In this news item we inform you about the investment result of Heineken Pension Fund in 2022. Research by consultants Bell and OverRendement has shown that our pension fund achieved the best investment result in 2022 of all pension funds in the Netherlands. In 2021 we were also in the top two pension funds with the highest returns.Investments in 2022In 2022, the Heineken Pension Fund achieved a return of -9.4% on its investments. That is a negative return, but this is still a good result. The explanation: Due to the rise in interest rates, the pension commitments we have as a Heineken Pension Fund have decreased. These commitments have decreased more than the assets of the pension fund due to the investments. As a result, the funding ratio has increased. Almost all pension funds in the Netherlands have achieved a negative return in 2022. Due to the investment choices we have made as a pension fund, this has had fewer consequences for us than might be the case for other pension funds.What is a funding ratio?The funding ratio reflects the financial situation of the pension fund. It is the ratio between the assets of the fund and the pension commitments. A funding ratio of 100% means that the assets are equal to the pension commitments. The higher the funding ratio, the healthier the fund. Here you will find more information about the funding ratio at Heineken Pension Fund.

If you move within the Netherlands, we receive information about the change of your address through the Personal Records Database (BPD). It is not necessary to inform us about a move within the Netherlands.Please do contact us if you are moving to an address outside the Netherlands. We don’t receive this information.Are you working at HEINEKEN or are you a former employee? Click here for an overview of all the moments when you do have to take action for your pension.

If you work at HEINEKEN, then you accrue pension with us, the Heineken Pension Fund. This is included in the Collective Labor Agreement. We will explain what your pension scheme entails in this and the upcoming blogs.Retirement pensionIn order to be able to retire later and still enjoy a higher income than State pension (AOW), you accrue a retirement pension. You can also see the accrual of retirement pension as filling a piggy bank that you use up in the years following your retirement. Pension accrual in a pension fund absorbs uncertainties with regard to, for example, a longer life span than average or the risk of a negative investment result. The risks are mutually shared with your colleagues, so that when risks hit you, the effect will be limited. The risks are shared with your colleagues. Read more about your retirement pension.Partner's and orphan's pensionIn addition to the retirement pension, you also accrue pension for your partner and children. Your partner and children will receive a partner's and orphan’s pension if you die. Everyone accrues a partner's pension, even if you don't have a partner. If you don’t have a partner when you retire, the accrued partner's pension will automatically be exchanged for a higher retirement pension. Read more about your partner's pension and orphan's pension.If you get married or enter into a registered partnership, the pension fund will automatically receive a notification. If you are going to live together, we will not automatically receive this. You will have to register your partner with the Heineken Pension Fund yourself. In another blog we explain what you have to do to receive a partner's pension. Read the blog.

Roelf Duursema has been appointed as a board member with effect from 1 January 2022 and also a key function holder for internal audit on behalf of the pensioners. He replaces the departing Rob van den Berg (see news item about this). Jan Borgers resigned from the accountability council on 1 January 2022. The HPF thanks him for his efforts in recent years.

On July 1, 2023, the Future Pensions Act (Wtp) entered into force. Where possible, we have already brought the current pension scheme in line with the Wtp. We have already adjusted the definitions for 'partner' and 'orphan'. And the pension scheme includes the possibility that you can bring your pension forward to no later than ten years before your state pension age.When is someone an official partnerThe partner is entitled to partner's pension in the event of death. As of January 1, 2024, the definition of when someone is a partner will be expanded. In addition to being a partner through marriage or a registered partnership, someone was also a partner if there was a notarial past and a cohabitation contract. As of 1 January 2024, a person will also be a partner if a 'joint household' is conducted. In the case of a 'joint household', the partner must be registered with us.You have a joint household ifthere is a cohabitation contract in the notarial past; or withyou have a signed cohabitation declaration in which the participant or former participant and the partner declare that they live at the same address and take care of each other.If the participant or former participant dies and the partner was not known to us, the partner can still prove that there was a joint household in order to claim partner's pension.How to prove a joint householdWe receive from the partner a signed cohabitation statement proving that there was a joint household. This means:they have lived together for at least six months; ora child has been born from the relationship or the child has been acknowledged by the other; orthere is a rental contract in the name of both of them; ora house as joint ownership.Receive of orphan’s pension 2024 In the event of the death of the parent who accrues or has accrued pension with us, the orphan is entitled to an orphan's pension. As of 1 January 2024, an orphan is entitled to the orphan's pension until the age of 25, regardless of whether the orphan is studying. Previously, the orphan's pension was paid to an orphan until the age of 18. Unless the orphan was studying, in which case the orphan's pension was paid until the age of 27 at the latest.Takeover of disability pensionThe disability pension schemes will be taken over by Centraal Beheer Achmea. Read more about this change in this post on our website.

In response to the announcement that pensions will not be increased as of January 1, 2024, a number of questions have been asked. In this post, we will answer the frequently asked questions.How is the amount of the increase in pensions determined?Pensions can be increased each year by a maximum of the increase in consumer prices. The board takes an annual decision on this. Pensions can never be increased by more than the increase in consumer prices.To determine the increase in consumer prices, we use the consumer price index of the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). We are looking at the period October – October. Consumer prices over the period October 2022 – October 2023 decreased by 0.41%. There is no increase in consumer prices and therefore no possibility of increasing pensions. However, in the event of a fall in prices, pensions will not be reduced.If there is an increase in consumer prices, the increase in pensions will also depend on our policy funding ratio. Read more about this in the next question.The (policy) funding ratio is high. This means that there is enough money to increase pensions as of January 1, 2024. So why are pensions not being increased?First of all, there must be an increase in consumer prices (see the answer to the previous question). If there is an increase in consumer prices, the level of the policy funding ratio as at September 30, 2023 will determine whether pensions can be increased with a full increase in consumer prices or partially.An increase of pensions can only be granted if the policy funding ratio is at least 110%. If the policy funding ratio is between this lower limit of 110% and the current upper limit of around 140%, an increase in pensions (indexation) can only take place partially. If the policy funding ratio is equal to or higher than this upper limit, full indexation can take place.The policy funding ratio was 134.4% on September 30, 2023. According to the legal rules and our pension increase policy, we could partially increase pensions. However, we cannot increase pensions because consumer prices have fallen rather than risen.I have a feeling that prices have gone up. How comes the Heineken Pension Fund to the conclusion that prices have not risen?That feeling is true. The prices of food and many other things have risen in the past year. However, energy prices have fallen considerably. As a result, consumer prices have fallen overall. It is important to know that CBS has changed the way in which they calculate consumer prices. In 2022, energy prices counted heavily. In June 2023, CBS adjusted the way in which energy prices are incorporated into consumer prices. Hopefully in the future, this will not lead to the same extreme influence of energy prices in consumer prices. In this article, CBS explains the new method in more detail. Basically, the bottom line is that the increase in prices was overestimated in October 2022 and underestimated in October 2023.Where can I find more information about CBS consumer prices?On the CBS website. In this news release on the CBS website, you can read more information about the increase in consumer prices in October 2023.Why can other pension funds increase pensions and Heineken Pension Fund cannotEach pension fund has its own pension increase policy and the financial situation of each pension fund is different. For example, a pension fund may use a different period in its policy to assess the change in consumer prices. We use the period October – October. For example, some other pension funds use July to July: then there was an increase in consumer prices. However, the increase in the previous year was less high in the period July and July than in October and October.Some pension funds have only partially increased pensions in 2023 and can (partially) make up for this unincreased part in 2024 on the basis of temporarily expanded statutory rules. This does not apply to us because in 2023 we have increased pensions by the full increase in consumer prices.YearIncrease in pensionConsumer prices20240,00%-0,41%202314,33%14,33%Why can't we be compensated now for missed increases from the past?It is our ambition to achieve a pension that retains its value. In order to make up for missed increases in the past, statutory rules apply with regard to, among other things, the level of the policy funding ratio. Despite our relatively high policy funding ratio of 134.4% on September 30, 2023, our policy funding ratio is not sufficiently high to make up for missed increases in the past.

We are expected to implement the new pension scheme from January 1, 2026. We are preparing for this, so that this transition is done carefully. For example, in 2024 we switched to a new pension administration system. In this administration system, we can administer our current and future pension scheme. In short: with this administration system we are ready for the future.We make sure that the data we process in our systems is correctThere is a lot of control over everything we do. Internally, but also externally. Regulators (De Nederlandsche Bank and the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets) are watching and accountants are carrying out checks. In the implementation plan, we have described the control measures we have to carry out correct pension administration.What if something is not correctWe have a recovery policy for when a pension needs to be adjusted. You can find this policy on our website (only available in Dutch). In this way, it is clear to all of our participants, former participants and pensioners under which conditions the pension will or will not be adjusted.We want to avoid corrections to pensions as much as possible during the transition. If corrections are still required during the transition, we will inform the participant, former participant or pensioner in accordance with our recovery policy.

Today, Tuesday July 1, the Heineken Pension Fund has moved from Zoeterwoude to Amsterdam. This is our new address:Stadhouderskade 841073 AT AmsterdamPostbus 281000 AA AmsterdamWe look forward to welcome and meet you in Amsterdam.Of course you can also just reach us by email or call us at our new telephone number: +31 (0)20 523 93 93

Answer: That is true. As with many other organisations, pension at Heineken is a working condition. This means that the collective labour agreement stipulates that you accrue pension at the Heineken Pension Fund.You pay 1/3rd of the pension contribution. The employer pays more: 2/3rds. If you are your own boss or arrange your pension yourself, you will miss out on the employer's contribution. And then there is the pension fund: We invest this money, which makes it grow. We are investing every day and we do this for many people at the same time. This yields good results: you will (soon) receive more pension than you have contributed.Good to know: You have several choices for your pension. For example, you choose when you want to retire. This way you can stop working before your regular retirement date. If you stop working earlier, you will accrue pension for a shorter period of time. And your pension will be lower. Check out all the choices on our website.Do you have questions about the pension scheme or about your pension (planning)? Please contact us at pensioenfonds@heineken.nl or +31 (0)85 000 72 45. We are happy to help you.Watch the full video* here: * Only available in Dutch and with Dutch subtitles. We are waiting for the video with English subtitles.<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kcYyaZmh828?si=e9EelVIJCaAlwBjI" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The draft bill about the future of pensions provides an Association of Pensioners and an Association of Former Participants a right to be heard regarding the transition plan to the new pension agreement. Social Partners will contact the Association of Pensioners at Heineken (VvGH) about this. The interests of the pensioners are also represented in the Board and the Accountability Council of the HPF.There is no Association of Former Participants at HEINEKEN. The opinions of the former participants will therefore be investigated by means of a general survey at a later stage. Naturally, the opinions of pensioners and participants will also be surveyed.

Your pension scheme will change from January 1, 2026. In the coming months, we will explain the new pension scheme to you in small pieces. This time: the change in the way we build up pension.How does it work nowYou are now accruing a pension entitlement. This is a right to a pension amount that you receive monthly when you start your pension. This is about to change.How will it work in the futureAs of January 1, 2026, all pension entitlements – whether you work at HEINEKEN, have worked at HEINEKEN or receive a pension – will be converted into a personal capital for pension: your personal pension pot. From this capital, you can purchase a monthly pension.If you work, you build up this capital for pension by paying contributions. This pension pot is supplemented by the return we achieve by investing the pension contributions. You can use your pension pot to purchase a lifelong pension. The pension may vary slightly from year to year because it is increased or decreased by returns, but your pension pot will never run out. That risk is covered jointly with the pension fund.In the following video, Rogier Bouwman, chair of the board, tells you more about the new pension scheme. Interested to hear more? Under the video you find a link to the webinars of November 2024. Learn more Read (the summary of) the transition plan here. This contains the agreements that the social partners have made with each other about the new pension scheme.In November 2024, we outlined in a webinar what will change in the pension scheme. Watch the recording here.Keep an eye on this page on our website, here you will find all information about the switch to the solidarity contribution scheme.  

On July 1, 2023, the Future Pensions Act came into force. As a result, all pension funds must switch to a new pension scheme before January 1, 2028. The Heineken Pension Fund is planning to switch to the new pension scheme on January 1, 2026.When we switch, we will transfer all pension entitlements to personal pension capitals in the new pension scheme. We are carrying out the switch in accordance with the agreements that HEINEKEN and trade unions have made with each other. We expect that in our case everyone will benefit from the switch to the new pension scheme.HEINEKEN and trade unions have drawn up a transition plan in consultation with the joint works councils and with the involvement of the Heineken Pensioners' Association. The transition plan contains all agreements about the new pension scheme. One of the agreements is that the consequences of the switch to the new pension scheme will be distributed as fairly as possible.It has therefore been agreed that participants for whom the development of personal pension assets due to premium additions in the new pension scheme is disadvantageous compared to the pension accrual in the (current) old scheme will be compensated for this.When am I entitled to the compensation?The compensation is only for people who accrue pension with the Heineken Pension Fund on December 31, 2025 and January 1, 2026. So you are entitled to this compensation if on December 31, 2025 and January 1, 2026:participates as an employee in the pension scheme of the Heineken Pension Fund; This includes those who are in a work-to-work trajectory on January 1, 2026; andare incapacitated for work and, exempt from contributions, are accruing pension with the Heineken Pension Fund.Are you no longer a participant on December 31, 2025 or January 1, 2026 who is accruing pension with the Heineken Pension Fund at that time, for example because you will be out of employment or retired? Then you are not eligible for this compensation. How much compensation will I getThe amount of the compensation depends on your age and the amount of your pension base in 2025. You can find your pension base on MyPension. After January 1, 2026, we can only say with certainty how much compensation you will receive. Because only then do we know the level of the funding ratio and the interest rate: these are two important factors for the final determination of the compensation.You will be informed by us at least on the following times: In November 2025, you will receive a letter containing a preliminary first impression that the transition to the new pension scheme means for you, subject to the new pension scheme taking effect on 1 January 2026. This is an estimate. The amount of your compensation is not stated in this letter, because it does not contain any personal pension capital. However, your expected compensation has been taken into account when estimating your future pension.The final compensation will not be known until the spring of 2026. You will receive a letter in the spring of 2026 with your final personal pension capital in the new pension scheme. This letter also states the exact compensation amount. We expect to be able to send this letter between April and June 2026. In spring 2026, your personal pension capital and the expected pension benefits that it will generate will also be on MyPension.Which choices can affect the amount of your compensationChanges in your personal situation or work situation may affect the amount of compensation.Are you leaving employment or retiring before or on January 1, 2026? Then you are not eligible for compensation.Have you started working less in 2025 and has your salary gone down? Then the compensation will also go down.Always discuss changes in your personal and/or work environment with your employer or financial advisor.Where does the money for the compensation come from?The compensation comes from the assets of the Heineken Pension Fund. We will add the compensation to your personal pension capital in one go in the spring of 2026. You will receive a return on this retroactively as of January 1, 2026.More information For more information about the compensation, read (the summary of) the transition plan.And visit our website for all information about the new pension system.

We have reached the next milestone in all our preparations for the transition to the new pension rules. The Dutch Central Bank (DNB) has given the green light for the migrate to our new pension plan as of January 1, 2026.In their considerations DNB has carefully assessed our Implementation plan, which we had submitted to them mid-January 2025. This plan contains all the implementation agreements, ranging from how the pensions will be converted from the old to the new pension plan to how the new pension plan will be implemented. The request to DNB and the receipt of the positive decision from DNB took a long time to prepare. In doing so, we had intensive and constructive contact with DNB about how, for example, we wanted and could implement a balanced transition for all generations. DNB has reviewed the implementation plan and has announced it has no objections. Earlier this year the Authority Financial Markets (AFM) already approved our Communication plan as well.Cooperation between various partiesThe employer and the trade unions have jointly agreed on what the new pension plan should look like. They have documented this in what is called the Transition Plan mid-summer 2024 (only available in Dutch). The Heineken Pension Fund then analyzed the consequences of these agreements. For instance, it has been analyzed whether the benefits from the new pension plan are shared fairly by all participants. And it has also been assessed whether the agreements can be carried out operationally. The Heineken Pension Fund Board did not do this alone. The Accountability Council gave a positive recommendation and the Supervisory Board gave approval. The Association of Pensioners at Heineken (VvGH) was also involved and endorsed the agreements as well.Diligence is paramount After assessing our plans, the AFM and DNB have no objections against our transition to the new pension plan. Rogier Bouwman, Chairman of the Board of the Heineken Pension Fund reacted: We are pleased that the regulators have no objections to our migration from the old to the new pension plan. And after several years of preparations we also feel ready to migrate. However, we are not there yet. The pension fund is still performing final tests of the readiness of processes and systems. And this must be carried out carefully, as the transition needs to go smoothly. Provided no unforeseen circumstances arise, we will switch to the new pension plan as of January 1, 2026 and convert the old pension entitlements to the new ones.”What information can you expectIn the period between 21-26 November, you will receive a first estimate of your pension entitlements in the new pension plan.In November and December, various meetings and (online) Q&A sessions will take place to answer questions. Check our website for an overview of all events. Walk in or sign up.In the Spring of 2026 you will receive a final specification with your actual pension situation as per January 1, 2026 in the pension plan.On MyPension you can then see exactly what the new pension plan means for you.In our newsletters (four times a year) and on the website, we will keep you informed about the latest news.

If you receive a pension from us, you will receive an annual statement. This states how much pension you have received in the past year. You can use the annual statement for your income tax return.This year, the 2021 annual statement will be sent at the same time as the Uniform Pension Overview (UPO) in the middle of February.*Digital communicationIf you are not yet registered for digital communication per email, but would like to receive digital communication in the future, you can register for this via our contact form.* Only if you receive a pension from us, you will receive the UPO in the middle of February. The UPO will be sent to (former) participants later this year.

Many people have been talking about their retirement for years before they retire. But how does a retirement actually work? What do you have to arrange yourself? And when will you retire? In any case, do not wait until your AOW (state pension) commences to learn more about your pension. There are several options and you can easily determine which option suits you best.OptionsIn addition to regular retirement at the moment your AOW commences, there are various options:Retire earlier: the age at which you retire is in our pension scheme is 68 years. Your AOW usually commences earlier. This means that you always have to retire before the pension age of 68 years if you want your pension to start at the same time as the AOW, your state pension. You can also retire before the commencement of the AOW. You can potentially use a AOW bridging pension in that case. Read more about early retirement.Semi-retirement: you can also choose, in consultation with your employer, have a part of your pension commence earlier. Read more about semi-retirement.Exchanging partner's pension for extra retirement pension: you can opt for this exchange if your partner already has a good retirement pension. If you do not have a partner, the partner's pension is automatically exchanged. If you opt for this exchange, you will receive a higher pension yourself, but if you die, your partner and/or children will receive less or no pension at all. This depends on the percentage of partner’s pension that you exchange. Read more about this exchange.Exchanging retirement pension for extra partner's pension: you can opt for this exchange if there is no or not enough partner's pension for your partner and/or orphan's pension for your children. If you choose this option, you will receive a lower pension yourself, but your partner and/or children will receive a higher pension if you die. Read more about this exchange.Vary the amount of your pension: you can also vary the amount of your pension. You will then receive a little more pension at the start of your retirement and a little less later on. When your AOW commences you can opt for a 10% higher retirement pension in our pension scheme during the firsts five years. Read more about varying the amount of your pension.Retirement Planner On TrackOur Pension Planner ‘’On Track’’ helps you plan your pension and can give you insight into your total financial picture. After logging in with your DigiD, please choose English at the upper right corner to see the English Pension Planner.

You can find the premium and allowance letter in MyPension (log in with DigiD). In the video, we tell you why you should read this letter and show you where to find it.Do you prefer to read? Below the video you will find the text.Bekijk hier de video: Would you like to watch the video with subtitles (NL or EN)? Follow the steps below:Why do you have to read the premium and allowance letter?The information we send helps you gain insight into your financial future. This way you can determine whether you will have enough pension later to do what you want. The premium and allowance letter comes with an explanation that helps to better understand the information in the letter.In the letter you read:by what percentage your pension has been increased this year. Good news: pensions have been increased by 3.13% as of January 1, 2025.Or the amount of the pension contribution you pay has changed. Did you know that the employer also pays contributions for your pension? You can see exactly how much this is in the Reward Statement in the Benefits Bar.about the change in the pension regulations.the state of affairs regarding the transition to the new pension scheme scheduled for January 1, 2026. This year is all about the implementation of the new pension scheme. You can read all about it on this page.Where can you find the letter?On this website, you see the red block ‘My Pension‘ at the top right. Click on this.Log in with DigiD in the way you are used to.In the menu on the right, you will see ‘Documents’. Click on this and you will see which documents are ready for you.Click on the document you want to open, in this case the premium letter.Do you have any questions? Contact us, we are happy to help you.

This week the Uniform Pension Overview (UPO) were sent to participants who receive pension from us. In the UPO, reference is made to the reading guide on the website. Click here for the reading guide.Note: Only the UPO for people who receive a pension have been sent. The UPO of (former) participants will be sent later this year.

At the end of 2020, we sent out a survey to assess the effectiveness of our communication tools. Pensioners and former participants received the survey by post. Due to a new font that the HPF uses as part of its corporate identity, the distinction between certain letters was minimal or not visible at all. Many participants were subsequently provided with the correct password upon request and were able to complete the survey. Participants living abroad mostly received the letter only after the survey had already closed. We apologize for the inconvenience.We would like to sincerely thank everyone who completed the survey! The results give us a clear picture of which communication tools are effective and which ones we can further improve.Below are the key results of the survey.Response ratesIn total, 11.48% of participants completed the survey (2017: 10.43%).The survey was mainly completed by active participants. Of the active participants, 29.2% completed the survey.The survey was completed by 11% of pensioners and 1.9% of former participants (former employees who still have pension entitlements with HPF).PensionersThe survey shows that pensioners are well informed and know where to find information relevant to them. Pensioners are mainly interested in the amount of their pension and any possible increase or reduction. They receive this information in the contribution and indexation letter and in the pension overview. The newsletter and website can keep them informed about current developments if they are interested. We believe there are currently no direct areas for improvement in communication with pensioners.Former participantsOnly a very small percentage of former participants completed the survey. This low response and the answers given show that we have little contact with former participants. We accept this because former participants usually have only a small pension entitlement with us and are often employed elsewhere where they are also building up a pension. The contribution and indexation letter is only sent to former participants if there is an increase or reduction. However, former participants do receive their annual statement and pension overview each year, containing the information relevant to them. They also receive a congratulatory card at the age of 58 with a link to the pension planner to draw their attention to this tool. The newsletter and website can keep them informed about current developments if they are interested. We believe there are currently no direct areas for improvement in communication with former participants.Active participantsThe survey shows that active participants are sufficiently informed, but that we have not yet sparked their interest in pensions. Interest in pensions varies by age group/stage in working life. We therefore divide active participants into three groups:a. Participants up to and including 40 years old (relatively young participants)b. Participants aged 40–55 (middle group)c. Participants aged 55–68 (those nearing retirement age)Groups a (≤40 years) and b (40–55 years)The results of these two groups are roughly similar. Almost 70% indicate that they are familiar with the pension scheme and most are also aware that the pension is an important employment benefit. However, nearly half of the participants say they do not know when they can make certain choices. In addition, only half of them read the Uniform Pension Overview. It is striking that many participants do not know much about their pension, even though it is very important and both participants and the employer pay a lot of money for it. Furthermore, life events (such as living together, getting married, and getting divorced) are particularly relevant for this group. We therefore want to focus on these topics. We already started doing this in 2020 through our blogs, but we also want to feature life events more prominently on our website and refer to them through other communication tools. We will therefore implement several improvements in our communication with these participants.Group c (55–68 years)The last group (group c) is in regular contact with the helpdesk. They also receive a congratulatory card at the age of 58 with a link to the pension planner to draw their attention to this tool. We believe there are currently no direct areas for improvement in communication with this group of participants. Of course, the additional communication regarding life events (such as living together, getting married, and getting divorced) aimed at participants up to 55 years old will also be made available to this group.

As of 1 January 2020, the Tax Authority introduced changes to the tax brackets system that could have consequences for your net pension.Reaching state pension age prior to 1 January 2020Click here to see your tax brackets if you reached state pension age prior to 1 January 2020.The following table shows the differences between the tax rates in 2019 and 2020:On an income up to €20,711On an income above €20,711 and a maximum of €34,712*On incomes above €34,712* and a maximum of €68,507On incomes above €68,507201918.75%20.20%38.10%51.75%202019.45%19.45%37.35%49.50%The first bracket tax rate is now slightly higher and therefore you might receive a lower net amount in 2020 than you received in 2019.State pension age in 2020Click here to see your tax brackets if you reached or will reach state pension age in 2020.Compulsory Health Insurance (Zvw)The Compulsory Health Insurance (Zvw) statutory contribution has been lowered to 5.45%. The contribution in 2019 was 5.7%. The HPF deducts the income-dependent Zvw contribution from the gross pension payments. This means that in 2020 you will receive a slightly higher pension. However, it is also possible that on the basis of the aforementioned tax bracket changes you could receive a lower net pension. Note, that the maximum amount over which you pay the income-dependent Zvw contribution has been increased to € 57,232. In 2019 this was 55,927. In other words, the deduction also changes even if your gross pension doesn’t.

If you live abroad as a pensioner, we will request an annual “proof of life” from you. This is also known as an Attestate de Vita (AdV). This proof of life is necessary for the payment of your pension. This request will take place around October this year. We cannot yet estimate whether the corona crisis is affecting the acquisition of life certificates. You may not be able to arrange the proof of life around October due to the corona crisis. The HPF will in due course, based on the corona situation at that moment, assess how to deal with the situation and inform you about this.         

A standard value transfer is made when requested by a member. However, it is possible that you have received a letter from the Heineken Pension Fund (HPF) concerning an incoming value transfer of pension you have accrued with a previous employer without having requested the transfer yourself. This is called an automatic value transfer. This blog explains how the automatic transfer works.What is an automatic value transfer?The government has established in law that small pensions (from € 2.00 to € 497.27 gross p.a.) may not be redeemed prematurely. That would imply cancellation of the actual purpose of the pension. Pension providers, such as pension funds and insurance companies, can opt to make an automatic transfer of small pensions. If you have accrued a small pension with a different pension provider, it can be transferred automatically to the HPF. The advantage of such an automatic value transfer is that your pension is no longer held by different pension providers and it retains its purpose to provide a pension. Also, given that the administration of small pension involves relatively high costs, pension providers have fewer administrative expenses.How does the HPF deal with small pensions?The HPF is obligated to cooperate on an automatic value transfer from another pension provider. The HPF also automatically transfers small pensions to new pension providers. Should you leave Heineken to work for another employer, there can be an automatic value transfer from the HPF to your new pension provider.Any questions?If you have any questions about automatic value transfer you would like answered, please contact our pensions helpdesk. The helpdesk can be reached by calling 071 – 545 80 65 or by email: pensioenfonds@heineken.nl.Heineken Pension Fund

Pension is an important and valuable employment condition. But do you know how much pension you will receive when you retire? What your partner and your children receive if you die? And how high the State Pension (AOW) is? These are important questions where you can easily find the answers to on mijnpensioenoverzicht.nl (only available in Dutch). Also our Pension Planner ''OnTrack'' helps you to plan your pension. After logging in with your DigiD, please choose English at the upper right corner to see the English Pension Planner. Mijnpensioenoverzicht.nlMijnpensioenoverzicht.nl is a platform where everyone who accrues pension in the Netherlands can get insight into the pension at various pension providers. You will not only find the pension of the Heineken Pension Fund, but also the pension that you may have accrued through previous employers. Your State Pension is also included. You need a DigiD to log in.Pension plannerYou will find information about your pension of the Heineken Pension Fund in our Pension Planner "OnTrack". The Pension Planner helps you plan your pension and can give you insight into your financial situation. You first determine how much pension you need based on the expected expenses after your retirement. Then you see how much pension you actually have. Subsequently, you can make choices with your Heineken pension. You immediately see the consequences for the height of your pension with the various choices! You have the option to plan only your Heineken pension (your Heineken pension is already been entered) or to upload all your pension data (AOW and other pensions) throughmijnpensioenoverzicht.nl. You can also add the other details such as your monthly expenses, your savings/investments and any annuities yourself. You can also add your partner to OnTrack.

Every quarter we discuss pensions. Inspiring conversations that we hope will motivate you to take a look at your pension. This time we talk to Maayke van Houdt, People Director HEINEKEN Group.1. What does 'pension' mean to you?As a People Director, terms of employment are an important part of my job; this is crucial in attracting, retaining and motivating colleagues. In addition, it is important that conditions are explainable, attractive and fair.Pensions are one of the most valuable terms of employment, but receive relatively little attention from employees. That's not surprising; in the Netherlands we have a complex pension system, which makes it difficult to gain insight and keep an overview. A frequently heard comment is that retirement feels ‘far from your bed’: you often still have (dozens) of years ahead of you before you start benefiting from your pension. It's up to us to offer understandable communication, so that we get as many colleagues as possible interested. Because it is good to think on time about how you envision your life later and what you need (financially) for that. The information from our pension fund will help you on your way and you can always email or call the pension fund.2. What would you like to say about your pension at HEINEKEN?HEINEKEN was one of the first employers in the Netherlands to arrange a pension for its employees. Even then, HEINEKEN was a social employer that took good care of its employees. I now also see this care and attention in the preparation for the pension transition. In this process, too, HEINEKEN shows that we are a good and reliable employer that represents the interests of all parties involved: those who now work at HEINEKEN and accrue pension, who have worked and accrued pension with us in the past, and those who are now enjoying their pension.For some time now, we have been working with trade unions, the Heineken Pension Fund, our works councils and the Association of Pensioners at Heineken (VvGH) on preparations for the pension transition. I am confident that the transition to the new pension scheme will go smoothly for us.3. What gives you confidence in retirement?As part of the pension transition project team, we have a lot of contact with other companies and with employer networks. It often strikes me that we are in a favourable position at HEINEKEN. A big advantage is that we have our own pension fund with whom we have built up a constructive and good relationship. In addition, the financial situation of our pension fund is very good, which gives us a much better starting position for the transition to the new pension system.4. How do we involve more people in their pensions?With the new rules for pensions (Future pensions act), our pensions are receiving new attention. I understand that looking at your pension is not high on your list of priorities. The good news is that you can rest assured that your pension at HEINEKEN is well organised. Also for partners and children and in case of incapacity for work. In addition, it remains your own responsibility to check whether the pension you accrue fits your lifestyle and preferences, because only YOU can judge that. This way you will be well prepared for your future!

In March, 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. The reason for carrying out this research is the new pension rules that are applicable with the new pension system.A total of 2,052 respondents gave their opinion. This group is a good reflection of the total number of (former) members and pensioners of the pension fund, so we can make reliable statements for the entire pension fund. The results of this research provide valuable information that is taken into account by the board when making choices about the new pension contract.Main resultsFixed or variable pensionA clear majority of younger participants prefer a variable pension. The preference for a fixed pension increases as people get older.About half of the participants indicate that they do not mind if the pension benefit is lower in a certain year, because they know that the benefit can also go up.Risk investments The majority of respondents prefer to take a little to medium risk.Relatively speaking, younger participants want to take more risks than older participants.The majority indicates that they want to take more risk if the pension fund absorbs reductions in the pension benefit.How to deal with increasing and decreasing pensionA large majority of respondents indicate that they want to spread a reduction in the pension over several years.Most participants want the pension fund to provide a pension that, even if things go wrong, can only be reduced to a small extent and a pension benefit that can fluctuate as little as possible from year to year.Why do we take risks with investingWe invest the premiums to grow your pension. The pension that you will receive consists for the most part of profit on the investments. If we take more risk when investing, the chance of a higher pension is bigger. But the chance that the pension will be lower is also bigger.New pension systemAs of 1 July 2023, the New Pensions Act is applicable. With this law, the pension system will change radically. Via this page on our website we will keep you informed about the developments of the new pension system, what the Heineken Pension Fund does and what this means for you.Next stepsThe board uses the results of this research when making choices about how we invest the pension. We expect to be able to tell you in more detail about the choices and the new pension scheme at the end of this year.

You can combine various pensions that you have accrued through a previous job with your current pension provider. This is called value transfer. Due to the preparations for the expected switch to the new pension scheme as of January 1, 2026, we will temporarily no longer make value transfers as of October 1, 2025.Good to know: no value transfer is possible between pension funds in different pension systems. Pension funds must switch to a new pension system by January 1, 2028 at the latest, but not all pension funds will switch at the same time. The first pension funds will be transferred in 2025 and the last in 2028. As a result, the waiting time for a value transfer can be up to three years.

With the Pension Comparator you can compare two pension schemes. This is useful with a value transfer or if you are looking for a new job. The Pension Comparator may also show that you want to arrange something supplementary in addition to your pension. You can read more about the Pension Comparator in this blog.How does the Pension Comparator work?The Pension Comparator is a fillable document that you can use to easily compare two pension schemes yourself. We have already completed the scheme of the Heineken Pension Fund for you. You can fill in the other scheme yourself on the basis the Pension Comparator of the other pension provider or use the Pension 1-2-3 of the other pension scheme. In the Pension 1-2-3 you will find information about the most important parts of your pension scheme. The order of the steps and icons on the Pension Comparator correspond to those on the Pension 1-2-3. The Pension 1-2-3 can usually be found on the website of the relevant pension fund or can be requested from the relevant insurer.Consult our Pension 1-2-3Information Pension ComparatorIn the Pension Comparator you will find information about: • the types of pension provided by the pension scheme • the types of pension that the pension scheme does not provide • information about the annual pension accrual • the risks regarding the pension benefit • funding ratio with a description of its meaning and consequences Tip:also read our blog about value transfer

How we invest has a major impact on the amount of your future pension benefit. In the new pension plan, the pension moves more quickly in line with the investment results. This means that both the chances of a higher pension and the risks of a lower pension may increase. In 2023, a survey on risk and investing for your pension was held for the first time. You can read the results of that research here.Your opinion counts: join the conversation about risk and investing for pensionWe think it is important that our investment policy in the new pension scheme matches how much risk our participants, former participants and pensioners are willing to take. That is why we are holding a new survey in June. The results are taken into account in determining our investment policy.More  information and education about the research will follow in April and May. Keep an eye on our website and newsletter.You will receive the invitation to participate around June 1. The survey can only be completed online.The more people who retire with us, the better we can tailor the way we invest to your wishes.