If you are a trustee we would expect that you already have an understanding of the role of a trustee and that you have taken part in a number of trustee meetings. If you are not a trustee we assume you are attending this workshop to gain a better understanding of how trustees of Defined Benefit (DB) schemes will assess, monitor and take action on their sponsoring employer's covenant and the impact this may have on both trustees and the sponsoring employer.
In advance of the workshop therefore we suggest you familiarise yourself with the subject of the employer covenant in a defined benefit scheme by reading what the Pensions Regulator has to say about employers and their pension schemes and their covenant to them. 

So you are familiar with the topics we plan to cover during the workshop we begin by explaining why its important for trustees to assess their sponsoring employer's covenant and why, when and how they should do this. As there is support for trustees when conducting an assessment we also provide you with practical help on what to look out for, the steps to follow and what is required in specific circumstances where the employer's covenant to the scheme may be particularly relevant.

After attending this workshop you should be able to:

• Explain to others the importance of reviewing the strength of the sponsoring employer’s covenant.
• Describe how the employer’s covenant impacts on funding decisions.
• Assess and monitor employer covenant and state how and where to gain assistance for this activity.
• Identify when and how to take action when dealing with the sponsoring employer’s financial commitment to the pension scheme.