Standard & Poor's (S&P) has introduced a pensions tool to help trustees assess the risks of employer pension funds.
Jim MacLachlan, director of pensions services at the credit rating agency, said the firm's new product would assess the sponsoring company's credit strength using information from a range of financial sources. Given that sponsors can only make contributions while they are solvent, the issue is a prime concern to scheme trustees. MacLachlan said the tool would provide a cost-effective way to gauge a sponsor's financial strength.