Pool of the Year

ACCESS Pool

ACCESS drives to continuously innovate and ensure best practice. The last year’s activities, which included the roll-out of our Private Markets offerings, brought c. £5bn of new investment into the Pool. These additions mean ACCESS covers 70% of the AUM for our Authorities, with over 20% of Pooled assets invested in the UK. ESG is a key aspect of good investment governance, the work we are doing with PIRC to ensure best practice and our guidelines are kept up to date. Our engagement includes redesigned Investor Days bring together the Authorities and managers for a day of learning and collaboration.

Border to Coast Pensions Partnership

Border to Coast exists to serve its LGPS Partner Funds. Our innovative range of investment propositions enable Partner Funds to implement investment strategies cost effectively and responsibly.Building on a track record of success, in 23/24 we launched four new propositions – Emerging Markets Equity Alpha, two Real Estate Funds, and UK Opportunities, delivering productive finance in the UK, along with £1.2bn further commitments to Climate Opportunities. Of our Partner Funds’ £64bn of assets, £52bn (82%) is pooled by Border to Coast, delivering cumulative cost savings of £106m to date - on track to deliver more than £500m by 2032.

Brunel Pension Partnership

The purpose of pooling when set up in 2016 was ""cost savings"", with a second aim defined as investment in UK infrastructure. Brunel set a target of achieving £43m of cost savings annually by 2025. In its Annual Report for financial 2022-23 (published 2024), it reported achieving £41m annually, putting it well ahead of target. Client transitions at end-Q1 2024 had reached 85%+. We would also highlight three key areas of strength: leadership on the transition to Net Zero; our robust and wide-ranging approach to stewardship; and our impactful investments in private markets.

Local Pensions Partnership Investments

LPPI was established in 2016 to enable UK local government and public sector schemes to pool resources and improve management of their assets for the benefit of employers and their scheme members, and currently manages £26.3 billion of pension assets, (30 June 2024). From inception, LPPI pooled 100% of client fund assets under a Whole Scheme Management model which provides access to attractive investments in a cost-effective manner while client funds retain sovereignty of their strategic asset allocation, investment objective and risk appetite. LPPI is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 724653).

London CIV

Over the last 12 months London CIV has developed and rolled out a plan to further support and strengthen a collegiate London LGPS community - several key initiatives were initiated and delivered. We’ve enabled London’s LGPS to invest exclusively in UK Housing, strengthened their ability to invest in London and UK infrastructure, increased engagement and delivered education, assured London’s LGPS through London CIV's financial virility, and forged a strategy that will enable London’s LGPS to work more efficiently, while ensuring each borough retains choice and oversight of their respective schemes in the future.

Back to shortlist