The Dutch Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) Taskforce has published its annual 2025 workplan, outlining its long-term (until the end of 2027) and short-term (one year) objectives.

The workplan was approved by the Dutch Federation of Pension Funds (Pensioenfederatie) and the Dutch Labour Foundation, which set up the taskforce with the aim of increasing DEI within the pension sector.

The taskforce aims to conduct dialogues on diversity and inclusion by nominating and appointing parties and using external expertise.

The taskforce was established in early 2024 for a period of four years, until 31 December 2027. The founding parties of the taskforce will evaluate its progress, objectives and results at least once every three years.

The taskforce members represent pension funds, employers, or employees, or are independent experts appointed on the recommendation of the Dutch Federation of Pension Funds and the Dutch Labour Foundation.

The members of the taskforce are: DEI taskforce chair, Inge Bleijenbergh, Tilburg University human resource studies department head, Brigitte Kroon, Occupational Pension Fund for Pilots (BPL) director of the board, Rajesh Grobbe, PFZW board member, Kim Haasbroek, Pensioenfonds Schoonmaak director, Tarik Uçar, PME board member, Monique van der Poel, PensionLab chair, Anne Vermeulen, CNV pension policy advisor, Marco Brouwer, and Edukans supervisory board member, Kaylee Rosalina.

The taskforce published an annual report, with the first work plan submitted to the clients in the spring of 2024 and then published on 28 May 2024 during an introductory meeting at PGGM.

The workplan will also include the results achieved in the past year and new or adjusted objectives based on new insights.

The workplan set out that its objectives include striving for diversity in boards and other bodies of pension funds, increasing social reflection, so that more groups feel represented, providing tools for increasing DEI, actively involving pension funds, and nominating organisations in diversely composed fund bodies.

The report stated that achieving DEI in individual funds is a “continuous task” and responsibility of pension fund boards and supervisory boards and currently the pension sector is not “sufficiently successful” in realising DEI in its boards, other fund bodies, nominations and other organisations.

The taskforce said it hopes that by the end of its four years of establishment, the pension sector will have made “significant” progress in the area of ​​diversity in fund bodies and the realisation of an inclusive culture.

However, it emphasised that pension funds must take concrete steps, which it suggested started by entering into dialogue within their organisations, but more broadly with, for example, nominating organisations.

In 2024, the taskforce entered into dialogue with stakeholders, such as the Association of Internal Supervisors of the Pension Sector (VITP), De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB), and employers' organisation VNO-NCW, on the importance of a “conscious and transparent” approach to promoting diversity.

Bleijenbergh said this year will see the taskforce deepen the dialogue on DEI with pension funds, nominators and other relevant stakeholders.

“The taskforce is ready to be more active in its approach to the sector with concrete guidelines and good examples,” she said.  

“The launch of our own LinkedIn page is a great first step in this and soon we will also launch our own website.

She said the taskforce looks forward to working with all the parties involved to create a more diverse, equal and inclusive pension sector.

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