Shape the future of pensions governance Trustee Accelerator Programme (TAP): breaking down barriers

By widening the talent pipeline and removing barriers to entry, TAP helps pension trustee boards better reflect the diversity, experience and perspectives of the people they serve.

Fully funded and open to the whole industry, the programme prioritises capability and potential over the ability to self-fund. You do not need to be a PMI member to apply.

Over two years, participants build the knowledge, confidence and real-world exposure needed to contribute effectively to trustee board discussions and decision-making, supported by structured learning, mentoring and practical insight into pensions governance. 

Pension trusteeship is about looking after other people’s futures.

A pension trustee is part of a board that oversees how a pension scheme is run. Trustees don’t manage pensions day to day, and they are not expected to have all the answers. Instead, they work together to make sure the scheme is well governed, decisions are properly considered, and members’ interests come first.

In practice, trustees:

• take part in board discussions and decision-making,
• review information and advice from professional advisers,
• ask questions and challenge where needed,
• consider risks, long-term outcomes and fairness,
• and help ensure the scheme is run responsibly and in line with its purpose.

Trustees make decisions collectively and are supported by experts. What matters most is not technical pensions knowledge, but the ability to think critically, act responsibly and represent others’ interests.

What makes trusteeship especially exciting is the influence it gives you. As a trustee, you help shape decisions that affect people’s lives over decades, not just quarters. You sit at the point where values meet responsibility, balancing risk, fairness and long-term impact alongside others who care deeply about doing things well. For many trustees, it’s a rare opportunity to step back from day-to-day work, think strategically, and use their voice, judgement and experience to make a difference that genuinely matters.