Frequently asked questions about the Pension Fund's Board of Trustees

The board consists of 8 members, 4 of whom are appointed by the employer, 2 are nominated by the COR (active participants) and 2 by the Vereniging Gepensioneerden Buhrmann/CE/Staples (pensioners). For detailed information on the board, see the annual report.

The Board of Trustees is independent and decisions have to be made with due regard for the requirements enshrined under law and the interests of all persons involved. For example, it is not therefore possible for the Board of Trustees or the employer to ‘grab cash from the pension pot’. This is set out very clearly in the Netherlands Pensions Act. The Board of Trustees reports to the Accountability Body which consists of representatives of the employer, active members, former members and pension beneficiaries. There is also a Review Committee, which oversees the policy of the Board of Trustees and general matters such as risk management and a balanced weighing of interests. An accountant and an actuary conduct an annual audit, and the Pension Fund is regulated by DNB and the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM).

Article 105 of the Netherlands Pensions Act stipulates suitability requirements for all persons associated with the governance bodies of a pension fund. In addition, every pension fund has a Suitability Plan, which sets out the quality of knowledge, the skills and the decision-making capacity of the members of the Board of Trustees. Part of the Suitability Plan is the Training Plan, which utilises the training possibilities of training institutes that are approved by DNB. The required level of knowledge and skill is checked and evaluated regularly via an independent audit.