The total payments to Sampension hit a "record high” of DKK 16bn in 2024, an increase of 24 per cent compared to 2023, according to Sampension results.

The results showed that current payments increased by 6 per cent to DKK 10.3bn in 2024, while customers' deposits and transfers increased by 71 per cent to DKK 4.6bn.

Sampension CEO, Hasse Jørgensen, said that payments from customers “skyrocketed” significantly last year and said this was “extremely satisfying”.

He explained the development was particularly driven by the fact that a “significant” portion of its new customers in 2024 transferred their previous pension schemes to Sampension, alongside their workplace choosing Sampension as their pension provider.

He also pointed out that collective bargaining in the public sector also contributed to the growth in contributions last year and many customers prioritised making extra investments in their pension savings in 2024.

"Overall, the record-high payments are an expression of a vote of confidence from customers, which we must of course live up to," Jørgensen said.

In addition to this, the return on investment in Sampension increased from DKK 21.4bn in 2023 to DKK 17.2bn in 2024.

"2024 was another good year for pension savers in Denmark. The tailwind that characterised the stock markets in 2023 continued last year, and this contributed to Danes generally getting good returns on their pension savings, which also applied to our customers,” Jørgensen explained.

“When it comes to creating value for customers, however, it is the return seen over a number of years that is crucial, and here we are doing very well both in absolute terms and in relation to the industry.”

For customers in Sampension Life up to and including 51 years of age at moderate risk, the return was 9.6 per cent in 2024, and over a five-year period, the return for this age group is 43.1 per cent.

Jørgensen said that Sampension has chosen to increase the proportion of shares in general in customers' pension savings from the turn of the year, with the view to strengthening the opportunities to ensure good long-term returns for customers.

He said that this would increase the return potential over the years and contribute to higher expected pension payments to customers in the end.

In particular, the share of equities in low, moderate, and high risk has been increased, especially for its older customers. For all investment profiles, the change results in higher expected returns with limited additional risk.

Sampension's balance sheet was DKK 337bn in 2024, where the number of customers and members in the community increased by almost 12,000 to over 355,000.

The results also showed that in 2024, Sampension lowered CO2 emissions in its investment portfolio, with the total emissions reduced by 20 per cent. Meanwhile, the so-called carbon footprint (emissions per million DKK invested) fell by 22 per cent.

Given this, emissions have decreased by 41.9 per cent (absolute emissions) and 51.9 per cent (carbon footprint) respectively since 2020.

Jørgensen said that it is “crucial” that investors contribute to combat accelerating climate change and is working purposefully to lower the climate footprint from its investments.

“We are very pleased with this. It is also underlining that we are on the right track in terms of realising our climate goals, where we are even well ahead of the annual reduction targets that are necessary to achieve the goals in both the medium and long term," he stated.

Sampension's goal is to reduce CO2 emissions from the total investment portfolio by 45 per cent by 2030, contributing to the portfolio being CO2 neutral by 2050.

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