CERN Pension Fund: Best Pension Fund Governance Europe 2019

Scientists at CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research) search for answers to timeless questions, pushing the boundaries of knowledge and advancing scientific breakthroughs.  Since its inception in 1955, the CERN Pension Fund has provided pension and social security benefits to its staff and fellows, and in 1968 the fund invited staff from ESO (the European Southern Observatory), the world’s most productive ground-based observatory, to join. Today the CERN Pension Fund is a multi-asset investment portfolio, which counts over 7,500  members and beneficiaries on its roster and is responsible for making pension payments  in 48 countries. The fund gets high marks for governance, with a clearly defined organisational structure, high quality reporting and transparency, and effective board and committee oversight. The Fund’s CEO, Matthew Eyton-Jones, who was appointed in 2015, has as strong focus on good governance and has worked hard to make sure the CERN Pension Fund is considered best in class amongst its international peers. In particular, the CERN Pension Fund has upgraded the female gender balance of its board from 0 percent to 33 percent, including a female Chair, whilst the Fund’s staff are over 60% female including both the Chief Investment Officer and Chief Operating Officer. As research has proven, more diverse boardrooms and teams leads to improved productivity and higher returns. For an organisation that exemplifies innovation and transparency, the CFI.co judging panel is delighted to name CERN Pension Fund as the 2019 winner of the Best Pension Fund Governance (Europe) award.