NETHERLANDS - SPF Beheer, the pension administrator to the Dutch railway and public transport workers' pension schemes, has come up a novel way of communicating pensions with younger members by explaining key information via a comic strip.

SPF Beheer will initially target the 96-page comic book at approximately 4,500 members under the age of 35 as well as at new members of the €11bn Dutch railway pension fund Spoorwegpensioenfonds (SPF), and the €2bn Stichting Pensioenfonds Openbaar Vervoer (SPOV) for transport workers.

Tjitte Faber, a spokesman for SPF Beheer, said the comic's main character, Wessel Wachter, appears in scenes explaining how pensions work, what the key information is they should be given under Dutch law, as well as setting out the key moments in an individual's life at which pensions should be reviewed as well as how they might be affected.

"Explaining pensions is very difficult, and it is very driven by law detailing what we should tell people," said Faber.

"What we are trying to do with this book is make it easier for younger people to be a little more interested in pensions. Within its contents there is some general information of basic pensions concepts. One of the things we explain is how the pensions system works, and the main character in the book explains how pensions build up. He also shows what happens, for example, at key moments in his life, such as getting a divorce, and what this means to his pension; how the money will be divided between him and his wife," continued Faber.

He noted the Dutch pensions industry is working hard to communicate pensions to younger people but said he felt the route his team had taken was "more remarkable" than that seen so far.

The full comic book, as well as other information presented by the comic character Wessel Wachter, can be downloaded in electronic format at www.wesselwachter.nl.

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