Diversions June 18, 2015

Sit, Heel, Type on Take-Your-Dog-to-Work Day

You may have some unusual colleagues in the office on Friday, June 26: the 17th annual Take Your Dog to Work Day.
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Pet Sitters International created the event 17 years ago “to celebrate the great companions dogs make and promote their adoption.” Also, the organization asks, “Whoever heard of working like a cat?”

The event encourages employers to experience the joys of pets in the workplace for one day to support their local pet community; it also accommodates lovers of cats and other pets.

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Workplaces can participate in many ways:

Education.  PSI’s day is about having fun, but more important is raising awareness for homeless dogs. Use the day as a way to educate employees of your company about local homeless pets and the health benefits of pet ownership and show them you understand the important role pets play in their lives. You can also consider inviting a PSI member professional sitter to speak to employees.

Fundraising.  Host a fundraiser and designate the proceeds from your event to a local animal charity, shelter or rescue group. Whether you can bring pets into your workplace or not, anyone can host a fundraiser. Participating businesses have in the past planned silent auctions and hosted dog/owner look-a-like contests, among other activities.

Adopt-a-thon.   Arrange for a few pets from a local shelter or rescue group to visit your business and meet employees. Depending upon your workplace, you may also be able to host an adoption fair open to the public onsite or post adoptable pets on your company’s website or social media sites.

Pet fair.  Invite local pet professionals to speak about their businesses or host an information session for your workplace. Consider inviting pet sitters, trainers, groomers, veterinarians and other pet professionals. You can also ask vendors to donate products or gift certificates for a raffle or silent auction. Many participants have brought in pet first-aid instructors, local veterinarians or professional sitters to host an information session during lunch.

Photo session.  Have a photographer come in and take photos of your special event. Consider giving each participant a copy of a photo with his or her pet. You can also have employees bring in photos of their dogs for a photo contest. Share photos from your event online (event photos can be hashtagged #takeyourdog).

Canine contests. Hold fun contests, such as best trick or friendliest canine co-worker.

Products June 17, 2015

BNY Mellon Raising Commitment to DC Plans

Launches new publication for sponsors and advisers.
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BNY Mellon Investment Management, which has 80% of U.S. pension plans under custody, is making a concerted effort to gain a greater share of the defined contribution (DC) business, says Michael Gordon, head of retirement, insurance and strategic solutions for BNY Mellon.

“We have a huge presence in the defined benefit (DB) market,” Gordon says. “We consider this to be a core part of who we are and what we do. We also have a strong legacy of being a good DC player. We have a very talented and professional organization to provide solutions, and we are very much committed to growing this market, and to help participants as they grow their savings and reach retirement.”

To distinguish itself in the DC market, BNY Mellon plans on creating “innovative solutions” for advisers, recordkeepers and participants, Gordon says. For example, BNY Mellon is committed to “developing the next generation QDIA that can help people manage risk and take them to and through retirement,” he says. Noting BNY Mellon’s extensive experience with DB plans and liability-driven investing, Gordon says, “We believe we can bring a lot of that expertise to the DC world. We believe we are the right institution to bring to bear the right capabilities to help participants be successful and reach better outcomes.”

As part of this endeavor, BNYMellon is launching a biannual print and digital magazine called “Planet DC” aimed at retirement plan advisers and sponsors, recordkeepers and platform managers.

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The publication will cover emerging best practices for retirement plans, investments, fiduciary and regulatory developments, and participant engagement and communication, says Mark Brown, head of institutional and retirement marketing for BNY Mellon. The inaugural issue  discusses the Department of Labor’s (DOL) proposed fiduciary rule and holistic financial wellness, among other topics, he notes.

Our goal is to help reframe the conversations among advisers and plan sponsors to help set participants on a more secure course, Gordon says. “In a perfect world, Americans would like to retire with enough money to live comfortably and leave a family legacy once they are gone,” Gordon says. “Unfortunately, that’s not a reality for many today. The move from DB to DC has transferred the responsibility for choosing and managing retirement planning to individuals who are not investment experts. At BNY Mellon, we strive to develop solutions and technologies that can better position individuals to reach their targeted retirement goals and enjoy a dignified retirement.”

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