Rudger Schiewer (40), SPF Board member: 'What do you mean, too young for a pension?'

'You’re never too young for a pension. That’s the main thing I want to get across to my younger colleagues.' We spoke with Rudger in a video call about his first period as a new SPF Board member. Why join the pension scheme at such a young age? What should younger colleagues know? And how does he see SPF, now and in the future?

Rudger has just turned 40. He is married to Kim, they have two sons – Loek (6) and Jules (5) – and they live in Bergen op Zoom. From Thursdays to Sundays, hockey is the order of the day in the Schiewer household. 'I play at the local hockey club, I coach the youth team that one of my sons plays in, and I’m also treasurer. It takes up quite a lot of time, but these are times we can enjoy together as a family.'

          'Is SPF really looking for a Rudger Schiewer?'

Curiosity
Rudger has worked at SABIC since 2008. He started there just prior to the acquisition of General Electric, working in many different positions, including in Pittsfield, USA. 'I gained a really valuable insight into SABIC from the other side of the ocean. I also learned a lot about pensions there, because Americans are much more focused on their own retirement. This sparked my initial interest in pensions.' He returned to the Netherlands in 2015 to work in various positions for the now independent SHPP, formerly known as Specialties SBU.

'As I’d witnessed the individualized view of pensions in the US and was curious about the Dutch pension system as well as the specifics the SABIC scheme, I remained interested in this topic. Additionally, the debate about the Dutch system certainly played a role. I was interested in a vacancy for an SPF Board member that I saw in the Works Council newsletter but wondered whether SPF was really looking for a Rudger Schiewer. But I decided to apply anyway, as it interested me and I really like to understand how everything works. In the end I was offered the position. I’ve really enjoyed it so far. The Board is very knowledgeable and has a high degree of expertise. I also think it’s fantastic to see how committed the Board members are, both in the collective scheme as well as with individual pension scheme members.'

          'We need to hit the right buttons'

Never too young for a pension
'Pension is a misleading concept. You’re actually never too young for a pension. For instance, you can already receive a pension as a child when you’re not even a year old, following the death of a parent. And if you have an accident at a young age and you’re no longer able to work, you’ll receive a pension from SPF. Of course, these are really unpleasant and life-changing events that we’d all prefer not to think about, but it’s still comforting to think that everything is taken care of at SPF.'

In response to the question ‘how do we get young people interested in a pension?’, Rudger said: 'Do you have an answer? I don’t have an immediate answer for that. Seek even more connection with the employer and HR, and especially with the young people at Young SABIC Professionals. We have had suggestions to introduce an app. That could help too. We need to hit the right buttons with young people. After all, you need to make many financial choices when you’re young. I don’t mean that in a pedantic way, but when you’re young you’ve got a better chance of creating a good starting position for later. It’s not wise to take action only when it becomes relevant. You should always keep a good eye on your pension. Even if you’re young. It's important.'

          'I see commitment among all Board members'

A different dynamic
'Fortunately, mandatory participation is still in force and that’s a good thing. You are obliged by your employer to be a member of the pension scheme. Usually I’m against mandatory participation, but in this case I’m an advocate. Our scheme’s collectiveness and solidarity are really good things. We can take pride in them.'

'And it helps that Board members are also members as it makes it easier to see the whole picture. You’re really close to everything and that makes it less abstract. We put the members first in almost everything we do. The dynamic is really different from my daily work, with its many short-term projects and much higher risk-tolerance than at SPF. We really discuss and consider the topics in more detail and more frequently in the Board. We prepare them in committees first, before presenting them to the Board, which makes meetings very different from those in my day job. There’s more of an emphasis on preparation by everyone.' 

         'Preserving the uniqueness of SPF'

A personal highpoint for Rudger was his appointment as Board member by DNB, following an accelerated training process of less than six months. 'The reception from SPF was also really nice. I felt welcome straight away and was a fully-fledged Board member right from the start. Looking towards the future, I hope we continue to exist as company pension fund, despite the increasing regulatory burden. I want to be equipped to preserve the uniqueness of SPF.'