“Worsening financial position of pension plans drives an increase in savings” During the COVID-19 pandemic, the mean statutory funding ratio of the entire Dutch pension sector fell by nearly ten percentage points. A survey by De Nederlandsche Bank (Dutch central bank) at that time revealed that this fall caused many households to fear pension curtailments. Could such shocks also affect pension plan participants’ saving…

Ben jij die hands on Communicatie Medewerker die de stichting Netspar helpt om hun waardevolle kennis toegankelijk te maken voor hun doelgroepen? Dan komen we graag in contact met jou! Instituut Netspar is hét kennis- en onderzoeknetwerk in Nederland op het gebied van pensioen en vergrijzing, verbonden met Tilburg University. Pensioen klinkt misschien saai, maar is het zeker niet. De vernieuwing van het pensioenstelsel…

The Dutch Labor Foundation has nominated a new member to the Netspar Supervisory Board: Piet Rietman. He will succeed Willem Noordman. Piet has been part of the Executive Management team of the FNV trade union since December 2022, where, among other things, he is responsible for the pension portfolio. Before this, he worked in the financial industry, including as an economist and investment specialist….

“Pension funds with large buffers are associated with a high level of trust” Until they retire, pension fund participants do not know whether the premiums they paid during their employment were well spent. They need to trust pension funds to invest their premiums wisely. That trust cannot be taken for granted. Pension funds are aware of the fact that any failure to deliver on…

“A better SDG performance could benefit both governments and institutional investors” The deadline of 2030 for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is fast approaching, and the pressure on governments to meet these targets is intensifying. The implications of not achieving the SDGs could have negative consequences for sovereign bonds. For example, biodiversity loss (SDG 15) could lead to a loss of…

“Individual pension provisions have become a vital component in achieving adequate pensions” The ageing population of Europe is putting pension systems under pressure. Therefore the European Commission produced a set of recommendations to support Member States in realising pension reforms. This study investigates whether the three-pillar pension systems of the Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom and Switzerland result in adequate pensions. It also assesses…

The Foundation Board of Netspar has appointed Corien Wortmann-Kool Chairperson of the Supervisory Board of Netspar. The other members of the Supervisory Board are Inge van den Doel, Guusje Dolsma, Laura van Geest, Lex Meijdam, Annette Mosman, Willem Noordman, and Bianca Tetteroo. Wortmann was Chair of the Board of Stichting Pensioenfunds ABP, the Dutch public sector collective pension fund, through December 2022. She currently…

Jorgo Goossens was awarded his PhD in a ceremony held Friday, February 17th. It was, of course, a very special day. In this interview, he reflects on how it all started, his research findings, the impact of the pandemic, and his plans for the future. Take us back to the beginning. What was the impetus four years ago when you decided: I’m going to…

“Pension funds hold the key to increased household liquidity and reduced housing market risks” About 1,200 billion euros are tied up in home equity on the Dutch housing market. Although that wealth is at risk if house prices fall, these assets can nevertheless be mobilised for other purposes. At the moment, home equity is scarcely used. This paper investigates how the introduction of shared…

The Supervisory Board has decided to appoint Prof. Dr. Lisa Brüggen as director of the Netspar Foundation as of 1 March 2023. Lisa is professor of financial services at Maastricht University and scientific director of the Brightlands Institute for Smart Society (BISS). She is also a member of the Supervisory Board of Nibud and a member of the policy advisory committee for pensions at…