The board and/or management ensure the alignment of external fund managers’ incentives with the overall investment objectives of the institution.

The management purposefully nurtures the leadership capacities of talented staff. It may define a succession plan, based on the principles of transparency and merit, to develop understudies for key positions in the institution.

According to ISO/IEC 38500, management relates to “the system of controls and processes required to achieve the strategic objectives set by the organization’s governing body. Management is subject to the policy guidance and monitoring set through corporate governance”.

For COBIT®, ICT management plans, builds, runs and monitors activities in alignment with the direction set by the governance body to achieve the enterprise objectives.

Data and information are fundamental assets for social security institutions. The scale of social security institutions and relevance of the activities they develop increase the complexity of and risks related to data management. Institutions make key decisions based on data and information about people, including employees, employers and work activities.

The institution establishes policies on data privacy management based on the corresponding regulations.

This refers not only to national regulations but also to requirements related to international data exchange.

The institution carries out a unique and integrated programme for master data governance aligned to ICT and organizational governance, as well as a Master Data Management Programme that implements the Master Data Governance Programme.

The specific guidelines in this section are:

• Governance and management of the ICT-based implementation of international agreements
• Strategy and action plan
• Administrative principles for the main operations and resources of the agreement

The institution implements measures to enforce the applicable data protection regulations on transactions of the international agreement as well as on digital certificates.

These measures are based on the corresponding national regulations as well as the conditions established in the agreement.

The investment mission and supporting goals are clearly defined and have commitment from the relevant stakeholders.

The portfolio is constructed with appropriate efficiency and diversification.

Best practice is followed when selecting external fund managers.

This guideline outlines the administrative processes to select external fund managers. Guideline 30 outlines the investment issues relevant for the selection of external fund managers.

The social security institution must have the necessary internal structures and resources to conduct prevention programmes. This includes appropriate staff qualifications and competences, clear understanding of important prevention principles, sufficient financial resources to ensure the necessary human resources, the necessary infrastructure to deliver prevention services, a reliable database and the means to identify all possible target groups.

The prevention department and its prevention experts take into account different levels of development and education when producing and disseminating information materials for children and adult students.

The institution bases its prevention services on a systemic approach to risk assessment and promotes it as a general requirement for any insured activity by its members. It supports all members to carry out efficient risk assessment and provides them with an incentive to integrate it into daily operations.

The institution places special emphasis on small and medium-sized enterprises and delivers prevention services tailored to their needs and possibilities.

Prevention approaches and services vary around the world, reflecting different levels of socio-economic development, policies and legal frameworks.

As social security institutions are responsible for the provision of unemployment benefits, they have a strategic interest in contributing to employment and efficient labour markets. However, all too often, their main focus remains on providing compensation reactively rather than on actively engaging in preventing the need for compensation in the first place.

The competent institutions support the professionalization of the function of job counsellors and case managers in line with the needs of the various clientele.

The focus of the ISSA Guidelines on Return to Work and Reintegration is on persons who are on sick leave from work, either on a short-term or long-term basis, and who retain an attachment to a specific employer. The guidelines are applicable regardless of whether the reason for the sick leave absence is occupational or non-occupational.

The return-to-work programme is based upon a biopsychosocial approach which combines medical, psychological and social aspects.

This approach recognizes disability to be the result of a dynamic interaction between reduced physical or mental function and legislative, physical and social environmental factors both within and beyond the workplace.

The ISSA Guidelines on Service Quality aims to assist social security institutions to improve service performance. In this context, service performance is the creation of value for members, beneficiaries and allied organizations (e.g. citizens, members, employers, service providers, social partners) from a social security institution’s day-to-day actions and business processes.

These guidelines are designed to:

The information contained in these guidelines will provide social security institutions with a framework for action. In essence, they are a “how to” manual for developing and implementing sustainable, needs-based workplace health promotion (WHP) programmes in client organizations, be they private or public sector enterprises, agencies or organizations. The processes and procedures described are based on established good practice.

Guidance focuses on two key areas:

The social security institution identifies and actively engages all stakeholders in workplace health promotion.

The institution offers non-financial incentives to employers who establish workplace health promotion programmes.

The advantages and disadvantages of each incentive and the circumstances in which they will be used should be carefully considered before making a decision to proceed.

These ISSA-ILO Actuarial Guidelines include the principles that social security institutions should consider in relation to actuarial work undertaken for social security schemes. They are not intended either as a detailed actuarial manual or as standards of practice. Their goal is to guide social security institutions in the “what” to consider but not the question of “how”.