The Pearson Pension Plan Choose Symbiant GRC & Audit Software

In the high-stakes environment of pension fund management, the bedrock of operations is trust, security, and meticulous compliance. Occupational pension schemes, such as the established Pearson Pension Plan, carry the profound responsibility of managing billions in assets and safeguarding the retirement futures of thousands of members.

Navigating this domain requires more than financial acumen; it demands a robust, transparent, and resilient framework for Governance, Risk Management, Compliance (GRC) and Audit.

For years, many pension administrators relied on traditional, manual methods like spreadsheets, shared drives, and disparate databases. However, the increasing complexity of regulatory requirements, evolving market risks, and heightened data security concerns have rendered these methods obsolete.

Organisations like Pearson Pension Plan are recognising this critical shift and embarked on a strategic digital transformation of their internal risk management and audit functions. As one of the UK’s most respected pension trustees, Pearson Pension Trustees’ decision to join thousands of organisations that trust Symbiant underscores our position as the preferred, most trusted, advanced yet cost-effective GRC, Risk Management and Audit partner across both public and private sectors for organisations of all sizes.

From major government bodies like the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Oil and Pipelines Agency (OPA), to international organisations such as the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and leading financial institutions and charities like Concern Worldwide, Symbiant is the name trusted where governance, accountability, and public value truly matter.

Their solution of choice was Symbiant’s highly trusted, award-winning GRC, Risk Management, and Audit Software with optional, fully integrated AI Assistant, a partnership that has fundamentally elevated their operational maturity and risk resilience.

Why Pension Trustees Need Modern GRC, Risk Management and Audit Software

Pension trustees today operate under greater scrutiny than ever before. The Pensions Regulator (TPR) requires schemes to demonstrate clear, documented, and auditable systems of internal control. At the same time, data protection (GDPR), ESG disclosures, and cyber resilience frameworks add layers of complexity.

Traditional tools simply can’t deliver the visibility, traceability, or accountability required. Manual methods make it difficult to manage risk data, track audit actions, or demonstrate compliance to regulators and members alike.

Modern GRC software, like Symbiant, transforms this landscape by providing:

• Centralised control and auditability — one platform for all governance, risk, and compliance data.
• Automation and reminders — reducing manual work and missed deadlines.
• Real-time reporting and dashboards — ensuring boards have live oversight of risk exposure.
• Cross-functional connectivity — linking risks, incidents, controls, and audits for total assurance.

The result? Pension trustees can demonstrate accountability with confidence, supported by an integrated, transparent governance system that strengthens decision-making and member trust.

Governance and Risk Management in Pension Scheme

The environment faced by the Trustees of the Pearson Pension Plan is fraught with unique challenges:

• Rigorous Regulatory Scrutiny: The UK’s Pensions Regulator (TPR) demands demonstrably effective systems of internal control. Compliance with the Code of Practice, GDPR, and new climate-related financial disclosures is non-negotiable.
• Managing Volatility and Investment Risk: Ensuring long-term solvency for Defined Benefit (DB) schemes while optimising returns for Defined Contribution (DC) members requires continuous risk monitoring and rapid response to global market fluctuations.
• Cybersecurity and Data Integrity: Pension schemes store vast amounts of sensitive personal and financial data, making data protection a top priority.
• Operational Efficiency: Manual reporting can be time-consuming and prone to error, hindering agile decision-making at the Trustee Board level.

According to TPR, schemes must now evidence integrated risk management, data accuracy, and audit transparency underpinned by strong governance. Yet many continue to rely on outdated tools that hinder visibility and oversight.

The adoption of purpose-built GRC software such as Symbiant has become essential to meet rising expectations, deliver real-time insights, and maintain the trust of members and regulators alike.

Digital Transformation in the Pensions Industry

The pensions industry is undergoing a fundamental shift toward Risk Management digitisation. Trustees are increasingly recognising that digital GRC and audit systems are no longer optional, they’re foundational for modern governance.

By choosing Symbiant, Pearson Pension Trustees joined a growing number of organisations of all sizes embracing technology-led assurance to replace manual processes with automation, data accuracy, and real-time governance.

This transformation enables:

• Faster audit cycles and transparent assurance.
• Proactive risk identification using real-time Key Risk Indicators (KRIs).
• Effortless compliance monitoring with automated workflows.
• Data-driven governance through connected dashboards and reports.

The outcome is greater accountability, stronger resilience, and enhanced stakeholder confidence.

The Symbiant Solution: A Unified GRC and Audit Ecosystem

The implementation of Symbiant’s agile, flexible, and robust platform provided the Pearson Pension Plan with an advanced, yet user-friendly, GRC, Risk Management and Audit ecosystem tailored to the complex needs of the financial sector.

This strategic move shifted their governance model from reactive and siloed to proactive and integrated, with visibility and assurance embedded into every layer of decision-making.

Centralised Single Source of Truth (SSOT)
Symbiant consolidates all governance, risk, and audit activities into a single cohesive, flexible and fully customisable platform. This eliminates data fragmentation and ensures trustees, committees, and management teams work from the same accurate, up-to-date information.

Automation of Assurance and Auditing
Routine compliance tasks, control testing, and internal audit workflows are automated. Reminders and mandated sign-offs ensure accountability and timeliness, creating irrefutable audit trails that meet regulatory expectations while saving valuable time.

Real-Time Visibility and Data-Driven Governance
Dynamic dashboards provide trustees with real-time insight into key risk indicators (KRIs), control performance, and emerging issues. This live data enhances transparency and enables more agile, informed decision-making.

Scalable and Secure Architecture
Symbiant’s platform is built to the highest standards of security and scalability, ensuring member data remains protected. Its no-code configuration means pension schemes can easily adapt to evolving regulations, such as climate risk reporting, without reliance on costly external developers.

Empowering Trustees with Intelligence and Integrity

With over 26 years of continuous innovation, Symbiant is trusted by leading government bodies, financial institutions, and charities to modernise their Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) and Audit Management functions.

Our modular platform, priced from £100 per module per month*, delivers enterprise-level capability without enterprise-level cost, making it one of the most accessible and cost-effective GRC solutions on the market.

To further enhance oversight, Symbiant’s optional AI Assistant intelligently connects related risks, incidents, and controls across modules, uncovering hidden dependencies and reducing duplication, while maintaining full GDPR compliance and data security.