee company to do that for you.
A full service scheme
As a full service scheme, we look after all elements of your pension needs from the start of your own and your employees’ journey right through the full life cycle of your scheme. You and your employees as members of CERS have access to a dedicated pension consultant and an experienced administration team.
Annual staff presentations – many being done virtually now – ensure your staff understand the pensions and risk benefits your company provide. It also offers a forum for discussion on the advantages of retirement savings, with one-to-one member meetings arranged if requested.
Scheme members also have access to a member portal so they can view their fund value at any time and use the online projection tool when logged on to plan for their future. In addition, members of the scheme enjoy death benefit cover and income protection cover with generous non-medical limits at very competitive annual costs for the sector.
Flexibility and strength in numbers
In order to survive in any industry for more than 50 years, it’s important to be flexible. The CERS Scheme was established by members of the construction sector in 1971 – then called the Construction Federation Executive Pension Scheme – to build a better future for members and their families.
We have a long history of providing flexible pension arrangements and protection benefits built up over the years. We have learned to adapt to the everchanging nature of the industry. We provide bespoke pension solutions for each company.
Employers can choose the contribution amount, the retirement age and protection benefits to meet their specific needs. According to a Morgan McKinley survey released in summer 2021, pensions are still viewed by staff as an important aspect of staff attraction and remuneration packages. CERS can be very easily set up for your employees, giving you the flexibility to create a remuneration package that suits your own company.
By offering a single trust containing multiple employer pension arrangements, CERS offers economies of scale when it comes to costs and also when it comes to compliance with new IORP II regulations. CERS offers a transparent and competitive charging structure with no annual or monthly administration, trusteeship, legal and actuarial fees generally applied to employers.
Anne Keogh
To find out more about the CERS proposition please check out www.cers.ie.
Contact us on [email protected] to discuss an arrangement that might suit your own needs.
