The retirement benefit landscape has changed dramatically in the past decade, and its evolution toward more cost-effective solutions is ongoing. The following resources provide multinational employers with a deep look into the world of global retirement and the trends we're tracking.
A broad look at global retirement
Global Retirement Management
Support for the management of a multinational organization's defined contribution (DC) and defined benefit (DB) retirement plans around the world.
Global Defined Contribution Pensions Insights Hub
Explore defined contribution insights from across the globe to drive better retirement outcomes for your organization and employees.
Mastering DC plans globally
A global approach navigates local complexities to improve employee experience and manage employer risks.
Mastering global pension risks globally
Multinationals that approach their DB pension risks in a structured way succeed in implementing their risk reduction goals around the world.
International Pension Plan Survey 2024
Insight into the geographical coverage of IPPs and ISPs and vehicles used to establish them, membership criteria and plan design elements and the integration of ESG considerations.
Pensions: Global Accounting Consolidation and Risk Management
Is your multinational company interested in a more effective way to consolidate and monitor the financials of your pension debt?
Global market updates
Global Pension Finance Watch – First Quarter 2025
Pension index performance varied across regions this quarter, shaped by differing asset returns and discount rate movements.
Global Gender Wealth Equity Report
Our Wealth Equity Index reveals a significant gender wealth gap at retirement. We explore the effects of career, family support, life events and financial literacy on wealth accumulation.
Global Pension Assets Study – 2024
The Global Pension Assets Study estimates global pension fund assets across 22 major pension markets. These geographies now stand at US$55.7 trillion in pension assets and account for 69% of the GDP of these economies.
Global Markets Overview
Navigating market volatility: strategies for defined contribution pension arrangements.
Global legislative updates
Australia: New gender equality reporting requirements
Australia is set to become first in the world to mandate action-oriented goal setting, achievement and reporting on gender equality through amendments to the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012.
EU Pay Transparency Directive – Transposing into national law
The EU Pay Transparency Directive requires each Member State to introduce legislation by 2026, and how they do this will be critical. Our whitepaper sets out that ambition to maximize its impact.
How to categorize your workers under the EU Pay Transparency Directive
Although the Directive provides a definition for categories of workers, many employers are unsure how to group their employees. WTW and Linklaters share guidance on how you should approach it.
Netherlands: Extensive new pay transparency requirements proposed
Netherlands is proposing new rules to close the gender pay gap by requiring employers to set formal salary structures, openly share pay details in job postings and meet other reporting mandates.
Belgium: Social security and occupational pension reforms proposed
The Belgium government's Federal Coalition Agreement for 2025–2029 contains significant tax reforms and changes to the country's pension system that would impact most employers.
Belgium: Significant and broad changes to employment law and social security proposed
Belgium's new government seeks to make sweeping changes to the country's labor laws in its proposed Federal Coalition Agreement, with cost and policy implications for employers.
Lithuania: Reforms of pension reforms past
In a marked reversal, Lithuania is seeking to make contributing to second-pillar defined contribution retirement accounts voluntary once again, along with proposing new tax incentives for employers.
Chile: Strengthening social security and increasing labor costs
Employers should expect a rise in labor costs due to expected changes to Chile's pension system to boost employee retirement security.
South Korea: Expanded definition of ordinary wages may increase employer labor costs and liabilities
A South Korean Supreme Court ruling requiring certain bonuses and other non-fixed wages to be included when calculating overtime pay, severance and other benefits may lead to spikes in employer costs.
China: Expansion of voluntary personal pension system
China has rolled out a voluntary personal pension program nationwide to help employees guard against the challenges of keeping social security pension benefits fully funded for an aging population.
Thailand: Implementation of the Employee Welfare Fund
The Employee Welfare Fund, Thailand's much-anticipated financial safety net for employees, is set to launch in late 2025, bringing new contribution requirements for employers and their workforces.
South Korea: Proposed pension system reforms include a substantial increase in contributions
South Korea's government proposes the first hike in 27 years in the pension contribution rate for both employers and employees to slow the country's projected pension fund depletion.
Mexico: Major planned labor measures
Mexico's new president is aiming for annual double-digit minimum wage hikes during her term that, along with other planned employer mandates, could increase labor costs.
United Kingdom: Reviewing endgame strategies for UK DB schemes – top tips for success
Improved funding levels have made buyouts feasible for many UK DB schemes, but run-on strategies are also gaining traction. Here are five tips to consider in order to review your endgame strategy effectively.
United Kingdom: Draft regulations for multiemployer collective defined contribution plans
A new type of pension scheme in the U.K. would give employees the risk-pooling advantages of a centrally managed pooled investment fund and employers the predictability of set contributions.
United States: DC plans continue to evolve to support employees' financial health
Discover how employers in the U.S. are addressing defined contribution plans to enhance employee financial health and resilience.
EU, US: New requirements for pension and benefit plans to manage cyber risks
Businesses in the EU and U.S. are facing tighter regulations around cybersecurity and information technology to protect financial data, health and welfare plan information, and plan assets.
Australia: Government to pay superannuation contributions on family leave benefits
Australia takes steps to support gender equity in retirement, addressing gaps in superannuation guarantee contributions that can be traced to time spent out of the workforce during family leave.
Brazil: New automatic enrollment and taxation options in supplemental retirement plans
Employer sponsors of supplemental retirement plans in Brazil can now allow for automatic enrollment, and participants can defer the choice of tax treatment until retirement.
Ireland: Auto-enrollment retirement savings system moves ahead
Employers have much to do to prepare as Ireland moves closer toward auto-enrolling employees in a government-run pension plan.
U.A.E.: New voluntary account-based system for funding end-of-service benefits
Employers in the U.A.E. can now opt into a new system allowing them to fund individual future end-of-service benefits by contributing monthly to an employee's defined contribution account.
