Diversity is high on the agenda in the pensions world, not least because of The Pensions Regulator’s focus on it in relation to trustee boards. Speaking to Pensions Age, Anna Rogers emphasised that diversity is not just about gender.

She explained that diversity encompasses other factors such as social backgrounds, education, age, race and even political stance or whether an individual is introverted or extroverted.

Anna commented further: “There seems to be evidence that diversity is correlated with good decision making, though there is no proof that it is causatively connected.”

“Perhaps organisations with strong evidence of success are more confident about taking what seems to be a risk with the mix on their boards, but it makes sense that embracing difference will reduce the risk of group-think and contribute to better outcomes.”

Anna said that change is beginning to occur, but it is a slow process:

“It feels like we are now on the verge of a step change when it comes to gender. I’ve seen a number of clients recently asking people to encourage female members to stand as member-nominated trustees (MNTs) or actively seeking a female independent trustee.”

Read Anna’s comments in Pensions Age