The Pensions Administration Standards Association (PASA) has announced Royal Mail is the first organisation to achieve reaccreditation.

It is two years since Royal Mail first achieved the PASA gold standard – the first in-house team to do so.

PASA is the independent body dedicated to improving standards in pensions administration.

It provides an independent infrastructure that develops and assesses administration standards and acts as a focal point for the industry and the government.

It focuses on three core areas: defining good standards, publishing guidance and providing independent accreditation.

Margaret Snowdon, Chair of PASA, said Royal Mail's reaccreditation is an important part of the PASA's ethos and vital to the ongoing standards of administration across the industry.

"A point in time assessment is only at its highest credibility for a limited time and to ensure standards don't slip we will only award the PASA stamp of approval to organisations for two years."

"With PASA Accreditation being championed by the TPR because of the high standards it demands from administrators, we welcome the fact that Royal Mail has undertaken the process again and that its clients and members will continue to benefit from all that PASA Accreditation offers," she said.

Royal Mail is the UK's designated Universal Postal Service Provider, supporting customers, businesses and communities around the country with a six days a week service to more than 29 million addresses across the UK.

Operations manager at pensions & severance for Royal Mail, Mike Hitchins, said the benefits of having the PASA accreditation were clear from the outset.

"Alongside it being a public recognition of the quality of our operation, it also demonstrates to our clients and members that we provide them with a first class service, delivering better outcomes and it identified aspects of our process that bring them increased value.

"Undergoing the process again is our commitment to our continuous improvement and we are very proud to be the first reaccredited member of PASA."

First published 28.01.2016

Lindsay.sharman@wilmingtonplc.com