New Pension system
January 2025: Explanation of the Implementation Plan and Communication Plan Wtp
At the beginning of January 2025, the board of the Heineken Pension Fund decided to accept the assignment and to carry out the requests of the social partners. The implementation is laid down in the Implementation Plan. The Wtp Communication Plan is part of the Implementation Plan. Click here to read more about the Implementation Plan, Communication Plan Wtp and important communication moments.
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The pension scheme in the new pension system explained
The social partners (the employers’ and employees’ representatives) opt for the solidarity-based pension scheme. In the solidarity-based pension scheme, windfalls and setbacks are absorbed together and collective investments are made. As a result, pensions will be stable. In the coming months, we will explain the new pension scheme to you in small pieces.
- Old age pension
Old-age pension is the pension you will receive when you stop working. How does it work now and how will it work in the future? Read more. - Partner’s and Orphan’s pension
It is important that there is also a benefit for your partner and children in the event of your death. A situation you’d rather not think about, but it’s very important to have something arranged. Read more. - Solidarity reserve
The new pension scheme is a solidarity-based contribution scheme. An important and mandatory element of this scheme is the solidarity reserve. The solidarity reserve is a separate reserve that protects the pension benefits. The solidarity reserve has two objectives, click here to read more. - From pension entitlement to capital for pension
The way we build up pension is going to change. From pension entitlement to a capital for pension. Read more.
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November 2024: Informative webinars on the transition to the solidarity-based contribution scheme
During the Three Days of Pensions from November 12-14th, webinars on the solidarity-based contribution scheme took place for various target groups. Rogier Bouwman (chairman of Heineken Pension Fund) and Maayke van Houdt (People Director HEINEKEN Group) explained, among other things, how pensions are arranged in the Netherlands, why a new pension system is needed, what is changing, what will remain the same and how the solidarity-based contribution scheme works. We will discuss the partner’s pension in detail and we discussed the global distribution of pension assets to personal pension assets. The webinars last one hour and can be viewed here.
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July 2024: Transition plan
The Future Pensions Act came into force on 1 July 2023. All pension schemes must be adapted to this new law. HEINEKEN and the trade unions have agreed upon a the new pension scheme and about the way in which the transition to the new pension scheme should take place. All of this is laid down in the transition plan. We have made a summary of the transition plan.
Read the summary of the transition plan
Read the transition plan (only in Dutch)
Find out more about the pension transition plan and view the
video in which the employer tell you more about the new system. (only in Dutch)
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Adjustments to partner’s pension and orphan’s pension in accordance with the Future of Pensions Act
Where possible, the current pension scheme will be brought in line with the Future Pensions Act, which came into effect on July 1, 2023. This means that as of January 1, 2024, the definitions for ‘partner’ and ‘orphan’ have been amended. You read here what this means. And it is possible to bring your pension forward up to ten years before the state pension age.
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Employer’s newsletter new pension system
In December 2023, the employer sent out a first newsletter about the upcoming changes to the pension. Why is change necessary, what will remain the same, what will change, what steps have been taken and what steps still need to be taken. It also tells which parties are involved. Read the newsletter here.
In April 2024 the employer sent out the second newsletter about the upcoming changes to the pension. You read more about who is working on this transition, the process and who represents you. Read the newsletter here.
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Results of research into risk and your pension
In March 2023, the Heineken Pension Fund invited you to participate in the research into how much risk you want to take with your pension. We think it is important to know how our (former) participants and pensioners view the returns and risks of investing. With this research we got a good indication of that: a total of 2,052 respondents gave their opinion.. The reason for carrying out this research is the new pension rules that are applicable with the new pension system.
Click here for the results.
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The cabinet has concluded a pension agreement with the employees’ and employers’ organizations. This pension agreement outlines what the new pension system should look like. A number of things are already clear, but many parts still need to be worked out in more detail. We would like to keep you informed about developments on this webpage.
Getting started with the new pension system
The Heineken Pension Fund has started a project together with HEINEKEN and the employee organizations to get started with the pension agreement. For the time being, this project assumes a transition date of 1 January 2026. This is the first possible realistic date for the Heineken Pension Fund to switch to the new pension system. Previously, this was January 1, 2025. However, this has proved unfeasible, mainly due to delayed legislation and regulations.We prefer not to wait with the transition until the deadline of January 1, 2028.
The project is divided into four phases:
Preliminary preferred scheme: solidary contract
On the basis of the pension agreement, choices must be made about a new pension scheme, in which a choice can primarily be made between two different contract forms. HEINEKEN and the employees’ organizations have made a preliminary choice in broad terms, namely the solidary contribution scheme. This choice will be further investigated and elaborated in the in-depth phase in 2022 and 2023. Read the message from HEINEKEN and the employees’ representative organizations about the provisional preferential arrangement.
Why a new pension system?
We want everyone in the Netherlands to be able to receive a good pension. Even the generations after us. That is why the unions, employers and the government have jointly made new rules for pensions. In the coming years we will implement these new rules together. Read more about the new rules for your pension.
Results participant survey
Read more about the results of the participant survey.