'Being meticulous and attention to detail are part of TNO's DNA'

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Board member Murielle van Geijn-Lodder on the importance of having good data:


Data quality is crucial for a good transition to the new pension scheme. It is the basis for making accurate calculations and ensuring that pension rights are transferred correctly. Murielle van Geijn-Lodder is Manager HR Operations at TNO and Board member of the TNO pensionfund, with pension management and audit, risk and compliance as her areas of focus. She is aware of the importance of good data better than anyone. 'I always say: "The administrative records must be in order." The importance of this is even greater with the new pension scheme in sight.'

What is the significance of data quality in view of the transition?

Murielle: 'Data has always been important. Since the move to our external administrator, the TNO pensionfund has devoted effort to conducting comprehensive annual data checks. These checks are performed at the field level. As part of the transition, we often went back in time and performed many data checks. Not only on the data supplied by employers in which all member employers participate, but also on the data provided by the municipal government, the UWV (ed. when people receive benefits), and by the social insurance bank. Being a company pensionfund is an advantage, because you then have short lines of communication with member employers and you are closely involved in the data to be supplied by them.'

Is it fair to say: the better the data, the smoother the transition?

‘Data quality is a prerequisite for making a responsible transition. So yes, it does help tremendously. Data quality is also part of the implementation plan submitted to De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) last June. As a pensionfund, we had to demonstrate that it is in order. Currently, DNB is reviewing the entire file.'

'Today's data forms the basis for your pension later.'

What are you able to say about the current data quality?

‘It’s very good. Currently, at 99.9%, rounded, data quality meets the established standards. This means that during data audits, only very minor inaccuracies remain. We are addressing this in the coming period so that this is corrected in a timely and correct manner and data quality meets the 100 per cent standard. An external auditor was also engaged to perform additional screening, specifically in support of the DNB review. Especially now, with the new pension rules on the horizon, data quality is high on the agenda for many pension funds. At TNO, everyone always works with data. This means that everyone knows how important it is to handle it with due care. Being meticulous and attention to detail are part of TNO's DNA.'

What are the risks if data quality is poor?

'Data is the basis on which calculations will soon be performed. Today the capital is still in a single big pot. Soon it will be distributed administratively at the individual level. That’s why it is also important for participants to forward information about things like a divorce, for example. After all, this could impact your pension. Today's data forms the basis for your pension later. Any mistakes are hard to reverse. Data currency must be excellent. That is why it is so important to stay on top of quality. We already started systematically and annually checking and correcting very large datasets a long time ago. We benefit from that now.'

What you can do yourself

  • Log in to the portal on the website and check to see whether your personal details are correct. 
  • Provide us with your personal e-mail address. You can then be reached for important information about your pension, Even if you are no longer in employment.