Generali Focuses on Business: Mandatory Retirement Savings Plan to Revamp Retirement Preparation

Converging Indicators

For several years, indicators have been aligning: employees expect more from their employers regarding social protection. A 2025 Mercer study already highlighted this: 69% of French people believe their company should invest in preparing for their retirement. This expectation is set against a backdrop of growing concern: the Cercle des Épargnants and Ipsos barometer indicates that 58% of French people worry about their future pension, a figure that has increased by 8 points in one year.

It is in this tense landscape that Generali unveils its mandatory PER (Retirement Savings Plan). The idea is to offer companies a simple and effective tool to retain their employees, optimize their compensation policy, and contribute to building a sustainable retirement supplement. The plan checks several boxes that meet both employees’ needs and the constraints of small and medium-sized enterprises. On one hand, it creates a lifelong additional income, supplementing basic and complementary plans. On the other hand, it fits within the fiscal and social maneuverability of employers, allowing them to convert part of the compensation into long-term savings while controlling costs.

This movement has a strategic stake: today, supplementary retirement is no longer just a peripheral benefit. In a context of talent shortages and budgetary decisions, it becomes a tool for differentiation and a lever for attracting and retaining teams. For employees, it embodies a long-term commitment amidst prevailing uncertainty. For companies, it structures a more transparent and competitive social policy. Generali, in fact, integrates this new offering into its overall strategy: with more than 21 billion euros in assets under supplementary retirement, the insurer aims to be a leader in the French market. It has set a clear goal: to achieve 2 billion euros in revenue by 2030 in this business line. This trajectory reflects the growing importance of long-term savings in the insurance ecosystem.

A flexible and digital solution

The « Corporate Retirement Savings Plan (PER) » stands out primarily for its flexibility. It offers several management modes, including a default life-cycle management strategy that progressively secures savings over time. This automatic mechanism caters to employees who are not well-versed in financial decisions, while still allowing more knowledgeable individuals to choose a self-directed approach. The range of investment options also reflects new investment priorities: SRI, ESG, SME equity funds, and unlisted assets. By incorporating these elements, Generali aligns with two growing demands: providing access to long-term performance and enabling exposure to the funding of the real economy. This blend of yield, responsibility, and diversification constitutes one of the key levers of modern retirement savings.

Operationally, the system emphasizes simplicity: a fully digitalized subscription process, a user-friendly management interface for businesses, and intuitive client spaces for employees. This environment matches the expectations of a market where tool friendliness has become as crucial for adoption as financial performance. Digital solutions also help reduce the administrative burden that previously hindered the adoption of mandatory retirement plans in small businesses. An often-overlooked aspect complements this structure: integrated insurance coverage. The contract includes death benefits that protect the employee's family members. This additional feature enhances the clarity of the system: with a single solution, the employer provides both supplemental retirement and family protection, a significant advantage in an ever-evolving social landscape.

Sophie Vannier, a member of the Generali France Executive Committee, sums up the group's ambition: « Preparing for retirement means turning savings into productive capital: for oneself, and for the real economy. We designed a digital and responsible solution, as simple as possible, to enable employers—especially small and medium enterprises—to actively participate in the social protection of their teams. » Behind this strategy lies a clear conviction: the future of retirement will involve a new balance between public, individual... and now corporate collective plans.