The first Pensions & Investments Investment Education Awards will be presented at the P&I Defined Contribution Conference in New York Jan. 31 to Feb. 2.
The awards will recognize companies sponsoring defined contribution plans that have done an outstanding job of educating participants in how to invest their defined contribution plan assets wisely to provide for retirement.
The awards will be presented in three categories:
printed material - initial educational brochures;
printed material - on-going educational communications;
video/PC interactive programs, initial and on-going.
The awards will be presented in three size categories: Fewer than 1,000 employees, 1,000 to 5,000 employees and more than 5,000 employees. Sponsors will be separated into two categories: corporate and other entities.
The materials and programs must be aimed at educating employees about key aspects of the savings and investment process:
why they should begin saving early;
the nature of various investment vehicles such as stocks, bonds and cash equivalents;
the long-term risk and return characteristics of each vehicle;
the meaning and power of compound interest; and
the relationship of these concepts and vehicles to employees' particular life situation and retirement goals.
The entries will be judged on their persuasiveness, their understandability, their attractiveness and accessibility. The interactive programs also will be judged for ease of use. Evidence of effectiveness must accompany each entry, such as improvement in asset allocation or participation, or responses from employee groups.
The entry must be submitted by the defined contribution plan sponsor. Sponsors are allowed to enter more than one category.
Entry forms are printed on this page, and also are available from Christine Philip at (312) 649-5217.
The deadline is Nov. 15.
