05 March 2026

ZEDRA, award-winning provider of pension and incentive services has called for a more dynamic model of trusteeship in response to the Department for Work and Pensions’ consultation on trusteeship and governance* which closes this week, warning that traditional approaches are no longer fit for purpose in today’s changing market.

Kim Nash, Managing Director, commented: “Trusteeship remains the ideal governance model for protecting members’ benefits. However, the nature of trusteeship has changed significantly over recent years. Large master trusts now dominate in the DC market, and many DB schemes are operating under journey plans focused on achieving a defined endgame. In this environment, traditional approaches to trusteeship are no longer sufficient. The scale, complexity and pace of change across both DB and DC arrangements mean governance can no longer be reactive or purely compliance-driven. Effective trusteeship increasingly requires a dynamic approach, underpinned by a clear strategic framework and the capacity, in terms of both time and leadership, to enable effective and timely decision-making.

“This will be increasingly important as the market consolidates into fewer, larger and more commercial schemes, as trustees navigate complex journey plans, and as the industry strives to deliver better outcomes for members. The growing professionalism of the trustee role is a positive development that enhances member outcomes and should continue to be encouraged. In our view, all professional trustees should be accredited, and every scheme should have at least one accredited trustee, whether professional, or lay, to help raise governance standards consistently across the market. The consultation also provides an important opportunity for schemes to reflect on whether their current board structure and governance model are truly fit for purpose in today’s landscape.”

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