We want to recognize those people – and their employers – who are ahead of the herd – those making new and unusual changes in plan design that ultimately will improve participant outcomes in retirement.  

Last year, P&I and Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association (DCIIA) recognized five individuals – and two teams – for diverse projects featuring everything from providing a guaranteed income solution, to a re-enrollment campaign that boosted the deferral rate, as well as an effort to link emergency savings accounts to its retirement plan. To learn more about their efforts CLICK HERE.

Maybe you would be the ideal nominee. Or maybe you know someone who has done something innovative or unique. Please help ensure that these leaders are nominated.

***Note: Only DC plan sponsors and their teams can be nominated for an Award of Excellence and Innovation. Anyone other than a plan sponsor will be disqualified. For those looking to showcase plan sponsors' best practices in participant communications, education and engagement, please submit your campaigns for the 2026 Eddy Awards, which will open for nominations in September 2025. 

Winners will be announced and recognized at Pensions & Investments’ 2025 West Coast Defined Contribution Conference, to be held Oct. 26 - 28, 2025.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: May 16th, 2025.  There is no fee to enter.

Excellence & Innovation

The focus on driving successful outcomes has been accelerating in defined contribution plans, and Pensions & Investments and DCIIA want to highlight and celebrate the plan sponsors that are leading the charge through their innovation and excellence.

There are no predetermined categories; the possibilities are endless. Past winners, for example, were chosen for their cutting-edge ideas in plan design, new or additions to investment line-ups, automatic features, retirement income, and new ways to help employees improve their retirement security. Browse past honorees here.

Now in its 14th year, the Excellence & Innovation Awards, sponsored by Pensions & Investments and the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association, is evolving. Founded to recognize DC plan executives who are developing creative and unusual programs to help improve their participants' retirement incomes, the judges have seen that there are multiple factors driving good outcomes, including both innovation in design and excellence in execution. The program will now aim to evaluate both.

Help your peers by sharing your own innovation, and receive recognition for your ingenuity.

We are looking to recognize new ideas, so programs must have been implemented no earlier than Jan. 1, 2024.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: May 16th, 2025