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www.pensionbee.com
Annual Report and
Financial Statements
2022
Contents
Strategic Report
1
PensionBee at a Glance
Page 4
2
Chair’s Statement
Page 6
3
Chief Executive Officer’s Review
Page 8
4
About Us
Page 10
5
Our Strategy
Page 25
6
Our Business Model
Page 34
7
Our People
Page 36
8
Market Opportunity
Page 46
9
Operating and Financial Review
Page 48
10
Measuring our Performance
Page 54
11
Stakeholders
Page 56
12
Environmental, Social and Governance Considerations
Page 71
13
Climate-related Disclosures
Page 82
14
Managing our Risks
Page 92
15
Viability Statement
Page 98
Corporate Governance Report
1
Chair’s Introduction to Governance
Page 100
2
Board of Directors and Executive Management
Page 103
3
Corporate Governance Statement
Page 108
4
Nomination Committee Report
Page 115
5
Investment Committee Report
Page 119
6
Audit and Risk Committee Report
Page 121
7
Directors’ Remuneration Report
Page 128
8
Directors’ Report
Page 147
9
Statement of Directors’ Responsibilities
Page 152
Financial Statements
1
Independent Auditor’s Report
Page 154
2
Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income
Page 161
3
Consolidated Statement of Financial Position
Page 162
4
Consolidated Statement of Change in Equity
Page 163
5
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
Page 164
6
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Page 165
7
Company Financial Statements
Page 181
8
Notes to the Company’s Financial Statements
Page 183
Strategic
Report
1. Supported by PensionBee’s Trustpilot score as at 31 December 2022 of 4.6★ out of 5 (based on 8,270 reviews), comparing favourably to other key pension providers who operate
in the UK Defined Contribution pensions market, together with PensionBee’s industry awards as set out on pages 22 and 23 of the About Us section of the Strategic Report.
2. See definitions on pages 54 and 55 of the Measuring our Performance section of the Strategic Report. PensionBee’s KPIs include alternative performance measures (‘APMs’),
including Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin. APMs are not defined by International Financial Reporting Standards (‘IFRS’) and should be considered together
with the Group’s IFRS measurements of performance. PensionBee believes APMs assist in providing additional insight into the underlying performance of PensionBee and aid
comparability of information between reporting periods.
3. Average app store rating of 4.6 out of 5 for 31 December 2022, based on 4.7 Apple Store rating and 4.5 Google Play rating. Average app store rating of 4.8 for 31 December
2021, based on 4.8 App Store rating and 4.7 Google Play rating.
4. Represents absolute change in Adjusted EBITDA Margin from (129)% as at 31 December 2021 to (110)% as at 31 December 2022.
1
PensionBee at a Glance
PensionBee is a leading online pension provider. Our mission is to make
pensions simple, so that everyone can look forward to a happy retirement
PensionBee is a leading online pension provider
1
in the UK, with a mission to make pensions simple, so that everyone can look
forward to a happy retirement. We are a direct-to-consumer financial technology company with approximately 183,000 Invested
Customers and £3.0bn of Assets under Administration (‘AUA’) as at 31 December 2022 (2021: 117,000 Invested Customers and
£2.6bn of AUA).
2
We deliver a leading customer proposition to pension holders in the UK defined contribution pensions market, catering for the
mass market of consumers that has often been ignored by the traditional pensions industry. We seek to make our customers
‘Pension Confident’ by providing them with control and clarity, enabling them to interact with their retirement savings through a
unique combination of smart technology and dedicated customer service.
Our technology platform allows customers to combine their pensions and invest in a range of online plans, forecast how much they
are expected to have saved by the time they retire, and make withdrawals from the age of 55. Our customers rate our service highly,
as evidenced by our Excellent Trustpilot score of 4.6
out of 5 (based on 8,270 reviews), our average app store rating of 4.6 out
of 5
3
and our Customer Retention Rate, which has consistently been 97% (2021: Excellent Trustpilot score of 4.6
(based on 6,288
reviews), average app store rating of 4.6
4
and Customer Retention Rate of 97%).
2
For the year ended 31 December 2022, PensionBee’s Revenue was £17.7m, representing a growth rate of 38% as compared to
£12.8m for 2021.
2
Adjusted EBITDA for 2022 was £(19.5)m as compared to £(16.4)m for 2021, with an Adjusted EBITDA Margin of
(110)% for 2022 as compared to (129)% for 2021, reflecting continued strong and scalable investment in the Company’s growth.
2
Profit/(Loss) before Tax narrowed to £(22.4)m for 2022 as compared to £(25.0)m for 2021, supported by an improvement of the
Adjusted EBITDA Margin.
2
PensionBee Group plc
4
Strategic Report
97%
2022 Customer Retention
2
stable
183k
2022 Invested Customers
2
+56% on 2021
£3.0bn
2022 Assets under Administration
2
+17% on 2021
£17.7m
2022 Revenue
2
+38% on 2021
£(19.5)m
2022 Adjusted EBITDA
2
-19% on 2021
(110)%
2022 Adjusted EBITDA Margin
2
+18ppt on 2021
4
£(22.4)m
2022 PBT
2
+10% on 2021
(9.97)p
2022 EPS
2
+16% on 2021
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
5
Strategic Report
Set against a backdrop of extreme global market
volatility... PensionBee is a story of resilience
and consistent delivery, with continued rapid
growth and key profitability milestones all very
much in line with the objectives we have set.
Set against a backdrop of extreme global market volatility, a war in Europe, and a cost of living
crisis in the UK, PensionBee is a story of resilience and consistent delivery, with continued
rapid growth and key profitability milestones all very much in line with the objectives we
have set. By the end of 2022, our Invested Customer base reached 183,000, Assets under
Administration exceeded £3.0bn and Revenue for the year was £17.7m.
5
Through a
combination of this growth, together with careful cost control, we achieved the important
milestone of pre-marketing profitability in the last quarter of the year, paving the way for
ongoing full profitability on an Adjusted EBITDA basis by the end of 2023.
6
People are attracted to PensionBee, entrusting us with their pension savings because of the
combination of simple to use technology, exemplary support and market leading service
that we offer. Our colleagues are industrious, our technology is effective, secure and scalable
and importantly, the investment solutions that we offer our customers enable them to be
‘Pension Confident’. We empower our customers with knowledge and provide them with
clarity and control over their retirement savings - where their savings are invested, how
those investments are performing and what pension income their savings can be expected
to generate. PensionBee is leading the market for those seeking a simple, straightforward
way of collecting together their various pensions in one place and investing that money as
they wish.
5. See definitions on pages 54 and 55 of the Measuring our Performance section of the Strategic Report.
6. Pre-marketing profitability measured using Adjusted EBITDA before Marketing. Full profitability measured using
Adjusted EBITDA. See definitions on pages 54 and 55 of the Measuring our Performance section of the Strategic Report.
2
Chair’s Statement
Environmental Considerations
Increasing concerns about the conduct of business in society and, in particular, the approach
that businesses take to the environment, will dictate whether a business is sustainable
over the medium term. Those businesses which are able to successfully demonstrate a
responsible approach to our world will be the ones which prosper.
We believe that effectively managing our Environmental, Social and Governance (‘ESG’)
priorities will help preserve our resilience and drive long-term value for all our stakeholders.
We continue to pursue our ESG work transparently, disclosing our targets and relevant
metrics, and believe this approach supports accountability and helps our stakeholders to be
informed about our progress.
Much of 2022 has been spent working in partnership with BlackRock to launch PensionBee’s
Impact Plan, a mainstream impact investing product, and the latest in a series of PensionBee
customer-led innovations for the UK pension industry. Our Impact Plan enables savers
to deploy their pensions to build a better world whilst they save for retirement. We also
continued to minimise our impact on the environment through our remote working policy
and as a paperless pension provider.
As part of our ongoing commitment to increasing our transparency across all the strands
of ESG, having previously disclosed under the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board,
Workforce Disclosure Initiative and the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (‘SECR’)
framework, this year we are pleased to be able to make climate-related disclosures under
the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (‘TCFD’) framework. Further details
of our ESG activities can be found on pages 71 to 81 of the ESG Considerations section of the
Strategic Report, and our SECR Reporting and TCFD Reporting are set out on pages 82 to 91
of the Climate-related Disclosures section of the Strategic Report.
Governance
The Board is committed to upholding the highest standards of corporate governance across
the business, ensuring that these principles of good governance are embedded into our
culture, at all levels. On the anniversary of our initial public offering, PensionBee took an
important next step in our Company’s evolution, graduating to the Premium Segment of the
London Stock Exchange, confirming our commitment to upholding the highest standards of
corporate governance while increasing the liquidity of the PensionBee stock. This important
step was the result of a tremendous amount of effort by our in-house team working closely
with our advisors. My thanks to them all.
In conjunction with our admission to the Premium Segment, we expanded our Board. The
appointment of Lara Oyesanya as a Non-Executive Director brings extensive legal, regulatory
PensionBee Group plc
6
Strategic Report
and commercial experience to the Board. We were also delighted to welcome Christoph J.
Martin to the Board as an Executive Director in June 2022. Christoph joined PensionBee in
2019, graduating into the role of Chief Financial Officer in 2020, playing a key role in our
listing and our elevation to the Premium Segment.
The Board continues to provide support and appropriate challenge to the Executive
Management Team to ensure that the strategy is sound, achievable and ultimately delivered.
Full details of the work of the Board and its Committees are set out in the Corporate
Governance Report from page 99 onwards.
We believe that effective stakeholder engagement is key to the long-term sustainable
success of our business and as such, our goal is to proactively engage with our key
stakeholders, to understand their needs and interests and to respond accordingly. As a
Board, when we make decisions, we carefully consider the interests of our customers,
employees, shareholders, communities, suppliers, government and regulators and our
planet, seeking to ensure positive outcomes for all. Further details of our approach are set
out on pages 56 to 70 of the Stakeholders section of the Strategic Report.
Diversity, Inclusion & Equality
At PensionBee, our vision is to live in a world where everyone can look forward to a happy
retirement. As a Company, our approach to diversity, inclusion and equality includes
building a team that reflects society, in order to better reflect, represent and serve our diverse
customer base. We have created a working environment in which everyone has equal access
to opportunities and is treated with fairness and dignity.
For 2022, we worked towards attaining gender balance and representation at all levels and
towards attaining representation of Asian/Black/Mixed/Multiple/Other ethnic backgrounds
to match the UK population across all levels. PensionBee was proud to achieve 52% female
and minority gender representation across its entire employee base, 50% at Executive
Management level and 57% at Board level, naturally exceeding the FCAs requirements for
companies to have at least 40% women on the board and at least one senior board position
being held by a woman.
7
PensionBee also achieved 40% Asian/Black/Mixed/Multiple/Other
ethnic representation across its entire employee base, 20% at Executive Management level
and 14% at Board level, welcoming the introduction of the FCA’s requirement for at least
one board member being from an Asian/Black/Mixed/Multiple/Other ethnic background.
7
7. All employee data supported by analysis from PensionBee’s HR information system, November 2022. Executive
Management and Board level data as at 31 December 2021.
Looking Forward
Looking forward, none of us can be confident that 2023 will be any less demanding than the past
year. Adaptability will continue to be an essential attribute of enterprises which lead their markets
Just as technology has enabled PensionBee to simplify the management of pension savings, so too
has technology transformed the way we work. Offering choice, freeing many from the need to travel
and enhancing productivity through increased interconnectivity, PensionBee has embraced flexible
working patterns to the benefit of all of our people and to the benefit of the service we deliver. We can
be confident that PensionBee will continue to prove resilient in the face of the unforeseen.
Navigating the headwinds we have all confronted in 2022 has required determination and skill.
Success is a team sport. The year’s outcome is the consequence of many, many individual actions,
carefully executed by applying expertise, diligence and care. My thanks go to each and every one of
our people - you are the authors of the success which we report here.
Mark Wood CBE
Non-Executive Chair
15 March 2023
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
7
Strategic Report
As a company, we place great value and emphasis on doing what we said we would do. Trust
has never been more important, especially as we have cemented our place as a household
brand name. With brand awareness of more than 50% achieved
8
, we continued growing our
customer base, reaching a total of 183,000 Invested Customers
9
on our technology platform
by the end of the year (2021: 25% brand awareness and 117,000 Invested Customers). We
attracted these customers through a combination of data-led online performance marketing
channels and our brand channels, including television and our sponsorship of the ‘Brentford
Bees’, a Premier League football club.
As a result, amid steep declines in global equity and bond markets that have affected pension
values across the country, our Assets under Administration surpassed the £3bn mark and our
Revenue grew by 38% as compared to the previous year.
10
Our high Customer Retention
Rate of 97% and ongoing transfers and contributions from new and existing customers
enabled us to record approximately £1bn of Gross Inflows.
11
This, combined with the
foundations of our scalable technology platform and disciplined cost control, enabled us to
reach key profitability milestones of pre-marketing profitability across the fourth quarter of
2022 and post-marketing profitability in November 2022, in line with our expectations.
12
We
are primed to continue to deliver on this path, expecting to achieve ongoing full profitability
on an Adjusted EBITDA basis by the end of 2023.
9
This year was also notable for us with respect to environmental, social and governance (‘ESG’)
considerations, as we conducted an exercise to assess ESG materiality from the perspective
of our key stakeholders. We believe that all businesses must have a ‘social licence’ to operate,
and as such we believe that meeting our ESG responsibilities to stakeholders will enable us
to thrive over the long term. We were pleased to remain aligned with our stakeholders in our
8. Source: PensionBee brand tracker. Prompted brand awareness in January 2023 measured through a consumer survey
asking ‘Which of the following have you heard of?’ with respect to UK financial services brands: Aviva 83%, Scottish Widows
77%, Standard Life 66%, Royal London 55%, PensionBee 52%, Hargreaves Lansdown 36%, Vanguard 32%, Fidelity 30%,
Nutmeg 30%, AJ Bell 21%, Interactive Investor 9%. Compares to prompted brand awareness for 2021 of 25%, sourced from
Boring Money, February 2022.
9. See definitions on pages 54 and 55 of the Measuring our Performance section of the Strategic Report.
10. 38% change in Revenue calculated based on Revenue of £17.7m for the year to 31 December 2022 as compared to
£12.8m for the year to 31 December 2021. See definitions on pages 54 and 55 of the Measuring our Performance section
of the Strategic Report.
11. Gross Inflows of £1,060m, Gross Outflows of £(197)m, Net Inflows of £863m and Market Growth and Other of £(424)m
for the year to 31 December 2022 as set out on pages 48 and 53 of the Operating and Financial Review. See definitions on
pages 54 and 55 of the Measuring our Performance section of the Strategic Report.
12. Pre-marketing profitability measured using Adjusted EBITDA before Marketing. Post-marketing profitability measured
using Adjusted EBITDA. See definitions on pages 54 and 55 of the Measuring our Performance section of the Strategic
Report.
While the macroeconomic environment
remains uncertain, we focus on what we can
control: building a pension company you can
believe in, trust and be proud to be a part of.
3
Chief Executive Officer’s Review
2022 has been a challenging year for all. We have witnessed war in Europe and exceptionally
harsh and volatile global markets, punctuated by rising interest rates, the energy crisis and
stubborn inflation that have meaningfully raised the cost of living for UK consumers. In
spite of these headwinds, or perhaps because of them, retirement planning has never
been more important.
Throughout this year, we have continued to focus on what matters: serving our customers
and supporting them through these challenges. The external environment has brought to
the fore difficult decisions for UK consumers. How should I save for the future? Should I delay
my retirement?
PensionBee has been there to offer its customers guidance and support, the type of service
that all consumers deserve from their pension providers. We are proud to have maintained
our Excellent Trustpilot score (4.6
) and to have achieved impressive app store ratings (4.7
App Store rating and 4.5 Google Play rating), reflecting the priority we place on customer
communication and rapid response times, with contribution to customer service from every
management level within the business (2021: Trustpilot score of 4.6
, 4.8 App Store rating
and 4.7 Google Play rating).
PensionBee Group plc
8
Strategic Report
ambition to offer an inclusive and innovative product, one characterised by stewardship, purpose and excellent value,
as well as to prioritise cyber security, diversity and inclusion and offering fulfilling careers for our team. With 91% of
our workforce feeling aligned with our vision, mission and values
13
, we are meeting our goal of being an employer of
choice with an inspiring vision.
As we look forward to 2023 we recognise that the world is in transition: efforts to move to a low carbon economy
and one that is characterised by less inequality dominate our national conversation. We are proud to be a part of this
change with our innovative product offering that empowers UK consumers to be ‘pension confident’ and to have
control over their retirements. Our newly-launched Impact Plan will enable our customers to prepare for retirement
while investing in companies that help further the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development
Goals.
14
We are also pleased to bring the ‘regular withdrawals’ feature to our customers, a product innovation we have
developed over this year, in response to feedback from our customers over the age of 55.
While the macroeconomic environment remains uncertain, we focus on what we can control: building a pension
company you can believe in, trust and be proud to be a part of. I am immensely proud of, and grateful to, the entire
team for their dedication and hard work, for the spirit with which they approach our mission and vision and for
upholding our values and culture.
Outlook
We believe that the UK pensions market will continue to grow at pace, despite the challenging financial markets,
supported by the regulatory framework and favourable policy changes, the acceleration of the UK’s transition to digital
technology and underlying trends in the employment market that increasingly demand a modern pension consolidation
solution like ours. New opportunities and developments in technology are expected to continue to accelerate change
in the pensions industry in ways that will ultimately benefit all consumers. The need to save for retirement through an
efficient and scalable platform has never been greater, especially as we grapple with a cost of living crisis.
Our resilient business model, leading customer proposition, household brand status, committed and dynamic
leadership team and robust capital position, will see us uniquely positioned to continue to grow at pace, navigating
any challenges that the year ahead brings.
We look forward to 2023 being yet another exciting year in the PensionBee story.
Romi Savova
Chief Executive Officer
15 March 2023
13. Source: PensionBee’s annual Diversity, Inclusion, Equality & Support Survey, 2022. Compares to 96% of the workforce feeling aligned to PensionBee’s
mission, vision and values, as measured by PensionBee’s Diversity, Inclusion and Engagement Survey, 2021.
14. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and
prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which are an urgent call for action by
all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They recognise that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with
strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth - all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our
oceans and forests. Source: sdgs.un.org/goals.
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
9
Strategic Report
PensionBee Group plc
10
Strategic Report
4
About Us
Our History
Since inception, we have been a
consumer champion in a highly
complex industry, ripe for disruption
PensionBee was founded in 2014 to simplify pension savings in the UK, following a difficult pension
transfer experience for our CEO, Romi Savova, using traditional platforms and financial advisers,
encountering archaic systems, excessive fees and complex paperwork.
Since then, we have been challenging the status quo of an industry that has evolved without sufficient
focus on consumer needs, characterised by poor communication, opaque fees and cumbersome
processes. PensionBee has sought to change the industry for the better, modernising pensions,
making pension management easy for its customers while they save for a happy retirement.
With over £3.0bn in Assets under Administration (‘AUA’) and 183,000 Invested Customers (‘IC’) at
the end of 2022 (2021: £2.6bn of AUA and 117,000 IC), we have grown rapidly through direct-to-
consumer marketing activities, becoming a household brand name for the mass market.
15
Our
consistently maintained Customer Retention Rate in excess of 95% and an Excellent Trustpilot
rating, reflect our commitment to outstanding customer service.
Along the way, we have taken important steps in our corporate development, including our initial
public offering in April 2021 on the High Growth Segment of the London Stock Exchange (‘LSE’) and
our subsequent transition to the Premium Segment of the LSE one year later, to raise the capital that
we need to support sustainable and profitable growth and underscoring our commitment to the
highest level of corporate governance.
15. See definitions on pages 54 and 55 of the Measuring our Performance section of the Strategic Report. PensionBee’s KPIs include
alternative performance measures (‘APMs’). APMs are not defined by International Financial Reporting Standards (‘IFRS’) and
should be considered together with the Group’s IFRS measurements of performance. PensionBee believes APMs assist in providing
additional insight into the underlying performance of PensionBee and aid comparability of information between reporting periods.
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
11
Strategic Report
2014
PensionBee is born
Our story begins when Romi
Savova (CEO) tries to move her
old workplace pension and
has great difficulty switching
providers. She decides there
has to be a better way.
2015
Work begins
Romi and co-founder Jonathan
Lister Parsons (CTO) quit their jobs
and start building PensionBee,
an online pension provider that
puts the customer at its heart.
Our first employees join the
Company, we move into our first
office and the team begins work
on the BeeHive and creation
of the PensionBee brand.
2018
The app is launched
Our app goes live, giving customers
the power to manage their
pensions from their smartphones.
With the introduction of Open
Banking, we also become the first
pension provider to integrate
with a number of banking and
money management apps.
AUA: £328m
IC: 17k
2017
Innovation and investment
We broaden our mix of customers
with new product innovations. We
introduce our drawdown service,
enabling customers to make
withdrawals easily online. We also
launch our first responsible plan,
providing our savers with a climate-
conscious way of investing.
AUA: £108m
IC: 5k
2016
PensionBee goes live
We launch our product with plans
from BlackRock and State Street
Global Advisors, helping savers
combine their old pensions.
Mark Wood CBE, former
Chief Executive of Prudential
UK, joins as Chair.
AUA: £19m
IC: 1k
PensionBee Group plc
12
Strategic Report
2019
Acclaim from the industry
We become the first pension provider
to adopt the Simpler Annual Benefit
Statement, winning acclaim from both
the government and pensions industry.
We introduce two new pension plans,
4Plus and Preserve, to broaden our appeal
amongst customers nearing retirement,
as well as a Shariah-compliant plan.
Michelle Cracknell CBE also joins the
PensionBee Board as an Independent
Non-Executive Director, bringing over
30 years’ experience from the pensions
and retirement planning industry.
AUA: £745m
IC: 38k
2020
AUA exceeds £1bn and we launch
the Fossil Fuel Free Plan
We campaign to show the rest of the
pensions industry that there’s demand for a
fossil fuel free pension, based on customers’
feedback. We succeed with commitments
of >£100m, and launch the Fossil Fuel Free
Plan in partnership with Legal & General.
We win praise for our high levels of
innovation and customer service, as well as
our industry-leading workplace diversity,
when we are named ‘Pension Provider
of the Year’ (UK Pensions Awards).
Mary Francis CBE joins our Board as
Senior Independent Director.
AUA: £1.4bn
IC: 69k
2021
Becoming a publicly listed company
We become a publicly listed company with
an IPO on the High Growth Segment of the
Main Market of the London Stock Exchange,
also giving our customers access to buy
shares. This allows us to further expand and
to innovate, so that we can help even more
people look forward to a happy retirement.
We are awarded the Internet Crystal
Mark and Plain English App Mark For
our accessibly-designed website.
AUA: £2.6bn
IC: 117k
2022
AUA exceeds £3bn and we join the Premium
Segment of the London Stock Exchange
We transition to the Premium Segment
of the London Stock Exchange's Main
Market, underscoring our commitment to
upholding the highest standards of corporate
governance and dedication to achieving our
growth ambitions and increasing liquidity.
Lara Oyesanya joins our Board as an
Independent Non-Executive Director.
Our ‘Believe in the Bee’ brand campaign
launches with an ad featuring Brentford
Football Club players, a cameo from our CEO,
plus our distinctive new animated honey bee.
We win multiple awards, including ‘FinTech
of the Year’ (UK FinTech Awards), ‘Financial
Inclusion’ (FSTech Awards) and ‘Employer
of the Year’ (FT Adviser Diversity in
Finance Awards). We are awarded 5 Boring
Money Best Buys 2022, including 'Best for
Customer Service' and are accredited with
Good With Money's ‘Good Egg’ mark.
AUA: £3.0bn
IC: 183k
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
13
Strategic Report
PensionBee Group plc
14
Strategic Report
Our Vision
We strive to help our customers achieve a
happy retirement in the form of financial
freedom, good health and social inclusion
Our vision acts as a blueprint for all our business activities, from outstanding customer service
and intuitive product design, to investment solutions with some of the world’s largest money
managers and impactful corporate and social responsibility initiatives. As a pensions company
with a long-term horizon for our customers, we seek to look beyond short-term gains to help
our customers achieve a sustainable retirement income.
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Our customers have a large variety of retirement goals and ambitions,
whether purchasing homes close to their children, travelling around
the world or simply living without any financial worries. Each
customer is unique, but to achieve their ideal retirement, they all
need sufficient income to cover their living expenses for the rest of
their lives. This, at its core, is the concept of financial freedom.
For too long, consumers have struggled to manage their retirement
savings. Pensions are often complicated and, combined with the added
intricacies that can result from the accrual of multiple pension plans from
different employers over the course of a career, present a significant
obstacle for consumers wanting to take control of their retirement savings.
PensionBee’s technology platform is designed to make it easy for
customers to consolidate their pensions, to make contributions in line
with their saving goals, to invest in a range of diversified plans and,
from the age of 55, to make on-demand and appropriate withdrawals.
Through access to pension calculators and retirement forecasting
tools, we seek to help our customers understand how much they
need to save in order to achieve their desired income in retirement.
Financial Freedom
We believe that good physical and mental health can be a major
determinant of happiness in later life. Whilst quality nutrition and safe
living conditions are important contributors to good health, we also
believe that financial wellbeing can have a significant role to play.
Our platform has been designed in a user-friendly way so as to
limit the stresses of engaging with one’s pension and to help
customers exercise greater control over their financial future.
Similarly, we also want to give our customers greater peace of mind
by offering more ethically and environmentally conscious investment
alternatives. Not only is there quantitative evidence from industry
experts suggesting that sustainable investments yield greater returns
over time, but there are significant financial risks associated with
investing in pollutants such as oil and tobacco producers. These financial
risks can be aggravated by government action (whether through
outright bans or taxes), civil lawsuits, and adverse media coverage. In
facilitating sustainable investments, we seek to enhance our customers’
long-term pension wealth as well as their mental wellbeing.
Good Health
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We believe that the Company’s product must be built to help people from all
backgrounds to save for retirement. The UK’s statutory secondary school national
curriculum contains little formal financial education, and over the course of
their lives, individuals do not all have the same exposure to financial concepts.
As a result, many struggle to navigate the pensions system as adults.
By designing and building our product in recognition of these realities, we seek
to help our customers overcome these educational barriers. For example, our
technology platform is designed to make it easy and intuitive for customers to
combine their pensions, we offer tools such as pension calculators and retirement
forecasting modellers to help customers plan ahead and make suitable contributions,
we help savers make on-demand and appropriate withdrawals, and we support
all of this with excellent customer service and jargon-free communication.
In addition, we are an advocate for greater gender equality in UK companies.
There is a large body of research suggesting that women have been held back
by a lack of equal opportunities and systemic inequalities that prevent career
progression. Research conducted by PensionBee suggests that these inequalities
are perpetuated in later life with men having significantly larger pensions
than women after the age of 45, despite having a shorter life expectancy.
Social Inclusion
We are also committed to encouraging other forms of equality in UK companies.
Efforts to include, nurture and progress employees from all backgrounds, including
diverse ethnicities can translate into higher engagement and lower attrition
rates. We believe that there is a strong moral and economic case for increased
diversity in UK companies. Greater equality can translate into improved Company
performance, which in turn supports the pension growth of our customers.
Our Diversity, Inclusion and Equality Policy sets our approach and commitment to diversity
and includes our broad goals, which include gender balance at all levels and representation
of all minority ethnicities to match the UK population across all levels of the business.
For 2022 we achieved 52% female and minority gender representation across our entire
employee base, 50% at Executive Management Team level and 57% at Board level.
16
We
also achieved 40% Asian/Black/Mixed/Multiple/Other ethnic representation across our
entire employee base, 20% at Executive Management level and 14% at Board level.
16
16.
All employee data supported by analysis from PensionBee’s HR information system, November
2022. Executive Management and Board level data as at 31 December 2021.
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Our Customer Proposition
We are revolutionising the pensions industry through innovative
technology, product leadership and excellent customer service
Pensions are often complicated and difficult to understand, presenting an obstacle for consumers to engage with their savings. Against this backdrop, PensionBee has developed
a simple and easy to use mass market proposition that provides a solution to the consumer problem of saving for and managing their income throughout retirement.
Our customer proposition can be summarised as follows:
Combine
Contribute
Invest
The average adult switches jobs multiple
times over the course of their career. In doing
so, they may accrue a number of disparate
pensions with differing providers and cost
structures which, as a result of a variety of factors
which could include infrequent reporting,
limited online functionality, and cumbersome
communications processes, can prove difficult
to manage effectively. By signing up with
PensionBee, either via our website or by using
our app, our customers are able to combine
and transfer their existing pensions into the
PensionBee Personal Pension with ease.
Once their pensions have been transferred,
customers are able to start managing their
new pension online and can monitor their
daily balance via our website or app.
Our customers can make one-off or regular
contributions to their PensionBee pension
via easy bank transfer in under 60 seconds.
For customers who make a personal
pension contribution and are eligible for
tax relief, we will automatically claim their
25% tax top-up from HMRC and add this
to their pension balance. Customers can
also make use of our retirement calculator,
which provides an estimate of retirement
income based on a number of assumptions
including the size of the pension plan, chosen
retirement age and ongoing contributions, to
plan ahead for their retirement. Self-employed
customers can open a new pension plan
without transferring any old pensions.
We work with some of the world’s largest asset
managers to enable our customers to invest
their pension savings easily and appropriately.
We offer a curated selection of investment
options, including our auto-pick (default) plan,
which tailors our customers’ asset allocation
according to their ages, reducing the broad risk
profile of their investments gradually as they
grow older. For our at-retirement customers,
we offer four options aligned with their
broad objectives, including making regular
withdrawals and simply investing for a longer
period of time. For our ethically conscious
customers, we offer a fossil fuel-free plan, an
impact plan and a Sharia-compliant plan.
Withdraw
From the age of 55, our customers can withdraw
a portion of their pension online in just a
few clicks, bypassing a process which can in
some cases involve many weeks filling out
paperwork and jargon-filled forms, which are
often sent only through the post. Customers
may choose to take up to 25% of their
pension free of tax, withdrawing their chosen
amount either as a lump sum or in portions.
In 2022, we developed the capability for our
customers to set up regular withdrawals.
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Our Team
Our team has the breadth and depth
of experience across all disciplines to
deliver excellent customer outcomes,
drive growth and performance
Led by our founders Romi Savova and Jonathan Lister Parsons, we have a strong and established
Executive Management Team. We have an experienced and diverse Board, led by our Chair Mark
Wood CBE (former CEO of Prudential UK).
Our diverse and inclusive total workforce of 208 individuals
17
is motivated and empowered to
achieve great results across all areas of the business, including customer service and engagement,
brand and marketing, product development, technology, finance, corporate, legal and risk.
We develop and support our talent and strive to ensure that our people are actively engaged. Our
strong culture and values enable us to attract and retain people who passionately believe in our
vision. All our employees participate in long-term equity schemes, which further helps to drive
engagement and an ownership mentality.
Further details can be found on pages 36 to 45 of the Our People section within the Strategic Report.
17. As at 31 December 2022. Total workforce of 208 includes 204 UK employees and four overseas contractors, but excludes the four
Non-Executive Directors.
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Our Values
We are guided by our five core values,
so we do the right thing by our
customers, colleagues and society
We are dedicated to ensuring that our five core values remain as guiding principles behind
everything we do, so that everyone in the Company remains focused on doing the right thing for
our customers, colleagues and society. As we continue on our growth path, there is a particular
focus on protecting and maintaining the culture associated with these values - a strong focus on
well-being, including regular ‘Happiness!’ meetings between employees and managers, has helped
to embed this approach. We value our employees’ happiness and we believe that happy employees
lead to happy customers.
We have built a programme to focus specifically on the development and enhancement of our
values-based culture, led by our Head of Culture, Inclusion and Wellbeing. We have embedded
our values into our performance management approach and throughout relevant policies in
order to achieve our strategic goals. Our Senior Independent Director, Mary Francis CBE, enjoys
responsibility for employee engagement, and we regularly report on our people and culture at a
Board and Committee level, given the importance we place on our culture and its success in driving
the achievement of our strategy.
Further details and specific examples of how the Board and Company engage with our employees
can be found on pages 56 to 70 of the Stakeholders section of the Strategic Report.
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The value of love drives everything we do at
PensionBee. From engaging with our customers
to product delivery, we go above and beyond to
create an exceptional customer experience.
As we continue building a pension product for
everyone, we are dedicated to creating an inclusive
company that reflects our diverse society.
We are committed to making pensions less complex. Whether we
are picking up the phone or building our product, we keep things
simple, avoiding confusing jargon and complicated processes.
We have created simple tools for our customers to support
their decision making, whether they are combining
pensions for the first time, getting contributions back
on track or are ready to start making withdrawals.
People trust us with their pension savings,
and we go above and beyond to show
them that we deserve that trust.
We have partnered with some of the world’s
largest money managers on our pension solutions,
and we apply the highest level of corporate
governance standards within the business.
PensionBee would not exist without innovation. Our drive to
innovate means we are always seeking to ‘wow’ our customers and
colleagues through new and improved ways of doing things.
We were one of the first pension providers to embrace Open Banking by
partnering with some of the UK’s leading money management apps, to offer
innovative ways of investing sustainably, and we seek to work closely with
trade bodies and the government to continue to modernise pensions.
We strive for total transparency around the pensions our
customers have, including what service they can expect,
the fees charged and how their pensions are faring.
We continue to demand a more honest and ethical
approach to pension investments, as we believe this is
crucial to our customers achieving a happy retirement.
Love
Honesty
Quality
Simplicity
Innovation
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Strategic Report
Our Awards
2022 has been another strong year for PensionBee, with the
strength of our innovation, customer service, technology, diversity
and our ESG credentials being recognised by the industry
PensionBee has received a high level of recognition from customers and third parties for our differentiated customer
offering and high standard of customer service, our technology, diversity achievements and our ESG credentials.
Since inception, we have received a total of 57 awards, including the following 23 awards received in 2022:
57
Awards won
Winner
Best for Customer Service
Boring Money’s Best Buy 2022
Winner
Best for low-cost SIPP less than £50K
Boring Money’s Best Buy 2022
Winner
Pensions Tech of the Year
UK Fintech Awards
Winner
Overall Best Buy for Pensions
Boring Money’s Best Buy 2022
Winner
Best for Beginners
Boring Money’s Best Buy 2022
Winner
Best for low-cost SIPP more than £50K
Boring Money’s Best Buy 2022
Winner
Diversity and Inclusion Award
UK Fintech Awards
Winner
Financial Inclusion Award
FSTech Awards
Winner
Fintech of the Year
UK Fintech Awards
Winner
Employer of the Year
Scale-Up Awards
PensionBee Group plc
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Strategic Report
Winner
Pensions Innovation
Finder Investing & Savings Innovation Awards
Winner
Digital PR Campaign of the Year - Finance
UK Digital PR Awards
Winner
ESG Company of the Year
Investors Chronicle Celebration
of Investment Awards
Winner
Pensions Tech of the Year
Europe FinTech Awards
Winner
FinTech of the Year
Europe FinTech Awards
Winner
Best Employer
Europe FinTech Awards
Winner
Diversity and Inclusion Award
Europe FinTech Awards
Winner
Employer of the Year (Small Firm)
FTAdviser Diversity in Finance Awards
Winner
Power List
Women in Software Awards
Winner
DC Innovation of the Year
UK Pensions Awards
Winner
FinTech Company of the Year
FinTech Awards London
Winner
Consumer Champion - Company
MoneyAge Awards
Winner
Good Egg Accreditation
Good With Money
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
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PensionBee Group plc
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5
Our Strategy
PensionBee’s strategy is to
be the best online pension
provider for consumers
We want to be a pension company that customers can believe in, trust
and be proud to be a part of. Consequently, our strategy starts with
putting the consumer at the heart of everything we do.
We focus on growing our customer base across the UK, offering
customers an excellent lifetime product and service experience powered
by industry-leading technology and world-class investing solutions.
Efficient Investment in Customer
Acquisition and Growing Brand Awareness
Focus on Investment Solutions
Designed for Customers
Focus on Excellent Customer Service
Investment in and Development of our
Industry Leading Technology Platform
Leadership in Product Innovation
1
2
3
4
5
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Strategic Report
1
Efficient Investment in Customer Acquisition and Growing Brand Awareness
Continued investment in marketing is key to driving further growth in customers, Assets under Administration (‘AUA’) and Revenue.
18
Due to PensionBee’s broad customer appeal, we can adopt large, mass
market advertising channels. We remain focused on reinforcing our brand identity and our presence as a household brand name, while advocating for our customers.
18. See definitions on pages 54 and 55 of the Measuring our Performance section of the Strategic Report.
Key Highlights for FY2022:
Customer acquisition continued to be a core
pillar of our strategy for 2022 as we demonstrated
our ability to effectively and efficiently deploy
a sizable marketing budget of £16.6m, despite
the challenging macroeconomic environment.
By the end of 2022, we reached 1m Registered
Customers, with approximately 183,000 of
those being Invested Customers. We delivered
Gross Inflows of approximately £1bn of AUA
in 2022 (excluding market performance).
19
19. Gross Inflows of £1,060m, Gross Outflows of £(197)m, Net Inflows
of £863m and Market Growth and Other of £(424)m for the year to
31 December 2022 as set out on pages 49 and 50 of the Operating
and Financial Review. See definitions on pages 54 and 55 of the
Measuring our Performance section of the Strategic Report.
Across the year, the majority of the marketing
spend was deployed on the top three channels as
expected, being TV, Out of Home and Paid Search,
with the majority of the brand investment made
in the first half of the year, supporting lower-cost
acquisition activities in the latter part of the year.
Our ‘Yellow Chair’ and ‘Believe in the Bee’ campaigns,
which were rolled-out nationally across all channels,
resonated with a wide target audience.
They supported
an increase in our brand awareness to more than 50%
20
,
cementing our status as a household brand name.
20. Source: PensionBee brand tracker. Prompted brand awareness in January
2023 measured through a consumer survey asking ‘Which of the following
have you heard of?’ with respect to UK financial services brands: Aviva 83%,
Scottish Widows 77%, Standard Life 66%, Royal London 55%, PensionBee
52%, Hargreaves Lansdown 36%, Vanguard 32%, Fidelity 30%, Nutmeg
30%, AJ Bell 21%, Interactive Investor 9%. Compares to prompted brand
awareness for 2021 of 25%, sourced from Boring Money, February 2022.
Our proprietary in-house Data Platform continued to deliver
valuable insights across all of our core marketing channels,
helping to navigate decision-making in a challenging
market. We were able to respond to the significant market
volatility across the year, by focusing on acquiring a slightly
younger customer cohort, optimising marketing spend
across channels while keeping our Cost Per Invested
Customer (‘CPIC’) in line with our desired threshold.
18
We increased brand engagement
through a continuous flow of
content-led reports, our Pension
Confident Podcast series, blog
stories, consumer advocacy and
national media campaigns.
Our position as a consumer champion has continued
to be enhanced by our active participation in
government working groups, regulatory and
policy developments and consultations.
We deepened our
relationship as a sponsor
of Brentford Football
Club (‘Brentford Bees’),
by collaborating with
them on our ‘Believe in
the Bee’ campaign, which
launched on prime time
TV, and which will continue
to run across 2023.
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Strategic Report
Our Focus for FY2023:
Increasing brand awareness and building trust:
positioning us as the pension provider of choice
for everyone, by maximising reach through the use
of mass marketing channels, including broadening
our relationship with Brentford Football Club.
Broadening customer appeal and increasing average
pension savings with PensionBee: using more
product-focused tailored marketing campaigns to
reach specific customer groups (e.g consolidators,
customers at retirement age and ethical savers).
Deploying marketing spend efficiently: harnessing
our proprietary Data Platform capabilities to
optimise decisions on channel spend to support
a reduction in CPIC by the end of the year.
18
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
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Strategic Report
2
Leadership in Product Innovation
Continued product innovation is central to our strategy. The PensionBee customer proposition has been enabled by investment in continuous innovation and automation, allowing easy onboarding of customers
and intuitive lifetime self-service. We will continue to develop products and features to cater for consumer demand, building on our proven track record of leading the pensions industry with innovation.
Key Highlights for FY2022:
This was another year of strong innovations for the
PensionBee product, helping to attract new customers,
and enabling them to contribute more money into their
pensions. Product developments that have reduced
friction have enabled us to serve our customers with less
and less human intervention, supporting improvements
in efficiency and operating leverage over time.
21
21. Operating leverage indicates scalability in terms of how revenue
growth translates into the improvement of profitability metrics.
We further enhanced our drawdown features, to enable
us to offer regular withdrawals to our drawdown customer
base (over the age of 55), which we expect to play a
greater role in our at-retirement customer acquisition
activities as consumers increasingly search for easy-to-use
technology to access their savings throughout retirement.
Having launched the ‘Easy Bank Transfer’ in-app
feature that enabled a rapid set up for both one-off
and recurring pension contributions in 2021, we
expanded this product feature across the web estate to
complement the in-app offering. We expect this feature
to increase net flows from existing customers over time.
We developed our tax relief calculator to help customers
make the most of their pension contributions in
the run up to the 2022/2023 tax year-end.
We focused on pension provider-based onboarding,
deepening proprietary relationships and improving
communication, to create efficiency improvements.
We developed and implemented the ‘Stronger
Nudge’ to guidance initiative for the over 50s, to
ensure that we are adhering to the latest regulatory
requirements within our customer journeys.
Our Focus for FY2023:
Enhancing the customer experience and future-
proofing scalability: delivering improvements
in existing core product features and new,
innovative product developments to improve user
experience, making it even easier for customers
to self-serve and reducing inbound queries.
Making transfers more efficient: delivering process
improvements to drive conversion and further
developing bespoke electronic connections and
procedures with large pension providers.
Delivering investment clarity: empowering
customers with the transparency, knowledge
and tools they need to better understand their
pension and save for a happy retirement.
Increasing accessibility of engaging, relevant and
targeted content: helping customers to understand,
interact and engage with their pension, providing
opportunities to drive pension pot size growth
through additional contributions and consolidation.
Researching and exploring possible areas of
expansion beyond our pensions product offering.
PensionBee Group plc
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Strategic Report
Zahid
PensionBee customer since 2021
Before I started looking at pensions, I didn't
have a clue what pensions are, how they work.
And when I came across PensionBee, they
explained pretty much everything in detail.
And now I've got a very good understanding
of how it works, and what product suits me.
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
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Strategic Report
3
Investment in and Development of our Industry Leading Technology Platform
Our proprietary technology is modern, scalable and secure, and designed to support the growth, operational efficiency and other objectives of the business. The cloud-based and API-driven platform
provides the foundations on which to continue to build dynamic and innovative products, while maintaining full control over the experience delivered to customers in a cost-efficient manner. The security
and compliance of the technology is a top priority, and we maintain a robust information security assurance framework that is independently audited and certified under ISO 27001. We make investments in
technology to drive further automation and improve the customer experience.
Key Highlights for FY2022:
Deepening our commitment to
developing our information security
practices, we launched our ‘BeeSecure’
information security strategy to align
with our existing ISO 27001 and Cyber
Essentials Plus certifications.
We implemented information security enhancements
and continued to advance our processes and
controls, including engineering and management
training in rapid cyber incident response. Over 2022,
the Company simulated two distinct attacks on its
systems and developed a robust response strategy
to reduce risk and optimise its preparedness.
Within the technology team, we have adopted
organisational and operational practices that reflect a
‘domain expert’ model of operating: with individuals
aligned to self-contained, decoupled product teams.
We increased levels of infrastructure resilience and automation to support pension transfer activity. We joined
The Investing and Saving Alliance (‘TISA’) Exchange to facilitate digital pension transfers based on Open Standards.
We continued to support operational efficiency gains through automation,
increasing our ratio of Invested Customers to employees by 24%, from
approximately 743 at the end of 2021 to approximately 970 at the end of 2022.
22
22. See definitions on pages 54 and 55 of the Measuring our Performance section of the Strategic Report.
We continued to invest in our proprietary Data Platform, increasing levels of
infrastructure resilience and automation. We integrated the Data Platform
reporting into Product, Operations and Finance departments, reducing
manual work and increasing the quality of data-driven decision-making.
Further increasing our
sophistication in Information
Security: maintaining our ISO 27001
certification and supplementing
our Information Security controls in
line with our BeeSecure strategy.
Maintaining rapid development
and release cycles: targeting
improvements in productivity,
product development velocity
and personal skills development.
Expanding the Data Platform:
building out our self-service
Data products to deepen the
utilisation of the Data Platform
capabilities within the business
and to continue to drive return
on investment. Integrating
updates to third-party solutions
for core pension administration
use cases including payments,
pension payroll and SWIFT-based
digital pension transfers.
Our Focus for FY2023:
PensionBee Group plc
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Strategic Report
4
Focus on Excellent Customer Service
We are focused on making pensions easy to understand and accessible to everyone through simple, straightforward language and engaging visuals. Industry-leading ratings evidence our excellent customer
service track record. Our scalable technology-led platform is supported by easily accessible human interaction with ‘BeeKeepers’, providing customers with a dedicated account manager from the moment
they are on the platform, assisting them through the on-boarding process and helping them understand the platform functionality.
Key Highlights for FY2022:
Customer service continues to be a distinguishing
marker of our offering to consumers. We have
built and maintained a culture that promotes
employee, and in turn customer, happiness.
We maintained our Excellent Trustpilot Score of 4.6
(based on 8,270 reviews) and achieved app store
ratings of 4.7 and 4.5 on the Apple Store and Google
Play Store respectively at the end of the year.
23
Our
internally measured Net Promoter Score was 54.
24
23. Compares to Excellent Trustpilot score of 4.6★, 4.8 App Store
rating and 4.7 Google Play rating, for 31 December 2021.
24. PensionBee’s internally measured Net Promoter Score (‘NPS’) of 54 as
at 31 December 2022. Compares to an NPS of 63 as at 31 December 2021.
NPS is a customer loyalty and satisfaction measurement taken by asking
customers how likely they are to recommend us to others on a scale of
0-10. NPS is calculated by subtracting the percentage of customers who
answer the NPS question with a 6 or lower (known as ‘detractors’) from the
percentage of customers who answer with a 9 or 10 (known as ‘promoters’).
Our excellent customer service has
been reflected in the plethora of
Awards we have received for 2022,
including winning Boring Money’s Best
Buy 2022 for ‘Best for Customer Service’.
Our Focus for FY2023:
Continuing to deliver exceptional customer
service: focusing on the quality of our team, and
reinforcing the quality of our systems and processes
to maintain industry-leading response times.
Developing a data-led model of measuring customer
service productivity and effectiveness: to enable us
to report on customer service operations seamlessly.
Given the backdrop of extreme market volatility
across the year, being able to support and guide our
customers has proved to be more important than ever.
Despite having experienced
greater levels of inbound
communication, we have
continued to achieve
industry-leading response
times on communications
on all channels (live
chat, phone, email).
Within customer service, we focused on greater
specialisation, with dedicated roles in Customer
Communications, BeeKeeper Operations
and Nectar Collector Operations enabling
us to manage the simplicity, efficiency and
effectiveness of our customer service operations.
Testimony to the continued strength of our customer
service, we have maintained a consistently high
Customer Retention Rate of >95% over several
years, including 97% across 2022, which supports
the predictability of our recurring revenues.
22
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
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Strategic Report
5
Focus on Investment Solutions Designed for Customers
We have partnered with some of the world’s largest money managers (BlackRock, HSBC, Legal & General and State Street Global Advisors) to manage our customers’ pensions. We engage with our customers
to ensure all our investment solutions continue to meet our customers’ needs.
Key Highlights for FY2022:
We maintained a market-leading investment
proposition by continuing our ongoing
and active engagement with our asset
management partners, solving for customer
needs and ensuring they continue to provide
the highest levels of service and security.
We responded to customer demand for the UK’s first mainstream impact
investing product, by working with the asset management industry
across 2022, ultimately selecting BlackRock to partner with in the creation
of the PensionBee Impact Plan, which launched in early 2023. It seeks to
elevate the ambition of savers, so that their pensions can build a better
world whilst they save for retirement. This represents the latest in a series
of PensionBee customer-led innovations for the UK pensions market.
After many years of lobbying our asset managers,
we secured proxy voting rights in respect of
three of our investment plans, Tailored, Tracker
and 4Plus, representing approximately 86%
of the asset base.
25
This means we can vote
in line with our customers’ expectations from
the 2023 proxy voting season onwards.
25. 86% of PensionBee’s Assets under Administration as at 31
December 2022. See definitions on pages 54 and 55 of the
Measuring our Performance section of the Strategic Report.
We have also regularly engaged with
new asset managers to scan the market
for better value products on behalf of our
customers. Additionally, we conducted
our annual value for money exercise, to
compare the price and performance of
our existing plan range to similar products,
in order to ensure that we continue to
offer excellent value for money plans for
our customers in a changing market.
Our first full Governance Advisory
Arrangement assessment, led by
Zedra, concluded that the PensionBee
Investment Pathway product
provides excellent value for money.
Our extensive work in the area of ESG
and customer engagement was also
noted by the Zedra Chair of Trustees.
We continued to engage with our asset managers to
enhance the Environmental, Social and Governance
(‘ESG’) credentials of our investment offering, in
line with our customers’ expectations. In 2022,
BlackRock announced a commitment to achieve
a 50% reduction in carbon emissions intensity
by 2029 on our most popular plan, Tailored.
We have been recognised by
the industry for our approach to
responsible investing, having won
ESG Company of the Year in the
Investors Chronicle Celebration
of Investment Awards 2022 and
having received the ‘Good Egg’
accreditation from Good with Money.
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Strategic Report
Our Focus for FY2023:
Maintaining a market-leading proposition:
we will focus on embedding our current
investment plan range, maintaining a sharp
focus on value for money for our customers.
Driving ‘Pensions with Purpose’: having heard directly
from our customers that they want to save for their
retirement while building a better world in which
to retire, and having worked with asset managers
across the industry to create our Impact Plan, we will
focus on its launch, engaging with both our existing
and prospective customers to whom this appeals.
Acting as a responsible asset owner: having secured
voting rights in respect of three of our investment
plans, we will look to implement voting, according
to a pre-set methodology, to become more engaged
and familiar with the system and be in a position
to assess the desirability of resolution-specific
voting in the future. We seek to extend this to
other plans, as voting rights become available.
Developing our net zero commitments: having
stated our long term ambition to achieve net zero
emissions across our entire business by 2050, in
the coming year and subject to data availability
from third parties, we will calculate our base year
emissions, including financed emissions from our
investment portfolio, and are committed to improving
the accuracy of these calculations over time.
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
33
Strategic Report
6
Our Business Model
We have a simple business model: to increase our recurring revenues by growing
our customer base and helping our customers to save for retirement, while
maintaining cost efficiency through our scalable technology platform
PensionBee provides an easy-to-use technology platform for the mass market, enabling customers to
have control over their pensions. We adopt a simple, transparent fee structure, based on the pension
plan an individual chooses after their pensions have been consolidated on our technology platform.
We do not provide financial advice and we do not charge a fee for the initial consolidation of pensions,
nor an additional platform fee, nor are there any one-off fees for switching investments. The ongoing
annual management fee ranges from 0.50% to 0.95% of an individual’s pension assets, depending on
the investment plan chosen, with no minimum pension size requirement. Fees halve on the portion
of a customer’s pension assets in excess of £100,000.
PensionBee’s business model is built around the following elements:
Efficient Direct-to-Consumer Distribution
We have a direct-to-consumer acquisition model, reflecting the importance of managing the end-to-
end relationship with our customers and having total control over the quality of experience, which
are key to customer retention.
Our direct-to-consumer distribution model encompasses scalable marketing channels, including
search, social media, television, out-of-home advertising, sports sponsorships and radio. The branding
and digital proposition resonates with a mass market audience, allowing us to advertise efficiently
across most prevailing media.
We are disciplined and responsive in our approach to marketing, deploying spend across channels,
with a focus on rapid payback - on average within the first few years of acquiring a customer.
Recurring Asset-Based Revenue
PensionBee offers a lifetime customer proposition, designed to enable individuals to fulfil their
retirement savings goals and withdrawal needs. Invested Customers generate growing lifetime value,
with our straightforward charging structure driving predictable, recurring revenue that grows with
Invested Customers’ savings on the technology platform.
We earn Revenue through the administration of our customers’ retirement savings. Our Revenue is
substantially recurring in nature as the annual charges are calculated daily as a percentage (basis
points) of the value of Assets under Administration (‘AUA’) and will continue to be earned on an
ongoing basis whilst PensionBee administers those assets.
26
The mix of investment plans has an
impact on the levels of fees charged and therefore Revenue.
AUA and Revenue have been underpinned by the strength of PensionBee’s customer proposition and
our leading market position. AUA and Revenue growth reflect customers’ attitudes and behaviours
with respect to contributions, consolidation of pensions and withdrawals over time. Growth comes
through existing and new customers adding more investments into their accounts through pension
consolidation and contributions. We aim to minimise asset outflows through our continual delivery
of excellent customer service, product innovation and investment solutions designed to meet our
customers’ needs. The direct nature of our relationship with our customers has resulted in PensionBee
achieving high levels of Customer and AUA Retention Rates (each in excess of 95% as at 31 December
2022) generating predictable lifetime revenues and cash flows.
26
AUA and Revenue are a function of the underlying market value of the investments customers hold
in their accounts, and are therefore inextricably linked to the health of the global markets, including
stock markets and bond markets. Stock markets give an indication of investment growth and the
most relevant proxy measure tends to be the movement in the major global stock market indices,
including those in the United States and in the United Kingdom. Whilst short-term fluctuations may
decrease the value of AUA, pension investors’ exposure to the stock market has historically increased
their retirement savings, and therefore could be expected to increase our AUA and Revenue over the
longer run.
26. See definitions on pages 54 and 55 of the Measuring our Performance section of the Strategic Report.
PensionBee Group plc
34
Strategic Report
Scalability of Operations
PensionBee only offers its customers highly liquid, scalable investment
management solutions from the world’s largest asset managers. The investment
solutions generally track prominent global indices and provide unrestricted
capacity for inflows and the highest levels of liquidity.
We continually invest in our technology, product development and our people
in an efficient and disciplined manner. Our operations are highly scalable and
we expect to benefit from operating leverage and increasing cost efficiency as
we grow.
Our customer proposition is tech-enabled, allowing for easy onboarding of
customers and intuitive self-service throughout a customer’s lifetime. We utilise
technology to ensure that our service is as efficient and automated as possible,
such that adding new customers and assets has only a marginal cost impact. Our
technology is scalable, secure and reliable, built on dynamic, world-class cloud-
native platforms.
We pride ourselves on our excellent customer service, complementing our
digital offering with dedicated customer account managers who offer lifetime
customer support. The customer success team benefits from a single view of the
customer, enabling efficient and personalised service.
PensionBee’s Business Model
272829
27. Office for National Statistics - Pension Wealth: Wealth in Great Britain, April 2018 to March 2020, January
2022. Transferable Pensions (the Pension Consolidation Market) - approximately £722bn of wealth held
in personal and deferred workplace pensions that are no longer receiving employer contributions. These
pensions lend themselves more easily to pension consolidation activities. See further discussion in the
Market Opportunity section of the Strategic Report.
28. Customer fees paid based on the range of funds on offer as at 31 December 2022.
29. Assets under Administration as at 31 December 2022.
PensionBee’s Business Model
Customer solution
Revenue
Customer Fees:
c.50-95bps
(28)
AUA:
£3.0bn
(29)
£700bn Pension Consolidation Market
27
Proven Customer Acquisition
Technology
Platform Costs &
Other Operating
Expenses
Money Manager
Costs
BlackRock,
State Street Global
Advisors, L&G
Advertising &
Marketing Expenses
Costs
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
35
Strategic Report
7
Our People
Diversity, Inclusion and Equality
We have a well established history of fostering diversity and inclusion, aligning with our vision of living
in a world where everyone can look forward to a happy retirement. We believe that one aspect of
achieving a happy retirement is social inclusion. Our diverse workforce helps us serve pension savers
across the UK and to build a truly inclusive product that reflects the needs of society.
We have two main aims in our approach to diversity, inclusion and equality: to build a team that is
representative of all areas of society, across all levels of the business to better reflect and represent our
diverse customer base, and to create an inclusive working environment where everyone has equal
access to opportunities and is treated with fairness and dignity.
Our Diversity, Inclusion and Equality Policy sets out our approach and commitment to diversity and
includes our broad goals of gender balance at all levels and representation of all minority ethnicities
to at least match the UK population across all levels.
We welcome everyone regardless of gender, race, origin, religion, size, age, sexuality or disability and
will not tolerate any conduct which harms others. We are committed to opposing and preventing
all forms of unlawful discrimination and to creating a working environment free of bullying,
harassment, victimisation and unlawful discrimination, where every person’s individual differences
and contributions are valued and respected.
In 2022, we built the Culture Programme to focus specifically on the development and enhancement
of our values-based culture. The programme was designed following a series of focus groups where
we spoke to approximately 50 employees and gathered 15 hours of valuable qualitative feedback.
Sessions were organised to explore themes raised in both our annual Diversity, Inclusion, Equality
& Support Survey and through our internal anonymous feedback tool. Some sessions specifically
focused on the lived experiences of different groups of people working at PensionBee.
The themes were as follows:
Focus Groups
Lived Experience Focus Groups
·
Wellbeing and benefits
·
Culture, communication, and engagement
·
Remuneration
·
Performance Management
·
Diversity & Inclusion
·
Women
·
Black/African/Caribbean/Black British Women
·
Asian/Asian British
·
Disability/Neurodiversity
·
LGBTQ+
·
English as a Second Language
PensionBee was recognised as a special place to work and the areas for improvement that were
identified included the need for more opportunities to get to know each other and form personal or
meaningful connections, a more proactive Diversity and Inclusion agenda, and more clarity around
training budgets and development opportunities. The results of the research and action plans were
communicated to employees at a Company-wide presentation, with materials also published in our
PensionBee employee handbook.
Workforce Composition
By the end of 2022, PensionBee had a total workforce of 208 individuals.
30
For 2022, we achieved
52% female and minority gender representation across the entire employee base and a 44% male
representation, 50% female representation at Executive Management level and 57% at Board level.
31
The Company satisfied the Hampton-Alexander Review
32
requirement for at least 33% female
representation at Board level and the FCA requirement to have at least 40% women on the Board,
with at least one senior board position being held by a woman.
33
The Company also achieved 40% Asian/Black/Mixed/Multiple/Other ethnic representation across its
employee base, 20% at Executive Management level and 14% at Board level.
31
The Company satisfied
the FCA requirement for at least one Board member being from an Asian/Black/Mixed/Multiple/Other
background.
Each year we ask everyone to complete an anonymous Diversity, Inclusion, Equality & Support
Survey about how they feel about diversity, inclusion, engagement and support at PensionBee.
The results for 2022 are shown in the Employee Engagement section that follows.
30. As of 31 December 2022. Total workforce of 208 includes 204 UK employees and four overseas contractors, but excludes the four
Non-Executive Directors.
31. All employee data supported by analysis from PensionBee’s HR information system, November 2022. Executive Management and
Board level data as at 31 December 2021.
32. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ftse-women-leaders-hampton-alexander-review
33. Chapter 9 of the Listing Rules, specifically LR 9.8.6R(9) states that at least 40% of individuals on the board should be women,
at least one at least one of the senior positions on the board (chair, chief executive, senior independent director or chief
financial officer) should be held by a woman, and at least one individual should be from a minority ethnic background.
PensionBee Group plc
36
Strategic Report
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
37
Strategic Report
Composition of PensionBee’s Workforce by Race or Ethnicity
34
Racial or Ethnic Background
PensionBee Survey
Responses 2022
35
PensionBee Survey
Responses 2021
36
UK as per 2021 Census
London as per 2021 Census
Asian or Asian British
13%
10%
9%
21%
Black, African, Caribbean or Black British
14%
17%
4%
14%
Latina/o/x or Other
6%
4%
2%
6%
Mixed or Multiple Ethnic Groups
7%
10%
3%
6%
White
57%
58%
82%
54%
No Response or Rather not Say
3%
-
Composition of PensionBee’s Workforce in Leadership Positions by Gender
37
Number of Board Members
Percentage of Board Members
Number of Senior
Positions on the Board
(CEO, CFO, SID and Chair)
Number of
Executive Management
Percentage of Executive
Management
Men
3
43%
2
5
50%
Women
4
57%
2
5
50%
Other Categories
-
-
-
-
-
Not Specified/Prefer not to Say
-
-
-
-
-
Composition of PensionBee’s Workforce in Leadership Positions by Race or Ethnicity
37
Number of Board Members
Percentage of Board Members
Number of Senior
Positions on the Board
(CEO, CFO, SID and Chair)
Number of
Executive Management
Percentage of Executive
Management
White British or Other White
6
86%
4
8
80%
Mixed/Multiple
-
-
-
-
-
Asian/Asian British
-
-
-
1
10%
Black/African/Caribbean/Black British
1
14%
-
1
10%
Other Ethnic Group, including Arab
-
-
-
-
-
Not Specified/Prefer Not to Say
-
-
-
-
-
34
.
All employee data supported by analysis from PensionBee’s HR information system, November 2022 and December 2021.
35
.
Data is based on a 91% disclosure rate and 4% ‘rather not say’ disclosures.
36
.
Data is based on a 100% disclosure rate.
37
.
Supported by analysis from PensionBee’s HR information system, November 2022.
PensionBee Group plc
38
Strategic Report
Gender Pay Gap
We believe gender balance at all management levels will also reduce the UK’s gender pay gap.
Therefore, we annually report publicly on female representation and the gender pay gap at PensionBee.
For 2022, we achieved 52% female and minority gender representation across the entire employee
base
38
and a median hourly pay gap of 0% across our Company (2021: 1.6%)
39
. This gap was in line
with PensionBee’s target of 0% with a variance of 5% above or below owing to the overall size of the
employee base.
Pay Gap
Number of Employees
Median Hourly Pay Gap
0%
144
40
Evidence suggests that gender-equality interventions deliver benefits, both in terms of worker
satisfaction and business performance, and as such, we intend to continue to:
Recruit women who have the potential to reach senior management.
Support the career development and progression of women at mid-tier level to senior roles.
Recruit females into roles that traditionally do not have gender diversity, such as developers and
other technology roles.
Closing the Gender Pension Gap
Currently, the gender pension gap represents an obstacle to the achievement of financial freedom
for everyone, on average 38% and in some parts of the UK almost 60%.
41
We believe that bold action
is required to challenge this gap, so that women can enjoy similar levels of wealth in retirement as
men. This is particularly important as women tend to live longer and often bear their own care costs.
In 2022, PensionBee continued to campaign to raise awareness and to close the gender pension gap
through press activity, with national coverage aimed at addressing the impact of different working
patterns for men and women.
38. Supported by analysis from PensionBee’s HR information system, November 2022.
39. Gender pay gap calculated in accordance with UK Government methodology: www.gov.uk/guidance/making-your-gender-pay-
gap-calculations. A positive percentage means women have lower pay than men, a negative percentage means men have lower pay
than women, a zero percentage means no gap in pay between men and women.
40. Data excludes individuals who have not elected to disclose and individuals who do not qualify for inclusion. For this year’s analysis
we included Board members, in line with external guidance.
41. Source: PensionBee research: ‘2021 gender pensions gap analysis by region’.
PensionBee’s Parental Leave Policy
Becoming a parent is a life changing moment and providing support for all new parents as they
navigate this stage in their life journey is key. Our gender-inclusive Paid Parental Leave Policy aims to
address some of the challenges that face parents, and to support them in maintaining an engaging
and fulfilling career alongside their new responsibilities.
42
It applies to anyone taking on parental
duties, regardless of their biological relationship to the new arrival and irrespective of gender. We are
immensely proud to report a new mother retention rate of 100% in the first year after parental leave.
PensionBee’s flexible hours have been very useful to me and
my team... I’ve had a number of different arrangements, like
working a few days a week or taking larger chunks off and then
working solidly for a block. Flexibility has been really valuable to
me in pursuing what I want to do in life. Now, I work four days
a week and use my time to start a family. It’s great to be able
to spend time with my 14 week old son, and it’s really helpful
as a new parent to have that flexibility... The days of being nine
to five in an office are long gone and that’s not how you’re
going to attract great talent. I truly believe that your life inside
and outside of work needs to work together harmoniously for
you to actually do your best in both of those environments.
- Father at PensionBee
42. www.pensionbee.com/parental-leave-policy
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
39
Strategic Report
Paying a Living Wage
PensionBee is an accredited Living Wage Employer, furthering its mission to champion diversity
and representation in the pensions industry.
43
We pay all our employees a London Living Wage as a
minimum, regardless of where they are located across the UK. Effective as of January 2023, we also
implemented an 8.1% increase at the entry-level and applied a £2,000 increase at all salary levels
across the entire workforce, to reflect changes in the Living Wage due to the cost of living crisis.
PensionBee is also a member of ShareAction’s Good Work Coalition, regularly supporting public
campaigns to address income inequality, tackle in-work poverty and lobby FTSE-listed companies to
pay their employees a fair wage. In 2022, we supported campaigns calling for publicly listed companies
to prioritise support for their lowest-paid employees and to meet the new real Living Wage rates during
the cost of living crisis.
These activities have helped us to facilitate fulfilling careers and to foster an even more diverse and
inclusive environment at PensionBee, as well as encouraging change in the wider business landscape.
Employee Engagement
In recognition of the importance we place on our people and our culture, we have built a programme
to focus on the development and enhancement of our values-based culture. Led by the Head of
Culture, Inclusion and Wellbeing, we developed and formalised a programme based on engagement
with employees across the Company, through focus and lived experience groups designed to capture
the breadth of our diverse employees’ experiences. Having identified what employees valued about
the culture at PensionBee and priority areas for improvement, the Company then developed a series
of initiatives to enhance employees’ experience where opportunities for improvement were identified
as part of a continuous process across the year.
Aligning with our values of Honesty and Love, we have taken active steps to involve and consult
employees where possible, to ensure everyone is listened to and well-represented. We have a number
of ongoing initiatives in place to make sure we maintain and build upon our diverse and inclusive
workplace so that all employees can build fulfilling careers:
Weekly all-Company Show N Tell meetings with CEO and Executive Management Team.
Bi-monthly ‘Happiness!’ meetings for employees to discuss their wellbeing with their manager.
Annual Diversity, Inclusion, Equality & Support Survey.
Annual manager feedback survey.
Board-led workforce engagement events.
Anonymous channels for employees to submit any requests, concerns, or issues they may have.
‘Diversity Champions’ appointed to help represent employees and promote diversity and inclusion
within the Company.
Qualified Mental Health First Aiders, trained to provide mental health support to our employees.
43. www.pensionbee.com/press/pensionbee-becomes-accredited-living-wage-employer
We built on our Company-wide hybrid Town Hall meetings, providing all employees with the
opportunity to meet and engage with our full Board to address queries and concerns, and providing
the Board with direct, valuable insights. Our 2022 employee engagement event facilitated discussion
on themes that employees voted for as being most important in influencing their decision to choose
to work for, and remain with, PensionBee. Each member of the Board led on a particular theme that
resonated with them and participated in a ‘deep dive’ discussion with a smaller group. The teams then
came back together to share their discussion points with the wider Company.
Employees also informed us that they value in-person activities to build relationships with other
colleagues. We responded by organising the following events for colleagues across the UK in 2022:
London Pride picnic with a lip-syncing workshop led by drag artist Marianmarythe6th.
London Halloween party.
Manchester lunch with the Founders.
Glasgow conservation work with RSPB Wildlife Charity with the Executive Directors.
London Christmas party.
London to Brighton Charity Bike Ride for Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Sunflower planting to ‘Brighten Up Bankside’ (a local neighbourhood project).
Individual team socials.
Another initiative that has proven successful was our ‘PensionBee Speaks’ series, which provided the
opportunity for employees, or friends of PensionBee, to lead talks on issues that they are passionate
about, raising awareness and empowering everyone to speak-up. Sessions included: raising awareness
about antisemitism, building a successful career as a person with autism and racism encountered by
Black children in the UK. In response to employee feedback, and in order to build the confidence of
all our colleagues, we also delivered a public speaking skills workshop series in partnership with the
Speaker’s Trust Charity.
Measuring our Progress
Measuring our progress and seeking feedback from our employees about how we are performing
in terms of facilitating fulfilling careers and maintaining a diverse and inclusive environment is
important. Our annual Diversity, Inclusion, Equality & Support Survey for all our employees explores
themes related to wellbeing, longevity and remuneration.
For 2022, the data suggested that employees felt aligned with the Company’s mission, vision and
values, and that their job helped them to stay connected to PensionBee’s goals. We felt proud to
have achieved a workplace in which 91% of colleagues inform us that they feel connected with
PensionBee’s mission, vision and values, particularly in a context where most people work remotely.
PensionBee Group plc
40
Strategic Report
Disability Confident Employer
In 2022, PensionBee joined the UK Government’s Disability Confident Employer Scheme
44
. ‘Disability
Confident’ organisations play a critical role in changing attitudes towards disabilities, by altering
behaviours and cultures within their own business practices and communities. As hidden disabilities
account for 80% of the disabled population, membership to this scheme allows prospective
employees and other businesses to easily identify PensionBee as a workplace which places great
importance on offering equal opportunities. Additionally, the scheme allows us to increase our
understanding of disabilities, and how to aid new and existing disabled employees in reaching their
full potential at work.
We became a ‘Disability Confident’ Employer following employee feedback in our 2021 annual
Diversity, Inclusion, Equality & Support
Survey, and set ourselves this important goal for 2022. As such,
we have reconfirmed our commitment to employing people from the widest pool of talent, securing
skilled staff from diverse backgrounds. We also expanded our New Manager Training to include better
guidance and support for employees who are neurodiverse and/or have disabilities.
As part of the scheme we have made five public commitments as an employer:
Inclusive and accessible recruitment.
Communicating vacancies to encourage applications from disabled people.
Offering an interview to disabled people.
Providing reasonable adjustments.
Supporting existing employees.
44. www.pensionbee.com/press/pensionbee-becomes-a-disability-confident-employer
Would you recommend
working at PensionBee
to a friend?
16%
Neutral
2%
Negative
82%
Positive
Do you feel a sense of
belonging at PensionBee?
17%
Neutral
4%
Negative
79%
Positive
Do you feel aligned with
PensionBee’s mission,
vision and values?
Do you feel listened
to by PensionBee?
7%
Neutral
2%
Negative
91%
Positive
26%
Neutral
6%
Negative
68%
Positive
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
41
Strategic Report
Charters, Pledges and Social Impact Initiatives
To support our vision of living in a world where everyone can look forward to a happy retirement,
and to facilitate fulfilling careers in our diverse and inclusive workplace and beyond, we are
proud to have continued our public commitment to the following initiatives in 2022:
ABI Making Flexible Work Campaign and Charter
45
ABI Transparent Parental Leave and Pay Initiative
46
Accredited Living Wage Employer
47
Careers & Enterprise Company
48
Make My Money Matter
49
Race at Work Charter
50
Social Mobility Pledge
51
Tech Talent Charter
52
The Diversity Project
53
The Workforce Disclosure Initiative Investor Coalition
54
Time to Talk (Time to Change)
55
Women in Finance Charter
56
These public commitments not only signal to our current and prospective employees that we
care about helping people from all backgrounds thrive at PensionBee, they also encourage
other businesses to adopt more inclusive practices.
45. www.pensionbee.com/press/pensionbee-joins-abi-flexible-work-charter
46. www.pensionbee.com/press/abi-transparent-parental-leave-and-pay-initiative
47. www.pensionbee.com/press/pensionbee-becomes-accredited-living-wage-employer
48. www.pensionbee.com/press/pensionbee-work-experience-programme
49. www.pensionbee.com/press/pensionbee-joins-make-my-money-matter-campaign-launch
50. www.pensionbee.com/press/pensionbee-signs-the-race-at-work-charter
51. www.pensionbee.com/press/pensionbee-joins-social-mobility-pledge
52. www.pensionbee.com/press/pensionbee-signs-tech-talent-charter
53. www.pensionbee.com/press/pensionbee-announces-partnership-with-the-diversity-project
54. www.pensionbee.com/press/pensionbee-joins-the-workforce-disclosure-initiative
55. www.time-to-change.org.uk
56. www.pensionbee.com/women-in-finance
Diversity Awards
In 2022, we were proud to have achieved recognition for our focus and achievements in diversity,
including:
Winner
Power List
Women in Software Awards
Winner
Financial Inclusion Award
FSTech Awards
Winner
Diversity and Inclusion Award
UK Fintech Awards
Winner
Employer of the Year (Small Firm)
FTAdviser Diversity in Finance Awards
Winner
Employer of the Year
Scale-Up Awards
Winner
Best Employer
Europe FinTech Awards
Winner
Diversity and Inclusion Award
Europe FinTech Awards
PensionBee Group plc
42
Strategic Report
Remuneration
PensionBee has an established employee Remuneration Policy (‘Policy’) providing clear and guiding
principles for decisions around employee remuneration that ensures fair, competitive and appropriate
pay for all. Our goal is to ensure that the mix and balance of remuneration is appropriate to attract,
motivate, retain and fairly reward employees whilst balancing the needs of our business and
customers. The Policy is underpinned by the PensionBee values:
Components of Employee Remuneration
Base Cash
Salary
We aim to set base cash salaries at a level that enables us to attract and retain the
people that we need to thrive, whilst balancing our financial resources as a company.
The primary driver for our base cash salary levels is external benchmarking. This
is conducted annually by the Executive Management Team in respect of their
departments and centrally reviewed by the People team.
Equity
Schemes
The purpose of granting equity is to encourage everyone to think and behave like
owners, and to recognise the vital contribution every individual makes towards
achieving our mission and vision.
Prior to becoming a listed company, PensionBee operated an EMI and non-EMI
option scheme. Post-listing we operate long-term incentives and a deferred bonus,
both granted in the form of nil-cost options.
End of Year
Bonus
The bonus structure is determined as a percentage of salary, ranging from 15-100%.
The percentage increases with seniority to reflect increasing levels of responsibility
and to remain competitive with market averages.
The proportion of the bonus based on Company vs. individual performance also
varies across all levels, with the Company proportion accounting for more at
senior levels where individual performance is more directly reflected in Company
performance.
The Company proportion of the bonus is deferred and paid with equity in the form
of nil-cost options. The individual performance-based bonus is paid entirely in cash,
except for at senior levels, where a portion is paid in equity to encourage long-term
engagement with our vision, mission and values.
Pension
Scheme
Employees who meet the automatic enrolment criteria set out by the Government
are automatically enrolled into the PensionBee Personal Pension, within 6 weeks of
their employment start date.
PensionBee contributes an amount equivalent to 5% (which is matched by the
employee) of qualifying earnings as part of monthly compensation.
Other
Benefits
Income Protection Insurance
UK HealthCare Cash Plan
Thrive Mental Wellbeing platform
SmartHealth GP online
Bippit financial coach
LifeWorks discount platform
Simplicity
We want to make our remuneration policy easy to understand.
Love
Our approach to remuneration aims to foster inclusivity and therefore
applies to the whole Company. Furthermore, we recognise the
social inequalities that exist within our society and aspire to close all
diversity pay gaps, including among genders and ethnicities.
Quality
We recognise that performance levels may differ between employees
and for any given individual at different periods of time. In addition,
the time commitment, level of responsibility and formal experience
(including professional qualifications) tend to increase with seniority.
This variability is reflected in our compensation structure.
Innovation
We aim to inspire an ownership mentality among our employees, therefore,
equity compensation will continue to be offered at all levels of the Company.
Honesty
We aim to keep our policies transparent at all levels of the Company.
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
43
Strategic Report
8
Market Opportunity
We operate in the vast UK Defined Contributions private pensions market,
with a focus on the rapidly growing pension consolidation opportunity
UK Private Pensions Market
For some time now, there has been broad consensus across the political spectrum that the state
pension alone will not provide sufficient retirement income and there is a growing awareness of a
related issue, the ‘savings gap’, whereby individuals are not saving enough to provide for the retirement
they expect. As a result, the UK government has promoted the growth of the private pension market.
A private pension is typically a tax-efficient way to save money for later in life, providing an income for
retirement. Whilst individuals in the UK may rely on a number of sources from which to draw income
during retirement, private pension assets are the largest component of wealth in the UK, representing
a greater proportion of wealth than other types of assets, including property. Private pensions account
for approximately 42% of the £300,000 approximate median household wealth.
57
The UK private pensions market is vast and the Office for National Statistics (‘ONS’) estimated the UK’s
total private pension wealth to be approximately £6.5tr across the average of the 2018-2020 period.
57
Defined Contribution Private Pensions Market
PensionBee’s product proposition is focused on Defined Contribution (‘DC’) pensions. Unlike employer
guaranteed (final salary) Defined Benefit pensions, Defined Contribution pensions build up a pension
pot using personal and employer contributions (if applicable) plus investment returns and tax relief.
The DC Private Pensions Market came to the fore in 2012 with the advent of automatic-enrolment, a
regulatory requirement for employers to enrol eligible employees into workplace pensions. Automatic-
enrolment has resulted in over 10m individuals actively contributing into a DC workplace pension.
57
In
December 2020, the FCA estimated that there were a total of 26.7m pension savers within its regulatory
perimeter.
58
Overall, the UK’s DC wealth stood at approximately £1.0tr across the average of the 2018-
2020 period.
57. Office for National Statistics - Pension Wealth: Wealth in Great Britain, April 2018 to March 2020, January 2022.
58. Financial Conduct Authority - Evaluation of the impact of the Retail Distribution Review and the Financial Advice Market Review,
December 2020.
The growth in the UK DC pension market, both in terms of number of individual savers and the
aggregate wealth managed within schemes, is expected to continue owing to the broad shift from
Defined Benefit to Defined Contribution pensions and the simultaneous increase in contributions
supported by regulation.
Pension Consolidation Market
Within the labour market individuals are moving jobs more frequently and stand to be auto-enrolled
in a number of pension plans. As a result, there are many potential advantages to combining multiple
pension pots, including keeping track of and managing pension savings more easily, reducing charges
and choosing desirable investments.
PensionBee further segments the DC Private Pensions Market into active workplace pensions, which
benefit from active employer contributions and therefore are rarely transferred, and transferable
pensions, including deferred workplace pensions and personal pensions (‘Transferable Pensions’ or
the ‘Pension Consolidation Market’).
Active Workplace Pensions
- approximately £302bn of wealth held in pensions into which
individuals or employers are regularly or actively contributing, usually during working life.
Transferable Pensions (the Pension Consolidation Market)
- approximately £722bn of wealth
held in personal and deferred workplace pensions that are no longer receiving employer
contributions. These pensions lend themselves more easily to pension consolidation activities.
PensionBee primarily targets the Pension Consolidation Market, which represents the majority of the
Defined Contribution Pensions Market and has grown rapidly by approximately 65% from the average
across 2014-2016 to the average across 2018-2020.
57
PensionBee Group plc
46
Strategic Report
PensionBee estimates that there are approximately 35m individuals with an average of two old
pensions to consolidate
59
and approximately 4.1m self-employed individuals taking responsibility
for securing their retirement incomes, many of whom may have previously contributed to employer
pensions, whilst others may be seeking to benefit from an easy way to manage their pension savings.
60
Our customer proposition caters for all of these individuals, providing both a consolidation solution
and enabling customers to start a new self-employed pension.
59. Calculated by dividing £722bn of Transferable Pensions across 2018-2020, by an average of 2 pension pots and a transferable
pension pot value of £10,273, based on PensionBee data as at the end of 2021.
60. Office for National Statistics: Employees and self-employed by industry, February 2022.
2014-2016
2016-2018
2018-2020
The Pension Consolidation Market (£ bn)
1,024
808
633
196
437
236
572
302
722
Transferable pensions (the pension consolidation market)
Active workplace pensions
1,400
1,200
1,000
800
600
400
200
0
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
47
Strategic Report
9
Operating and Financial Review
61
Continued Growth across all Key Metrics in 2022 and achievement of
Adjusted EBITDA before Marketing Profitability in the Fourth Quarter of 2022
62
Trading for the financial year 2022 has been strong and in line with expectations.
We have continued to deliver significant growth across all our major Key Performance Indicators. During 2022, the number of Invested Customers (‘IC’) increased by 56% to 183k and Assets under Administration
(‘AUA’) increased by 17% to over £3.0bn driven by strong Net Flows of £863m.
62
Revenue increased by 38% to £17.7m with Annual Run Rate (‘ARR’) reaching £19.5m.
63
Becoming a profitable business has been a key objective for PensionBee. On the path to achieving this objective, we are pleased to have delivered positive Adjusted EBITDA before Marketing of £0.2m in the
fourth quarter of 2022 (fourth quarter of 2021: £(1.5)m), in line with our previously stated guidance and in spite of the backdrop of a challenging macroeconomic environment and volatile capital markets.
Profit/(Loss) before Tax for 2022 was £(22.4)m (2021: £(25.0)m).
The Adjusted EBITDA before Marketing profitability milestone was achieved by virtue of our recurring and predictable Revenue, supported by our high Customer Retention Rate of 97%, and by the generation
of operating leverage achieved through our scalable technology platform and careful cost control. It also demonstrates the strength of our business model, our ability to realise operating leverage throughout
the business cycle, even during periods of high uncertainty and volatility in the capital markets, and the strength of our execution capability.
Growth in Invested Customers
(000s)
Translates into Increasing AUA
(£m)
Which Drives Revenue
(£m)
61. See pages 54 and 55 of the Measuring our Performance section of the Strategic Report.
62. As at 31 December 2022. Invested Customers (‘IC’) means those customers who have transferred pension assets or made contributions into one of PensionBee’s investment plans. Assets under Administration (‘AUA’) is the total invested value of pension assets within
PensionBee Invested Customers’ pensions. It measures the new inflows less the outflows and records a change in the market value of the assets. AUA is a measurement of the growth of the business and is the primary driver of Revenue. Net Flows measures the cumulative inflow
of PensionBee AUA from consolidation and contribution (‘Gross Inflows’), less the outflows from withdrawals and transfers out (‘Gross Outflows’) over the relevant period.
63. As at 31 December 2022. Revenue means the income generated from the asset base of PensionBee’s customers, essentially annual management fees charged on the AUA, together with a minor revenue contribution from other services. Annual Run Rate Revenue is calculated
using the Recurring Revenue for the month of December multiplied by 12.
Dec-21
Dec-22
56%
117
183
Dec-21
Dec-22
38%
13
18
Dec-21
Dec-22
17%
2,587
3,025
PensionBee Group plc
48
Strategic Report
Marketing Investment made us a Household Brand Name and delivered Strong Growth
As at Year End
Dec-2022
Dec-2021
YoY
Advertising and Marketing Expenses
Advertising and Marketing Expenses (£m)
(16.6)
(12.9)
29%
Cost per Invested Customer (£)
64
248
246
within threshold
Customers
Registered Customers (thousands)
61
986
658
50%
Invested Customers (thousands)
61
183
117
56%
Same Year RC:IC Conversion (% of RC)
61
19%
18%
+1ppt
While profitability is a key objective for the business, with a vast market opportunity, we simultaneously
continued to execute on our growth strategy, through investments in our brand and performance
marketing channels. As such, Advertising and Marketing Expenses increased from £12.9m in 2021 to
£16.6m in 2022.
Taking advantage of growing national awareness of pensions, our investment in brand building
campaigns and initiatives saw us become a household name, achieving prompted brand awareness
of more than 50%.
65
We rolled out our ‘Yellow Chair’ and ‘Believe in the Bee’ campaigns nationally,
across all channels. Furthermore, we continued to raise our profile through being the official pension
partner sponsor of Brentford Football Club.
Customer acquisition was supported by our proprietary in-house Data Platform, which continued to
deliver valuable insights across all of our core marketing channels, helping us to navigate decision-
making in a challenging external market. Our agility enabled us to respond and adjust our spend
across channels, re-focusing on the acquisition of more receptive customer cohorts. Our acquisition
strategy included brand campaigns being launched predominantly in the first half of the year, with
more lower-cost acquisition activities following later in the year, allowing for a reduction in the Cost
per Invested Customer (‘CPIC’) by the end of 2022.
66
64. Cost per Invested Customer (‘CPIC’) means the cumulative advertising and marketing costs incurred since PensionBee commenced
operations up until the relevant point in time divided by the cumulative number of Invested Customers at that point in time. This
measure monitors cost discipline of customer acquisition. PensionBee’s desired CPIC threshold is £200-£250.
65. Source: PensionBee brand tracker. Prompted brand awareness in January 2023 measured through a consumer survey asking ‘Which
of the following have you heard of?’ with respect to UK financial services brands: Aviva 83%, Scottish Widows 77%, Standard Life 66%,
Royal London 55%, PensionBee 52%, Hargreaves Lansdown 36%, Vanguard 32%, Fidelity 30%, Nutmeg 30%, AJ Bell 21%, Interactive
Investor 9%. Compares to prompted brand awareness for 2021 of 25%, sourced from Boring Money, February 2022.
66. See pages 54 and 55 of the Measuring our Performance section of the Strategic Report.
As a result of the marketing investment, we achieved strong customer growth with stable CPIC and
grew our Invested Customer base by 56% to 183,000 by the end of 2022.
Cost Disciplined Acquisition coupled with High Retention Rates delivered Strong Asset Growth
As at Year End
Dec-2022
Dec-2021
YoY
Customer Retention Rate (% of IC)
66
97%
97%
stable
AUA Retention Rate (% of AUA)
66
97%
96%
+1ppt
Opening AUA (£m)
2,587
1,358
91%
Gross Inflows (£m)
1,060
1,099
-4%
Gross Outflows (£m)
(197)
(145)
36%
Net Flows (£m)
66
863
955
-10%
Market Growth/(Contraction)
and Other (£m)
(424)
275
n/m
Closing AUA (£m)
3,025
2,587
17%
Net Flows (£m)
66
863
955
-10%
Of which Net Flows from
New Customers (£m)
685
729
-6%
Of which Net Flows from
Existing Customers (£m)
178
226
-21%
We delivered a 17% year-on-year increase in AUA from £2,587m to £3,025m in 2022, highlighting
the resilience of our AUA and underscoring our ability to grow, in spite of the challenging global
macroeconomic environment.
We maintained Gross Inflows for the year in excess of £1bn (2021: £1bn) as a result of cost-disciplined
new customer acquisition and a high sustained Customer Retention Rate of 97% (2021: 97%).
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
49
Strategic Report
From the £863m of Net Flows generated across the year (2021: £955m), growth from new customers
represented the vast majority, with Net Flows from New Customers of £685m (2021: £729m),
reflecting the successful execution of cost-disciplined new customer acquisition and demonstrating
our ability to optimise marketing across channels and return on investment. Total Net Flows were
lower compared to last year, which was ultimately because of declining global markets (see below
for more details). Over the period we acquired 66,000 new Revenue-generating Invested Customers
(2021: 48,000).
Our existing customers have continued to grow their savings with us, with Net Flows from Existing
Customers of £178m generated in 2022 (2021: £226m). Since inception, we have consistently enjoyed
high Customer Retention Rates and AUA Retention Rates in excess of 95%, with this trend having
remained stable in 2022. We saw existing customers consolidating additional pensions into their
PensionBee online pension plans and customers contributing to their pensions, whilst maintaining
relatively low levels of withdrawals, in line with historical levels. We are pleased to have observed
underlying growth in Net Flows
67
from all annual customer cohorts across 2022.
However, unstable global markets did have an adverse effect on AUA, with Market Growth/
(Contraction) and Other of £(424)m in 2022 (2021: £275m). As is customary in the pensions industry,
our customers’ pensions are invested predominantly in global equity capital markets, which were
impacted by a number of macroeconomic factors including increasing inflation, rising interest rates
and geopolitical tensions. As such, the decline in global market performance during the year had an
impact on our asset base, similar to the experience of other companies in the sector.
Resilient Revenue Margin drove an Overwhelming Majority of Recurring Revenue
As at Year End
Dec-2022
Dec-2021
YoY
Contractual Revenue Margin (% of AUA)
67
0.69%
0.69%
stable
Realised Revenue Margin (% of AUA)
67
0.63%
0.64%
stable
Annual Run Rate Revenue (£m)
19.5
16.3
20%
Revenue (£m)
17.7
12.8
38%
We translated strong year-on-year AUA growth of 17% over 2022 (2021: 91%) into 38% (2021: 103%)
growth in Revenue, reaching £17.7m (2021: £12.8m), underpinned by the stable Contractual Revenue
Margin. The Contractual Revenue Margin is the headline annual management fee paid by customers
before applying discounts for incremental pension savings above £100,000. The Contractual Revenue
Margin remained resilient at 0.69% (2021: 0.69%), as did the Realised Revenue Margin (the annual
management fee after discounts) of 0.63% (2021: 0.64%).
As the vast majority of our Revenue is derived from annual management fees charged as a percentage
of AUA, the high retention of Invested Customers and AUA makes the overwhelming majority of our
Revenue recurring in nature. Therefore, the Annual Run Rate Revenue for December 2022 offers
measurement of our progress and provides visibility and predictability with respect to future years’
Revenue.
67. See pages 54 and 55 of the Measuring our Performance section of the Strategic Report.
Dec-21
Dec-22
Dec-20
Dec-17
Dec-19
Dec-18
Net Flows by Customer Cohorts (£m)
3,025
Cumulative Net Flows
Cohort 2022
Cumulative Net Flows
Cohort 2021
Cumulative Net Flows
Cohort 2020
Cumulative Net Flows
Cohort 2019
Cumulative Net Flows
Cohort 2016-2018
2,587
1,358
745
328
108
Cumulative Market Impact
PensionBee Group plc
50
Strategic Report
We Scaled our Business Efficiently by Investing in our People, Product Offering and Technology
As at Year End
Dec-2022
Dec-2021
YoY
Money Manager Costs (£m)
(2.8)
(2.3)
23%
Employee Benefits Expense
(excluding Share-based Payments) (£m)
(9.6)
(7.4)
28%
Other Operating Expenses (£m)
(8.2)
(6.6)
26%
Technology Platform Costs &
Other Operating Expenses (£m)
(17.8)
(14.0)
27%
Our proprietary technology is modern, scalable and secure. The cloud-based and API-driven platform
provides the foundations on which to continue to build dynamic and innovative products, while
maintaining full control over the experience delivered to customers in a cost-efficient manner.
The scalability of the technology platform is key in driving operating leverage through not only
empowering more efficient marketing deployment, but also operational efficiencies in administration
and intuitive self serving capabilities for our customers.
During 2022, we made further investments in our technology platform. Investments made in our
Data Platform were instrumental in supporting decision-making around marketing budget allocation,
helping us to remain agile as we have navigated the volatile external environment. We dedicated
resources towards making ongoing efficiency improvements in consolidation activity and optimising
our transfer processes. The systems’ investments made over the past few years have supported the
delivery of increased productivity for the PensionBee team and enhanced efficiency for our customers,
enhancing our operating leverage.
Continued product innovation is central to our strategy and also supports the realisation of operating
leverage over time. The PensionBee customer proposition has been enabled by investment in
continuous innovation and automation, allowing easy onboarding of customers and intuitive lifetime
self-service.
During 2022, continuous product innovations helped to increase our Invested Customer base and
enable them to contribute more into their pensions. We officially launched the ‘Easy Bank Transfer’
feature, enhanced our ‘Refer A Friend’ program, and implemented the ‘Stronger Nudge’ journey for
customers over 50, further tailoring our product to our customers’ needs. To complement the ease
of contributions, we worked on producing an easy-to-use tax relief calculator aimed at helping our
customers make the most of their tax allowances in the run up to the end of the 2022/23 tax year.
Our product developments reduced friction in the customer journey and enabled our customers to self-
serve more efficiently, without the need to contact us. For instance, we upgraded existing electronic
transfer processes and further integrated with Altus Transfer Gateway, which led to improvements
in internal processing and faster transfer times for some paper-based workplace pension schemes.
Our investments in product and feature extension have not only empowered customers with more
intuitive self-serving features but have also supported efficiency improvements and the generation of
operating leverage over time.
As a result of the investment into the technology platform and the drive to improve automation, we
have expanded specialist roles in technology, product and marketing. However, average headcount
in customer service has remained stable as a function of the vast automation improvements and team
optimisation. Overall headcount increased from approximately 155 average full-time employees in
2021 to approximately 185 in 2022, and the associated Employee Benefits Expense increased to £9.6m
for 2022 (2021: £7.4m).
Other Operating Expenses increased to £8.2m (2021: £6.6m), reflecting costs to support increased
headcount and new customer acquisition, and other fixed costs. Benefits from the investment in
automation have positioned us well on our path to achieving Adjusted EBITDA profitability by the
end of 2023.
Money Manager Costs increased to £2.8m in 2022 (2021: £2.3m), a lower rate than the increase in
Revenue, due to the maintenance of competitive pricing with money managers.
Profitability Metrics
As at Year End
Dec-2022
Dec-2021
YoY
Adjusted EBITDA before Marketing (£m)
(3.0)
(3.6)
17%
Adjusted EBITDA Margin before
Marketing (% of Revenue)
(17)%
(28)%
+11ppt
Adjusted EBITDA (£m)
(19.5)
(16.4)
-19%
Adjusted EBITDA Margin
(% of Revenue)
(110)%
(129)%
+18ppt
Profit/(Loss) before Tax (£m)
(22.4)
(25.0)
10%
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
51
Strategic Report
One of the key profitability metrics that we have measured is Adjusted EBITDA before Marketing,
given the discretionary nature of the marketing spend. This measure includes Money Manager Costs,
Technology Platform Costs and Other Operating Expenses but excludes Advertising and Marketing
Expenses, Share-based Payment costs and Transactions Costs. We delivered positive Adjusted EBITDA
before Marketing of £0.2m across the fourth quarter of 2022, with an improvement in Adjusted EBITDA
before Marketing Margin from (28)% to (17)% in 2022.
We also made further progress towards Adjusted EBITDA profitability, as operating leverage was
realised due to the scalability of the technology platform and the continued efficient deployment of
marketing spend. Adjusted EBITDA Margin improved from (129)% in 2021 to (110)% in 2022. Adjusted
EBITDA captures Advertising and Marketing Expenses but excludes the Share-based Payment costs
and Listing Costs.
Other Costs
As at Year End
Dec-2022
Dec-2021
YoY
Share-based Payment (£m)
(1.9)
(3.9)
-52%
Listing Costs (£m)
(0.7)
(2.9)
-77%
Finance Costs (£m)
-
(1.4)
n/m
Profit/(Loss) before Tax (£m)
(22.4)
(25.0)
10%
Taxation (£m)
0.3
0.3
n/m
Basic Earnings per Share
(9.97)p
(11.86)p
16%
Profit/(Loss) before Tax narrowed to £(22.4)m for 2022 from £(25.0)m in 2021, reflecting our progress
towards profitability and showcasing the operating leverage in our model, whilst we continue to grow.
The decrease in Share-based Payment costs for 2022 reflected the accelerated vesting and granting of
options in 2021 as a result of the Company’s public listing.
Listing Costs in 2022 primarily consisted of fees and expenses incurred in relation to our transfer to the
Premium Segment of the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange, with the costs in 2021 relating
to the preparation for our Initial Public Offering in April 2021.
Finance Costs decreased as PensionBee did not hold any debt across 2022. The 2021 fees were
associated with the £10m Revolving Credit Facility (‘RCF’) that we entered into with National
Westminster Bank Plc on 22 March 2021 and later cancelled in September 2021. Initially sought as
part of a prudent liquidity management strategy, it was no longer deemed necessary due to the
strong cash position and attractive future prospects. The RCF was never drawn, but a cancellation
fee was incurred.
Taxation included enhanced tax credits in relation to routine Research and Development refunds. No
deferred tax asset was recognised with respect to the carried forward losses.
Basic Earnings per Share (‘EPS’) was (9.97)p for 2022 (2021: (11.86)p), the improvement reflecting the
progress made towards profitability.
Financial Position
The Group’s balance sheet remains strong. At the end of 2022, the Cash and Cash Equivalents balance
was £21.3m (2021: £43.5m). Robust cost management was deployed to ensure that favourable
supplier terms were agreed with long term contracts being reviewed periodically. As of the end of
2022, the Group had no significant borrowings. Net cash and cash equivalents decreased by £22.2m
in the 2022 financial year due to the planned deployment of investment in marketing, our technology
platform and additional headcount, to generate future returns (2021: net increase of £36.8m, driven
by the increase in funding as a result of the Company’s listing in April 2021).
Regulatory Capital and Financial Resources
PensionBee Limited, a subsidiary of the Company, is authorised and regulated by the FCA and therefore
adheres to capital requirements set by the FCA. As of December 2022, the capital resources stood at
£20.5m (unaudited) as compared to a capital resource requirement of £1.2m (unaudited), resulting
in coverage of 16.6x. We have maintained a healthy surplus over our regulatory capital requirement
throughout the year and continue to manage our financial resources prudently.
PensionBee Group plc
52
Strategic Report
Summary Financial Highlights*
As at Year End
Dec-2022
Dec-2021
YoY
Annual Run Rate Revenue (£m)**
19.5
16.3
20%
Revenue (£m)
17.7
12.8
38%
Money Manager Costs,
68
Technology Platform Costs & Other Operating Expenses (£m)
69
(20.6)
(16.3)
26%
Adjusted EBITDA before Marketing (£m)**
(3.0)
(3.6)
17%
Adjusted EBITDA Margin before Marketing (% of Revenue)**
(17)%
(28)%
+11ppt
Advertising and Marketing Expenses (£m)
(16.6)
(12.9)
29%
Adjusted EBITDA (£m)**
(19.5)
(16.4)
-19%
Adjusted EBITDA Margin (% of Revenue)**
(110)%
(129)%
+18ppt
Profit/(Loss) before Tax (£m)
(22.4)
(25.0)
10%
Basic Earnings per Share
(9.97)p
(11.86)p
16%
*See definitions on pages 54 and 55 of the Measuring our Performance section of the Strategic Report.
**PensionBee’s KPIs include alternative performance measures (‘APMs’), which are indicated with a double asterisk. APMs are not defined by International Financial Reporting Standards (‘IFRS’) and should be considered together with the Group’s IFRS measurements of
performance. PensionBee believes APMs assist in providing additional insight into the underlying performance of PensionBee and aid comparability of information between reporting periods. A reconciliation to the nearest IFRS number is provided in Note 25 of the Financial
Statements ‘Alternative Performance Measures’ on page 180.
68. Money Manager Costs are variable costs paid to PensionBee’s money managers.
69. Technology Platform Costs & Other Operating Expenses comprises Employee Benefits Expense (excluding Share-based Payment) and Other Operating Expenses.
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
53
Strategic Report
10
Measuring our Performance
When looking at the overall performance of PensionBee, we use a range of key performance indicators (‘KPI’s) to monitor and assess our progress against our strategy.
Financial Performance Measures
Revenue*
2022: £17.7m
2021: £12.8m
38%
Revenue means the income generated from the asset base of PensionBee’s customers, essentially annual management fees
charged on the AUA, together with a minor revenue contribution from other services.
Annual Run Rate (‘ARR’) Revenue*
2022: £19.5m
2021: £16.3m
20%
Annual Run Rate Revenue is calculated using the Recurring Revenue for the relevant month (December) multiplied by 12. This
alternative performance measure has been selected to provide a more up-to-date metric for revenue given the amount of AUA
in the relevant month.
This metric will be retired from the Company’s ongoing regular reporting framework from 2023 onwards, given the primary focus
on the Revenue metric as the Company reaches profitability.
Adjusted EBITDA*
2022: £(19.5)m
2021: £(16.4)m
-19%
Adjusted EBITDA is the operating profit or loss for the year before taxation, finance costs, depreciation, share-based compensation
and listing costs. This measure is a proxy for operating cash flow.
Adjusted EBITDA Margin*
2022: (110)%
2021: (129)%
+18ppt
70
Adjusted EBITDA Margin means Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenue for the relevant year.
Profit/(Loss) before Tax (‘PBT’)
2022: £(22.4)m
2021: £(25.0)m
10%
Profit/(Loss) before Tax is a measure that looks at PensionBee’s profit or losses for the year before it has paid corporate income tax.
Basic Earnings per Share (‘EPS’)
2022: (9.97)p
2021: (11.86)p
16%
Basic Earnings per Share is calculated by dividing the profit or loss attributable to ordinary equity holders of the Group by the
weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during the period.
* PensionBee’s Key Performance Indicators include alternative performance measures (‘APM’s), which are indicated with an asterisk. APMs are not defined by International Financial Reporting Standards (‘IFRS’) and should
be considered together with the Group’s IFRS measurements of performance. PensionBee believes APMs assist in providing additional insight into the underlying performance of PensionBee and aid comparability
of information between reporting periods. A reconciliation to the nearest IFRS number is provided in Note 25 of the Financial Statements ‘Alternative Performance Measures’ on page 180.
70. A ppt is a percentage point. A percentage point is the unit for the arithmetic difference of two percentages.
PensionBee Group plc
54
Strategic Report
Non-Financial Performance Measures
Assets under
Administration (‘AUA’)
2022: £3.0bn
2021: £2.6bn
17%
Assets under Administration is the total invested value of pension assets within PensionBee’s Invested Customers’ pensions. It measures the new
inflows less the outflows and records a change in the market value of the assets. This KPI has been selected because AUA is a measurement of the
growth of the business and is the primary driver of Revenue.
AUA Retention Rate
(% of AUA)
2022: 97%
2021: 96%
+1ppt
AUA Retention measures the percentage of retained PensionBee AUA from transfers out over the average of the year. High AUA retention provides
more certainty of future Revenue. This measure can also be used to monitor customer satisfaction.
Net Flows
2022: £863m
2021: £955m
-10%
Net Flows measures the cumulative inflow of PensionBee AUA from consolidation and contribution (‘Gross Inflows’), less the outflows from withdrawals
and transfers out (‘Gross Outflows’) over the relevant period.
Registered
Customers (‘RC’)
2022: 986k
2021: 658k
50%
Registered Customers measures customers who have started the sign-up process and have submitted at least a name and an email address and
includes those customers who are classified as Active Customers.
This metric will be retired from the Company’s ongoing regular reporting framework from 2023 onwards. Whilst the Registered Customers metric is a
longer-term indicator of customer pipeline, the focus is on Invested Customers that generate AUA.
Same Year RC:IC
Conversion
2022: 19%
2021: 18%
+1ppt
71
Same Year RC:IC Conversion percentage is calculated by dividing the number of Invested Customers as at the end of the period by the number of
Registered Customers as at the end of the period. This measure monitors PensionBee’s ability to convert customers through the acquisition funnel.
This metric will be retired from the Company’s ongoing regular reporting framework from 2023 onwards. Whilst the Registered Customers metric is a
longer-term indicator of customer pipeline, the focus is on Invested Customers that generate AUA.
Active Customers
(‘AC’)
2022: 273k
2021: 172k
59%
Active Customers means all customers who have requested to become an Invested Customer by accepting PensionBee’s terms of business but for
whom the transfer or contribution process is not yet completed and all customers who are classified as Invested Customers.
This metric will be retired from the Company’s ongoing regular reporting framework from 2023 onwards. Whilst the Active Customers metric is a more
short-term indicator of customer pipeline, the focus is on Invested Customers that generate AUA.
Invested Customers
(‘IC’)
2022: 183k
2021: 117k
56%
Invested Customers means those customers who have transferred pension assets or made contributions into one of PensionBee’s investment plans.
Customer Retention
Rate (% of IC)
2022: 97%
2021: 97%
Stable
Customer Retention Rate measures the percentage of retained PensionBee Invested Customers over the average of the year. High customer retention
provides more certainty of future Revenue. This measure can also be used to monitor customer satisfaction.
Cost per Invested
Customer (‘CPIC’)
2022: £248
2021: £246
Within
threshold
Cost per Invested Customer means the cumulative advertising and marketing costs incurred since PensionBee commenced operations up until
the relevant point in time divided by the cumulative number of Invested Customers at that point in time. This measure monitors cost discipline of
customer acquisition. PensionBee’s desired CPIC threshold is £200-£250.
Contractual
Revenue Margin
(% of AUA)
2022: 0.69%
2021: 0.69%
Stable
Contractual Revenue Margin means the weighted average contractual fee rate across PensionBee’s investment plans (before applying any size
discount) calculated by reference to the amount of AUA held in each plan across the period.
This metric will be retired from the Company’s ongoing regular reporting framework from 2023 onwards, with the introduction of Realised Revenue
Margin (as set out below).
Realised Revenue
Margin (% of AUA)
2022: 0.63%
2021: 0.64%
Stable
Realised Revenue Margin expresses the recurring Revenue over the average quarterly AUA held in PensionBee’s investment plans over the period.
71. A ppt is a percentage point. A percentage point is the unit for the arithmetic difference of two percentages.
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
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Strategic Report
11
Stakeholders
We are dedicated to understanding the
views, interests and concerns of all our
stakeholders to inform our decision-making.
Proactive and regular engagement ensures
we remain responsive to changing needs
Engagement takes place with all our stakeholder groups, across all levels throughout the Company.
Such engagement is reported to the Board to inform decision-making and business outcomes. The
Board also participates in direct engagement with certain stakeholder groups and importantly,
with our employees.
This year, we also engaged with our stakeholders on our first ‘ESG Materiality Assessment’, aimed
at giving us deeper insight into the environmental, social and governance themes of most
importance to our stakeholders, further details of which can be found on pages 71 to 81 of the ESG
Considerations section of the Strategic Report.
A summary of the ways in which the Company engaged with stakeholders, having regard to what
is most likely to promote the long-term sustainable success of the Company, follows.
PensionBee Group plc
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Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
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Stakeholder Engagement
| Our Customers
Continuously high levels of customer service:
45k phone calls, 25k live chats, 103k
72
email cases closed within 24 hours
72. Represents 56% of total email cases.
Multi-channel customer feedback:
>250k emails, live chats, phone
calls and customer reviews
c.80% of Invested Customers invited to
a survey on their investment views
Multiple surveys, focus groups and individual
customer interviews supporting the
launch of the PensionBee Impact Plan
70 customer interviews held
UX tester community expanded to
include more than 600 customers
Customers invited to share ongoing
feedback via monthly newsletters
All Invested Customers invited to share their
views for the ESG Materiality Assessment
How we Engaged
Interests and Concerns
Customer ratings:
1,996 public Trustpilot reviews for 2022,
ending the year with a score of 4.6
out
of 5 (based on 8,270 total reviews)
Our internally measured Net Promoter Score was 54
73
73. PensionBee’s internally measured Net Promoter Score (‘NPS’) of 54 as
at 31 December 2022 compares to an NPS of 63 as at 31 December 2021.
ESG Materiality Assessment Topics
Excellent value plan range:
Understanding performance in a challenging market environment
Good value for money products that meet their needs
Clear and transparent charging
Knowing their savings are secure
Being able to easily contact our customer success team
Peace of mind with respect to their financial future
Education to support them through the cost of living crisis
Pensions with purpose and stewardship:
Knowing their pension does not cause undue
harm to society or to the planet
PensionBee acting as a good steward of their assets
The ability to invest their pension with real-world impact
Knowing that PensionBee listens and responds to feedback
Commitment to Net Zero
Sustainability ratings on plans
Product innovation and inclusivity:
Product simplicity and safety, designed
with the vulnerable in mind
A pension that works for everyone, including the
self-employed or those on low-incomes
Tools to help ensure they are saving enough
Ability to make regular withdrawals
Speeding up difficult transfers
Product innovation, continuously evolving the product
and service in response to changing customer needs
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Strategic Report
Excellent value plan range:
‘What happened to pensions this month’
customer blog series (95k unique views)
Podcast on educational topics such as
cost of living crisis (17k downloads)
‘Pensions Academy’ offering bite size educational
videos on pensions (17k unique views)
Other customer-requested educational
blog content (45k unique views)
Our content reached a wide audience (with social
media educational topics reaching 800k people
and c.20k engagement actions generated)
BeeKeeper training sessions on market
volatility led by asset managers
Annual value for money work, to ensure
our plans offer excellent value
AgeWage scores, independent assessment of
value for money across the plan range to show
how well they performed against a benchmark
Pensions with purpose and stewardship:
Supported high-profile shareholder
resolutions on the Living Wage
Oversaw adoption of formal ESG policy and
carbon reduction targets in the Tailored Plan
Secured voting on 86% of the asset base
74
Created the PensionBee Impact Plan in direct response
to customer feedback, which was launched in early 2023
Engaged with asset managers on key topics of interest
to our customers (e.g. deforestation, protecting human
rights in core business operations and supply chains)
74. 86% of Assets under Administration as at 31 December
2022, across the Tailored, Tracker and 4Plus Plans.
Our Responses
Stakeholder Engagement
| Our Customers
Product innovation and inclusivity:
Weekly ‘Temperature Check’ summary
of all inbound customer feedback
Monthly ‘Hive Mind’ customer behaviour insights report
Quarterly ‘Customer Voices’ report to disseminate
interview insights across the business
Customer feedback drives our product roadmap,
prioritising features based on customers’ needs
Launched a new regular drawdown feature
Offered Open Banking contributions
across the technology estate
Launched the FCA’s ‘Stronger Nudge’ feature
Onboarded the new PensionBee Impact Plan
Upgraded and re-launched our
Refer a Friend programme
Automated transfers in from more
paper-based pension providers
Introduced new roles within the Customer
Operations team, including a Learning and
Development Manager and Performance Manager,
to further support the team in the maintenance
of excellent quality customer service
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Stakeholder Engagement
| Our Employees
How we Engaged
Interests and Concerns
Regular ways we engaged in person/virtually:
Weekly Company Show N Tell sessions with
CEO and Executive Management
Bi-monthly ‘Happiness’ meetings for all
employees to discuss wellbeing
All-Company Town Hall and Board-led events, with
participation from our Senior Independent Director who
enjoys specific responsibility for employee engagement
16 virtual ‘PensionBee Speaks’ events, led by
employees and external guest speakers
In person team building activities across the UK
(e.g. an LGBT+ Pride picnic in London, an RSPB
Wildlife Charity volunteer conservation event in
Glasgow, and a team lunch in Manchester)
Annual ‘Time to Talk’ event, led by employees
Regular team social events
Annual performance process where employees are
formally evaluated against our PensionBee values
Regular surveys / feedback:
Annual Diversity, Inclusion, Equality & Support Survey
Annual manager feedback survey
Anonymous reporting tool for concerns and feedback
Lived experience focus groups
All employees invited to participate in
our ESG Materiality Assessment
Further support:
Diversity champions
Mental Health first aiders
Workplace benefits package, including
free access to therapy
Dedicated training sessions based on employee needs
ESG Materiality Assessment Topics
Fulfilling careers:
Feeling aligned with PensionBee’s mission and values
Feeling a sense of belonging and knowing
everyone can succeed as themselves
Pay structure, pay gap reporting and analysis
Paying and campaigning for a Living Wage for all
Diversity and inclusion:
Blind internal hiring and promotion policy
Diversity and inclusion celebrations and social events
Public commitments to diversity, inclusion and equality
Supporting neurodiverse employees, employees
with disabilities and their managers
Feeling supported during times of
economic and social instability
PensionBee Group plc
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Strategic Report
Our Responses
Fulfilling careers:
Launched a Culture Programme to develop and
enhance values-based culture on an ongoing basis,
including several Company-wide training sessions
Company-wide training to increase
awareness of non-inclusive behaviours
Applied a £2,000 cost of living salary
increase from 2023 onwards
75
Awarded all employees equity incentives under
our Remuneration Policy, consistent with our
historic approach to wide employee ownership
Evolved the performance matrix for each role,
aligning to Company’s values-based culture
Held a Board-led Town Hall session addressing various
themes identified as being important to employees
Company awareness-raising event on neurodiversity
to engage with colleagues, with Board and
Executive Management Team participation
Lara Oyesanya, our new NED, led a Company-
wide introductory presentation, speaking about
her lived experiences and career journey
Launched a virtual public speaking training series for all
employees in partnership with Speaker’s Trust Charity,
with some sessions led by Executive Management
Held a series of employee-led events on
themes including anti-racism, neurodiversity,
and inclusive communications
Published our Community Involvement Policy
Joined the ABI’s Making Flexible Work Charter
75. Effective as of 1 January 2023.
Stakeholder Engagement
| Our Employees
Diversity and inclusion:
Applied an 8.1% increase to entry level salaries, in line
with our commitment as a Living Wage employer
75
Applied a task-based and anonymous
approach to internal hiring
Provided all employees and the Board
with Diversity and Inclusion training
‘PensionBee Speaks’ events held, with guest speakers
such as from Independent Age, The Guardian and More
Diverse Voices, covering topics such as the needs of
the elderly, anti-racism in schools, diversity in the tech
industry and designing inclusive communications
Team events, including an LGBT+ Pride picnic
Employee-led events, including a parenting
panel discussion with participation from
Executive Management, an anti-semitism
awareness raising session, and a company-
wide virtual quiz about Black history
Joined the ‘Disability Confident’ employer scheme
Maintained gender parity, consistent with our
commitment to the Women in Finance Charter and
our published Diversity, Inclusion and Equality Policy
76
Disclosing company and investor signatory
of the Workforce Disclosure Initiative
76. www.pensionbee.com/diversity-policy
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Strategic Report
Stakeholder Engagement
| Our Shareholders
How we Engaged
Interests and Concerns
Our Responses
Regular ways we engaged
in person/virtually:
Regular virtual engagements
including one-to-one shareholder
meetings, roadshows around results
and shareholder conferences
Regular communication of financial
and operational results, including
quarterly trading updates, interim results,
annual results, with presentations to
shareholders and analysts and recordings
being made available on our website
Provided rapid responses to
incoming shareholder queries
Invited key shareholders to participate
in our ESG Materiality Assessment
through survey and interviews
Held our first hybrid AGM in May
2022, with a recording being
made available on the website
Corporate governance:
Adhering to the highest standards
of corporate governance
Compliance with public company
reporting and procedures
Business, performance and leadership:
Resilience in a challenging
market environment
Highest standards of data
and information security
Business aligned with incoming
regulation and market changes
(e.g. Consumer Duty)
Execution of strategy and
performance against targets
and Company’s guidance
An experienced and committed Board
and Executive Management Team
Liquidity in the shares
ESG Materiality Assessment topics:
Fulfilling careers
Excellent value plan range
Social licence to operate
Cyber Security
Pensions with purpose
and stewardship
Corporate governance:
The Company demonstrated its commitment to the highest standards of corporate
governance by transferring to the Premium Segment of the Main Market of the London
Stock Exchange and continuing to comply with the UK Corporate Governance Code
Public commentary by our CEO on the importance of maintaining the
highest levels of corporate governance, as part of the public debate
on topics such as shareholder rights and dual-class share structures,
changes to the FCA’s Listing Rules and the success of tech IPOs
Business, performance and leadership:
Added an additional Independent Non-Executive Director, Lara Oyesanya,
to the Board in conjunction with the transfer to the Premium Segment
Added the Chief Financial Officer, Christoph J. Martin,
to the Board as an Executive Director
Further extended the Executive Management Team,
with the addition of the Chief Risk Officer
Continued unwinding of lock-up arrangements in respect of
pre-IPO shareholders to support increasing liquidity
Became a Premium listed company, which means the
Company’s shares are eligible for FTSE index inclusion
ESG Materiality Assessment topics:
Fulfilling careers (see Our People, Our Stakeholders (Employees))
Excellent value plan range (see Our Stakeholders
(Customers), Investment Committee Report)
Social licence to operate (see Our Stakeholders (Employees and
Communities), ESG Considerations (Workforce Disclosure Initiative))
Cyber Security (see Managing our Risks, Audit and Risk Committee Report)
Pensions with purpose and stewardship (see Our Stakeholders (Customers),
ESG Considerations (Understanding our Customers’ Investment Views))
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Strategic Report
Stakeholder Engagement
| Our Communities
Surveys:
Conducted nine external surveys reaching
>4,700 members of the general public regarding
their views on climate change, scams, the
cost of living crisis, and saving habits
Invited 21 community partner organisations to
participate in our ESG Materiality Assessment
Co-design:
Developed work experience programmes for
students of four London state secondary schools
Worked with Birkbeck University, Careers & Enterprise
Company, The Diversity Project, and Woodside
High School, to deliver targeted inclusion focused
presentations and workshops about building a fulfilling
career within the business and financial services sectors
Shared insights about the UK pension landscape
with employees at Independent Age, a
charity, as part of a workshop exchange
Strategic partnerships:
Active participant, signatory and disclosing company
under the Workforce Disclosure Initiative
Member of ShareAction’s Good Work
Coalition, joining public campaigns
Public commitments as a member of the
Disability Confident Employer Scheme
Public commitments as a signatory
of the Social Mobility Pledge
How we Engaged
Interests and Concerns
ESG Materiality Assessment Topics
Fulfilling careers:
Equal pay for equal work
Transparent policies that support
flexible working patterns
Transparent, gender-inclusive parental leave policies
Closing the gender pension gap
All companies paying wages that represent
the true cost of living in the UK
Diversity & Inclusion:
Ensuring concerns of marginalised groups
are heard in the pension system
Businesses that reflect society at every level
Recruiting diverse talent, including those without
degrees, or financial sector experience
Supporting local communities, partnership building
Climate leadership:
A responsible plan range focused on
creating a safer, fairer, kinder future
Climate leadership in pensions
Transparency in reporting on relevant
environmental metrics
Clear ESG ratings and sustainability labels for
all pension plans to prevent greenwashing
A safe, fair, climate transition for all,
minimising climate change vulnerability
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Strategic Report
Our Responses
Stakeholder Engagement
| Our Communities
Fulfilling careers:
Published our Community Involvement
Policy, with employee volunteer allowance
77
Employees supported various organisations
by volunteering, sharing their career stories
and leading an inclusion-focused workshop
for students with learning disabilities
Accredited Living Wage Employer, paying
all employees a London Living Wage
regardless of where they live in the UK
Supported public campaigns led by the Good
Work Coalition to get all FTSE100 companies
and supermarkets to start paying a Living Wage
77. www.pensionbee.com/community-involvement-policy
Diversity & Inclusion:
Joined ABI’s Making Flexible Work campaign,
published our remote / flexible working policies
Member of the ABI’s Transparent
Parental Leave and Pay Initiative
Diversity, Inclusion and Equality Policy with
targets updated and shared with employees
Participated in the steering group
of the Diversity Project
Participated in the Tech Talent Charter, to drive
greater inclusion and diversity in the UK tech sector
Delivered work experience for students
from four local state secondary schools,
as part of our outreach commitment
under the Social Mobility Pledge
Donated laptops to two local organisations
that focus on inclusion, including to Woodside
High School (inclusion department) and Mer-
IT (community-based training provider)
Reflected our diverse customer base
in our marketing campaigns
Climate leadership:
Selected as participant in the Mayor of London
Business Climate Challenge Initiative 2022
Active member of Better Bankside’s
Environment Working Group
ESG integration across plan range
PensionBee Impact Plan
Public commitment to Net Zero
UPDATE
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Stakeholder Engagement
| Our Suppliers
How we Engaged
Our Responses
Supplier onboarding process:
Regularly assess, review and select suppliers that
have adequate controls in place, particularly
certifications of independent auditing
Only work with suppliers that ensure our
customer data is not at risk of being exposed
or misused and with voluntary completion
of Data Protection Impact Assessments
Enhanced supplier due diligence, which includes
a comprehensive Information Security section and
an evaluation matrix to assess supplier responses
Maintaining and actively monitoring the relationship:
Managed relationships with suppliers, to ensure
appropriate service provision and be front of line
for feature enhancements or other improvements
Monitored reporting on SLAs, transactions
volume, interaction with PensionBee customers
Regular engagement with Stewardship
teams of our asset managers
Oversight of supply chains:
Engaged with our biggest suppliers
on their workforce issues
Gathered workforce data on our biggest suppliers
Published our first Supply Chain Mapping report for
2021/2022
78
78. www.pensionbee.com/investor-relations/esg
Supplier onboarding process:
Standardisation of supplier due diligence
and suitability assessments to enable better
comparison across the supplier base
Fair expectation in the delivery of projects
Maintaining and actively monitoring the relationship:
Insight into customer trends and survey results
Product and service innovation
Value creation and expertise
Collaborative working opportunities
Effective governance and operations
Prompt payment
Oversight of supply chains:
London Living Wage
Gender composition and gender pay gap
Safe and healthy working conditions
Supplier onboarding process:
PensionBee Responsible Supplier
Policy and Code of Conduct
79
PensionBee Information Security Policy
Implemented new internal system for more
efficient supplier invoice processing
Maintaining and actively monitoring the relationship:
PensionBee is a disclosing company and investor
signatory of the Workforce Disclosure Initiative
2022 WDI disclosure score of 89%, against
a financial sector average of 67%
80
Asked suppliers to also disclose under
the Workforce Disclosure Initiative
Oversight of supply chains:
Checked the supply chains of our top 20
suppliers (representing 84% of our supply
chain in 2022) also paid a Living Wage
Checked suppliers’ supply chains were protected
by effective discrimination and harassment policies
in the appropriate legal jurisdictions of operation
Multiple engagements with our asset managers’
stewardship teams, to share our customers’
views on voting around Living Wage pay
gaps and other areas of importance
79. www.pensionbee.com/investor-relations/esg
80. The disclosure score is the number of questions to which the
Company provided meaningful data, expressed as a percentage i.e.
it is a measurement of the completeness of the response, not the
quality of its answers or its workforce policies and practices.
Interests and Concerns
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Strategic Report
Stakeholder Engagement
| Government and Regulators
How we Engaged
Our Responses
Direct engagement:
Engagement with Government
Ministers, other government officials and
regulators at meetings and events
Regularly invited to join Government
business roundtable events
Direct correspondence with MPs, Government
departments and policy makers on matters
of crucial importance to our customers, with
a focus on pension switching rights
Government and regulatory consultations:
Regular contributor to Government consultations
Regulatory matters were regularly
considered by the Board
Public commentary:
Frequent commentator on issues of national
importance to our customers and all pension savers
Cross-industry working:
Member of industry bodies for pensions and fintech
The Financial Conduct Authority’s new Consumer Duty,
which seeks to set higher and clearer standards of
consumer protection across financial services through:
An overarching principle that requires firms to act
to deliver good outcomes for retail customers
Cross-cutting rules that firms: act in good faith,
avoid foreseeable harm, enable and support
customers to pursue their financial objectives
Outcomes that relate to crucial elements of the
firm-consumer relationship; consumers receive
communications they can understand, products and
services that meet their needs and offer fair value,
and get the support they need, when they need it
The Minister for Pensions and the Department
for Work and Pensions (‘DWP’) seeks to deliver
a reliable, high-quality pensions system to
improve retirement outcomes for all
DWP’s delivery body, the Money and Pensions
Service, offers impartial, free money and guidance,
Stronger Nudge appointments and leads on
the Pensions Dashboards workstream
Meetings and participation:
Steering Group member of Government’s
Pensions Dashboard Programme
Member of the Pension Scams Industry Forum
Regular engagement with DWP on transfer delays,
consumer detriment and pension switching guarantees
Attended business roundtables at 10 Downing
Street on UK technology ecosystem
Multiple engagements with the FCA, including on
topics of interest, such as transfers, transfer times,
digitisation and general industry developments
Responding to consultations:
Contributed to Government consultations
regarding the development of regulation
and policies which impact upon PensionBee,
its customers and all pension savers
Speaking on policy issues:
Regularly invited to comment on topics such
as the gender pensions gap, charges, switching
rights, transfer legislation, open pensions, lifetime
allowance, responsible investing, investment
pathways, voting rights, scams awareness, pensions
policy, UK technology ecosystem and Listing Rules
Collaborative working:
Member of the Association of British Insurers
Interests and Concerns
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Stakeholder Engagement
| Our Planet
Scope 1 and 2 emissions:
Fully remote working offered to everyone
at PensionBee to reduce travel
Recycling or donating used IT
equipment and office furniture
Paperless pension provider
Monitoring building energy usage
Scope 3 emissions:
Offering a core range of ESG screened plans
Working with managers to increase
screening on all plans
Listening to customer concerns on the environment
Asserting customer views for voting on
climate issues with money managers:
Partnerships
:
Founding pledge partner of the ‘Make
My Money Matter’ campaign
Support environmental campaigns
and shareholder resolutions
A safe, clean world to retire in:
Fair access to the world’s resources
Tackling climate poverty to protect
the most vulnerable societies
Removing plastics from our ecosystem
Halting deforestation
Investment offering:
Pensions that build a safe, healthy planet for everyone
A just and fair transition to a low carbon economy
Greenwashing
Minimising the environmental impact of
the biggest corporate polluters
Interests and Concerns
How we Engaged
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Strategic Report
Our Responses
Minimising our environmental impact:
Completed Streamlined Energy and
Carbon Reporting 2022
81
Completed Task Force for Climate-
Related Financial Disclosures 2022
81
Published our Carbon Neutrality
Statement under PAS2060
82
Committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050
82
Office uses 100% renewable REGO
sustainable green electricity
Continued to be one of the UK’s only
paperless pension providers
Cloud-hosted web services remove the need for servers
Fully remote working offered to all employees to reduce
travel
Bicycle storage and showers available for those who
wish to cycle to work
Old IT equipment donated to our partner school
Old office equipment recycled
81. See pages 82 to 91 of the Climate-related
Disclosures section of the Strategic Report.
82. www.pensionbee.com/investor-relations/esg
ESG integration into the investment range:
Announced the launch of the PensionBee Impact Plan
Adoption of 50% carbon reduction by 2029
targets in our most popular plan, Tailored
Secured voting rights for 86% of the asset
base, to further support environmental
shareholder resolutions
83
Completed SASB reporting 2022
82
Only work with asset managers who are members
of the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative
Strategic climate partnerships:
Continued our campaign for industry to
reduce widespread use of paper
Selected as participant in the Mayor of London
Business Climate Challenge Initiative 2022
Active member of Better Bankside’s
Environment Working Group
Signed the World Wide Fund for Nature letter
asking the regulators to facilitate the alignment
of the financial services sector with net zero
83. 86% of Assets under Administration as at 31 December
2022, across the Tailored, Tracker and 4Plus Plans.
Stakeholder Engagement
| Our Planet
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Strategic Report
Section 172 Statement
Section 172 of the Companies Act 2006 (‘s172’) requires Directors to act in the way they consider,
in good faith, would be most likely to promote the success of the Company for the benefit of its
shareholders as a whole and, in doing so, have regard to matters including the items set out in the
table that follows.
The Board seeks to understand and carefully consider our key stakeholders’ interests, concerns and
perspectives. The Board recognises that each decision will have a different impact and relevance to
each stakeholder, so a sound understanding of their priorities is key. While the Board engages directly
with some groups of stakeholders, engagement takes place at all levels of the Company, across the
business.
Feedback from the engagement at Board level and across the business is reported back to the
Board and the Board Committees to help inform decision-making. The Board exercises independent
judgement when balancing any competing interests in order to determine what it considers to be the
most likely outcome to promote the long-term sustainable success of the Company.
Further details and specific examples of how the Board and Company engage with our stakeholders,
and their interests and needs, can be found above on pages 56 to 69 of this Stakeholders section.
Further details of how the Board operates, including certain of the matters it discussed during the
year, having regard to its s172 duties, are contained on pages 108 to 114 of the Corporate Governance
Statement within the Corporate Governance Report.
Section 172 Requirement
Further Information
The likely consequences of any
decisions in the long term
About Us, pages 10-24
Our Strategy, pages 25-33
Our Business Model, pages 34-35
Our People, pages 36-45
Operating and Financial Review, pages 48-53
Measuring our Performance, pages 54-55
Stakeholders, pages 56-70
ESG Considerations, 71-81
Climate-related Disclosures, pages 82-91
Managing our Risks, pages 92-97
The interests of the Company’s employees
About Us, pages 10-24
Our People, pages 36-45
Stakeholders, pages 56-70
ESG Considerations, 71-81
The need to foster the Company’s business
relationships with suppliers, customers and others
About Us, pages 10-24
Stakeholders, pages 56-70
ESG Considerations, pages 71-81
The impact of the Company’s operations
on the community and environment
About Us, pages 10-24
Our Strategy, pages 25-33
Stakeholders, pages 56-70
Climate-related Disclosures, pages 82-91
ESG Considerations, pages 71-81
Managing our Risks, pages 92-97
The desirability of the Company maintaining a
reputation for high standards of business conduct
Managing our Risks, pages 92-97
Corporate Governance Statement, pages 108-114
Audit and Risk Committee Report, pages 121-127
The need to act fairly as between
shareholders and the Company
Stakeholders, pages 56-70
ESG Considerations, pages 71-81
Corporate Governance Statement, pages 108-114
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12
ESG Considerations
Introduction
PensionBee’s mission is to make pensions simple, so that everyone can look forward to a happy
retirement. We work to make this vision a reality for our customers, in the form of financial freedom,
good health and social inclusion.
We believe that effectively managing our Environmental, Social, and Governance (‘ESG’) priorities will
help preserve our resilience and drive long-term value for all our stakeholders. We pursue our ESG work
transparently, disclosing our targets and relevant metrics, an approach which supports accountability
and enables us to keep our stakeholders apprised of our progress.
In 2022 we conducted our first ESG materiality assessment (‘ESG Materiality Assessment’), which
provided us with deeper insights into the ESG themes of most importance to our stakeholders,
helping us frame our approach to ESG and to prioritise our ESG work.
This year, we continued to be led by our customers’ investment views, as we worked on the
development of our PensionBee Impact Plan, ahead of its successful launch in early 2023. Customers
told us they wanted to save for retirement whilst seeing their money have measurable real world
impact, something not generally available to savers in the UK Defined Contribution pensions market.
Our Impact Plan served as another example of PensionBee customer-driven innovation: elevating the
ambition of all savers to build a pension pot for retirement while building a better world to retire into,
helping to realise the PensionBee vision.
After many years of campaigning, we were also successful in securing ‘Voting Choice’ across 86% of
the asset base.
84
This means that from the 2023 proxy voting season onwards, we will be able to vote
in support of shareholder resolutions to help direct change in investee companies. We will, of course,
be led by our customers on their voting choices, listening to their views through surveys and seeking
to understand how they best want to drive change in the companies their pensions are invested in.
Finally, this year as part of our commitment to increasing our transparency across all the strands of ESG,
we disclosed under the Task Force for Climate-related Financial Disclosures (‘TCFD’) for the first time,
and continued to report under the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (‘SASB’) framework,
the Workforce Disclosure Initiative (‘WDI’) and the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (‘SECR’)
frameworks. We will continue to disclose under additional frameworks as data becomes available and
in response to future incoming regulation as it relates to climate-related disclosures.
84. 86% of Assets under Administration as at 31 December 2022, across the Tailored, Tracker and 4Plus Plans.
ESG Materiality Assessment
We were pleased to further our stakeholder engagement in 2022, with the introduction of our first
ESG Materiality Assessment. The aim was to undertake a process designed to identify the most
important or ‘material’ topics impacting us and our stakeholders. A topic is considered to be material
to PensionBee if:
It is of importance to our stakeholders, influencing their assessments and decisions related to
PensionBee.
It has an impact on our business model, Revenue and profitability and helps us achieve our mission
and vision, to make pensions simple so everyone can look forward to a happy retirement.
We engaged with customers, employees, shareholders and community partners through surveys,
interviews and our Board-led Town Hall, to gain insights to enable us to understand current and future
opportunities for our business and to bring greater transparency to our ESG work, at the same time
helping us to build stronger working relationships with all our stakeholders.
The outcome of this work (presented in the following ‘Materiality Matrix’) served to inform our
sustainability and ESG roadmap for 2023 and beyond and helped us to reaffirm our business strategy
and goals. Where we can successfully identify and prioritise the ESG issues most critical to our business,
we can focus activity in the areas where we can, and should, have the most impact.
Work on our first ESG materiality assessment was supported by ESG data reporting specialists, Nossa
Data. Our full ESG Materiality Assessment report can be found on the Company’s website: www.
pensionbee.com/investor-relations/esg
Materiality Matrix
We asked each of our stakeholder groups to rank 15 ESG topics in order of importance to them
through a survey, following up with individual interviews and invitations to share follow-on feedback.
The resulting Materiality Matrix captures all the ESG topics and presents their relative importance
to both internal and external stakeholders as well as the impact on PensionBee. Whilst we believe
all the topics presented in our ESG Materiality Assessment below are important to our business, the
Materiality Matrix uses prioritisation tiering, positioning topics of most relative importance and impact
in the top right hand corner. Conversely, topics positioned in the bottom left hand corner are relatively
less important to stakeholders and have relatively less impact on our business.
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The findings of the work demonstrated that we are already very focused on the areas of most importance to our stakeholders, but has helped us to prioritise the most critical material issues over others on our ESG roadmap.
Further affirming our current approach, the most critical material topics identified in our ESG Materiality Assessment also demonstrated close alignment with our PensionBee customer
proposition, our broader business strategy and goals, and enabled us to consider where we have the biggest opportunity to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
85
As part of an ongoing programme of improvement, future ESG Materiality Assessments will continue to focus on the key topics that we need to address in order to add value to the business. We believe that
effectively managing our ESG priorities in this way will help preserve our resilience and drive long-term value for all our stakeholders. In the meantime we will continue to engage with all stakeholders to help
us develop and deliver our ESG vision and pursue our work transparently.
85. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (‘SDGs’),
which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They recognise that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic
growth - all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests. Source: sdgs.un.org/goals
Impact on PensionBee
Workforce rights in supply chain
Corporate governance
Tier 1 =
most critical material issues
Tier 2 =
important material issues
Tier 3 =
material issues
Tier 3 priorities
Tier 1 priorities
Tier 2 priorities
Topic tiering
Engaging with local communities
Consumer rights & campaign to prevent detriment
Preventing greenwashing and
environmental transparency
Climate leadership
Gender and ethnicity pay gaps
Open, portable
pensions data
Importance to Stakeholders
A pension switch guarantee
Excellent value plan plan range
Cyber security
Diversity & inclusion
Product innovation
and inclusivity
Pensions with purpose
and stewardship
Fulfilling careers
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Topic
Description
Alignment with PensionBee
Strategy and Goals
Further Disclosure within
Annual Report
Alignment with UN Sustainable
Development Goals
Excellent value plan range
Continuing to offer market
leading investment plans that
generate returns for customers
Focus on investment solutions
designed for customers
Stakeholders (Customers)
- pages 56-70
Investment Committee
Report - pages 119-120
Product innovation and inclusivity
Continuously evolving product,
simple, safe and reactive to changing
customer needs, also designed with
a range of needs and vulnerabilities
in mind whilst enhancing access to
financial products and knowledge
Leadership in product innovation
Stakeholders (Customers)
- pages 56-70
ESG Considerations (Customer
Engagement with our
Product) - pages 71-81
Pensions with purpose
and stewardship
Developing a responsible plan
range focused on creating a safer,
fairer, kinder future whilst using
voice and vote to drive positive
change in investee companies
Focus on investment solutions
designed for customers
Stakeholders (Customers)
- pages 56-70
ESG Considerations
(Understanding our Customers’
Investment Views) - pages 71-81
Cyber Security
Continuing to monitor PensionBee’s
cyber security practices to
ensure enhanced protection
Investment in and Development of our
Industry Leading Technology Platforms
Managing our Risks - pages 92-97
Audit and Risk Committee
Report - pages 121-127
Diversity & Inclusion
Recruiting from all backgrounds
with no prior experience or
degree needed so that businesses
reflect society at every level
Gender balance at all levels.
Representation of all minority
ethnicities to match the UK population
across all levels of the business (as
defined by the 2021 census)
Our People - pages 36-45
Stakeholders (Employees)
- pages 56-70
Directors' Remuneration
Report - pages 128-146
Fulfilling careers
Maintaining a culture in which people
can find meaning in their work and
build a happy and fulfilling career
Focus on excellent customer service
Building and maintaining a culture
that promotes employee, and
in turn customer, happiness.
Our People pages 36-45
Stakeholders (Employees)
- pages 56-70
Directors' Remuneration
Report pages 128-146
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Environmental
As an online and paperless pension provider with a remote-first workforce of 208 employees,
86
a
small office footprint and cloud-based web services, we have a relatively limited direct impact on the
environment. However, with Assets under Administration of approximately £3.0bn at the end of 2022,
we have the opportunity to have a greater influence and positive impact through the investment
portfolios managed by our asset manager partners.
Understanding our Customers’ Investment Views
In 2022, we conducted our third annual survey of customers in our Tailored Plan. We invited customers
to share in-depth views on how and where they expected their money to be invested, to ensure
that our default investment solution continues to meet their evolving needs and expectations. We
ask the same set of opening questions each year, to measure changing attitudes over time, and also
additionally measure different emerging annual trends we observe in society and popular culture.
This survey data informs our investment approach, but also enables us to meaningfully engage with the
stewardship teams of our asset manager partners on the environmental and social issues of greatest
importance to our customers.
We publicly support other institutional investors in shareholder-led resolutions where our customers
have told us there is an issue of concern, such as fossil fuel financing.
We used survey data from customers in our Tailored Plan to engage on the theme of deforestation, and
to communicate customer expectations to BlackRock, the plan’s money manager.
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As a result of regular surveying, we have also been able to select a voting policy that best aligns with
our customers’ interests and expectations. From the 2023 proxy voting season onwards we will vote
using the ISS Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) voting policy.
On the ESG theme of ‘pensions with purpose’, in 2022 we prepared for the launch of the PensionBee
Impact Plan. The plan came about owing to insight uncovered from our 2021 Fossil Fuel Free Plan
survey that a growing number of customers want a pension that directly plays a part in solving the
world’s biggest social and environmental challenges.
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The development of this plan in 2022 involved
a series of customer focus groups to better understand expectations. After finding no existing suitable
mainstream options available in the market, we began working with our money manager, BlackRock,
to create a new plan customised to PensionBee customer needs.
86. As of 31 December 2022. Total workforce of 208 includes 204 UK employees and 4 overseas contractors, but excludes the four Non-
Executive Directors.
87. www.pensionbee.com/blog/2022/march/views-shape-future-of-tailored-plan
88. www.pensionbee.com/blog/2021/december/investing-for-positive-change
What I like about PensionBee is that you never sit still. You’re
always looking to develop yourselves from customer feedback.
- PensionBee customer
I just wanted to thank you for inviting me to participate in
today’s session regarding your work with the Impact Plan
as a product for PensionBee customers. I quite enjoyed the
discussion and also really appreciate that you’re seeking
the opinion of your customers when developing this.
- PensionBee customer
I support your ambition and hope it’ll come to fruition
shortly. I’d also be surprised if there isn’t an appetite for
this type of product too. For too long have customers
been without proper options in the pension market.
- PensionBee customer
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Integration of ESG into our Investment Plans
We believe that integrating material ESG factors into our customers’ investments will benefit our
customers, our society and our planet.
As a result of our general index-based investing approach, our customers have ownership in
thousands of companies around the world. We believe in the ‘engagement with consequences’
approach, meaning that we want to work with all companies to help them become better corporate
citizens and create an investment system that rewards positive impact on our society and our planet.
Nevertheless, we recognise there will always be some companies that it is not possible to engage with
as a result of their business activities and also that many of our customers wish to entirely exclude
certain companies from their pensions.
We seek to apply baseline ESG exclusionary screens where both the asset class and the plan investment
objectives allow. First, screens can be applied to equities and fixed income, but cannot yet as easily
be applied to gilts, government bonds, cash or alternative investments such as commodities or REITs.
Second, other objectives, such as ‘values-based’ or ‘religion-based’ investing, or a target return will
take precedence over screening.
The equity and fixed income portions of our core plan range are fully screened for violators of the
United Nations Global Compact and manufacturers of controversial weapons. Screened plans are: the
Tailored Plan, Tracker Plan, Fossil Fuel Free Plan and Pre-Annuity Plan, which together represented
93% of our asset base.
89
In addition to applying baseline screens, we have reduced our overall exposure to tobacco and
thermal coal over time. Over 99% of the Tailored Plan, our largest plan by customers and assets, passes
BlackRock baseline screens for tobacco, thermal coal, civilian firearms and nuclear weapons. Our asset
managers used FTSE and MSCI definitions in applying their exclusions.
We continued to work with asset managers to further expand the scope of ESG integration into
our plan range. In 2022, BlackRock announced it was adopting a formal ESG policy for their LifePath
strategy, which the Tailored Plan is based on, and committed to achieving a 50% reduction in carbon
emission intensity by 2029.
All of our asset managers, BlackRock, State Street and Legal & General Investment Management are
aligned with the TCFD recommendations, and they are all members of the Net Zero Asset Managers
Initiative. They regularly disclose their own net zero commitments and also support the companies
in which they invest in developing credible transition plans of their own, including setting corporate
emission reduction goals.
89. 93% of Assets under Administration, as at 31 December 2022.
Finally, in 2022 we were pleased to announce our latest sustainable investing option, in response to
customer demand for a mainstream impact investing option. We worked extensively with BlackRock
in 2022 to create the PensionBee Impact Plan. The plan exclusively invests in companies solving the
world’s greatest social and environmental challenges. It also has the most stringent exclusion criteria
of all our PensionBee plans. The plan seeks to elevate the ambition of UK savers, that their pension can
build a better world whilst they save for retirement. The plan will launch in early 2023 and represents
the latest in a series of PensionBee customer-led innovations for the UK pensions market.
Carbon Neutral and Net Zero Commitments
In 2022, PensionBee announced that it had achieved carbon neutrality of Scope 1 and Scope 2
(market-based) emissions in accordance with PAS 2060.
90
We have also committed to achieving net zero emissions across the entire business by 2050. This
commitment is applicable to all direct (Scope 1) and indirect (Scope 2) operational emissions, as well
as emissions from our wider value chain (Scope 3). Further details of our emissions reporting are set
out on pages 82 to 91 of the Climate-related Disclosures section of the Strategic Report.
Minimising our Impact on the Environment
In order to minimise our environmental impact, we only use cloud-hosted web services which remove
the need for servers. Our website is powered by 100% renewable energy with Cloudflare Pages, now
in partnership with The Green Web Foundation, for which we have received a green certification.
Companies that commit to powering their operations with 100% renewable energy with Cloudflare
are required to match their total energy usage with electricity produced from renewable sources.
Our office premises on Blackfriars Road used 100% renewable REGO sustainable green electricity
and we are committed to reducing carbon emissions each year. The office is centrally located next
to Southwark and Waterloo stations and is easily accessible by public transport. We also offer bike
storage and showers for those who wish to run, walk or cycle.
We continued to offer fully remote working to all employees, which greatly reduced commuting
emissions for those who wished to work permanently from home, as well as allowing us to recruit
from further afield, in a more inclusive way. We also had low business travel emissions as most of our
meetings were held virtually or in central London, where we are based.
PensionBee is a paperless pension provider. Our communications are digital, with annual statements
available to download in the BeeHive. We estimate the pensions industry still sends out approximately
40m paper packs each year by post and we have long campaigned for other providers to reduce their
use of paper.
90. https://www.pensionbee.com/investor-relations/esg
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We donated old working laptops to our partner school, which were used by their careers service to
increase employability prospects through online training and skills development. Other unneeded
office equipment was recycled or given away to employees.
The Mayor’s Business Climate Challenge
In 2022, PensionBee won a place on the Mayor’s Business Climate Challenge (‘BCC’), an ambitious energy
efficiency programme which supports businesses to reduce their energy consumption, to accelerate
building-decarbonisation efforts and contribute to London’s target of becoming a net zero city by 2030.
91
Emissions from heating and powering London’s commercial and industrial buildings currently make
up approximately 36%
91
of the capital’s carbon footprint. The BCC has been developed to help
participating businesses to make buildings more energy efficient, reduce energy costs and ultimately
cut carbon emissions, supporting businesses on their pathway to achieving net zero.
In 2022, PensionBee applied to participate in the Challenge through Better Bankside
92
, our Business
Improvement District, a business led-partnership in our local area of Southwark and Bankside, and we
pledged to reduce our energy consumption by 10% in the participating year. We will receive technical
advice from specialised energy consultants to help make our workplace more energy efficient.
Environmental and Sustainability Disclosures
In 2022, we continued disclosing under the Streamlined Energy & Carbon Reporting (‘SECR’)
framework. We have reported on all of the emission sources required under the Companies (Directors’
Report) and Limited Liability Partnerships (Energy and Carbon Report) Regulations 2018.
We expanded our disclosure under the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board to include a
secondary industry (Technology & Communications - Software & IT Services). In 2021, we disclosed
under our primary SICS industry (Financials - Asset Management & Custody Activities).
We also began disclosing under the recommendations of the Taskforce for Climate-related Financial
Disclosures (‘TCFD’).
As part of our commitment to increasing our transparency in all the strands of ESG, we will disclose
under additional frameworks as data becomes available and in response to future incoming regulation
as it relates to climate-related disclosures.
The TCFD and SECR are set out on pages 82 to 91 of the Climate-related Disclosures section of the
Strategic Report.
91. www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/environment-and-climate-change/
climate-change/zero-carbon-london/mayors-business-climate-challenge
92. betterbankside.co.uk
Environmental Awards
During 2022, we were proud to have achieved recognition for our focus on and achievements relating
to our environmental impact, including:
Winner of ‘ESG Company of the Year’ in the Investors Chronicle Celebration of Investment Awards
2022.
Winner of the ‘Good Egg Accreditation’ from Good With Money.
Highly Commended for ‘Marketing/Advertising Campaign of the Year’ for our Fossil Fuel Free Plan
in the
BusinessGreen Leaders Awards.
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Hannah
PensionBee customer since 2020
When I heard about the Impact Plan I
knew that was right for me... There's a
saying I always live my life by: "you might
not be able to change the world, but you
can change the world for one person".
And it's all about those small actions
that build to bigger consequences. And
that's what this pension is to me. It's a
small action to make bigger change.
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Social
Our published Diversity, Inclusion and Equality Policy sets out our broad goals for 2022, which included
gender balance and representation at all levels and representation of Asian/Black/Mixed/Multiple/
Other ethnic backgrounds to match the UK population across all levels.
For 2022, we were proud to have achieved 52% female and minority gender representation across our
entire employee base, 50% at Executive Management level and 57% at Board level.
93
We also achieved
40% Asian/Black/Mixed/Multiple/Other ethnic representation across our entire employee base, 20%
at Executive Management level and 14% at Board level.
93
Further detail is set out on pages 36 to 45 of the Our People section of the Strategic Report.
We seek to maintain a socially inclusive workplace that not only reflects the rich diversity of the UK
population but is also a welcoming place for historically under-represented groups in the pensions
and financial services sector. In this regard, we were proud to expand our work experience programme
in 2022, inviting groups of students from different schools to spend time in the PensionBee office. We
also continued our work in the local community and campaigned on workforce transparency and fair
wages for all.
Workforce Disclosure Initiative
PensionBee is an investor signatory of the Workforce Disclosure Initiative (‘WDI’), part of an investor
coalition of 63 institutions, with approximately $10tr in assets under management, that comes
together to set the global standard for workforce disclosures and to campaign for the improvement
of conditions of workers around the world. The WDI aims to improve corporate transparency and
accountability on workforce issues, provide companies and investors with comprehensive and
comparable data and help increase the provision of good jobs worldwide.
From 2021 onwards, we became a disclosing participant under the WDI and were short-listed for an
award in the ‘Best First Time Responder’ category. We received a special mention in the ‘Workforce
Action’ category, at the Workforce Transparency Awards, attended by both WDI respondents and
supporters. In 2022, our WDI disclosure score was 89%, as compared to a financial sector average
of 67% and an average all company disclosure score of 68%.
94
From 2022, we also began to ask the
companies in our supply chain to disclose under the WDI.
93. Supported by analysis from PensionBee’s HR information system, November 2022.
94. This score represents the number of questions to which the Company provided meaningful data, expressed as a percentage
i.e. it is a measurement of the completeness of the response, not the quality of its answers or its workforce policies and practices.
Good Work Coalition
Since 2020, we have been an active member of ShareAction’s Good Work Coalition, where we join
other investors to collectively engage companies on good work standards, such as paying the
Living Wage, providing secure work, and taking action on diversity and inclusion. We have been an
accredited Living Wage Employer since 2020, and we pay all our employees at least a London Living
Wage, regardless of where they live in the country.
In 2022, we signed open letters, publicly calling for all FTSE100 companies to pay all their workers a
Living Wage, our third year of supporting this campaign. We attended Good Work investor workshops
and roundtables on the topics of insecure work and diversity and inclusion.
We supported the Good Work Coalition’s 2022 campaign on ‘Engaging the Supermarket Sector
on the Living Wage’, attending investor engagement workshops with representatives from the
supermarkets, adding our public support and calling upon our asset managers to support the Living
Wage shareholder resolution at Sainsbury’s AGM in June 2022.
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Customer Engagement with our Product
Our mission is to make pensions simple so that everyone can look forward to a happy retirement. We
work to make this vision a reality for our customers by offering an excellent value plan range, pensions
with purpose, product innovation and inclusivity and the highest standards in cyber security.
During the course of 2022, our customers shared valuable feedback with us through a variety of
channels, such as TrustPilot, Retently, and email. Feedback was tagged and recorded, helping to drive
our product roadmap, and helping us to ensure that we prioritised features that resonated with our
customers’ needs.
Customer interviews formed another crucial element of our engagement work. We conducted 70 case
study interviews during 2022, led by our Engagement, Product and Design Teams. Our customers’
comments and stories were regularly featured across national media, amplifying their voices to help
change perceptions of pensions and highlight the experiences of ordinary savers. We facilitate this in
order to improve the pensions system for all savers across the UK.
The Engagement Team launched a PensionBee Customer Voices Report in 2022, to highlight evolving
customer needs and preferences to our colleagues in the context of the continuously changing
consumer and policy landscape. Regular insights were also shared internally during our Company-
wide Show N Tell sessions, where we shared interviews or sometimes invited customers to directly
share their feedback live. This helped us foster a stronger sense of connection between customers,
our customer-facing and non-customer-facing colleagues, and to link more closely the work we do
95. www.pensionbee.com/press/living-wage-resolution-june-2022
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at PensionBee, to real human lives. The Product and Design teams also published a metrics-focused
weekly Temperature Check Report and a monthly Hive Mind Report to highlight current and emerging
trends in satisfaction levels and direct action where it is needed.
I’m always included by PensionBee. I’m sent stuff. I don’t
necessarily have to be involved, but you’re inviting me
to surveys or sending me information all the time. That
allows me to have my say if I want to have my say, which is
great. A lot of companies set things up and then forget the
customers. And I think you’ve got the balance quite right.”
- PensionBee customer
Working with Local Schools
Our school partnerships support our aim to promote a financial services sector where anyone can
build a fulfilling career, regardless of their background or personal characteristics, and a world where
everyone can understand their finances.
Through engagement with charters and national campaigns focused on social inclusion, we have
learned of the importance of exposure to employers and professionals for school students. This is
true, particularly in schools with large numbers of pupils with characteristics that are not currently
well represented in the financial services and technology industries, such as children on free school
meals who are from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds, pupils from minority ethnic
backgrounds, and students who are less-abled.
In 2022, we deepened our work with local state schools by creating tailored work experience
placements for students from different state schools and launched a disability inclusion-focused
partnership with Woodside High School. We also extended our engagement activities to students
at Birkbeck University, via the Diversity Project, as well as through the Careers & Enterprise Company.
Students from four UK state secondary schools came to our London office for tailored work
experience placements, based on their interests and the school’s insights about their needs. Students
had the opportunity to interact with a variety of employees at PensionBee, including members of
our Executive Management Team, who participated in Q&A sessions and on the feedback panel for
student ‘pitch’ presentations.
Our partnership with Woodside High School, where 29% of the students are eligible for free school
meals and 90% are from a minority ethnic background, focuses on creating a sense of inclusion
amongst students with learning difficulties and mental health challenges, via face-to-face interaction
with a range of PensionBee employees. We also donated laptops to the school’s department for
inclusion. These activities were linked to the outreach commitments we made as part of our Disability
Confident membership and as signatories of the Social Mobility Pledge.
96
PensionBee has been really generous this year. The company has
supported our students by donating laptops, leading an inclusion-
focused workshop, and working with us to develop targeted work
experience opportunities. The company is showing our students
that they are welcome in the world of business and finance, and
the sector offers opportunities for them to build fulfilling careers.
This is especially appreciated right now. Due to the cost of living
crisis and fuel bills, our schools need all the help they can get.”
- Ada Gokay, Assistant Head of Inclusion & Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator,
Woodside High School in London
96. www.socialmobilitypledge.org
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Working with Charities
In 2022, we collaborated with multiple charities in various ways, including a digital insight exchange
with Independent Age, a team-building volunteering event with RSPB Wildlife Charity, and a charity
bike ride from London to Brighton to fundraise for Great Ormond Street Hospital. We also donated
laptops to Mer-IT, a community interest company that recycles old devices for training use in
vocational community repair workshops, to promote IT recycling as well as social inclusion.
Additionally, we launched our Community Involvement Policy
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, allocating all of our employees a full
day’s allowance of volunteering leave.
Engaging with charities helps increase career fulfilment for our employees, many of whom have
shared that they value meaningful opportunities to participate in activities with colleagues from
across the business, in ways that are different from their day-to-day workplace interactions.
Working with Local Communities
Each year we survey thousands of members of the public about a broad range of themes such as their
experiences of the cost of living crisis, savings habits, and their views on climate change.
We regularly invite inspirational speakers to raise awareness about important topics and help us
deepen our understanding of wider communities. Some topics covered have included a talk on the
lived-experiences of traveller communities in the UK, a workshop on inclusive communications led by
More Diverse Voices, a talk on racism and radical histories in Britain’s South Asian communities, a talk
by a Guardian journalist who shared their experiences reporting on race, a presentation from a start-
up CTO about being Black in Tech, and a talk from the the founder of the Institute of Neurodiversity
raising awareness about the work of the organisation and her own career experiences.
Since our office moved back to the London Bankside area in early 2022, we have also rejoined as a
community member of Better Bankside
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. In 2022, we participated in a wide range of community
initiatives such as the ‘Brighten Up Bankside’ local sunflower planting challenge, the Business Climate
Challenge, joined Better Bankside’s Environment Working Group and our employees participated in
their local history and culture walks programme.
97. www.pensionbee.com/community-involvement-policy
98. betterbankside.co.uk
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Governance
Corporate Governance
Further details on the Company’s approach to governance can be found on pages 108 to 114 of the
Corporate Governance Statement within the Corporate Governance Report.
Data Security and Privacy Controls
Further detail is set out on pages 92 to 97 of the Managing our Risks section of the Strategic Report.
Transfers Out / Scams
We continued to be an active member of the Pension Scams Industry Forum in 2022, attending
monthly meetings with representatives from across the anti-scams community. We followed the
principles of the PSIF Code of Good Practice for suspicious transfer out requests, and also shared
scams intelligence with other members of the community.
PensionBee continued to be a member and signatory of The Pensions Regulator’s Pledge to Combat
Pension Scams. We worked collaboratively with the rest of the industry to warn members about the
risks of scams and campaign for additional protections for savers.
Whilst we welcomed the 2021 transfer regulations to prevent pensions scams, we spent much of 2022
highlighting consumer detriment caused by a small group of providers using them to block legitimate
transfers.
We wrote numerous public letters to the Government urging the Department of Work and Pensions
to clarify ambiguous rules being used to obstruct normal transfer activity. Whilst the Government did
subsequently add further guidance as to the intent of its regulations, it was ignored by some pension
scheme trustees and thousands of savers continued to be prevented or delayed from moving their
pensions to PensionBee in accordance with their wishes. While the specific matter was subsequently
broadly resolved, we continue to campaign for a Pension Switch Guarantee to bring predictability and
efficiency to savers’ pension switching rights.
Supply Chain Mapping
We acted ethically in our business dealings and expected our suppliers to uphold ethical principles
too, urging them to adopt appropriate policies within their own businesses. As a disclosing participant
and investor signatory of the WDI, we committed to carrying out an assessment (part of our human
rights due diligence) to map our supply chain.
As a financial technology company, PensionBee’s supply chain was mainly composed of technology
suppliers, asset managers and advertising suppliers for acquisition purposes (TV, radio, out of home,
online). We also had professional services providers for services such as audit, legal, compliance, public
relations and pension transfers.
Our biggest suppliers were large companies based in either the UK or Ireland, subject to Modern
Slavery Legislation, Gender Pay Gap Information legislation, and other comparable EU legislation (in
Ireland). As the bulk of our suppliers provided technology or online advertising services and were
based in low-risk countries, we assessed the threat of human rights issues in their businesses to be low
risk. None of our suppliers were located or had direct operations in high-risk countries
99
.
In 2022 we published our first Supply Chain Mapping Report where we describe our engagement
with our suppliers, our learnings and how we plan to improve.
100
We want all companies to become
better corporate citizens and help build a business ecosystem that rewards positive impact on society
and on the planet. We do not expect every company in our supply chain to be perfect, but we do
value their willingness to cooperate with us on these issues and to improve their business practices.
99. We define high-risk countries those associated with poor human rights practices, including poor workplace conditions issues,
discrimination, child labour, forced or compulsory labour, lack of freedom of association and collective bargaining - further details
of the definition: www.unepfi.org/humanrightstoolkit/geographic.php, www.unepfi.org/humanrightstoolkit/supplychain.php
100. www.pensionbee.com/investor-relations/esg
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
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13
Climate-related Disclosures
Streamlined Energy & Carbon Reporting
The section below includes our second year of reporting under the Streamlined Energy & Carbon
Reporting (‘SECR’) requirements. The reporting period is the same as the Company’s financial year,
from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022.
Organisation Boundary and Scope of Emissions
We have reported on all emission sources required under the Companies Act 2006 (Strategic Report
and Directors’ Reports) Regulations 2018. These sources fall within the Company’s consolidated
financial statements.
An operational control approach has been used to define our organisational boundary. This is the
basis for determining the Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions for which the Company is responsible.
All carbon dioxide emissions and energy consumption figures relate to emissions in the United
Kingdom. The Company does not have any operations in offshore areas.
Methodology
For the Company’s reporting, the Company has employed the services of a specialist advisor, Verco, to
quantify and calculate the Greenhouse Gas (‘GHG’) emissions associated with the Company’s operations.
The following methodology was applied by Verco in the preparation and presentation of this data:
The calculation of the energy consumed for the following categories:
·
Combustion of fuel (not applicable to the Company).
·
Operation of its facilities.
·
Purchase of electricity, heat, steam or cooling by the Company for its own use.
Selection and application of appropriate emission factors (‘DEFRA’) to the Company’s activities
to calculate GHG emissions in line with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, published by the World
Business Council for Sustainable Development and the World Resources Institute (‘WBCSD/WRI
GHG Protocol’).
Scope 2 emissions reporting methods – application of location-based and market-based emission
factors to the electricity supplies.
Inclusion of all the applicable Kyoto gases, expressed in carbon dioxide equivalents, or CO
2
e.
Presentation of gross emissions, as the Company does not purchase carbon credits (or equivalents).
Verco was not retained to do any verification of the consumption data that was submitted by
PensionBee. Verco undertakes quality assurance of all works throughout the SECR process.
Absolute Emissions
The total Scope 2 GHG emissions from the Company’s operations in the year ending 31 December
2022 were as follows:
12.1 tonnes of CO
2
equivalent (tCO
2
e) when using a ‘location-based’ emission factor methodology
for Scope 2 emissions.
0.00 tonnes of CO
2
equivalent (tCO
2
e) when using a ‘market-based’ emission factor methodology
for Scope 2 emissions.
The Scope 2 emissions reported above include purchased electricity, which covers the energy used
for heating its facilities.
Note that no Scope 1 emissions are generated by PensionBee, so these are not included in this report.
Scope 3 emissions are also not included because quoted companies are not required to report on any
Scope 3 categories.
Intensity Ratio
As well as reporting the absolute emissions, the Company’s GHG emissions are reported below using
the metric of tonnes of CO
2
equivalent per million pounds of Revenue. This was selected as the most
appropriate metric due to its relevance and importance to the Company’s investors.
The intensity metric is as follows:
0.67 CO
2
e per million pounds revenue using the location-based method.
0.00 CO
2
e per million pounds revenue using the market-based method.
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Strategic Report
Target and Baselines
Our objective is to maintain or reduce our GHG emissions per £m Revenue each year and will report
each year whether it has been successful in this regard.
Our absolute emissions have seen an increase of 43.7% using the location-based method for Scope 2
emissions. Absolute emissions using the market-based method have remained consistent.
In February 2022, the Company moved office locations. However, the increase in electricity
consumption can be attributed to a higher number of employees returning to work in the office
space and working trends returning to normality in the post Covid climate. In respect of this move and
the increase in employees returning to the office environment, the Company’s intensity ratio metric
has remained relatively similar across 2021 and 2022. Our GHG emissions per £m Revenue increased
nominally to 0.67 tCO
2
e, up 0.03 tCO
2
e from 0.64 tCO
2
e in 2021.
Key Figures
PensionBee Group plc - Breakdown of Emissions by Scope (tCO
2
e)
2022
2021
GHG Emissions
Tonnes CO
2
e
tCO
2
e / £m
Revenue
101
Tonnes CO
2
e
tCO
2
e / £m
Revenue101
Scope 1
102
-
-
-
-
Scope 2
103
12.07
0.67
8.36
0.64
Scope 2
104
-
-
-
-
Total GHG emissions (location-based)
12.07
0.67
8.36
0.64
Total GHG emissions (marked-based)
-
-
-
-
Total Energy Use
Our Company’s total energy use for FY2022 was 62,407 kWh.
Electricity (kWh)
Total Energy Use (kWh)
2022
62,407
62,407
2021
39,361
39,361
Total
101,768
101,768
Energy Efficiency Actions
We have undertaken several measures to reduce our Scope 2 and 3 emissions, including:
Offering fully remote working to all employees, which has greatly reduced emissions related to
commuting.
Maintaining low business travel emissions, by encouraging meetings to be held virtually or in
central London, where the Company is located, consequently, reducing the commuting distance
for employees.
The wider building the Company’s office is situated in uses a Renewable Energy Guarantees of
Origin (‘REGO’) backed electricity supply to provide sustainable green electricity throughout.
Continuing to be a paperless pension provider, with all communications remaining digital.
Participating in the Business Climate Challenge, which is an energy efficiency programme led and
promoted by the Mayor of London.
101. Revenue: £18m (2022); £13m (2021).
102. Scope 1 being emissions from the Company’s combustion of fuel and operation of facilities.
103. Scope 2 being electricity (from location-based calculations), heat, steam and cooling purchased for the Company’s own use.
104. Scope 2 being electricity (from market-based calculations), heat, steam and cooling purchased for the Company’s own use.
8.4
12.1
2021
2022
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Scope 2 (location-based)
Scope 2 (market-based)
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
83
Strategic Report
Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures
PensionBee is pleased to present our first year of Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures
(‘TCFD’). We have applied a proportionate and appropriate approach to TCFD, assessing the
reasonableness of the TCFD Implementation Guidance (2021) with respect to the Company’s size,
business model and constrained data availability, particularly for Scope 3 emissions. Given its online
business model and limited direct carbon footprint, PensionBee is an emission-light company with
respect to Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. Owing to the underlying assets under administration of
the PensionBee Personal Pension, which are managed by third party money managers, PensionBee is
reliant on forthcoming data from its money managers in order to consistently implement and disclose
under the the TCFD Implementation Guidance (2021).
In accordance with Paragraph 8(a) of Listing Rule 9.8.6R, the disclosures presented here are consistent
with the TCFD Implementation Guidance (2021) to the extent described in the table below:
Full:
Partial:
None:
In each instance of partial disclosure consistency, an explanation is provided to assist in understanding
the constraints, particularly of data availability, and our short and long term objectives.
With respect to our long-term ambitions, PensionBee is committed to achieving net zero emissions
across the entire business by 2050. This commitment is applicable to all direct (Scope 1) and indirect
(Scope 2) operational emissions, as well as emissions from our wider value chain (Scope 3).
To achieve this, in the coming year we will calculate our base year emissions, including from the
challenging area of financed emissions from our investment portfolio. We are reliant on third party
disclosures and are therefore committed to improving the accuracy of these calculations over time.
Provided we are able to obtain sound third-party data regarding our Scope 3 emissions from our
money managers, these base year emissions will serve as a benchmark to measure our progress
against. To do this, we will set interim targets in addition to a long-term target to reach net zero by
2050.
We are committed to achieving full consistency with the TCFD recommended disclosures in the near
future, subject to data availability from third parties, and intend to fully integrate our target progress
monitoring and reporting into these disclosures, including our plans to support the transition to a net
zero economy. We expect that emissions will be independently verified, where appropriate, including
our base year emissions.
Governance
Reference
Consistency
Describe the Board’s oversight of climate-
related risks and opportunities:
We are in partial compliance with this recommended
disclosure and plan to increase our inclusion of climate-
related issues in key decision-making activities from next
year, as reliable Scope 3 data from our wider value chain
becomes available from our money managers.
The Board will monitor progress against climate
targets once these have been formally set.
Page 86
Section 1.1
Describe management’s role in assessing and managing
climate-related risks and opportunities:
Management’s role in assessing and managing climate-
related issues has been described below.
Page 86
Section 1.2
Risk Management
Reference
Consistency
Describe the organisation’s processes for identifying
and assessing climate-related risks:
We have described our processes for identifying
and assessing climate-related risk.
Page 90
Section 3.1
Describe the organisation’s processes for
managing climate-related risks:
We have described our processes for managing climate-related risk.
Page 90
Section 3.2
Describe how processes for identifying, assessing, and
managing climate-related risks are integrated into
the organisation’s overall risk management:
We have described how our processes for identifying,
assessing, and managing climate-related risks are
integrated into our overall risk management.
Page 90
Section 3.2
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84
Strategic Report
Strategy
Reference
Consistency
Describe the climate-related risks and opportunities the
organisation has identified over the short, medium, and long term:
Climate-related risks and opportunities identified over the
short, medium, and long-term have been described.
Page 87
Section 2.1
Describe the impact of climate-related risks and opportunities on
the organisation’s businesses, strategy, and financial planning:
We are in partial compliance with this recommended disclosure
and plan to improve our description of climate-related impacts
on both our supply chain and value chain in the near future,
as data from third parties becomes more readily available.
We will also outline our plans to support the transition
to a low carbon economy in our FY23 reporting.
Page 89
Sections
2.2/2.3
Describe the resilience of the organisation’s strategy,
taking into consideration different climate-related
scenarios, including a 2°
c or lower scenario:
We plan to describe how resilient our strategies are to
climate-related risk and opportunities under different
climate-related scenarios in the near future, when data
availability allows us to incorporate Scope 3 emissions to
conduct meaningful and relevant scenario analysis.
Page 89
Section 2.3
Metrics & Targets
Reference
Consistency
Disclose the metrics used by the organisation to assess
climate-related risks and opportunities in line with
its strategy and risk management process:
We have disclosed the metrics currently used by PensionBee
to assess climate-related risk and opportunity.
Page 91
Section 4.1
Disclose Scope 1, Scope 2, and, if appropriate, Scope 3
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and the related risks:
We have disclosed Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions as
per our Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (‘SECR’)
obligations. These can be found earlier within this section.
We plan to disclose Scope 3 emissions in our FY23 reporting, subject
to forthcoming and reliable data from our money managers.
Page 91
Section 4.1
Describe the targets used by the organisation to manage climate-
related risks and opportunities and performance against targets:
We have committed to long-term climate action. Our plans are to
set, and report progress against targets for the management of
climate-related risks and opportunities from our FY23 reporting,
subject to forthcoming and reliable data from our money managers.
Page 91
Section 4.2
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
85
Strategic Report
1 Governance
1.1 Our Board
The Board has the ultimate responsibility for the risk management framework and system of internal
controls, which is appropriate for the Company’s business and the climate-related risks to which it is
exposed. To assist the Board in its oversight of the business risk profile, the Audit and Risk Committee
has been established as a key sub-committee. The Company’s climate policies and strategies are
covered by the same governance and risk management processes as the remainder of the business.
All Board members are invited to the Audit and Risk Committee, however, the Chair may also request
a private meeting with the second line of defence (the Risk Management Team) or external assurance
providers (independent third parties). For more information on our lines of defence, refer to Section
1.2 below.
The Risk Management Team produces a Monthly Risk Review report. This report is presented to the
Risk Stakeholder Group (‘RSG’) and is then notified to the Board members. The Executive Management
Team also produces a high-level risk report which is presented at each Audit and Risk Committee
meeting. The Board therefore receives monthly updates including reports on any risk areas where
further controls or additional measures are needed to mitigate any new or changing climate risks
that have been identified.
The Risk Management Team ensures that regular management information is available for reporting
on the current status of climate risks. The reporting is supported by the information maintained in the
risk register. Climate-related regulatory reporting is consolidated by the ESG Manager, who sits within
the Engagement Team with oversight from the Chief Engagement Officer.
The Risk Stakeholder Group meets monthly and includes our Executive Directors, the rest of the
Executive Management Team and senior leaders from different departments across the Company.
This group reviews current top risks, any emerging risks, policy and regulatory compliance, incident
reports, second line deep dive reports, and progress with risk mitigation open actions.
The Risk Stakeholder Group:
Reviews the risk assessments and provides their challenge, if any.
Discusses progress with risk-relevant open actions and provides clarifications as needed.
Monitors change management around new releases.
Discusses findings of second line checks for key processes.
Reviews incidents and discusses lessons learned, suggesting the implementation of any required
new controls.
Receives prompts on upcoming or past-due annual policy reviews.
Receives information about Information Security developments and discusses them as needed.
Suggests agenda items for future RSG meetings.
The Board retains oversight of climate-related issues facing the business. The Board has received
climate-related training from sustainability reporting experts, Verco, on the topics of TCFD and net
zero. When planning for 2024, climate-related issues will, for the first time, be fully integrated into
the Executive Management Team’s preparation of strategy, major plans of action, budgets, and the
business plan. This will be presented to the Board for approval.
PensionBee has made a commitment to achieve net zero emissions across the entire business by
2050, and progress towards this commitment will be closely monitored by the Board.
While we have not yet set interim targets owing to a lack of data availability for Scope 3 emissions, this
is a priority area for the business in 2023, following the calculation of our Scope 3 value chain emissions.
The Board has direct oversight of all climate-related target-setting decisions and is kept regularly
informed of developments in this area. Refer to section 4.3. below for more information on how we
intend to change this in 2023, subject to forthcoming and reliable data from our money managers.
1.2 Our Management
PensionBee’s culture is one of our most fundamental tools for effective risk management. Our
management promotes risk awareness, transparency and accountability, and a strong emphasis is
placed on the timely identification, escalation and reporting of risks.
All departments in the Company are considered to be the first line of defence and are responsible for
ensuring adherence to all aspects of internal policies. They are accountable for identifying, assessing,
monitoring and managing risk, including climate-related risks. This includes responsibility for day-
to-day management of risk by designing, operating and maintaining an effective system of internal
controls. The first line of defence is directly embedded in the Company’s business activities and is
managed by department heads and senior management. There are no formal reporting lines between
the first and second lines of defence, but they engage via ongoing collaboration.
The Risk Management Team is considered to be the second line of defence and is responsible for
managing the Company’s risk framework, including maintaining fit-for-purpose risk management
policies and procedures. Their responsibilities include:
Overseeing the implementation of the risk management framework and related processes.
Ensuring the policies are regularly reviewed and adhered to.
Performing independent checks on the first line risk-related activities and risk-mitigating controls.
Reporting to the senior management, Audit and Risk Committee and the Board on risk exposures.
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Strategic Report
Reviewing, monitoring and reporting the incidents and near misses including performing trend
and lessons learned analysis.
Providing ongoing support, oversight and challenges to the first line on risk-related matters.
Promoting the development of strong risk culture and knowledge within the Company.
Chosen third party providers are responsible for independent assurance. They validate whether the
control environment is operating in alignment with the Board’s risk appetite. As a result, the Board
receives additional assurance over the effectiveness of the risk framework and the system of internal
controls.
The Chief Engagement Officer is the Risk Owner for Climate Risk, owns our ESG policy, and oversees
all climate-related reporting and initiatives. The ESG Manager, who sits within the Engagement
function, is a dedicated ESG-focused team member with oversight of the reporting process. The Chief
Risk Officer has extensive risk management experience across all risks, including Climate Risk, and is
responsible for risk oversight. Climate-reporting and TCFD training has taken place with both expert
advisors and asset managers related to the investment portfolio. The team has also attended TCFD
training workshops delivered by the London Stock Exchange related to the requirements.
2 Strategy
2.1 Climate-related Risk and Opportunity
Climate Risk is included in the internal Company risk register as a Principal (or Level 1) Risk, and climate-
related sub-risks (Business Continuity, Compliance, Liability and Third Party Supplier risks) are included
as Level 2 risks. These risks are evaluated as a part of our periodic risk and control assessment process,
as well as following any climate-related risk events.
In aggregate, Climate risk has been rated as Low based on our assessments of Level 2 risks. Physical
risk poses a relatively minor risk to the business, given its small physical footprint and cloud-based
operations, and it is classified under the Level 2 category Business Continuity Risk (and to a lesser
extent Third Party Supplier Risk). Transition risks are more pertinent for the business and are broadly
grouped under both Compliance and Liability Risks.
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Strategic Report
Climate Risks (Physical and Transition)
Risk (Level 1)
Risk (Level 2)
Description
Response
Residual Risk Quantification
Risk Rating
Climate Change
(Physical)
Business Continuity
Risk
Climate-related physical damage to
facilities/equipment or impact on
staff materially affecting the ability to
conduct critical business activities
Low exposure given small physical footprint
and a resilient operation (cloud-based
operation, flexible/remote working)
Risk transfer policies in place including the
Engineering Policy covering physical risks
Likelihood/Impact:
Unlikely/Moderate
Loss Estimate:
£15k
Low
Climate Change
(Transition)
Compliance Risk
Failure to adapt to the changing
regulation and disclosure requirements
associated with climate change
Compliance with regulatory (e.g.
TCFD, SECR) requirements
Ongoing regulatory compliance is monitored
by the second line risk function
Likelihood/Impact:
Unlikely/Moderate
Loss Estimate:
£15k
Low
Climate Change
(Transition)
Liability Risk
Liability resulting from changes in climate-
sensitive investment exposures
Screenings are applied in our funds to reduce harmful
exposures (Tailored Plan, Fossil Fuel Free Plan)
Launch of Impact Plan in January 2023 to
diversify further by introducing a more
varied set of underlying holdings
FinTech Insurance Policy in place covering
detrimental changes in our PnL
Likelihood/Impact:
Possible/Moderate
Loss Estimate:
£30k
Low
Climate Change
(Physical)
Third Party Supplier
Risk
Disruption of business activities due to
critical third-party service providers being
impacted by climate-related events
Resilient, cloud-based operation
Asset managers, banking and cloud providers
are all investment grade financial institutions
with established business continuity plans
Likelihood/Impact:
Rare/Major
Loss Estimate:
£20k
Low
The above-mentioned sub-risks are generally of relevance across a combination of the short (one to five years), medium (five to ten years) and long-term (10 to 30 years) time horizons. Acknowledging that
some may become more or less likely over time, due to the changing physical and transition risk profile of our geography and sector, we have assessed the following as the key climate-related risks and
opportunities over each time horizon. We will reassess these risks at least on an annual basis, or as important issues arise, in line with the Risk Management Framework.
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88
Strategic Report
Short Term
Within the next one to five years, we expect regulation and policy to be the predominant climate-
related risks facing the business. These are managed under the Level 2 Compliance Risk and will
primarily be driven by changes in the pension industry regulatory regime and continuously evolving
policy actions. Associated legal risks will also increase, as the expertise and resource needed to meet
increasing climate-related regulatory, mitigation, and adaptation demands also rises.
In time, we also expect increased opportunities through greater capital availability driven by demand
from investors for more sustainable investment products, as is evidenced by the launch of our newest
Impact Plan, as well as increases in public-sector incentives such as the Business Climate Challenge
Programme from the Mayor of London Office.
Medium Term
In the next five to ten years, climate-related risks will focus more on the potential market and
reputational risks associated with indirect exposure to high-emitting sectors through investee
companies or sectors otherwise exposed to climate risk. This will be managed under the Level 2
Liability Risk and addressed through the asset managers.
Over this time horizon, opportunities will develop as the market grows. We will continue to monitor
consumer trends, which currently point towards increased demands for low-carbon products. We
will proactively seek the views of our customer base through regular engagement to make sure the
investment plans continue to meet our customers’ needs, and access new markets where appropriate.
Long Term
Over the next 10 to 30 years, which comprises our longer-term horizon, we recognise that there are
difficulties in accurately predicting the specific market, policy or environmental context in which our
business will operate. As a pension provider interested in the long-term financial performance of our
investments, the exposure of our investee companies to both Climate Risk and climate opportunity is
of great importance.
We do expect to see an increased Level 2 Business Continuity and Third Party Supplier Risk through
business interruption and damage across operations and supply chains, with consequences for input
costs, revenues, asset values and insurance claims. Crucially, the amount of assets which may be
stranded may rise, the longer the transition to net zero is delayed. However, over this time horizon
we also see a significant opportunity to be seen as a leader in our field, in addressing the challenges
of climate change, through our products and services, resilience and risk management strategy.
Leadership will be shown in the field of addressing the challenges of climate change through both
our asset base (choice of investment plans), our corporate citizenship (strong ESG ratings) and our
voting record (on environmental issues).
2.2 Impact on the Business
Of the key climate-related risks identified with the greatest potential to impact our business, all have
had some impact on the organisation’s business, strategy, or financial planning.
As evidenced through our stakeholder engagement, climate-related issues are important for our
customers and have therefore impacted the products offered by the business. Minimising Liability
Risk in our investment portfolio, resulting from changes in climate-sensitive investment exposures,
or from failure to communicate our climate change strategy and targets, is a priority for the business
and our customers.
The Tailored Plan, our largest plan by customers and assets, is fully screened for thermal coal. We also
introduced the Fossil Fuel Free Plan in response to data from customer surveys that highlighted a
preference to exclude fossil fuel producers fully. The Fossil Fuel Free Plan screens out companies with
proven or probable fossil fuel reserves and companies that provide services to the fossil fuel industry.
The index is overweighting (more money being directed towards) companies that are better prepared
for the transition to a low carbon economy, as per the Transition Pathway Initiative methodology. The
Fossil Fuel Free plan tracks the FTSE All-World TPI Transition ex Fossil Fuel ex Tobacco ex Controversies
Index. Our intention is to increase baseline screens in all our screenable plans over time, and we have
a commitment from our asset managers to do so as the products become available.
As trillions of pounds are invested in companies that can improve or harm the planet and society
through their business models, pensions have the collective power and potential to change the world
for the better. By applying baseline ESG exclusionary screens, where both the asset class and the plan
investment objectives allow it, we are working with our asset managers to reduce our holdings in
companies that harm the environment through their business activities. In addition to the baseline
screens, we are reducing our overall exposure to thermal coal over time. Our full set of Company
policies are reviewed annually and include elements of the Environmental, Social and Governance
Policy, which can be found on the Company’s website.
105
Beyond our products and services, we have also taken steps in our direct operations to reduce waste
and increase our use of renewable electricity, as well as reducing energy use through our participation
in the Mayor of London’s Business Climate Challenge, as well as adopting our Responsible Supplier
Policy and Code of Conduct.
2.3 Resilience of PensionBee Strategy to Climate Change
PensionBee has a relatively small environmental footprint, being an office-based organisation that
primarily uses cloud-based technology. We offer fully flexible/remote working to all employees and are
a paperless pension provider. The focus of our efforts in FY23 will be to gain a better understanding of
105. www.pensionbee.com/investor-relations/esg
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Strategic Report
our Scope 3 emissions, including the financed emissions from our investment portfolio (a challenging
area which we are committed to improving over time, subject to forthcoming and reliable data from
our money managers).
Calculating our base year emissions will be the first step towards our commitment to achieve net zero
emissions across the entire business by 2050, a goal which will support both the UK’s net zero target
for 2050 as well as global efforts to achieve a societal transition to a low carbon economy. In order to
achieve this, we have committed to setting interim targets, in addition to integrating our processes
to monitor and report against these targets, together with a detailed transition plan, into our TCFD
reporting from FY23 onwards, subject to forthcoming and reliable data from our money managers.
Understanding the resilience of our overall strategy to climate-related issues under different future
scenarios, and how our strategy may need to adapt to meet the challenges of each scenario, will be
critical, to enable us to effectively plan and meet our climate commitments in the near future. We
recognise that the key climate-related risks and opportunities identified, particularly over the medium
and long-term time horizons, are highly dependent on assumptions about the ways in which climate-
related issues will manifest over the coming years. To ensure that we demonstrate preparedness
for this uncertain future, we will develop our understanding of different climate-related scenarios,
including a below 2 degrees warming scenario, in the near future.
3 Risk Management
Climate Risk is defined as the risk of negative impact of climate change or its broader economic,
financial and societal consequences on the Company, or the Company’s failure to meet sustainability
requirements from a commercial, regulatory and stakeholder perspective. PensionBee has added
Climate Risk as one of its Principal Risks, which are set out on pages 92 to 97 of the Managing our Risks
section of the Strategic Report.
Climate Risk drivers can be grouped into categories relevant to the Company. For PensionBee, these
climate sub-risks have been identified as follows:
Business Continuity Risk: Climate-related physical damage to facilities/equipment or impact on
staff materially affecting the ability to conduct critical business activities.
Compliance Risk: Failure to adapt to the changing regulation and disclosure requirements
associated with climate change.
Liability Risk: Liability resulting from changes in climate-sensitive investment exposures or failure to
communicate our climate change strategy and targets.
Third Party Supplier Risk: Disruption of business activities due to supply chains/critical third party
provider services being impacted by climate-related events.
3.1 Identification and Assessment
Climate Risk management is a part of our comprehensive risk management framework. The framework
components ensure adequate identification, management and communication of climate risks as
they arise so that decisions can be made on a timely basis.
Furthermore, we also made the decision to undertake a materiality assessment with our stakeholders
in 2022 to explore ESG issues, including climate-related issues. Further details are set out on pages 71
to 81 of the ESG Considerations section of the Strategic Report.
Climate Risks facing the business are managed within the Low risk appetite level set by the Board. The
Board regularly confirms its risk appetite for principal risks in the Audit and Risk Committee. For most
risks, other than those that arise through the course of business, risk appetite is Low. The assessments
against board risk appetite are based on an analysis of the impact, likelihoods and internal controls
related to climate risks. Further details are set out on pages 92 to 97 of the Managing our Risks section
of the Strategic Report.
Risk Assessment Process at PensionBee
Climate Risk quantifications are forward-looking estimates of the losses/gains within a given time
horizon, at a particular probability.
The PensionBee risk scoring methodology takes into account the impact and the likelihood of the
climate risks materialising. The plausible worst-case impact expected over the five-year time horizon
is estimated.
The assessments are performed for inherent and residual risks in order to understand how effective
our controls are. Inherent risk is defined as risk without taking into account mitigating controls, and
residual risk is defined as risk after considering the effectiveness of mitigating controls.
In cases where risks are scored as Medium or High, a specific risk management procedure is followed
to ensure adequate mitigating controls are established. Hypothetically, if the residual Climate Risk
quantification score obtained was Medium or High, this would mean the Company was operating
outside of the Low risk appetite set by the Board. This would highlight that priority work needed to be
done, and the Company would implement additional measures in order to ensure the risk returned to
within Low risk appetite as soon as possible.
3.2 Management and Response
All employees are responsible for operating and maintaining an effective system of internal controls,
for the escalation of risks or issues, and for reporting incidents in accordance with PensionBee’s risk
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management and incident management policies. Through the processes identified above, climate-
related risks are identified and monitored effectively within the business. Where the risk appetite set by
the Board was breached, additional measures to mitigate, transfer, accept or control the risk would be
agreed by the Board with the support of the Risk Stakeholder Group and the Audit and Risk Committee.
The Chief Risk Officer heads the Risk Management Team and chairs the Risk Stakeholder Group (‘RSG’).
The Risk Management Team produces all risk reporting including the Monthly Risk Report which they
present in the RSG meeting. The Risk Management Team is also responsible for performing all second
line of defence risk tasks including information that feeds into RSG materials.
In addition to its role in assessing and managing climate-related issues, as described under
Governance, the Risk Management Team is also responsible for providing appropriate training on the
risk management framework. The purpose of this training is to:
Ensure the consistent application of the risk management framework, including tools and processes
Enhance the clarity of roles and responsibilities for risk management across the three lines of
defence
Embed an effective risk culture for the company which maintains high standards of risk awareness,
transparency and accountability
4 Metrics & Targets
4.1 Metrics
PensionBee tracks a number of metrics in order to measure and manage the business’ exposure to
climate-related risk and opportunity. These currently include energy and emissions as part of our SECR
reporting obligations.
Of the risks identified in Section 3.1, none are currently exceeding a Low risk threshold identified
by the business following the risk management process outlined in Section 2. However, there are a
number of key areas identified by the business for close attention in order to ensure that any change
in the operating conditions will be considered. These include:
Extent of physical operations
Business continuity arrangements
Insurance policies
Capability to comply with existing and new regulations
Governance processes
Exposure to climate sensitive investment
Third party control framework
Change in customers preferences
In addition to this, we track metrics relevant to our sectors according to the Sustainability Accounting
Standards Board (‘SASB’).
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4.2 Emissions
As a personal pension provider, PensionBee is responsible for a significant investment portfolio of
Assets Under Administration. The Scope 3 emissions associated with this portfolio have not yet been
calculated, as the Company is reliant on forthcoming and reliable data from its money managers. In
recognition of the importance of this, we are committed to calculating our full base year emissions
(including material Scope 3 sources) in 2023, subject to forthcoming and reliable data from our money
managers.
In our own operations, we monitor our Scope 1 and 2 emissions through the UK Streamlined Energy
and Carbon Reporting (‘SECR’) framework, reported here. These are reported in metric tonnes of
CO
2
equivalent using both location and market-based emissions factors, in addition to an economic
carbon intensity metric. As this is our second year of reporting using the SECR framework, we are also
able to provide historical emissions for the first time this year.
4.3 Targets
We are committed to achieving net zero emissions across the entire business. This commitment is
applicable to all direct (Scope 1) and indirect (Scope 2) operational emissions, as well as emissions
from our wider value chain (Scope 3). To support this, we will set interim targets, in addition to a
long-term target to reach net zero by 2050, subject to forthcoming and reliable data from our money
managers. While we do not, at present, have emissions reduction or other climate-related targets in
place, all of our asset managers report in accordance with the TCFD recommendations, as well as
being members of the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative. We recognise the importance of setting and
measuring progress against a set of clear, quantifiable, and credible goals, which is why we only work
with asset managers with their own net zero commitments and who are members of the Net Zero
Asset Managers Initiative. In this way, we are supporting the companies in which we invest, to develop
credible transition plans of their own, including setting their own corporate emission reduction goals.
106. www.pensionbee.com/investor-relations/esg
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14
Managing our Risks
The Risk Management Framework
The Board is ultimately responsible for establishing the risk appetite and the risk management
framework at PensionBee. The Company’s risk appetite is generally low, with a medium risk appetite
in instances where the risk arises as a function of the inherent business model, for example the
financial risks arising from fluctuations in capital markets. The Board has appointed the Audit and Risk
Committee to assist with the oversight of risk management activities.
PensionBee maintains a comprehensive risk management framework, with risk management
acknowledged as the collective responsibility of all employees.
The risk management framework sets in place the structure and processes required to ensure that
the risks assumed in the execution of our strategy are understood and managed across the Company
within the acceptable levels set by the Board, and that the Company meets its obligations to key
stakeholders including customers, employees, shareholders, regulators and broader society.
The components of the risk framework are designed to ensure adequate identification, communication
and management of risks as they arise, so that decisions can be made on a timely basis. They also
enable a proactive, forward-looking risk management approach, focused on identifying any emerging
risks and preventing them from materialising.
The Company culture plays a critical role in effective risk management because it sets the tone for
how risks are identified, assessed, and managed. Our strong culture of risk management promotes
open communication, encourages employees to identify and escalate risks, and fosters a sense of
accountability and ownership for managing risks.
The Company operates a ‘Three Lines of Defence’ model, which segregates risk management activities
and reporting lines.
First Line of Defence
All departments in the Company are considered to be the first line of defence, and they are responsible
for adhering to internal policies and regulatory requirements. They are accountable for identifying,
assessing and managing risks, and for designing, operating and maintaining an effective system of
internal controls. First line of defence business activities are managed by department heads or other
sufficiently senior employees at PensionBee. Individuals who are the risk owners are accountable
for ensuring adherence to the PensionBee Risk Management Policy, with individual policy owners
assuming responsibility for annual reviews and implementation of their policies.
Second Line of Defence
The second line of defence consists of our Risk Management Team. The Risk Management Team is
responsible for managing the Company’s risk framework and for oversight of the first line’s compliance
with our policies. The second line of defence provides assurance on all risk management activities,
including monitoring the adequacy and progress of the risk mitigation activities in order to ensure
that residual risk exposures are within the risk appetite. New risks and the changes in risk profile are
brought to the attention of the first line by the second line, and vice versa. Second line also manages
the policy governance framework, and oversees the first line’s annual policy reviews.
External Assurance
The Company employs external parties to provide the Board with additional external assurance over
the effectiveness of the risk framework, as it currently does not have an internal audit function. We will
continue to evaluate on an ongoing basis whether an internal audit function, with a direct reporting
line to the Audit and Risk Committee, should be established.
The external parties are appointed based on their sector expertise, for example, investment
management, finance, compliance, regulation and information security expertise. The Company
conducts additional external assurance activities when appropriate, where additional assurance is
required or where there are considered to be new or changing risks. The Audit and Risk Committee
is kept up to date with the work of these parties. Parties currently appointed to provide external
assurance are shown in the below diagram. For the avoidance of doubt, the external auditor’s ultimate
duty is to shareholders.
The overarching governance structure is designed to ensure the Board oversees the risk management
framework and processes. As set out in the following diagram, the Board has established four sub-
committees to assist it with the oversight of the Company. Each sub-committee is chaired by a Non-
Executive Director. All Board members, selected members of the Executive Management Team and
the Company Secretarial department are invited to attend the sub-committee meetings, however the
Chair of each sub-committee may also request a private meeting with the second line of defence or
the external assurance parties if required.
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Identifying Emerging Risks
PensionBee is focused on proactive risk and change management, ensuring we monitor and regularly
assess the Company’s emerging risks. PensionBee’s Risk Management Policy contains the requirements
related to periodic risk and control assessments, which are required to be performed at least annually
and also where any potential changes in the risk profile are identified. During 2022, the Board, via the
work of the Audit and Risk Committee, robustly assessed the Company’s emerging and principal risks.
The PensionBee Executive Management Team has documented the Company’s perceived exposure
to risk through the collation of a risk register, which is managed by the Risk Management Team. The
risk register captures all key risks and the assessments of the Company’s exposures against its risk
appetite. The results of the risk and control assessments are reviewed to understand the levels of
residual risks in order to address any unacceptable risks that have emerged.
The PensionBee Incident Management Policy sets out the requirements to identify, escalate and
remediate incidents. It also specifies standards for regular and transparent reporting of incidents.
Monitoring and responding to incidents is a part of the role and responsibility of every PensionBee
employee. The Risk Management Team reviews the incidents and perceived ‘near-misses’ in order
to identify any emerging trends and to ensure any required additional controls are proactively
implemented.
PensionBee is focused on safe operation and ensuring that we make sound, risk-based decisions
when managing change to our business activities. A centralised change approval process is in place
to ensure any new risks introduced by significant business changes are proactively identified and
mitigated.
Information Security Risk Management Framework
PensionBee is focused on the evolving Information Security risk which encapsulates cyber security risk
and data security risk.
Our Approach
We use a risk and threat driven approach to ensure our security controls are implemented in the
correct areas. By using this approach, we understand the risks to our assets and the threats that these
assets are exposed to, which in turn allows us to protect them more effectively.
The approach is driven by our Information Security Strategy, ‘BeeSecure’, which is underpinned by
four key pillars:
BeeAware - focuses on security culture and raises awareness across the entire organisation to
ensure Information Security risk is everyone’s responsibility. A key component of BeeAware is to
simplify security and raise awareness using a human-centric approach to training.
Threat Prevention, Detection and Response Capability - focuses on increasing observability of
the technology estate (including third party applications where necessary), and responding to
anomalies or malicious behaviour in a timely manner.
Integration with the Business - focuses on integrating with the business so that systems,
applications and any new initiatives are built with a secure-by-design approach.
Security Assurance - focuses on providing adequate assurance that security controls are operating
effectively and efficiently (including third party supplier controls).
Our Information Security team uses real life scenarios and intelligence to create plausible cyber
security and data compromise simulations, to help focus on continuous improvement.
Security Frameworks and Governance
The VP of Information Security is responsible for the Information Security Management System
(‘ISMS’), which includes the delivery of the BeeSecure programme. This is overseen by the CTO, who
has ultimate accountability for Information Security at PensionBee.
We have a comprehensive ISMS, which is certified to the internationally recognised ISO 27001
information security standard. We also hold the Cyber Essential Plus certification, which is a
Government-backed scheme to help organisations improve cyber security controls.
The BeeSecure programme has also been developed using the National Institute of Standards and
Technology Framework, which complements ISO 27001 and is one of the leading frameworks to help
manage and mitigate cyber security risk.
Board of Directors
Committee oversight
Investment
Committee
Audit and Risk
Committee
Nomination
committee
Remuneration
committee
External assurance
Governance Advisory
Arrangement (Zedra)
ISO 27001 Auditor
(BSI)
Pension Technical Auditor
(Enhance)
Business including: Operations (Customer Success, Compliance and Banking), Technology
(including Information Security), Finance, Product Management, Marketing, Engagement, etc.
Second Line
of defence
Risk Management Team, Risk Stakeholder Group, Information Security Committee, etc.
First Line
of defence
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Security metrics in the form of KPIs are reviewed by senior stakeholders at the Information Security
Committee and are used to measure the progress of the ISMS against its objectives.
Our Information Security Culture
We carry out regular email phishing exercises across the entire organisation. The results are typically
reported at a company-wide Show N Tell to give complete transparency and visibility to all employees.
Security training and awareness uses a human-centric approach and is delivered in several different
forms, including via interactive training, regular notifications of significant data breaches across the globe,
and personalised classroom training which includes plausible cyber incident scenarios. In addition, the
Executive Management Team has designed and regularly practises its cyber breach response approach.
Data Security and Privacy Controls
The security of our online application is our priority and our customers’ personal data is well-protected
using multiple controls. The data is protected at rest, in transit and in use through a defence-in-
depth approach. All communication and the flow of data between our customers’ browsers and
our website is secured using 128-bit TLS encryption, to ensure that only people authorised to view
personal information can do so. Information is stored in secure databases and data segregation
between multiple systems is also in place. All data centres are accredited to multiple internationally
recognised standards. Our security controls are tested on an annual basis by independent experts and
PensionBee maintains certification to the ISO 27001 standard for information security management
systems. PensionBee systems undergo regular vulnerability assessments and security penetration
testing as part of certifying to the Cyber Essentials Plus scheme.
Customers are additionally protected from identity fraud and account compromise using a variety of
techniques including digital customer identity verification, which incorporates a cutting-edge facial
similarity check, bank account verification and multi-factor authentication.
Risk Reporting
The Risk Management Team reports on the top level risks, mitigating controls and any additional
measures required to reduce the risk exposures. A regular risk update report (‘Monthly Risk Review’)
includes information on any emerging trends in order to prevent new risks from materialising. The
report also provides an overview of policy updates, incident reporting for the month, an update on
the risk-relevant open actions, and a summary of the significant change management activities.
These Monthly Risk Reviews also summarise the monitoring activities that the second line of defence
has undertaken during the month. They include the monthly checks of key financial and operational
processes, deep dive reviews, scenario analysis, incidents trend analysis and other ad-hoc risk
assurance activities.
Monthly Risk Reviews also include Information Security highlights of relevant risks and controls
(including any third party supplier cyber security incidents), progress with audits, strategic initiative
updates, staff training updates, and the overall progress of the information and cyber security
programme.
This report is presented to the Risk Stakeholder Group and provided directly to the Board.
The Risk Stakeholder Group meets monthly and consists of the Executive Management Team, the
VP of Information Security, the VP of Technical Solutions, the Head of Compliance and other senior
managers as required. Together, this leadership group and the Risk Management Team discuss the
Monthly Risk Review topics and actions required to mitigate risks, which are actioned promptly.
PensionBee has an Information Security Committee to provide oversight of the Information Security
Management System and track progress against objectives. The Information Security Committee is
held three times a year and the members include senior stakeholders from the business, such as the VP
of Information Security, the Executive Management Team and the Risk Management Team. Ultimate
oversight of the Information Security Committee is provided by the Audit and Risk Committee.
The Risk Management Team also produces a risk report which is presented at each Audit and Risk
Committee (‘Committee’). This report, combined with topics raised at the Committee meetings,
enables the Committee to effectively oversee the Company’s risk profile and its approach to risk
management.
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Principal Risks and Uncertainties
Principal Risks
PensionBee has identified six types of top-level risks which could potentially have a material adverse
impact on the Company’s business or long-term performance, and if not appropriately mitigated they
could result in unfavourable public perceptions of the Company’s business prospects and significant
reputational damage. These risks could arise from internal or external events, acts or omissions. The
risk factors mentioned below do not purport to be exhaustive, as there may be additional risks that the
Company has not yet identified or has deemed to be immaterial.
Regulatory Risk
PensionBee’s business is subject to risks relating to changes in UK government policy and applicable
regulations. Whilst we have historically been beneficiaries of favourable regulatory changes,
including through the introduction of Automatic Enrolment and Pension Freedoms, any regulatory
changes which are negative for PensionBee’s business could have a material adverse effect on our
prospects.
PensionBee’s operations are subject to authorisation and supervision from the Financial Conduct
Authority, and supervision from HMRC and the Information Commissioner’s Office. PensionBee may
fail, or be held to have failed, to comply with regulations and such regulations and approvals may
change, making compliance more onerous and costly. The Financial Conduct Authority, or other
regulators, could conclude that PensionBee has breached applicable regulations, which could result
in a public reprimand, fines, customer redress or other regulatory sanctions. PensionBee must also
comply with relevant regulatory capital and liquidity requirements.
PensionBee may be subject to complaints or claims from customers and third parties in the normal
course of business. If a large number of complaints, or complaints resulting in substantial customer
and third party losses, were upheld against PensionBee, it could have a material adverse effect on
PensionBee’s business and financial condition.
Information Security Risk
PensionBee faces various risks related to the confidentiality, availability and integrity of our IT systems.
PensionBee holds confidential and personal data, which is subject to strict data protection and privacy
laws in the UK, including the UK GDPR. The loss or misuse of data could result in a material loss of
business, financial losses, regulatory enforcement actions and significant harm to our reputation. If
our information security processes, policies and procedures relating to personal data are not fully
implemented and followed by employees, or if any of our third party service providers fail to manage
data in a compliant manner, we could face financial sanctions and reputational damage.
Furthermore, our operations are susceptible to cybercrime and loss or theft of data. Failure to prevent
such actions, or circumvention of our information security processes, policies and procedures could
result in financial losses, business interruption and unauthorised access to personal data.
There is also a risk of inadequate or failed controls that are in place to ensure our technology architecture
is fit for purpose, including the infrastructure required to support applications, networking, hardware
and software, resulting in our inability to meet the standards required to deliver to internal and
external user expectations.
Operational Risk
During the regular course of business, PensionBee may be exposed to adverse financial or reputational
impact due to inadequate or failed internal processes, people performance or IT systems, or due to
third-parties or external events. Key operational process risks are linked to our customer service,
banking, finance, marketing and change implementation processes. Operational Risk also includes
our risks in the areas of human resource management, risk management and internal governance.
PensionBee is dependent on third-party technology and financial services providers for the provision
of investment management, banking and technology services. Any termination, interruption or
reduced performance of the services provided by these third parties could negatively impact the
provision of our services and have a material adverse effect on our reputation and profitability.
Our operational infrastructure and business continuity may be affected by other failures or
interruption from events, some of which are beyond our control. Our systems and the systems of
our third-party providers may be vulnerable to fire, flood and other natural disasters, power loss or
telecommunications or data network failures, improper or negligent operation by employees or
service providers, unauthorised physical or electronic access, or other causes. There is no guarantee
that our preventative measures will protect us from all potential damage arising from any of the
events described above.
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Financial Risk
Market Risk
PensionBee’s business may be adversely affected by negative sudden or prolonged fluctuations in
global capital markets. We generate the vast majority of Revenue in the form of fees charged on a
recurring basis calculated by reference to the value of our AUA. Our Revenue and profitability are
therefore directly influenced by global capital markets. A general deterioration in the global economy
and a resulting decline in capital markets or an increase in volatility may have a negative impact on
the value of our customers’ pensions and their overall confidence to make new contributions to their
PensionBee pensions.
Credit Risk
PensionBee is dependent on third-party financial services providers for the provision of investment
management and banking services. We are reliant upon these third parties for the safekeeping of our
own and our customers’ assets. A default by one of these third parties would have a material adverse
effect on our reputation and financial position.
Strategic Risk
The pensions market is competitive and there is no guarantee that we will be able to continue to
maintain the growth levels we have achieved to date, or that we will be able to maintain our financial
performance either at historical or anticipated future levels. Our competitors include a variety of
financial services firms and our market is characterised by ongoing technological progression,
including of the underlying infrastructure and user experience. There is no guarantee that we will
continue to outpace our competitors. In addition, the pension market remains cost-sensitive and
competitors could materially undercut our fees, thereby generating pressure on our revenues. Any
failure to maintain our competitive position could lead to a reduction in revenues and profitability as
well as lower future growth.
We are dependent upon the experience, skills and knowledge of our Directors and senior managers
to implement our strategy. The loss of a significant number of Directors, senior managers and/or
other key employees, or the inability to recruit suitably experienced, qualified and trained staff as
needed, may cause significant disruption to our business and the ability to achieve our strategic
objectives.
Climate Risk
As climate change intensifies, dangerous weather events are becoming more frequent and more
severe. More frequent and intense droughts, storms, heat waves, rising sea levels, melting glaciers and
warming oceans can directly harm life and wreak havoc on people’s livelihoods and communities.
Climate risk has been added to our principal risks this year.
These shifts in the global climate have a potential to adversely affect the lives, livelihoods and health
status of our employees, customers and other stakeholders, or to have broader implications on
economic, social and cultural assets. Any of these changes could in turn have a material adverse
effect on PensionBee’s business and financial position.
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Summary of Risks and Mitigations
Through the risk management process described above, we have taken the appropriate steps to reduce risk in accordance with our risk appetite. The summary of these mitigating factors is presented below.
Principal Risk
Risks
Mitigations
Regulatory Risk
The risk of regulatory sanctions, material financial loss, or
reputational damage the Company could suffer as a result of
its failure to comply with applicable laws, regulations, rules,
or related internal standards and codes of conduct
·
Maintaining a robust risk management framework and a set of internal policies which are reviewed regularly
·
Ensure adequate staff training and communication for key policies and procedures
·
Comprehensive second line assurance programme in place providing oversight over the effectiveness of regulatory
compliance and related controls
·
Robust change approval process requiring regulatory compliance checks
·
Regulatory capital and liquidity planning and monitoring through the Finance function
·
Regular interactions with industry bodies to proactively monitor trends
·
Values-based culture and strategy centred around Consumer Duty
Information
Security Risk
The risk of data loss, theft or disruption
as a result of a
technology failure or cyber attack on information systems,
both internally and throughout the supply chain
·
Backing up data regularly to allow for recovery in the event of cyber attack or corruption of data
·
Proactive technical and analytical vulnerability assessment and mitigation
·
Monitoring key third party services and performance metrics as part of the ISMS
·
Ongoing infrastructure assessments against business requirements
·
Ongoing compliance and certification to ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials Plus
·
Ongoing monitoring of compliance with applicable regulation and legislation in respect of Data Protection
·
Maintaining a robust policy set and controls to keep information secure
·
Frequent training for all employees to promote a culture of security awareness
·
Continuing to invest in the Information Security Programme in order to mitigate the evolving cyber risks
Operational
Risk
The risk of loss, disruption of business or adverse regulatory action
resulting from inadequate or failed internal processes, people
performance, systems, or due to third parties or external events
·
Implementing automation to reduce manual processing
·
A comprehensive set of internal controls, operational procedures and Company policies
·
Periodic training for all employees and specialised training for customer service teams
·
Structured performance management for all employees and formalised succession planning for key roles
·
Robust external supplier selection and due diligence process with ongoing monitoring of key suppliers
Financial Risk
The risk of the Company’s inability to fulfil its financial obligations
or internal objectives due to loss of revenue resulting from
adverse price movements in the capital markets, or the impact of
worsening creditworthiness or default of a key financial partner
·
Geographic and asset class diversification of the plans
·
Recurring Revenue from long-duration assets
·
Financial planning based on scenario analysis
·
Partnering with only large and reputable asset managers, assessed annually in our value for money exercise, and
banking institutions
·
Internal controls in place monitoring capital quality and reserves
·
Robust processes in place to ensure the integrity of financial data
Strategic Risk
The risk of failures in strategic planning and execution leading
to the Company not achieving its core objectives
·
Core objectives calibrated using customer and regulatory trends and feedback
·
Agile product development and deployment cycles
·
Robust strategic change management internal controls in place
Climate Risk
The risk of negative impact of climate change or its broader
economic, financial and societal consequences on the Company,
or the Company’s failure to meet sustainability requirements
from a commercial, regulatory or stakeholder perspective
·
Small physical footprint, remote working, cloud-based technology
·
Risk transfer policies
·
Ongoing monitoring of regulatory compliance
·
Screenings applied in our funds to reduce harmful exposures (Tailored Plan, Fossil Fuel Free Plan, Impact Plan)
·
Using asset managers, banking and cloud providers that have robust business continuity plans in place
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15
Viability Statement
In accordance with provision 31 of the UK Corporate Governance Code, the Board has assessed the
viability of the Group for the four-year period to December 2026, considering this to be an appropriate
period over which to assess the Group’s strategy and its capital requirements, considering the
investment needs of the business and the potential risks and uncertainties that could impact the
Group’s ability to meet its strategic objectives. The Board considers a four-year period to be an
appropriate time frame because it would likely capture the length of a potential downside business
cycle and provide sufficient time to identify and execute mitigating actions required to address the
stress test scenarios as outlined below.
This assessment has been made giving consideration to the financial position, regulatory capital and
liquidity requirements of the Group (as set out on pages 48 to 53 of the Operating and Financial
Review within the Strategic Report), in the context of the Company’s strategy, business model and
medium-term business plan, together with an assessment of the principal risks and uncertainties (as
set out on pages 92 to 97 of the Managing our Risks section of the Strategic Report). Such risks have
been categorised into regulatory, information security, operational, financial, reputational, strategic
and climate risks, in accordance with our risk management framework.
PensionBee Limited is an FCA regulated entity and therefore is required to hold appropriate levels of own
funds which are at all times in excess of its Liquid Capital Requirement and other capital requirements.
The Board-approved medium term plan assumes the business continues to grow Invested Customers
and AUA through continued investment in its customer proposition, marketing, people and
technology. It is assumed that there are no significant or prolonged market movements in underlying
asset values from the time the plan was approved by the Board.
The Board has also considered the potential impact of the following stress test scenarios, which
together represent a severe and unlikely, but possible scenario. The stress test scenarios would
impact the plan from 2023 onwards:
Financial Risk (Market Risk)
- Prolonged equity market volatility. A material reduction in global
equity markets as a result of global macroeconomic uncertainty (such as geopolitical disruptions,
persistent inflation and a high interest rate environment) has been assumed over the forecast
period whereby the equity markets fall by 20%
107
during the first year and only gradually
recover over the forecast period, returning to the pre-crisis level only after the forecast period.
107. A 10% change in equity markets would have an approximate 7.5% impact on Revenue. The 10% change in equity markets is a
reasonable approximation of possible change.
Information Security Risk
- The materialisation of a confidentiality, availability or integrity event
that undermines our reputation and reduces conversion and reduces average pension pot sizes.
A material reduction in the customer conversion rate and average pension pot size of newly
acquired customers has been assumed over the forecast period, whereby it decreases by 10%.
In the event that such modelled scenarios were to manifest, the Board would consider the reduction
of discretionary marketing expenditure and the implementation of fixed cost savings as key
management mitigating actions to be taken. The Board considers this approach to be reasonable in
light of the Group’s performance and positioning within the UK competitive landscape.
The results have confirmed that the Group would be able to withstand the adverse financial impact of
these scenarios occurring together over the four-year assessment period and that it would continue
to be able to meet its liabilities and capital requirements.
The Group’s medium term plan was reviewed by the Board in December 2022 and subsequently
approved in January 2023. The stress test scenarios and associated mitigating actions were reviewed
in January 2023 and subsequently approved in March 2023. The Directors confirm that they have
a reasonable expectation that the Group will be able to continue to operate and meet its capital
requirements and liabilities as they fall due over the four-year period to December 2026.
The Strategic Report was approved by the Board on 15 March 2023 and signed on its behalf by:
Romi Savova
Chief Executive Officer
15 March 2023
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Corporate
Governance Report
1
Chair’s Introduction to Governance
Our transfer to the Premium Segment of
the Main Market of the LSE... has served
to further underscore the ongoing
commitment to the highest level of
corporate governance, which is integral to
the culture of our Company and our Board.
Dear Shareholder,
On behalf of the Board, I am pleased to introduce our Corporate Governance report for the
year ended 31 December 2022. This report sets out our approach to effective corporate
governance and outlines key areas of focus of the Board and its activities undertaken during
the year to deliver against our growth strategy and drive long-term value creation for all our
stakeholders.
The Board is committed to maintaining the highest standards of corporate governance, as
demonstrated by the Company’s voluntary compliance with the UK Corporate Governance
Code 2018 (the ‘Code’) from the time of our initial public offering on the High Growth
Segment of the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange (‘LSE’) in April 2021, prior to this
becoming a formal requirement for us in April 2022.
Our transfer to the Premium Segment of the Main Market of the LSE on 21 April 2022 has
served to further underscore the ongoing commitment to the highest level of corporate
governance, which is integral to the culture of our Company and our Board, and demonstrates
continued delivery against the intentions which we set out at the time of our listing.
Board Composition and Succession Planning
Having an appropriately skilled, diverse and effective board is an important element to the
success of any company seeking to create value for all its stakeholders in a sustainable and
responsible manner. Therefore, we have continued to focus on ensuring that the Board has
the necessary depth and breadth of skills, knowledge and experience to oversee the delivery
of the Company’s strategy and to provide the appropriate oversight, challenge and support
to the Executive Management team. This is of particular importance given the significant
pace at which the Company continues to grow, the breadth of the opportunities presented,
and the challenging macroeconomic backdrop.
Accordingly, we were delighted to welcome Lara Oyesanya (Independent Non-Executive
Director) and Christoph J. Martin (Executive Director) to the Board in April 2022 and June
2022 respectively. Lara and Christoph received tailored induction programmes, as detailed
on pages 115 to 118 of the Nomination Committee Report within the Corporate Governance
Report.
We continued to evolve the Company’s succession plans for the Board and Executive
Management Team in a manner that is appropriate for a growing business at this stage of
its development and consistent with our risk appetite. We agreed that we would look to
continue to evolve the succession plan further in the coming year to consider development
plans for high performing individuals as necessary.
Further details of our leadership team can be found on pages 103 to 107 of the Board of
Directors and Executive Management section of the Corporate Governance Report. Further
details relating to succession planning are set out on pages 115 to 118 of the Nomination
Committee Report within the Corporate Governance Report.
Board Evaluation and Effectiveness
During the year, we completed an internally prepared and facilitated evaluation process
reviewing the performance of the Directors, the Board as a whole, its Committees, its Chair
and Senior Independent Director. The evaluation process built on the 2021 framework, with
updates to incorporate feedback from the previous process.
PensionBee Group plc
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Corporate Governance Report
The results indicated strong performance and effectiveness of the Board and Committees. Themes
that surfaced and resulting actions that have been identified will form a development plan for the
following year.
The value derived from such an exercise is only possible with the engagement and input received
from its participants. I would therefore like to thank my Board colleagues for the time they took to
engage with the process, their candour, their insight and the quality of their feedback.
The Code requires FTSE 350 companies to have an externally facilitated board evaluation at least every
three years.
The Company is not currently a member of the FTSE 350 and therefore not subject to this
Code provision. Nonetheless, we will keep this under review and may choose to adopt an externally
facilitated Board evaluation in due course.
Further detail relating to the Board Evaluation is set out on pages 115 to 118 of the Nomination
Committee Report within the Corporate Governance Report.
Diversity, Inclusion and Equality
The Board believes that the makeup of the Company’s employees should reflect the diversity of its
customer base. We remain committed to promoting diversity and inclusion across the business at all
levels through a combination of long-standing measures and new initiatives. The Company’s Diversity,
Inclusion and Equality Policy is available on our website.
108
It is important that the Board sets the ‘tone from the top’ and while appointments to the Board are
merit-based, there is a clear focus on promoting diversity to ensure appropriate balance. This year,
the Company achieved a 57% female representation and a 14% Asian/Black/Mixed/Multiple/Other
ethnic representation across its Board.
109
Two senior Board positions were held by women, with Mary
Francis in the role of Senior Independent Director and Romi Savova, the Chief Executive Officer. We
are therefore happy to report that as at 31 December 2022, the Company complies with the board
diversity targets as set out in the FCA’s Listing Rules:
110
Reflecting the commitment to this important area, the Board is kept apprised on matters relating to
diversity and inclusion, with detailed oversight provided by the Nomination Committee. During 2022,
the Nomination Committee received presentations and updates from the Company’s Head of Culture,
Inclusion & Wellbeing and the CEO on the ongoing Culture Programme and the progress being made
on diversity and inclusion.
108. PensionBee Diversity, Inclusion and Equality Policy: https://www.pensionbee.com/investor-relations/esg
109. Supported by analysis from PensionBee’s HR information system, November 2022.
110. Chapter 9 of the Listing Rules, specifically LR 9.8.6R(9) states that at least 40% of individuals on the board should be
women, at least one at least one of the senior positions on the board (chair, chief executive, senior independent director, or
chief financial officer) should be held by a woman, and at least one individual should be from a minority ethnic background.
Further detail is set out on pages 36 to 45 of the Our People section and pages 71 to 81 of the ESG
Considerations section of the Strategic Report.
PensionBee Board Gender Representation
109
PensionBee Board Ethnicity Representation
109
Men: 3
Women: 4
White: 6
Asian/Black/Mixed/Multipe/Other: 1
57%
43%
14%
86%
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Corporate Governance Report
Environmental
We believe that effectively managing our Environmental, Social and Governance (‘ESG’) priorities will
help preserve our resilience and drive long-term value for all our stakeholders. We pursue our ESG
work transparently, disclosing our targets and relevant metrics, and believe this approach supports
accountability and enables us to keep our stakeholders apprised of our progress. Our first ‘ESG
Materiality Assessment’ provided us with deeper insights into the ESG themes of most importance to
our stakeholders, helping us frame our approach to ESG and to prioritise our ESG work.
Of note, this year we continued to be led by our customers’ investment views, as customers voiced
that they wanted to save for retirement whilst seeing their money have measurable real world impact.
We developed the PensionBee Impact Plan across 2022 and saw it successfully launch in early 2023.
We were also successful in securing ‘Voting Choice’ across 86% of the asset base,
111
enabling us to
vote in support of shareholder resolutions to help direct change in investee companies from the 2023
proxy voting season onwards. We will, of course, be led by our customers on their voting choices,
listening to how they best want to drive change in the companies their pensions are invested in.
The Board’s oversight of climate-related issues has generally been incorporated into the remits of the
Audit and Risk Committee and the Investment Committee. This enables the Board to have structured,
dynamic and measurable oversight of climate matters and to shape the Company’s ‘climate agenda’
for the long-term benefit of our shareholders, customers, society and the planet.
This year as part of our commitment to increasing our transparency across all the strands of ESG,
we disclosed under the Task Force for Climate-related Financial Disclosures (‘TCFD’) for the first time,
and continued to report under the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (‘SASB’) framework,
the Workforce Disclosure Initiative (‘WDI’) and the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (‘SECR’)
frameworks.
Further details on our ESG activities can be found on pages 71 to 81 of the ESG Considerations section
of the Strategic Report and the TCFD and SECR can be found on pages 82 to 91 of the Climate-related
Disclosures section of the Strategic Report.
Stakeholder Engagement
When the Board makes decisions, it considers the interests of all of the Company’s stakeholders
in the very broadest sense, contemplating our customers, our employees, our shareholders, our
communities, government and regulators and our planet.
111. 86% of Assets under Administration as at 31 December 2022, across the Tailored, Tracker and 4Plus Plans.
The Board participated in direct engagement with key stakeholder groups including our employees
and our shareholders (many of whom are customers and employees alike). The Executive Management
Team drove much of the regular day to day engagement, and
perhaps most importantly, engagement
took place at all levels of the Company, throughout the year.
Further information relating to how we engage with our employees, shareholders and all our other
stakeholders is set out on pages 36 to 45 of the Our People section of the Strategic Report and pages
56 to 70 of the Stakeholders section of the Strategic Report.
Risk
Risk management has remained a key focus of the Board, ensuring the resilience of the Company
and supporting its long-term growth ambitions. The Board has ensured that risk oversight and
considerations have remained a feature in key decision-making.
As a technology-led business, cyber and information security risks require continuous vigilance and
operational dexterity to mitigate the increasingly sophisticated threats that exist. The growth of the
Company’s internal risk resources, with the recruitment of a Chief Risk Officer, and VP of Information
Security, and the continued focus and development of our risk management processes and reporting,
demonstrate our commitment to safeguarding our customers’ data, maintaining excellent service
levels and providing assurance to our stakeholders.
Further detail of our risk management framework and initiatives in this area are set out on pages 92 to
97 of the Managing our Risks section of the Strategic Report.
Conclusion
Further details setting out how the Board has discharged its corporate governance responsibilities
during the year are set out elsewhere in this report.
The Board looks forward to welcoming shareholders to the Company’s Annual General Meeting
(‘AGM’), which will be held on 18 May 2023. The Notice of 2023 AGM will be distributed to Shareholders
and made available on the Company’s website.
In the meantime, the Board is grateful for the continued support of our Shareholders and the Non-
Executive Directors and I are available to engage with our stakeholders at any time.
Mark Wood CBE
Chair
15 March 2023
PensionBee Group plc
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Corporate Governance Report
2
Board of Directors and Executive Management
Mark Wood CBE
Non-Executive Chair
Committee Membership:
Investment Committee (Chair), Nomination Committee (Chair), Remuneration Committee
Date of Appointment:
February 2021
112
External Appointments:
·
Chairman, Digitalis Reputation Limited
·
Senior Independent Director, RAC Group Ltd
·
Chairman, Utility Bidder Limited
·
Chairman, Acquis Insurance Management Limited
·
Chairman, Ondo InsurTech Plc
Career and Experience:
Mark Wood CBE has had a long and distinguished career, serving as Chief
Executive of some of the country’s largest financial service companies, including
Prudential UK & Europe, Axa UK and Jardine Lloyd Thompson Employee Benefits.
Mark is a regular commentator in the press on pensions and insurance.
Mark has been at the helm of several financial services and technology start-ups,
including Paternoster, a regulated insurance company which he founded in 2005, and
Digitalis Reputation Limited, the online reputation management company, where he
currently serves as Chairman. Mark is a qualified Chartered Accountant. He was previously
the Chairman of the NSPCC and was awarded a CBE in 2017 for services to children.
112. Mark Wood CBE was appointed to the Board of PensionBee Group plc on 2 February 2021 and removed as a director
of PensionBee Limited, having previously been appointed to the Board of PensionBee Limited in January 2016.
Mary Francis CBE
Senior Independent Director
Director responsible for Employee Engagement
Committee Membership:
Audit and Risk Committee, Investment Committee, Nomination Committee, Remuneration
Committee (Chair)
Date of Appointment:
February 2021
113
External Appointments:
·
Non-Executive Director, Barclays plc and Barclays Bank plc
·
Member of the UK Takeover Appeal Board
·
Senior Adviser, Chatham House
Career and Experience:
Mary Francis CBE has extensive and diverse board-level experience across a
range of industries, including previous Non-Executive Directorships at the Bank
of England, Alliance & Leicester, Aviva, Centrica and Swiss Re Group.
Through her former senior executive positions with HM Treasury, the Prime Minister’s
Office, and as Director General of the association of British Insurers, Mary brings strong
governance values to the Board, a strong understanding of the interaction between public
and private sectors, and skills in strategic decision-making and reputation management.
Mary was awarded a CBE in 2006 for her services to business.
113. Mary Francis CBE was appointed to the Board of PensionBee Group plc on 2 February 2021 and removed as a director
of PensionBee Limited, having previously been appointed to the Board of PensionBee Limited in November 2020.
·
Chairman, Everest Funeral Concierge
(UK) Limited
·
Chairman, Multiple Sclerosis
Society Research Appeal Board
·
Trustee, The Gregory Centre
for Church Multiplication
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Corporate Governance Report
Michelle Cracknell CBE
Independent Non-Executive Director
Consumer Duty Champion
Committee Membership:
Audit and Risk Committee (Chair), Investment Committee, Nomination Committee,
Remuneration Committee
Date of Appointment:
February 2021
114
External Appointments:
·
Chair, Fidelity Wealth Management Limited
·
Independent Non-Executive Director, Fidelity Holdings (UK Limited, Financial Administration
Services Ltd
·
Non-Executive Director and Trustee, Lloyds Banking Group Pensions Trustees Limited
·
Independent Non-Executive Director, Just Group Plc, Partnership Life
Assurance Company Limited, Just Retirement Limited, Just Retirement
Money Ltd, Partnership Home Loans Ltd, Hub Financial Solutions Ltd
·
Non-Executive Director, Sport England
Career and Experience:
Michelle Cracknell CBE has a portfolio career as a Pension Trustee and Non-Executive Director.
She has over 30 years’ experience in pensions and retirement planning, including most recently
as the Chief Executive of the Pensions Advisory Service. During her time there she significantly
grew the number of customers and increased the channels offered, transforming the service
to provide greater support on pension freedom legislation, pension scams and transfers from
pension schemes. Michelle was awarded a CBE in 2019 for her services to the pensions industry.
Michelle started her career at a financial advice business where she became a
shareholding Director prior to selling it to Aegon, and subsequently worked as a Strategy
Director at Skandia/Old Mutual. Michelle is a qualified Pensions Actuary.
114. Michelle Cracknell CBE was appointed to the Board of PensionBee Group plc on 2 February 2021 and removed as a
director of PensionBee Limited, having previously been appointed to the Board of PensionBee Limited in January 2016.
Lara Oyesanya FRSA
Independent Non-Executive Director
Committee Membership:
Audit and Risk Committee, Investment Committee, Nomination Committee, Remuneration
Committee
Date of Appointment:
April 2022
External Appointments:
·
Trustee, Shaw Trust
·
Trustee, Plan International UK Ltd
·
Co-opted Member, Committee on Benefactions, External and Legal Affairs, a Committee of the
University of Cambridge
Career and Experience:
Lara Oyesanya is the General Counsel and Company Secretary at Zepz Group and has
extensive legal, regulatory and commercial experience across multiple industries, as well
as significant compliance, governance and data privacy expertise. She was previously
General Counsel and Chief Risk Officer at Contis Group and has held a number of senior
roles at FTSE 100 and financial services businesses including Klarna and Barclays.
Lara is a barrister of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and a Solicitor of the Senior
Courts of England and Wales. She is a member of the Nominating and Governance
Committee, Plan International Worldwide. Additionally, Lara is a co-opted Member,
Committee on Benefactions and External and Legal Affairs, a committee of the
University of Cambridge Council, advising the Vice Chancellor.
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Corporate Governance Report
Romi Savova
Chief Executive Officer (Executive Director)
Committee Membership:
Investment Committee, Nomination Committee
Date of Appointment:
February 2021
115
External Appointments:
·
Director, PensionBee Trustees Limited
·
Director, Seen on Screen
Career and Experience:
Romi Savova founded PensionBee in 2014 to simplify
pension savings in the UK, following a difficult pension
transfer experience of her own. As the Chief Executive
Officer, she has played a pivotal role in advancing consumer
standards in the pensions industry, from reducing transfer
times to campaigning for the full abolition of exit fees.
Romi is also a member of the government’s Pensions
Dashboards Programme Steering Group, which was set
up to advise on the delivery of pensions dashboards.
Prior to founding PensionBee, Romi worked at Goldman
Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Credit Benchmark, holding
varied roles in risk management, investment banking
and financial technology. Romi received an MBA from
Harvard Business School as a George F. Baker scholar and
graduated summa cum laude from Emory University.
115. Romi Savova was appointed to the Board of PensionBee
Group plc on 2 February 2021, having been appointed to the
Board of PensionBee Limited in December 2014.
Jonathan Lister Parsons
Chief Technology Officer (Executive Director)
Committee Membership:
None
Date of Appointment:
February 2021
116
External Appointments:
·
Director, PensionBee Trustees Limited
Career and Experience:
Jonathan Lister Parsons co-founded PensionBee with Romi
in 2014. In his role as the Chief Technology Officer, he is
passionate about bringing customers’ pension experience
into the 21st century, and using technology to transform
pension transfer processes that typically take months to a
five-minute process on a smartphone. Jonathan champions a
tech-forward culture within the business, aiming to raise the
level of technology literacy among employees, and creating
opportunities for people to develop technical skills as they
move through different roles in their career at PensionBee.
Prior to co-founding PensionBee, Jonathan founded
a digital consultancy, Penrose, and worked at British
Telecom. Jonathan holds an MSci in Experimental and
Theoretical Physics from the University of Cambridge.
116. Jonathan Lister Parsons was appointed to the Board of
PensionBee Group plc on 2 February 2021, having been appointed
to the Board of PensionBee Limited in January 2016.
Christoph J. Martin
Chief Financial Officer (Executive Director)
Committee Membership:
None
Date of Appointment:
June 2022
117
External Appointments:
None
Career and Experience:
Christoph J. Martin is the Chief Financial Officer of
PensionBee, having joined the Company in 2019. He is
Responsible for financial reporting, and business planning
at PensionBee. Christoph regularly engages with the
public markets, including PensionBee’s investors, to
communicate the Company’s financial objectives.
Christoph previously worked in private equity investment
at Providence Equity Partners, focusing on investments in
technology, media, telecommunications and education.
Prior to that he worked in mergers and acquisitions, covering
financial institutions at Morgan Stanley. Christoph holds a BSc
in Business Administration from WU Vienna.
117. Christoph J. Martin was appointed to the Board of PensionBee
Group plc on 30 June 2022, and was subsequently appointed
to the Board of PensionBee Limited in October 2022.
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
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Corporate Governance Report
Lisa Picardo
Chief Corporate Officer
Date Joined PensionBee:
March 2020
External Appointments:
Founding Member, Breast Cancer Now Development Board
Career and Experience:
Lisa Picardo is the Chief Corporate Officer of PensionBee,
having joined the company in 2020. She leads the
corporate development of PensionBee, which has
included leading on the company’s IPO and subsequent
transfer to the Premium List, and plays a broader
management role across many aspects of the business.
Lisa previously worked at Morgan Stanley for thirteen years,
with the first seven years spent in the European Mergers
and Acquisitions department, where she gained extensive
experience working on many large and complex UK public
transactions, and also played a role in firm management.
Lisa then joined the Morgan Stanley Private Equity Fund,
focused on investing in mid-market opportunities across
sectors, with an interest in consumer-facing businesses.
In 2015, Lisa founded LITTLECIRCLE, an online luxury
childrenswear retailer with a platform for pre-loved fashion.
Lisa holds a BSc in Economics from Bristol University.
Lisa is a founding member of the Breast
Cancer Now Development Board.
Matt Loft
Chief Design Officer
Date Joined PensionBee:
September 2015
Career and Experience:
Matt Loft is Chief Design Officer at PensionBee,
having joined the company in 2015. He is
responsible for the design and customer experience
of PensionBee’s products and the company’s visual
brand, bringing over eighteen years experience
in designing customer-centric products.
Prior to joining PensionBee, Matt worked at design
agencies and in-house for some of the UK’s largest
companies and organisations, including The Money
Advice Service, Legal & General, The Ministry
of Justice, Oxford University and the V&A.
Clare Reilly
Chief Engagement Officer
Date Joined PensionBee:
January 2017
Career and Experience:
Clare Reilly is the Chief Engagement Officer of
PensionBee, having joined the company in 2017.
She is responsible for the investment range and
managing the environmental, social and governance
framework in line with the PensionBee vision.
Clare previously worked in the not-for-profit
sector, in Corporate Relations at Citizens Advice
and Fellowship at the Royal Society of Arts. Clare
holds a BA Hons from University College London
and an MSc from the University of Oxford in
Russian and East European Studies.
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Corporate Governance Report
Jasper Martens
Chief Marketing Officer
Date Joined PensionBee:
September 2015
Career and Experience:
Jasper Martens is the Chief Marketing Officer of
PensionBee, having joined the company in 2015. He
is responsible for product and marketing across the
business and brings extensive multichannel marketing
experience to PensionBee, gathered over fifteen years
working in financial services and digital agencies.
Prior to joining PensionBee, Jasper was Head of Marketing
and Communications at small business insurance
provider, Simply Business, and advised other fintechs
such as Superscript on their marketing strategy. Before
moving to London, Jasper ran his own online marketing
agency which he founded in the Netherlands.
Tess Nicholson
Chief Operating Officer
Date Joined PensionBee:
August 2015
Career and Experience:
Tess Nicholson is the Chief Operating Officer of
PensionBee, having joined the company in 2015.
She is responsible for a range of operational
activities across the business, including customer
success, compliance and banking operations.
Tess was previously Operations Manager and UK
Commercial Manager at GO Markets UK Trading
Limited (formerly Vantage FX UK Trading Limited).
Tess holds a BA Hons degree in Fashion Design with
Communication from Birmingham City University and
is currently studying for a masters in Social & Political
Theory at Birkbeck, University of London.
Petra Miskov
Chief Risk Officer
Date Joined PensionBee:
September 2022
Career and Experience:
Petra Miskov is the Chief Risk Officer of PensionBee, having
joined the company in 2022. She is responsible for enterprise
risk management including maintaining an integrated risk
framework, with a special interest in collaborative risk culture.
Prior to joining PensionBee, Petra worked at the
London Stock Exchange, Goldman Sachs, Ernst &
Young, KPMG and Mercer, in a variety of senior roles in
the areas of risk management, quantitative advisory,
investment management and pension consulting.
Petra holds a MSci in Mathematics and Statistics from
the New York University and she graduated summa cum
laude from the City University of New York.
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3
Corporate Governance Statement
UK Corporate Governance Code Compliance Statement
The Company has applied all of the principles of the UK Corporate Governance Code 2018 (the
‘Code’) as they apply to it and has complied with all relevant provisions of the Code for the financial
year ended 31 December 2022.
Full details of the Code are available at www.frc.org.uk. Details explaining how the Company has
applied the principles of the Code can be found throughout the Annual Report.
Role of the Board
In accordance with the Code, the role of the Board is to promote the long-term sustainable success
of the Company, generating value for shareholders and contributing to wider society. The Board
of PensionBee considers how to promote the success of the Company giving due regard to all its
stakeholders, including shareholders and employees. As such, the Board participates in direct
engagement with certain stakeholder groups and engagement is reported to the Board to inform
the decision-making and business outcomes.
The Board provides overall leadership, setting the Company’s purpose, values and strategy, and
supporting the Executive Directors and the broader Executive Management Team in the delivery
of that strategy. The Board ensures that the Company has the necessary resources in place to meet
its objectives, measuring performance against them and that it operates a framework of effective
controls, enabling risk to be appropriately managed.
Further information on the Company’s vision, values, strategy, risk management framework and
engagement with stakeholders can be found in the About Us, Strategy, Managing our Risks and
Stakeholders sections of the Strategic Report.
Matters Reserved for the Board
The Board operates a policy of matters reserved for its collective decision, which includes items
that are material to delivering on the Company’s strategy and purpose, including strategic issues,
structure and capital, financial reporting and controls, material agreements, communications with
shareholders, board appointments and remuneration, risk assessment and internal controls, and
corporate governance. These matters include, but are not limited to:
Responsibility for leadership, purpose, values and standards, monitoring progress against each
Approving annually a strategic plan and objectives
Approving operating and capital expenditure budgets and any material changes to them
Approving changes relating to capital and corporate structure
Approving the financial results including the annual accounts, interim and preliminary results
Approving the Group’s risk management and treasury policies
Approving major capital projects, investments or contracts in excess of the delegated amount
Approving changes to the structure, size and composition of the Board
Ensuring a satisfactory dialogue with shareholders
Ensuring the maintenance of a sound system of internal control and risk management
Maintaining oversight of whistleblowing arrangements
A copy of the ‘Schedule of Matters Reserved for the Board’ can be found on the Company’s website
at: www.pensionbee.com/investor-relations/esg.
Governance Structure
The Disclosure Panel is responsible for monitoring the existence of inside information and its
disclosure to the market. The Disclosure Panel comprises the Chair, the Chief Executive Officer (‘CEO’),
the Chief Corporate Officer (‘CCO’), the Chief Financial Officer (‘CFO’), the Senior Legal Counsel and
the Company Secretary.
Details of the Risk Stakeholder Group and the Information Security Committee can be found on
pages 92 to 97 of the Managing our Risk section of the Strategic Report.
PensionBee Group plc Board of Directors
Investment Committee
Audit and Risk Committee
Nomination committee
Remuneration committee
Chief Executive Officer
Executive Management
Team
Company Secretary
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Corporate Governance Report
Board Committees
The Board has delegated a number of its responsibilities to the Audit and Risk Committee, the
Nomination Committee, the Investment Committee and the Remuneration Committee. Each of
these Committees has a terms of reference document, which is reviewed annually by the Board and
Committees respectively to ensure that they remain appropriate to support effective governance.
Details of the role, composition and activities of each Committee during the year are set out in their
respective reports on the following pages within this Corporate Governance Report.
A copy of the Terms of Reference for each of the Board Committees can be found on the Company’s
website at: www.pensionbee.com/investor-relations/esg.
The Operation of Board & Committee Meetings
The Board generally aims to meet up to twenty times per year across the Board and Committees, with
each meeting’s activity being planned ahead of time and set out in a formal Annual Board Activity
Calendar, which is approved by the Board. The Board and Committee meetings are generally planned
around key events in the corporate calendar, which ensures that the Board receives appropriate
information at the appropriate time and that all key operational, financial reporting and governance
matters are discussed during the year.
With respect to Board and Committee meetings, the Chair, the CEO, the relevant Executive
Management sponsor and the Company Secretary set the Board’s agenda, ensuring that there is
sufficient focus on strategy, performance, value creation, culture, stakeholders and accountability. A
detailed presentation is prepared and circulated in advance of each meeting, including updates from
the CEO, the CFO and other Executive Management Team members. The Company Secretary also
prepares a report every quarter for Board meetings, covering matters including the latest governance
and company law updates.
Roles and Responsibilities
The Code requires there to be a clear division of responsibilities between the Chair and the CEO,
set out in writing and agreed by the Board. The Board feels that it is important to highlight that
although they agree with the approach set out in the Code, they recognise that overly prescribing
the responsibilities of the Chair and the CEO may reduce flexibility to act in unforeseen circumstances.
Accordingly, the document sets out a clear division of responsibilities but does not intend to provide
a definitive list of the individual responsibilities of the Chair or the CEO.
A copy of the ‘Division of Matters between Chair and Chief Executive’ can be found on the Company’s
website at: www.pensionbee.com/investor-relations/esg.
Role of the Chair
The Chair (Mark Wood) is responsible for leadership of the Board and for ensuring its overall
effectiveness in directing the Company and in all aspects of its role, including the satisfaction of its
legal, regulatory and shareholder responsibilities, and promoting the highest standards of integrity,
probity and corporate governance. The Chair has responsibilities relating to Board meetings, Board
composition, induction and performance evaluation processes and relations with shareholders
and other stakeholders. At appropriate intervals during the year, the Chair holds meetings with the
Non-Executive Directors without the Executive Directors present in order to facilitate a full and frank
discussion.
Role of the Chief Executive Officer
The Chief Executive Officer (Romi Savova) leads the team with executive responsibility for running
the businesses of the Group. The CEO reports to the Board, and is responsible for all executive
management matters of the Group.
Role of the Independent Non-Executive Directors
The Non-Executive Directors (Mary Francis, Michelle Cracknell and Lara Oyesanya) are all
independent, providing constructive challenge, strategic guidance, offering specialist advice and
holding management to account, given their experience in both executive and non-executive
roles throughout their careers. The Non-Executive Directors also contribute to the identification of
principal business risks and the determination of risk appetite and monitoring of the internal control
framework. They provide independent judgement to the Board and also monitor compliance with
the regulatory principles and requirements.
Role of the Senior Independent Director
The Code requires that the Board should appoint one of the Independent Non-Executive Directors
to be the Senior Independent Director, providing a sounding board for the Chair and serving as
an intermediary for the other Directors and shareholders if they have concerns that have not been
resolved through the normal channels of the Chair or the Chief Executive Officer. Led by the Senior
Independent Director, the Non-Executives meet without the Chair present at least annually to appraise
the Chair’s performance, and on other occasions as necessary. Mary Francis has been appointed as the
Senior Independent Director.
A copy of the ‘Role of the Senior Independent Director’ can be found on the Company’s website at:
www.pensionbee.com/investor-relations/esg.
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Corporate Governance Report
Company Secretary
As part of the Company’s ongoing commitment to corporate governance, the role of Company
Secretary was brought ‘in-house’ in 2022. The Board appointed Michael Tavener as Company Secretary
on 25 August 2022, with Prism Cosec (Company Secretary from March 2021) contemporaneously
stepping down from the position. Michael Tavener is a Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute
with over 15 years of company secretarial experience.
The Company Secretary supports the Board and each of the four Board committees and is in attendance
at all meetings. All Directors have access to the services of the Company Secretarial team, who are
available to advise on matters including company law, governance and best practice, whilst assisting
the Board in ensuring that the correct policies, processes and information are tabled for discussion,
noting or recording approval at the correct point in time throughout the year. The Company Secretarial
team works with members of the Executive Management Team and the respective Chairs of the Board
and Committees to ensure that Board meeting packs are circulated to Directors in a timely manner
and that the information contained in them is clear and accurate.
Composition, Independence and Attendance in 2022
The Board comprised seven directors (including the Chair) by the end of the year, with the appointment
of Lara Oysesanya and Christoph J. Martin in April 2022 and June 2022 respectively. Having
considered circumstances which could be likely to impair a Non-Executive Director’s independence,
it was determined that Mary Francis, Michelle Cracknell and Lara Oyesanya were considered to be
independent and that the Company continued to comply with Provision 11 of the Code, with at least
half of the Board (excluding the Chair) being composed of independent Non-Executive Directors.
Further details setting out the experience, skills and professional experience of the Non-Executive
Directors are set out on pages 103 to 107 of the Board of Directors and Executive Management section
of this Corporate Governance Report.
During the course of 2022, the Board has had twelve formally scheduled meetings, with additional
ad hoc meetings or calls convened to deal with various matters in between. Meetings were held via
video conference to ensure attendance and inclusivity. The Executive Management Team were also
frequently present at Board and Committee meetings, together with other advisors or contributors
as appropriate. The table following shows the attendance of each Director at the formal scheduled
meetings of the Board and Committees of which they are a member:
Director
Board
Meetings
Eligible/
Attended
Audit and Risk
Committees
Eligible/
Attended
Remuneration
Committee
Eligible/
Attended
Nomination
Committee
Eligible/
Attended
Investment
Committee
Eligible/
Attended
Mark Wood
12/12
-
4/4
3/3
3/3
Mary Francis
12/12
7/7
4/4
3/3
3/3
Michelle Cracknell
12/12
7/7
4/4
3/3
3/3
Lara Oyesanya
8/8
4/4
2/2
2/2
2/2
Romi Savova
12/12
-
-
3/3
3/3
Jonathan Lister Parsons
12/12
-
-
-
-
Christoph J. Martin
7/7
-
-
-
-
The Non-Executive Directors are committed to devoting adequate time to the business to discharge
their responsibilities effectively. As set out in their appointment letters, the Non-Executive Directors
are required to attend scheduled Board and Committee meetings and to become more involved for
periodic special activities if required. All Directors must advise the Board of any changes to existing
commitments or new commitments that may have implications on their ability to commit sufficient
time to their duties.
Where Directors are unable to attend a meeting, they are encouraged to submit any comments on
papers or matters to be discussed to the Chair in advance to ensure that their views are recorded and
taken into account during the meeting.
Key Activities During The Year
The annual Board Activity Calendar setting out agenda items for each scheduled Board and Committee
meeting is approved by the Board each year.
The calendar takes into account key points in the regulatory and financial cycle, and includes regular
business, corporate, investor and employee updates from the CEO and the CCO, regular updates on
the financial performance and business planning from the CFO and quarterly updates on governance
and company law matters from the Company Secretary. In addition, the Board has received updates
from the work of the Committees, other members of the Executive Management Team and from
external advisors and contributors where appropriate.
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Strategy
Finance
Operational
Approved the Company’s transfer to the Premium Segment of
the London Stock Exchange and associated workstreams.
Participated in the annual Board strategy session.
Reviewed and approved the FY2023 budget
and financial strategy, including going concern
considerations and stress testing.
Reviewed and approved the full-year results,
the half-year results and the quarterly trading
announcements and presentations.
Reviewed monthly management accounts,
performance analytics and regular finance updates.
Reviewed regular operational updates
provided in the CEO Report.
Participated in deep dives on the operational elements of the
Company’s strategy, led by the Executive Management Team.
People
Environment & Social
Governance & Risk
Reviewed and appointed one Non-Executive Director
and one Executive Director to the Board.
Participated in an all-Company Town Hall event to engage with
employees and gather insight and feedback on key ESG priorities.
Reviewed progress on the Company’s Culture
Programme (via Nomination Committee).
Reviewed work on Diversity, Inclusion and Equality
and approved the associated goals and policies.
Received updates on the workforce and workforce engagement.
Reviewed and approved the PensionBee Impact Plan.
Participated in a deep dive session on TCFD requirements
and the action plan for reporting and integration into
the business (via the Investment Committee).
Approved the adoption of the ISS Socially Responsible
Investment (SRI) Voting Policy in respect of the
Tailored Plan managed by BlackRock and certain
plans managed by State Street Global Advisors.
Reviewed and approved the ESG Policy, the Human
Rights and Reasonable Supplier Policies.
ESG Materiality assessment update.
Participated in a deep dive session on Consumer Duty
requirements, with regular progress updates on implementation.
Reviewed the outputs from the 2022 Board
and Committee Evaluation.
Reviewed key corporate governance
documentation and policies.
Reviewed the principal and emerging risks and
uncertainties which could impact the Company.
Reviewed Information Security Committee Updates.
Participated in a Risk deep dive session
(via the Audit & Risk Committee).
Information and Support
Agendas and accompanying papers are distributed to the Board and Committee members in advance
of each Board or Committee meeting. Where necessary, separate papers are prepared to support
specific matters requiring Board decision or approval and the Non-Executives provide ongoing
feedback to the CEO, CCO and Company Secretary on the content of papers to ensure they continue
to support effective debate and decision-making by the Board.
Minutes of all Board and Committee meetings are taken by the Company Secretary and circulated
to the Board for approval as soon as practicable following the meetings. Specific actions arising from
meetings are recorded both in the minutes and on a separate tracker, thereby facilitating the effective
communication of actions to those responsible and allowing the Board to monitor progress.
Any Director may instigate an agreed procedure whereby independent professional advice reasonably
necessary to enable them to carry out their duties may be sought at the Company’s expense. No such
advice was sought by any Director during the year.
Training and Development
The Board participated in the Company’s comprehensive annual compliance training, which included
a module on Equality & Diversity, and an externally provided training on the Senior Managers and
Certification Regime. Additionally, this year the Board also attended sessions provided by external
counsel in respect of Directors’ Responsibilities and Obligations, the Listing Rules, the Takeover Code
and Disclosure & Transparency Rules.
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The Company Secretary also provided quarterly updates to the Board and Committees on regulatory
and corporate governance and company law matters.
A full, formal and tailored induction programme was provided to Lara Oyesanya on her appointment
to the Board in April 2022.
The induction programme comprised:
The provision of a comprehensive set of documentation covering key financial, operational,
strategic and governance matters.
One-to-one meetings with each of the other Directors and members of the Executive Management
Team.
Attendance at one of the Company’s weekly Show N Tell meetings, providing Lara with an
opportunity
to introduce herself to colleagues, covering her background, experience and reasons
for joining the Board, and for employees to ask questions.
Christoph J. Martin was appointed to the Board as an Executive Director in June 2022. Given his
existing role as Chief Financial Officer,
his induction focused on the provision of briefings on corporate
governance matters and his duties as a director.
The Chair and Company Secretary have remained available to support Lara and Christoph in instances
where they have required clarification or advice, as is the case in respect of all Directors.
Board Evaluation and Effectiveness
At the end of the year, a formal and rigorous internal performance evaluation was conducted in respect
of the Board and each of its Committees, covering processes that underpin the Board and Committee
effectiveness, Board and Committee constitution and commitment, Board dynamics, culture, values
and strategy and stakeholder oversight. The evaluations were conducted by way of questionnaires
for each Director to complete, with responses provided to the Chair and the Company Secretary,
followed by further calls with the individual Directors and the Chair. The Chair’s performance was also
discussed by the other Non-Executive Directors, led by the Senior Independent Director, and feedback
was subsequently relayed to the Chair.
A summary of the responses was provided and discussed at the Board’s meeting in December 2022.
The results of the Board evaluation indicated strong performance and effectiveness of the Chair,
Senior Independent Director, Board and Committees. Full details are set out on pages 115 to 118 of
the Nomination Committee Report within the Corporate Governance Report.
Details of the progress that was made during 2022 against the themes and outputs from the 2021
Board Evaluation process are set out as follows:
Theme
Progress Update
Further appointments to the
Board to further strengthen
the depth and breadth of skills,
knowledge and experience.
Ensuring a focus on diversity at a Board
level to reflect the customer base.
Appointment of Lara Oyesanya as
a Non-Executive Director.
Appointment of Christoph J. Martin
as an Executive Director.
A desire to strengthen
knowledge in the area of ESG.
Update on Company’s ESG Materiality Assessment.
ESG workstreams update provided to the
Board as part of a Strategy Session.
Presentation on Diversity, Inclusion & Equality and the
Culture Programme by the Company’s Head of Culture,
Inclusion & Wellbeing to the Nomination Committee.
TCFD Disclosure requirements presented
to the Investment Committee.
Horizon scanning as part of the Board
materials, alongside deep-dive sessions
on particular aspects of the business.
In addition to the topic-specific presentations detailed
above, the Board also received presentations on:
The FCA’s forthcoming Consumer Duty requirements.
Perspectives on the Macroeconomic Outlook.
Operational deep-dives, focused on
risk and strategy sessions.
Provision of quality governance
update (horizon scanning).
Investor perceptions
around the business
Regular investor relations updates, including
research analyst sentiments and investor
perspectives provided to the Board.
Feedback from investors, including on
the ESG Materiality Assessment.
Continuing to receive concise
Board papers plus other papers
outside of the Board cycle.
Evolved the format of Board papers, reports and minutes.
Operational, financial and corporate updates
provided by the CEO, CFO, CCO and other
members of the Executive Management Team
to the Board, outside of the Board cycle.
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Appointment and Election
Following the Board and Committee performance evaluation conducted at the end of 2022, the Board
has confirmed that it considers all Directors to be effective, committed to their roles and to have
sufficient time to perform their duties.
All Directors are subject to election by shareholders at the first Annual General Meeting following their
appointment and to annual re-election thereafter, in accordance with the Code.
Current Service Contracts and Terms of Engagement
All of the Directors have service agreements or letters of appointment, details of which are set out below.
Executive Directors
Name (Position)
Date of Service
Agreement
Notice Period by
Company (months)
Notice period by
Director (months)
Romi Savova (CEO)
16 March 2021
6 months
6 months
Jonathan Lister Parsons (CTO)
16 March 2021
6 months
6 months
Christoph J. Martin (CFO)
30 June 2022
6 months
6 months
Non-Executive Directors
Name
Date of Appointment
Notice Period by
Company (months)
Notice Period by
Director (months)
Mark Wood
2 February 2021
3 months
3 months
Mary Francis
2 February 2021
3 months
3 months
Michelle Cracknell
2 February 2021
3 months
3 months
Lara Oyesanya
21 April 2022
3 months
3 months
The Non-Executive Directors (including the Chair) do not have service contracts, but are instead
appointed by letters of appointment. Each appointment is for a fixed term ending on the Company’s
third annual general meeting following the Company’s listing, but each Independent Non-Executive
Director may be invited by the Company to serve for a further period. In any event, each appointment
is subject to annual re-election by the Company at each annual general meeting, and each Non-
Executive Director’s appointment may be terminated at any time with three months’ written notice.
Conflicts of Interest
Rules concerning Directors’ conflicts of interests are set out in the Company’s Articles of Association.
All other significant commitments and potential conflicts of interest which a Director may have are
required to be disclosed both before appointment and on an ongoing basis, and arrangements would
be put in place, as and when it is considered appropriate, to manage conflicts, including any which
result from significant shareholdings. All Directors are generally asked to confirm that they do not
have any conflicts of interest at the beginning of each Board and Committee meeting.
Whistleblowing
The Company’s Whistleblowing Policy outlines the Company’s approach to whistleblowing. The
policy recognises that whistleblowing is an important activity that helps firms to learn about and
resolve problems before they escalate further. Whistleblowing also helps the FCA regulate the financial
services sector and information provided by whistleblowers has contributed to fines, permissions
changes and other interventions. The aim of the policy is to ensure the Company has a fit-for-purpose
whistleblowing procedure that encourages employees to come forward with disclosures without fear
of reprisal. The Company’s whistleblowing champion is Michelle Cracknell, Chair of the Audit and Risk
Committee.
Stakeholder Engagement
The Directors recognise their duty under Section 172 of the Companies Act to consider the interests
of stakeholders, and the nature of our business means that the interests of our stakeholders (including
customers, employees, suppliers, shareholders, our communities, government and regulators and our
planet) are front of mind in the Board’s decision-making process. Further information relating to how
we engage with our stakeholders, together with the Section 172 Statement, are set out on pages 56
to 70 of the Stakeholders section of the Strategic Report.
Many of the stakeholder relationships are managed by the CEO and other members of the Executive
Management Team, with regular updates provided to the Board and Committees as appropriate. The
Chair of the Board or Committees will offer support on any significant matters relating to their areas
and direct engagement where appropriate.
Employee Engagement
The Board engaged with the wider workforce during the year via existing channels and initiatives that
are in place across the Company to ensure that our employees are listened to and well represented,
including (but not limited to):
Workforce engagement events with the Board, including a Company-wide Town Hall meeting
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Corporate Governance Report
(to discuss key topics identified as being important to employees through the Company’s ESG
Materiality Assessment), providing employees with the opportunity to meet and engage with the
Board, and enabling the Board to gain valuable direct insights.
Weekly all-Company Show N Tell meetings with the CEO and other members of the Executive
Management Team. Upon joining the Company, Lara Oyesanya also attended one of the
Company’s weekly Show N Tell meetings to talk about her experience and engage with colleagues.
Participation from Board members in diversity events.
Review of Annual Diversity, Inclusion, Equality & Support Survey of all employees, to seek feedback
and measure progress.
Review of ongoing Culture Programme, with the Head of Culture, Inclusion & Wellbeing sharing
insights with the Board from the lived experience focus groups run with our diverse employee
base to gather feedback to enhance the Company’s values-based culture.
The Board was kept apprised of employee matters and engagement through updates provided by the
Senior Independent Director, the CEO, other members of the Executive Management Team and the
Head of Culture, Inclusion & Wellbeing, at Board and Committee meetings.
Further detail relating to how we engage with our employees is set out on pages 36 to 45 of the Our
People section and pages 56 to 70 of the Stakeholders section of the Strategic Report.
Relations with Shareholders
The Board is committed to proactive and constructive engagement with the Company’s shareholders
and is keen to ensure that shareholder views are well-understood. The Company’s shareholders
include shareholders who had invested in the Company when it was a private business, institutional
investors, customers (some of whom became shareholders at the time of the Company’s listing) and
our employees who either are, or will become, shareholders in PensionBee.
Investor relations is managed by the CEO, CFO and the CCO, who regularly drive shareholder and
analyst engagement. Virtual one-to-one investor meetings and roadshows are structured around the
regular communication of financial and operational results, including quarterly trading statements
and presentations to investors and analysts, with recordings being made available on the Company’s
website. Regular engagement aims to ensure that shareholders and sell-side analysts understand the
Company’s investment case, strategy and performance.
Regular updates are provided to the Board so that they are well-informed of views on a variety of
topics, such as financial performance and environmental, social and governance considerations.
Feedback from external advisors to the Company, including its corporate brokers and press agency,
who are actively engaged with the investor and analyst communities, is also given as required.
Further information relating to how we engage with our shareholders is set out on pages 56 to 70 of
the Stakeholders section of the Strategic Report.
Going Concern and Viability Statement
The Directors have assessed the viability of the Group over a period that exceeds the 12 months
required by the going concern provision. Details of that assessment are set out in the Viability
Statement on page 98 of the Strategic Report.
Annual General Meeting
The Board looks forward to welcoming shareholders to the Company’s Annual General Meeting
(‘AGM’), which will be held on 18 May 2023. The Notice of 2023 AGM will be distributed to Shareholders
and made available on the Company’s website, and where appropriate, by an announcement via a
Regulatory Information Service, if any changes are required to be made to the AGM arrangements.
The hybrid format of our AGM will give shareholders the opportunity to participate virtually in an
inclusive way, providing the Board with an opportunity to communicate directly with, and answer
questions from, both retail and institutional shareholders. Shareholders will be able to view the AGM
proceedings and ask questions online via a chat function or by phone. Further details will be set out
in the Notice of 2023 AGM.
Mark Wood CBE
Non-Executive Chair
15 March 2023
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4
Nomination Committee Report
Mark Wood CBE
Chair, PensionBee Nomination Committee
Dear Shareholder,
On behalf of the Board, as Chair of the Nomination Committee, I am pleased to present the Nomination
Committee Report for the year ended 31 December 2022. This report is intended to provide
shareholders with insight into the areas of focus considered and the nature of the work undertaken
by the Nomination Committee.
It has been another busy year for PensionBee, with its transfer from the High Growth Segment to
the Premium Segment of the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange (the ‘LSE’) in April 2022.
In addition to changes to the Board made in the run up to our initial public listing, in the context of
the Premium transition, one of the Committee’s key focuses this year has been on the composition
of the Board, the Board’s Committees and the Executive Management Team. Of particular note, we
have overseen the appointment of Lara Oyesanya, our new Independent Non-Executive Director, and
of Christoph J. Martin, our Chief Financial Officer, and have implemented the formal board induction
process that we designed last year.
The Committee has also focused its time and attention on the Company’s culture programme, and
its Diversity, Inclusion & Equality Policy, goals and initiatives, matters which sit critically at the heart of
our business and are key to ensuring that we continue to look after our people and foster an inclusive
environment that allows all of our team to thrive and to ultimately serve our customers.
Building on our existing succession plan, we have further sought to deepen the exercise to consider
the broader Executive Management Team as well as the Board.
And lastly, we have reviewed the key action items from the 2021 board evaluation process, and have
developed and completed our Board and Committee evaluation process for 2022, with its scope now
extending to include perspectives from our two new Board Directors.
Roles and Responsibilities
The role of the Nomination Committee is set out in its terms of reference, which is available on the
Company’s website. The duties of the Nomination Committee include, but are not limited to the
following:
Duties of the Nomination Committee
Regularly reviewing the structure, size and composition of the Board (including skills, knowledge,
experience and diversity) and recommending changes
Putting in place and reviewing Board and senior management succession plans and appointments
and overseeing the development of a diverse pipeline
Taking an active role in setting and meeting diversity objectives and strategies and monitoring their
impact
Overseeing the hiring and evaluation process for new Directors and ensuring they receive a full, formal
and tailored induction
Reviewing the leadership needs of the organisation with a view to ensuring the continued ability of
the organisation to compete effectively in the marketplace
Reviewing the results of the Board evaluation process that relate to the composition of the Board and
succession planning
Reviewing annually the time required from Non-Executive Directors
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Committee Members and Attendance
Committee Member
Position
Eligible
Meetings
Attended
Meetings
Mark Wood
Chair of the Committee
3
3
Mary Francis
Senior Independent Director
3
3
Michelle Cracknell
Independent Non-Executive Director
3
3
Lara Oyesanya
Independent Non-Executive Director
2
2
Romi Savova
Chief Executive Officer
3
3
The Nomination Committee must comprise not less than three Directors, with the majority of
members being Non-Executive Directors who are independent.
Mark Wood, Michelle Cracknell, Mary Francis and Romi Savova were members of the Nomination
Committee from the time of the Company’s listing and as at 31 December 2022. Lara Oyesanya was
a member of the Nomination Committee from the time of appointment in April 2022 and as at 31
December 2022. Further biographical details are set out on pages 103 to 107 of the Board of Directors
and Executive Management section of the Corporate Governance Report.
Meetings are held at least twice a year at appropriate times and otherwise as required. The Committee
met three times across the year to 31 December 2022, with all meetings being held by video
conference. In addition to the Committee members, other regular attendees included the CTO and
the CCO, the latter being the Executive Management sponsor of the Committee.
After each meeting, the Chair of the Committee reports to the Board on the Committee’s proceedings
in respect of all matters within its duties and responsibilities.
Committee Key Activities
Board Composition, Recruitment and Induction
Following its annual review of Board and Committee composition, the independence of Non-
Executive Directors and their time commitment, the Nomination Committee confirmed to the Board
that it remained satisfied that the balance of skills, experience, independence and knowledge on the
Board and Committees was appropriate.
This year, we agreed and completed the formal recruitment process of an additional Non-Executive
Director. The selection process included:
The Committee agreeing the skill profile, knowledge and experience that was required.
Creating and approving the role specification.
Advertising the role externally on Workable, NED on Board and Dynamic Boards.
Talent team collating the potential candidates for review and the CEO and CCO reviewing the
candidate profiles to create a shortlist of diverse candidates for the two-step interview process.
First stage interviews with the CEO and the CCO.
Second stage interviews with the Non-Executive members of the Committee.
Selecting a preferred candidate and undertaking the compliance requirements of the Financial
Conduct Authority’s Senior Managers and Certification Regime.
The Committee undertaking a final review of the preferred candidate (before making a decision to
recommend one candidate to the Board for appointment).
In March 2022, we concluded our process and made a recommendation for the appointment of Lara
Oyesanya as an additional Independent Non-Executive Director to the Board. Lara was appointed to
the Board in April 2022 in connection with the Company’s transfer to the Premium Segment, bringing
with her extensive legal, regulatory and commercial experience, adding to the skills and diversity of
the Board.
2022 Key Activities
Overseeing appointment of new Non-Executive and Executive Board members
Reviewing Committee Terms of Reference
Reviewing Committee Work Plan for 2022 and approving Committee Programme for 2023
Reviewing membership of Board and Committees
Reviewing time commitment from Non-Executive Directors
Reviewing the Board Succession Plan
Reviewing the Board Evaluation process
Completing the Nomination Committee evaluation process
Overseeing the application of the Board Induction Programme
Reviewing updates on the Culture Programme and Diversity, Inclusion & Equality
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Corporate Governance Report
This year, the Nomination Committee also considered and recommended the addition of a further
Executive Director to the Board during the course of 2022. Christoph J. Martin was appointed to the
Board in June 2022, having joined PensionBee in 2019, then graduating into the role of Chief Financial
Officer in 2020 and playing a key role in the Company’s listing.
A full, formal and tailored induction programme was provided to Lara Oyesanya upon appointment,
comprising:
The provision of a comprehensive set of documentation covering key financial, operational,
strategic and governance matters.
One-to-one meetings with each of the other Directors and members of the Executive Management
Team.
Attendance at one of the Company’s weekly Show N Tell meetings, providing Lara with an
opportunity to introduce herself to colleagues, covering her background, experience and reasons
for joining the Board, and for employees to ask questions.
Given Christoph J. Martin’s existing role as Chief Financial Officer, his induction focused on the
provision of briefings on corporate governance matters and his duties as a director.
Succession Planning
In relation to succession planning, the Nomination Committee reviewed an expanded succession plan,
which incorporated new Board members and extended coverage to the full Executive Management
Team. The succession plan primarily considers what would occur in the event of unexpected incapacity
given that there were no planned departures or retirements.
It was agreed that if the Chair of the Board was incapacitated, the Senior Independent Director would
fill his position on an interim basis, and that if one of the Independent Non-Executive Directors was
to become incapacitated, another Non-Executive Director would cover the position of Chair of the
Committees as required. If a Non-Executive became unable to perform their duties, the Company
would need to ensure that the Independent Director majority was maintained, and as such, the
Company would seek to appoint a recruitment specialist to assist with completing the recruitment
process expediently. The Company considered that the additional appointment of Lara Oysesanya,
would further enhance the Board’s ability to continue functioning effectively should an existing Non-
Executive Director become unexpectedly unavailable.
Contingency plans and process steps were also agreed with regards to the unexpected incapacity
of any of the three Executive Directors, with the approach dependent on the anticipated period
of absence. In regards to short-term periods of absence, plans are in place to support each of the
relevant roles internally. As regards any periods of longer-term absence, the Board would consider
both external recruitment and internal replacements as appropriate at that point in time.
As part of the planned exercise, the scope of the succession plan was also expanded to cover the full
Executive Management Team and the Company Secretary, similarly detailing steps that would be
taken for various unexpected periods of absence.
The Nomination Committee was satisfied that the succession plan and contingency arrangements in
place were appropriate for the Company’s stage of development and in line with its risk appetite. We
agreed that we would look to continue to evolve the succession plan further in the coming year to
consider development plans for high performing individuals as necessary.
Board Evaluation
As part of the work of the Nomination Committee, a process for the Company’s annual board
evaluation was developed and agreed. Building on the previous year’s board evaluation, a formal and
rigorous internal performance evaluation was designed and conducted in respect of the Board and
each of its Committees, covering processes that underpin the Board and Committee effectiveness,
Board and Committee constitution and commitment, Board dynamics, culture, values and strategy
and stakeholder oversight. The evaluations were conducted by way of online questionnaires, with
responses provided to the Chair and the Company Secretary, followed by further calls between each
of the individual Directors and the Chair and the Company Secretary. A summary of the responses was
provided and discussed at the Board’s meeting in December 2022.
The results of the Board evaluation indicated strong performance and effectiveness of the Board and
Committees. It was noted that they were well chaired and supported by the company secretarial
department and by the Executive Management sponsors. The corporate governance structure was felt
to be commensurate with the Company’s size and requirements. Importantly, the dynamic between
the Non-Executive Directors and the Executive Directors was felt to be strong and professional, with
the right level of constructive challenge and support being provided.
Key themes that surfaced for focus and development included:
Further strengthening the skills or knowledge at a Board level in areas including cyber risk and
marketing.
Shifting the temporal balance of Board meetings towards horizon scanning and strategic discussion
as the Company moves towards profitability.
Regular operational and risk focused ‘deep dives’, to include themes such as resilience.
Continuing to evolve the Company’s succession plan.
Reviewing external relationships and in particular the perspectives of the Company’s key stakeholders.
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The Nomination Committee will consider adopting an externally facilitated Board evaluation in due
course, aligning with the UK Corporate Governance Code requirement for FTSE 350 companies to
carry out an externally facilitated evaluation of the Board at least every three years.
Culture Programme
In recognition of the importance that the Company places on its people and its culture, the Company
has built a programme to focus on the development and enhancement of its values-based culture.
Led by the Head of Culture, Inclusion and Wellbeing, the Company developed and formalised its
programme based on engagement with employees across the company through focus and lived
experience groups, designed to capture the breadth of our diverse employees’ experiences. Having
identified what employees valued about the culture at PensionBee and identifying priority areas for
improvement, as part of a continuous process across the year, the Company then developed a series of
initiatives to enhance employees’ experience where opportunities for improvement were identified.
As part of the work of the Nomination Committee, we were pleased to have reviewed the progress,
findings and initiatives of the culture programme, throughout the year.
Further detail is set out on pages 56 to 70 of the Stakeholders section and on pages 71 to 81 of the ESG
Considerations section of the Strategic Report.
Diversity, Inclusion & Equality
The Board believes that the make-up of PensionBee’s employees should reflect all areas of society,
across all levels of the business, to better reflect, represent and serve the Company’s diverse customer
base. PensionBee welcomes everyone regardless of gender, race, religion, size, age, sexuality or
disability and aims to create an inclusive working environment in which everyone has equal access
to opportunities and is treated with fairness and dignity. The Company is committed to promoting
equality, diversity and inclusion, preventing unlawful discrimination and ensuring that all colleagues
feel respected and safe at work. It does this through measures such as training, anonymised hiring and
promotion cycles and inclusion in the Company’s performance matrices, but also informally through
its diversity events and initiatives.
The Company published its Diversity, Inclusion, Equality Policy with broad goals for 2022, which
included gender balance at all levels and representation of Asian/Black/Mixed/Multiple/Other ethnic
backgrounds to match the UK population across all levels. PensionBee was proud to achieve 52%
female and minority gender representation across its entire employee base, 57% across its Board and
50% across its Executive Management Team, exceeding the FCAs requirements to have at least 40%
women on the board and at least one senior board position being held by a woman.
118
PensionBee
also achieved 40% Asian/Black/Mixed/Multiple/Other ethnic representation across its entire employee
118. Supported by analysis from PensionBee’s HR information system, November 2022.
base, 20% at Executive Management level and 14% at Board level, welcoming the introduction of the
FCA’s requirement for at least one board member being from an Asian/Black/Mixed/Multiple/Other
ethnic background.
118
Appointments to the Board and Committees are based on merit, taking into consideration the
individual’s skills, knowledge and experience, but there is also a focus on promoting diversity among
the Board and Committees so as to ensure the composition is appropriately balanced.
As part of the work of the Nomination Committee, we reviewed the Diversity, Inclusion and Equality
Policy, together with the results of the Company’s annual Diversity, Inclusion, Equality & Support
Survey, reviewing progress made across the year and discussing next steps and recommendations
that resulted.
Further detail is set out on pages 56 to 70 of the Stakeholders section and on pages 71 to 81 of the ESG
Considerations section of the Strategic Report.
Nomination Committee Evaluation
During 2022, the Board carried out an internally facilitated Board Effectiveness evaluation that included
an assessment of the Committee’s performance. I am pleased that this concluded that we continue to
operate effectively. The Board was satisfied that the Committee’s composition was appropriate with
the right balance of skills and experience among its members, enhanced with the appointment of
Lara Oyesanya.
Nomination Committee Priorities for 2023
For 2023, the Committee will focus its work around the further evolution of its succession plan
and team development, continuing to consider any actions that need to be taken with respect to
supporting the business, with a lens of increasing diversity as needed.
Appointment of Directors
The Committee is satisfied with the Board’s effectiveness and has recommended that all members of
the Board be put forward for appointment at the 2023 Annual General Meeting.
Mark Wood CBE
Chair of the Nomination Committee
15 March 2023
PensionBee Group plc
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5
Investment Committee Report
Mark Wood CBE
Chair, PensionBee Investment Committee
Dear Shareholder,
On behalf of the Board, as Chair of the Investment Committee (the ‘Committee’), I am pleased to
present the Investment Committee Report for the financial year ending 31 December 2022. This
report provides shareholders with an insight into the areas of focus considered, and the nature of the
work undertaken by the Investment Committee.
2022 has been characterised by volatile global investment markets, rising nominal interest rates
and heightened inflation. During the year, the Investment Committee focused time and attention
on reviewing the PensionBee pension product offering, monitoring the associated performance
and risk profiles, and ensuring that we continue to offer our customers value for money. Our first
full Governance Advisory Arrangement (GAA) assessment, led by Zedra Trustees, concluded that the
PensionBee Investment Pathways product decumulation range provides excellent value for money.
The Investment Committee has continued to ensure our asset managers are held responsible for
providing the highest levels of service and security for our customers.
Additionally, we are pleased to have overseen the expansion of our responsible investment product
offering, which enables our customers to build a better world while saving for their retirement. Much
of 2022 has been spent working in partnership with BlackRock to launch PensionBee’s Impact Plan, an
innovation in impact investing, and the latest in a series of PensionBee customer-driven solutions for
the UK pension industry.
Roles and Responsibilities
The role of the Investment Committee is set out in its terms of reference, which is available on the
Company’s website. The duties of the Investment Committee include, but are not limited to the
following:
Duties of the Investment Committee
Reviewing the available range of product options for customers, including in accumulation and
decumulation
Reviewing the selection or change of plans and asset managers
Reviewing the choice architecture available to customers
Reviewing the pricing of each plan relative to peers
Reviewing the performance of each plan relative to peers
Reviewing the risk profile of each plan
Reviewing the processes around customer communication and support
Reviewing the administration, service, and core financial transactions
Reviewing the environmental, social and governance considerations
Reviewing the retirement offering
Reviewing fund manager terms and performance, including service levels, breaches and changes to
terms and conditions
Overseeing the selection process for the appointment of, and ongoing relationship with, the
Governance Advisory Arrangement
The Investment Committee assists the Board in discharging its responsibility for oversight of
PensionBee’s investment proposition. The Investment Committee is responsible for reviewing the
Company’s product offering. This includes the range of options available to customers, the selection
or change of asset managers, the pricing of the plans, as well as the performance and the risk profile
of each plan. We also review the performance of our fund managers.
The Investment Committee assists the Board, including by making recommendations regarding
the appointment and removal of asset managers, coordinating the tender process, approving
remuneration and overseeing the relationship with the Governance Advisory Arrangement, which
assesses the design and implementation of PensionBee’s investment pathways solution.
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
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Corporate Governance Report
Committee Members and Attendance
Committee Members
119
Position
Eligible
Meetings
Attended
Meetings
Mark Wood
Chair of the Committee
3
3
Michelle Cracknell
Independent Non-Executive Director
3
3
Lara Oyesanya
Independent Non-Executive Director
2
2
Mary Francis
Senior Independent Director
3
3
Romi Savova
Chief Executive Officer
3
3
The Investment Committee must comprise not less than three Directors, of which at least two must be
Non-Executive Directors who are independent.
Mark Wood, Michelle Cracknell, Mary Francis and Romi Savova were members of the Investment
Committee from the time of the Company’s listing and as at 31 December 2022. Lara Oyesana
was
appointed to the Board and joined the Investment Committee in April 2022, as part of the Company’s
transition to the Premium Segment of the London Stock Exchange. Further biographical details are
set out on pages 103 to 107 of the Board of Directors and Executive Management section of the
Corporate Governance Report.
Meetings are held at least three times a year at appropriate times and otherwise, as required. The
Investment Committee met three times during the year to 31 December 2022, with all meetings
being held by video conference. In addition to the Committee members, other regular attendees
included the Chief Engagement Officer and other members of the Executive Management Team.
The Chair of the Committee reports to the Board on the Committee’s proceedings in respect of all
matters within its duties and responsibilities on an ongoing basis, as required.
Committee Key Activities
2022 Key Activities
Ensuring our plans and plan range offer value for money
2021 Value for Money Report
Reviewing the FCA’s Investment Pathways
Governance Advisory Arrangement (GAA) review of value for money of
Investment Pathways plan
range, led by Zedra Trustees (scored excellent)
119. Lara Oyesanya joined the Investment Committee as an Independent Non-Executive Director upon appointment on 21 April 2022
Comparing value across plans using AgeWage scoring, as part of our ongoing value for money
assessment
Confirming the plans continued to offer value for money
Monitoring fund manager performance
Assessing asset manager performance against our contractual terms
Annual review of duties and responsibilities to report back to the Board
Liaising with asset managers as part of a transition to electronic trading with Calastone
Reminding all our managers of their legal obligations and liability with regard to customer funds
ESG integration
Expanding ESG integration on the core plan range
Reviewing Impact Plan options and overseeing the product and go-to-market strategies
Selecting
the ISS SRI Voting Policy (for in scope BlackRock and State Street plans)
Reviewing the TCFD implementation
Surveying customers to ensure our plans align with their ESG views
Investment Committee Evaluation
During 2022, the Board carried out an internally facilitated Board Effectiveness evaluation that included
an assessment of the Committee’s performance. I am pleased that this concluded that we continue
to operate effectively in our oversight of the Company’s investment proposition and fund manager’s
performance. The Board was satisfied that the Committee’s composition was appropriate with the
right balance of skills and experience among its members. The performance of the Committee’s
increased oversight of environmental related issues will be incorporated into future evaluations.
Investment Committee Priorities for 2023
For 2023, the Committee will focus its work around the 2022 Price and Value Assessment report, the
Governance Advisory Arrangement report, monitoring fund manager performance, reviewing the
launch of the new Impact Plan, and ESG integration for 2023.
Mark Wood CBE
Chair, Investment Committee
15 March 2023
PensionBee Group plc
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6
Audit and Risk Committee Report
Dear Shareholder,
On behalf of the Board, as Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee (the ‘Committee’), I am pleased to
present the Audit and Risk Committee Report for the year ended 31 December 2022.
The report highlights the work that has been performed over the year, and outlines how we have
discharged the responsibilities delegated to the Committee by the Board.
During the year the Audit and Risk Committee worked with professional advisors ahead of the
transition from the High Growth Segment to the Premium Segment of the Main Market on the London
Stock Exchange to ensure the Group met the premium listing requirements and maintained a robust
control environment for the future effectiveness of the business.
Over the year, the Committee focused on its key responsibilities with assisting the Board by
overseeing the Group’s financial reporting, effectiveness of the financial control environment and
providing oversight of the external auditor relationship and processes. The Committee also assessed
the independence and objectivity of the external auditor.
The Committee assists the Board in its oversight of risk within the Group. It has a particular focus on
monitoring the effectiveness of, and improvements being made to, the Group’s risk management
framework. This includes the documentation and communication of the Group’s policies, the
activities of the first and second line of defence in managing risks in accordance with the Group’s risk
appetite and the auditing activities with respect to regulatory and information security compliance. As
is customary, the Board as a whole remains responsible for the Group’s risk management and strategy,
and for determining the appropriate risk appetite.
Further information on the Committee’s activities is provided as follows.
Michelle Cracknell CBE
Chair, PensionBee Audit and Risk Committee
Role and Responsibilities
The role of the Audit and Risk Committee is set out in its terms of reference, which is available on the
Company’s website. The duties of the Audit and Risk Committee include, but are not limited to:
Duties of the Audit and Risk Committee
Monitoring the integrity of the financial statements of the Group and reporting to the Board on
significant financial reporting policies and judgements
Reviewing the content of the annual report and financial statements and advising the Board on
whether it is fair, balanced and understandable
Overseeing the relationship with the external auditor and making recommendations to the Board
regarding the appointment and re-appointment of the external auditor
Reviewing and approving the annual audit plan
Assessing the external auditor’s independence and objectivity
Reviewing effectiveness of external audit process, taking into consideration relevant UK professional
and regulatory requirements
Assisting the Board with the definition and execution of a risk management strategy, risk policies and
current risk exposure
Reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of the Group’s risk management and internal control
system
Reviewing the adequacy and security of the Group’s whistleblowing arrangements
and procedures related to fraud, bribery and money laundering
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Committee Members and Attendance
Committee Member
Position
Eligible
Meetings
Attended
Meetings
Michelle Cracknell
Chair of the Committee
7
7
Mary Francis
Senior Independent Director
7
7
Lara Oyesanya
Independent Non-Executive Director
4
4
The Audit and Risk Committee must comprise at least three Directors per the UK Corporate Governance
Code, all of whom must be Non-Executive Directors who are independent. Where possible it should
include at least one member of the Remuneration Committee and/or one Non-Executive Director
responsible for risk.
Michelle Cracknell, Mary Francis and Lara Oyesanya were members of the Audit and Risk Committee
for the year to 31 December 2022. Michelle Cracknell is a qualified actuary with more than 30 years’
experience in financial services and more than twenty five years’ experience as a Board Director,
including over six years’ experience as an Audit and Risk Committee Chair. Michelle Cracknell, Mary
Francis and Lara Oyesanya are also members of the Remuneration Committee. Further biographical
details are set out on pages 103 to 107 of the Board of Directors and Executive Management section
of the Corporate Governance Report.
Meetings are held at least four times a year at appropriate times in the financial reporting and audit
cycle, and otherwise as required. The Committee met seven times during 2022. In addition to the
Committee members other regular attendees included the Chair, CEO, CFO, CTO, CCO and the Finance
Director. The external auditor, Deloitte LLP, also attended on most occasions.
After each meeting, the Chair of the Committee reports to the Board on the Committee’s proceedings
in respect of all matters within its duties and responsibilities.
Committee Key Activities
2022 Key Activities
Financial Statements
Reviewing the 2022 reporting timeline:
The Committee considered and concluded that the 2022 reporting timeline would meet the
requirement for timely reporting to shareholders and advised the Board on its reasonableness.
Reviewing the annual report and financial statements for fair, balanced and understandable reporting:
The Committee assessed whether the Group achieved fair, balanced and understandable reporting in
its Annual Report and Financial Statements 2021, informing its review by challenging management
on the accuracy, transparency and completeness of disclosures, considering the content and tone
used, and reviewing the external auditor’s report to the Committee. The Committee considered
the narrative section of the Annual Report and Financial Statements 2021 to ensure its consistency
with the information reported and that appropriate weight had been given to both positive and
negative aspects of the performance of the Group. Having evaluated all of the available information,
the assurances provided by management and underlying processes used to prepare the Group’s
financial information, the Committee concluded, and advised the Board as such, that the Annual
Report and Financial Statements 2021 was fair, balanced and understandable and established the
context necessary to give shareholders and other stakeholders a balanced view between successes,
opportunities, challenges and risks.
Reviewing the interim report for fair, balanced and understandable reporting:
The Committee assessed whether the Group achieved fair, balanced and understandable reporting
in its Interim Report 2022, informing its review by challenging management on the accuracy,
transparency and completeness of disclosures, considering the content and tone used, and reviewing
the external auditor’s report to the Committee. The Committee considered the narrative section of
the Interim Report 2022 to ensure its consistency with the information reported and that appropriate
weight has been given to both positive and negative aspects of the performance of the Group.
Having evaluated all of the available information, the assurances provided by management and
underlying processes used to prepare the Group’s financial information, the Committee concluded,
and advised the Board as such, that the Interim Report 2022 was fair, balanced and understandable
and established the context necessary to give shareholders and other stakeholders a balanced view
between successes, opportunities, challenges and risks.
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Corporate Governance Report
Reviewing the going concern assumption and liquidity risk:
The Group is required to assess whether it is appropriate to prepare its financial statements on a going
concern basis. The Committee assessed the appropriateness of the going concern assumptions by
reviewing the stress testing assumptions and results, the capital and liquidity forecast and the Group’s
strategy. The Committee concluded that the financial statements should be prepared on a going
concern basis and that there were no material uncertainties that would impact the Group’s ability
to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future which would require disclosure. The
Committee recommended the going concern assumptions and liquidity risk to the Board.
External Audit
Reviewing the management representation letter:
The Committee reviewed the content of representation by management to the external auditor and
concluded that sufficient representation was achieved as requested by the auditor. The management
representation letter was recommended to the Board.
Reviewing the half-year audit programme, auditor’s report on the financial
statements and auditor’s report to the Audit and Risk Committee:
The Committee met with key members of the Deloitte audit team to discuss the 2022 interim audit
review plan, materiality and the auditor’s areas of focus. The Committee had detailed discussions with
the auditor on the audit report and the auditor’s report to the Committee, with most of the focus
being on the audit procedures performed and the findings. The Committee approved the interim
audit plan and confirmed its satisfaction with the reports issued by the auditor.
Reviewing the full year audit programme, auditor’s report on the financial
statements and auditor’s report to the Audit and Risk Committee:
The Committee met with key members of the Deloitte audit team to discuss the 2022 full year audit
plan, materiality and the auditor’s areas of focus. The Committee had detailed discussions with the
auditor on the audit report and the auditor’s report to the Committee, with most of the focus being
on the audit procedures performed and the findings. The Committee approved the interim audit plan
and confirmed its satisfaction with the reports issued by the auditor.
Governance
Reviewing the Audit and Risk Committee 2023 meeting calendar:
The Committee reviewed its 2023 meeting calendar, giving consideration to its duties and
responsibilities as set out in the UK Corporate Governance Code. The Committee concluded that its
calendar had sufficient and appropriate content to enable it to discharge its responsibilities.
Reviewing Financial Position and Prospects Procedures post-
IPO and Premium listing recommendations:
Following the work by the Group’s professional advisors in preparation for the IPO in 2021 and the
subsequent transition from the High Growth Segment to the Premium Segment of the Main Market in
2022, the Committee monitored the implementation of the professional advisors’ recommendations
through inquiries with management and a review of policy updates. As at 31 December 2022, all
recommendations by the professional advisors had been appropriately addressed.
Undertaking the Committee effectiveness evaluation:
The Committee conducted an effectiveness review as part of the evaluation process and was
satisfied that the Committee composition was appropriate, there was an adequate balance of skills
and experience, and the Non-Executive Directors remained independent. The effectiveness review
confirmed that the Committee was operating effectively with appropriate levels of engagement with
the Board, external auditor and management.
Reviewing the Committee terms of reference:
The Committee reviewed its terms of reference to confirm that they were still reflective of the most
up to date UK Corporate Governance Code requirements and the Group’s risk profile. No material
changes were deemed necessary. The Committee will continue to monitor any future changes to the
UK Corporate Governance Code and the Group’s risk profile and ensure that its terms of reference are
kept up to date.
Risk Management and Internal Controls
Reviewing principal risks and uncertainties:
The Committee reviewed the Group’s principal risks and uncertainties to confirm their completeness
and the assessed potential impact on the Group operations and financial performance. The
Committee considered the identified principal risks and uncertainties to be complete, and that the
Group’s strategy was appropriate in respect of such risks.
Reviewing overall internal controls and risk management systems:
The Committee reviewed the appropriateness of the risk management systems, and design and
operating effectiveness of key controls through regular reports and updates from management. Audit
findings on internal controls were discussed with the auditors and management. The Committee
considered the Group’s internal controls and risk management systems to be sufficient and
appropriate.
Reviewing whistleblowing and anti-bribery and corruption policies:
The Committee reviewed the whistleblowing and anti-bribery and corruption policies, giving
consideration to the changes in the regulatory landscape and changes in the business since 2021. The
Committee considered the existing policy sufficient and appropriate for the Group.
Reviewing the related parties list:
The Committee monitors the related parties list which is used to assess the accuracy of disclosures by
management in the financial statements. The list was considered complete based on inquiries with
management and the Board.
Approving the 2023 risk management plan:
The Committee approved the 2023 risk management plan, following a detailed review of the plan
presented by the Risk Management Team. The Committee considered the risk management plan to
be appropriate and sufficient to address the risks applicable to the Group.
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Corporate Governance Report
Financial Reporting
Group Financial Statement Reporting
One of the core responsibilities of the Audit and Risk Committee is to ensure the integrity of the
financial statements of the Group. For the financial year, the Audit and Risk Committee:
Reviewed the Interim Report and Annual Report and Financial Statements and recommended
approval to the Board.
Reviewed the completeness of the financial reporting disclosures.
Reviewed the application and appropriateness of accounting policies.
Reviewed the going concern assumption and viability statement.
Significant Issues Considered by the Committee in Relation to the Financial Statements
Significant accounting policies and accounting judgements are identified by management and the
external auditor and are reviewed and challenged by the Committee. The significant accounting
policies and judgements considered by the Committee, and details of how they were addressed, in
respect of the year ended 31 December 2022 are set out as follows:
Areas for Consideration
Committee Review and Conclusion
Revenue Recognition
The Committee considered the relevant revenue streams and recognition
criteria
stipulated
in
the
accounting
standard.
The
Committee
recommended the policy to the Board for approval.
Share-based Payment
The Committee considered the grant date fair value, vesting conditions,
initial recognition and subsequent measurement of share options as set
out in the accounting standard. The Committee recommended the policy
to the Board for approval.
Research and
Development
The Committee reviewed the current accounting treatment of Research
and Development, the relevance, and whether an intangible asset should
be recognised. The Committee reviewed the policy and recommended it
to the Board for approval.
Income Taxes
The Committee considered the Group’s tax position and the accounting
standard requirements on recognition of a deferred tax asset. The Committee
reviewed the policy and recommended it to the Board for approval.
Leases
The Committee reviewed the basis of accounting for all types of leases;
short term and long term, low value and high value leases. The Committee
recommended the policy to the Board for approval.
Investment in
Subsidiary Valuation
The Committee reviewed the assessment for impairment of the investment
held by the Company in the Subsidiary. The Committee recommended
the investment in the subsidiary valuation to the Board for approval.
FRS 102 for PensionBee
Group plc Standalone
Financial Statements
Due to practical reporting considerations, the Committee reviewed the
existing accounting frameworks mix within the Group. The Committee
recommended the approval of the continued adoption of FRS 102 by
PensionBee Group plc standalone accounts to the Board.
Going Concern and Viability Statement
In addition to considering significant accounting policies and judgements, the Committee plays an
important role in the production of the Annual Report and Financial Statements and the Interim
Results. This includes reviewing and challenging the assumptions that support the use of the going
concern basis for the preparation of the financial statements and the statement given by the Directors
as to the Group’s longer-term viability.
The Committee reviewed detailed management analysis elaborating on the going concern
assumptions and the viability statement. This included the KPIs, profit and loss, cash flow, balance sheet
and capital forecasts on a monthly basis. The Committee considered additional stress tests, including
a sharp decline in equity markets, the worsening of conversion and lower transferred-in pension pot
sizes, all of which could potentially be caused by the increased cost of living in the UK, geopolitical
disruption and/or interest rate rises. Furthermore, the Committee considered management mitigating
actions that could be taken in the stress scenarios and the strength of the Group’s capital position.
After due consideration, the Committee recommended to the Board that it was appropriate for the
Group to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the Annual Report and
Financial Statements 2022 for the year and that based on the current information, the Directors could
make the Viability Statement as shown on page 98 of the Strategic Report.
Risk Management Framework
The Audit and Risk Committee is responsible for monitoring the risk profile of the Company, and
reviewing the effectiveness of the Company’s internal controls and the overall risk management
framework. The Company’s risk management framework and the associated systems of internal control
are designed to identify, evaluate and manage risks within the risk appetite set by the Board. Through
its oversight of risks, controls and the associated risk management processes, the Committee is able
to maintain a good understanding of principal and emerging risks, ensure that an adequate system of
internal controls is maintained, and review the Executive Management Team’s decision-making process.
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Corporate Governance Report
The risk reporting is designed to allow the Audit and Risk Committee to form its view on how effectively
risks have been assessed, how they have been managed or mitigated, whether necessary actions are
being taken promptly to remedy any significant failings or weaknesses of key controls and systems,
therefore ensuring that the Committee has reviewed all significant aspects of risk management and
internal control systems for the Company with respect to its core business objectives and the internal
and regulatory requirements.
In 2022, Petra Miskov joined PensionBee as the Chief Risk Officer, bringing more than two decades of
experience in financial services. She has carried out a comprehensive review of the Company’s Risk
Management Policy and the risk framework, regularly engages with the Board members on risk-related
matters, and serves as the Executive Management co-sponsor of the Audit and Risk Committee.
Information Security Risk Management Framework
PensionBee is ISO 27001 certified, having implemented an Information Security Management System
and controls, in accordance with the risks we have identified to the organisation and in order to
safeguard our information assets, while making the process effective to manage, monitor and improve.
Our Information Security risk management framework is integrated with the Company’s overall risk
management framework. PensionBee acknowledges that sources of Information Security and cyber
crime risk will always exist, and subsequently treats Information Security risk as a business-wide risk
rather than a standalone Technology Department risk. This gives a cohesive, consistent and joined-up
approach when managing information and cyber security risk.
Information and cyber security risks are mitigated using a defence-in-depth approach, providing
multiple layers of complementary controls. This approach includes improving controls around human
risk (e.g. the risk of staff clicking on phishing emails), as well as implementing technical controls across
the IT estate. External expertise and specialist sources are utilised to ensure evolving and emerging
cyber risks are treated. Our Information Security Team uses real life scenarios and intelligence to
create plausible cyber security and data compromise scenarios, which are simulated to help focus on
continuous improvement.
PensionBee has invested in the BeeSecure Information Security Programme to further improve
controls to mitigate information and cyber security risks.
Principal Risks
The Board has identified and set out the key risks which, if they were to materialise, could have an
impact on the Company’s ability to meet its strategic objectives. These risks include regulatory risk,
information security risk, operational risk, financial risk, strategic risk and climate risk, and are further
detailed on pages 92 to 97 of the Managing our Risks section of the Strategic Report.
Risk Appetite
The Board is responsible for establishing the risk appetite and monitoring the risk management
framework at PensionBee.
With respect to most risks, the Company’s risk appetite is low. The risk appetite is determined by the
Company’s desire to keep financial losses and reputational damage arising from its principal risks as
low as possible, owing to the importance of allocating capital to growth as well as the Company’s
desire to build trust in its services. The Company generally has a medium risk appetite where the
risk arises as a function of the inherent business model, for example the financial risks arising from
fluctuations in capital markets.
Monthly Risk Reviews
The Board receives monthly risk updates including reports on any business areas which are, or should
be, subject to further controls or additional measures to mitigate any risks that have been identified
(the ‘Monthly Risk Review’). The Monthly Risk Review also contains information about any emerging
trends in order to prevent new risks from materialising. The report also includes an overview of policy
updates, incident reporting for the month, an update on the risk-relevant open actions and a summary
of significant change management activities.
These Monthly Risk Reviews also summarise the monitoring activities that the second line of defence
has undertaken during the month. These include the monthly checks in respect of key financial and
operational processes, deep dive reviews, scenario analysis, incidents trend analysis and other ad-hoc
risk assurance activities.
Monthly Risk Reviews also include Information Security highlights of relevant risks and controls
(including any relevant Third Party Supplier cyber security incidents), progress with audits, strategic
initiative updates, staff training updates, and the overall progress of the information and cyber security
programme.
Overall, the Monthly Risk Reviews, combined with topics raised at the Audit and Risk Committee
meetings, enable the Committee to effectively oversee the Company’s risk profile and the approach
to risk management.
Policy Management Software
PensionBee uses Clausematch, a policy management, regulatory change and compliance platform, as
its main policy management software. Clausematch facilitates an auditable process for the review and
dissemination of all of the Company’s policies.
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Corporate Governance Report
External Assurance
The Company performs external assurance activities according to a calendar overseen by the Audit
and Risk Committee. The Company employs external parties to provide assurance and these parties are
appointed based on their sector expertise, for example, investment management, finance, compliance,
regulation and information security expertise. The Company will conduct additional external assurance
activities when appropriate, where additional assurance is required or where there are considered to be
emerging risks. The Audit and Risk Committee is kept up to date with the work of these parties.
The external assurance activities are currently coordinated by the Risk Management Team and the
Board is satisfied that the Audit and Risk Committee can adequately oversee the external assurance
scope and activities, and gain the required assurance over internal controls.
Regulatory Audit
The Group continued the regular auditing of the discharge of its regulatory obligations, including
the Senior Managers and Certification Regime, required training, administration standards and
management information, reporting obligations, identification of risk, risk oversight, business planning,
products and internal governance. The Committee was kept informed of the progress and satisfactory
completion of the initial audit, which was conducted by an external party. Regular auditing activities
continue in 2023 and beyond.
Information Security Certification
PensionBee’s Information Security Management System (‘ISMS’) is certified to the internationally
recognised ISO 27001 standard for the management of information security. PensionBee also holds
the Cyber Essentials Plus certification, which is a Government-backed scheme to help organisations
improve cyber security controls. The two frameworks are complementary and help improve
information and cyber security controls under the ISMS.
The ISMS is also subject to a comprehensive annual audit programme, which gives independent
and objective assurance on the system. PensionBee has an Information Security Committee (‘ISC’) to
give oversight of the ISMS, track progress against its objectives and monitor the results of the audit
programme. The ISC was held twice in 2022 and the members include senior stakeholders from
the business, such as the VP of Information Security, the Executive Management Team and the Risk
Management Team. Ultimate oversight of the ISC is provided by the Audit and Risk Committee.
External Audit
Deloitte LLP (‘Deloitte’) is PensionBee’s external auditor, with 2022 being the fifth financial year to be
audited by them. Kieren Cooper has fulfilled the role as lead audit partner for two of the five financial years.
The Committee oversees the audit relationship with Deloitte. The Committee’s responsibilities are
appointing, re-appointing and removing the external auditor and overseeing their effectiveness,
independence and objectivity.
During 2022, the Committee approved the re-appointment of the auditor, the proposed audit fee
and terms of engagement. The Committee assessed the effectiveness of the external auditor by
reviewing the audit plan presented by Deloitte to assess the adequacy and appropriateness of the
proposed audit procedures, completeness and relevance of the identified audit risks and the audit
team composition.
Discussions were held with the lead audit partner in the absence of management. The Committee
considered the external auditor effective and independent. Following the initial appointment of
Deloitte in 2018, and giving consideration to PensionBee’s listing in 2021 and the requirement for
public companies to re-tender their audit every ten years, it is expected the Company’s audit mandate
will be re-tendered at the latest in 2029.
Non-Audit Services Policy
The Committee reviewed the existing non-audit services (‘NAS’) policy and confirmed that it is still
sufficient and appropriate for the Group. The NAS policy is reviewed annually by the Committee to
safeguard the ongoing independence of the external auditor and to ensure compliance with the
FRC’s Ethical Standard.
The Committee acknowledged the benefits that can be realised in using the external auditor for
non-audit services due to their understanding of the business. In the circumstance where Deloitte is
engaged to provide non-audit services, the policy governs the provision of these services and ensures
they do not impair the external auditor’s independence and objectivity.
Before proceeding with a non-audit service, the fee comparative to the audit, types of services, and
external auditor independence are considered. The Committee’s approval has to be achieved before
the external auditor is engaged to provide non-audit services. For permitted non-audit services that
are deemed to not be material, the Committee has pre-approved the use of the external auditor for
cumulative amounts totalling less than £50,000. The threshold up to £20,000 requires the approval of
the CFO or the CEO. Non-audit fees within the
threshold of £20,001 to £50,000 require the approval
of the CFO and the CEO.
Non-audit fees paid to the external auditor should not exceed 70% or more of the average audit fees
for three consecutive financial years starting from the IPO. The cap will become effective from April
2024, after the three year grace period as a public interest entity (‘PIE’) from the time of the IPO.
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The external auditor did not undertake any non-audit work during the year (in 2021, Deloitte undertook
non-audit work in relation to the IPO Reporting Accountant and Tax Structuring processes and was
paid a total fee of £801,000). The Committee is satisfied that the external auditor’s independence has
not been impaired by their provision of non-audit services.
External Auditor Fee
An overview of the total fees paid to Deloitte are shown in the table that follows:
Item
2022
£ 000
2021
£ 000
Other Assurance Services
-
633
Tax Structuring Services
-
167
Audit Related Services
58
42
Financial Statements Audit Services
138
128
Non-audit fees paid to the external auditor during the year did not exceed audit fees (2021: exceeded
audit fees by 558%). The non-audit fees cap will become effective from April 2024 after the three year
grace period as a PIE from the time of the IPO.
Non-audit fees paid to the external auditor will not exceed 70% or more of the average audit fees for
three consecutive financial years starting from the IPO.
Details of the fees paid to Deloitte during the year are shown in Note 9 of the Financial Statements.
Compliance, Whistleblowing, Anti-Bribery and Corruption and Financial Crime
The Group maintains a robust set of compliance policies that are documented and managed on the
Clausematch platform. During the year there were no whistleblowing incidents reported (2021: nil).
Whistleblowing
The Company’s Whistleblowing Policy outlines the Company’s approach to whistleblowing. The
policy recognises that whistleblowing is an important activity that helps firms to learn about and
resolve problems before they escalate further. The aim of the policy is to ensure the Company has a fit-
for-purpose whistleblowing procedure that encourages employees to come forward with disclosures
without fear of reprisal. The Company’s whistleblowing champion is Michelle Cracknell, Chair of the
Audit and Risk Committee.
Anti-Bribery and Corruption
The Company has a zero-tolerance for bribery and corrupt activities, as outlined in its Anti-Bribery and
Corruption Policy. The aim of the policy is to help PensionBee uphold all laws relating to anti-bribery
and corruption. The anti-bribery policy applies to all Directors, officers, employees, consultants,
contractors, interns, or any other person or persons associated with the Company (including third
parties), no matter where they are located (within or outside of the UK).
Financial Crime
PensionBee has a regulatory and legal responsibility to assist the authorities in countering the
perpetration of financial crimes. Financial crimes include but are not limited to money laundering,
terrorist financing and fraud. Financial crime is perpetrated by individuals and therefore this policy
is closely linked to the Company’s Know Your Customer Policy. Fraud can lead to highly damaging
outcomes for customers and is particularly relevant when transactions are being processed out of the
PensionBee Personal Pension. Fraud risks are therefore also closely linked to the Transfer Out Policy
and the Banking Policy, which cover the risks of making inaccurate payments.
Audit and Risk Committee Evaluation
During 2022, the Board carried out an internally facilitated Board Effectiveness evaluation that
included an assessment of the Committee’s performance. The review concluded that we continued
to operate effectively. The Board was satisfied that the Committee members had the relevant financial
and commercial competence relevant to our sector and that there was the right balance of skills and
experience among its members.
Audit and Risk Committee Priorities for 2023
For 2023, the focus areas for the Audit and Risk Committee are expected to include a review of the
effectiveness of the Finance function and the timetable for production of the financial information,
oversight of the embedding of the risk framework, a review of the new Consumer Duty implementation,
and a review of the links between the risk assessments and remediation activities for the Company’s
most significant risks (including Information Security risk). The Committee will also review the work
of the external assurance providers and consider the need for internal audit, as required by the Code.
Michelle Cracknell CBE
Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee
15 March 2023
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7
Directors’ Remuneration Report
120
120. The Directors’ Remuneration Report that follows has been prepared in accordance with the Listing Rules, the Large and Medium-
sized Companies and Groups (Accounts and Reports) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 and the Companies Act 2006.
Annual Statement by the Chair of the Remuneration Committee
Dear Shareholder,
I am pleased to present our second Directors’ Remuneration Report for the year ended 31 December
2022, which has been prepared by the Remuneration Committee and approved by the Board.
The Report comprises three sections:
This statement, being our annual report on the activities of the Remuneration Committee during
the year.
The Directors’ Remuneration Policy (‘Policy’) which will be subject to a binding vote at the 2023
Annual General Meeting (‘AGM’). Although the Policy was approved by a binding vote at the 2022
Annual General Meeting with 99.2% of votes in favour, the Remuneration Committee has been
advised to resubmit the Policy for approval following the Company’s transition to the Premium
Segment of the London Stock Exchange in April 2022. No substantive changes are proposed.
The Annual Report on Remuneration, which explains how the Directors have been rewarded in
2022 and will be subject to an advisory vote at the 2023 AGM.
We have prepared this report with reference to the principles of remuneration as set out in the UK
Corporate Governance Code. Our objectives for the Policy and how they align with the Company’s
strategy and values are laid out on page 132. Our process and approach is laid out on page 132 to 139,
and our retained discretion is documented on page 136.
Mary Francis CBE
Chair, PensionBee Remuneration Committee
Roles and Responsibilities
The role of the Remuneration Committee is set out in its terms of reference, which is available on the
Company’s website. The duties of the Remuneration Committee include, but are not limited to the
following:
Duties of the Remuneration Committee
Determining the Company’s framework and policy for executive remuneration
Setting remuneration for all Executive Directors and reviewing remuneration for senior management
Reviewing workforce remuneration and related policies and the alignment of incentives and rewards
with culture
Considering remuneration arrangements with respect to the UK Corporate Governance Code
requirements for clarity, simplicity, risk mitigation, predictability and proportionality
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Committee Members and Attendance
Committee Members
Position
Eligible
Meetings
Attended
Meetings
Mary Francis
Chair of the Committee
4
4
Michelle Cracknell
Independent Non-Executive Director
4
4
Lara Oyesanya
Independent Non-Executive Director
2
2
Mark Wood
Non-Executive Chair of the Board
4
4
The Remuneration Committee must comprise not less than three Directors, all of whom are Non-
Executive Directors who are independent. The Chair of the Remuneration Committee must not be the
Chair of the Company, and should have served on a remuneration committee for at least 12 months
prior to being appointed.
Mary Francis, Michelle Cracknell and Mark Wood were members of the Remuneration Committee
throughout 2022 and Lara Oyesanya joined as of 21 April 2022. Further biographical details are set out
on pages 103 to 107 of the Board of Directors and Executive Management section of the Corporate
Governance Report.
Meetings are held at least twice a year at appropriate times and otherwise as required. The Committee
met four times during 2022, with all meetings being held by video conference.
The CEO, COO, Company Secretary and other members of the Executive Management Team attended
meetings by invitation to provide valuable input. However, no member of management plays any
part in determining his or her remuneration.
After each meeting the Chair of the Committee reports to the Board on the Committee’s proceedings
in respect of all matters within its duties and responsibilities.
The Company-Wide Context
2022 was an important year for PensionBee, as the Company pursued customer growth and the
achievement of pre-marketing profitability. Customer numbers continued to grow throughout the year,
and pre-marketing profitability (on an Adjusted EBITDA before Marketing basis)
121
was achieved in the
fourth quarter of 2022, in line with the Company’s expectations and despite significant challenges in the
macroeconomic environment.
121. See definitions on pages 54 and 56 of the Measuring our Performance section of the Strategic Report.
A challenge for the Remuneration Committee has been to recognise the very considerable
achievements of the Executive Management Team, whilst also recognising the effects of difficult
market conditions on our shareholders and the impact on our customers. The below-target bonus
awards granted to our Executive Directors are the outcome of long and careful consideration of these
matters by the Committee.
Having thoroughly reviewed the Company’s Remuneration Policy in 2021, prior to its public listing,
we concluded that applying a consistent approach for 2022 was appropriate. Our approach continues
to be underpinned by the Company’s duty of fairness to both its customers and employees, as it
continues to balance cash preservation with investment for growth, exercise vigilant control over risk,
and ensures that it can recruit and retain talented employees.
The arrangements in place during 2022 were fully in accordance with our Remuneration Policy. They
demonstrated an appropriate and conservative approach, with remuneration levels in line with (and
at the most senior levels, below) equivalent market levels, and performance-linked elements mainly in
restricted share awards with a longer time horizon for vesting. The Company’s desire to conserve cash
for investment and growth has thus continued to be very much respected.
At the same time, we were satisfied that the policy continued to ensure that rewards were at fair levels
that enabled our Company to recruit and retain high quality employees. Emphasis continued to be
placed on applying a similar reward structure right across the Company, albeit geared more heavily to
share-based performance rewards at the more senior levels.
The Company maintained its commitment to being a Living Wage employer for its most junior
employees and conducted a benchmarking exercise for other roles across the Company, ensuring
that base salaries for 2023 reflect UK labour market conditions. At the end of 2022, the Committee
approved an increase of approximately £2,000 per year for each salary band to commence in January
2023, in line with changes to the London Living Wage. This reflected the Committee’s view that
employees should continue to be supported throughout the ‘cost of living’ crisis, with the fixed
increase translating to greater proportional assistance at the most junior levels.
For 2022, we achieved 52% female and minority gender representation across the entire employee
base
122
and a median hourly gender pay gap of 0% across our Company.
123
This gap was in line with
PensionBee’s target of 0% with a variance of 5% above or below owing to the overall size of the
employee base.
122. Supported by analysis from PensionBee’s HR information system, November 2022.
123. Gender pay gap calculated in accordance with UK Government methodology: www.gov.uk/guidance/making-your-gender-pay-
gap-calculations. A positive percentage means women have lower pay than men, a negative percentage means men have lower pay
than women, a zero percentage means no gap in pay between men and women.
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Directors’ Remuneration Policy
I now turn in more detail to the way we pay our Executive Directors. As indicated earlier, we are
seeking shareholders’ approval for our Directors’ Remuneration Policy at the 2023 AGM, for a three-
year period. There are no substantive changes to the policy approved at the 2022 AGM, and we are
confident that our approach continues to support the delivery of the Company’s key objectives.
The Policy is set out in detail on pages 132 to 139 of the Directors’ Remuneration Policy section of this
report, but the main features include:
Below-market salaries until profitability: this principle is well embedded in the Company, noting
that the bonus and restricted share awards are also set by reference to these salaries.
Pension alignment with the wider workforce.
Annual performance-related bonus of up to 100% of salary, with at least 75% of the bonus being
deferred into shares.
A restricted share award of up to 125% of salary, subject to performance underpin, vesting over 3-5
years and with a post-vesting holding period until the fifth anniversary of grant.
Shareholding guidelines of 200% of salary, which continue to apply in full for a period of two years
post the cessation of employment.
Comprehensive malus and clawback provisions.
2022 Bonus and Restricted Share Awards
The annual bonus plan includes a mix of financial and non-financial performance measures. Financial
measures account for at least 50% of total payout, together with personal, strategic, operational
and risk control measures. Similar factors provide an underpin to the annual restricted share plan
awards. The Company is committed to delivering excellent outcomes for our customers and the
Committee considers the Company’s approach to risk management and other environmental, social
and governance factors, when assessing the appropriateness of the out-turn both in terms of the
assessment of personal performance and also the thresholds for Company performance in relation to
the annual bonus plan. It will also consider these factors in the context of the underpin in respect of
the restricted share plan awards.
As detailed on pages 48 to 53 of the Operating and Financial Review section of the Strategic Report,
the Company delivered strong top line growth across its core performance indicators, including Assets
under Administration (£3.0bn), Revenue (£17.7m) and Invested Customers (183,000).
124
However, the
Company’s Revenue was ultimately impacted by stock and bond market declines driven by the war
in Ukraine, and an environment of persistent inflation and rapidly rising interest rates across the year.
124. See definitions on pages 54 and 55 of the Measuring our Performance section of the Strategic Report.
Nevertheless, through appropriate cost discipline and investment in technology to drive productivity,
the Company achieved its primary financial objective for the year of pre-marketing profitability
(Adjusted EBITDA before Marketing profitability) across the fourth quarter of 2022, and improved its
Adjusted EBITDA Margin to exceed its threshold objective.
126
In addition, the Company maintained
strong performance against its customer-focused objectives, including its Trustpilot score (Excellent
4.6
) and its app store ratings (an average of 4.6 out of 5).
Overall, this led to a bonus out-turn for the Executive Directors at 41% of maximum for 2022. While
the outturn was lower than that of 2021 (75% of maximum), having also considered the Company’s
share price performance in 2022, which in the Committee’s view was meaningfully impacted by the
macroeconomic environment, the Committee confirmed the formulaic out-turn.
As regards the restricted share award to be granted in March 2023, the Committee is conscious that
the current share price is below that used for the share award granted in 2022, notwithstanding that
the Company has continued to deliver on its stated objectives. We accordingly considered whether
the grant size should be adjusted. We concluded that the normal 125% of salary award should be
made, noting that salaries are inherently low (perhaps half the comparable market level in the case of
the CEO) such that overall levels are conservative. The Committee will continue to evaluate the long-
term vesting outcomes of awards granted with the objective of maintaining stakeholder fairness and
notes the Company’s overall alignment with shareholder interests through its emphasis on equity-
based compensation.
Implementing the Policy for 2023
The base salary for each of the Executive Directors will increase to £200,000 in 2023 as included in the
Remuneration Policy approved at the 2022 AGM.
The first restricted share award under the Omnibus Plan was granted in March 2022 following the
announcement of the Company’s results, and the next award is expected to be granted in March
2023, again following the Company’s 2022 year-end results announcement.
The annual bonus structure for 2023 will remain broadly unchanged, with a combination of financial
performance measures (including Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA Margin)
126
accounting for 50% of
the total, a Customer Love Composite metric (including the equally weighted subcomponents
of the Company’s Invested Customers, Trustpilot Score, App Reviews, Complaints Ratio and Net
Promoter Score) accounting for 25% of the total, and personal performance accounting for 25% of
the total. These metrics are considered to provide a balanced scorecard of the Executive Directors’
responsibilities to key stakeholders.
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Advisors
The Committee reappointed FIT Remuneration Consultants LLP (‘FIT’) as their independent advisor
during the year. FIT advised on all aspects of our Directors’ Remuneration Policy and practice and
reviewed remuneration structures against corporate governance requirements. FIT is a member of the
Remuneration Consultants’ Group and complies with its Code of Conduct which sets out guidelines
to ensure that its advice is independent and free of undue influence. FIT does not carry out any other
work for PensionBee or its subsidiaries. The Remuneration Committee is satisfied that the advice is
objective and independent, taking into account that during the year FIT was paid time-based fees of
approximately £68,000 including VAT.
Remuneration Committee Evaluation
During 2022, the Board carried out an internally facilitated evaluation of the Board’s Effectiveness and
an assessment of the Committee’s performance. The Committee was satisfied that the review had
concluded it continued to operate effectively. The Board was satisfied that the Committee composition
was appropriate and there was the right balance of skills and experience among its members.
Conclusion
I am grateful to my fellow Directors on the Committee, Mark Wood, Michelle Cracknell and Lara
Oyesanya, for their hard work throughout 2022, and to the whole Executive Management Team and
our professional advisors for their support and input.
We look forward to engaging with our shareholders and other stakeholders on an ongoing basis. I
would welcome any feedback or comments on the Directors’ Remuneration Report more generally,
and would be glad to meet to discuss any matters of concern.
I will of course also be available at the 2023 Annual General Meeting to answer any questions about
the work of the Remuneration Committee for the year.
Mary Francis CBE
Chair of the Remuneration Committee
15 March 2023
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Directors’ Remuneration Policy
The Directors’ Remuneration Policy (the ‘Policy’) is submitted for approval at the 2023 Annual General Meeting (‘AGM’) and, subject to shareholder approval, will take binding effect from the close of that
meeting. The Remuneration Committee intends that the new Policy will operate for three years. In drafting the Policy, the Committee was advised that each element of pay should include a cap. The included
numbers are set to comply with this requirement and do not form an aspiration. The Policy is being resubmitted to shareholders for approval given the change in listing to the Premium Segment of the Official
List, however no substantive changes have been proposed.
The Policy was reviewed and approved by the Remuneration Committee. As part of the process, input was collected from management and our external advisors.
Objectives of the Policy
The proposed Directors’ Remuneration Policy is intended to come into effect from the date of its approval at the 2023 AGM, and has been designed to meet the following objectives:
Clarity
Simplicity
Risk
The Policy is designed to be simple and to
support long-term, sustainable performance.
The Policy is in line with standard UK listed
company practice and is well understood
by participants and shareholders alike.
The Policy clearly sets out the limits in terms
of quantum, the performance measures
which can be used and discretion which
could be applied if appropriate.
Our arrangements include a market standard annual
bonus and a single long-term incentive plan.
The details of each are clearly set out in our Policy.
There are no complex or artificial structures
required to deliver the Policy.
Appropriate limits are set out in the Policy and within the respective plan rules.
The Committee retains discretion to override formulaic out-turns.
When considering performance measures and target ranges,
the Committee will take account of the associated risks and
liaise with the Audit and Risk Committee as necessary.
The long-term nature of a large proportion of pay (through significant
annual bonus deferral, post-vesting holding periods and post-cessation
shareholding requirements) encourages a long-term, sustainable mindset.
The use of restricted shares rather than more geared forms of long-term
incentives also mitigates the risk of undue focus on those targets.
Clawback and malus provisions are in place across all incentive plans.
Predictability
Proportionality
Alignment to Culture
The Policy contains appropriate caps in
place for each component of pay.
The potential reward outcomes are
easily quantifiable and are set out in the
illustrations provided in the Policy.
Performance can be reviewed
at regular intervals to
ensure there are no surprises in outcomes
at the end of the performance period.
Incentive outcomes are contingent on successfully
meeting stretching performance targets which are
aligned to the delivery of the Company’s strategy.
Performance will be assessed on a broad basis, including a
combination of financial and operational metrics. The use of
different measures ensures there is no undue focus on a single
metric which could be to the detriment of other stakeholders.
The Committee retains discretion to override formulaic out-turns.
The Policy encourages high performance delivery which is aligned
to the culture within the business. However, this performance
focus is always considered within an acceptable risk profile.
Overall pay levels are modest with base salaries below-
market reflecting the early emergence of profitability.
The measures used in the variable incentive plans reflect the KPIs of the business.
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Remuneration Policy for Executive Directors
The following table summarises each element of the Remuneration Policy for the Executive
Directors, explaining how each element operates and links to the corporate strategy.
Base Salary
Purpose
To recruit and retain high-calibre Executive Directors.
Recognise knowledge, skills and experience as well
as reflect the scope and size of the role.
Operation
Normally reviewed annually (with any changes usually effective
from January or August). An out of cycle review may be
conducted if the Committee determines it is appropriate.
When setting Base Salaries, the Committee takes into account a number of
factors including (but not limited to) skills and experience of the individual,
the size and scope of the role, salary increases across the Group as well as
salary levels for comparable roles in other similarly sized companies.
Currently, Base Salary levels are considerably below market levels
reflecting the emerging profitability of the Company. The current
Base Salaries for the Executive Directors are set out on page 141.
The Executive Directors’ Base Salaries increased to £177,000 in January 2023
(in line with the Company-wide award, which included the application of a
£2,000 cost of living increase to every salary band, reflective of the increase in
the London Living Wage) and will increase to £200,000 in August 2023. The
Committee will review salaries against benchmarks from 2024, which may lead,
at some stage, to a higher level of increase than would normally be the case.
Maximum
Potential Value
The maximum Base Salary level is £500,000.
Base Salary increases are normally considered in relation to the
wider salary increases across the Company, albeit recognising
the unusually low starting position in the current Policy.
Above workforce increases may be necessary in certain circumstances
such as when there has been a change in role or responsibility
or where an Executive Director has been appointed on an initial
salary which is lower than the desired market positioning.
Performance
Metrics
Individual performance, as well as the performance of the Company,
is taken into consideration as part of the annual review process.
Pension
Purpose
To provide cost-effective retirement benefits.
Operation
The Executive Directors may participate in the Company’s pension
scheme or receive a cash allowance in lieu if HMRC caps apply.
Pension contributions and allowances are normally
paid monthly and are not bonusable.
Maximum
Potential Value
The Company pension contributions to defined contribution
retirement arrangements or cash allowances are capped at those
of the wider workforce (currently 5% of qualifying salary).
This applies to current and any future Executive Directors.
Performance
Metrics
Not applicable.
Benefits
Purpose
To provide competitive, cost-effective benefits which
help to recruit and retain Executive Directors.
Operation
Benefits may include various insurances such as life, disability, medical and
other benefits provided more widely across the Company from time to time.
Other benefits, such as relocation expenses or expatriate
arrangements may be provided as necessary.
Reasonable business-related expenses (including
any tax thereon) will be reimbursed.
Maximum
Potential Value
The value of benefits will vary based on the cost to
the Company of providing the benefits.
Performance
Metrics
Not applicable.
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Annual Bonus
Purpose
To incentivise and reward for the delivery of suitably stretching annual
corporate targets to align with shareholders’ and wider stakeholders’ interests.
Operation
The Annual Bonus is subject to performance measures and
objectives set by the Committee for the financial year.
At the end of the performance period, the Committee
assesses the extent to which the performance targets have
been achieved and approves the final outcome.
At least 75% of any Annual Bonus earned will be deferred in shares under
the 2021 PensionBee Group PLC Omnibus Plan (‘Omnibus Pan’) (‘DSB
Award’), normally for a total of three years, with a third vesting and becoming
exercisable in each of the first, second and third years respectively.
Dividend equivalents may apply to the extent that such deferred awards vest.
Malus and clawback provisions apply as set out on page 136.
Annual Bonus awards are non-pensionable and are
payable at the Committee’s discretion.
Maximum
Potential Value
The Annual Bonus policy maximum is 100% of Base Salary.
The target Annual Bonus opportunity is normally set at 50% of the maximum.
The threshold Annual Bonus opportunity is up to 25% of the maximum.
Performance
Metrics
The Committee will determine the relevant measures and targets each
year taking into account the key strategic objectives at that time.
Performance measures may include financial, strategic,
operational, ESG, and/or personal objectives.
At least 50% of the Annual Bonus will be linked to financial measures.
The Committee sets targets that are challenging, yet realistic in the context
of the business environment at the time and by reference to internal
business plans and external consensus. Targets are set to ensure there is
an appropriate level of ambition associated with achieving the top end
of the range, but without encouraging inappropriate risk taking.
The performance measures for FY22 are set out on page 140.
Long-Term Incentives
Purpose
To incentivise and reward for the delivery of long-term
performance and shareholder value creation.
To align with shareholders’ interests and to foster a long-term mindset.
Operation
An annual award of restricted shares under the Omnibus Plan (‘RSP
Award’) which normally vest after a period of not less than three
years (expected to be one-third on each of the third, fourth and fifth
anniversaries of grant for Executive Directors), subject to continued
employment and the achievement of a performance underpin.
Vested RSP Awards are subject to a further holding period applying
at least until the fifth anniversary of grant during which they may not
ordinarily be sold (other than to pay relevant tax liabilities due).
Dividend equivalents may accrue over the period from grant until
the later of vesting and the expiry of any holding period.
Malus and clawback provisions apply as set out on page 136.
Maximum
Potential Value
The maximum annual RSP Award is 125% of Base Salary and the Committee
expects to normally grant awards at this level to the Executive Directors.
Performance
Metrics
The nature of restricted shares under the RSP Award is that they are not
based primarily on performance conditions, although the Committee
will apply an underpin and may reduce vesting levels if overall
performance is not considered sufficient to warrant the full vesting
level (having regard to financial performance, the development of
the strategy and the management of risk and other ESG factors).
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All-Employee Share Plans
Purpose
To encourage wider share ownership across all
employees, including the Executive Directors.
To align with shareholders’ interests and to foster a long-term mindset.
The Company does not currently intend to deploy the all-
employee share plans. Disclosure around the plans has
been included for future flexibility as required.
Operation
Executive Directors may participate in all employee schemes
on the same basis as other eligible employees.
This includes the Share Incentive Plan (‘SIP’) and the Save As You Earn
(‘SAYE’) which have been adopted but are not currently in operation.
Both plans have standard terms, which are HMRC approved and
allow participants to either purchase or be granted shares (SIP) or
enter into a savings contract (SAYE) in a tax-efficient manner.
Maximum
Potential Value
Limits are in line with those set by HMRC (or at a lower level
if so determined by the Remuneration Committee).
Performance Metrics
Not applicable as per market standard.
Shareholding Requirement
Purpose
To align with shareholders’ interests and to foster a long-term mindset.
Operation
Executive Directors will normally be expected to retain shares, net of
sales to settle tax, until they have met the required shareholding.
Progress towards the guidelines will be reviewed
by the Committee on an annual basis.
In addition, Executive Directors are expected to hold shares
after cessation of employment to the full value of the
shareholding requirement (or the existing shareholding
if lower at the time) for a period of two years.
Maximum
Potential Value
The shareholding requirement for Executive
Directors is 200% of Base Salary.
Performance Metrics
Not relevant.
Fees Policy for Chair and Non-Executive Directors
The following table summarises the fees policy for the Chair of the Board and the other Non-Executive
Directors (‘NEDs’).
Fees
Purpose
To provide a competitive fee to attract NEDs who
have the requisite skills and experience to oversee the
implementation of the Company’s strategy.
Operation
Fees for the Chair of the Board are set by the Committee
(with the Chair absent from such discussion).
Fees for the other NEDs are set by the Board excluding the NEDs.
Fees are reviewed, but not necessarily increased, annually. Fee
increases are normally effective from January or August.
Fee levels are determined based on an estimate of the expected
time commitments of each role and by reference to comparable
fee levels in other companies of a similar size and complexity.
Additional fees are payable to the Senior Independent Director
and Chairs of the Audit and Risk and Remuneration Committees to
reflect their additional responsibilities. The Director responsible for
Employee Engagement will also be eligible for an additional fee.
Higher fees may be paid to a NED should they be required
to assume executive duties on a temporary basis.
The NEDs and the Chair are not eligible to receive benefits
or incentive plans. Business expenses incurred in respect of
their duties (including any tax thereon) are reimbursed.
Maximum
Potential Value
Determined within the overall aggregate annual limit of £1m.
Performance Metrics
Not eligible to participate in any performance-
related elements of remuneration.
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
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Corporate Governance Report
Pension
Purpose
To provide cost-effective retirement benefits.
Operation
The NEDs may participate in the Company’s pension scheme
given its central role in the activities of the Company.
Pension contributions and allowances are normally paid monthly.
Maximum
Potential Value
The Company pension contributions to defined contribution
retirement arrangements or cash allowances are capped at that
of the wider workforce (currently 5% of qualifying fees).
This applies to current and any future NEDs.
Performance Metrics
Not applicable.
Discretions Retained by the Committee in Operating the Incentive Plans
The Committee administers the Omnibus Plan in line with its rules and in accordance with HMRC and
Listing rules where relevant. To ensure the efficient operation of these plans, the Committee may
apply certain discretions which include (but are not limited to) the following:
The participants in the plan.
The timing of grants and/or payments under the plan.
The size of grants and/or payments (albeit within the limits set out in the policy table for Executive
Directors).
Any performance measures and targets for the incentive plans for each year.
Any use of discretion to amend the outcome, as appropriate.
Determining leaver status and the appropriate treatment under the incentive plan.
Determining the treatment of awards in the event of a change of control.
Determining any necessary technical adjustments in certain circumstances (e.g. corporate
restructuring events, variation of capital and special dividends).
The Committee has the discretion to vary the performance conditions applying to outstanding awards
in exceptional circumstances if an event occurs (e.g. a material acquisition or divestment) which
causes the Committee to believe that the original condition is no longer appropriate. Any change in
performance conditions will not be materially less challenging than the original condition would have
been but for the event in question.
Legacy Arrangements
The Committee will honour any commitments entered into with current directors prior to the
Company’s stock market listing or to internally promoted future Executive Directors prior to their
appointment to the Board. This includes any outstanding awards under historic share option plans.
Details of the historic share option plans are available in the Company’s Prospectus, produced in 2021,
and made available on its website.
Recoupment (Malus and Clawback)
Malus and clawback may be applied at any time before a restricted share award vests (or would have
vested but for the operation of any holding period) or for three years after vesting in the following
circumstances:
Material misstatement of the results of the Company.
Errors or inaccuracies or misleading information leading to incorrect grant or vesting of the award.
Gross misconduct.
Material failure of risk management by the Company.
Corporate failure (e.g. administration or liquidation).
Any other circumstance which in the opinion of the Remuneration Committee could have a
significantly adverse impact on the Company’s reputation.
Malus permits the Company to reduce the amount of any unvested award, including awards in
holding periods. Clawback permits the Company to reduce the amount of any vested award or any
future salary or bonus and also require the employee to pay back amounts.
Selection of Performance Measures and Targets
The Remuneration Committee selects the performance measures applying to the Annual Bonus
based on the strategic priorities of the Company at the time. The measures and their weightings may
change from year to year to reflect the needs of the business.
Measures used may include financial (such as Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA Margin)
125
, operational,
strategic, ESG objectives, personal objectives or shareholder value creation outcomes. The use of
such measures is intended to ensure performance is assessed on a rounded basis and is appropriately
aligned to the Company’s KPIs.
125. See definitions on pages 54 and 56 of the Measuring our Performance section of the Strategic Report.
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The targets for the Annual Bonus are set after considering the annual business plan, external analyst
consensus, relevant economic indicators and any expected regulatory changes. The target range is
set so that it is appropriately challenging, yet realistic and does not incentivise undue risk taking. The
possible outcomes for the Annual Bonus for Executive Directors for FY23 are set out on page 140.
The RSP Award will be subject to a performance underpin. The Remuneration Committee will assess
whether vesting is appropriate, taking into consideration the Company’s share price, its financial
performance over the vesting period and the participant’s adherence to the Company’s values,
standards on risk and environmental, social and governance considerations. On the basis that the
RSP Awards are intended to provide greater certainty of vesting in return for a lower Base Salary, the
default will be for vesting to occur, unless the Remuneration Committee decides otherwise.
Statement of Consideration of Shareholder Views
The views of the major shareholders were considered when determining the Policy. The Committee
will consider shareholder feedback received in relation to the AGM each year and guidance from
shareholder representative bodies more generally.
If the Committee considered it appropriate to make material changes to the Policy, it would be subject
to prior consultation with major shareholders as necessary.
Differences in Remuneration Policy for Executive Directors and Employees in General
All employees participate in the Annual Bonus scheme, which is operated on similar terms to those
for the Executive Directors, albeit with performance measures which are appropriate to their area of
responsibility. Bonus deferral in respect of the Company element is applied for all employees. RSP
Awards are granted to approximately 30% of the workforce on similar terms to those applied to
grants made to the Executive Directors. All employees are able to participate in PensionBee’s equity
ownership schemes, which further helps to drive engagement and an ownership mentality.
Statement of Consideration of Employment Conditions Elsewhere in the Company
The Committee is kept informed of pay and employment conditions throughout the Company. This
will include information on base salary banding and increases, annual bonus outcomes and share
usage across the workforce. The Company conducts an annual benchmarking exercise that informs
the overall remuneration package at each level of employee seniority. The annual benchmarking
exercise pays due regard to job roles and seniority. The remuneration package for each level of
employee seniority is documented in the Company’s Policy, which is transparently shared with all
employees. The Policy documents the Company’s desire to take an industry-leading approach to
reducing and eliminating pay gaps, as well as excessive differences in remuneration between the
highest and lowest paid employees.
Input from the Director responsible for Employee Engagement will also be considered as part of the
Committee’s deliberations. Findings from employee engagement surveys will also be provided to the
Committee.
The Committee has not, to date, formally consulted with employees on matters of the Company’s
Policy. However, in November 2022, the Chair and members of the Remuneration Committee
participated in a Town Hall session to understand employees’ attitudes to remuneration and other
aspects of the Company’s employee value proposition.
Executive Directors’ External Appointments
Executive Directors may accept an external appointment as a Non-Executive Director with the prior
approval of the Board. Any fees payable for such an appointment can be retained by the Executive
Director.
Recruitment of Executive Directors - Approach to Remuneration
The ongoing remuneration package for any new Executive Director will be set in accordance with the
terms of the Policy in place at the time of appointment. The principles which will be applied are set
out as follows.
Element of Pay
Recruitment Policy
Base Salary
Set on appointment at a level which takes into account the skills and
experience of the individual and the nature of the role.
The initial base salary may be set at a level below the desired market
position to reflect experience. Thereafter, increases may be above
those of the wider workforce to align the salary with the market level
in accordance with the individual’s development in the role, as and
when permitted under the Policy.
Benefits
Will be in line with those offered to current Executive Directors. The
Committee will have the discretion to pay certain relocation expenses
as deemed necessary.
Pension
Will be in line with the pension provision offered to the wider
workforce.
Annual Bonus
Will be operated in line with the terms of the Policy. Any bonus for
the year of appointment will be pro-rated based on service rendered.
It may be necessary to use alternative performance measures for the
remainder of the initial performance period, depending on the timing
and circumstances of the appointment.
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
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Corporate Governance Report
Restricted Share Plan
An award may be made shortly after appointment, in line with the
Policy table.
Buy-out Awards
Additional awards may be offered in the form of cash and/or share
based elements to compensate an individual for remuneration forfeit
on leaving their previous employment. To be clear, the value of any
buy-out arrangements will be limited to an assessment of the value
forfeit. The structure of awards will normally be delivered on a like-for-
like basis where possible, replicating the form, time horizons and any
performance requirements attached to the awards forfeited.
Legacy Arrangements
For an internal appointment, any existing pay or contractual
arrangements agreed prior to the Executive Director being appointed
to the Board may be allowed to continue on the original terms,
adjusted as relevant to take into account the new appointment.
Recruitment of Directors - Approach to Remuneration of Non-Executive Directors
On appointment of a new Chair of the Board or Non-Executive Director, the fees will be set taking
into account the experience and calibre of the individual and the prevailing rates of the other Non-
Executive Directors at the time.
Service Contracts and Letters of Appointment
Each Executive Director’s service agreement will be terminable by either the Company or the
Executive Director on not less than 6 months’ written notice. Each Executive Director will continue
to be eligible to participate in the Company’s discretionary year-end bonus plan and will be eligible
to participate in such long-term incentive plans as the Company may establish in the future. Any
incentives or remuneration payable to the Executive Directors will be subject to limitation or
modification to the extent reasonably deemed necessary by the Remuneration Committee, including
to remain consistent with the Company’s shareholder-approved remuneration policy from time
to time. Each Executive Director is entitled to 25 days’ paid holiday per annum (excluding public
holidays). Each Executive Director is entitled to contributions by the Company of 5% of qualifying
salary to the Company pension scheme. The contracts are available for inspection (alongside NED
letters of appointment) at the Company’s registered office. The date of each service contract is
noted in the table below:
The service contract of any new appointment is expected to be consistent with that of current
Executive Directors.
The Non-Executive Directors do not have service contracts with the Company but instead have letters
of appointment. The date of appointment for each Non-Executive Director is shown in the table that
follows:
Date of Service Contract
Romi Savova
16 March 2021
Jonathan Lister Parsons
16 March 2021
Christoph J. Martin
30 June 2022
Date of Appointment
Mark Wood
2 February 2021
Mary Francis
2 February 2021
Michelle Cracknell
2 February 2021
Lara Oyesanya
21 April 2022
Each appointment is for a fixed three-year term, but each Non-Executive Director may be invited
by the Company to serve for a further period. In any event, each appointment is subject to annual
re-election by the Company at each annual general meeting, and each Non-Executive Director’s
appointment may be terminated at any time with three months’ written notice.
Policy on Payment for Departure from Office
The Company will be entitled to terminate an Executive Director’s service agreement with immediate
effect by payment in lieu of notice equal to the basic annual salary the Executive Director would have
been entitled to receive during the notice period, payable in equal monthly instalments which are
reduced if the Executive Director secures alternative employment/engagement within that period
(the Executive is contractually obliged to use their best endeavours to secure alternative employment/
engagement).
The Committee will take into account the contractual entitlements, rules of the incentive plans, the
specific circumstances for the departure and the interests of shareholders when determining the
termination treatment:
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Corporate Governance Report
Component of Pay
Voluntary
Resignation or
Termination
for Cause
‘Good Leaver’
(e.g. Death, Ill Health, Disability)
Annual Bonus
Leaving employment
part way through
the bonus year will
normally result in no
bonus being paid
Leaving employment part way through the bonus
year or after the year end but prior to the normal
bonus payment date will result in cash and deferred
bonus being paid on a time pro-rated basis for the
portion of the year worked. Bonus outcomes will
continue to be based on the performance achieved.
DSB Awards
Unvested DSB
Awards will lapse
DSB Awards will normally continue to vest on
their original vesting date unless the Committee
determines they should vest earlier.
RSP Awards
Unvested RSP
Awards will lapse
RSP Awards will normally be retained by the individual
for the remainder of the vesting period and remain
subject to the relevant performance underpin,
with the award time pro-rated. The Committee
will retain discretion to assess the performance
underpin and allow awards to vest at an earlier
date if considered appropriate (and to dis-apply
time pro-rating if considered appropriate).
Any outstanding SIP and/or SAYE awards will be treated in line with HMRC regulations.
The Committee will have the authority to settle any legal claims in respect of employment matters
against the Company, if considered to be in the best interests of shareholders. The Committee may
also reimburse legal costs and provide a contribution towards outplacement support if felt appropriate.
If there is a change of control or similar event, outstanding awards may vest early (subject to any
performance criteria assessment) subject to time pro-rating (unless the Committee believes this is not
appropriate).
On termination, at any time, a Non-Executive Director is entitled to any accrued but unpaid director’s
fees, but not to any other remuneration.
Illustration of the Remuneration Policy
The chart that follows sets out the potential values of the remuneration package for FY23 under
various performance scenarios for the Executive Directors.
Notes:
a.
Salary represents the £200,000 expected ending salary for 2023. Benefits have been included based on 2022
figures.
b.
Pension represents the value of the annual pension allowance for Executive Directors of 5% of qualifying salary.
c.
Minimum performance comprises salary, benefits and pension only with no bonus awarded and no RSP Award
vesting (i.e. assumes the RSP Award performance underpin is not met).
d.
Threshold performance comprises annual bonus payouts at threshold level (25% of maximum) with the RSP
Awards vested in full (no share price appreciation).
e.
Target performance comprises annual bonus payouts at target level (50% of maximum) and with the RSP Awards
vested in full (no share price appreciation).
f.
Maximum performance comprises annual bonus awarded at maximum level (100% of maximum) and with the
RSP Awards vested in full (no share price appreciation).
g.
Maximum + share price growth comprises e) above plus an assumed increase of 50% in the value of the RSP
Award to take account of potential share price appreciation.
h.
For ease of understanding, the chart assumes an RSP Award grant at 125% of the 2023 salary. In practice, grants are
considered to relate to performance in the prior year so are based on the salary as at the previous 31 December.
Minimum
202
99%
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
(000's)
Executive Director's Remuneration
1.1%
Threshold
502
40%
0.4%
On-target
552
36%
0.4%
Maximum
652
31%
0.3%
Maximum with growth
777
26%
0.3%
10%
50%
18%
45%
31%
38%
26%
48%
Pension
Annual Bonus
Base Salary
Long-term Incentives
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
139
Corporate Governance Report
Annual Report on Remuneration
Implementation of Directors’ Remuneration Policy for FY23
Component of Pay
Implementation for FY22
Executive Directors’ Base Salaries
Salaries for each Executive Director have increased to £177,000 in January 2023 and will increase to £200,000 in August 2023.
Executive Directors’ Benefits and Pension
No changes to benefits.
Pension provision remains at 5% of qualifying salary.
Executive Directors’ Annual Bonus
Maximum Annual Bonus of 100% of salary, with at least 75% deferred into shares (‘DSB Award’), which will vest in equal instalments across the first,
second and third anniversary of grant, which is aligned to the treatment throughout the organisation.
In respect of 2022 bonuses, the Executive Directors’ DSB Awards will vest in three equal annual tranches as described.
The performance measures for 2023 bonuses are:
·
Financial measures, weighted at 50% of the total bonus, and consisting of two sub-metrics each accounting for 25% of the total bonus: Revenue (£),
Adjusted EBITDA Margin (%)
126
·
Customer composite metric, weighted at 25% of the total bonus, and consisting of five sub-metrics each accounting for 5% of the total bonus:
Invested Customers
126
, Trustpilot Score, App Store Ratings, Net Promoter Score and Complaints Ratio
·
Personal performance, weighted at 25% of the total bonus
Consistent with market practice, the Committee considers the targets themselves for 2023 to be confidential and will disclose them in next year’s report.
Executive Directors’ Restricted
Share Plan Award
A restricted share award (‘RSP Award’) of 125% of salary which vests in equal instalments on the third, fourth and fifth anniversary of grant and released
following the fifth anniversary.
The RSP Awards are subject to a performance underpin whereby the Remuneration Committee will assess whether vesting is appropriate, taking into
consideration the Company’s share price, its financial performance over the vesting period and the participant’s adherence to the Company’s values
and its standards on risk and environmental, social and governance factors. On the basis that the RSP Awards are intended to provide greater certainty
of vesting in consideration of lower Base Salaries, the default will be for vesting to occur, unless the Remuneration Committee decides otherwise.
Non-Executive Directors’ Fees
Remain unchanged:
·
Chair of the Board fee £125,000
·
Non-Executive Director (‘NED’) base fee £45,000
·
Senior Independent Director fee £25,000
·
Board Committee Chair fee £10,000
·
Employee engagement lead fee £10,000
NEDs are eligible to participate in the Company’s automatic enrolment pension plan.
126. See definitions on pages 54 and 55 of the Measuring our Performance section of the Strategic Report.
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Corporate Governance Report
Single Total Figure of Remuneration (Audited)
The figures included in the tables below represent remuneration relating to 2022 and 2021 respectively.
2022
Executive Directors
Non-Executive Directors
Romi Savova
Jonathan Lister
Parsons
Christoph J. Martin
Mark Wood
Mary Francis
Michelle Cracknell
Lara Oyesanya
Fixed Pay
Base Salary/Fees
£175,000
£175,137
£175,137
£125,000
£90,000
£55,000
£45,000
Benefits
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Pension
£2,202
£2,202
£2,202
n/a
n/a
£2,202
£1,938
Variable Pay
Annual Bonus
£72,192
£72,192
£72,192
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Long-Term Incentives
£0
£0
£0
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total
£249,393
£249,531
£249,531
£125,000
£90,000
£57,202
£46,938
Total Fixed Remuneration
£177,202
£177,339
£177,339
£125,000
£90,000
£57,202
£46,938
Total Variable Remuneration
£72,192
£72,192
£72,192
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
2021
Executive Directors
Non-Executive Directors
Romi Savova
Jonathan Lister Parsons
Mark Wood
Mary Francis
Michelle Cracknell
Fixed Pay
Base Salary/Fees
£116,667
£116,758
£83,333
£60,000
£36,667
Benefits
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Pension
£1,468
£1,468
n/a
n/a
£1,468
Variable Pay
Annual Bonus
£131,250
£131,250
n/a
n/a
n/a
Long-Term Incentives
£264,000
£264,000
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total
£513,384
£513,476
£83,333
£60,000
£38,134
Total Fixed Remuneration
£382,135
£382,226
£83,333
£60,000
£38,134
Total Variable Remuneration
£131,250
£131,250
n/a
n/a
n/a
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
141
Corporate Governance Report
Notes to the Table
Base Salary
The 2022 table reflects the pro rata base salary for the relevant period of appointment for Christoph J.
Martin (1 July 2022 to 31 December 2022) and Lara Oyesanya (21 April 2022 to 31 December 2022) i.e.
what the annual figure would be for the relevant individual in order to enable a comparison with the
other Directors. The 2021 table only pertains to the period following the Company’s IPO in April 2021.
Benefits
The Executive Directors did not receive benefits from the Company, but are eligible to participate in
Company-wide schemes from time to time.
Pension
The Executive Directors received pension benefits equivalent to 5% of qualifying earnings.
Annual Bonus for 2022: Targets and Outcomes
The Annual Bonus for FY22 was subject to performance measures which consisted of the equally
weighted measures of: Revenue (25% of Annual Bonus), Adjusted EBITDA Margin (25% of Annual
Bonus), a Customer Love Composite Score (25% of Annual Bonus ,which included equally weighted
targets in relation to Invested Customers, Trustpilot Score, App Store Ratings, the Net Promoter Score
and Complaints), and Personal Performance (25% of Annual Bonus).
127
The Personal Performance element is based on a competency matrix, comprising quantitative and
qualitative measures, that rewards each Executive Director for their achievements over the course of the
year in line with their accomplishments and embodies the Company’s values of Love, Quality, Honesty,
Innovation and Simplicity. The competency matrix refers to the Executive Director’s achievements
with respect to furthering the Company’s culture, the Company’s approach to diversity and inclusion,
the Company’s delivery of operational performance, strategic initiatives and the approach to risk
management controls, including the timely submission of policies and risk assessments, the minimisation
and effective resolution of risk incidents and adherence to budgetary cost controls.
The CEO’s personal objectives included delivering on the continued growth of the Company in the
context of efficient customer acquisition and growing brand awareness, accompanied by excellent
customer service with a specific requirement to deliver industry-leading response times to customers.
Specific measurable goals were set, including maintaining the Cost per Invested Customer within the
budgetary objectives, high customer conversion, delivering on the risk management programme and
high satisfaction rates among employees.
127. See definitions on pages 54 and 55 of the Measuring our Performance section of the Strategic Report.
The CTO’s personal objectives included leadership in product innovation, development of an
industry leading technology platform with increased velocity and quality, and further extensions
of the Company’s data platform, each of which were fully met. He was also subject to a number of
similar measurable targets as for the CEO above, including conversion and also information security
certification outcomes under ISO 27001.
The CFO’s personal objectives included managing our capital structure efficiently, business planning
and monitoring of the execution of the business plan and particularly the delivery of the Company’s
core financial objectives, including the delivery of Adjusted EBITDA before Marketing profitability.
128
The CFO was evaluated on the quality and process relating to the preparation of the budget, monthly
accounts and departmental expenditure plans, as well as the overall integrity and delivery timeline
of the Company’s financial results. The CFO was particularly responsible for the timely and accurate
delivery of the Company’s internal and external financial materials, including those contained within
the Annual Report and investor presentations.
The table below summarises the 2022 performance targets and outcomes:
Metric
130
Weighting Threshold
Target
Max
Actual Out-turn
Revenue
25%
£20.1m £21.2m £21.8m £17.7m
0%
Adjusted EBITDA Margin
25%
(112)%
(102)%
(97)%
(110)%
30%
Customer Composite Score
of which: Invested Customers
5%
200,000 210,000 220,000 183,000
0%
of which: Trustpilot Score
5%
4.6
4.65
4.7
4.6
25%
of which: App Store Rating average
5%
4.5
4.6
4.7
4.6
50%
of which: NPS
5%
57
60
63
54
0%
of which: Complaints per 1,000 accounts
5%
1.0
0.95
0.90
0.8
100%
Personal Performance
25%
25%
50%
100%
100%
100%
Overall
41%
The Committee considered that the overall performance and the experience of stakeholders was
appropriately reflected in the overall bonus outcome and therefore no discretion was required to
amend the result.
128. See definitions on pages 54 and 55 of the Measuring our Performance section of the Strategic Report.
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Corporate Governance Report
For FY22, 100% of any bonus linked to Company-wide performance and 60% of any bonus linked
to individual performance is deferred, resulting in 90% deferral for Executive Directors. The deferred
bonus vests in equal proportions over three years.
Consistent with the approach adopted for all equity awards, participants are required to bear any
employers’ NICs on those awards which means that the headline level of DSB Awards and RSP Awards
overstates their commercial value by approximately 14% compared with other listed companies
where the company itself bears this charge. This reflects the emerging profitability status of the
Company and will be kept under review for subsequent grants.
Cash Bonus (£)
Deferred Bonus (£)
Total Bonus (£)
Total Bonus (% Max)
CEO
£17,500
£54,692
£72,192
41.25%
CTO
£17,500
£54,692
£72,192
41.25%
CFO
£17,500
£54,692
£72,192
41.25%
Awards Vesting in the Year
Under the regulations, long-term incentive awards are included when and to the extent that the
performance underpins are met. Last year’s figures included legacy awards which were contingent
on the Company’s public listing occurring (these will only vest and become exercisable over time).
The next awards to be assessed against pre-vest performance conditions will be the 2022 RSP Award
grant reported below (granted in respect of 2021 performance) at the end of 2024. No RSP Awards
were due to vest in 2022.
Awards Granted in the Year
The following awards with respect to the Financial Year ending 2021 were granted in March 2022:
Restricted Share Plan
129
Deferred Share Bonus
130
CEO
152,545
79,324
CTO
152,545
79,324
129. The RSP Awards represent 125% of their salaries as at 31 December 2021 (i.e. £218,750) using a share price of
143.4p (being the average closing share price on the two dealing days immediately prior to grant. The RSP Awards are
subject to a performance underpin assessing performance to the third anniversary of grant but no pre-set percentage
would vest for any given level of performance. They will then be subject to an additional two year holding period.
130. The DSB Awards represent the proportion of the bonus awarded in shares contingent on employment
to the third anniversary of grant. They had a face value of £113,751 using a share price of 143.4p.
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
143
Corporate Governance Report
Other Statutory Requirements
131
Shares Interests and Incentives
Shares Owned Outright
Awards Unvested and Subject
to Performance Conditions
Options Unvested and Not Subject
to Performance Conditions
Options Vested and Not Subject to
Performance Conditions
Shareholding
Requirement Met
Romi Savova
80,000,000
231,869
80,000
80,000
Yes
Jonathan Lister Parsons
13,232,800
231,869
80,000
80,000
Yes
Christoph J. Martin
132
751,664
170,687
206,329
1,527
Yes
Mark Wood
133
2,762,200
0
0
0
n/a
Mary Francis
134
50,141
0
0
0
n/a
Michelle Cracknell
0
0
0
0
n/a
Lara Oyesanya
30,903
0
0
0
n/a
Our middle market share price at the close of business on 31 December 2022 was 53.9p and the range of the middle market price during the year was 46p to 146p. Since the year-end there have been no other
changes in the shareholdings.
Change in CEO Total Remuneration
The chart that follows shows the value of £100 invested in the Company on Admission at the IPO price, compared with the value of £100 invested in the FTSE All Share Index
at the same date and the movement
in value until 31 December 2022. We have chosen the FTSE All Share Index as it provides the most appropriate and widely recognised index for benchmarking the Company’s corporate performance since IPO.
131
.
All numbers are unaudited unless otherwise stated.
132
.
Christoph J. Martin’s shareholding of 719,110 includes 90,000 shares held in his SIPP.
133
.
Mark Wood’s shareholding of 2,762,200 includes 18,500 Shares held in his SIPP. In addition, Mark Wood’s wife holds 65,000 Shares in her SIPP, which were previously transferred from Mark Wood.
134
.
Mary Francis’s shareholding is held jointly with her husband.
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Total Shareholder's Return*
TSR - Value of a 100 unit investment made at Admission
23 Apr 2021
30 Dec 2022
FTSE All Share Index
PensionBee
*Source: Datastream
(a Refinitiv product)
PensionBee Group plc
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Corporate Governance Report
CEO Single Figure History
Total Remuneration
135
Annual Bonus as % of Max
Long-Term Incentive Shares Vesting as % of Max
FY21
£513,384
75.00%
n/a
FY22
£249,393
41.25%
n/a
CEO Pay Ratio
136
The table below shows the multiple of our CEO’s pay ratio to median, lower quartile and upper quartile pay at the Company. The calculations are based on methodology Option A as defined by the regulations
and calculating the pay and benefits of all UK employees on a full-time equivalent basis. The CEO pay ratio is based on comparing the CEO’s pay to that of PensionBee’s UK-based employee population. For
the CEO the FY22 figure is based on the single figure total of £249,393.
Methodology
25th Percentile
50th Percentile
75th Percentile
Option A
8:1
7:1
5:1
Total Pay
£30,066
£33,918
£46,663
Salary Component
£27,417
£29,746
£42,000
The Committee will continue to monitor trends in the CEO pay ratio over the longer term.
Relative Importance of Spend on Pay
2021FY
2022
YoY % Change
Total Employee Costs (Note 5 of the Financial Statements)
£7.4m
£9.6m
30%
Distributions to Shareholders
£0
£0
n/a
135. The table ‘Single Total Figure of Remuneration (Audited)’ outlines detailed components of the CEO’s Total Remuneration.
136. All numbers are unaudited unless otherwise stated.
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Corporate Governance Report
Percentage Change in Director Pay
Year on Year Change
137
Percentage Change in Salary
Percentage Change in Pension Contributions
Percentage Change in Annual Bonus
Overall Percentage Change
Romi Savova
12%
0%
-45%
-14%
Jonathan Lister Parsons
12%
0%
-45%
-14%
Christoph J. Martin
138
30%
0%
-45%
-10%
Mark Wood
11%
n/a
n/a
11%
Mary Francis
7%
n/a
n/a
7%
Michelle Cracknell
16%
17%
n/a
16%
Lara Oyesanya
139
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Payments for Loss of Office and/or Payments to Former Directors
No payments for loss of office, nor payments to former Directors were made during the year under review.
Statement of Voting at the Annual General Meeting (Unaudited)
At the Company’s 2022 AGM, shareholders were asked to vote on the Directors’ Remuneration Report for the year ended 31 December 2021 and the Directors’ Remuneration Policy. The resolutions received
significant votes in favour by shareholders. The votes received were:
Resolution
Votes For
% of Votes
Votes Against
% of Votes
Votes Withheld
To approve the Directors’ Remuneration Report (2022 AGM)
149,226,168
99.2%
1,196,795
0.8%
1,423
To approve the Directors’ Remuneration Policy (2022 AGM)
149,223,138
99.2%
1,196,795
0.8%
4,302
This report was approved by the Board of Directors and signed on its behalf by:
Mary Francis CBE
Chair of the Remuneration Committee
15 March 2023
137. Annualised figures including compensation from 2021 prior to the company’s IPO. These figures do not include Long Term Incentives. The figures are not comparable to the table ‘Single Total Figure of Remuneration (Audited)’, which only presents 2021 figures following
the IPO of the Company in April 2021.
138. The comparison in respect of Christoph J. Martin’s pay is based on actuals for 2022, not the pro rata salary shown in the table ‘Single Total Figure of Remuneration (Audited)’.
139. Since Lara joined the company in 2022, there is no comparable year-on-year change to disclose.
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8
Directors’ Report
The Directors’ Report for the year ended 31 December 2022 comprises pages 147 to 121 of this report, together with the sections of the Annual Report and Financial Statements incorporated by reference. The
Corporate Governance Report set out on pages 98 to 152 is incorporated by reference into this report and, accordingly, should be read as part of this report.
As permitted by legislation, some of the matters required to be included in the Directors’ Report have instead been included in the Strategic Report set out on pages 3 to 98, as the Board considers them to
be of strategic importance.
Taken together, the Strategic Report on pages 3 to 98 and this Directors’ Report fulfil the requirement of Disclosure, Guidance and Transparency Rule 4.1.5R to provide a Management report.
Disclosure
Location
Future Business Developments
Our Strategy, pages 25-33
Research and Development
Note 2 of the Financial Statements, pages 165-170
Financial Instruments
Note 22 of the Financial Statements, pages 178-180
Financial Risk Management Objectives and Policies
Note 22 of the Financial Statements, pages 178-180
Exposure to Price, Credit and Liquidity Risk
Managing our Risks, pages 92-97
Note 22 of the Financial Statements, pages 178-180
Greenhouse Gas emissions (‘GHG’), contained within our Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (‘TCFD’) section
Climate Related Disclosures, pages 82-91
People, Values and Culture
About Us, pages 10-24
Our People, pages 36-45
Stakeholders, pages 56-70
ESG Considerations, pages 71-81
Section 172 Statement
Stakeholders, pages 56-70
Stakeholder Engagement
Stakeholders, pages 56-70
ESG Considerations, pages 71-81
Directors’ Interests
Directors’ Remuneration Report, pages 128-146
Statement of Directors’ Responsibility
Statement of Directors’ Responsibility, page 152
Applicable Disclosures required under Listing Rule 9.8.4R
Location
Details of Long-Term Incentive Schemes
Directors’ Remuneration Report, pages 128-146
Relationship with Major Shareholder Statement
Directors’ Report, pages 147-151
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Principal Activity
PensionBee is a leading online pension provider in the UK, a direct-to-consumer financial technology
company with a mission to make pensions simple, so that everyone can look forward to a happy
retirement. The Company is registered as a public limited company under the Companies Act 2006
and is listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange.
Results and Dividends
The results for the year are set out in the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income on page
161 of the Financial Statements. The Directors are not proposing a final dividend for the year ended
31 December 2022.
Directors and their Interests
The names and biographies of the Directors who were in office during the year ended 31 December
2022 are set out on pages 103 to 107 of the Board of Directors and Executive Management section of
the the Corporate Governance Report.
Directors’ interests in the Ordinary shares of PensionBee Group plc as at 31 December 2022 are set
out within pages 128 to 146 of the Directors’ Remuneration Report within the Corporate Governance
Report. Details of Directors’ service contracts are set out within pages 108 to 114
of the Corporate
Governance Statement within the Corporate Governance Report.
During the period covered by this report, no Director had any material interest in a contract to which
the Company or any of its subsidiary undertakings was a party (other than their own service contract)
that requires disclosure under the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.
Directors’ Powers
The powers of the Directors are set out in the Articles of Association and the Companies Act 2006
(the ‘Act’) and are subject to any directions given by special resolution. The Directors are responsible
for the management of the Company’s business, for which purpose they may exercise all the powers
of the Company whether relating to the management of the business or not. The Directors may also,
subject to the Articles, delegate any of their powers, authorities and discretions as they see fit.
The Articles give the Directors power to appoint and replace Directors. Unless otherwise determined
by the Company by ordinary resolution, the number of directors (other than alternate directors) must
not be less than two and must not be more than thirteen.
Appointment and Replacement of Directors
The rules governing the appointment and replacement of Directors are set out in the Company’s
Articles and are governed by the Code, the Act and related legislation. Directors may be appointed by
ordinary resolution at a general meeting, by a decision of the Directors or by the sole Director if the
Company has only one Director.
All Directors are subject to election by shareholders at the first Annual General Meeting (‘AGM’)
following their appointment and to annual re-election thereafter, in accordance with the UK Corporate
Governance Code.
Articles of Association
The Articles may be amended by a special resolution of the Company’s shareholders. They were last
reviewed, updated and adopted at the Company’s AGM in May 2022. As well as setting out the rules
governing the appointment and replacement of Directors, the Articles also set out, amongst other
matters, the Directors’ general authority, rules on decision-making by the Directors, as well as in full
the powers of the Directors in relation to issuing shares and buying back the Company’s own shares.
A copy of the Company’s Articles can be found on the Company’s website.
Directors’ Insurance and Indemnities
The Company’s Articles provide, subject to the provisions of UK legislation, an indemnity for Directors
and Officers of the Company and the Group in respect of liabilities they may incur in the discharge of
their duties or in the exercise of their powers.
Directors’ and Officers’ liability insurance cover is maintained by the Company and is in place in
respect of all the Company’s Directors at the date of this Annual Report. The Company will review its
level of cover on an annual basis.
Compensation for Loss of Office
The Company does not have any agreements with any Executive Director or employee that would
provide compensation for loss of office or employment resulting from a takeover except that
provisions of the Company’s historic EMI Option Scheme and Non tax-qualifying Option Scheme may
cause options and awards outstanding under such schemes to vest on a takeover.
RSP awards will vest subject to the measurement of the underpin at the time of the event and, unless
the Remuneration Committee determines otherwise, time pro-rated DSBP awards will vest in full.
Further information is provided on pages 128 to 146 of the Directors’ Remuneration Report within the
Corporate Governance Report.
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Share Capital
Details of the Company’s authorised and issued share capital, together with movements during the
year, are set out in Note 15 of the Financial Statements. As at 31 December 2022, the Company’s
issued share capital consisted of 223,014,942 Ordinary shares with a nominal value of £0.001 each.
Since the financial period end the Company’s issued share capital has increased to 223, 014, 942 due
to the exercise of vested options granted under the historic pre-IPO EMI Option Scheme and Non tax-
qualifying Option Scheme. Details of the employee share plans are provided on pages 128 to 146 of
the Directors’ Remuneration Report within the Corporate Governance Report.The Company has one
class of Ordinary Share. There are no specific restrictions on the size of the holding nor on the transfer
of shares, which are both governed by the general provisions of the Articles and prevailing legislation.
Ordinary shareholders are entitled to receive notice of, and to attend and speak at, any general
meeting of the Company. On a show of hands, every shareholder present in person or by proxy (or
being a corporation represented by a duly authorised representative) shall have one vote, and on a
poll every shareholder who is present in person or by proxy shall have one vote for every share of
which he is the holder. The Notice of Annual General Meeting specifies deadlines for exercising voting
rights and appointing a proxy or proxies.
Lock-Up Arrangements
As part of the Company’s initial public offering (‘IPO’), lock-up arrangements were put in place in
respect of the Company’s shares held by the pre-IPO investors. Specifically, they included:
The shareholdings
140
of the Executive Directors at the time of admission (Romi Savova and Jonathan
Lister Parsons) were, and remain, subject to lock-up arrangements expiring on 26 April 2023.
The shareholdings
140
of all the Executive Management Team, the Independent Non-Executive
Directors and pre-IPO shareholders
141
owning more than 3% of the Company’s issued share capital
pre-IPO. The lock-up arrangements in respect of this group of shareholders expired on 19 January
2023 in conjunction with the release of the Company’s 4Q 2022 trading update.
The shareholdings
140
of all other pre-IPO shareholders owning less than 3% of the Company’s
issued share capital pre-IPO and all other pre-IPO option holders. The lock-up arrangements in
respect of this group of shareholders expired on 21 July 2022.
Further details of the lock-up arrangements are set out in the Company’s Prospectus, a copy of which
is available on the Company’s website at https://www.pensionbee.com/investor-relations/ipo-centre.
140. Includes the shareholding at the point of the Company’s IPO, together with any shares received subsequently
for the duration of the relevant lock-up period as a result of the exercise of any options granted pre-IPO.
141. Includes State Street Global Advisors, Inc, together with Mr. Joseph Suddaby’s aggregate holding
of shares held directly by him and indirectly through his self-invested personal pension.
Authority to Purchase Its Own Shares
Pursuant to the terms of its Articles, the Company is permitted to purchase its own shares subject
to shareholder approval. The necessary shareholder authority was not sought at the 2022 Annual
General Meeting given that the Company is a pre-profit business with a significant opportunity for
continued growth.
Significant Interests
The interests in shares notified to the Company in accordance with the Disclosure Guidance and
Transparency Rules as at 31 December 2022 are set out below.
Name of shareholder
Number of Ordinary Shares
of £0.001 each Held
Percentage of Total
Shares Outstanding/
Total Voting Rights
Romina Savova
80,000,000
35.9%
Jonathan Lister Parsons
13,232,800
5.9%
State Street Global Advisors, Inc.
8,757,600
3.9%
Norges Bank
7,927,044
3.6%
Between 31 December 2022 and 15 March 2023 (the latest practicable date for inclusion in this report),
there were no changes to the interests above.
Romi Savova and Jonathan Lister Parsons are deemed to be acting in concert, together with certain
other shareholders who represent, in aggregate, approximately 1,022,600 shares or 0.5% of the
Company’s Total Shares Outstanding/Total Voting Rights.
Relationship with Major Shareholder
In April 2022, in light of the transfer of the entire share capital of the Company from the High Growth
Segment of the London Stock Exchange plc (‘LSE’) to the Premium Segment of the Official List of the
Financial Conduct Authority and to trading on the LSE’s main market for listed securities, a relationship
agreement was put in place between Romi Savova, Jonathan Lister Parsons (together, the ‘Signing
Controlling Shareholders’) and the Company (‘Relationship Agreement’). The principal purpose of the
Relationship Agreement is to ensure that the independence provisions as set out in Chapter 6 of the
Listing Rules (‘Independence Provisions’) are complied with.
Pursuant to the Independence Provisions, the Relationship Agreement contains undertakings from the
Signing Controlling Shareholders that they will each, and will ensure that each of their associates will:
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Conduct all transactions and arrangements with the Company or any other member of the Group
on an arm’s length basis and on normal commercial terms;
Not take any action that would have the effect of preventing the Company from complying with
its obligations under the Listing Rules; and
Not propose or procure the proposal of a shareholder resolution which is intended or appears to
be intended to circumvent the proper application of the Listing Rules.
Romi Savova has also agreed to procure the compliance of certain other shareholders who, in
addition to Jonathan Lister Parsons, are deemed to be acting in concert with her, and who represent,
in aggregate, approximately 0.5% of the Company’s voting rights (the ‘Non-signing Controlling
Shareholders’ together with the Signing Controlling Shareholders, the ‘Controlling Shareholder
Group’) with the Independence Provisions. The Company considers, in light of its understanding of
the relationship between Romi Savova and each of the Non-signing Controlling Shareholders, that
Romi Savova can procure the compliance of the Non-signing Controlling Shareholders and their
respective associates with the Independence Provisions.
Under the terms of the Relationship Agreement, in the event Romi Savova is no longer an Executive
Director, she has a right to appoint two non-executive representative directors to the Board, provided
she holds 25% or more of the voting rights of the Company’s shares, and one director, provided she
holds 10% or more of the voting rights of the Company’s shares.
The Board confirms that the Company is in compliance with the undertakings in the Listing Rules
and the Relationship Agreement and so far as the Company is aware, the undertakings have been
complied with by each member of the Controlling Shareholder Group.
Capital Management
PensionBee Limited, a subsidiary of PensionBee Group plc, is a FCA regulated business and subject to
holding a Liquid Capital requirement under IPRU (INV) 5.9. As of December 2022, the capital resources
stood at £20.5m (unaudited) as compared to a capital resource requirement of £1.2m (unaudited),
resulting in a coverage of 16.6x.
Research and Development
Details of the Company’s research and development is contained in Note 2 of the Financial Statements.
Political and Charitable Contributions
During the financial year ending 31 December 2022, the Company did not make any charitable
donations, nor any political contributions.
Change of Control - Significant Agreements
There are a number of agreements that may take effect after, or terminate upon, a change of control
of the Company, such as commercial contracts and property lease arrangements. None of these are
considered to be significant in terms of their likely impact on the business as a whole.
Environment
The Board considers environmental matters to be of strategic importance. Therefore, relevant
information contained in our TCFD section within pages 82 to 91 of the Climate-related Disclosures
section of the Strategic Report is incorporated into the Directors’ Report by cross reference. The TCFD
Disclosure includes our annual report on GHG emissions.
Internal Control and Risk Management
The Board is ultimately responsible for establishing the risk appetite and the risk management
framework at PensionBee. The Audit and Risk Committee is responsible for monitoring and reviewing
the effectiveness of the Group’s internal control and risk management systems.
Further detail is set out on pages 92 to 97 of the Managing our Risks section of the Strategic Report
and on pages 121 to 127 of the Audit and Risk Committee Report within the Corporate Governance
Report.
Market Abuse Regulation
The Company has in place its own internal dealing policies and procedures which apply to all
employees and which encompass the requirements of the Market Abuse Regime.
Going Concern and Viability Statement
The Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared on a going concern basis. After making
enquiries and considering the Group’s financial position, its business model, strategy, financial
forecasts and regulatory capital together with its principal risks and uncertainties, the Directors have
a reasonable expectation that the Group will be able to continue in operation and meet its liabilities
as they fall due for at least 12 months from the date of signing this report. The going concern basis of
preparation is discussed within Note 2 of the Financial Statements.
In accordance with provision 31 of the UK Corporate Governance Code, the Directors have assessed
the prospects of the Group over a longer period than the 12 months required by the going concern
provision. Details of the assessment can be found on page 98 in the Viability Statement section of the
Strategic Report.
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Post Balance Sheet Events
There have been no material post balance sheet events involving the Company or any of the
Company’s subsidiaries as at the date of this report.
Disclosure of Information to Auditor
Each of the Directors at the date of the approval of this Annual Report confirms that:
So far as each of them is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the Company’s
auditor is unaware; and
Each of them has taken all the reasonable steps that they ought to have taken as a Director to make
themself aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the Company’s auditor is
aware of the information.
The confirmation is given and should be interpreted in accordance with the provisions of section 418
of the Companies Act 2006.
Auditor
Deloitte LLP has indicated their willingness to continue in office and resolutions to reappoint them as
auditor and to authorise the Audit and Risk Committee to determine the auditor’s remuneration will
be proposed at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting to be held on 18 May 2023.
Annual General Meeting
The full details of the Company’s 2023 Annual General Meeting (‘AGM’), which will take place on 18
May 2023, are set out in the Notice of 2023 AGM. A copy of the Notice of 2023 AGM can be found on
the Company’s website.
Approved by the Board on 15 March 2023 and signed on its behalf by:
Romi Savova
Chief Executive Officer
15 March 2023
UPDATE
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9
Statement of Directors’ Responsibilities
The Directors are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and Financial Statements in accordance
with applicable law and regulations.
Company law requires the Directors to prepare Financial Statements for each financial year. Under
that law, they are required to prepare the Group Financial Statements in accordance with International
Financial Reporting Standards (‘IFRS’) as adopted by the UK in conformity with the requirements of
the Companies Act 2006 and have elected to prepare the Parent Company Financial Statements
in accordance with UK Accounting Standards, including FRS 102, the Financial Reporting Standard
applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland. Under company law, the Directors must not approve the
Financial Statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs
of the Company and of their profit or loss for that period.
In preparing each of the Group and Parent Company Financial Statements, the Directors are required to:
Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable, relevant, reliable and prudent;
For the Group Financial Statements, state whether they have been prepared in accordance with
IFRS as
adopted by the UK, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the
Group Financial Statements;
For the Parent Company Financial Statements, state whether Financial Reporting Standard 102 has
been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the Parent Company
Financial Statements;
Assess the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters
related to going concern; and
Use the going concern basis of accounting unless they either intend to liquidate the Group or the
Parent Company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
The Directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show
and explain the Company’s operations and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial
position of the Company and that enable them to ensure that its Financial Statements comply with
the Companies Act 2006. They are responsible for such internal control as they determine is necessary
to enable the preparation of Financial Statements that are free from material misstatement, whether
due to fraud or error, and have general responsibility for taking such steps as are reasonably open to
them to safeguard the assets of the Group and to prevent and detect fraud and other irregularities.
Under applicable law and regulations, the Directors are also responsible for preparing a Strategic
Report, Directors’ Report, Directors’ Remuneration Report and Corporate Governance report that
complies with that law and those regulations. The Directors are responsible for the maintenance and
integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the Company’s website. Legislation
in the UK governing the preparation and dissemination of Financial Statements may differ from
legislation in other jurisdictions.
We confirm that to the best of our knowledge:
The Financial Statements, prepared in accordance with the applicable set of accounting standards,
give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit or loss of the Company
and the undertakings included in the consolidation taken as a whole; and
The Strategic Report includes a fair review of the development and performance of the business
and the position of the issuer and the undertakings included in the consolidation taken as a whole,
together with a description of the principal risks and uncertainties that they face.
We consider that the Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022, taken as a whole, is fair, balanced
and understandable and provides the information necessary for shareholders to assess the Company’s
position and performance, business model and strategy.
Approved by the Board of Directors on 15 March 2023 and signed on its behalf by:
Romi Savova
Chief Executive Officer
15 March 2023
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Financial
Statements
1
Independent Auditor's Report to the
Members of PensionBee Group plc
Report on the Audit of the Financial Statements
1
Opinion
In our opinion:
the financial statements of PensionBee Group plc (the ‘Parent Company’) and its subsidiary (the
‘Group’) give a true and fair view of the state of the Group’s and of the Parent Company’s affairs as
at 31 December 2022 and of the Group’s loss for the year then ended;
the Group financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom
adopted international accounting standards;
the Parent Company financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with United
Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice, including Financial Reporting Standard 102
“The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland”; and
the financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the
Companies Act 2006.
We have audited the financial statements which comprise:
the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income;
the Consolidated and Parent Company Statements of Financial Position;
the Consolidated and Parent Company Statements of Changes in Equity;
the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows;
the related Notes 1 to 25 to the Consolidated Financial Statements; and
the related Notes 1 to 10 of the Parent Company Financial Statements.
The financial reporting framework that has been applied in the preparation of the Group financial
statements is applicable law and United Kingdom adopted international accounting standards.
The financial reporting framework that has been applied in the preparation of the Parent Company
financial statements is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including FRS 102
“The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (United Kingdom
Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
2
Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (“ISAs (UK)”)
and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the auditor’s
responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report.
We are independent of the Group and the Parent Company in accordance with the ethical
requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the
Financial Reporting Council’s (the ‘FRC’s’) Ethical Standard as applied to listed public interest entities,
and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. The
non-audit services provided to the Group and Parent Company for the year are disclosed in Note 9 to
the financial statements. We confirm that we have not provided any non-audit services prohibited by
the FRC’s Ethical Standard to the Group or the Parent Company.
We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis
for our opinion.
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Financial Statements
3
Summary of our audit approach
Key audit matters
The key audit matter that we identified in the current year was:
Revenue Recognition
Within this report, key audit matters are identified as follows:
Newly identified
Increased level of risk
Similar level of risk
Decreased level of risk
Materiality
The materiality that we used for the Group financial statements was £353k
which was determined on the basis of 2% of Group revenue.
Scoping
Our audit scope focused on PensionBee Limited and PensionBee Group plc.
The Parent Company and the subsidiary account for 100% of the Group’s profit
before tax, 100% of the Group’s revenue and 100% of the Group’s net assets.
Significant changes
in our approach
In the current period we have considered both the Parent Company and the
subsidiary to be one business unit and have identified the entire Group as a
single component.
4
Conclusions relating to going concern
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the directors’ use of the going concern
basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Our evaluation of the directors’ assessment of the Group’s and Parent Company’s ability to continue
to adopt the going concern basis of accounting included:
We evaluated management’s going concern assessment in light of the conflict in Ukraine and
changes to the UK’s macroeconomic conditions; this included obtaining evidence such as
underlying business plans and forecasts to support key assumptions;
We assessed management’s reverse stress testing and the likelihood of the various scenarios that
could adversely impact upon the Group’s liquidity;
We have assessed management’s ability to apply mitigative actions in response to a downturn
scenario. This included performing analysis of the Group’s cost base and identifying whether there
existed any significant committed expenditure;
We performed independent reverse stress testing which considered various scenarios that could
adversely impact upon the Group’s liquidity. The stresses applied in our independent analysis were
more severe than those used by management in their reverse stress tests;
We obtained and inspected correspondence between the Group and its regulator, the FCA, to
identify any items of interest which could potentially indicate non-compliance with legislation or
potential litigation, or regulatory action held against the Group;
We have assessed the appropriateness of the disclosures made in relation to going concern in
Note 2;
We have reviewed the directors’ statement and corporate governance statement for material
consistency with regards to the appropriateness of adopting the going concern basis of accounting
and any material uncertainties in the financial statements.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to
events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the Group’s and
Parent Company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from
when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
In relation to the reporting on how the Group has applied the UK Corporate Governance Code, we
have nothing material to add or draw attention to in relation to the directors’ statement in the financial
statements about whether the directors considered it appropriate to adopt the going concern basis
of accounting.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are
described in the relevant sections of this report.
5
Key audit matters
Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgement, were of most significance in
our audit of the financial statements of the current period and include the most significant assessed
risks of material misstatement (whether or not due to fraud) that we identified.
These matters included those which had the greatest effect on: the overall audit strategy; the allocation
of resources in the audit; and directing the efforts of the engagement team.
These matters were addressed in the context of our audit of the financial statements as a whole, and in
forming our opinion thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinion on these matters.
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Financial Statements
5. 1 Revenue Recognition
Key audit matter
description
The sole material revenue stream for the Group is fees from fund
administration. These fees are earned for administering the customer
pension schemes and are charged based on a fixed percentage of the
value of a customer’s pension scheme. The revenue recognition key audit
matter relates to the fee percentages applied by management when
calculating the administration fees as a small change in these fees may
have a material impact on the overall year-end result reported. Revenue
recognised in the period ended 31 December 2022 was £17,662k; further
details are included within Note 2 and 4 to the financial statements.
How the scope of our
audit responded to
the key audit matter
We obtained an understanding and tested the relevant controls relating
to the percentages used in calculation of the administration fees.
We tested the appropriateness of the fee percentage applied by
management on customer pension schemes in the period by engaging
analytics specialists who performed a 100% recalculation of the 2022
administration fee revenue based on customer transactional data.
We have tested the completeness and accuracy of the underlying
transactional data used within recalculation of the administration fee.
We have tested the appropriateness of the fee percentage applied
by management on customer pension schemes by generating an
expectation of the administration income in an independent model using
third party valuation reports for underlying assets under administration
data.
Key observations
Based on the work performed we have determined the revenue
recognised is appropriate.
6
Our application of materiality
6. 1 Materiality
We define materiality as the magnitude of misstatement in the financial statements that makes it
probable that the economic decisions of a reasonably knowledgeable person would be changed or
influenced. We use materiality both in planning the scope of our audit work and in evaluating the
results of our work.
Based on our professional judgement, we determined materiality for the financial statements as a
whole as follows:
Group financial statements
Parent Company financial statements
Materiality
£353k (2021: £255k)
£353k (2021: £242k)
Basis for
determining
materiality
2% of Revenue (2021: 2% of Revenue)
1% of net assets capped at Group
materiality (2021: 1% of net assets
capped at 95% of Group materiality)
Rationale
for the
benchmark
applied
Revenue has been determined as the
most appropriate benchmark due to
the fact that
it is a key balance used
for determining future profitability
and stability of the Group.
The Parent Company primarily exists
as the holding company which carries
investments in Group subsidiaries
and is the issuer of listed securities.
We consider net assets to be the
critical benchmark for this company.
Group materiality
Revenue
Revenue
£17,652k
Group materiality
£353k
Audit and Risk
Committee reporting
threshold
£17k
PensionBee Group plc
156
Financial Statements
6. 2 Performance materiality
We set performance materiality at a level lower than materiality to reduce the probability that, in
aggregate, uncorrected and undetected misstatements exceed the materiality for the financial
statements as a whole.
Group financial statements
Parent Company financial statements
Performance
materiality
65% (2021: 65%) of Group materiality
65% (2021: 65%) of Parent
Company materiality
Basis and
rationale for
determining
performance
materiality
In determining performance materiality, we considered the following factors:
the quality of the control environment; and
the nature, volume and size of misstatements (corrected
and/or uncorrected) in the previous audit.
6.3 Error reporting threshold
We agreed with the Audit and Risk Committee that we would report to the Committee all audit
differences in excess of £17.1k (2021: £12.8k), as well as differences below that threshold that, in our
view, warranted reporting on qualitative grounds. We also report to the Audit and Risk Committee
on disclosure matters that we identified when assessing the overall presentation of the financial
statements.
7
An overview of the scope of our audit
7.1 Identification and scoping of components
Our audit was scoped by obtaining an understanding of the Group and its environment, including
controls over revenue, and assessing the risks of material misstatement at the Group level.
In the current period we have made changes to how we have identified components for our audit
purposes. The two financially significant entities of the Group are PensionBee Limited and the
PensionBee Group plc Parent entity. In the prior period we identified each subsidiary of the Group as
a separate component. In the current period we have considered both entities in the Group to be one
business unit and have recognised them as a single component.
Our full scope of audit accounts for 100% of the Group’s profit before tax, 100% of the Group’s revenue
and 100% of the Group’s net assets. Audit work to respond to the risks of material misstatement was
performed directly by the Group audit engagement team.
7.2 Our consideration of the control environment
In order to evaluate business cycle controls, we performed walkthrough procedures over key cycles,
including,
financial reporting, revenue, payroll, expenses and cash in order to understand whether
controls were effectively
designed to address the related risk. We then obtained an understanding of
the key controls identified within the above processes across the audit period.
We involved IT specialists to test the general IT controls (GITCs) over key financial reporting systems
and relevant automated controls within those systems. In relation to GITCs, we performed an
independent risk assessment of the systems used to support business processes and reporting to
determine those which are of greatest relevance to the Group’s financial reporting. We performed
testing of GITCs across our in-scope applications, and their supporting infrastructure (database and
operating system) covering controls surrounding access security and change management, as well as
testing over relevant automated controls.
We reported findings from our controls work to the Audit and Risk Committee. Across all areas, we
adopted a non-controls reliance approach in response to these findings and we therefore performed
additional substantive procedures.
7.3 Our consideration of climate-related risks
In planning our audit, we have considered the potential impact of climate change on the Group’s
business and its financial statements.
The Group continues to develop its assessment of the potential impacts of environmental, social and
governance (ESG) related risks, including climate change, as outlined in Environmental, Social and
Governance Considerations on pages 71-81.
We have performed our own qualitative risk assessment of the potential impact of climate change on
the Group’s account balances and classes of transactions. Our work involved:
evaluating climate as a factor in risk assessments for potentially affected balances;
challenging the completeness of the risks identified and considered in the Group’s climate risk
assessment and the conclusion that there continues to be no material impact of climate change
risk on financial reporting; and
challenging the completeness of the Critical Accounting Judgements and Key Sources of
Estimation Uncertainty disclosure in note 3 through consideration of the climate risks.
As part of our audit procedures, we read and considered these disclosures to assess whether they are
materially inconsistent with the financial statements and knowledge obtained in the audit and we did
not identify any material inconsistencies as a result of these procedures.
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
157
Financial Statements
8
Other information
The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial
statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The directors are responsible for the other information
contained within the annual report.
Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the
extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion
thereon.
Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other
information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the
course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated.
If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to
determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves.
If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this
other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
9
Responsibilities of directors
As explained more fully in the Statement of Directors’ Responsibilities on page 152, the directors are
responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a
true and fair view, and for such internal control as the directors determine is necessary to enable the
preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or
error.
In preparing the financial statements, the directors are responsible for assessing the Group’s and the
Parent Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing as applicable, matters related to
going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to
liquidate the Group or the Parent Company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but
to do so.
10
Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit
of the financial statements
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole
are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report
that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee
that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement
when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually
or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users
taken on the basis of these financial statements.
A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the
FRC’s website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s
report.
11
Extent to which the audit was considered capable
of detecting irregularities, including fraud
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design
procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in
respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting
irregularities, including fraud is detailed below.
11. 1 Identifying and assessing potential risks related to irregularities
In identifying and assessing risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud
and non-compliance with laws and regulations, we considered the following:
the nature of the industry and sector, control environment and business performance including
the design of the Group’s remuneration policies, key drivers for directors’ remuneration, bonus
levels and performance targets;
the Group’s own assessment of the risks that irregularities may occur either as a result of fraud or
error that was approved by the Audit and Risk Committee;
results of our enquiries of management, the directors and the Audit and Risk Committee about
their own identification and assessment of the risks of irregularities;
any matters we identified having obtained and reviewed the Group’s documentation of their
policies and procedures relating to:
·
identifying, evaluating and complying with laws and regulations and
whether they were aware of any instances of non-compliance;
·
detecting and responding to the risks of fraud and whether they
have knowledge of any actual, suspected or alleged fraud;
·
the internal controls established to mitigate risks of fraud or
non-compliance with laws and regulations;
the matters discussed among the audit engagement team and relevant internal specialists,
including IT and industry specialists regarding how and where fraud might occur in the financial
statements and any potential indicators of fraud.
PensionBee Group plc
158
Financial Statements
As a result of these procedures, we considered the opportunities and incentives that may exist within
the organisation for fraud. We identified the greatest potential for fraud within the recognition of
revenue, accuracy of assets under administration data due to IT control findings and the valuation
of investment in subsidiary at the Parent Company level. In common with all audits under ISAs (UK),
we are also required to perform specific procedures to respond to the risk of management override.
We also obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks that the Group operates
in, focusing on provisions of those laws and regulations that had a direct effect on the determination
of material amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. The key laws and regulations we
considered in this context included the UK Companies Act, Listing Rules and relevant tax legislation.
In addition, we considered provisions of other laws and regulations that do not have a direct effect
on the financial statements but compliance with which may be fundamental to the Group’s ability
to operate or to avoid a material penalty. These included the Group’s operating licence, regulatory
solvency requirements and the regulations imposed by the Financial Conduct Authority.
11. 2 Audit response to risks identified
As a result of performing the above, we identified revenue recognition as a key audit matter related
to the potential risk of fraud. The key audit matters section of our report explains the matter in more
detail and also describes the specific procedures we performed in response to that key audit matter.
In addition to the above, our procedures to respond to risks identified included the following:
reviewing the financial statement disclosures and testing the supporting documentation to assess
compliance with provisions of relevant laws and regulations described as having a direct effect on
the financial statements;
enquiring of management, the Audit and Risk Committee and in-house legal counsel concerning
actual and potential litigation and claims;
performing analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships that may
indicate risks of material misstatement due to fraud;
reading minutes of meetings of those charged with governance, reviewing internal audit reports
and reviewing correspondence with HMRC and Financial Conduct Authority;
testing relevant manual controls which address the accuracy of asset information within the
administration software and testing a sample of pension transactions on a customer level to assess
whether these were valid and were recognised accurately in the asset administration system. This
included corroborating customer contribution and withdrawal transactions to third party bank
statements.
assessing the appropriateness of the key forecast assumptions and methodology used in
management’s discounted cashflow model. This review covers the appropriateness the discount
rate, revenue growth rates, forecast expenditure and long-term growth rate; and
in addressing the risk of fraud through management override of controls, testing the appropriateness
of journal entries and other adjustments; assessing whether the judgements made in making
accounting estimates are indicative of a potential bias; and evaluating the business rationale of
any significant transactions that are unusual or outside the normal course of business.
We also communicated relevant identified laws and regulations and potential fraud risks to all
engagement team members including internal specialists, and remained alert to any indications of
fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations throughout the audit.
Report on other legal and
regulatory requirements
12
Opinions on other matters prescribed
by the Companies Act 2006
In our opinion, the part of the Directors’ Remuneration Report to be audited has been properly
prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 2006.
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:
the information given in the Strategic Report and the Directors’ Report for the financial year for
which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
the Strategic Report and the Directors’ Report have been prepared in accordance with applicable
legal requirements.
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the Group and the Parent Company and their
environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified any material misstatements
in the Strategic Report or the Directors’ Report.
13
Corporate Governance Statement
The Listing Rules require us to review the directors’ statement in relation to going concern, longer-
term viability and that part of the Corporate Governance Report relating to the Group’s compliance
with the provisions of the UK Corporate Governance Code specified for our review.
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
159
Financial Statements
Based on the work undertaken as part of our audit, we have concluded that each of the following
elements of the Corporate Governance Report is materially consistent with the financial statements
and our knowledge obtained during the audit:
the Statement of Directors’ Responsibilities with regards to the appropriateness of adopting the
going concern basis of accounting and any material uncertainties identified set out on page 152;
the directors’ explanation as to its assessment of the Group’s prospects, the period this assessment
covers and why the period is appropriate set out on page 152;
the directors’ statement on fair, balanced and understandable set out on page 152;
the board’s confirmation that it has carried out a robust assessment of the emerging and principal
risks set out on page 152;
the section of the annual report that describes the review of effectiveness of risk management and
internal control systems set out on pages 92-97; and
the section describing the work of the Audit and Risk Committee set out on pages 121-127.
14
Matters on which we are required to report by exception
14.1 Adequacy of explanations received and accounting records
Under the Companies Act 2006 we are required to report to you if, in our opinion:
we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or
adequate accounting records have not been kept by the Parent Company, or returns adequate for
our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
the Parent Company financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and
returns.
We have nothing to report in respect of these matters.
14. 2 Directors’ remuneration
Under the Companies Act 2006 we are also required to report if in our opinion certain disclosures of
directors’ remuneration have not been made or the part of the directors’ remuneration report to be
audited is not in agreement with the accounting records and returns.
We have nothing to report in respect of these matters.
15
Other matters which we are required to address
15. 1 Auditor tenure
Following the recommendation of the Audit and Risk Committee, we were appointed by Board of
Directors on 23 June 2021 to audit the financial statements for the Group for the year ending 31
December 2021 and subsequent financial periods. The period of total uninterrupted engagement
including previous renewals and reappointments of the firm is two years, covering the year ending
31 December 2022.
15. 2 Consistency of the audit report with the additional report to the Audit and Risk Committee
Our audit opinion is consistent with the additional report to the Audit and Risk Committee we are
required to provide in accordance with ISAs (UK).
16
Use of our report
This report is made solely to the Parent Company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter
3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state
to the Parent Company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s
report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume
responsibility to anyone other than the company and the company’s members as a body, for our audit
work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
As required by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules
(DTRs) 4.1.14R, these financial statements form part of the European Single Electronic Format
(ESEF) prepared Annual Financial Report filed on the National Storage Mechanism of the UK FCA in
accordance with the ESEF Regulatory Technical Standard (ESEF RTS). This auditor’s report provides
no assurance over whether the annual financial report has been prepared using the single electronic
format specified in the ESEF RTS.
Kieren Cooper FCA (Senior statutory auditor)
For and on behalf of Deloitte LLP
Statutory Auditor
Birmingham, United Kingdom
15 March 2023
PensionBee Group plc
160
Financial Statements
Note
2022
£ 000
2021
£ 000
Revenue
4
17,662
12,753
Employee Benefits Expense (excluding Share-based Payment)
5
(9,554)
(7,447)
Share-based Payment
5, 21
(1,898)
(3,939)
Depreciation Expense
12, 13
(276)
(256)
Advertising and Marketing
(16,554)
(12,865)
Other Expenses
7
(11,067)
(8,862)
Listing Costs
25
(687)
(2,947)
Operating Profit/(Loss)
(22,374)
(23,563)
Finance Costs
8
(46)
(1,416)
Profit/(Loss) before Tax
(22,420)
(24,979)
Taxation
10
274
348
Profit/(Loss) for the Year
(22,146)
(24,631)
Total Comprehensive Profit/(Loss) for the Year wholly attributable to Equity Holders of the Parent Company
(22,146)
(24,631)
Earnings per Share (pence per Share)
Basic and Diluted
11
(9.97)
(11.86)
The above results were derived from continuing operations.
The notes on pages 165 – 180 form an integral part of these financial statements.
2
Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income
For the year ended 31 December 2022
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
161
Financial Statements
Note
2022
£ 000
2021
£ 000
Assets
Non-current Assets
Property, Plant and Equipment
12
358
127
Right of Use Assets
13
553
692
911
819
Current Assets
Trade and Other Receivables
14
3,412
3,171
Cash and Cash Equivalents
21,321
43,518
24,733
46,689
Total Assets
25,644
47,508
Equity and Liabilities
Equity
Share Capital
15
223
221
Share Premium
16
53,218
53,218
Share-based Payment Reserve
16, 21
10,215
8,317
Retained Earnings
16
(40,124)
(17,976)
Total Equity
23,532
43,780
Non-current Liabilities
Lease Liability
17
397
560
Provisions
18
46
43
443
603
Current Liabilities
Lease Liability
17
154
97
Trade and Other Payables
19
1,515
3,028
1,669
3,125
Total Liabilities
2,112
3,728
Total Equity and Liabilities
25,644
47,508
The notes on pages 165 – 180 form an integral part of these financial statements.
Approved by the Board on 15 March 2023 and signed on its behalf by:
Christoph J. Martin
Chief Financial Officer
3
Consolidated Statement of Financial Position
As at 31 December 2022
PensionBee Group plc
162
Financial Statements
Note
Share Capital
£ 000
Share Premium
£ 000
Share-based
Payment Reserve
£ 000
Retained Earnings
£ 000
Total
£ 000
At 1 January 2021
-
30,322
4,378
(28,245)
6,455
Profit/(Loss) for the Year
-
-
-
(24,631)
(24,631)
Total Comprehensive Profit/(Loss)
-
-
-
(24,631)
(24,631)
Share-based Payment Transactions
-
-
3,939
-
3,939
Issue of Share Capital in PensionBee Limited
-
4,765
-
-
4,765
Group Reorganisation
15
180
(35,088)
-
34,908
-
Issue of Share Capital in PensionBee Group plc
15
33
54,967
-
-
55,000
Transaction Costs on Issue of Shares
15
-
(1,748)
-
-
(1,748)
Exercise of Share Options
15
8
-
-
(8)
-
At 31 December 2021
221
53,218
8,317
(17,976)
43,780
At 1 January 2022
221
53,218
8,317
(17,976)
43,780
Profit/(Loss) for the Year
-
-
-
(22,146)
(22,146)
Total Comprehensive Profit/(Loss)
-
-
-
(22,146)
(22,146)
Share-based Payment Transactions
-
-
1,898
-
1,898
Exercise of Share Options
15
2
-
-
(2)
-
At 31 December 2022
223
53,218
10,215
(40,124)
23,532
The notes on pages 165 – 180 form an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
4
Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity
For the year ended 31 December 2022
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
163
Financial Statements
Note
2022
£ 000
2021
£ 000
Cash Flows used in Operating Activities
Profit/(Loss) for the Year
(22,146)
(24,631)
Adjustments to Cash Flows from Non-cash Items
Depreciation
276
256
Loss on Disposal of Equipment
7
-
10
Finance Costs
8
46
1,416
Share-based Payment Transactions
1,898
3,939
Taxation
10
(274)
(348)
Operating Cash Flows before movements in Working Capital
(20,200)
(19,358)
Working Capital Adjustments
Increase in Trade and Other Receivables
14
(162)
(1,277)
Increase in Trade and Other Payables
19
(1,511)
997
Cash used in Operations
(21,873)
(19,638)
Income Taxes Received
10
194
-
Net Cash Flow used in Operating Activities
(21,679)
(19,638)
Cash Flows used in Investing Activities
Acquisition of Equipment
12
(367)
(69)
Direct cost for acquiring Right of Use Asset
-
(6)
Net Cash Flow used in Investing Activities
(367)
(75)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Revolving Credit Facility Fees
-
(1,409)
Proceeds from Issue of Ordinary Shares
-
59,765
Transaction Costs on Issue of Shares
-
(1,748)
Payment of Principal of Lease Liabilities
17
(105)
(113)
Payment of Interest of Lease Liabilities
17
(46)
-
Net Cash Flows from Financing Activities
(151)
56,495
Net (Decrease) / Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents
(22,197)
36,782
Cash and Cash Equivalents at 1 January
43,518
6,736
Cash and Cash Equivalents at 31 December
21,321
43,518
Changes in the Group’s liabilities arising from financing activities, including both cash and non-cash changes have been disclosed in Note 17 to the financial statements.
The notes on pages 165 – 180 form an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
5
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
For the year ended 31 December 2022
PensionBee Group plc
164
Financial Statements
6
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
For the year ended 31 December 2022
1
General Information
PensionBee Group plc (‘Company’) is the parent company of PensionBee Limited (‘Subsidiary’)
(together the ‘Group’). The Company is a public company, whose shares are traded on the Premium
Segment of the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange (‘LSE’) and is incorporated and domiciled
in England and Wales.
The address of its registered office is:
209 Blackfriars Road
London
SE1 8NL
United Kingdom
Principal Activity
The principal activity of the Group is that of a direct-to-consumer online pension provider. The Group
seeks to make its UK customers ‘Pension Confident’ by giving them complete control and clarity over
their retirement savings. The Group helps its customers to combine their pensions into one new online
plan where they can contribute, forecast outcomes, invest effectively, and withdraw their pensions
(from the age of 55), all from the palm of their hand.
2
Accounting Policies
Basis of Preparation
The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with International Financial
Reporting Standards (‘IFRS’) as adopted by the UK in conformity with the requirements of the
Companies Act 2006. The financial statements are prepared on the historical cost basis and on a going
concern basis.
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with IFRS requires the use of certain critical
accounting estimates. It also requires management to exercise its judgement in the process of applying
the Group’s accounting policies.
The financial statements are presented in GBP and all values are rounded to the nearest thousand
(£’000), except when otherwise indicated. The functional currency of the Company is GBP because it is
the primary currency in the economic environment in which the Company operates.
Basis of Consolidation
The consolidated financial statements consolidate the financial statements of the Company and its
subsidiary undertakings drawn up to 31 December 2022.
On 24 March 2021, PensionBee Group plc acquired all the issued shares of PensionBee Limited through
a share for share transaction (‘Group Reorganisation’). For every issued share in PensionBee Limited, 800
shares of PensionBee Group plc were issued. PensionBee Group plc issued 180,054,400 ordinary shares
of £0.001 each. The newly issued ordinary shares were accounted for at their nominal value. As part of
the Group Reorganisation, the Company reduced its share premium to create additional distributable
reserves. From the acquisition date, PensionBee Limited became a subsidiary of PensionBee Group plc.
On the same date, all the share options granted by PensionBee Limited to its employees were cancelled
and replaced by share options granted by PensionBee Group plc. The cancellation and replacement of
share options was accounted for as a modification with no impact on the vesting conditions and the
share options valuation.
A subsidiary is an entity controlled by the Company. Control is achieved where the Company has the
power to govern the financial and operating policies of an entity so as to obtain benefits from its
activities. The Company reassesses whether it controls an entity if facts and circumstances indicate
there are changes to one or more elements of control.
Inter-company transactions, balances and unrealised gains on transactions between the Company and
its subsidiary, which are related parties, are eliminated in full.
Intra-group losses are also eliminated but may indicate an impairment that requires recognition in the
consolidated financial statements.
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out
below. These policies have been consistently applied to all the years presented, unless otherwise stated.
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
165
Financial Statements
Going Concern
The Directors have a reasonable expectation that the Group has adequate financial resources to
continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future and are satisfied that the Group can
continue to pay its liabilities as they fall due for a period of at least 12 months from the date of approval
of these financial statements. The Group has strong cash reserves and forecasts growth that should see
the financial results improve in the future years.
The Group has been operationally resilient as proven by consistent operational efficiencies that have
been maintained during the financial year. Stress testing was done by considering severe and unlikely
but possible scenarios including a sharp decline in equity markets, the worsening of conversion and
lower transferred-in pension pot sizes, all of which could potentially be caused by the macroeconomic
and geopolitical environment. The impact of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia on global capital markets
and on the world more generally has also been considered in the Directors’ assessment of going
concern. While the Group’s own exposure to Russia in terms of investments is minimal, rounding to
0%, broader market volatility could impact Assets under Administration and the Directors will continue
to monitor the ongoing situation.
The Group has adequate resources to survive macroeconomic downturns and the Directors concluded
that the Group has sufficient financial resources to remain in operational existence. For these reasons,
the Directors adopt the going concern basis of preparation for these financial statements.
Changes in Accounting Policy
The following amendments are effective for the period beginning 1 January 2022:
Standard
Effective Date, Annual Period
beginning on or after
Onerous Contracts – Cost of Fulfilling a
Contract (Amendments to IAS 37)
1 January 2022
Property, Plant and Equipment: Proceeds before
Intended Use (Amendments to IAS 16)
1 January 2022
Annual Improvements to IFRS Standards 2018-2020
(Amendments to IFRS 1, IFRS 9, IFRS 16 and IAS 41)
1 January 2022
References to Conceptual Framework (Amendments to IFRS 3)
1 January 2022
None of the standards, interpretations, and amendments effective for the first time from 1 January
2022 have had a material effect on the financial statements.
New Standards, Interpretations and Amendments not yet Effective
The new standards which are not yet effective will not have a material impact on the financial
statements.
Standard
Effective Date, Annual Period
beginning on or after
Amendments to IAS 1 - Classification
1 January 2023
Amendments to IAS 1 and IFRS Practice Statement
2 - Deciding which Accounting Policies to Disclose
1 January 2023
Amendments to IAS 8 – Distinction between changes
in Accounting Policies and Accounting Estimates
1 January 2023
Amendments to IAS 12 - Deferred Tax related to Assets
1 January 2023
Revenue Recognition
Revenue represents amounts receivable for services net of VAT. Revenue is derived from the
administration of our customers’ retirement savings and the provision of one-off ancillary services
to customers. The Group operates a service to combine and transfer customers’ old pensions into
new online plans, which are subsequently managed by third party money managers. The Group has
applied the 5-step model outlined in IFRS 15 Revenue from contracts with customers as is set out
below:
Identification of the contract with a customer
- During account opening, the customer is made
aware of the promises the Group is making. Rights and obligations of each party are outlined. The
point at which the customer agrees to the terms and conditions is the point at which both the Group
and the customer have signed or agreed the contract.
Identification of the performance obligations in the contract
- The Group makes one promise to
its customers, the careful administration of the customers’ retirement savings, including through
investments with its third party money managers. The Group performs administrative tasks during
the process of on boarding its customers to its technology platform which are necessary for the
fulfilment of administration of the customers’ retirement savings. The Group does not consider these
administrative tasks to be a separate performance obligation. As a result, it is considered that the
Group has a single performance obligation, which is the administration of the customers’ retirement
savings.
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166
Financial Statements
Determination of the transaction price
– The money managers invest customers’ retirement
savings in funds (‘Group Plans’) that match each customer’s selection. The Group charges an
annual management fee that is charged daily against the units held by each customer. The annual
management fee is based on a fixed percentage (%) which varies for each of the Group Plans; the
fees range from 0.50% to 0.95%. There is a further fixed discount of 50% provided to customers who
have over £100,000 in their pension pots. The discount is applied to the incremental amount over and
above £100,000.
Allocation of the transaction price
- As there is only one performance obligation, the whole
transaction price is allocated to this performance obligation.
Recognition of revenue when a performance obligation is satisfied
- The administration of
customers’ retirement savings is continuous until the customer fully withdraws their pension pot
or transfers it to another UK registered pension provider. Revenue is recognised over time as the
customer simultaneously receives and consumes the benefits provided by the Group’s performance
as the Group performs them. Revenue is calculated daily as a percentage (basis points) of the value of
Assets under Administration (‘AUA’) as agreed by the customer.
Consideration Payable to Customers
The Group runs a number of incentive-linked marketing campaigns. Under these campaigns, a
customer becomes entitled to either a pension contribution or cashback once they make their first
live pension transfer. This consideration payable to the customer is not in exchange for a distinct
good or service that the customer transfers to the Group. Therefore, it is accounted for as a reduction
to the transaction price. The full consideration is accounted for as a revenue reduction in the year it is
payable because the difference between spreading it over the contract life and recognising it in full in
the year it is incurred is not material. A materiality assessment is done annually.
Recurring Revenue
The Group’s revenue is recurring in nature as the annual charges are calculated daily as a percentage
(basis points) of the value of AUA and will continue to be earned on an ongoing basis whilst the Group
administers those assets. Recurring revenue is derived from management fees and is recognised
based on daily accruals of customers’ pension balances as the performance obligation, being the
provision of pension scheme administration services to customers, is met. These management fees
are charged daily and collected by the Group on a monthly basis.
Other Revenue
Other Revenue relates to one-off ancillary and ad-hoc services including pension splitting on divorce,
early withdrawals owing to ill-health, and full draw-down within one year of becoming an Invested
Customer. For this revenue stream, the performance obligation is the execution of the requested
task. There are fee structures in place which are used to determine the transaction price. Revenue is
recognised at a point in time when the requested task is executed (when the service is provided to
the customer).
Foreign Currency Transactions and Balances
In preparing the financial statements of the Group entities, transactions in currencies other than the
entity’s functional currency (foreign currencies) are recognised at the rates of exchange prevailing
on the dates of the transactions. At each reporting date, monetary assets and liabilities that are
denominated in foreign currencies are retranslated at the rates prevailing at that date. Non-monetary
items carried at fair value that are denominated in foreign currencies are translated at the rates
prevailing at the date when the fair value was determined. Non-monetary items that are measured in
terms of historical cost in a foreign currency are not retranslated. Exchange differences are recognised
in the Statement of Comprehensive Income in the period in which they arise.
For the purpose of presenting consolidated financial statements, transactions in foreign currencies are
translated to the Group’s presentation currency at the foreign exchange rate recorded at the date of
the transaction. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies at the balance sheet
date are retranslated to the presentation currency at the foreign exchange rate recorded at that date.
Foreign exchange differences arising on translation are recognised in the Statement of Comprehensive
Income. There are no material foreign exchange transactions in the financial statements.
Tax
Tax on the loss for the year comprises research and development credit. There was no current or
deferred tax charge for the year (2021: £nil). Tax is recognised in the Statement of Comprehensive
Income
except to the extent that it relates to items recognised directly in equity or other comprehensive
income, in which case it is recognised directly in equity or other comprehensive income.
Current income tax assets and liabilities are measured at the amount expected to be recovered from
or paid to the taxation authorities. The tax rates and tax laws used to compute the amount are those
that are enacted or substantively enacted at the reporting date in the United Kingdom where the
Group operates and generates taxable income.
Management periodically evaluates positions taken in the tax returns with respect to situations
in which applicable tax regulations are subject to interpretation and establishes liabilities where
appropriate.
Deferred tax is provided using the liability method on temporary differences between the tax bases of
assets and liabilities and their carrying amounts for financial reporting purposes at the reporting date.
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
167
Financial Statements
Deferred tax assets are recognised for all deductible temporary differences, the carry forward of
unused tax credits and any unused tax losses. Deferred tax assets are recognised to the extent that it is
probable that taxable profit will be available against which the deductible temporary differences, and
the carry forward of unused tax credits and unused tax losses can be utilised.
The carrying amount of deferred tax assets is reviewed at each reporting date and reduced to the
extent that it is no longer probable that sufficient taxable profit will be available to allow all or part of
the deferred tax asset to be utilised. Unrecognised deferred tax assets are re-assessed at each reporting
date and are recognised to the extent that it has become probable that future taxable profits will allow
the deferred tax asset to be recovered.
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured at the tax rates that are expected to apply in the year
when the asset is realised or the liability is settled, based on tax rates (and tax laws) that have been
enacted or substantively enacted at the reporting date.
The Group offsets deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities if and only if it has a legally enforceable
right to set off current tax assets and current tax liabilities and the deferred tax assets and deferred
tax liabilities relate to income taxes levied by the same taxation authority on either the same taxable
entity or different taxable entities which intend either to settle current tax liabilities and assets on a
net basis, or to realise the assets and settle the liabilities simultaneously, in each future period in which
significant amounts of deferred tax liabilities or assets are expected to be settled or recovered.
Property, Plant and Equipment
Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and accumulated impairment
losses. The Group assesses at each reporting date whether there are impairment indicators for tangible
fixed assets.
Depreciation
Depreciation is charged to the Statement of Comprehensive Income on a straight-line basis over the
estimated useful lives of each part of an item of tangible fixed assets. The estimated useful lives are
as follows:
Asset Class
Depreciation Method and Rate
Computer Equipment
three years straight line
Furniture and Fittings
four years straight line
Leasehold Improvements
straight line over life of the lease
Right of Use Assets
straight line over life of the lease
An item of property, plant and equipment and any significant part initially recognised is derecognised
upon disposal (i.e. at the date the recipient obtains control) or when no future economic benefits are
expected from its use or disposal. Any gain or loss arising on derecognition of the asset (calculated as
the difference between the net disposal proceeds and the carrying amount of the asset) is included
in the Statement of Comprehensive Income when the asset is derecognised.
The residual values, useful lives, and methods of depreciation of property, plant and equipment are
reviewed at each financial year end and adjusted prospectively, if appropriate.
Impairment of Non-Financial Assets
The Group assesses at each reporting date, whether there is an indication that an asset may be
impaired. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated based on
future cashflows with a suitable range of discount rates and the expectations of future performance.
An impairment loss is recognised for the amount by which the asset’s carrying amount exceeds its
recoverable amount. Impairment loss is recognised in the Statement of Comprehensive Income.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash on hand and short term highly liquid deposits with a
maturity of less than 3 months.
Trade Receivables
Trade and other receivables are recognised initially at the transaction price less attributable
transaction costs. Subsequent to initial recognition they are measured at amortised cost using the
effective interest method, less any impairment losses in the case of trade receivables and other
receivables.
Trade Payables
Trade and other payables are recognised initially at transaction price plus attributable transaction
costs. Subsequently they are measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Trade and other payables are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in
the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Trade payables are classified as current liabilities if
payment is due within one year or less (or in the normal operating cycle of the business if longer). If
not, they are presented as non-current liabilities.
PensionBee Group plc
168
Financial Statements
Provisions
Provisions are recognised when the Group has a present obligation (legal or constructive) as a result
of a past event, it is probable that the Group will be required to settle that obligation and a reliable
estimate can be made of the amount of the obligation. Provisions are measured at the Directors’ best
estimate of the expenditure required to settle the obligation at the reporting date and are discounted
to present value where the effect is material.
Leases
Initial Recognition and Measurement
The Group initially recognises a lease liability for the obligation to make lease payments and a right-of-
use asset for the right to use the underlying asset for the lease term.
The lease liability is measured at the present value of the lease payments to be made over the lease
term. The lease payments include fixed payments, purchase options at exercise price (where payment
is reasonably certain), expected amount of residual value guarantees, termination option penalties
(where payment is considered reasonably certain) and variable lease payments that depend on an
index or rate.
The right-of-use asset is initially measured at the amount of the lease liability, adjusted for lease
prepayments, lease incentives received, the group’s initial direct costs (e.g. commissions) and an
estimate of restoration, removal, and dismantling costs.
Subsequent Measurement
After the commencement date, the Group measures the lease liability by:
(a) Increasing the carrying amount to reflect interest on the lease liability;
(b) Reducing the carrying amount to reflect the lease payments made; and
(c) Re-measuring the carrying amount to reflect any reassessment or lease modifications or to
reflect revised in substance fixed lease payments or on the occurrence of other specific events.
Interest on the lease liability in each period during the lease term is the amount that produces a
constant periodic rate of interest on the remaining balance of the lease liability. Interest charges are
included in finance cost in the Statement of Comprehensive Income, unless the costs are included in
the carrying amount of another asset applying other applicable standards. Variable lease payments
not included in the measurement of the lease liability, are included in operating expenses in the
period in which the event or condition that triggers them arises. Repayment of lease liabilities within
financing activities in the Statement of Cash Flows
include both the principal and interest.
Short Term and Low Value Leases
The Group has made an accounting policy election, by class of underlying asset, not to recognise
lease assets and lease liabilities for leases with a lease term of 12 months or less (i.e. short-term leases).
The Group has made an accounting policy election on a lease-by-lease basis, not to recognise lease
assets on leases for which the underlying asset is worth £5,000 or less (i.e. low value leases).
Lease payments on short term and low value leases are accounted for on a straight-line bases over
the term of the lease or other systematic basis if considered more appropriate. Short term and low
value lease payments are included in operating expenses in the Statement of Comprehensive Income.
Share Capital
Ordinary shares are classified as equity. Equity instruments are measured at the fair value of the cash
or other resources received or receivable, net of the direct costs of issuing the equity instruments. If
payment is deferred and the time value of money is material, the initial measurement is on a present
value basis.
Defined Contribution Pension Obligation
The Group operates a defined contribution plan for its employees, under which the Group pays fixed
contributions into the PensionBee Personal Pension. Once the contributions have been paid the
Group has no further payment obligations.
The contributions are recognised as an expense in the Statement of Comprehensive Income when
they fall due. Amounts not paid are shown in creditors as a liability in the Statement of Financial
Position. The assets of the plan are held separately from the Group.
Share-based Payment
The cost of equity-settled transactions with employees is measured by reference to the fair value
of the equity instruments granted at the date at which they are granted and is recognised as an
expense over the vesting period, which ends on the date on which the relevant employees become
fully entitled to the award. Fair value is determined by using the market price of the shares at a point
in time adjacent to the issue of the award. In valuing equity-settled transactions, no account is taken
of any vesting conditions, other than conditions linked to the price of the shares of the Group (market
conditions) and non-vesting conditions. No expense is recognised for awards that do not ultimately
vest, except for awards where vesting is conditional upon a market or non-vesting condition, which
are treated as vesting irrespective of whether the market or non-vesting condition is satisfied,
provided that all other vesting conditions are satisfied. At each balance sheet date before vesting, the
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
169
Financial Statements
cumulative expense is calculated, representing the extent to which the vesting period has expired
and management’s best estimate of the achievement or otherwise of non-market conditions and of
the number of equity instruments that will ultimately vest or in the case of an instrument subject to
a market condition, be treated as vesting as described above. The movement in cumulative expense
since the previous balance sheet date is recognised in the Statement of Comprehensive Income, with
a corresponding entry in equity under the Share-based Payment Reserve.
Where the terms of an equity-settled award are modified, or a new award is designated as replacing
a cancelled or settled award, the cost based on the original award terms continues to be recognised
over the original vesting period. In addition, an expense is recognised over the remainder of the new
vesting period for the incremental fair value of any modification, based on the difference between
the fair value of the original award and the fair value of the modified award, both as measured on the
date of the modification. No reduction is recognised if this difference is negative. Where an equity-
settled award is cancelled, it is treated as if it had vested on the date of cancellation, and any cost not
yet recognised in the Statement of Comprehensive Income for the award is expensed immediately.
Any compensation paid up to the fair value of the award at the cancellation or settlement date is
deducted from equity (Share-based Payment Reserve), with any excess over fair value expensed in the
Statement of Comprehensive Income.
The Company has established a Share-based Payment Reserve but does not transfer any amounts
from this reserve on the exercise or lapse of options. On exercise, shares issued are recognised in share
capital at their nominal value. Share premium is recognised to the extent the exercise price is above
the nominal value. Where the Company is settling part of the exercise price, a transfer is made from
retained earnings to share capital.
Research and Development
Research and development expenditure is recognised as an expense as incurred, except that
development expenditure incurred on an individual project is capitalised as an intangible asset when
the Group can demonstrate the technical feasibility of completing the intangible asset so that it will
be available for use or sale, how the asset will generate future economic benefits, the availability of
resources to complete development of the asset and the ability to measure reliably the expenditure
during development. Capitalised development costs are recorded as intangible assets and amortised
from the point at which the asset is ready for use. The Group’s research and development costs relate
to costs incurred on projects carried out to advance technology used to serve its customers. No
development expenditure has been capitalised during the years 2021 and 2022, on the basis that
the specified criteria for capitalisation has not been met, as costs spent on the development phase of
projects cannot be reliably estimated. All research and development costs are therefore recognised
as an expense as incurred.
Impairment of Financial Assets
Measurement of Expected Credit Losses
Expected credit losses (‘ECLs’) are based on the difference between the contractual cash flows due in
accordance with the contract and all the cash flows that the Group expects to receive, discounted at
an approximation of the original effective interest rate.
For trade and other receivables, the Group applies a simplified approach in calculating the ECLs.
Therefore, the Group recognises a loss allowance based on lifetime ECLs at each reporting date.
3
Critical Accounting Judgements and Key Sources of Estimation
Uncertainty
In the application of the Group’s accounting policies, the Directors are required to make judgements,
estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily
apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical
experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these
estimates. The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to
accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision
affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects
both current and future periods.
The Group does not have any critical accounting judgements or key estimation uncertainties.
4
Revenue
The analysis of the Group’s Revenue for the year from continuing operations is as follows
2022
£ 000
2021
£ 000
Recurring Revenue
17,527
12,592
Other Revenue
135
161
17,662
12,753
Recurring Revenue relates to revenue from the annual management fee charged to customers. There
are no individual revenues from customers which exceed 10% of the Group’s total Revenue for the
year.
PensionBee Group plc
170
Financial Statements
Segment Information
Operating segments and reporting segments are reported in a manner consistent with the internal
reporting provided to the Chief Operating Decision Maker (‘CODM’). The Group considers that the role
of CODM is performed by the Board of Directors. The CODM regularly reviews the Group’s operating
results to assess performance and to allocate resources. All earnings, balance sheet and cash flow
information received and reviewed by the Board of Directors is prepared at a company level. The
CODM considers that it has a single business unit comprising the provision of direct-to-consumer
online pension consolidation and, therefore, recognises one operating and reporting segment with all
revenue, losses before tax and net assets being attributable to this single reportable business segment.
Further, the Group operates in a single geographical location only, being the United Kingdom.
5
Employee Benefits Expense
The aggregate payroll costs (including Directors’ remuneration) were as follows:
2022
£ 000
2021
£ 000
Wages and Salaries
8,373
6,447
Social Security Costs
946
767
Pension Costs, Defined Contribution Scheme
235
203
9,554
7,447
Share-based Payment Expense
1,898
3,939
11,452
11,386
The average number of persons employed by the Group (including Directors) during the year,
analysed by category, was as follows:
2022
No.
2021
No.
Executive Management
9
9
Technology and Product
38
30
Marketing
15
9
Customer Service
90
85
Legal, Compliance and Risk
11
7
Administration and Other
22
15
185
155
6
Directors’ Remuneration
The Directors’ remuneration for the year was as follows:
2022
£ 000
2021
£ 000
Remuneration
853
569
Group Contributions paid to Defined
Contribution Pension Schemes
10
6
863
575
During the year the number of Directors who were receiving benefits and share incentives was as
follows:
2022
No.
2021
No.
Members of Defined Contribution Pension Schemes
5
3
In respect of the highest paid Director:
2022
2021
£ 000
£ 000
Remuneration
193
168
Group Contributions to Defined
Contribution Pension Schemes
2
2
Exercise of Share Options
2022
2021
£ 000
£ 000
Amount of Gains made on the Exercise of Share Options
225
198
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
171
Financial Statements
7
Other Expenses
Arrived at after charging:
2022
2021
£ 000
£ 000
Loss on Disposal of Equipment
-
10
Auditor’s Remuneration
196
187
Money Manager Costs
2,825
2,300
Other Expenses
8,047
6,365
11,067
8,862
Included in Other Expenses is technology and platform costs, professional services fees, irrecoverable
VAT, and general and administrative costs.
8
Finance costs
2022
2021
£ 000
£ 000
Interest Expense on Lease Liabilities
43
7
Revolving Credit Facility Fees
-
1,409
Interest Expense on Dilapidations Provision
3
-
Total Finance Costs
46
1,416
9
Auditor’s Remuneration
2022
2021
£ 000
£ 0000
Audit of the Company’s Financial Statements
44
33
Audit of the Company’s Subsidiary Financial Statements
94
95
Total Audit Fees
138
128
Tax Advisory Services
-
167
Audit Related Assurance Services
58
42
Other Assurance Services
-
633
Total Non-Audit Fees
58
842
Auditor’s remuneration has been shown net of VAT. Except for £61,000 (2021: £28,000) relating to the
half year review of the Group’s financial statements and CASS audit and contained in Audit Related
Assurance Services, all non-audit fees are attributed to services received in preparation for admission
to the London Stock Exchange and have been recorded in listing costs. No services were provided
pursuant to contingent fee arrangements.
10
Tax
Tax charged/(credited) in the Statement of Comprehensive Income:
2022
£ 000
2021
£ 000
Current Taxation
UK Corporation Tax
(274)
(348)
Deferred Taxation
Arising from Origination and Reversal of Temporary Differences
-
-
Arising from Tax Rate Changes
-
-
Total Deferred Taxation
-
-
Tax Credit in the Statement of Comprehensive Income
(274)
(348)
The tax on loss for the year was computed at the standard rate of corporation tax in the UK of 19%
(2021: 19%).
PensionBee Group plc
172
Financial Statements
The differences are reconciled below:
2022
2021
£ 000
£ 000
Profit/(Loss) before Tax
(22,420)
(24,979)
Corporation Tax at Standard Rate
(4,260)
(4,746)
Increase from effect of different UK Tax Rates on some Earnings
-
-
-
Increase from effect of expenses not deductable
in determining Taxable Profit (Tax Loss)
288
1,464
Capital Allowances
(11)
-
Share-based Payment
83
-
Deferred tax expense (credit) from
unrecognised Tax Loss or Credit
3,900
3,282
Decrease from effect of adjustments in
Research Development Tax Credit
(274)
(348)
Total Tax Credit
(274)
(348)
2022
£ 000
2021
£ 000
Fixed Assets
(43)
(13)
Temporary Difference Trading
-
-
Total Deferred Tax Liability
(43)
(13)
Losses available for offsetting against Future Taxable Income
43
13
Total Deferred Tax Asset
43
13
Net deferred tax
-
-
The Group has £72,755,000 of non-expiring carried forward tax losses at 31 December 2022 (2021:
£38,629,000) against which no deferred tax has been recognised. A deferred tax asset has not been
recognised on the basis that there is insufficient certainty over the recovery of these tax losses in the
near future.
11
Earnings per Share
Basic earnings per share is calculated by dividing the loss attributable to ordinary equity holders of the
Group by the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during the period.
Diluted earnings per share are calculated by dividing the loss attributable to ordinary equity holders
of the Group adjusted for the effect that would result from the weighted average number of ordinary
shares plus the weighted average number of shares that would be issued on the conversion of all
the dilutive potential shares under option. At each balance sheet date reported below, the following
potential ordinary shares under option are anti-dilutive and are therefore excluded from the weighted
average number of ordinary shares for the purpose of diluted earnings per share.
2022
2021
Number of Potential Ordinary Shares
4,619,220
3,911,235
Profit/(Loss) Attributable to Equity Holders of PensionBee Group plc (£)
(22,146,000)
(24,631,000)
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding during the Year
222,223,650
207,743,435
Basic and Diluted Earnings per Share (pence per Share)
(9.97)
(11.86)
Basic Earnings per Share was (9.97)p for 2022 (2021: (11.86)p).
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
173
Financial Statements
12
Property, Plant and Equipment
Fixtures and Fittings
£ 000
Leasehold
Improvements
£ 000
Computer
Equipment
£ 000
Total
£ 000
Cost
At 1 January 2021
71
126
198
395
Additions
-
-
69
69
Disposals
(6)
-
(7)
(13)
Transfers
(5)
-
5
-
At 31 December 2021
60
126
265
451
At 1 January 2022
60
126
265
451
Additions
1
251
115
367
Disposals
-
-
(17)
(17)
At 31 December 2022
61
377
363
801
Depreciation
At 1 January 2021
43
71
86
200
Charge for the year
12
55
60
127
Eliminated on Disposal
-
-
(3)
(3)
Transfers
(4)
-
4
-
At 31 December 2021
51
126
147
324
At 1 January 2022
51
126
147
324
Charge for the year
7
50
77
134
Eliminated on Disposal
-
-
(15)
(15)
At 31 December 2022
58
176
209
443
Carrying amount
At 31 December 2022
3
201
154
358
At 31 December 2021
9
-
118
127
At 1 January 2021
28
55
112
195
13
Right of Use Asset
£ 000
At 1 January 2021
295
Additions
703
Disposals
(295)
At 31 December 2021
703
At 1 January 2022
703
Additions
3
Disposals
-
At 31 December 2022
706
Depreciation
At 1 January 2021
177
Charge for the year
129
Eliminated on Disposal
(295)
At 31 December 2021
11
At 1 January 2022
11
Charge for the year
141
Eliminated on Disposal
-
At 31 December 2022
152
Carrying Amount
At 31 December 2022
553
At 31 December 2021
692
At 1 January 2021
118
PensionBee Group plc
174
Financial Statements
14
Trade and Other Receivables
2022
£ 000
2021
£ 000
Trade Receivables
1,565
1,335
Prepayments
903
887
Other Receivables
944
949
3,412
3,171
Trade and other receivables are measured at amortised cost and management assessed that the
carrying value is approximately their fair value due to the short-term maturities of these balances.
15
Share Capital
Allotted, Called Up and Fully Paid Shares
2022
No. 000
£ 000
2021
No. 000
£ 000
Ordinary of £0.001 each
222,862
223
221,526
221
222,862
223
221,526
221
During the year, PensionBee Group plc issued ordinary shares from share options exercised totaling
1,336,148 ordinary shares (2021: 8,138,194 ) of £0.001 each. The exercise price for each exercised share
option was £0.001 (2021: £0.001).
On 24 March 2021, PensionBee Group plc acquired all the issued shares of PensionBee Limited
through a share for share transaction. Every issued share in PensionBee Limited was exchanged for
800 shares in PensionBee Group plc. Every share option was cancelled and replaced by 800 share
options. Through the Group Reorganisation, PensionBee Group plc issued 180,054,400 ordinary shares
of £0.001 each and reduced its share premium to create additional distributable reserves. On 26 April
2021, PensionBee Group plc issued 33,333,333 ordinary shares of £0.001 each as part of its Initial Public
Offering (‘IPO’). Each share was issued at £1.65. Transaction costs incurred and directly attributable to
the issuance of shares for the IPO amounted to £1,748,000. These costs were recognised as a reduction
to the share premium.
Each ordinary share carries one vote per share and ranks pari passu with respect to dividends and
capital.
16
Reserves
Share Premium
The share premium account represents the excess of the issue price over the par value on shares
issued, less transaction costs arising on the issue.
Share-based Payment Reserve
The Share-based Payment Reserve is used to recognise the value of equity-settled share-based payments
provided to employees, including key management personnel, as part of their remuneration.
Retained Earnings
The balance in the retained earnings account represents the distributable reserves of the Group.
17
Leases
In December 2021, the Group entered into a new property lease with a 5-year lease term ending in
December 2026 with an option to terminate the lease after three years. The Group is reasonably certain
that this option will not be exercised therefore the lease term was determined to be five years. On
inception, the lease liability was determined using a discount rate linked to London office rental yields,
adjusted for risk premium for certain company specific factors as well as taking into consideration
the interest rate associated with the revolving credit facility entered in March 2021 and cancelled in
September 2021. The discount rate was 7%. Lease terms have not been amended since inception.
The carrying amounts of right-of-use assets recognised and the movements during each year are set
out in Note 13. Set out below are the carrying amounts of lease liabilities and the movements during
the year.
2022
£ 000
2021
£ 000
As at 1 January
657
109
Additions
-
654
Accretion of interest
43
7
Cash flow timing adjustment
2
-
Payments
(151)
(113)
As at 31 December
551
657
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
175
Financial Statements
Lease Liabilities included in the Statement of Financial Position:
2022
£ 000
2021
£ 000
Non-current
397
560
Current
154
97
551
657
The following are the amounts recognised in the Statement of Comprehensive Income:
2022
£ 000
2021
£ 000
Depreciation on Right of Use Asset
141
129
Interest on Lease Liability
43
7
Low Value Leases
-
-
184
136
18
Provisions
2022
£ 000
2021
£ 000
Dilapidations
At 1 January 2022
43
-
Additional Provisions
-
43
Interest
3
-
At 31 December 2022
46
43
Non-current Liabilities
46
43
The Group is required to restore the leased premises of its offices to their original condition at the end
of the lease term. The lease term ends on 2 December 2026. A provision has been recognised at the
present value of the estimated expenditure required to remove any leasehold improvements. These
costs have been capitalised as part of the Right of Use Asset and are amortised over the useful life of
the asset.
19
Trade and Other Payables
2022
£ 000
2021
£ 000
Trade Payables
132
356
Accrued Expenses
1,301
1,873
Social Security and Other Taxes
-
83
Other Payables
83
716
1,515
3,028
Trade and other payables are measured at amortised cost and management assessed that the carrying
value is approximately their fair value due to the short-term maturities of these balances.
20
Pension and Other Schemes
The Group operates a defined contribution pension scheme. The pension cost charge for the year
represents contributions payable by the Group to the scheme and amounted to £235,000 (2021:
£203,000).
21
Share-based Payment
PensionBee EMI and Non-EMI Share Option Scheme
Scheme Details and Movements
Under the PensionBee EMI and Non-EMI Share Option Scheme share options were granted to eligible
employees who have passed their probation period at the Group. The exercise price of all share
options is £0.001 per share.
The share options normally vest on the later of the following tranches, 25% of the shares vest on the
first anniversary of the vesting commencement date with the remaining 75% of the shares vesting
quarterly in equal instalments over the following three years.
The fair value of the share options granted is estimated on the date of grant by reference to the
prevailing share price. Before the Company was listed in 2021, the fair value was determined by
reference to the price paid by external investors as part of periodic funding rounds.
The weighted average fair value of share options granted during the year of grant was £nil (2021:
£1.65).
PensionBee Group plc
176
Financial Statements
In the prior period, share options could be exercised upon the occurrence of an exit event, a takeover,
reconstruction, liquidation and sale of the business, to the extent they have vested. In the event
that there has been no exit event before the tenth anniversary of the date of grant, the Directors
may determine that an option holder may exercise their option in the 30 day period before such
anniversary.
Following the listing of the Company in 2021, share options can be exercised upon satisfying the
service condition.
The movements in the number of share options during the year were as follows:
2022
Number
2021
Number
Outstanding, start of the year
3,911,235
15,293
Outstanding after Group Reorganisation
-
12,234,400
Granted during the year
-
312,000
Exercised during the year
(1,297,359)
(8,463,383)
Expired during the year
(169,472)
(171,782)
Outstanding, end of the year
2,444,404
3,911,235
The weighted average share price on date of exercise of share options exercised during the year was
£1.05 (2021: £1.64) and the weighted average remaining contractual life is one year and six months
(2021: two years and five months).
Deferred Share Bonus Plan
Scheme Details and Movements
Under the PensionBee Deferred Share Bonus Plan (‘DSBP’), awards are granted to eligible employees
who are or were an employee (including an Executive Director) of the Group and have been granted
a bonus. DSBP awards are granted at the end of the financial year once the annual bonus outturn has
been determined. The exercise price of all DSBP awards is £0.001 per award.
For the two Executive Directors that were in office as of 31 December 2021 their 2022 granted DSBP
awards cliff vest on the third anniversary of the date of grant. For the rest of the employees and the
subsequent grants, DSBP awards vest in three equal installments over a service period of three years
from grant date. DSBP awards vest upon satisfying the service condition.
The fair value of the DSBP awards is the share price on grant date. DSBP awards can be exercised to
the extent they have vested.
The weighted average fair value of awards granted during 2022 was £1.44 (2021: £nil).
The movements in the number of awards during the year were as follows:
2022
Number
2021
Number
Outstanding, start of the year
-
-
Granted during the year
944,508
-
Exercised during the year
-
-
Lapsed during the year
(54,957)
-
Outstanding, end of the year
889,551
-
There were no exercises during the year (2021: nil) and the weighted average remaining contractual
life is one year and five months.
Long Term Incentives
Scheme Details and Movements
Under the PensionBee Long Term Incentives (‘LTI’), awards are granted to eligible employees who
are or were employees (including an Executive Director) of the Group, at mid-level management or
higher, and have been granted a bonus. LTI awards are granted in the subsequent year following a
bonus grant. The exercise price of all LTI awards is £0.001 per award.
The awards vest in tranches, a third of the awards vest on the third anniversary, a third on the fourth
anniversary and the last third on the fifth anniversary of the vesting commencement date.
The fair value of the LTI awards is the share price on grant date discounted for restricted selling period.
LTI awards can be exercised to the extent they have vested.
The weighted average fair value of awards granted during 2022 was £1.38 (2021: £nil).
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
177
Financial Statements
The movements in the number of awards during the year were as follows:
2022
Number
2021
Number
Outstanding, start of the year
-
-
Granted during the year
1,311,681
-
Exercised during the year
-
-
Lapsed during the year
(26,415)
-
Outstanding, end of the year
1,285,266
-
There were no exercises during the year (2021: nil) and the weighted average remaining contractual
life is three years and three months.
Charge/Credit arising from Share-based Payment
The total charge for the year for the Share-based Payment was £1,898,000 (2021: £3,939,000), all of
which related to equity-settled share-based payment transactions.
22
Financial Risks Review
This note presents information about the Group’s exposure to financial risks and the Group’s
management of capital. Financial risk exposure results from the operations of the Subsidiary. The
Company is not trading and therefore is structured to avoid, in so far as possible, all forms of financial
risk.
Financial Risk Management Objectives
The Group has identified the financial risks arising from its activities and has established policies and
procedures to manage these risks in accordance with its risk appetite. These risks included market
risk, credit risk and liquidity risk. The Group does not enter or trade financial instruments, including
derivative financial instruments. Assisted by the Audit and Risk Committee, the Board of Directors has
overall responsibility for establishing and overseeing the Group’s risk management framework and
risk appetite.
The Group’s financial risk management policies are intended to ensure that risks, including emerging
risks are identified, evaluated and subject to ongoing close monitoring and mitigation where
appropriate. The Board of Directors regularly reviews financial risk management policies, procedures
and systems to reflect changes in the business, risk horizon, markets and financial instruments used by
the Group. The Group’s senior management is responsible for the day-to-day management of these
risks in accordance with the Group’s risk management framework.
Market Risk
Market risk is the risk that the fair value or future cash flows of financial instruments will fluctuate
because of changes in market prices. Market risk comprises risks including interest rate risk, currency
risk and price risk.
Interest Rate Risk
Interest rate risk is the risk that the fair value or future cash flows of a financial instrument will fluctuate
because of changes in market interest rates. The Group considers interest rate risk to be insignificant
due to no debt and no interest-bearing assets.
On 22 March 2021, the Group entered into a revolving credit facility for up to £10 million with National
Westminster Bank plc as part of prudent capital management to provide it with further liquidity
resources going forward. On 20 September 2021, management decided to close the facility on the
basis that the additional liquidity resources were no longer required. No amounts were drawn from
the facility during the period in which the credit was available. Amounts charged to the 2021 income
statement in respect of the cost of this facility totaled £1,409,000 for the year.
Price Risk
As the main source of revenue is based on the value of assets under administration (Assets under
Administration (‘AUA’) is a measure of the total assets for which a financial institution provides
administrative services). The Group has an indirect exposure to price risk on investments held on
behalf of customers. These assets are not on the Group’s Statement of Financial Position. The risk
of lower revenues is partially mitigated by asset class diversification. The Group does not hedge its
revenue exposure to movements in the value of customers assets arising from these risks, and so the
interests of the Group are aligned to those of its customers.
A 10% change in equity markets would have an approximate 7.5% impact on revenue. The 10%
change in equity markets is a reasonable approximation of possible change.
Credit Risk
Credit risk is the risk that a counterparty will be unable to pay amounts in full when due. The Group’s
exposure to credit risk arises principally from its cash balances held with banks and trade receivables.
The Group’s trade receivables are the contractual cashflow obligations that the payors must meet.
The payors are BlackRock, Legal & General, and State Street Corporation which are high credit rated
financial institutions. Assets they hold on behalf of the Group are a small percentage of their net assets
and on this basis credit risk is considered to be low. Utilising the simplified approach the Group has
shown there is no expected credit loss due to no historic credit losses, and no material need for a
lifetime loss allowance.
PensionBee Group plc
178
Financial Statements
At the end of the reporting period no assets were determined to be impaired and there was no
balance past due.
In certain cases, the Group may also consider a financial asset to be in default when internal or external
information indicates that the Group is unlikely to receive the outstanding contractual amounts in full.
A financial asset is written off when there is no reasonable expectation of recovering the contractual
cash flows.
Due to the Group’s financial assets primarily being trade receivables which all have an expected
lifetime of less than 12 months, the Group has elected to measure the expected credit losses at 12
months only.
Set out below is the information about the credit risk exposure on the Group’s trade receivables:
Days Past Due
Current
< 30 days
30-60 days
61-90 days
>91 days
Total
31-Dec-22
£ 000
£ 000
£ 000
£ 000
£ 000
£ 000
Gross Trade Receivables
1,565
-
-
-
-
1,565
Other Receivables
540
-
-
-
404
944
Days Past Due
Current
< 30 days
30-60 days
61-90 days
>91 days
Total
31-Dec-22
£ 000
£ 000
£ 000
£ 000
£ 000
£ 000
Gross Trade Receivables
1,335
-
-
-
-
1,335
Other Receivables
348
-
-
-
601
949
The Group’s trade receivables are concentrated in the three money managers
2022
%
2021
%
BlackRock
73%
71%
State Street Corporation
16%
16%
Legal & General
11%
13%
Total
100%
100%
Other receivables comprise R&D tax credit due from HMRC, office rental deposit and amounts due
from a related party (PensionBee Trustees). The probability of default by these parties is deemed low.
The credit risk on liquid funds financial instruments is limited because the counterparties are banks
with high credit-ratings assigned by international credit-rating agencies. The Group’s principal Bank
is Barclays Bank. The Group only uses banks with a credit rating of at least BBB+ (Standard & Poor’s).
The Group’s liquid funds are concentrated in Barclays, which hold 94% of the total balance as at year
end (2021: 93%).
Liquidity Risk
Liquidity risk is the risk that the Group will encounter difficulty in meeting obligations to settle its
liabilities. This is managed through cash flow forecasting.
Undiscounted Maturity Analysis
The following table sets out the remaining contractual maturities of the group’s financial liabilities by
type:
Within 1 year
Between 1
and 5 years
After more
than 5 years
Total
2022
£ 000
£ 000
£ 000
£ 000
Trade and Other Payables
1,515
-
-
1,515
Lease Liabilities
186
438
-
624
Within 1 year
Between 1
and 5 years
After more
than 5 years
Total
2021
£ 000
£ 000
£ 000
£ 000
Trade and Other Payables
3,028
-
-
3,028
Lease Liabilities
140
636
-
776
Capital Risk Management
For the purpose of the Group’s capital management, capital includes issued capital, share premium
and all other equity reserves attributable to the equity holders of the parent.
The primary objective of the Group’s capital management is to maximise the shareholder value.
The Group manages its capital structure and makes adjustments considering changes in economic
conditions. To maintain or adjust the capital structure, the Group may return capital to shareholders
or issue new shares.
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
179
Financial Statements
Externally Imposed Capital Requirements
The capital adequacy of the business is monitored on a quarterly basis as part of general business
planning by the Finance Team. The Group conducts a capital adequacy assessment process, as
required by the Financial Conduct Authority (‘FCA’) to assess and maintain the appropriate levels.
23
Related Party Transactions
Key Management Compensation
2022
£ 000
2021
£ 000
Salaries and Other Short-term Employee Benefits
1,752
1,428
Other Long-term Benefits
24
21
Share-based Payment
1,222
2,489
2,998
3,938
Related Party - PensionBee Trustees
The following related party transactions occur between the Company and PensionBee Trustees
Limited:
(i)
Payment of the PensionBee Trustees Limited bank fees on a quarterly basis. During the year bank
fees amounted to £52,000 (2021: £15,000). There was no outstanding balance at year end (2021:
£nil).
(ii) Compensation payments as a gesture of goodwill to customers that prefer to be compensated via a
pension contribution or the purchasing of additional units. During the year, these costs amounted
to £11,000 (2021: £16,000). There was no outstanding balance at year end (2021: £nil).
(iii) Other payments to customers (e.g. referral rewards). Payments are made from the Company and
invested into the customer’s fund from the PensionBee Trustees account. These payments can be
found in ‘Other Expenses’ and ‘Advertising and Marketing’. During the year these costs amounted
to £379,000 (2021: £314,000). There was no outstanding balance at year end (2021: £nil).
Transactions with Directors
During the year ended 31 December 2022, Mark Wood repaid £105,279 to the Subsidiary in respect of
a payment to HMRC made by the Group on his behalf in the prior year.
24
Events After the Reporting Period
There were no events of material impact to the financial statements that occurred after the reporting
date.
25
Alternative Performance Measures
The Company uses a variety of alternative performance measures (‘APMs’) which are not defined or
specified by IFRS, in particular Adjusted Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortisation
(‘Adjusted EBITDA’). The Directors use a combination of APMs and IFRS measures when reviewing
the performance and position of the Company and believe that each of these measures provides
useful information with respect to the Company’s business and operations. The Directors consider
that these APMs illustrate the underlying performance of the business by excluding items considered
by management not to be reflective of the underlying trading operations of the Company.
The APMs used by the Company are defined below and reconciled to the related IFRS financial
measures:
Adjusted EBITDA
Adjusted EBITDA represents loss for the year before taxation, finance costs, depreciation, share-based
compensation and listing costs.
Adjusted EBITDAM
Adjusted EBITDAM represents loss for the year before taxation, finance costs, depreciation, advertising
and marketing, share based compensation and listing costs.
2022
£ 000
2021
£ 000
Operating Profit/(Loss)
(22,374)
(23,563)
Depreciation Expense
276
256
Share-based Payment (1)
1,898
3,939
Listing Costs (2)
687
2,947
Adjusted EBITDA
(19,513)
(16,421)
Marketing Costs
16,554
12,865
Adjusted EBITDA before Marketing
(2,959)
(3,556)
(1) Relates to total annual charge in relation to Share-based Payment expense as detailed in Note 21.
(2) 2022 Listing Costs relate to expenses incurred in relation to the preparation for the transfer from the
High Growth Segment to the Premium Segment of the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange
(2021: preparation for admission to the High Growth Segment of the London Stock Exchange).
PensionBee Group plc
180
Financial Statements
7
Company Financial Statements
Statement of Financial Position
As at 31 December 2022
Note
2022
£ 000
2021
£ 000
Assets
Non-current Assets
Investment in Subsidiaries
3
357,071
348,089
Current Assets
Other Receivables
4
289
64
Cash and Cash Equivalents
3,036
12,139
3,325
12,203
Total Assets
360,396
360,292
Equity and Liabilities
Equity
Share Capital
8
223
221
Share Premium
9
53,218
53,218
Share-based Payment Reserve
5,222
3,324
Retained Earnings
9
301,605
303,302
Total Equity
360,268
360,065
Current Liabilities
Trade and Other Payables
5
128
227
Total Equity and Liabilities
360,396
360,292
The Company Loss for the period is £1,648,000
The notes on pages 183 - 186 form an integral part of these financial statements.
Approved by the Board on 15 March 2023 and signed on its behalf by:
Christoph J. Martin
Chief Financial Officer
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
181
Financial Statements
Statement of Changes in Equity
For the year ended 31 December 2022
Note
Share Capital
£ 000
Share Premium
£ 000
Share-based
Payment Reserve
£ 000
Retained Earnings
£ 000
Total
As at 1 January 2021
-
-
-
(1,275)
(1,275)
Total Comprehensive Profit/(Loss)
-
-
-
(1,275)
(1,275)
Share-based Payment Transactions
-
-
3,324
-
3,324
Issue of Share Capital
8
33
54,967
-
-
55,000
Group Reorganisation
8
180
-
-
304,585
304,765
Transaction Costs on Issue of Shares
8
-
(1,749)
-
-
(1,749)
Exercise of Share Options
8
8
-
-
(8)
-
At 31 December 2021
221
53,218
3,324
303,302
360,065
As at 1 January 2022
221
53,218
3,324
303,302
360,065
Total Comprehensive Profit/(Loss)
-
-
-
(1,648)
(1,648)
Share-based Payment Transactions
-
-
1,898
-
1,898
Prior year Adjustment
-
-
-
(47)
(47)
Exercise of Share Options
8
2
-
-
(2)
-
At 31 December 2022
223
53,218
5,222
301,605
360,268
The notes on pages 183 - 186 form an integral part of these financial statements.
PensionBee Group plc
182
Financial Statements
8
Notes to the Company's Financial Statements
For the year ended 31 December 2022
1 Accounting Policies
Statement of Compliance
These financial statements were prepared in accordance with Financial Reporting Standard 102 ‘The
Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland’.
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Key Accounting Estimates
The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out
below. These policies have been consistently applied to all the years presented, unless otherwise stated.
Basis of Preparation
These financial statements have been prepared using the historical cost convention.
The financial statements are presented in GBP and all values are rounded to the nearest thousand
(£’000), except when otherwise indicated. The functional currency of the Company is GBP because it is
the primary currency in the economic environment in which the Company operates.
The company has taken advantage of the exemption in section 408 of the Companies Act from
presenting its individual profit and loss account.
Judgements and Key Sources of Estimation Uncertainty
In applying the Company’s accounting policies, the Directors are required to make judgements that
have a significant impact on the amounts recognised and to make estimates and assumptions about
the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The
estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are
considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates. The estimates and underlying
assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in
the period in which the estimate is revised if the revision affects only that period, or in the period of
the revision and future periods if the revision affects both current and future periods.
The Directors have considered the following key sources of estimation uncertainty at the statement
of financial position date which have a significant effect on the amounts recognised in the financial
statements.
Assessment as to whether the investment in subsidiary is impaired
The recoverable amount is the subsidiary’s discounted cash flow value. The determination of the
recoverable amount of the investment in subsidiary depends on certain assumptions, which include
selection of the discount rate and projection of future cash flows. The discount rate is the Company’s
Weighted Average Cost of Capital (‘WACC’). This was set by reference to comparable companies’
WACC and adjusting it for the Company’s risk profile. Significant assumptions are required to be made
when selecting comparable companies and determining the Company’s risk profile adjustment.
Future cash flow projections significantly rely on revenue projections which are inherently uncertain
due to their sensitivity to changes in market conditions and revenue growth rate. Significant
assumptions are required to be made when setting the revenue growth rate which takes into
consideration perceived changes in market conditions and customer behavior. Further information
on the investment in subsidiary’s recoverable amount and the sensitivity of the recoverable amount
to changes in unobservable inputs are provided in Note 3.
Summary of Disclosure Exemptions
The Company has taken advantage of the following disclosure exemptions in preparing these financial
statements, as permitted by FRS 102:
the requirements of Section 7 Statement of Cash Flows;
the requirements of Section 3 Financial Statement Presentation paragraph 3.17(d);
the requirements of Section 33 Related Party Disclosures paragraph 33.7;
the requirements of Section 11 Financial Instruments paragraphs 11.41(b), 11.41(c), 11.41(e),
11.41(f), 11.42, 11.44 to 11.45, 11.47, 11.48(a)(iii), 11.48(a)(iv), 11.48(b) and 11.48(c);
the requirements of Section 12 Other Financial Instruments paragraphs 12.26 to 12.27, 12.29(a),
12.29(b) and 12.29A.
Going Concern
The Directors have a reasonable expectation that the Company has adequate financial resources
to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future and are satisfied that the Company
can continue to pay its liabilities as they fall due for a period of at least 12 months from the date of
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
183
Financial Statements
approval of these financial statements. The Company has strong cash reserves and forecasts growth
in the subsidiary that should see the financial results improve in the future years. The Company’s only
investment is in the subsidiary. Therefore, the subsidiary’s ability to remain in operational existence
was considered.
The subsidiary has been operationally resilient as proven by consistent operational efficiencies that
have been maintained during the financial year. Stress testing was done by considering severe
and unlikely but possible scenarios including a sharp decline in equity markets, the worsening of
conversion and lower transferred-in pension pot sizes, all of which could potentially be caused by
the geopolitical and macroeconomic environment. The impact of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia
on global capital markets and on the world more generally has also been considered in the Directors’
assessment of going concern. While the subsidiary’s own exposure to Russia in terms of investments
is minimal, rounding to 0%, broader market volatility could impact Assets under Administration and
the Directors will continue to monitor the rapidly developing situation.
The Company has adequate resources to survive macroeconomic downturns and the Directors
concluded that the Company has sufficient financial resources to remain in operational existence.
For these reasons, the Directors adopt the going concern basis of preparation for these financial
statements.
Tax
There was no current or deferred tax charge for the year (2021: £nil). Tax is recognised in the Statement
of Comprehensive Income except to the extent that it relates to items recognised directly in equity or
other comprehensive income, in which case it is recognised directly in equity or other comprehensive
income.
Current income tax assets and liabilities are measured at the amount expected to be recovered from
or paid to the taxation authorities. The tax rates and tax laws used to compute the amount are those
that are enacted or substantively enacted at the reporting date in the United Kingdom where the
Company operates and generates taxable income.
Management periodically evaluates positions taken in the tax returns with respect to situations in which
applicable tax regulations are subject to interpretation and establishes liabilities where appropriate.
Deferred tax is provided using the liability method on temporary differences between the tax bases of
assets and liabilities and their carrying amounts for financial reporting purposes at the reporting date.
Deferred tax assets are recognised for all deductible temporary differences, the carry forward of
unused tax credits and any unused tax losses. Deferred tax assets are recognised to the extent that it is
probable that taxable profit will be available against which the deductible temporary differences, and
the carry forward of unused tax credits and unused tax losses can be utilised.
The carrying amount of deferred tax assets is reviewed at each reporting date and reduced to the
extent that it is no longer probable that sufficient taxable profit will be available to allow all or part of
the deferred tax asset to be utilised. Unrecognised deferred tax assets are re-assessed at each reporting
date and are recognised to the extent that it has become probable that future taxable profits will allow
the deferred tax asset to be recovered.
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured at the tax rates that are expected to apply in
the year when the asset is realised or the liability is settled, based on tax rates (and tax laws) that
have been enacted or substantively enacted at the reporting date. The Group offsets deferred
tax assets and deferred tax liabilities if and only if it has a legally enforceable right to set off
current tax assets and current tax liabilities and the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities
relate to income taxes levied by the same taxation authority on either the same taxable entity or
different taxable entities which intend either to settle current tax liabilities and assets on a net
basis, or to realise the assets and settle the liabilities simultaneously, in each future period in which
significant amounts of deferred tax liabilities or assets are expected to be settled or recovered.
Investments
Investment in subsidiary is recognised at cost and an annual impairment review is undertaken.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash on hand and short term highly liquid deposits with a
maturity of less than 3 months.
Trade Receivables
Trade and other receivables are recognised initially at the transaction price less attributable transaction
costs. Subsequent to initial recognition they are measured at amortised cost using the effective
interest method, less any impairment losses in the case of trade receivables.
Trade Payables
Trade and other payables are recognised initially at transaction price plus attributable transaction
costs. Subsequently they are measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Trade and other payables are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in
the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Trade payables are classified as current liabilities if
payment is due within one year or less (or in the normal operating cycle of the business if longer). If
not, they are presented as non-current liabilities.
PensionBee Group plc
184
Financial Statements
Impairment of Non-Financial Assets
The Group assesses at each reporting date, whether there is an indication that an asset may be
impaired. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated based on
future cashflows with a suitable range of discount rates and the expectations of future performance.
An impairment loss is recognised for the amount by which the asset’s carrying amount exceeds its
recoverable amount. Impairment loss is recognised in the Statement of Comprehensive Income.
Share Capital
Ordinary shares are classified as equity. Equity instruments are measured at the fair value of the cash or
other resources received or receivable, net of the direct costs of issuing the equity instruments. Refer
to Note 8 for the basis of accounting for the share for share transaction that was recorded during the
year. If payment is deferred and the time value of money is material, the initial measurement is on a
present value basis.
Share-based Payments
The financial effect of awards by the Parent Company of equity-settled awards (principally, options
over its equity shares) to the employees of the subsidiary undertaking are recognised by the Parent
Company in its individual financial statements. In particular, the Parent Company records an increase
in its investment in subsidiaries with a credit to equity equivalent to the expense for the equity-settled
award recognised in the group for such awards. There are no recharges to the subsidiary undertaking
for such awards.
2
Staff Numbers
The Company does not have employees.
3
Investments
Summary of the Company Investments
2022
£ 000
2021
£ 000
As at 1 January
348,089
-
Additions
8,982
348,089
As at 31 December
357,071
348,089
Subsidiary undertakings
Name of Subsidiary
Principal activity
Registered office
Proportion of ownership
interest and voting
rights held (2021)
PensionBee Limited
Pension provider
209 Blackfriars Road
SE1 8NL
100%
PensionBee Limited has been included in the Group consolidated financial statements.
Impairment of Investment in Subsidiary
At each reporting period, the investment in the subsidiary is assessed for impairment. Management
has determined the recoverable amount of the investment in the subsidiary by reference to the
subsidiary’s discounted forecast cash flows. Key assumptions in this assessment include consideration
of growth rates which drive revenue and costs, expected changes to future costs and the discount
rate. The period considered was fifteen years. A projection period of fifteen years was considered
appropriate due to the high growth phase of the subsidiary. The projection period was split into
medium term (year 2-5) and long term (year 6-15) growth phase whereby the growth trajectory
declines over that forecasting period. PensionBee’s short term projections are based on the most
recent Board approved financial information. PensionBee’s medium to long term projections are
supported by its high customer retention rate, young customer base in pension accumulating assets,
strong brand awareness and effective marketing acquisition capabilities as well as the scalability
of the cost base. The long term growth rate used was 2.5%. The Weighted Average Cost of Capital
(‘WACC’) used for discounting the forecast cash flows was 14%, which was benchmarked against
comparable companies. The recoverable amount is higher than the carrying amount therefore no
impairment was identified. A 5% decrease in the cumulative annual growth rate would decrease the
recoverable amount by 6% and a 5% increase in the cumulative annual growth rate would increase
the recoverable amount by 16%. A 5% decrease in the cumulative annual growth rate would result in
a recoverable amount that is 4% lower than the carrying amount of the investment. Sensitivity factors
were consistently applied throughout the long term.
4
Other Receivables
2022
£ 000
2021
£ 000
Amounts due from Subsidiary
279
-
Prepayments
10
64
289
64
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022
185
Financial Statements
5
Trade and Other Payables
2022
£ 000
2021
£ 000
Trade Payables
6
62
Accrued Expenses
122
32
Amounts due to Subsidiary
-
133
128
227
6
Deferred Taxation
Deferred tax assets have not been recognised in respect of tax losses as there is insufficient evidence
of recoverability in the near future. The Company has tax losses of £1,389,000 (2021: £409,000) that are
indefinitely available against future taxable profits of the Company for which no deferred tax has been
provided.
7
Share-based Payment
Full disclosure of PensionBee's share option scheme is given in Note 21. The disclosures required in
relation to Directors’ emoluments and share option plans are given in Note 6.
8
Share Capital
2022
2021
No. 000
£ 000
No. 000
£ 000
Ordinary of £0.001 each
222,862
223
221,565
221
222,862
223
221,565
221
During the year, PensionBee Group plc issued ordinary shares from share options exercised totaling
1,336,148 ordinary shares (2021: 8,138,194 ) of £0.001 each. The exercise price for each exercised share
option was £0.001 (2021: £0.001).
On 24 March 2021, PensionBee Group plc acquired all the issued shares of PensionBee Limited through
a share for share transaction.
Every issued share in PensionBee Limited was exchanged for
800 shares in
PensionBee Group plc. Every share option was cancelled and replaced by 800 share options. Through
the Group Reorganisation, PensionBee Group plc issued 180,054,400 ordinary shares of £0.001 each
and reduced its share premium to create additional distributable reserves. The issued ordinary shares
were accounted for at their nominal value. On 26 April 2021, PensionBee Group plc issued 33,333,333
ordinary shares of £0.001 each as part of its Initial Public Offering (‘IPO’). Each share was issued at £1.65.
Transaction costs incurred and directly attributable to the issuance of shares for the IPO amounted to
£1,748,000. These costs were recognised as a reduction to the share premium.
Each ordinary share carries one vote per share and ranks pari passu with respect to dividends and capital.
9
Reserves
Share Premium
The share premium account represents the excess of the issue price over the par value on shares
issued, less transaction costs arising on the issue.
Share-based Payment Reserve
The Share-based Payment Reserve represents the cumulative expense in relation to share options
granted to subsidiary employees.
Retained Earnings
The balance in the retained earnings account represents the distributable reserves of the standalone
company, PensionBee Group plc.
10
Events After the Reporting Period
There were no events of material impact to the financial statements that occurred after the reporting
date.
PensionBee Group plc
186
Financial Statements
PensionBee Executive Directors:
Romi Savova (Chief Executive Officer), Jonathan Lister Parsons (Chief Technology Officer), Christoph J. Martin (Chief Financial Officer)
PensionBee Non-Executive Directors:
Mark Wood CBE (Non-Executive Chair), Mary Francis CBE (Senior Independent Director), Michelle Cracknell CBE (Independent Non-Executive Director),
Lara Oyesanya FRSA (Independent Non-Executive Director)
Company Secretary:
Michael Tavener
Registered Number:
13172844
Registered Office:
209 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 8NL, United Kingdom
Auditor:
Deloitte LLP, 4 Brindley Place, Birmingham, B1 2HZ, United Kingdom
Copyright 2023. PensionBee Limited. Company Registration Number: 09354862. FCA Reference Number: 744931. Information Commissioner's Office Registration: ZA131262