Some more on the complex relationships between pension consultants & government pension reform. I'm putting these on to Twitter so that those more expert than I on this topic can use, reflect, comment (cc @FrenchShaun @ewanmcg @gailfdavies @CLIVEYB) #ucustrike #USSstrikes
I've been trying to follow Aon Hewitt (given that Universities UK have had a long relationship with Hewitt/Aon Hewitt (at least since 2007 universitiesuk.ac.uk/policy-and-ana…). Hewitt was purchased by Aon in 2010 nytimes.com/2010/07/13/bus… #ucustrike #USSstrikes
How do we understand the relationship between policy change, consultancy behaviour -- and, crucially, the behaviour of Universities UK in relation to pensions? So I started looking at the work of parliamentary committees and where Aon Hewitt appears #ucustrikes #ussstrikes
On the Parliament UK website, a search under Aon Hewitt throws up c.25 items, a number of them relating to pensions beta.parliament.uk/search?q=aon+h… #ucustrikes #USStrikes
Back in December 2012, the Work & Pensions Select Committee took evidence from employers & pensions advisers as part of its inquiry into governance & best practice in workplace pensions. Kevin Wesbroom from Aon Hewitt was one of the witnesses parliament.uk/business/commi…
The parliamentary TV footage is available here (the 2nd panel, in which Aon Hewitt appears, starts at 10:38) parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/e5…
From 11:27:30 there is a really interesting discussion about risk-sharing and DC schemes in which there are extensive contributions from Aon Hewitt. We should remember that this is 2012, i.e. well before, and leading towards, the 2015 Pension Schemes Act.
In April 2012 (sorry for the glitch in chronological order), Aon Hewitt submit written evidence to the Work & Pensions Cttee, which begins as follows publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cm… 
They also comment on the problems of DC schemes and call for the introduction of defined aspiration schemes publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cm…
All written evidence for "Governance & best practice in workplace pensions" is published in November 2012 parliament.uk/documents/Bind…. As well as Aon Hewitt, Mercer & Towers Watson make submissions (i.e. all big 3 pension consultancy firms uk.reuters.com/article/uk-bri…)
On 11 Feb 13, Work & Pensions Cttee publishes correspondence from Mr Peter Halligan, stating that those submitting evidence have made no attempt to quantify likely charges & expenses accruing to DC pensions. Halligan was employed by Aon Hewitt till Aug 12 publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cm…
The submission from Peter Halligan is long & complicated & it would be worth those with research expertise on pensions/financialization to examine it in detail publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cm…
On 21 October 14, The provisional programme of witnesses for House of Commons Public Bill Committee considering Pension Schemes Bill is announced. Both Aon Hewitt and Towers Watson are witnesses parliament.uk/business/news/…
The Oct 2014 committee in which Aon Hewitt (Martin Lowes) participates is available on Parliamentary TV here parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/44… (start 15:01:30) & in written form here: publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cm…
Aon also contributes written evidence to the Work & Pensions Committee inquiry into defined benefit pension schemes (DB schemes) which took place subsequent to the BHS collapse in 2016 publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cm…
Aon's written evidence notes that while the call for evidence focuses on DB schemes, 'the underlying financial picture – lower future expected returns – is potentially an even bigger issue for Defined Contribution (DC) schemes and their members.' data.parliament.uk/WrittenEvidenc…
The consultation on "Defined benefit pension schemes: security and sustainability" closed last May & hasn't yet reported back. We don't know who responded to it. gov.uk/government/con…
As we were striking on Monday, @ft reported that 8 out of 10 top investment consultants/asset managers, including Aon Hewitt, have not backed a series of recent climate change initiatives, and emphasised how influential these consultants are ft.com/content/ba75b0…
At this point, a request for more suggestions of good research (& grey lit / blogs) that helps think through how consultants help *make* worlds -- in relation to government policies, societal norms, company behaviours, visions of the future, etc.
Only a few months ago, in a context that made suddenly clear to me how consultancies are here, there & everywhere in making worlds, I realised also how difficult it is to do particular kinds of research on this
Difficulties accessing any archival papers, getting behind protected firewalls, figuring out how to do interviews. Any #twitterstorians or #sociologists with suggestions of good work done on consultants? cc @alexnmold
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