Increasingly flexible labour markets and reforms of old-age pension systems are still ranking high on the political agenda of European countries. This volume investigates whether, and to what extent, the interplay between pension reforms and the spread of 'atypical' employment patterns and fragmented careers has a negative influence uponeconomic security in old age. The volume, therefore, analyzes the flexibility-security nexus by focusing on the post-retirement phase, thus extending the conventional narrow concept of 'flexicurity'. The book also questions whetherreforms of public and private pension schemes compensate or aggravate the risks of increasingly flexible labor markets and atypical employment careers after retirement? Around this overarching research question, the various contributions in the volume employ the same analytical framework in order to map, and then compare, the developments in seven European countries - Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, and the UK - which present different labour market arrangements and various degrees of flexibility, as well as diverse pension systems.

Over the last decade pension reform in the West has focused upon the need for more private provision in order to combat the effects of societal ageing. The consequences of these reforms for citizens' incomes during retirement are currently under-explored - including questions such as how protective public-private pension systems are, particularly for citizens without lifelong, full-time employment biographies. This rigorous study sheds light on these issues. It assesses the extent to which six European multi-pillar pension regimes are socially inclusive, by micro-simulating retirement income for hypothetical citizens facing typical post-industrial risks. This timely book suggests that non-state provision has significant limitations, yet also identifies the political and institutional conditions under which private pensions are indeed reconcilable with social inclusion. Private Pensions versus Social Inclusion? will appeal to policymakers, scholars and experts from NGOs and other statistical organisations involved in comparative social policy and pension analysis. Post-graduate students of comparative social policy, gerontology, public economics and economic sociology will also find much to engage them within the book.

• This textbook presents an excellent overview of responsible investing and an abundance of cases and historical development of responsible investing, which is an increasingly important area in asset management • New chapter on “Regulation, Reporting, and Taxonomy in ESG Investing� • Reorganised material on KPIs and risk modelling methods in ESG investing, to improve flow for readers • Large collection of updated/new case studies, along with interactive sections designed to get students actively engaged • A more comprehensive test bank and rubric for assessment for use by instructors at the end of every chapter • PowerPoint slides for instructors

This book weaves together current understanding around financial literacy and ageing, arguing for the relevance of financial literacy for old age security. Building upon on the experiences of ten developing Asian economies with a focus on India, the book enters new territory by developing frameworks that identify predictors of financial literacy and a mechanism for its internalization, as well as recognising the need for specialized training programs for the older population in order to establish a link between financial literacy and old age security. It thus makes a case about the centrality of financial literacy in creating an environment conducive to a dignified ageing experience in this world of shouldering one's own responsibility. Going forward, the book comprehends financial literacy for India as a skill which enables an individual to decide the suitable avenues to invest savings, utilize monetary resources and shape financial decisions aligned with their financial goals, in accordance with the dynamic financial & economic environment. This original volume is a first-time attempt to provide an in-depth account of financial literacy and its association with savings behavior, old age planning, wealth accumulation, healthcare and wellbeing in older age. It also provides a detailed account of various measurement tools used and policy initiatives undertaken across the globe for financial literacy. It is an indispensable reference guide for scholars and researchers, cutting across multiple disciplines particularly financial and development economics, gerontology, demography, social work, psychology and public policy.

Explores the role of governments in creating and regulating private pensions in the UK and Germany since the 1980s. Private pensions have given rise to a new regulatory state in this area. The contributing authors compare pension regulation and utility regulation, while others analyse the regulatory role of the EU.

There is increasing pressure for all of us to take responsibility for our own financial security and wellbeing, but we often overlook how the benefits that come with a job can help us do that. Essential Personal Finance: A Practical Guide for Employees focuses on these valuable work benefits and shows how you can build on this important foundation to achieve financial security and your life goals. This unique book explores how making effective and practical use of these work benefits (such as pension scheme, life cover, sick pay, cheap loans, savings schemes and even financial coaching), means facing up to the behavioural biases we are all plagued with. Given that these can get in the way of even the best intentions, Essential Personal Finance tackles these biases head-on with practical ideas and tips for overcoming or harnessing them for good, and will help you to develop a positive and fruitful relationship with your money. With financial stress being a major cause of absenteeism and sick leave, low morale and lost productivity, the advice in this book also offers employers enormous benefits. By empowering employees through financial education and financial awareness, progressive employers will help them feel more in control of their lives, and experience less stress, resulting in higher morale and productivity. Offering a distinctive approach which combines academic insight with practical financial wisdom and tools, this is a must-have book for all employees. It will help you make the most of everything your job has to offer so you can worry less about money and live life to the full.

* Provides an easy-to-access guide to what sustainable investing is and how it can influence investment decisions. * Written by experienced investment professionals, the book covers the full scale of Responsible Investment approaches and asset classes. * The book is based on global best practice and definitions as set by the UN-backed Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), which is today the leading institution for responsible investors.

* Provides an easy-to-access guide to what sustainable investing is and how it can influence investment decisions. * Written by experienced investment professionals, the book covers the full scale of Responsible Investment approaches and asset classes. * The book is based on global best practice and definitions as set by the UN-backed Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), which is today the leading institution for responsible investors.

Since Autumn 2012 and under strict regulatory obligations, the biggest corporations in the UK have been offering a pension to any employee who earns more than GBP10,000. Now the challenge falls on smaller employers. This compulsory measure has far-reaching consequences for all players: not only have many new pension customers been brought into the market, but companies face strict deadlines and major fines if they do not comply. The Handbook of Work-based Pension Schemes takes a practical approach to the many issues and crucial decisions facing employers. Choose the right course of action and pensions can become a powerful element within a competitive package of benefits for attracting and keeping the right people, as well as opening up the potential for freeing up capital to invest back into the business. However make a mistake and the consequences can be far-reaching and expensive. Published in association with the Institute of Directors, this book will bring readers up to speed with how pensions are changing, then focus on the ways they will be able to design and manage better schemes at lower costs and at lower risk.

This book deals with the pension of uncovered people in India, the informal or unorganized sector workers who contribute more than fifty percent of India's total output. Until recently, these workers don't get any old age security when they retire unlike those from the organized sector workers such as govt. employees or corporates. This book offers insights on the pension system of the informal sector in India. The book is the outcome of field research of two years and the field research was conducted on MSME sector (a sub sector of unorganised sector) which provides the knowledge about the present state of the unorganised sector workers in MSMEs, their financial condition and stress, their work participation, their awareness level of old age financial security or pension and their financial behaviour regarding pension savings in India. This book empirically demonstrates a relationship between financial literacy and willingness to save for retirement benefits among the informal sector workers in India. Access to banking also improves the probability of retirement savings along with the gender and education. By reading this book, readers can understand the demographic change India is going to witness within the next thirty years and its challenges to meet the longevity risk of these workers.

Over the past decade, socially responsible investment (SRI) has changed from being a niche market to become a core consideration for mainstream investors. As such, pension fund advisers, trustees of charitable foundations and other investment professionals want to understand this new phenomenon. Up to now they have lacked any reference book to teach them what they need to know about SRI. This gap is now filled by the publication of Socially Responsible Investment: A Global Revolution, the first book on SRI specifically written for investment professionals and their clients. The book will also help business executives and business schools looking at better corporate governance and business ethics.

Socially Responsible Investment describes how SRI has moved from fringe to mainstream on both sides of the Atlantic, and its current explosive growth rate in Asia and Europe. The book consists of three parts:

• Part One traces the historical development of the subject and analyses the different types of activity that comprise it. It also provides detailed analysis of the typical investor in SRI funds.
• Part Two describes the emerging consensus that SRI for institutional investors concentrates on four main issues: the environment, human rights, corporate governance, and financial return. Each of these subjects is covered in depth.
• Part Three concentrates on the rapid growth of socially responsible investment around the world, as it truly becomes a global revolution.

"To newcomers and veterans of the SRI movement, Russell Sparkes’ "Socially Responsible Investment, a Global Revolution" is a "must read". You will come away with a fresh appreciation of the history, evolution, and potential of socially responsible investing. The book is well researched. To Russell Sparkes--thank you!" Patricia Wolf, RSM, Executive Director, Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility

"The next few years will be crucial for the long term future of Socially Responsible Investment. Russell Sparkes’ timely book sets the scene very clearly for those who are shaping the agenda, but it will also be of value to people who are responding to the challenge of investing responsibly"  Helen Wildsmith, Executive Director, UK Social Investment Forum

"The Ethical Investor (1995) changed my views on what could done to harness investment to social responsibility in the UK context. This book now moves the agenda to the world stage and is essential reading for all those who can see the need to harness capitalism to SRI objectives in the post Sept. 11th world, and that after the Enron and Worldcom scandals, SRI can deliver the better world we need" Tony Colman MP, House of Commons International Development Select Committee

"The growth of SRI has been one of the most important - but often misunderstood - investment trends of the past decade. Russell Sparkes provides an invaluable analysis of the main SRI developments and issues for both professional and private investor alike, writing with true authority and insight" Stuart Bell, Research Director, PIRC Ltd

"At just the moment when the relationship between corporations and society is coming dominate political agendas, Russell Sparkes has produced an invaluable sequel to The Ethical Investor. Global in scope, Socially Responsible Investment is a practical, authoritative, readable guide that will well-serve both institutional and individual investors. Sparkes’ twenty plus years in the field and his understanding of cross-cultural issues give his work a unique depth and application wherever investors want to effect positive social change" Peter D. Kinder, Chief Executive Officer of KLD Research & Analytics, Inc., Boston, Massachusetts

"Russell Sparks has filled a huge need. In this magisterial volume, he has brought together the history, language and lore of shareholder activism and responsibility into coherence. For everyone searching for ways for owners to make corporations part of the solution for global problems, this book is a must read" Robert A.G. Monks, Chairman, Lens Investment Management and Publisher of www.ragm.com concerned with corporate governance and shareholder responsibility

"…a useful tool for investors and managers. Not the untested ideals of someone wishing to jump on the ethical band wagon but the considered and tested observations of a successful institutional investor of conviction"

"…having compared Socially Responsible Investment to an iceberg, Russell Sparkes explains many of those aspects of the subject not obvious on the surface." J E Rogers, Chief Executive, UKSIP The Society of Investment Professionals

Demographic trends put a burden on EU pension provision. As the sustainability of pension systems is addressed by current pension reforms, lower benefit levels are projected. In this scenario, households may want to consider supplementing their public pension income. As their own residence is on average their most valuable asset, its transformation to income can be one form of alleviating financial distress in old age. Thomas Muller presents research findings on the interdependency of housing and pension wealth as well as on whether and to what extent housing wealth is decumulated after retirement. The author emphasizes the consideration of housing wealth in pension policies to enable European households to employ its housing asset as an income source in old age.About the Author Thomas Muller wrote his dissertation at the Real Estate Management Institute (REMI) at the EBS Business School. His research was motivated by the effects of demographic changes on pension provision in the EU. He focused especially on the allocation and liquidation of private housing wealth as a public pension supplement.

This book examines the origins and consequences of so-called pension fund capitalism, which has spread around the world since 1981, when the pension system was completely privatized in Chile. The author highlights the driving forces behind the privatization of pensions, its forms and tools used in practice, and the risks and costs related to private pensions. The reader can also learn about the experiences of various developed countries (including the USA, Canada, Australia, and Germany), as well as Latin American (including Chile) and Eastern European countries, related to the privatization of pensions. Particular attention is paid to Poland as an example of a country where such privatization failed completely. This book provides a source of serious reflection on what this privatization has led to, what its real economic and social consequences are and what the likelihood is of reversing it and strengthening the public pension system. Academic researchers and students of economics and finance, as well as social and political sciences, will find the book invaluable in understanding the problems arising from the privatization of pensions. It will also be of interest to professionals: institutions that shape or influence economic and social policy, including political parties, trade unions, non-governmental organizations, the media, and institutions operating on the financial market.

Pension Sustainability in China: Fragmented Administration and Population Aging aims to investigate the impact of fragmentation and population ageing on pension sustainability in China. The book demonstrates how pension sustainability is compromised by various adverse effects produced by fragmentation, such as the moral hazard caused by the disarticulated intergovernmental fiscal responsibility. An overlapping generations (OLG) model is updated with the latest demographic data and is used to assess the impact of population ageing on pension sustainability. The book considers whether adjustment in retirement age can ensure long-term financial sustainability. It explores how, compared to the population ageing, the issues stemming from the fragmentation pose a more insidious threat to pension sustainability in China.

Written for first-time buyers who have never owned a property or had a mortgage, rather than buy-to-let investors. Provides a holistic view of the property purchase process, and examines several key aspects: property, mortgages, and legal considerations. Written by academics who have extensive practical experience in property and mortgages.

The Political Economy of Pension Financialisation addresses - for numerous countries - how and why pension reforms have come to rely more on financial markets, how public policy reacted to financial crises, and regulatory variation. The book demonstrates how the process of pension financialisation reveals that pension policy is not only a social policy that affects retirement income, but also a financial policy that impacts savings rates, corporate finance and the economy. The chapters shed light on pre-funded private pensions as one key component of financialisation, as they turn savings into investments via financial services providers. Readers will also see how pension financialisation and the broader financialisation of the economy are here to stay, despite negative developments during and after the financial crisis. A systematic and comparative overwiew of the financialisation of pensions, The Political Economy of Pension Financialisation is ideal for scholars and postgradues working on Political Economy, Public Policy and Finance. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of European Public Policy.

Retirement is being `reconstructed', with the UK following the US path of abolishing mandatory retirement and increasing state pension ages. This timely book assesses prospects for work and retirement at age 65-plus in the UK and US. It is essential reading for researchers, students and practitioners interested in the late careers and the future of retirement.

The author presents a new approach to the study of private pensions in the united States and Canada. Whereas traditional approaches focus on the firm as the key to analyzing pension obligations and the impact of pensions on economic processes, Sahin takes the individual worker as the unit of analysis. The evolution of costs and benefits are then determined over the work life, which may include several jobs and membership in different pension plans. "The Worklife Report"

Sahin presents a new approach to the study of private pensions in the United States and Canada. While traditional approaches focus on the firm as the key to analyzing pension obligations and the impact of pensions on economic processes, Sahin takes the individual worker as the unit of analysis. The evolution of costs and benefits are then determined over the work life, which may include several jobs and membership in different pension plans. Because the conventional approaches generally assume no job mobility and a single employer, Sahin demonstrates, they fail to adequately reflect the actual status of individual pension benefits, the effects of job mobility, and the unequal distribution of pension benefits to individuals with comparable working lives and wage profiles.

To gain a clear view of private pensions and their impact on workers, employers, and public policy, Sahin shows that an analytical model that takes into account the interaction of job mobility, inflation, vesting rules, pension coverage, and portability must be employed. By taking the worker as the unit of analysis and emphasizing the dynamics of pension accumulation, Sahin is able to properly assess pension benefits from the perspective of the individual worker who needs to make rational job decisions, from the point of view of the employer concerned with the efficient and economical use of human resources, and from the public policy standpoint where the issue is the overall effectiveness of the private pension system. A pioneering contribution to the study of pension benefits, this volume will be of significant value to employee benefit specialists, policymakers, actuaries, and financial advisors.

This topical and timely analysis of late career and retirement within nine European societies and the USA examines how social inequality structures have developed in an era of globalization and aging populations. For several decades, many European societies relied on pushing and luring older workers out of employment by using generous early retirement programs in order to relieve national labor markets in times of globalization. However, as this book argues, one of the major challenges facing European and Northern American societies today is their severe demographic aging, which in turn places pension systems under substantial pressure due to the rising imbalance between those claiming pensions and those contributing to the pension system. Indeed, it is observed herein that in the recent past, governments have tried to increase the labor market attachment of older employees by retrenching early retirement benefits. This study investigates how these developments have impacted on the situation of older workers and retirees in nine European societies and the USA. In particular, the book looks at how social inequalities in later life have developed in the light of recent pension reforms. This informative book will appeal to sociologists, demographers, political scientists and economists interested in many different aspects of research including: international comparative research, globalization, labor market, welfare state, social inequality and research on aging. Researchers in the field of retirement and globalization studies will also find this book helpful, as will academics in labor market research and comparative political studies.

The Pension Crisis concerns the changing demographic profile of the economy: an increasing number of elderly persons supported by fewer young people. Governments around the world are responding to this impending crisis by shifting their pension policies away from pay-as-you-go systems towards individual savings schemes. These savings need to be converted into a pension at retirement, and annuities provide this function. This book is a comprehensive study of annuity markets. The book starts by outlining the context of public policy towards pensions, and explains the different types of annuities available, focusing on the UK which has the largest annuity market in the world. It examines how annuities are priced, and describes the techniques of mortality measurement. As a background, it provides a history of annuities, and the experience of annuity markets in a number of other countries. The book outlines the economic theory behind annuities, and explains how annuities insure consumers against longevity risks. It goes on to describes how annuities markets function: how they work, and whether they are efficient, leading onto a discussion of the annuity puzzle. The book concludes by discussing the regulatory framework, assets available to back annuity liabilities, and recent developments in annuity markets.

The market for retirement financial advice has never been more important and yet more in flux. The long-term shift away from traditional defined benefit pensions toward defined contribution personal accounts requires all of us to be more sophisticated today than ever before. However, the landscape for financial advice is changing all over the world, with new rules and regulations transforming the financial advice profession. This volume explores the market for retirement financial advice, to explain what financial advisors do and how to measure performance and impact. Who are these professionals and what standards must they abide by? How do they make money and what are their incentives? How can one protect clients from bad advice, and what is good advice? Does advice alone effect changes in personal habits? Answering these questions, along with new technology that will decrease the delivery costs of advice, will play a transformative role in helping more households receive the quality financial advice that they need. Accordingly, this volume illuminates the market and regulatory challenges so as to enhance consumer, plan sponsor, and regulator decisions.

Economic Restructuring and Social Exclusion provides a timely reminder of persisting inequalities of class, race and gender as a consequence of the changes which have engulfed Europe in less than a decade. The contributors consider key debates including democracy, social justice and citizenship. The book also examines evidence that social and economic polarization is increasing, and the prospect of a conspicuous and growing "underclass" in Europe's urban centres is fast becoming a reality. This volume will be particularly valuable for undergraduate and postgraduate students in sociology.

Surveys show that financial literacy levels are typically low around the world, despite the widening access to financial services and the increasing financial risks borne by households in many countries. This suggests that there will be mounting challenges for households and SMEs to invest wisely and effectively as societies age and governments shift away from defined benefit to defined contribution pension schemes. Individuals will increasingly have to make complex financial decisions to plan for their retirement and for a range of foreseen and unforeseen expenditures. All of these developments suggest that financial education should be part of a lifetime process that starts at an early age and is pursued throughout adulthood.The contributions in this book came from a symposium titled, Promoting Better Lifetime Planning through Financial Education, organized by the Asian Development Bank Institute, the Bank of Japan, the Japan Financial Services Agency, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, held on 22-23 January 2015 in Tokyo.Amongst the topics discussed were: effective pension management, financial education curricula in schools, training for teachers of financial education, internationally comparable data on financial literacy and the evaluation of the effectiveness of financial education programs. There are also case studies on financial inclusion, regulation, and education in Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines, Viet Nam, Thailand, and Japan.

This authoritative collection, which includes a new introduction surveying the fields, contains key contributions from the comparative literature on the politics of income maintenance policy.In recent years theoretical work has been dominated by Gosta Esping-Andersen's regime theory. This volume demonstrates how that theory, together with arguments on convergence and path-dependency, has been applied to the comparative study of income maintenance policy. It highlights issues about the difference between social insurance and social assistance and about the important differences in the way women and families are treated. The collection looks at the literature that seeks to explain cutbacks, or their absence, highlighting issues about pensions policy. Income Maintenance Policy will be an invaluable source of literature for researchers, students and policymakers alike.

The global custody product was conceived out of changes to United States pension law. In 1974, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act came to the Statute books, forcing US pension plan sponsors to segregate investment management and custody of the underlying assets.
Today, service providers act for clients in many countries worldwide, handling assets across 100 countries of investment. The range of services is ever more sophisticated. Measured by the value of assets held under custody, it is a multi trillion dollar industry.