The Pensions Management Institute (PMI) has accredited its first lay trustee, with Derbyshire (LGPS) Pension Board employee representative, Neil Calvert, being the first to qualify.

The organisation’s lay trustee accreditation was launched last month with the intention of enabling lay trustees to demonstrate a high degree of competence in driving best practice decision-making and so they are able to navigate the complex challenges of modern scheme governance.

Applicants seeking the accreditation, which was announced in June, need to complete The Pensions Regulator’s (TPR) Trustee Toolkit and both parts of the PMI’s Certificate of Pension Trusteeship to be approved.

PMI said the TPR-backed qualification had been well received by “trustees and their schemes across the sector”, adding that 10 more lay trustees are currently in the process of seeking accreditation.

PMI CEO, Gareth Tancred, commented: “I would like to congratulate on behalf of the PMI Board and Advisory Council for being the first lay trustee to achieve accreditation. Our accreditation programme has been built to professional trusteeship standards.”

He explained that this meant those who achieved accreditation, such as Calvert, would have “a high degree of competency in driving best practice decision-making” and would be able to “help his scheme to navigate the complex challenges”.

Calvert said: “Joining a pension board can be a daunting proposition. The lay trustee needs to be able to demonstrate not only a broad understanding of the key concepts but also the behaviours and soft skills needed to engage effectively in the decision-making process.

“Studying for the PMI exams has provided me with professional development which is relevant, current and of high quality, and I am delighted to be the first to achieve this new accreditation for lay trustees, which should provide assurance that they will be well equipped to contribute fully to the running of complex pensions schemes in challenging times.”

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