We do life
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021
H
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Our purpose
We help people get
the most out of life
Why we exist
The difference we make
Where we’re headed
Our markets in Asia and Africa
typically have substantial
savings and protection gaps,
fuelling demand for life and
savings products.
We help people get the most
out of life, by making healthcare
affordable and accessible and
by promoting financial inclusion.
We protect people’s wealth,
help them grow their assets,
and empower them to save
for their goals.
We are confident that our clear
and focused strategy, coupled
with our proven execution
ability, leaves us well placed
to continue to deliver value
for our shareholders and all our
stakeholders over the long term.
READ
MORE 6-145
Find out more
Visit www.prudentialplc.com
to find out more about Prudential plc.
Our operations
READ
MORE 14
Contents
02 Group overview
02
04
Chair’s statement
Our investment case
Our business at a glance
Our strategy
Our business model
Strategic and operating review
Key performance indicators
Financial review
Risk review
ESG report
06 Strategic report
08
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12
14
28
30
44
66
137 Non-financial information statement
138 UK Companies Act, Section 172 Statement
146 Governance
148 Chair’s introduction
150 Our leadership
156 Corporate Governance
158 How we operate
167 Risk management and internal control
169 Committee reports
191 Statutory and regulatory disclosures
193
Index to principal Directors’ report disclosures
194 Directors’ remuneration report
196 Annual statement from the Chairman
of the Remuneration Committee
201 Our Executive Directors’ remuneration
at a glance
202 Summary of the current Directors’
remuneration policy
204 Annual report on remuneration
230 Additional remuneration disclosures
234 Financial statements
332 European Embedded Value (EEV)
basis results
Our financial
performance
READ
MORE 30
Our risk
profile
READ
MORE 44
The Directors’ Report of Prudential plc for the year ended 31 December 2021
is set out on pages 2 to 3, 148 to 193 and 362 to 403, and includes the
sections of the Annual Report referred to in these pages.
360 Additional information
362
Index to the additional unaudited
financial information
382 Risk factors
396 Glossary
400 Shareholder information
403 How to contact us
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Prudential plc Annual Report 2021
Chair’s statement
Prudential’s milestones in 2021 have been achieved due to the
remarkable efforts of our people, who have maintained their
dedication to serving our customers in the face of the many difficulties
created by Covid-19. We sadly lost 52 staff and agents during the
year to Covid-19 and our thoughts are with their families, friends and
colleagues. We have taken steps throughout the year to support the
emotional, mental and financial wellbeing of our people across the
Group through these challenging times.
Over the long term, we see that our markets have the capacity
for superior growth and favourable dynamics, and that our strategy
is aligned with public policy objectives. By applying our strengths
and deploying them in our high-growth businesses, we believe we
can deliver a distinctive shareholder proposition. In the immediate
term, shareholders also benefited from the dividend payable in cash
in respect of 2021 of 17.23 cents per share (2020: 16.10 cents per
share), in line with our stated dividend policy.
We strive to support our customers by making healthcare affordable
and accessible and by promoting financial inclusion. We work to
protect our customers’ wealth, help them grow their assets,
and empower them to save for their goals. We also seek to assist in
the process of a just and inclusive carbon transition that understands
and meets the needs of emerging and developing economies. As a
significant asset manager and asset owner in regions forecast to be
severely impacted by climate change, Prudential has a distinctive role
to play in the inclusive transition to a low-carbon economy. During
2021 we announced plans to decarbonise our portfolio of assets1
held on behalf of our insurance companies, with a goal of becoming
net zero by 2050.
Strategic re-positioning
During 2021 we completed the demerger of our US business, Jackson.
The markets for the industry in the US have been extremely difficult
in the recent period. We appreciate that the short-term valuation
outcomes of this important step may have been disappointing for
some longstanding shareholders, but we believe that the demerger
was the right decision for Prudential in the long term, enabling the
business to focus exclusively on and generate value from the
opportunities in Asia and Africa.
The long history of this company has been one of change, and the
Jackson demerger has shown that we remain prepared to make
difficult decisions in the long-term interest of the business, including
reducing our footprint and becoming more focused to create value for
shareholders. I wish our former colleagues in the US well.
Following the demerger of Jackson, in 2021 we took further structural
steps in our strategic transformation, conducting a successful equity
raise in Hong Kong and a debt redemption. These have been executed
during a period of extraordinary market volatility and, given these
conditions, we expect it will take time for full value to be generated
from what we have achieved.
The war in Ukraine and associated acute geopolitical tensions,
together with the ongoing challenge from Covid-19 and its effects,
mean that the environment remains highly uncertain. However, the
underlying structural driver of our business – the need for health and
protection provision in Asia and Africa – remains strong, and has in fact
been reinforced by the pandemic. We are well positioned in markets
where the need for our products is clear, we are continually innovating
with our products and we have a multi-channel distribution network
that ensures that we can deliver for our customers across our markets.
It has been a historic year for
Prudential. During 2021, we completed
the strategic re-positioning of our
business to focus solely on the growth
opportunities in Asia and Africa.
Despite the difficult conditions created by the Covid-19 pandemic,
we have continued to deliver for our customers and all our
stakeholders, producing a resilient financial performance. Closed
borders and lockdowns through the year have presented significant
challenges to our management and employees, which makes the
quality of their delivery over the year all the more extraordinary.
In February 2022 we announced that our Group Chief Executive,
Mike Wells, would be retiring from his role at the end of March.
I would like to thank Mike for his outstanding contribution to
Prudential over the last 26 years, and particularly as CEO for the last
seven years. He has led the Group through one of the most significant
periods of change in its 174-year history, while steering it through the
unprecedented events of the pandemic. The Board and I wish him
every success in the future.
Given Prudential’s now-exclusive focus on Asia and Africa, the Board
has decided that the roles of the Group CEO and the Group CFO will
be based in Asia, where Prudential’s largest businesses, the Group
regulator and the rest of the senior management team are located.
With the strategic re-positioning of the Group complete, we can now
take the next steps in the simplification of our management and
operational model. We have a depth of talent and experience in the
executive team under whose leadership the Group will continue to
deliver on its strategy. I am delighted that Mark FitzPatrick is taking on
the role of interim Group CEO and continuing as COO when Mike steps
down, as we conduct a search for a Group CEO. And I am delighted
that James Turner, currently our Group Chief Risk and Compliance
Officer, will become Group Chief Financial Officer. For further details,
please see the announcement made on 10 February 2022.
02
Prudential plc
Annual Report 2021
prudentialplc.com
The skill sets of our operational leadership at a market and segment
level have been complemented in 2021 by the addition of specialist
experience in Sharia and technology, as well as distribution. Our
structural transformation, our digital development and the quality
of our people enable us to continue to meet our customers’ needs
and provide value for our shareholders.
Purpose and ESG
The success of our business is inextricably linked to our purpose. As well
as informing the products we deliver, how we deliver them and how we
support our customers, this purpose can be seen through our progress
in embedded Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) matters
in our strategy. During 2021, we increased our focus on ESG and
made significant progress in delivering across all aspects of our ESG
framework. The Board has devoted more time to this topic and to other
people matters, including by establishing a Board Responsibility and
Sustainability Working Group (RSWG) chaired by Alice Schroeder, which
has overseen our work on the environment, communities, diversity,
inclusion, people and culture, the embedding of our ESG framework
and the enhancement of disclosures for 2021. You can read about the
activities of the Working Group on page 69 and some highlights are
provided below. You can find our full ESG Report on page 66.
Our people
Our successful transformation and our performance have been
made possible by the remarkable work of our people, and I would
like to thank them for their dedication. During 2021 we continued
to take steps to ensure the wellbeing of our people in the face of the
disruption caused by Covid-19. We created a framework with all our
local businesses to define how we ensure we look after our employees,
physically, financially, socially and mentally, developing Group-wide
programmes supplemented by local initiatives. We increased our focus
on mental health, raising awareness, providing preventive care, offering
protection and building sustainability through support and connection
in the workplace. We continue to develop our wellbeing approach in
the context of the rapid transition to hybrid ways of working.
We also took steps during the year to continue to improve diversity
and inclusion (D&I) among our colleagues. Our diversity figures
improved in 2021, but we recognise that we have more to do and have
established a number of new initiatives in this area. Our Global D&I
Council is responsible for defining our global D&I strategy, supporting
programmes and promoting D&I initiatives across our markets, as well
as challenging the organisation when progress is limited.
We extended our staff engagement across the business through
global engagement surveys, global town hall meetings and our
second Group-wide Collaboration Jam, a three-day inclusive online
conversation where colleagues could connect and co-create solutions
for the issues that matter most to them. We acted on feedback from
colleagues in a number of areas, improving our performance on open
and honest two-way communication, enabling employees to report
concerns without fear, taking steps to prevent our people feeling
overstressed by work, and taking action when individuals are not
performing in their roles. Our overall level of colleague engagement
continues to improve, with our engagement score being ahead of the
median score for all industries globally.
Our first Collaboration Jam in 2020 helped us to define our new values
of being ambitious, curious, empathetic, courageous and nimble,
and these values are now embedded in our approach to feedback
and reward, and the ways in which we work across the Group.
Along with my fellow Non-executive Directors, I have had the
opportunity through joining town halls and small-group sessions with
future leaders within the Group to see first-hand how these values are
being embedded in our business. It has been frustrating during 2021
not to be able to visit as many of our locations and meet as many of
our people as we would have liked, and hopefully travel restrictions
will be eased during 2022 to allow us to do so much more frequently.
Our communities
We have continued to serve the communities in which we work, to try
and make a difference where it is most needed, particularly in the face
of the challenges created by Covid-19. We have innovated in our
products to meet the changing needs of customers, developed our
distribution platform to make our products more easily available to
the customers who need them, including through digital access, and
provided direct contributions to those communities to help deal with
the impact of the pandemic.
Following on from the success of our Covid-19 Relief Fund in 2020,
last year we launched a new dedicated fund to continue to support
communities struggling with the pandemic. Administered by the
Prudence Foundation, our community investment arm, the fund
was used by local businesses to focus on supporting vulnerable
communities with efforts that include Covid-19 messaging, hygiene
and sanitation, nutrition and educational programmes. Alongside
this support, the Prudence Foundation continued its important work
focusing on promoting financial literacy, supporting early childhood
care and development, and delivering education and awareness
on climate and disaster risk preparedness, road safety and first aid.
The Board
We have made a number of changes to the Board to align with
and support the shape and direction of the Group. In January 2022,
George Sartorel joined us, and this appointment, together with our
appointments in 2021 of Chua Sock Koong, Ming Lu and Jeanette
Wong, represents the addition of deep operational experience in Asia
and digital knowledge. As part of that evolution, Anthony Nightingale,
who has been Chair of the Remuneration Committee since 2015,
and Alice Schroeder, Chair of the RSWG, will be leaving the Board
at our 2022 Annual General Meeting, while Fields Wicker-Miurin left
the Board at the end of 2021. I would like to thank Anthony, Alice
and Fields for their invaluable contributions to the business. The
composition of the Board will continue to change, and we continue
to seek suitable candidates with skills and depth of experience in our
markets and with an increased focus on digital capabilities.
I look forward to working with my fellow Board members and our
colleagues across the Group as the re-shaped and re-focused
Prudential continues to develop, grow and deliver.
Shriti Vadera
Chair of the Board
Note
1 Our investment portfolio includes both listed equities and corporate bonds,
while excluding assets held by joint venture businesses and assets in unit-linked funds
as we do not have full authority to change the investment strategies of these.
03
Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 Our investment case
What we offer investors
Our long-term opportunities
> Our markets
have favourable
demographics
> Our markets
have superior
economic growth
> Our strategy is
aligned with public
policy objectives
There are substantial and unmet consumer needs in
our markets that are set to continue in the long term,
and provide significant opportunity for growth and
value creation.
Asia’s health and protection gap
is estimated at
$1.8 trillion1
80%
of the Asian population has no insurance
cover2, and
39%
of health and protection spend is paid
out-of-pocket4
Less than
50%
of people in Africa have access to modern
health facilities3
Prudential has a
high quality, diversified
portfolio in Asia and Africa,
supported by a leading
multi-channel distribution
platform which leads us to
be well placed to continue
to deliver value for our
shareholders and all
our stakeholders.
Notes
1 Source: Swiss Re Institute: The health protection gap
in Asia, October 2018.
2 Prudential estimate based on number of in-force policies
over total population.
3 Source: Health and Diseases in Africa, October 2017
(nih.gov).
4 Source: World Health Organisation: Global Health
Observatory data (2019). South-East Asia, Out-of-pocket
expenditure as percentage of current health expenditure
(CHE).
04
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Annual Report 2021
prudentialplc.com
Applying our strengths
Delivering a distinctive shareholder proposition
Our businesses are
diversified across Asia
and Africa, with a health
and protection focus
READ MORE PAGES 14 TO 27
Our modern multi-channel
distribution platform
includes agents, banks
and digital
READ MORE PAGES 14 TO 27
We offer adaptable,
consumer-centric products
including on the Pulse
digital platform
READ MORE PAGE 17
Our leading Asia-based
asset manager, Eastspring,
has $258.5bn assets
under management
READ MORE PAGE 26
We have disciplined
capital allocation
READ MORE PAGE 18
We believe that our strategy and execution
ability will help support our ambition to achieve
the following:
Ambition for growth rates of new
business profit to substantially
exceed GDP growth in the markets
in which Prudential operates
Ambition to fund further profitable
compounding growth and high
risk-adjusted returns for shareholders
Ambition for long-term double-digit
growth in embedded value per share
05
Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 Strategic
report
06
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 prudentialplc.com Contents
Our business at a glance
Our strategy
Our business model
Strategic and operating review
Key performance indicators
Financial review
Risk review
ESG report
08
10
12
14
28
30
44
66
137 Non-financial information statement
138 UK Companies Act, Section 172 Statement
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Prudential plc Annual Report 2021
Our business at a glance
Our markets
In Asia, we provide savings and protection in markets
challenged by low insurance penetration and a pension
funding gap1. In Africa, we are building businesses in
some of the world’s most under-penetrated markets.
Our markets
Life insurance
Asset management
MAINLAND
CHINA
KOREA
JAPAN
INDIA
MYANMAR
LAOS
TAIWAN
HONG KONG
THAILAND
VIETNAM
CAMBODIA
PHILIPPINES
GHANA
NIGERIA
TOGO
CÔTE
D’IVOIRE
CAMEROON
UGANDA
SINGAPORE
MALAYSIA
INDONESIA
KENYA
ZAMBIA
08
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 prudentialplc.com Our largest life insurance businesses are based in Mainland China, Hong Kong,
Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore and we have life businesses in a number
of other growing economies in South-east Asia and Africa. We see our greatest
opportunities in Mainland China, India, Indonesia and Thailand. Eastspring,
our asset management business, is based in 11 locations throughout Asia.
Our markets
Population2
Life
insurance
penetration3
Prudential
market
ranking4
Eastspring
funds under
management5
1.4bn
7m
274m
32m
6m
1.4bn
24m
97m
7m
110m
17m
70m
54m
2.4%
19.2%
1.4%
4.0%
7.6%
3.2%
14.0%
1.6%
0.0%
1.2%
0.6%
3.4%
0.0%
3rd
2nd
2nd
1st
3rd
3rd
9th
2nd
3rd
1st
2nd
6th
2nd
Mainland China
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Malaysia
Singapore
India
Taiwan
Vietnam
Laos
Philippines
Cambodia
Thailand
Myanmar
Japan
Korea
$12.4bn
$5.5bn
$4.9bn
$13.8bn
$150.3bn
$30.9bn
$5.3bn
$6.6bn
n/a
n/a
n/a
$12.7bn
n/a
$3.3bn
$12.0bn
Population of
Prudential markets6
Number of
Prudential markets
Africa
416m
8
FIND OUT MORE IN THE STRATEGIC AND OPERATING REVIEW ON PAGE 14
Notes
1 Bridging Asia’s pension gap Eastspring Investments July 2019.
2 United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, World Population Prospects 2019 Revision
(2020 estimates).
3 Source: Swiss Re Institute; Sigma No 3/2021: World insurance – life insurance penetration (premiums as a percentage of GDP in 2020).
4 Sources: Mainland China (Based on new business standard premiums for 2021 of the foreign joint ventures only, data from
industry sharing of information), Hong Kong (Based on weighted total premiums for the first nine months in 2021 – provisional
statistics, from Hong Kong Insurance Authority), Indonesia (Based on weighted new premiums for 2021, data from Indonesian
Life Insurance Association), Malaysia (Based on new business APE, data from Life Insurance Association of Malaysia and
Insurance Service Malaysia Berhad), Singapore (Based on weighted new business premiums reported within Singapore Life
Insurance Association returns for 2021), India (Based on retail weighted premium for the calendar year 2021 of private insurers
operating in India), Taiwan (Based on full year 2021 APE data from Taiwan Insurance Institute), Vietnam (Based on full year 2021
APE data collected from data sharing by Vietnam Actuarial Network), Laos (Axco industry report, Oct 2021, based on 2019
premiums data), the Philippines (Based on weighted first year premiums for the first nine months in 2021, data from Insurance
Commission), Cambodia (Based on full year 2021 adjusted APE, from Insurance Association of Cambodia), Thailand (Based on
weighted new business premium for 2021, from The Thai Life Assurance Association), Myanmar (Based on new business premium
for the year October 2020 to September 2021 for the foreign insurers operating in Myanmar, from Myanmar Insurance Association).
5 Full year 2021 total funds under management, including external funds under management, money market funds, funds managed
on behalf of M&G plc and internal funds under management, reported based on the country where the funds are managed.
Eastspring has additional FUM outside these markets.
6 Population as at 2020 source: IMF WEO.
09
Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 Our strategy
How we drive value for all stakeholders
Q What’s driving
our business today?
A Our Purpose is to
help people get the
most out of life:
We want to make healthcare
affordable and accessible,
and promote financial
inclusion.
We seek to protect people’s
wealth, and help them to
grow their assets and save
for their goals.
Our Principles underpin
our business approach
> We put customers first
> We act with integrity
> We embrace a growth
mindset
> We invest in all our
communities
> We take the long view
10
Q What is our strategy?
A Our strategy consists of three key themes:
SEE OUR STRATEGIC AND OPERATING REVIEW PAGE 14
SEE OUR ESG STRATEGY PAGE 71
Delivering
profitable
growth
and social
impact
Delivering
Growing health and protection
business by providing access to
affordable health
—
Focusing on the growth opportunities
in China, India, Indonesia and Thailand
—
Positioning Eastspring to lead in Asia
and drive the ESG agenda
Digitalising
Making it easy for customers
to buy – repeatedly
—
Expanding data-driven knowledge
of our customers
—
Improving health and wealth
outcomes for our customers
Humanising
Upskilling our people, agents
and partner advisors
—
Providing inclusive offerings
for all segments
—
Lowering the threshold
for wealth services
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 prudentialplc.com
Q What outcomes
do we want to see
as a result?
A Our long-term
performance
aspirations are:
Grow the value of our
business for shareholders
Q How do
we approach
Executive reward?
A We explicitly link
Executive Directors’
Remuneration to
strategic delivery:
Performance conditions
of the Executive Directors’
Prudential Long Term
Incentive Plan (PLTIP)
for 2022 include:
Develop capacity to serve
New business profit
Digitalising
products,
services and
experiences
50m
customers by 2025
Humanising
our company
and advice
channels
Assets we hold on behalf of our
insurance companies will become
‘net zero’
by 2050
SEE OUR KEY PERFORMANCE
INDICATORS PAGE 28
45%
of the financial
performance conditions
Return on embedded value
30%
of total award
ESG metrics constitute
10%
of total 2022 Executive
Director’s Prudential
Long Term Incentive Plan
(PLTIP) award, including
5 per cent linked to the
carbon reduction target
announced in May 2021.
ESG priorities and
commitments are also
reflected in the personal
and strategic component
of Executive Directors
Annual Incentive Plan (AIP).
SEE OUR REMUNERATION
REPORT PAGE 194
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Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021
Our business model
How we
create
value
We offer insurance and asset management products, focusing
on the markets where we believe there is rising demand for savings
and protection offerings. By tailoring our products to the needs
of customers in these markets we believe we have a significant
opportunity for growth and value creation.
Our purpose
and function
The stages in our
Business model
Key resources
and relationships
we employ…
We help people get the most out of life...
Meet customer needs
in our selected markets
Engage with customers
and potential customers
Markets
We operate in markets with
low insurance penetration with a
growing need for health, protection
and savings products.
Products
We focus on providing regular
premium health and protection
business alongside fee earning
asset management services.
In these markets we seek,
through discussions with
governments, regulators, partners
and customers, to address the social
requirements for insurance and asset
management solutions.
We develop our products to reach
new customers and to make our
products more inclusive.
Distribution
and digitalisation
Our health, savings and protection
products are distributed through our
extensive agent network, banks and
digital partnerships.
Our asset management products are
distributed to third-party institutions
and retail clients.
We are working to digitalise our
products, services and experiences
to increase customer engagement.
... and what
differentiates us
We have top three positions in 11 out
of 13 life markets in Asia, and Eastspring
is a top-10 asset manager in six of
11 markets. We operate in eight
countries in Africa, where we have
built a rapidly-growing multi-product
business since our entry in 2014.
Our focus on regular premium
health and protection and asset
management services helps us
grow our revenues over time as we
add new customers and increase
the savings of our existing ones.
READ MORE 14 TO 27
Our extensive multi-channel
distribution enables us to better
understand and service customers’
financial needs.
Pulse by Prudential is a free digital
mobile application which is improving
our customer engagement and reach.
We are the market leaders of
Sharia business in Indonesia
and Malaysia.
READ MORE 14 TO 27
READ MORE 14 TO 27
Underpinned by
our core behaviours
Operating with discipline
Risk management and disciplined allocation of capital
underpin our activities, while our governance, processes
and controls enable us to deal effectively with uncertainty.
Building sustainable business
We build sustainable businesses and invest responsibly, seeking
to integrate environmental, social and governance considerations
into our investment processes and stewardship activities.
READ MORE 44 TO 63
READ MORE 66 TO 136
12
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 prudentialplc.com by helping our customers protect their wealth and save for their goals.
Meet customer
expectations
Generate benefits
for our stakeholders
Customer service
and loyalty
We have high customer loyalty,
with a retention ratio consistently
in excess of 89 per cent2.
The satisfaction and trust our
customers have in our business
translates into a high proportion
of repeat sales.
Integrated asset
management
We leverage Eastspring’s expertise
in equity, bonds and multi-asset
management to underpin our insurance
products, as well as offering products
direct to third-party institutions and
retail clients.
We seek to protect the value
of our business over the longer
term through meeting customer
expectations and disciplined risk
management and increase value
by adding new customers.
Eastspring is one of the
largest pan-Asian asset
managers and benefits
from the structural advantages
of predictable inflows from
the Group’s life business.
READ MORE 14 TO 27
AND 30 TO 43
READ MORE 26
Engaging our stakeholders
We engage with our stakeholder groups closely and
take account of their concerns in our decision-making.
READ MORE 138 TO 145
The value we create
for our stakeholders
Customers
We aim to provide accessible
healthcare solutions as well as
empowering our customers to
save for their goals.
During the year
we paid out3 over
$8.8bn
to our customers in respect
of the long-term insurance
products they hold with us
Our people
We provide an inclusive working
environment where we develop
talent, reward performance,
protect our people and value
our differences.
14,486
employees1
Regulators
We work with regulators to
understand their objectives,
priorities and concerns, and
how they affect the shape
of our business.
$13.2bn
GWS shareholder surplus
Investors
Our Asia and Africa-focused strategy
will support long-term delivery of
future shareholder returns through
value appreciation and dividends.
EEV
$47.4bn
Government and
wider society
We regard governments and
legislatures in the markets in
which we operate as important
stakeholders. We support our wider
communities through investment in
business and infrastructure, paying
tax and community support activity.
$5.9m
direct cash donations to
charitable organisations
Suppliers
We treat our suppliers fairly
so we both mutually benefit
from our relationship.
Notes
1 Whole Group Full Time Equivalent
Including Chair, all Directors,
GEC members, Senior Managers,
excluding joint ventures.
2 Excluding India, Laos, Myanmar
and Africa.
3 Claims paid gross of reinsurance,
see note C3.2(i) to the IFRS financial
statements for more details.
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Re-positioned the Group into an
Asia and Africa-focused business
During 2021 we completed the planned strategic
re-positioning of our business, while at the same time
delivering a resilient financial performance, despite the
challenges posed by the continuing Covid-19 pandemic.
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Alongside our key strategic steps, during 2021 we supported our key
stakeholders in many different ways, particularly in the face of the
challenges created by Covid-19. For our customers, we have developed
and tailored our range of products, in particular in health and
protection, to allow these products to be suitable for a wider range
of income groups such as through our ‘bite-sized’ insurance products.
These are already offered in a number of markets including Malaysia,
the Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam, and are designed to cater for
the specific needs of under-insured consumers and first-time buyers.
For our agents, we have delivered significant training and productivity
tools, enabling them to continue to retain client contact and
accelerate the lead referral process. For our employees, we have paid
salaries and wages of $1.0 billion in the year6, as well as providing
significant support in terms of wellness, flexible working and helping
them to manage their mental health. We have recognised the efforts
that our staff have made during the year and have granted $1,000
of Prudential shares to each full-time employee. For our regulators,
we have participated in multiple engagements on industry
developments including enhanced risk management, monitoring
customer outcomes and risk-based capital. The Group continues to
make significant tax contributions in the jurisdictions in which it
operates, with more than $1 billion remitted to tax authorities in 2021.
We have funds under management of $258.5 billion7 and are
significant investors in Asia and Africa economies.
In the near term, our corporate activity is expected to include the
reduction of our stake in Jackson to less than 10 per cent and the
securing of additional central cost savings of $70 million8 from the
start of 2023. We will continue to ensure our central functions remain
resilient and compliant.
We are ending this historic year of change and development ideally
positioned to take advantage of the opportunities in our chosen
markets. Through our continually improving range of products,
our wide-ranging, digitally-enabled multi-channel distribution and
our execution capabilities, we are well placed to continue to build
for our customers across our markets well into the future.
Over the course of the year, we completed the reshaping of our
business into one focused entirely on the long-term opportunities
we have identified in Asia and Africa. In the fourth quarter, we carried
out a successful $2.4 billion1 equity raise in Hong Kong. In December
2021 and January 2022 cash from this issuance was deployed in
deleveraging our balance sheet in a $2.25 billion debt redemption
programme. These actions, together with the associated reduction
in interest costs, have enhanced our financial flexibility in light of the
breadth of opportunities to invest for growth in Asia and Africa.
In 2021, despite ongoing disruption, our digitally-enabled, multi-
channel and geographically diversified platform delivered 8 per cent
growth2 in APE sales3 (10 per cent on an actual exchange rate basis).
Sales in Hong Kong continued to be constrained by the ongoing
closure of the border with Mainland China. However, excluding
Hong Kong, APE sales were 16 per cent2 higher (19 per cent on an
actual exchange rate basis). Eight markets in Asia and our Africa
business saw double-digit growth including Mainland China, India,
Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. The increase in
APE sales, combined with an improvement in new business margins
given a favourable shift in business mix, resulted in a 13 per cent2
increase in Group new business profit4. Business mix saw a shift into
more profitable shareholder-backed business, particularly in Hong
Kong. Our adjusted IFRS operating profit based on longer-term
investment returns (adjusted operating profit5) for 2021 from our
continuing operations increased by 16 per cent on a constant
exchange rate basis (17 per cent on an actual exchange rate basis),
reflecting the geographic, product and distribution channel
diversification of our Asia and Africa-focused business model.
The total IFRS loss after tax for 2021 was $(2,813) million (2020:
$2,231 million profit after tax on a constant exchange rate basis,
$2,185 million profit after tax on an actual exchange rate basis),
which comprised a $2,214 million profit after tax from continuing
operations (2020: $2,514 million profit after tax on a constant
exchange rate basis, $2,468 million profit after tax on an actual
exchange rate basis) and a $(5,027) million loss after tax from
discontinued operations (2020: $(283) million loss after tax on a
constant and actual exchange rate basis). This loss from discontinued
operations is due to the write-down of Jackson to its fair value upon
demerger, as required by accounting standards. The Group’s financial
performance for the year is further discussed in the Financial Review
later in this strategic report.
The Covid-19 pandemic has had an ongoing impact on the markets
in which we operate and the lives of our customers, and has caused
continuing personal and working challenges for all our colleagues.
Our people have not only risen to the challenges posed by Covid-19,
but have also continued to deliver to the highest standards for our
customers and our business.
Our purpose is to help people get the most out of life, and both our
strategic steps and our service to our customers are enabling us to
fulfil that purpose. Our strategy of focusing on our markets in Asia
and Africa enables us to devote our resources to serving customers
in markets where there are substantial growth opportunities and to
be aligned with broader public policy and societal needs. Our range
of products, our digitally-enabled multi-channel distribution and the
dynamic capabilities of our operations mean that not only can we
seek to meet those needs but also to help prevent, postpone and
protect customers from threats to their health and wellbeing, as well
as support them to achieve their savings goals.
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Group strategy
Our strategy is aligned with the supportive structural trends in Asia
and Africa. Despite the rapid rise in prosperity in Asia, people still have
low levels of insurance cover, with 39 per cent of health and protection
spend still paid out-of-pocket9, and an estimated 80 per cent of the
population of Asia still without insurance cover10. Combined with rising
prosperity and ageing populations, this creates a large and growing
health and protection gap that has been estimated at $1.8 trillion11.
These long-term trends underpin rising demand for savings and
protection across both Asia and Africa, and create significant
opportunity for growth and value creation. By delivering products
and services that are specific to consumer segments and markets,
we are well positioned to meet the growing health, protection and
long-term savings needs of customers in these geographies.
We are developing the capacity to serve up to 50 million customers by
2025 through investing in our multi-channel distribution capabilities,
applying digital capabilities to increase the efficiency of our
operations and introducing products and services that allow us to
develop more diverse customer bases in our markets. We continue to
invest in our people and systems to ensure we have the resources to
deliver on our long-term growth strategy and to evolve our operating
model to keep pace with our opportunities as an exclusively Asian
and African business. We seek to achieve this by:
> Delivering profitable growth in a socially responsible way;
> Digitalising our products, services and experiences; and
> Humanising our company and advice channels.
We have significant investment appetite that is based on the absolute
size and demographic characteristics of each economy and our ability
to build competitive advantage, leveraging our scale and expertise.
We will continue to build on our leading positions in Hong Kong and
South-east Asia, and we see the greatest growth opportunities in the
largest economies of China, India, Indonesia and Thailand. At the
same time, we are continuing to develop our businesses in Africa,
where our investment gives us exposure to a growing, under-served
continent whose population is expected to double to more than
two billion people by 205012.
Delivering the strategy
Our strategy is pursued through providing a wide range of products
which are then refined through continued innovation and iterative
enhancements driven by customer needs. These products and services
are then offered to those customers through our multi-channel
distribution suite of channels – agents, bancassurance, digital and
other. Increasingly customers are seeking to interact with us through
a combination of digital channels and in-person agents. We are
adapting our capabilities to match customers’ preferences for
engagement during both purchase and servicing of our policies.
Our product mix and multi-channel distribution capability have
been the key drivers of new business profitability and growth in
embedded value.
Our products are tailored to the developing requirements of local
markets and the fast-changing needs of individual customers.
Our focus is on health and protection and savings products, and in
2021 54 per cent of our new business profit was contributed by health
and protection solutions, with the rest provided by savings products
including participating, linked and other traditional products.
We have responded to the changing needs of our customers by
broadening coverage for new risks and adding innovative features
to existing products. For example, during 2021, we introduced or
enhanced more than 200 new products, including more than 90
digital and protection products. Further details are given below
in the operational performance by market section.
Our product and other initiatives helped attract over 2.5 million
customers in 2021 who were not existing policyholders of Prudential.
This contributed to an increase in our total life customer base to
18.6 million (2020: 17.4 million excluding Jackson). New business
policies sold to both new and existing customers rose to 3.9 million,
an increase of 16 per cent over the prior year and included 109,000
polices which were sold direct to the consumer through digital
systems, including Pulse. These new policies included 2.2 million
health and protection cases, an increase of 41 per cent when
compared with the prior year, reflecting our customers’ increased
focus on this area in light of the pandemic.
To ensure that customers have the best access to our products,
we have a multi-channel and integrated distribution strategy that is
able to adapt flexibly to changing local market conditions. We have an
extensive distribution network encompassing agency, bancassurance
and non-traditional partnerships, including digital.
Our agency channel is a key component of our success, providing
65 per cent of our new business profit, given the high proportion of
high-margin protection products sold through this channel. We have
over 540,000 licenced tied agents13 across our life insurance markets.
The productivity of our active agents increased by 3 per cent during
202113, based on APE sales per active agent as we, and our customers,
focus increasingly on standalone protection products. New business
profit from the agency channel fell by (1) per cent2 to $1,646 million
in 2021. Excluding Hong Kong the increase was 9 per cent2.
Our continued support for our agency channel positions us well for
sustainable growth. We have recruited circa 123,000 agents during
the year13 and continue to move our recruitment, training and
management of agents on-line. The use of virtual sales tools has
enabled us to deliver 45 per cent of agency new cases in 2021
virtually, compared with 28 per cent from April to December in 2020,
demonstrating our embedding of these processes and building
resilience for the future.
Agent professionalism and career progression are extremely important
to us, and we provide tailored training programmes that share our
agents’ experience and best practice across different markets. At the
same time, we continually upgrade the tools available to our agents to
assist them during the sales process and enhance productivity. Agents
that qualified for the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) award during
2021 contributed 40 per cent of APE sales in the relevant markets14
in 2021 (2020: 34 per cent14).
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We have a leading bancassurance franchise, providing access to
over 26,000 bank branches through our strategic partnerships with
over 160 multinational banks and prominent domestic banks. 2021
saw new business profit through the bancassurance channel increase
by 56 per cent to $795 million. Sales made virtually accounted for
around 30 per cent of new business cases made through the
bancassurance channel in 2021 (2020: 27 per cent from July 2020).
Alongside our agency and bancassurance channels, we also have
Pulse by Prudential, our digital platform and ecosystem. Our aspiration
is that Pulse facilitates customer acquisition at scale, provides an
enhanced customer experience and acts as a platform for the
business, with scope for delivering future operational efficiency.
Our pan-Asia asset manager, Eastspring, is one of the largest pan-Asia
asset managers, managing $258.5 billion in assets across 11 markets
in Asia15, and is a top-10 asset manager in six of those markets. We
continue to diversify Eastspring’s product set and intend to accelerate
its development as a leader in Asia by broadening its investment
strategies and making wealth services more accessible at lower levels
of individual contributions. Eastspring is playing an important role
in supporting our commitment to carbon reduction in our insurance
company asset portfolio, allowing us to deliver profitable growth
alongside a positive social impact. Further details are set out in the
operational performance by market section.
Pulse and our digital offerings
Prudential’s Pulse digital platform is designed to connect with
customers and potential customers on key elements in their lives,
namely their health and wealth. As well as offering our own products
it provides a number of other features to engage and support customers
in this area. We work with partners to deliver these additional services
and features and to date we have entered into 56 key digital
partnerships. We continue to expand our collaboration with new
partners helping us widen access to new customer segments and
deepen our engagement with our users. Prudential’s widely recognised
brand and Pulse’s geographically diverse platform means that we can
attract and work with multiple ‘best-in-class’ partners across numerous
fields of expertise and sectors.
Pulse is active in 17 markets in Asia and Africa and we utilise AI
technology to offer users a selection of services, ranging from health
assessments, risk factor identification, telemedicine and wellness to
digital payment capabilities. Health features such as AI Symptom
checker and Digital Twin have been launched in Pulse to most
markets in which Pulse is available. These features are paired with
health experts online (where available) and fitness communities to
help Pulse users stay healthier.
Pulse has now been downloaded more than 32 million16 times.
Download growth has moderated more recently given that Pulse has
now been rolled out to most of the markets we operate in. The focus
now is on customer segmentation and engagement campaigns on
the installed base so that Pulse now supports all of our distribution
channels. APE sales associated with Pulse increased by 73 per cent2
to $364 million in 202117. These sales represented circa 11 per cent
of our total APE sales in markets where Pulse is available. This
percentage contribution has increased steadily over the second
half of the year, ending the last quarter of 2021 at 13 per cent.
We believe Pulse provides a wide range of benefits to Prudential,
including:
> Efficient model to acquire, engage and serve users at scale,
widening access to new customer segments for Prudential.
This includes attracting a new, younger generation of customers.
> Reduces marginal customer acquisition costs through targeted
marketing campaigns.
> Aggregated data on Pulse helps deliver greater customer insights
and supports improved productivity for Prudential’s distribution
channels by serving those customers that require a more
personal/advice led approach which are often higher margin
more complex products.
> Promotes better customer retention characteristics via stronger
engagement and frequent contact, particularly for digital-savvy
customers or customers who prefer virtual interactions.
Pulse is intended to become in due course a common platform across
our markets to provide end-to-end processing, with all policy sales
and servicing conducted within the platform for digital products.
In addition, it is intended to provide an integrated business solution
for our agency sales force, which should assist in creating a future-
ready sales force capable of serving technology-savvy customers,
as well as customers who prefer to meet virtually or a combination of
both. Over the longer term this also has the potential to enhance our
current operating model by removing some of the diverse technology
systems and manual processes across our markets.
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Pulse supports the agency channel and its use is demonstrated by the
number of leads recorded on Pulse, which totalled 4.3 million in 202118.
As an example, our Philippines business saw over 1.9 million leads
distributed to agents in 2021. These leads were provided to agents
via PRULeads (within Pulse), where agents are provided with lead and
campaign details derived from data generated from Pulse. The agents
are also provided with suggested introductory discussion points to
engage and develop dialogue with customers. Lastly, product
information materials specific to the campaign are tagged in
PRULeads, allowing agents access to those materials should that
be necessary.
Pulse also supports our bank partners in bringing digital solutions
to customers. In the Philippines for example, Prudential has teamed
up with CIMB Bank Philippines (CIMB PH) to make digital financial
products and service more accessible. CIMB PH is one of the fastest
growing banks in the Philippines, adopting and offering digital
banking products to its more than five million customers. We are the
first bancassurance partner for CIMB. Pulse products will be made
available on CIMB’s platform and vice-versa.
It is intended that Pulse will broaden Prudential’s customer reach,
improve our channel productivity and generate efficiencies as
we scale. Prudential continues to evaluate options for the
development of Pulse in India and Mainland China. Our operations
there already have sophisticated digital offerings provided by our
respective joint venture partners in these technologically advanced
multi-channel businesses.
Capital allocation
We apply a disciplined approach to capital allocation by applying the
framework discussed in the Financial Review both to organic investment
in new business and to considering inorganic growth options.
We aim to deliver ongoing capital generation by investing capital
to write products with high rates of return and short payback
periods. We expect to generate attractive returns on our new
business driven particularly by the focus on health and protection
and regular premium products. This creates new capital, which can
be reinvested into writing more profitable new business. In 2021,
we generated almost five times the new business profit for each $1
invested organically.
The operation of our approach to capital management is
demonstrated by our delivery of return on shareholders’ equity
as set out below:
Operating return19 on shareholders’ equity (%)
Operating return19 on IFRS shareholders’ equity20
Operating return19 on EEV shareholders’ equity20
2021
2020
18
8
20
8
Leadership developments
During 2021, a number of leadership changes took place. Our Group
Chief Digital Officer retired and was succeeded by his deputy.
In Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, new CEOs were appointed
following retirements and in all three cases the new appointees
brought in additional skill sets including Sharia finance and
technology. The CEOs in all our major segments have many years
of experience of working in the markets they oversee and are all local
to their markets.
Environmental, Social and Governance
During 2021, we have strengthened our focus on Environmental,
Social and Governance (ESG) matters, building on the new ESG
strategic framework which we developed in 2020.
Across Prudential, inclusivity runs as a common theme in all of our
ESG activity. Within our core business activity of making health
accessible, we seek to make our products as inclusive as possible and
during 2021, we developed a campaign, We DO Family, to support the
development of more inclusive products that recognise the evolution
of nuclear families; our approach to climate change is underscored
by our commitment to an inclusive transition in our markets; and,
we further progressed our diversity and inclusion activity including
the launch of PRUCommunities, a safe place for our people to share
identities, interests, goals, and the changes they would like to see at
Prudential. We consider this focus on inclusivity, both internally and
externally, to be pivotal to meeting our purpose.
We recognise the importance of targets in evidencing our
commitment to progress on ESG topics. As a significant asset manager
and asset owner in regions forecast to be impacted severely by climate
change, we have a distinctive role to play in the inclusive transition to
a low-carbon economy. Recognising this, in May 2021, we set a target
to be net zero by 2050 for our insurance assets supported by a
25 per cent reduction in emissions from the portfolio by 2025.
In addition, we have established targets for a 25 per cent reduction
in Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions per employee by 2030.
Our ESG report on pages 66 to 136 sets out in more detail our ESG
activities during the year, including our progress towards these targets
on page 83.
Outlook
We enter 2022 with a strong balance sheet and capital position.
The timing of the opening of the Hong Kong border remains
uncertain and Covid-19 will continue to have an impact. The current
conflict in Ukraine could have wider implications for global economic
and market conditions as well as geopolitical relations. However,
we believe our multi-channel approach and focus on quality business
and operating efficiency is the right strategy for dealing with volatile
operating conditions. We are confident that our investment in new
business, distribution and product enhancements will continue to
meet the needs of our customers and build value for our shareholders
over the long term.
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Operational performance by market
The following commentary provides an update on the operational capabilities and performance for each of the Group’s segments. Discussion
of the financial performance of the Group and its segments is contained separately in the Financial Review section of this Strategic Report.
Mainland China – CITIC Prudential Life (CPL)
APE sales ($m)
New business profit ($m)
New business margin (%)
Adjusted operating profit ($m)
IFRS profit after tax ($m)
Actual exchange rate
Constant exchange rate
2021
776
352
45
343
278
2020
582
269
46
251
394
Change
33%
31%
(1)ppts
37%
(29)%
2020
623
288
46
269
423
Change
25%
22%
(1)ppts
28%
(34)%
Amounts included in the table above represent the Group’s 50 per cent share.
Mainland China continues to present significant opportunities for
Prudential, driven by the low levels of insurance penetration, conducive
regulatory proposals for the long-term development of insurance
markets as well as favourable demographics such as an ageing
population, emerging middle class and rapid urbanisation. These
factors support further growth both in health and protection as well
as pension products and services.
Delivering customer-led solutions
Our Mainland China business presents solutions that address the
financial security and wellbeing of our customers at different life
stages, with built-in related services enriching the overall customer
propositions. Our solutions and services are combined in an ecosystem
that provides an integrated experience, meets the full demands of
customers and strengthens our relationships with them.
Prudential’s life business in Mainland China, CPL, is a 50/50 joint
venture with CITIC, a leading Chinese state-owned conglomerate.
CPL benefits from a balanced distribution network with strength
in agency and bancassurance and a well-diversified product range.
CPL has a substantial opportunity to expand and deepen its presence
across its nationwide footprint of 20 branches covering 99 cities.
Our Mainland China business has a particular focus on areas with
the greatest economic growth potential, a strategy aligned with
the Chinese government’s ‘City Cluster Model’, centred on Beijing,
Shanghai and the Greater Bay Area, a region which, if it was a
separate economy, would be one of the 10 largest economies
in the world46. We customise our solutions for various customer
segments. We target the high net worth individuals and families
with inter-generational insurance and wealth solutions incorporating
legacy planning. We also tailor our protection and education solutions
to the needs of the younger generation, which we combine with
healthcare and childcare services. Our group life and health solutions
are popular with business owners and their employees.
New business performance during 2021
CPL became the largest contributor to the Group’s total APE sales in
2021, supported by APE sales growth of 25 per cent2 to $776 million.
Our solid and resilient growth has been underpinned by our diversified
distribution strategy, with both agency and bancassurance channels
delivering double-digit APE sales growth at 25 per cent2 and
28 per cent2 respectively in 2021.
Sales volume growth led to a 22 per cent2 increase in overall
new business profit compared with the same period in 2020 and
significantly exceeded the pre-pandemic level of 2019 by 25 per cent2.
In a challenging environment, our agency continued to deliver growth
in new business profit at an attractive margin above 70 per cent,
driven by strong growth in non-participating products. The
bancassurance new business profit margin was stable at 39 per cent
with new business profit growth driven by higher sales, notably in
the linked segment.
CPL continues to outgrow the overall sector. In 2021, CPL increased
its overall market share to 0.86 per cent21, from 0.74 per cent21 in 2020.
During 2021, we upgraded our award-winning critical illness solution
(‘Hui Kang Zhi Cheng’) by enhancing benefit coverage conditions
and reducing waiting periods for certain recurrent claims such as
cancer. Beyond protection, we offer a health concierge service that
provides preventive healthcare, a panel of specialists for consultation
on treatment options, priority hospital access and mental health
rehabilitation services.
To meet our customers’ desire for a more digital experience,
engagement, fulfilment and servicing with customers and distributors,
are carried out through our mobile first Xin Yi Tong app. Our ‘Virtual
Lounge’ leverages technology to humanise connection between the
agent and the customer. Digital media recognised the technology’s
customer useability. In fact, our CPL business continues to report one
of the highest virtual sales rates amongst our business units of over
80 per cent despite the near-normalisation of the Covid-19 situation.
Multi-channel distribution
We continue to focus on building a professional, high-quality agency
force, with suitable knowledge of health and protection products.
Our 17,800 agents serve customers across the country. Our agency
productivity has improved markedly, with APE sales per active agent
rising 61 per cent and over 1,100 agents qualifying for the MDRT
award in 2021. Our total agency force reduced during the year in the
context of the industry going through a period of rationalisation and
our own focus on quality. We are empowering agents with tools and
techniques that help engage customers in order to provide customer-
centric solutions. Over time, as our agency force continues to mature
and build experience, we expect this to result in further enhancement
in productivity, providing additional support to our growth trajectory
in CPL.
Meanwhile, we also continue to build out our bancassurance
distribution. We have a network of 48 bancassurance partners
with access to over 6,000 branches across Mainland China,
supported by over 3,000 insurance specialists catering to the
customers of the banks. This has resulted in higher levels of
new business from the bank channel and, coupled with further
improvement in product mix, new business profit expanded
by 31 per cent2 in the bancassurance channel.
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Hong Kong
APE sales ($m)
New business profit ($m)
New business margin (%)
Adjusted operating profit ($m)
IFRS profit after tax ($m)
Our Hong Kong business, established over 57 years ago, offers
domestic Hong Kong residents and mainland visitors sophisticated
critical illness, medical benefits and life insurance protection business,
as well as investment products in a UK-style with-profits structure.
Our continued pivot to domestic customers, diversification of
distribution channels and focus on value creation has resulted in
9 per cent2 growth in new business profit for the domestic segment
despite the disruption of Covid-19. We continue to refresh and
upgrade our offerings with comprehensive protection and wealth
accumulation propositions for the affluent customers, while leveraging
our strengths in affordable healthcare products such as VHIS and
wellness services via Pulse which appeal to the mass market. For small
and medium enterprises (SMEs), we are leveraging our digital
Business@Pulse platform to provide group solutions as well as wellness
programs aimed at improving employees’ well-being beyond work.
Meanwhile, Mainland China customers remain an important
customer segment for the Group’s Hong Kong business, although APE
sales have been severely curtailed following the closure of the border
between Mainland China and Hong Kong implemented in late
January 2020. Based on its own and third-party surveys, the Group
believes there is latent demand from Mainland China customers for its
Hong Kong product suite, driven by the sophistication of the products
offered and the high level of medical care available in Hong Kong. As a
result, the Group expects to see the return of this important source of
new business when the border between Mainland China and Hong
Kong reopens and visitor arrivals normalise.
Additionally, supportive regulatory developments such as Wealth and
Insurance Connect between the Greater Bay Area and Hong Kong will
further enhance the Hong Kong business’s ability to serve Mainland
China customers. We are well placed to capture the longer-term
opportunities in the Greater Bay Area given our solid foothold in
Hong Kong and presence in all domestic cities in the Greater Bay
Area and our pending application for a licence to operate in Macau.
New business performance during 2021
Overall APE sales declined by (27) per cent2 in the year as border closure
continued to prevent Mainland China visitors from buying insurance
products in Hong Kong. In the domestic segment, we further
strengthened our focus on regular-premium health and protection
products and also shifted towards higher margin savings solutions.
This strategy helped improve the protection mix by 7 percentage
points2 and grow protection APE sales by 12 per cent2, although the
resultant lower case size led to a 15 per cent2 fall in overall APE sales
for the domestic segment. Benefiting from margin improvement,
new business profit grew 9 per cent2 for the domestic segment and with
significant Mainland China sales in the first quarter of 2020 only and
sales being insignificant for the whole of 2021, the overall Hong Kong
new business profit dropped by a modest (6) per cent2. Despite the
decline in the year, overall new business profit saw strong sequential
momentum throughout the year, with quarter on quarter expansion
in each quarter since the second quarter of 2021, thanks to our focus
on health and protection and higher-margin savings products.
Actual exchange rate
Constant exchange rate
2021
550
736
134
975
1,068
2020
758
787
104
891
994
Change
(27)%
(6)%
30ppts
9%
7%
2020
757
786
104
889
991
Change
(27)%
(6)%
30ppts
10%
8%
Delivering customer-led solutions
The business fulfils customer needs via its wide range of protection,
savings and investment product offerings. In addition to
comprehensive critical illness solutions catering to affluent and high
net worth customers, we also extend access to affordable healthcare
by offering a full range of Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (VHIS)
products. The APE sales of VHIS almost tripled in 2021 following
the launch of our mid-tier VHIS product. Meanwhile, we have fully
embraced the government’s ‘Qualified Deferred Annuity Plan’ (QDAP)
for retirement, making us one of the leading players22 in the market.
Our investment proposition provides access to international equities
and bonds. Our with-profits product offering pools the investments
of policyholders and allocates returns based on long-term investment
performance (similar to that used historically in the UK). This is a
distinct, capital-efficient structure benefiting from significant scale,
enabling Prudential to provide differentiated products while
generating attractive margins.
Multi-channel distribution
We operate a digitally enabled multi-distribution platform and provide
customers choice on how they prefer to be served. We have the largest
agency force of 21,579 agents in the Hong Kong market, and this
channel accounted for more than 60 per cent of our APE sales in the
year. Despite a challenging operating backdrop, overall agent activity
has been broadly stable thanks to intensified agent training and
development, enhanced customer engagement tools such as Pulse
and PRULeads, as well as broadened product offerings.
On the bancassurance side, we have a long-standing strategic
alliance with Standard Chartered Bank which has grown from
strength to strength for more than 20 years. This channel achieved new
business profit growth of 140 per cent2 for the domestic segment driven
by product enhancements and higher health and protection sales.
20
Prudential plc
Annual Report 2021
prudentialplc.com
Indonesia
APE sales ($m)
New business profit ($m)
New business margin (%)
Adjusted operating profit ($m)
IFRS profit after tax ($m)
In Indonesia, we are one of the market leaders in the overall life
insurance market with 10 per cent market share by weighted new
premium in 202123. We are also the market leader with a 29 per cent
market share in the fast-growing Sharia segment in Indonesia23, which
has the largest Muslim population in the world. Our main strategic
objectives are to secure new bancassurance partners for the mass
market, improving capabilities to serve our customers better through
digitalisation and operational advancements, as well as preparing
new propositions to cater to our target segments in anticipation of the
post-Covid-19 economic rebound and upcoming new regulation on
investment-linked products.
We have upgraded our offerings for the affluent segment where
customers seek broad insurance and savings products supported by
value-added services. We have also launched simpler, lower-ticket-size
standalone protection solutions serving the insurance needs of
mass segments. Our Pulse digital platform appeals to digitally-savvy
younger customers. For SMEs, we have created a comprehensive
suite of group health and life solutions which are provided alongside
related services through our digital Business@Pulse platform. We also
strengthened our market leadership in the fast-growing Sharia
segment through our inclusive Sharia offerings.
New business performance during 2021
Overall APE sales fell by (7) per cent2 with Covid-19-related social
movement restrictions disrupting sales activity throughout much of
the year. The pandemic, which caused over four million24 infections
nationally by the end of 2021 in a population of circa 270 million25 has
resulted in higher than expected claims. It is estimated that Indonesia
accounted for over 60 per cent of total Covid-19-related claims across
Asia of our policyholders. Movement restrictions were particularly
severe in the third quarter of 2021, before easing towards the end of
the year as Indonesia emerged from its latest Covid-19 wave. During
the year, there was an increasingly effective rollout of the vaccination
programme with the percentage of population vaccinated increasing
from circa 11 per cent at the end of June to about 60 per cent at the
end of December. APE sales in the fourth quarter were 29 per cent26
higher than those in the third quarter, with sales in the second half
of the year 15 per cent26 higher than the first half of 2021.
Despite the fall in absolute APE sales amounts year-on-year,
we have seen a growth of over 37 per cent in the number of standalone
protection policies sold over the period, which contributed to over
70 per cent of total policies sold and 43 per cent of total APE sales
(2020: 29 per cent of APE sales). Our strength in the Sharia segment
also added resilience to the business with a 19 per cent increase in new
Sharia policies. We did however experience a worsening of persistency
exacerbated by the financial hardships of our policyholders.
Actual exchange rate
Constant exchange rate
2021
252
125
50
446
362
2020
267
155
58
519
409
Change
(6)%
(19)%
(8)ppts
(14)%
(11)%
2020
271
158
58
529
417
Change
(7)%
(21)%
(8)ppts
(16)%
(13)%
Overall new business profit was (21) per cent2 lower, reflecting lower
APE sales volumes as a result of lower average case sizes as we
continue to diversify our product suite and move further into the
Shariah mass market. Changes in economic conditions also led to a
drag on new business profit over the period. Despite the fall in the year,
new business profit improved as the year progressed, with a quarter on
quarter increase in each quarter since the second quarter of the year.
Delivering customer-led solutions
We have executed well in difficult market conditions through
innovating our product offerings, as well as increasing digital
capability to mitigate the restrictions of Covid-19 on face-to-face
agency sales. Total new policies grew 7 per cent driven by our strategy
of expanding low ticket-size standalone protection policies to low
and mid-income customers.
We continue to lead in the Sharia segment, with a commitment
to expand inclusive product offerings to the mass market segment.
For example, we have launched PRUCerah, the first Sharia-compliant
education participating product in the market, and continue our
PRUCinta (traditional Sharia product) offering. Together PRUCerah
and PRUCinta contributed 13 per cent of total APE sales. To realise the
potential of the Indonesian Sharia life market, we are setting up a
dedicated Sharia business with the establishment of Prudential Sharia
Life Assurance. This will enable full product vetting by the Sharia
religious authorities and the use of specialist distribution techniques.
In the Enterprise Business space, we achieved APE sales growth of
33 per cent2 in 2021, and, supported by our digital capabilities,
positioned ourselves as the choice for start-up, fintech and financial
institutions as their Employee Benefit provider.
Multi-channel distribution
The quality and productivity of our agency channel continued to
improve. Thanks to ongoing agency reform initiatives and the
broadening of our product offerings, the number of active agents
increased by 4 per cent. We remain as one of the market leaders in the
agency segment with 25 per cent27 of total market share. In the Sharia
segment, we maintain one of the largest agency forces with almost
143,000 agents, which was 11 per cent higher than the prior year.
Development of our bancassurance channel also gathered pace.
New business profit increased 25 per cent2 despite flat APE sales
as a result of higher-margin new products in the traditional, funds
and retirement space. We have also started to offer Sharia products
through our bank partners, which contributed 4 per cent of total
bancassurance APE sales in 2021.
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Malaysia
APE sales ($m)
New business profit ($m)
New business margin (%)
Adjusted operating profit ($m)
IFRS profit after tax ($m)
In Malaysia, the Group has leading market positions in both the
conventional and Takaful markets28 and has been serving customers
for more than 97 years. The Takaful segment has substantial
opportunities for growth, and we are the largest player with a
30 per cent market share29. We continuously upgrade our saving
and protection solutions to serve the affluent segment, and have
supplemented these recently by launching more simple, flexible
solutions to serve the mass market. We also continue to broaden our
Islamic wealth and protection solutions to strengthen our leadership
in the fast-growing mass affluent Takaful segment.
New business performance during 2021
APE sales increased by 31 per cent2, driven by growth of 45 per cent
in agency production despite the tightening of Covid-19-related
movement restrictions at several points throughout the year. The
Takaful business achieved APE sales growth of 61 per cent2 fuelled
by an increase in active agents. New business profit was 9 per cent2
higher, driven by higher volumes but given the relative weight of
health and protection products, this was partly offset by the effect
of higher interest rates in the period, tax changes and shift in product
mix towards shorter-pay products, which also restricted new business
profit and margin. Overall new business profit from health and
protection business increased by 28 per cent2, including the benefit
from repricing actions during the year.
Actual exchange rate
Constant exchange rate
2021
461
232
50
350
265
2020
346
209
60
309
256
Change
33%
11%
(10)ppts
13%
4%
2020
351
212
60
313
259
Change
31%
9%
(10)ppts
12%
2%
Delivering customer-led solutions
With a total of 2.7 million customers, our Malaysia business is focused
on providing holistic health and wealth solutions. Customer retention
is high in both conventional and Takaful segments with 95 per cent
and 87 per cent of customers respectively staying with the business.
Most products are regular premium, which accounted for 98 per cent
of APE sales in 2021. PruAllCare was launched in the last quarter of
2021 that provides comprehensive critical illness coverage and covers
up to 190 conditions. Leveraging our Pulse platform, the business is
also reaching out to the underserved communities and providing
affordable and accessible healthcare services and wellness awareness
to all Malaysians including the Muslim Community. More information
is set out in our ESG section later in this Annual Report.
Multi-channel distribution
Our Malaysian business benefits from a growing agency force,
with over 1,200 MDRT qualifiers, contributing to 36 per cent of
total Agency APE sales30. The number of total active agents is up
20 per cent on the prior year. In the Takaful segment, we have one
of the largest agency forces with over 18,000 agents, which was
18 per cent higher than the prior year.
We also continue to benefit from our established bancassurance
partnerships with Standard Charted Bank and UOB. Following the
pivot to higher protection and savings sales through our bank partners,
new business profit through this channel saw 33 per cent growth.
22
Prudential plc
Annual Report 2021
prudentialplc.com
Singapore
APE sales ($m)
New business profit ($m)
New business margin (%)
Adjusted operating profit ($m)
IFRS profit after tax ($m)
In Singapore, we are one of the market leaders in protection, savings
and investment-linked plans31. We have been serving the financial
needs of Singapore for more than 90 years, delivering a suite of
product offerings and professional advisory through our network
of more than 5,000 financial consultants and our bank partners.
We see significant prospects to increase our presence in the high
net-worth segment by further upgrading our suite of health and
legacy planning products, as well as strengthening our position in the
affluent segment with flexible health and retirement solutions. We are
building capabilities on Pulse to offer simpler insurance products,
including our Shield offerings. We also grew our presence in the SME
space by leveraging our Business@Pulse platform.
New business performance during 2021
Our new business momentum in Singapore continued despite the
tightening of Covid-19-related movement restrictions at several points
throughout the year. APE sales were 19 per cent2 higher, supported
by 10 per cent2 growth across our agency channel and 30 per cent2
growth across our bancassurance channel. New business profit
increased by 49 per cent2, reflecting higher sales volumes and a
favourable shift in product mix towards newly launched, higher
margin investment-linked products, re-pricing of with-profits products,
and an increase of high margin protection business (such as PruShield)
within the health and protection product group. Overall new business
margin, given the weight to savings products in new sales in 2021,
was also lifted by improved economics as interest rates increased
over the period.
Actual exchange rate
Constant exchange rate
2021
743
523
70
663
394
2020
610
341
56
574
521
Change
22%
53%
14ppts
16%
(24)%
2020
626
350
56
589
535
Change
19%
49%
14ppts
13%
(26)%
Delivering customer-led solutions
We saw diversified growth across our wide product offerings in 2021.
On the protection side, PRUShield, our MediSave-approved integrated
Shield plan, saw APE sales growth of 50 per cent2. On the savings
side, investment-linked APE sales increased by 100 per cent2 while
participating products achieved 16 per cent2 growth in APE sales.
We continued to penetrate the high net-worth segment, which saw
109 per cent growth in APE sales, via our comprehensive product
offerings. Our Enterprise Business also delivered good growth with
APE sales increasing by 16 per cent2.
Multi-channel distribution
The diversity of our distribution has been instrumental to new
business growth in the year. In particular, bancassurance achieved
new business profit growth of 159 per cent2, which was supported by
our deeper penetration of the high net-worth segment, successful
focus on retirement solutions and a shift towards higher-margin
products with an expected longer policy term.
In the agency channel, the quality of productivity of our agency force
continues to improve significantly. Top-tier agents grew at pace as
demonstrated by the more than 9 per cent increase in the number
of MDRT qualifiers to over 1,000 in 2021. We continue to rank first32
by regular premium APE sales in our agency channel, with overall
active agents increasing by 4 per cent. Productivity as measured by
APE sales per active agent rose 6 per cent, supported by higher case
counts and also larger case size.
23
Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 Strategic and operating review / continued
Growth Markets and Other
APE sales ($m)
New business profit ($m)
New business margin (%)
Adjusted operating profit ($m)
IFRS profit after tax ($m)
The Group’s growth markets and other segment incorporates its
businesses in India and Thailand, as well as Vietnam, the Philippines,
Cambodia, Laos, Taiwan and Myanmar, and its businesses in Africa.
The Group sees the opportunity for rapid growth through the roll-out
of its efficient and scalable business model, multi-channel distribution
networks and the provision of digital products and services
through Pulse.
In India, our business primarily consists of a 22.1 per cent holding
in the Indian Stock Exchange listed life insurance business, ICICI
Prudential Life, and 49 per cent of the asset manager, ICICI Prudential
Asset Management (included as part of our Eastspring segment).
Both businesses boast a top-three position in their respective market33.
ICICI Prudential Life intends to grow the business by deepening
penetration of under-served customer segments, enhancing
distribution footprint and tailoring solutions to the different customer
needs across saving, protection and retirement, including developing
new propositions for the mass market in the Tier 2 cities. ICICI
Prudential Life has also announced its aspiration to double its 2019
new business profit by 2023 through its ‘4P’ framework of Premium
growth, Protection focus, Persistency improvement and Productivity
enhancement.
In Thailand, we are focused on delivering the strategic benefits of
recent investments and upscaling the business significantly through
our bank partnership with TTB and UOB. This has resulted in our
higher-than-industry average APE sales growth34 in the bancassurance
channel as well as for the overall business in 2021. As a result,
our market share in the bancassurance channel increased from
10.1 per cent to 14.1 per cent35. We offer a diversified portfolio of
segment-led solutions, including integrated wealth and retirement
solutions for the affluent segment, alongside simpler digital
propositions via the apps of our bank partners. We also work with
our bank partners to unlock SME opportunities through our
Business@Pulse platform.
In Vietnam, we will continue to strengthen our presence in the rural
areas while we expand our geographical coverage in the urban cities
via our agency, bancassurance and new digital channels. We serve
the affluent segment with flexible health, investment and education-
orientated savings solutions. We also cater to the needs of mass
market with simple and affordable health and savings solutions.
The Philippines currently has very low levels of life insurance
penetration. However, with rising GDP per capita, and supported
by Prudential’s proven expertise and market-leading positions36,
Prudential is confident of delivering significant new life insurance
APE sales growth in this market. We continue to build on our core
strengths in the affluent and mass-market segments, alongside
leveraging our digital assets to cover more Millennials and Gen Z’s.
For Cambodia and Laos, our intention is to build multi-channel
capabilities with highly digital infrastructure for these high
potential markets.
Actual exchange rate
Constant exchange rate
2021
1,412
558
40
932
434
2020
1,245
440
35
835
548
Change
13%
27%
5ppts
12%
(21)%
2020
1,262
446
35
841
562
Change
12%
25%
5ppts
11%
(23)%
In Africa, we have built a rapidly growing multi-product business
since 2014, with operations in eight countries across the continent.
Our business is well-positioned to accelerate its growth as we seek
to meet the growing health and savings needs of a rapidly growing
working-age population and growing number of middle-class
consumers. We are introducing comprehensive health and wellness
propositions to serve the growing affluent segment. Regional
leadership including senior members of Asian businesses has relocated
from London to Nairobi to accelerate knowledge transfer, innovations
and best practice sharing with the Group’s other operations.
New business performance during 2021
The businesses comprising our Growth markets and other segment
saw APE sales up 12 per cent2 compared with 2020. Cambodia, India,
Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Africa all had double-digit
growth despite the difficulties associated with Covid-19. New business
profit was up 25 per cent2 exceeding the growth in sales, with
Cambodia, India, the Philippines, Myanmar and Thailand all having
double-digit growth in new business profit and also reflecting the
inclusion of our Africa businesses for the first time in 2021.
In India, APE sales grew 29 per cent2 supported by diverse growth
across all distribution channels, with both agency and bancassurance
channels achieving APE sales growth in 2021, as well as an increased
focus on annuity products. Despite the challenges arising from Covid-19
restrictions, new business profit grew by 41 per cent2 in 2021 as a result
of favourable product mix.
In Thailand, APE sales rose 22 per cent2 helped by the expansion of
bancassurance sales in 2021. New business profit margins improved
compared with the prior year following favourable product mix and
improving interest rates over the period, resulting in a 129 per cent2
increase in new business profit.
In Vietnam, sales volume slightly increased despite nationwide
Covid-19 lockdowns impacting the agency market. The bancassurance
channel performed well despite Covid-19, with APE sales up
17 per cent2, as banks were allowed to remain open as essential
services during the lockdown. Prudential also benefited from the
expansion of bancassurance agreements, and remained the leader
in the bancassurance channel with 19.4 per cent market share37.
In the Philippines, 2021 APE sales were up 26 per cent2, primarily
from the agency channel, and Prudential remains the largest player
in the market36. New business profit growth was broadly in line with
the increase in APE sales.
In Africa, APE sales have grown by 24 per cent2 year-on-year, with
growth in all eight countries. The East and Central Africa business
(comprising Kenya, Uganda and Zambia) performed particularly
well with an APE sales growth of 43 per cent2.
24
Prudential plc
Annual Report 2021
prudentialplc.com
Delivering customer-led solutions
In Thailand, we have developed a portfolio of segment-led insurance
solutions that emulate the needs of our bank partners’ customers.
For example, we provided affordable credit life solutions to the banks’
mortgage and personal loan customers; we delivered packaged
solutions that combine bank products with insurance offerings
including savings and protection products; and we expanded
our investment-linked offerings the sales of which, through the
bancassurance channel, increased by 88 per cent2 in 2021 as
compared with the previous year. Leveraging our Business@Pulse
ecosystem, our Employee Benefit business has also gained traction
achieving 76 per cent2 growth in APE sales and covering more than
140,000 members.
In Vietnam, we launched an innovative digital Personal Accident
product (‘PRUGuard 24/7’) as well as a low-cost digital Critical Illness
solution (‘PRUCare’) via various digital platforms thereby increasing
our penetration into the younger segment of the Vietnamese
population. Since launch in late December 2020 and April 2021,
we have sold over 42,00038 PRUGuard policies and 3,00038 PRUCare
policies respectively.
In Cambodia, we introduced our first-in-the-market digital solutions
in Dengue and Malaria protection as well as Road Safety protection.
In Africa, we continue to pursue customer-led insurance initiatives,
particularly with our partners where we have launched a digital
‘Diaspora Funeral Cover’ product with Centenary Bank in Uganda
and a degree insurance digital product with MTN in Cameroon.
Multi-channel distribution
In India, ICICI Prudential Life’s growth ambitions will be driven by
enhancing its multi-channel distribution capability. In the agency
channel, we have recruited over 27,000 new agents during the year.
Outside agency, we have added about 100 new partnerships bringing
total partnerships to around 700 including 23 banks.
In Thailand, the strategic partnership with TTB, which commenced
on 1 January 2021, significantly strengthens our distribution capability
in Thailand’s fast-growing life insurance sector, giving us access to an
expanded network of 636 branches. We have launched a refreshed set
of propositions encompassing the high net-worth, retail, commercial
and SME segments and rolled out a new e-POS system. These
developments have enabled us to advance our overall market share to
6.5 per cent from 5.1 per cent35 in 2020) and become the third largest
player35 in the bancassurance channel in 2021.
In the Philippines, we are partnering with CIMB Bank Philippines
to help bring more financial products and services to the country’s
consumers. Under this partnership, we will provide CIMB’s customers
with easy access to our life insurance products through CIMB’s app,
and CIMB’s deposit savings and credit products will be made available
on our Pulse app.
In Africa, we have sought to deepen our health and protection offering,
complementing an increasing portfolio of corporate protection across
many of our countries. In our agency and bancassurance business we
have increasingly equipped our agents and sales people with the skills
required to advise their customers on their protection requirements.
Compared with the first quarter of 2021, agency protection
productivity had increased by 40 per cent by the fourth quarter
with an over 20 per cent increase in the number of agents who sold a
protection case in the same period. Sales people have been supported
in their careers as in many markets through earlier training on
protection products, creating opportunities to help them serve this
significant gap in the market.
In other high-potential markets, agent quality and productivity
continued to improve. In Vietnam the contribution to APE sales by
our MDRT qualifiers increased by 7 percentage points to 45 per cent.
Cambodia agency development was encouraging with both number
of active agents and APE sales per active agent rising significantly
in 2021.
25
Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 Strategic and operating review / continued
Eastspring, leading asset manager in Asia
Total funds under management ($bn)
Adjusted operating profit ($m)
Fee margin based on operating income (bps)
Cost/income ratio (%)
IFRS profit after tax ($m)
Eastspring Investments (‘Eastspring’), the asset management arm
of the Group, is a global asset manager with Asia at its core, offering
innovative investment solutions to meet the financial needs of clients.
Operating in Asia since 1994, Eastspring has built an unparalleled
on-the-ground presence in 11 Asian markets15 as well as distribution
offices in North America and Europe. Eastspring’s shared purpose
– Experts in Asia. Invested in your future – clearly guides the business.
Beyond investing, Eastspring aims to help its stakeholders secure
a better and more sustainable future.
As of 31 December 2021, Eastspring managed a total of $258.5 billion
of assets across equity, fixed income, multi asset, quantitative and
alternative strategies on behalf of institutional and retail investors
globally. It is one of the largest pan-Asian asset managers and is a
top-10 asset manager in six of the markets where the firm operates39.
As the main investment partner to Prudential’s insurance business,
Eastspring focuses on enhancing its investment solutions for
Prudential. At the same time, it continues to grow its third-party
business globally. This is underpinned by Eastspring’s four-pillar
strategy: first, to strengthen its existing business; second, to diversify
its investment capabilities and range of products; third, to accelerate
its ESG agenda; and fourth, to broaden its distribution channels.
Through the year, Eastspring has achieved progress in each of
these areas.
Increasing funds under management and enhancing returns
In what was largely a volatile market, existing and new clients
turned to Eastspring for advice. Eastspring grew its assets under
management by 4 per cent26 in 2021, reflecting favourable investment
returns and net inflows from the Group’s insurance businesses and
from third-party clients. Third-party business40 saw net in-flows from
retail clients, driven by a strong demand for equity products, partially
offset by institutional net outflows. The outflows across the businesses
were predominantly due to profit taking and asset rebalancing amid
generally strong equity market conditions. The redemptions of funds
managed on behalf of M&G plc in 2021, net of inflows, totalled
$(4.0) billion, with a further $(0.9) billion of outflows anticipated in
2022. The overall asset mix has remained stable and is well diversified
across both clients and asset classes.
Eastspring continued to perform well for clients, with 61 per cent of
assets under management outperforming benchmarks over the past
year41. Significant ‘alphas’ have been generated by the value-style
equity teams, in addition to positive relative and absolute
performance by teams focusing on quantitative strategies and
multi-asset solutions.
Eastspring is proud to be named the ‘Asset Management Company
of the Year, ASEAN’ in The Asset Triple A Sustainable Investing
Awards. Across 2021, Eastspring won twenty-six industry awards
across a wide range of investment categories, a testament to the
firm’s success and investment excellence.
Actual exchange rate
Constant exchange rate
2021
258.5
314
30
54
284
2020
247.8
283
28
52
253
Change
4%
11%
2ppts
2ppts
12%
2020
241.4
286
n/a
n/a
255
Change
7%
10%
n/a
n/a
11%
Diversifying capabilities, driving future growth
Eastspring saw significant progress in seeking to diversify its
investment capabilities, increase the number of products marketed
to clients, and develop new and innovative solutions. Over the
year it attracted $5.3 billion of assets through the launch of
75 new products42.
Notably, in the consumer and private wealth segment, the firm worked
with its intermediary clients to achieve several successful fund IPO
launches in Thailand and Taiwan and similarly in other markets across
the region. Other recently launched strategies including the Asia Multi
Factor and Global Emerging Markets excluding China Equity attracted
new customers.
Leveraging on third-party partnerships, Eastspring enhanced its mix
of products and solutions across partners’ platforms, an example
being the launch of several foreign investment funds (FIF) in Thailand.
Eastspring also offered new solutions for both the Group’s insurance
businesses and external partners to meet the demand for regular
saving and retirement solutions such as RiCh in Malaysia, TTB Smart
Port in Thailand and discretionary investment advisory mandates
in Taiwan.
Meanwhile, Eastspring continued to expand its footprint in India
and Mainland China.
In India, ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company broadened
its product suite across active and passive strategies for retail and
high net-worth clients, introducing new strategies such as the ICICI
Prudential NASDAQ 100 Index Fund and ICICI Prudential Strategic
Metal and Energy Equity Fund of Fund. These in turn drove a
15 per cent increase in the Group’s share of funds under management
to $30.9 billion43.
In Mainland China, we operate through CITIC-Prudential Fund
Management Company Limited, a 49 per cent-owned joint venture
with CITIC with the Group’s share of assets under management
of $12.4 billion, as well as through our wholly-owned private fund
manager operationalised in 2019 within Eastspring, which now has
sourced and sub-advised assets under management of $931 million.
2021 saw it build a portfolio of credible China A Equity growth
style funds and China bond funds, which attracted demand from
international clients, validating their confidence in the firm’s products.
Our Chinese life insurance joint venture has established its own
asset management company in 2020, Prudential-CITIC Asset
Management Co, which further strengthens our capabilities in savings
and retirement products. During the year CITIC Prudential Fund
Management Company achieved a successful IPO with the launch of
the Fengyu Hybrid fund, achieving assets under management of over
RMB 10 billion (approximately $2 billion) through a partnership with
CITIC Bank. It achieved strong fund performance with 7 of its 15
equity funds achieving top-decile fund performance, leading to
a 27 per cent44 growth in their total assets.
26
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Annual Report 2021
prudentialplc.com
Across the Asia region and beyond, Eastspring’s commitment to
delivering superior investment outcomes for our investors and clients
over the long term has made us a trusted partner, as evidenced in
2021, and the firm will continue to focus on investment excellence
going into 2022.
Accelerating responsible investing, invested in your future
In line with its purpose, Invested in Your Future, Eastspring continued
to reinforce its ambition as a leading Asia-based asset manager
rooted in ESG and sustainability. To meet client demand for
responsible investment portfolios, Eastspring launched its second
ESG-focused product, the US ESG Beta Fund in October 2021, followed
by the Eastspring IDX ESG Leaders Plus Fund in January 2022. It is in
the process of developing several other ESG-focused funds for both
Prudential and third-party clients. These include China All Shares
Sustainable Fund, China Offshore Sustainable Bond Fund and Japan
Sustainable Value Fund. For more details on our achievements,
please refer to the ESG section of the report.
Broadening distribution, increasing digitalisation
Eastspring has strengthened its institutional business, winning
new mandates with top asset owners, alongside expanded
recommendation ratings from investment consultants, both in local
markets and globally. Apart from reinforcing its position as Experts
in Asia, Eastspring also gained traction outside of Asia, as it continued
to build its footprint and relationships in North America and Europe,
leveraging on partnerships with third-party distributors.
Notes
1 After deduction of underwriting fees and other estimated expenses connected
with the equity raise.
2 On a constant exchange rate basis.
3 APE sales is a measure of new business activity that comprises the aggregate of
annualised regular premiums and one-tenth of single premiums on new business written
during the year for all insurance products, including premiums for contracts designated
as investment contracts under IFRS 4. It is not representative of premium income
recorded in the IFRS financial statements. See note II of the Additional unaudited
financial information for further explanation.
4 New business profit, on a post-tax basis, on business sold in the period, calculated
5
in accordance with EEV Principles.
‘Adjusted operating profit’ refers to adjusted IFRS operating profit based on longer-term
investment returns from continuing operations. This alternative performance measure
is reconciled to IFRS profit for the period in note B1.1 of the IFRS financial statements.
6 To employees of the continuing business.
7 Full year 2021 total funds under management, including external funds under
management, money market funds, funds managed on behalf of M&G plc and internal
funds under management, reported based on the country where the funds are managed.
8 Based on full year 2021 exchange rates.
9 Source: World Health Organisation: Global Health Observatory data repository (2019).
South-East Asia, out of pocket expenditure as percentage of current health expenditure.
10 Prudential estimate based on number of in-force policies over total population.
11 Source: Swiss Re Institute: The health protection gap in Asia, October 2018.
12 Source: The Economist, Special report, 28 March 2020 edition.
13 Including India and CPL.
14 Percentage of APE sales in Asia markets, excluding India and including CPL and Malaysia
Takaful on a 100 per cent basis.
15 Mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea,
Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam.
16 As at 31 December 2021, in the markets where Pulse is offered.
17 APE sales involving Pulse are sales completed by agents on leads from digital campaigns
captured within the Pulse customer management system or on leads from Pulse
registrations, together with a small number of policies purchased via Pulse online.
18 Leads that originate from a digital platform, digital campaign or partner; and other leads,
including leads from agents, recorded on PRUleads, part of the Pulse platform.
19 Operating return on average shareholders’ equity from continuing operations.
20 See note II of the Additional unaudited financial information for definition and
reconciliation.
21 Source: based on life insurance sector gross written premiums data from the China
Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission.
22 Source: based on analysis of newsclips and information collected from the informal
market network group.
In the retail segment, Eastspring expanded its digitalised distribution
capabilities through partnerships with multiple new age digital
wealth managers, such as Stashaway, Endowus and Moduit.
Promising progress has also been made in its own digitalisation
capabilities; as an example, the upgrade of Eastspring Malaysia’s
own digital platform with a new ‘Do-It-Yourself’ feature, enabling new
and existing retail investors to Buy, Regularly Invest, Sell and Switch
transactions directly on the platform.
As part of Eastspring’s commitment in advancing financial knowledge
for its stakeholders, it produced over 50 thought leadership and
insight articles over the year enabling clients to stay on top of financial
trends, outlook and knowledge. It also adopted new channels of
communication – social media channels (Instagram, Whatsapp and
TikTok) and a new podcast, on top of its regular expert webinar series.
Eastspring’s brand presence is also amplified through Prudential’s
Pulse app via thought leadership content and knowledge sharing.
The focus on financial literacy starts from the grassroots level. To this
end, Eastspring launched the #MoneyParenting campaign across
Asia to empower parents to coach their children towards a financially
successful future. This initiative was recognised by the Malaysia
Financial Education Network45.
24 Source: Our World in Data: Cumulative confirmed Covid-19 cases.
25 United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division,
World Population Prospects 2019 Revision (2020 estimates).
26 On an actual exchange rate basis.
27 Source: based on weighted new premiums from Indonesian Life Insurance Association.
28 Source: based on new business APE from the Life insurance association of Malaysia.
29 Source: based on new business APE from the Insurance Service Malaysia Berhad.
30 Including Malaysia Takaful on a 100 per cent basis.
31 Source: based on weighted new business premiums reported within the Singapore
Life Insurance Association for full year 2021.
32 Source: based on regular premium APE data from the Singapore Life Insurance
Association.
33 Source: India Life insurance business: based on calendar year 2021 retail weighted
premium of private insurers operating in India; India asset manager: based on
Association of mutual funds in India.
34 Source: based on APE sales in the first 11 months of 2021.
35 Source: based on weighted new business premiums from the Thai Life Assurance
Association.
36 Source: based on weighted first year premiums from the Insurance Commission.
37 Source: based on full year 2021 APE from the Actuarial Network Data Sharing.
38 As at October 2021.
39 Sources: Singapore and Hong Kong (Morningstar), Malaysia (Lipper), Thailand
(Association of Investment Management Companies), Korea (Korea Financial
Investment Association), India (Association of Mutual Funds in India), Japan (Investment
Trusts Association, Japan), Taiwan (securities Investment Trust & Consulting Association
of R.O.C), China (Wind), Indonesia (Otoritas Jasa Keuangan), Vietnam (State Securities
Commission of Vietnam). All markets as of June 2021. Eastspring joint ventures include
Hong Kong, India, China. Japan reflects Publicly Offered Investment Trusts market
presence. China reflects public mutual funds presence. Vietnam reflects open-ended
mutual funds market presence only. Market presence based on whether the AMCs offer
onshore domiciled mutual funds. Market ranking based on 100 per cent shareholdings.
40 Excluding money market funds and funds managed on behalf of M&G plc.
41 The value of assets under management at 31 December 2021 in funds which outperform
their performance benchmark as a percentage of total assets under management at
31 December 2021, excluding assets in funds with no performance benchmark.
42 As of December 2021, excluding joint ventures.
43 Group’s share of total assets under management.
44 Growth from end of 2020 to end of Q3 2021.
45 The Financial Education Network (FEN), an initiative by the Malaysian government,
is an inter-agency platform comprising of institutions and agencies committed to
improving the financial literacy of Malaysians.
46 Source: based on GDP data sourced from the World Bank and www.bayarea.gov.hk
23 Source: based on weighted new premiums for 2021 from Indonesian Life Insurance
websites.
Association.
27
Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 Key performance indicators
Measuring our performance
To create sustainable economic value for our shareholders we focus
on delivering sustainable compounding growth while generating
capital to reinvest in our businesses and meet our financing needs.
We focus on the following metrics when looking at our performance1.
EEV new business profit2 $m
Life insurance products are, by their nature,
long term and generate profit over a number
of years. Embedded value reporting provides
investors with a measure of the future profit
streams of the Group. EEV new business profit
reflects the value of future profit streams which
are not fully captured in the year of sale under
IFRS reporting.
EEV new business profit increased by
13 per cent on a constant exchange rate basis to
$2,526 million (15 per cent on an actual exchange
rate basis) driven principally by the increase in APE
sales and the effect of favourable changes to the
mix of products sold. Growth was led by Singapore
and CPL, moderated by declines in Hong Kong
(from cross border business) and in Indonesia.
All amounts are from continuing operations only
15%
2,526
2,201
Customers served
The Group’s purpose includes addressing the
significant and growing protection and savings
gaps in our markets. To support this purpose the
Group continues to invest in its people and systems
to ensure it has the resources to deliver on its
long-term growth strategy.
Our ambition is to develop the capacity to serve
50 million customers by 2025.
As at 31 December 2021 the Group had over
18.6 million customers across Asia and Africa.
We are developing the capacity to serve up to
50 million customers through investing in our
multi-channel distribution capabilities, applying
digital capabilities to increase the efficiency of
our operations and developing products and
services that allow us to develop more diverse
customer bases in our markets.
2020 $m
2021 $m
7%
18.6
17.4
2020 number
of customers
2021 number
of customers
Carbon emissions
As a significant asset manager and asset owner,
Prudential has a distinctive role to play in the
transition to a low-carbon economy. Reflecting
the stage of their development, the economies in
which we operate tend to start their transition from
a higher carbon intensity level. Prudential therefore
seeks a transition to a lower carbon economy that
is inclusive for all of society and one that supports
sustainable growth within our markets. Our
immediate actions to help deliver on this objective
include a target to reduce the carbon emissions
of our portfolio3 of shareholder and policyholder
assets by 25 per cent by 2025.
By the end of 2021, we had reduced the weighted
average carbon intensity (WACI) of our investment
portfolio by 234 per cent against our 2019 baseline,
28
Prudential plc
Annual Report 2021
placing us on track to achieve the 25 per cent
target by 2025. We operate in both developed and
emerging markets in Asia and Africa and the
carbon footprint of investments in these markets,
which underlies our WACI, are higher than in areas
such as Europe. Investment decisions such as
strategic asset allocation, portfolio construction
and investment selection can influence the
direction of the WACI, as can changes in the
carbon intensity of the underlying businesses in
which we invest. Implementing our coal policy was
a key driver of the reduction in WACI. Please see
our ESG report for details of our carbon reduction
target, our progress to date and the future actions
that we plan in order to achieve our ambitions in
this area.
2019 WACI
386
2021 WACI
296
2025 Target
WACI
290
prudentialplc.com
EEV basis shareholders’ equity5 $bn
EEV represents the present value of the
shareholders’ interest in the post-tax future
profits (on a local statutory basis) expected
to arise from the current book of long-term
business, after sufficient allowance has been
made for the aggregate risks in the business.
Asset management and other non-insurance
subsidiaries, joint ventures and associates are
included in EEV at the Group’s proportionate
share of IFRS basis shareholders’ equity, with
central Group debt shown on a market value basis.
All amounts are from continuing operations only
1,607 equity
per share
1,725 equity
per share
EEV shareholders’ equity for continuing operations
increased 13 per cent to $47.4 billion, largely
reflecting new business sales as well as the
proceeds of our equity issue in Hong Kong. EEV
shareholders equity at 31 December 2021 also
includes our 18.4 per cent economic interest in
Jackson, which is valued at $683 million. The prior
year comparative excludes all Jackson balances.
41.9
13%
47.4
7%
growth
per share
Free surplus generation from insurance and asset management businesses6 $m
Free surplus generation from insurance and
asset management businesses is used to
measure the internal cash generation of our
businesses. For insurance operations, it represents
amounts emerging from the in-force business
during the year, net of amounts reinvested
in writing new business and excludes other
non-operating items. For asset management,
it equates to post-tax adjusted operating profit
for the year.
Group operating free surplus generation from
continuing insurance and asset management
operations before restructuring costs was up
7 per cent (10 per cent on an actual exchange
rate basis) to $2,071 million in the year. Net Group
operating free surplus generation for continuing
operations, after restructuring and central costs
was $1,179 million (2020: $935 million on a
constant exchange rate basis).
Adjusted IFRS operating profit based on longer-term investment returns
(adjusted operating profit7) $m
The Group’s business involves entering into
long-term contracts with customers, and
hence the Group manages its associated assets
and liabilities over a longer-term time horizon.
This enables the Group to manage a degree of
short-term market volatility. Therefore, adjusted
operating profit based on longer-term investment
returns is management’s preferred measure when
evaluating the performance of the business.
Other distorting items are excluded from adjusted
operating profit to allow more relevant period-on-
period comparisons of the trading operations of
the Group, eg the effects of corporate transactions
are excluded.
Total adjusted operating profit before tax for 2021
increased 16 per cent on a constant exchange rate
basis (17 per cent on an actual exchange rate
basis) to $3,233 million, reflecting an 8 per cent
increase in adjusted operating profit on a
constant exchange rate basis (10 per cent on an
actual exchange rate basis) from life and asset
management, led by CPL, Hong Kong and
Singapore, and a 19 per cent improvement in
central other income and expenditure, driven
by the delivery of head office cost reductions.
2020 $bn
2021 $bn
10%
2,071
1,888
2020 $m
2021 $m
17%
3,233
2,757
2020 $m
2021 $m
Notes
1 The comparative results shown above have been prepared using an actual exchange rate (AER) basis except where otherwise stated. Comparative results on a constant exchange rate
(CER) basis are also shown in financial tables in the Financial Review report on our 2021 financial performance. Growth rates for 2020 to 2021 are on an AER basis.
2 New business profit, on a post-tax basis, on business sold in the year, calculated in accordance with EEV principles.
3 Our investment portfolio includes both listed equities and corporate bonds, while excluding assets held by joint venture businesses and assets in unit-linked funds as we do not have full
authority to change the investment strategies of these.
4 Within the scope of EY assurance, see page 89.
5 The EEV basis results have been prepared in accordance with EEV principles discussed in ‘basis of preparation’ of the EEV basis results. See note II of Additional unaudited financial information
for definition and reconciliation to IFRS balances.
6 Operating free surplus generated from insurance and asset management operations before restructuring costs. For insurance operations, operating free surplus generated represents
amounts emerging from the in-force business during the year net of amounts reinvested in writing new business and excludes non-operating items. For asset management businesses,
it equates to post-tax operating profit for the year. Restructuring costs are presented separately from the business unit amount. Further information is set out in ‘movement in Group free
surplus’ of the EEV basis results.
7 Adjusted operating profit is management’s primary measure of profitability and provides an underlying operating result based on longer-term investment returns and excludes non-operating
items. This alternative performance measure is reconciled to IFRS profit for the year in note B1.1 of the IFRS financial statements.
29
Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 Financial review
Delivered a resilient financial performance
2021 saw Prudential grow its continuing business organically across the
Group’s key measures of financial performance. This performance, as in
prior years, reflects the benefit of our digitally-enabled, multi-channel
and geographically diverse platform as well as our focus on writing
quality business at attractive margins.
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Annual Report 2021
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As in previous years, we comment on our performance in local
currency terms (expressed on a constant exchange rate basis)
to show the underlying business trends in periods of currency
movement, unless otherwise noted.
In 2021, despite on-going disruption, our digitally-enabled,
multi-channel and geographically diversified platform delivered
8 per cent growth3 in APE sales5. Excluding Hong Kong, where border
restrictions with Mainland China remained in place, APE sales were
16 per cent higher3, with particularly encouraging growth in key
markets such as Mainland China, India, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Singapore and Thailand. This increase in APE sales was combined with
an improvement in new business margins driven by a favourable shift
in business mix, which resulted in a 13 per cent increase3 in Group new
business profit6. The adjusted operating profit of our life insurance
businesses increased by 8 per cent3 despite higher Covid-19-related
claims, and reflects the high quality of our in-force portfolio. Asset
management adjusted operating profit increased 10 per cent3 driven
by higher average funds under management following sustained net
inflows from our life businesses and improved asset mix. Eastspring’s
overall funds under management reached $258.5 billion7 at
31 December 2021. The Group’s overall adjusted operating profit
increased 16 per cent3 reflecting higher life and asset management
results and reduced central expenses. Our life and asset management
business generated operating free surplus8 of $2,071 million up
7 per cent3 on the prior year. The Group’s embedded value was
$47.4 billion at 31 December 2021, with an operating return
on embedded value of 8 per cent9. The increase from the prior
year end was driven mainly by the addition of $2.5 billion of new
business profit and the $2.4 billion net proceeds10 of our equity raise.
Our regulatory capital position and central liquidity positions remain
robust. After allowing for the effect of planned high-coupon debt
redemption in January 2022, the Group’s GWS shareholder surplus11
was $11.5 billion and cover ratio was 408 per cent. The increase in
surplus and cover ratio over 2021 largely reflects the impact of organic
capital generation, the proceeds from our equity raise and other
positive non-operating movements. The Group’s liquidity position
remains very sound with $3.6 billion of holding company cash at the
end of the year, of which $1,725 million was utilised in January 2022
to redeem debt, and $2.6 billion of undrawn committed facilities.
Despite the ongoing Covid-19-related disruption, the Group has
delivered a robust financial performance as management and staff
continued to focus on delivering for our customers.
We successfully completed the demerger of Jackson and restructured
the Group’s financing, through an equity raise and debt redemption
programme. As a result, we start 2022 with materially enhanced
financial flexibility, with our leverage ratio at the lower end of our
medium-term target range and strong levels of regulatory capital.
Going forward, we will benefit from lower interest costs following the
redemption and refinancing of debt to date, and by the start of 2023,
from a further $70 million1 reduction in annual central expenses.
We continue to seek increases in the efficiency of our central
operations by delayering, de-duplicating and speeding up processes
through automation and consolidation of suppliers, while redirecting
discretionary spend on IT to support high growth initiatives. Prudential
is well placed to profit from the growth opportunities in its Asia and
Africa markets on it which it is now entirely focused.
2021 saw continued and varying Covid-19-related disruption in
many of our markets. This, and the related continued closure of
the Hong Kong-Mainland China border, impacted our overall APE
sales performance. The growth of our other markets has, however,
mitigated the impact on APE sales and our continued focus on
high customer retention and health and protection products has
allowed us to continue to grow adjusted IFRS operating profit based
on longer term investment returns (adjusted operating profit2).
Over the course of 2021, global equity market performance varied;
the MSCI Asia excluding Japan equity index fell (4) per cent, the HKSI
fell (14) per cent while the S&P 500 index increased by 27 per cent.
Government yields in many of our markets ended the year higher
with the US 10-year yield increasing by 59 basis points to
1.53 per cent. During the year, interest rates were volatile as various
geopolitical and Covid-19-related economic impacts developed,
most importantly the emergence of material inflationary trends.
The 2021 IFRS results include Jackson up to the date of demerger
(13 September 2021) and for financial reporting purposes Jackson is
classified as a discontinued operation, with its results excluded from all
of our Group KPIs that are focused entirely on the continuing part of
our business. At 31 December 2021 our residual 18.4 per cent interest
in Jackson is carried at fair value and was valued at $683 million at
this date.
The total IFRS loss after tax for 2021 was $(2,813) million (2020:
$2,231 million3 profit after tax), which comprised a $2,214 million
profit after tax from continuing operations and a $(5,027) million loss
after tax from discontinued operations. This loss from discontinued
operations is due to the write-down of Jackson to its fair value upon
demerger, as required by accounting standards. Further discussion
on the loss from discontinued operations is included in the section
headed ‘Loss from discontinued operations – Jackson’ which appears
later in this report. As a consequence of the demerger of Jackson,
IFRS shareholders’ equity fell from $20.9 billion4 at the end of 2020
to $17.1 billion at 31 December 2021. The remainder of this summary
will focus on the Group’s continuing operations.
31
Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 IFRS profit
Adjusted operating profit based on longer-term investment
returns before tax from continuing operations
CPL
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Malaysia
Singapore
Growth markets and other12
Long-term business adjusted operating profit
Asset management
Total segment profit from continuing operations
Investment return and other income
Interest payable on core structural borrowings
Corporate expenditure
Other income and expenditure
Total adjusted operating profit before tax and restructuring
and IFRS 17 implementation costs
Restructuring and IFRS 17 implementation costs
Total adjusted operating profit before tax
Non-operating items:
Short-term fluctuations in investment returns on shareholder-backed business
Amortisation of acquisition accounting adjustments
(Loss) Profit attaching to corporate transactions
Profit from continuing operations before tax attributable
to shareholders
Tax charge attributable to shareholders’ returns
Profit from continuing operations for the period
Loss from discontinued operations for the period, net of related tax
(Loss) profit for the period
IFRS earnings per share
Basic earnings per share based on adjusted operating profit after tax
from continuing operations
Basic earnings per share based on:
Total profit after tax from continuing operations
Total profit after tax from discontinued operations
Segment profit from continuing long-term and asset management
business increased by 8 per cent3 to $4,023 million. All our major
segments, other than Indonesia, delivered growth, with the biggest
percentage increase seen in CITIC Prudential Life (CPL). Earnings in
the second half of the year were dampened by higher claims costs
in Indonesia following a surge of Covid-19 cases in the third quarter,
and as medical reimbursement costs continued to trend back to
pre-pandemic levels. After allowing for a 20 per cent3 reduction
in central expenditure (before restructuring and IFRS 17
implementation costs), total adjusted operating profit before tax
increased to $3,233 million, a 16 per cent3 increase compared
with the prior period.
Actual exchange rate
Constant exchange rate
2021 $m
2020 $m
Change %
2020 $m
Change %
343
975
446
350
663
932
3,709
314
4,023
21
(328)
(298)
(605)
3,418
(185)
3,233
(458)
(5)
(94)
2,676
(462)
2,214
(5,027)
(2,813)
251
891
519
309
574
835
3,379
283
3,662
(15)
(316)
(412)
(743)
2,919
(162)
2,757
(579)
(5)
735
2,908
(440)
2,468
(283)
2,185
37
9
(14)
13
16
12
10
11
10
n/a
(4)
28
19
17
(14)
17
21
–
n/a
(8)
(5)
(10)
n/a
n/a
269
889
529
313
589
841
3,430
286
3,716
(15)
(316)
(428)
(759)
2,957
(167)
2,790
(554)
(5)
733
2,964
(450)
2,514
(283)
2,231
28
10
(16)
12
13
11
8
10
8
n/a
(4)
30
20
16
(11)
16
17
–
n/a
(10)
(3)
(12)
n/a
n/a
Actual exchange rate
Constant exchange rate
2021 cents
2020 cents
Change %
2020 cents
Change %
101.5
83.4
(161.1)
86.6
94.6
(13.0)
17
(12)
n/a
87.6
96.4
(13.1)
16
(13)
n/a
CPL, our joint venture business in Mainland China, delivered a
28 per cent increase3 in adjusted operating profit to $343 million,
primarily driven by growth in our in-force portfolio, evident by a
19 per cent growth in recurring premiums in 2021.
In Hong Kong, our adjusted operating profit was up 10 per cent3 to
$975 million and is driven by our long-term focus on regular premium
business and strong retention of both our domestic and Mainland
China customers. It also reflects the on-going growth of our health
and protection business and, for our flagship critical illness products,
the compounding benefit to adjusted operating profit given the
accumulating nature of asset shares. Earnings outperformed growth
in renewal premiums, as some policies within the with-profits funds
reached the end of their premium paying term, albeit they continue to
contribute to annual adjusted operating profit through the with-profits
bonus mechanism.
32
Prudential plc
Annual Report 2021
prudentialplc.com
Financial review / continued In Indonesia, adjusted operating profit reduced by (16) per cent3
reflecting lower APE sales over recent years and adverse Covid-19-
related claims experience.
In Malaysia adjusted operating profit growth of 12 per cent3
was supported by the growth of our in-force health and protection
business, with shareholder-backed renewal premiums increasing
by 8 per cent3, and higher fee income as a result of increased funds
held within unit-linked funds.
In Singapore, adjusted operating profit increased 13 per cent3
reflecting the continued growth of our in-force business, including
in protection and savings products where we believe demand will
continue as the population ages and seeks to meet its health and
retirement needs.
The businesses comprising our Growth markets and other segment
generated adjusted operating profit growth of 11 per cent3, reflective
of in-force growth which is supported by APE sales in recent years.
Vietnam, the Philippines and Thailand all reported double-digit
growth. In Thailand double-digit growth in adjusted operating profit
was achieved through APE sales growth from the expansion of the
strategic partnerships and resilient in-force growth. In India, the result
for the period reflected higher Covid-19-related claims following the
large spike in cases seen in the first half of the year.
Long-term insurance business adjusted operating profit drivers
Profit margin analysis of long-term insurance continuing operations13
Spread income
Fee income
With-profits
Insurance margin
Other income
Total life insurance income
Expenses:
Acquisition costs
Administration expenses
DAC adjustments
Share of related tax charges from joint ventures and associates
Long-term insurance business pre-tax adjusted
operating profit
Actual exchange rate
Constant exchange rate
2021
2020
2020
$m
312
345
135
2,897
3,239
6,928
(2,085)
(1,656)
566
(44)
3,709
Margin
bps
66
103
16
(50)%
(205)
$m
296
282
117
2,648
3,219
6,562
(1,928)
(1,591)
382
(46)
3,379
Margin
bps
74
101
16
(51)%
(234)
$m
304
287
118
2,689
3,262
6,660
(1,964)
(1,609)
392
(49)
3,430
Margin
bps
76
101
16
(50)%
(234)
Our adjusted operating profit continues to be based on high-quality
drivers. The overall 8 per cent3 growth in life insurance adjusted
operating profit to $3,709 million (2020: $3,430 million3) was driven
principally by 8 per cent3 growth in insurance margin-related revenues
reflecting our ongoing focus on recurring premium health and
protection products and the associated continued growth of
our in-force business, partially offset by a more normalised claims
experience following the lower level of claims seen in 2020 and
higher Covid-19 claims in Indonesia and India in 2021.
Fee income increased by 20 per cent3, reflecting the beneficial
impact of stronger equity markets and premium contributions while
spread income increased by 3 per cent3, with a fall in margin due to
country mix.
With-profits earnings relate principally to the shareholders’ share
in bonuses declared to policyholders. As these bonuses are typically
weighted to the end of a contract, under IFRS, with-profit earnings
consequently emerge only gradually over time. The 14 per cent3
growth in with-profits earnings reflects the ongoing growth in
these portfolios.
Other income primarily represents amounts deducted from premiums
to cover acquisition costs and administration expenses. As such,
the 1 per cent3 decline (1 per cent increase on an actual exchange rate
basis) from 2020 reflects changes in product mix partially offset by
higher premiums on shareholder-backed business. Acquisition costs
increased in the year, largely due to higher APE sales as compared with
the prior year. This increase in acquisition costs has led to an increase
in the costs deferred and therefore higher DAC adjustments in the
year. Administration expenses, including renewal commissions,
increased by 3 per cent3 (4 per cent increase on an actual exchange
rate basis) reflecting in-force business growth.
33
Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021
Asset management
Total external net flows*,14
External funds under management* ($bn)
Funds managed on behalf of M&G plc ($bn)
Internal funds under management ($bn)
Total funds under management ($bn)
Analysis of adjusted operating profit
Retail operating income
Institutional operating income
Operating income before performance-related fees
Performance-related fees
Operating income (net of commission)
Operating expense
Group’s share of tax on joint ventures’ adjusted operating profit
Adjusted operating profit
Adjusted operating profit after tax
Average funds managed by Eastspring
Fee margin based on operating income
Cost/income ratio15
* Excluding funds managed on behalf of M&G plc.
2021 $m
2020 $m
Change %
613
(9,972)
94.0
11.5
153.0
258.5
449
298
747
15
762
(403)
(45)
314
284
93.9
15.7
138.2
247.8
390
256
646
7
653
(336)
(34)
283
253
n/a
–
(27)
11
4
15
16
16
114
17
(20)
(32)
11
12
251.7bn
30bps
54%
227.1bn
28bps
52%
11%
+2bps
+2ppts
Eastspring’s total funds under management were $258.5 billion at
31 December 2021 (31 December 2020: $247.8 billion4), reflecting
favourable internal net flows and higher equity markets. Compared
with 2020, Eastspring’s average funds under management increased
by 11 per cent4 (9 per cent on a constant exchange rate basis).
Eastspring saw total net inflows of $5.8 billion over 2021 (2020:
$(11.5) billion4) which included internal net inflows from our life
businesses of $10.7 billion (2020: $8.5 billion4) and from third-parties
(excluding money market funds) of $0.6 billion (2020: $(10.0) billion4
of outflows). Offsetting these amounts were $(4.0) billion of net
outflows for funds managed on behalf of M&G plc, with further net
outflows of about $(0.9) billion expected in 2022. Third-party net
flows were driven by $1.1 billion of retail net inflows, partly offset
by net institutional outflows. Overall there were external net inflows
into equity funds and external net outflows from fixed income funds,
which contributed to an increase in the retail fee margin.
Eastspring’s adjusted operating profit of $314 million was up
10 per cent compared with the prior period on a constant exchange
rate basis (up 11 per cent on an actual exchange rate basis). Operating
income before performance related fees was 16 per cent higher4,
driven by higher average funds under management and a 2 basis
points increase in fee margin reflecting an improved asset mix.
The cost/income ratio increased to 54 per cent (2020: 52 per cent)
reflecting both higher staff costs and investments made in
strengthening the capabilities of the business across dimensions
including footprint, distribution, investment strategies and
customer experience.
Other income and expenditure
Central corporate expenditure was 30 per cent3 lower than the prior
period reflecting the delivery of the $180 million of right-sizing of
our head office costs alongside the evolving footprint of the business.
Annual head office costs are targeted to reduce further by around
$70 million1 from the start of 2023.
Interest costs on core structural borrowings of $(328) million
(2020: $(316) million3) include interest costs of $(126) million related
to the four tranches of debt that were redeemed in December 2021
and January 2022 using the proceeds from the share offer during
the year, which are not expected to recur going forward.
Restructuring costs of $(185) million (2020: $(162) million4) reflect
the Group’s substantial and ongoing IFRS 17 project, and one-off
costs associated with cost saving, regulatory and other initiatives
in our business. IFRS 17 costs are expected to remain elevated until
the standard is fully implemented.
IFRS basis non-operating items from continuing operations
Non-operating items from continuing operations in the year
consist mainly of short-term fluctuations in investment returns on
shareholder-backed business of negative $(458) million, (2020:
negative $(554) million3), and $(94) million of costs associated
with corporate transactions (2020: gain of $733 million3).
Short-term fluctuations reflect the net impact from an increase
in interest rates in most Asia markets on bond asset values
and on the valuation interest rates (VIRs) used to determine
policyholder liabilities.
34
Prudential plc
Annual Report 2021
prudentialplc.com
Financial review / continued Costs associated with corporate transactions of $(94) million
(2020: gain of $733 million3) include the cost incurred by Prudential plc
in connection with the separation of Jackson including key
management changes. See note D1.1 in the IFRS financial statements
for further information.
IFRS effective tax rates for continuing operations
In 2021, the effective tax rate on adjusted operating profit was
17 per cent (2020: 18 per cent). The decrease in the 2021 effective
tax rate reflects the resolution of some historic issues at lower
amounts than had been provided for.
The effective tax rate on total IFRS profit in 2021 was 17 per cent
(2020: 15 per cent). The increase in the 2021 effective tax rate
reflects the adverse impact of investment losses on which no tax
credit is recognised.
The effective tax rate on adjusted operating profit in 2022 is expected
to be similar to 2021. From 2023 onwards, the effective tax rate on
adjusted operating profit is likely to be impacted by a combination
of the OECD proposals to implement a global minimum tax rate
of 15 per cent and some jurisdictions where Prudential operates
implementing a domestic minimum tax based on the OECD
proposals. The OECD rules are complex and require detailed analysis
and consideration which is ongoing. A further update will be provided
in the half-year 2022 results.
Total tax contributions from continuing operations
The Group continues to make significant tax contributions in the
jurisdictions in which it operates, with $1,071 million remitted to tax
authorities in 2021. This was lower than the equivalent amount of
$1,208 million4 remitted in 2020 principally due to the timing of when
various tax payments became due.
Tax strategy
The Group publishes its tax strategy annually which, in addition to
complying with the mandatory UK (Finance Act 2016) requirements,
also includes a number of additional disclosures, including a country-
by-country disclosure of revenues, profits, average employee numbers
and taxes for all jurisdictions where more than $5 million tax was paid.
This disclosure is included as a way of demonstrating that our tax
footprint (ie where we pay taxes) is consistent with our business
footprint. An updated version of the tax strategy, including 2021
data, will be available on the Group’s website before 31 May 2022.
Loss from discontinued operations – Jackson
On 13 September 2021 Prudential completed the demerger of its US operations (Jackson) from the Group. Accordingly Jackson has been presented
as discontinued within these financial statements.
The total loss from discontinued operations after tax was $(5,027) million (2020: $(283) million), as included in the IFRS profit table above.
This comprises the following amounts:
Profit (loss) before tax
Tax (charge) credit
Profit (loss) after tax
Re-measurement to fair value on demerger
Cumulative valuation movements on available-for-sale debt securities, net of related tax and change in DAC,
and net investment hedges recycled from other comprehensive income
Loss for the period
Loss for the period attributable to shareholders
2021 $m
2020 $m
2,317
(363)
1,954
(8,259)
1,278
(5,027)
(4,234)
(760)
477
(283)
–
–
(283)
(340)
Jackson’s profit before tax included in the Group’s full-year 2021
results of $2,317 million reflects the eight and a half month period to
13 September 2021, at which point it was demerged and ceased to
be part of the Prudential Group. Jackson’s loss before tax for the prior
year of $(760) million reflects the 12 months to 31 December 2020
and was calculated after including a $804 million one-off pre-tax gain
that arose as a result of reinsuring substantially all of Jackson’s in-force
portfolio of US fixed and fixed index annuities to Athene Life Re Ltd.
The key driver of the increase in IFRS profit in the current period was
the impact of market interest rates on the value of Jackson’s product
guarantees. In 2020, falling interest rates, with yields on US treasuries
falling by almost one percentage point over the year, and steeply rising
equity markets, led to $(4,262) million of losses which were classified
as short-term investment fluctuations. Short-term investment
fluctuations in the current year up to the demerger reflect gains from
the impact of increases in interest rates on the value of Jackson’s
product guarantees, offset by derivative losses from higher equity
volatility and rising equity markets, resulting in a more muted overall
short-term investment fluctuation gain of $15 million for 2021.
Excluding the impact of these market movements, Jackson’s
underlying performance in the period benefited from higher fee
income from variable annuity products, reflecting increases in
separate account balances.
The effective tax rate on Jackson’s profit before tax was 16 per cent
(2020: 63 per cent). The 2021 effective tax rate is a more typical
rate in contrast to 2020 where the rate reflected the mathematical
combination of a tax charge on adjusted operating profit and a much
higher tax credit on non-operating losses.
In accordance with IFRS requirements, immediately prior to demerger,
Jackson was written down to its fair value as at the demerger date
of $2,506 million. Applying this fair value has resulted in a loss on
re-measurement after tax of $(8,259) million.
As a result of the demerger of Jackson, accumulated balances of
$1,278 million previously recognised through other comprehensive
income, largely relating to financial instruments held by Jackson
classified as available for sale, have been recycled from other
comprehensive income to the income statement. This gain is
matched by an equal and opposite recycling movement in other
comprehensive income, with no net impact on shareholders’ equity.
35
Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 On 13 September 2021, the Group distributed shares in Jackson Financial Inc. representing a 69.2 per cent economic interest, to the Group’s
shareholders as a dividend in-specie with a value of $(1,735) million. Immediately following the demerger, the Group retained a 19.7 per cent
economic interest in Jackson Financial Inc. which was recognised as a financial investment, measured at fair value. On 13 December 2021,
Jackson announced, as part of its previously disclosed $300 million share repurchase programme, the repurchase of 2,242,516 shares of its
Class A common stock from Prudential. With this repurchase activity, Prudential’s remaining economic interest in Jackson was 18.4 per cent
as of 31 December 2021 (18.5 per cent voting interest).
Shareholders’ equity
Group IFRS shareholders’ equity
Adjusted operating profit after tax attributable to shareholders from continuing operations
Profit from continuing operations for the period
Less non-controlling interest from continuing operations
Profit after tax for the period attributable to shareholders from continuing operations
Net decrease in shareholders’ equity from discontinued operations (see note D1.2 in the IFRS financial statements)
Demerger dividend in-specie of Jackson
Exchange movements, net of related tax
Other external dividends
Issue of equity shares
Other (including revaluation of Jackson residual interest since demerger)
Net (decrease) increase in shareholders’ equity
Shareholders’ equity at beginning of the period
Shareholders’ equity at end of the period
Shareholders’ value per share15
2021 $m
2020 $m
2,668
2,250
2,214
(22)
2,192
(6,283)
(1,735)
(165)
(421)
2,382
240
(3,790)
20,878
17,088
622¢
2,468
(10)
2,458
(418)
–
239
(814)
13
(77)
1,401
19,477
20,878
800¢
Group IFRS shareholders’ equity decreased from $20.9 billion at the start of 2021 to $17.1 billion4 at 31 December 2021. This fall was driven by
an $(8.0) billion decrease in equity as a result of the demerger of Jackson. Excluding this amount, shareholders’ equity increased by $4.2 billion
reflecting a successful issuance of new share capital on the Hong Kong stock exchange in October 2021 and profits generated in 2021 by the
continuing business, offset by dividend payments of $(0.4) billion and adverse exchange movements of $(0.2) billion.
New business performance
EEV new business profit and APE new business sales (APE sales)
Actual exchange rate
Constant exchange rate
2021 $m
2020 $m
Change %
2020 $m
Change %
APE
sales
New
business
profit
776
550
252
461
743
1,412
4,194
352
736
125
232
523
558
2,526
60%
APE
sales
582
758
267
346
610
1,245
3,808
New
business
profit
APE
sales
New
business
profit
269
787
155
209
341
440
2,201
58%
33
(27)
(6)
33
22
13
10
31
(6)
(19)
11
53
27
15
APE
sales
623
757
271
351
626
1,262
3,890
New
business
profit
APE
sales
New
business
profit
288
786
158
212
350
446
2,240
58%
25
(27)
(7)
31
19
12
8
22
(6)
(21)
9
49
25
13
CPL
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Malaysia
Singapore
Growth markets and other*
Total*
Total new business margin
* The 2020 new business profit results exclude contributions from Africa.
APE sales increased by 8 per cent3 to $4,194 million and related new business profit increased by 13 per cent3. Outside Hong Kong, overall APE sales
were 16 per cent3 higher and new business profit increased by 23 per cent3. The increase in new business profit was driven principally by the increase
in APE sales and the effect of favourable product mix changes. Detailed discussion of new business performance by segment is presented in the
Strategic and operating review.
36
Prudential plc
Annual Report 2021
prudentialplc.com
Financial review / continued Greater China presence
Prudential has a significant footprint in the Greater China region, with businesses in Mainland China (through its holding CPL), Hong Kong and
Taiwan. The Group is joint-headquartered in London and Hong Kong and its regulator is the Hong Kong Insurance Authority. The Group, and the
location of its employees, including key executives, has shifted further towards Hong Kong over the years, with 65 per cent of head office staff
now located in Hong Kong.
The table below demonstrates the significant proportion of the Group’s financial measures that were contributed by our Hong Kong, CPL and
Taiwan businesses.
Total Greater China*
Total Group* (continuing operations)
Percentage of total
Gross premiums earned†
New business profit‡
2021 $m
2020 $m
2021 $m
2020 $m
14,335
28,796
14,179
26,728
50%
53%
1,181
2,526
47%
1,144
2,201
52%
* Total Greater China represents the amount contributed by the life business in Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Group’s share of the amounts earned by CPL. The Group total includes the Group’s share
of the amounts earned by all life associates and JVs.
† The gross earned premium amount shown above differs from that shown in the income statement as it includes the Group’s share of amounts earned by associates and JVs. A reconciliation to the
amount included in the income statements is included in note II of the Additional unaudited financial information.
‡ New business profit results for full year 2020 exclude contributions from Africa.
EEV basis results
EEV basis results from continuing operations
Actual exchange rate
Constant exchange rate
2021 $m
2020 $m
Change %
2020 $m
Change %
New business profit
Profit from in-force business
Operating profit from long-term business
Asset management
Other income and expenditure16
Operating profit for the period from continuing operations
Non-operating profit
Profit for the period from continuing operations
Dividends paid
Share capital issued
Other movements
Net increase in EEV shareholders’ equity from continuing operations
EEV shareholders’ equity from continuing operations at 1 Jan
EEV shareholders’ equity from continuing operations at 31 Dec
% New business profit/average EEV shareholders’ equity for continuing
long-term business operations*
% Operating profit/average EEV shareholders’ equity for continuing operations
2,526
1,630
4,156
284
(897)
3,543
(306)
3,237
(421)
2,382
231
5,429
41,926
47,355
6%
8%
2,201
1,926
4,127
253
(979)
3,401
573
3,974
(814)
13
384
3,557
38,369
41,926
5%
8%
15
(15)
1
12
8
4
(153)
(19)
2,240
1,948
4,188
255
(999)
3,444
585
4,029
13
(16)
(1)
11
10
3
(152)
(20)
EEV shareholders’ equity
Represented by:
CPL
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Malaysia
Singapore
Growth markets and other
Embedded value from long-term business excluding goodwill
Asset management and other excluding goodwill
Goodwill attributable to equity holders
EEV shareholders’ equity from continuing operations
EEV shareholders’ equity from discontinued operations
Group EEV shareholders’ equity
EEV shareholders’ equity per share from continuing operations
Group EEV shareholders’ equity per share
* Excluding goodwill attributable to equity holders.
31 Dec 2021 $m 31 Dec 2020 $m
3,114
21,460
2,237
3,841
7,732
6,262
44,646
1,931
778
47,355
–
47,355
1,725¢
1,725¢
2,798
20,156
2,630
4,142
8,160
4,975
42,861
(1,756)
821
41,926
12,081
54,007
1,607¢
2,070¢
37
Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 Group free surplus generation from continuing operations
Operating free surplus generation is the financial metric we use to
measure the internal cash generation of our business operations and
for our life operations is generally based on (with adjustments) the
capital regimes that apply locally in the various jurisdictions in which
the Group operates. It represents amounts emerging from the in-force
business during the year, net of amounts reinvested in writing new
business. For asset management businesses, it equates to post-tax
adjusted operating profit for the year.
For long-term business, free surplus is generally based on (with
adjustments) the excess of the regulatory basis net assets for EEV
reporting purposes (total net worth) over the capital required to support
the covered business. In general, assets deemed to be inadmissible on
a local regulatory basis are included in total net worth where considered
recognisable on an EEV basis. For asset management and other
non-insurance operations (including the Group’s central operations),
free surplus is taken to be IFRS basis shareholders’ equity, net of
goodwill attributable to shareholders, with central Group debt
recorded as free surplus to the extent that it is classified as capital
resources under the Group’s capital regime. Following the application
of the GWS Framework, both subordinated and senior debt are treated
as capital for the purposes of free surplus at 31 December 2021.
The results of the continuing operations of the Group on an EEV basis
consist of the results of profits on an EEV basis from long-term and
asset management business together with corporate costs and
dividends paid.
EEV operating profit from continuing operations increased by
3 per cent3 to $3,543 million (2020: $3,444 million). This was driven by
increased new business and asset management profit (as previously
discussed) and reduced central expenses, offset by lower profit
from in-force long-term business.
The profit from in-force long-term business is driven by the expected
return and effects of operating assumption changes, if any,
and operating experience variances. The expected return increased
by 24 per cent3 above the prior year reflecting the combined effects
of underlying business growth and the impact of higher interest
rates increasing the risk discount rate under our active basis EEV
methodology. Operating assumption and experience variances
were negative $(131) million on a net basis reflecting a number of
factors including short-term persistency impacts and higher claims
linked to Covid-19. Indonesia and India claims costs were elevated
given the significant level of Covid-19 cases seen in the mid-to-late
part of 2021. While we have continued to see better than expected
claims experience on our medical reimbursement business, this is
lower than in prior periods and so operating variances have fallen
when compared with the prior year.
The non-operating loss of $(306) million (2020: $585 million3 profit)
is largely driven by rising interest rates over the year leading to reduced
bond valuations, which more than offset the beneficial impact of
these changes on future profits.
Overall, EEV shareholders’ equity from continuing operations
increased at 31 December 2021 to $47.4 billion (31 December 2020:
$41.9 billion4). Of this, $44.6 billion (31 December 2020: $42.9 billion4)
relates to the value of the long-term business. This amount includes
our share of our India associate valued using embedded value
principles. The market capitalisation of this associate at 31 December
2021 was circa $10.8 billion, which compares with a publicly reported
embedded value of circa $4.1 billion at 30 September 2021,
Prudential’s share of which is the basis of the Group’s EEV reporting.
As well as the long-term business amounts, EEV includes the value
of the asset management businesses on an IFRS basis, the net assets
of the central holding companies and the goodwill attributable to
shareholders, all valued on an IFRS basis. Included within these
amounts at 31 December 2021 is the benefit of our $2.4 billion
equity raise and $683 million for our 18.4 per cent economic interest
in Jackson, which is measured at fair value. EEV shareholders’
equity on a per share basis at 31 December 2021 was 1,725 cents
(31 December 2020: 1,607 cents based on continuing operations
and excluding Jackson residual interest).
38
Prudential plc
Annual Report 2021
prudentialplc.com
Financial review / continued Analysis of movement in Group free surplus8
Expected transfer from in-force business and return on existing free surplus
Changes in operating assumptions and experience variances
Operating free surplus generated from in-force life business
before restructuring costs
Investment in new business
Asset management
Operating free surplus generated from life business and asset
management before restructuring costs
Central costs and eliminations (net of tax):
Net interest paid on core structural borrowings
Corporate expenditure
Other items and eliminations
Restructuring and IFRS 17 implementation costs (net of tax)
Net Group operating free surplus generated for continuing operations
Non-operating and other movements, including foreign exchange
Recognition of residual interest in Jackson at demerger
External cash dividends
Share capital issued
Treatment of grandfathered debt instruments under the GWS Framework
Net subordinated debt issuance/redemption
Increase (decrease) in Group free surplus from continuing operations
before amounts attributable to non-controlling interests
Change in amounts attributable to non-controlling interests
Free surplus at 1 Jan from continuing operations
Free surplus at 31 Dec from continuing operations
Comprising:
Free surplus of life insurance and asset management operations
Central operations
The in-force business generated $2,324 million of free surplus in 2021,
an increase of 4 per cent3 from 2020 with growth curtailed by higher
Covid claims costs in Indonesia and India. Despite the overall increase
in APE sales, up 8 per cent as discussed above, the cost of investment
in this new business improved by 5 per cent3 reflecting favourable
business mix and economics, supporting the 13 per cent3 increase in
new business profit discussed above. In 2021 the value created from
writing new business, as measured by new business profit, was nearly
five times the capital invested. After allowing for an 11 per cent3
increase in asset management earnings on an after tax basis
(discussed in the commentary on IFRS above), operating free surplus
generation by our life and asset management business increased
by 7 per cent3 to $2,071 million.
Combining free surplus generated by the life and asset management
business with a reduction in central costs of 14 per cent3 offset by
(12) per cent3 increase in restructuring and IFRS 17 implementation
costs, total Group operating free surplus generation from continuing
operations was 26 per cent3 higher at $1,179 million.
Actual exchange rate
Constant exchange rate
2021 $m
2020 $m
Change %
2020 $m
Change %
26
(180)
6
4
12
10
(7)
29
4
(15)
29
2,016
220
2,236
(563)
255
1,928
(307)
(428)
(107)
(151)
935
24
(179)
4
5
11
7
(7)
32
4
(12)
26
2,497
(173)
2,324
(537)
284
1,979
215
2,194
(559)
253
2,071
1,888
(328)
(292)
(103)
(169)
1,179
330
493
(421)
2,382
1,995
(232)
5,726
(21)
8,344
14,049
6,650
7,399
(307)
(412)
(107)
(147)
915
281
–
(814)
13
–
–
395
(10)
7,959
8,344
5,983
2,361
Free surplus at 31 December 2021 was $14.0 billion, after allowing
for free surplus generation in the period and a $2.4 billion uplift
from the equity raise, $0.5 billion from the recognition of the Group’s
residual interest in Jackson, $(0.2) billion from net redemption of
debt and $2.0 billion from the recognition of senior debt under the
GWS Framework17. This uplift for the debt differs from the $1.6 billion
recognised in the Group’s capital resources as, prior to the adoption
of GWS, senior debt was deducted from free surplus at market value
rather than at cost. $1,725 million of the free surplus held at the
year end was used in January 2022 to complete the planned
debt redemption.
Dividend
Reflecting the Group’s capital allocation priorities, a portion of capital
generation will be retained for reinvestment in the business, and
dividends will be determined primarily based on the Group’s operating
capital generation after allowing for the capital strain of writing new
business and recurring central costs. Dividends are expected to grow
broadly in line with the growth in the Group’s operating free surplus
generation net of right-sized central costs, and will be set taking
into account financial prospects, investment opportunities and
market conditions. Accordingly, the Board has approved a 2021
second interim ordinary cash dividend of 11.86 cents per share
(2020: 10.73 cents per share). Combined with the first interim ordinary
cash dividend of 5.37 cents per share (2020: 5.37 cents per share),
the Group’s total 2021 cash dividend is 17.23 cents per share
(2020: 16.10 cents per share), an increase of 7 per cent.
39
Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 Group capital position
Prudential applies the Insurance (Group Capital) Rules set out in the
GWS Framework issued by the Hong Kong IA to determine group
regulatory capital requirements (both minimum and prescribed
levels). The GWS Framework became effective for Prudential upon
designation by the Hong Kong IA on 14 May 2021 and replaced
the local capital summation method (LCSM) which was used for
determination of the 31 December 2020 Group capital position as
agreed with the Hong Kong IA. Under the GWS Framework, all debt
instruments (senior and subordinated) issued by Prudential plc
at 31 December 2021 are included as GWS eligible group capital
resources. This includes debt issued at the date of designation which
met the transitional conditions set by the Hong Kong IA and have not
since been redeemed and debt issued since the date of designation
which met the qualifying conditions as set out in the Insurance
(Group Capital) Rules. More information is set out in note I(i) of the
Additional unaudited financial information.
In the analysis below we have restated the 31 December 2020 LCSM
position to reflect the treatment of debt instruments under the GWS
Framework. This has increased eligible capital resources by $1.6 billion
compared with the LCSM basis. The 31 December 2020 Group GWS
capital results are presented on a Group excluding Jackson basis
and are before including the value of the Group’s retained interest
in Jackson Financial Inc.
At 31 December 2021 the Prudential Group total company GWS
capital surplus of eligible group capital resources over the Group
Minimum Capital Requirement (GMCR) was $33.7 billion18, equating
to a coverage ratio of 414 per cent (31 December 2020: $24.8 billion4/
344 per cent). The position at 31 December 2021 includes $0.4 billion
in respect of the 18.4 per cent economic interest in Jackson, being
60 per cent of its fair value at that date, as agreed with the HKIA.
The Group holds material participating business in Hong Kong,
Singapore and Malaysia. Alongside the total company GWS capital
basis, a shareholder GWS capital basis is also presented, being eligible
group capital resources over the GMCR excluding the capital resources
and minimum capital requirements of these participating funds.
At 31 December 2021 the shareholder GWS capital surplus of total
eligible group capital resources over the GMCR was $13.2 billion18,
equating to a coverage ratio of 454 per cent (31 December 2020:
$9.4 billion4 / 370 per cent).
The 31 December 2021 Group GWS capital results do not reflect the
redemption of $1,725 million of sub-ordinated debt in January 2022.
If this redemption had been completed as at 31 December 2021
the Group shareholder GWS capital surplus over the GMCR would
be $11.5 billion, equating to a coverage ratio of 408 per cent.
The Group shareholder GWS capital surplus over the GMCR11
increased by $3.8 billion since 31 December 2020 to $13.2 billion
at 31 December 2021 (before allowing for the January 2022 debt
redemptions). GWS shareholder in-force operating capital generation
in the period was $1.0 billion after allowing for central costs and
investment in new business. The impact of non-operating experiences,
including market movements, were positive overall and contributed
$0.3 billion to surplus. Corporate transactions, including the equity
raise and net debt redemptions and recognition of the Jackson
residual interest amongst other items, increased shareholder GWS
capital surplus over the GMCR by $2.9 billion overall and were offset by
payment of $(0.4) billion external dividends in the year. No allowance
is made at 31 December 2021 for the 2021 second interim dividend
due for payment in May 2022.
The Group’s GWS position is resilient to external macro movements
as demonstrated by the sensitivity disclosure contained in note I(i)
of the Additional unaudited financial information, alongside further
information on the basis of calculation of the GWS measure.
Estimated Group GWS capital position based on Group Minimum Capital Requirement (GMCR)11
Amounts attributable to Prudential plc
Eligible group capital resources ($bn)
Group Minimum Capital Requirement ($bn)
GWS capital surplus (over GMCR) ($bn)
GWS coverage ratio (over GMCR) (%)
31 Dec 2021
31 Dec 2020
Total Less policyholder
Shareholder
Total Less policyholder
Shareholder
44.4
10.7
33.7
414%
(27.5)
(7.0)
(20.5)
16.9
3.7
13.2
454%
34.9
10.1
24.8
344%
(22.1)
(6.7)
(15.4)
12.8
3.4
9.4
370%
The recent trend to more risk-based capital regimes being adopted
in many of the Group’s markets is continuing and this impacts on
the Group’s GWS capital measure, which is underpinned by the local
regulatory regimes of the Group’s subsidiaries, joint ventures and
associates. In Mainland China C-ROSS II has become effective in
the first quarter of 2022, the impact of which is not included in the
GWS results above.
Further, in February 2022 Prudential Hong Kong Limited, the Group’s
insurance business in Hong Kong, made an application to the
HKIA to early-adopt the new risk-based capital regime. The impact
is not reflected in the 31 December 2021 GWS capital position shown
above and the Group currently expects to include this change in the
GWS capital position as at 30 June 2022, which remains subject to
HKIA approval. We intend to disclose the impacts of both these
regulatory changes within our 2022 half year financial report as
they become effective.
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Financial review / continued Capital Management
The Group monitors regulatory capital, economic capital and
rating agency capital metrics and manages the business within
its risk appetite by remaining within its economic and regulatory
capital limits.
The Group’s capital management framework focuses on achieving
sustainable, profitable growth and retaining a resilient balance
sheet, with a disciplined approach to active capital allocation.
The framework comprises the following key elements:
> Sufficient capital is held in each business to meet local regulatory
capital requirements, the applicable capital requirements under
the GWS Framework and the Group’s risk appetite to ensure that
commitments made to customers can be fulfilled in stress scenarios;
> Sufficient resources are held centrally to provide a capital buffer
to support businesses in stress scenarios and to provide liquidity
to service debt and other central expenses (including central
payments for bancassurance distribution agreements and
restructuring costs);
> Both organic and inorganic opportunities are assessed by reference
to expected shareholder returns and payback periods, relative to
risk-adjusted hurdle rates which are set centrally. The assessment
for inorganic investments also considers a range of other factors
including the strategic rationale for the investment, the extent
of diversification with existing risks in the Group, experience in
managing similar businesses in the Group, the level of control or
reliance on third parties (eg via joint ventures and co-investments)
to achieve the intended shareholder returns, and the level of
uncertainty in financial projections. Assessment of these
opportunities is also reviewed and approved centrally within the
Group’s governance framework in order to maintain a rigorous
approach to capital allocation;
> Reflecting the Group’s capital allocation priorities, a portion of
capital generation will be retained for reinvestment in the business,
and dividends will be determined primarily based on the Group’s
operating capital generation after allowing for the capital strain
of writing new business and recurring central costs; and
> To the extent that surplus capital arises which is not required
to support organic and inorganic growth opportunities,
consideration will be given to returning capital to shareholders.
Net core structural borrowings of shareholder-financed businesses
Financing and liquidity
On 4 October 2021, Prudential plc completed the issuance of new share
capital on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, resulting in net proceeds
and an increase in shareholders’ equity of $2,374 million. The proceeds
of this equity issue have been used to enhance Prudential’s financial
flexibility in light of the breadth of opportunities to invest for growth.
Specifically, the proceeds have been utilised to redeem high coupon
debt instruments of $1,250 million in December 2021 and
$1,000 million in January 2022, with the remaining proceeds
contributing to Prudential’s central stock of capital and liquidity.
This use of proceeds is consistent with the intended use of proceeds
previously disclosed in Prudential’s prospectus for this equity raise.
In November, 2021 the Group issued a $1,000 million 2.95 per cent
debt instrument, the proceeds of which have been utilised in part
to redeem a $725 million 4.375 per cent debt instrument in
January 2022.
At 31 December 2021, the Group’s net gearing ratio as defined in
the table below was 13 per cent, reflecting the issue of share capital
in October 2021, the issue of debt in November 2021 and redemption
of debt in December 2021 but excluding the redemptions completed
in January 2022. The Group manages its leverage on a Moody’s
total leverage basis, which differs from the above by taking into
account gross debt, including commercial paper, and also allows
for a proportion of the surplus within the Group’s with-profits funds.
We estimate the Moody’s total leverage at 31 December to be
26 per cent and if the further debt redemptions of $1,725 million
in January 2022 had been completed as at 31 December 2021,
we estimate that this figure would have been 21 per cent.
Prudential is targeting a Moody’s total leverage ratio of around 20
to 25 per cent over the medium term. Prudential may operate outside
this range temporarily to take advantage of growth opportunities
with attractive risk-adjusted returns as they arise, while still preserving
its strong credit ratings.
Prudential seeks to maintain its financial strength rating with
applicable credit rating agencies which derives, in part, from its
high level of financial flexibility to issue debt and equity instruments,
which is intended to be maintained and enhanced in the future.
Borrowings of shareholder-financed businesses
from continuing operations
Discontinued operations – Jackson Surplus Notes
Total borrowings of shareholder-financed businesses
Less: holding company cash and short-term investments
Net core structural borrowings of shareholder-financed
businesses
Net gearing ratio*
31 Dec 2021 $m
31 Dec 2020 $m
IFRS
basis
Mark-to-
market value
EEV
basis
IFRS
basis
Mark-to-
market value
6,127
–
6,127
(3,572)
2,555
13%
438
–
438
–
438
6,565
–
6,565
(3,572)
2,993
6,383
250
6,633
(1,463)
5,170
28%
795
90
885
–
885
EEV
basis
7,178
340
7,518
(1,463)
6,055
* Net core structural borrowings from continuing operations as proportion of IFRS shareholders’ equity from continuing operations plus net core structural borrowings from continuing operations,
as set out in note II of the Additional unaudited financial information.
41
Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 The total borrowings of the shareholder-financed businesses
from continuing operations were $6.1 billion at 31 December 2021
(31 December 2020: $6.4 billion4). The Group had central cash
resources of $3.6 billion at 31 December 2021 (31 December 2020:
$1.5 billion4), resulting in net core structural borrowings of the
shareholder-financed businesses of $2.6 billion at end of December
2021 (31 December 2020: $4.9 billion for continuing operations4).
We have not breached any of the requirements of our core structural
borrowings nor modified any of their terms during 2021. Net core
structural borrowings include a $350 million bank loan which the
Group is currently considering refinancing.
In addition to its net core structural borrowings of shareholder-financed
businesses set out above, the Group is able to access funding via the
medium-term note programme, the US shelf programme (the platform
for issuance of SEC registered bonds in the US market), a commercial
paper programme and committed revolving credit facilities. All of
these are available for general corporate purposes. Proceeds from the
Group’s commercial paper programme are not included in the holding
company cash and short-term investment balance.
Prudential plc has maintained a consistent presence as an issuer in the
commercial paper market for the past decade and had $500 million
in issue at 31 December 2021 (31 December 2020: $501 million4).
As at 31 December 2021, the Group had a total of $2.6 billion of
undrawn committed facilities, expiring in 2026. Apart from small
drawdowns to test the process, these facilities have never been drawn,
and there were no amounts outstanding at 31 December 2021.
Cash remittances
Holding company cash flow19
From continuing operations
Insurance and asset management business
Other operations
Net cash remitted by businesses
Net interest paid
Tax received
Corporate activities20
Centrally funded recurring bancassurance fees21
Total central outflows
Holding company cash flow before dividends and other movements
Dividends paid
Operating holding company cash flow after dividends but before other movements
Issuance and redemption of debt for continuing operations
Hong Kong public offer and international placing
Other corporate activities relating to continuing operations21
UK and Europe demerger costs
US demerger costs
Total other movements
Total holding company cash flow
Cash and short-term investments at the beginning of the year
Foreign exchange and other movements
Cash and short-term investments at the end of the year
Actual exchange rate
2021 $m
2020 $m
Change %
65
(100)
56
(7)
(100)
25
20
5
1,451
–
1,451
(314)
–
(322)
(176)
(812)
639
(421)
218
(255)
2,374
(199)
–
(30)
1,890
2,108
1,463
1
3,572
877
55
932
(294)
94
(432)
(220)
(852)
80
(814)
(734)
983
–
(954)
(17)
(20)
(8)
(742)
2,207
(2)
1,463
42
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Annual Report 2021
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Financial review / continued
Remittances from our continuing Asia and Africa businesses were
$1,451 million (2020: $877 million).
From 2021, to align more closely to our ‘one head office, two locations’
operating model, the Group has revised its presentation of business
unit remittances so that the costs of the head office functions in
Hong Kong are no longer deducted from the 'net cash remitted by
business units'. All head office costs are now presented together
within the central outflows section of the holding company cash flow.
Accordingly, the 2020 comparatives have been re-presented from
those previously published to reflect the change.
Cash remittances for 2021 were used to meet central outflows
of $(812) million (2020: $(852) million4) and to pay dividends of
$(421) million. Central outflows include corporate activities of
$(322) million (2020: $(432) million4), centrally funded recurring
bancassurance fees of $(176) million (2020: $(220) million4),
and net interest paid of $(314) million (2020: $(294) million4).
On 4 October 2021, Prudential plc completed the issuance of new
share capital with proceeds of $2,374 million, as described in the
financing and liquidity section above.
Other corporate activities relating to continuing operations of
$(199) million (2020: $(954) million4) include central contributions
to the funding of Asia and Africa strategic growth initiatives,
principally non-recurring payments for bancassurance distribution
agreements including UOB and MSB banks. In 2020, this also included
one-off payments relating to the establishment of our strategic
bancassurance partnership with TMBThanachart Bank in Thailand.
Other corporate activities also include sale proceeds of $83 million
received in December 2021, following Jackson’s announcement,
as part of its previously disclosed $300 million share repurchase
programme, of the repurchase of 2,242,516 shares of its Class A
common stock from Prudential as discussed in the Jackson section
above. Further information is contained in note I(vi) of the Additional
unaudited financial information.
Cash and short-term investments totalled $3.6 billion at 31 December
2021 (31 December 2020: $1.5 billion4). The debt and refinancing
redemption programme, that completed on 20 January 2022, utilised
cash of $1,725 million.
The Group will continue to seek to manage its financial condition such
that it has sufficient resources available to provide a buffer to support
the retained businesses in stress scenarios and to provide liquidity to
service central outflows.
Notes
1 Based on full-year 2021 exchange rates.
2
‘Adjusted operating profit’ refers to adjusted IFRS operating profit based on longer-term
investment returns from continuing operations. This alternative performance measure
is reconciled to IFRS profit for the period in note B1.1 of the IFRS financial statements.
3 On a constant exchange rate basis.
4 On an actual exchange rate basis.
5 APE sales is a measure of new business activity that comprises the aggregate of
annualised regular premiums and one-tenth of single premiums on new business written
during the year for all insurance products, including premiums for contracts designated
as investment contracts under IFRS 4. It is not representative of premium income
recorded in the IFRS financial statements. See note II of the Additional unaudited
financial information for further explanation.
6 New business profit, on a post-tax basis, on business sold in the period, calculated
in accordance with EEV Principles.
7 Full year 2021 total funds under management, including external funds under
management, money market funds, funds managed on behalf of M&G plc and internal
funds under management, reported based on the country where the funds are managed.
8 For insurance operations, operating free surplus generated represents amounts emerging
from the in-force business during the year net of amounts reinvested in writing new
business and excludes non-operating items. For asset management businesses, it equates
to post-tax operating profit for the year. Restructuring costs are presented separately from
the business unit amount. Further information is set out in ‘movement in Group free
surplus’ of the EEV basis results.
9 Operating return calculated as operating profit divided by the average EEV shareholders'
equity for continuing operations. See note II(x) of the Additional unaudited financial
information for definition and calculation.
10 After deduction of the underwriting fees and other estimated expenses payable in
connection with the Share Offer.
11 GWS coverage ratio of capital resources over Group minimum capital requirement
attributable to shareholder business. Shareholder business excludes the capital resources
and minimum capital requirement of participating business in Hong Kong, Singapore and
Malaysia. Under the GWS Framework, all debt instruments (senior and subordinated)
issued by Prudential plc at 31 December 2021 are included as GWS eligible group
capital resources.
12 For Growth markets and other, adjusted operating profit includes other items of
$217 million (2020: $119 million) which primarily comprises of taxes for life joint ventures
and associates and other non-recurring items.
13 For discussion on the basis of preparation of the sources of earnings in the table see
note I(ii) of the Additional unaudited financial information.
14 Excludes Money Market Funds.
15 See note II of the Additional unaudited financial information for definition and
reconciliation to IFRS balances.
16 Other income and expenditure includes restructuring and IFRS 17 implementation costs.
17 Debt not denominated in USD is translated using exchange rates as at 31 December 2020
for the purposes of grandfathering.
18 Before allowing for the 2021 second cash interim ordinary dividend.
19 Net cash amounts remitted by businesses are included in the holding company cash flow,
which is disclosed in detail in note I(v) of the Additional unaudited financial information.
This comprises dividends and other transfers from businesses that are reflective of
earnings and capital generation.
20 Including IFRS 17 implementation and restructuring costs paid in the period.
21 Other movements include non-recurring payments for bancassurance arrangements
including those with UOB, TMB and MSB banks. Central payments for existing
bancassurance distribution agreements are within the central outflows section of
the holding company cash flow, reflecting the recurring nature of these amounts.
43
Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 Risk review
Enabling decisions to be taken with confidence
Prudential’s Group Risk Framework and risk appetite have allowed the
business to control its risk exposure throughout 2021. Its governance,
processes and controls enable the Group to deal with uncertainty
effectively, which is critical to the achievement of its strategy of
capturing long-term structural opportunities and helping customers
achieve their long-term financial goals.
44
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Annual Report 2021
prudentialplc.com
This section explains the main risks inherent in the business and
how Prudential manages those risks, with the aim of ensuring an
appropriate risk profile is maintained.
1. Introduction
The Group
2021 was a year in which the pace of transformative change
continued, both for the Prudential Group and the operating
environments in which it operates. In May, the Group-wide Supervision
(GWS) Framework became effective for the Group following
designation by the Hong Kong Insurance Authority (IA), subject to
agreed transitional arrangements. The demerger of the Jackson
business completed in September, reshaping the Group into an Asia
and Africa-focused business. The subsequent equity raise in October
enhanced Prudential’s financial flexibility in light of the breadth
of opportunities to invest for growth. The Group Risk, Compliance
and Security (RCS) function provided risk opinions, guidance and
assurance on these critical activities to enable strategic decisions to
be taken with confidence, while retaining its focus on overseeing the
risks of ongoing business, providing risk management and compliance
advice, together with objective challenge on the execution of the
strategic objectives. The core objective of the RCS function continued
to be that the Group remained within its risk appetite. During the year,
the RCS function continued to take steps to consolidate its position
as a group-wide function, effectively leveraging the Group’s risk
management and compliance experience in more mature markets
and applying it in a nimble way to its emerging markets, appropriate
to their unique risks, opportunities, customer needs and customs.
With supply chain issues likely to continue to impact the world
economy, the risks of persistent higher inflation remain firmly on
the agenda. Strategic competition between the US and China is
driving further decoupling of areas of their economies as both look
to protect national interests. These objectives are increasingly being
implemented through new laws and regulations protecting domestic
data, technology and financial services. This dynamic increases the
strategic, operational, regulatory and reputational risks for businesses
operating within and across their spheres of influence. In China, the
government’s application of its domestic policy aims has continued
against the backdrop of a weakening real estate sector. The cycle
of peaks and troughs of Covid-19 infection levels and associated
restrictions experienced by the Group’s markets will undoubtedly take
a toll on its customers and its people. Prudential continues to focus
on delivering accessible and socially inclusive propositions, the fair
treatment of its policyholders and all its customers, and the wellbeing
of its employees in a sustainable way. The RCS function will continue
to apply the holistic and coordinated approach to support the Group
in managing these increasingly dynamic, multi-faceted and often
inter-connected risks facing its business.
The world economy
The world economy remains in recovery following the significant loss
of output in 2020. Global growth in 2022 is anticipated to remain
above average historical trends although this is expected to slow
and remains subject to developments in the pandemic. The pattern
of recovery has not been the same across economies. Developed
economies have received significant support from unprecedented
fiscal stimulus and accommodative monetary policy aimed at
maintaining consumption levels, while in emerging economies this
support has been more muted and the focus has been on maintaining
production levels. As fiscal stimulus is withdrawn and many economies
transition to a strategy of treating Covid-19 as endemic, domestic
demand is expected to shift from goods towards services in developed
economies, reducing pressure on supply chains and inflation
on imports. Monetary policy is also expected to become less
accommodative, in particular in the US where the Federal Reserve
has started to reduce asset purchases and is expected to raise its
federal funds rate to address inflation concerns, which are no longer
considered transitory. Developments in the labour market are
expected to influence the pace and magnitude of monetary
policy tightening.
In Asia, economic reopening has lagged the West, with prolonged
restrictions on movement and relatively slow vaccine rollouts,
although growth has also rebounded as a consequence of steady
manufacturing activity in the region. A resumption of tourism
activities and the consumption of other services would support
growth, but the emergence of new Covid-19 variants are a continuing
challenge. Another key risk for the region is a property-led slowdown
in China, which has the potential to be a drag on economic activity
more broadly in the country and the region. The outlook remains
highly dependent on the nature of the government response to
stabilise demand in the sector. Inflationary pressures in most Asian
economies have largely been contained and an abrupt tightening
in monetary policy is considered unlikely. However, tightening US
monetary policy, combined with any resulting further strengthening
of the US dollar, may lead to adverse external financing conditions for
emerging economies within the region. In Africa, while countries with
more diversified economies and stronger pre-pandemic fundamentals
such as Kenya, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire are expected to perform
better, the region as a whole faces significant headwinds. With low
vaccination rates, Africa remains highly vulnerable to the health and
economic impacts of new Covid-19 infection waves and emerging and
new variants. Inflation levels in the region are expected to ease slightly
in 2022 but are likely to remain elevated, leaving central banks facing
difficult monetary policy choices and governments with limited fiscal
space in which to manoeuvre.
45
Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 Financial markets
Against a backdrop of the current, emerging and future Covid-19
variants, financial markets in 2021 reflected economic trends. Equity
assets continued their rally although with short episodes of volatility,
and developed markets closed the year at near all-time highs. Market
movements were influenced by a number of factors during the course
of the year, including the broad reflation following vaccine rollouts,
fiscal stimulus, supply chain issues, increases in global inflation rates,
fears of stagflation and the US Federal Reserve’s tapering timeline.
Comparatively, emerging markets underperformed, particularly in Q3
due to growth and regulatory concerns in China, which significantly
impacted the property sector and resulted in tightened credit
conditions. Interest rates were dominated by market expectations
for central bank policy responses, while credit spreads in investment
grade markets remained relatively muted and continued to tighten,
supported by the reopening of economies over the course of the year.
The Russia-Ukraine conflict, which was preceded by a period of rising
tensions over Q4 2021, has contributed to large market movements
and increases in energy prices in Q1 2022, the full extent of which
remains uncertain.
Increasing inflationary pressure in the US, the expected tightening
in financial conditions driven by reduced asset purchases and the
anticipated increase in federal fund rates may drive funding costs
higher, with implications for global markets. This will increase risks
for highly leveraged companies and countries, including those in
Asia. Interest rate hikes are expected to support the US dollar while
introducing currency depreciation risk for emerging markets. Emerging
markets also remain susceptible to a reversal in capital flows, although
they may be more resilient to this than in the past, given healthy
current account balances, the fact that currencies remain relatively
cheap by historical standards and that central banks in the region
have pursued relatively conservative monetary policy compared to
developed markets in 2021.
Geopolitical landscape
Governmental strategies in managing Covid-19 have reflected how
they have balanced the impacts to people’s health and lives with their
individual rights and liberties and the need for economic growth. The
way this balance tilts remains a potential source of division both within
and between nations, with governments mindful of the risk of falling
behind global levels of economic recovery. The experience of the
pandemic and the civil unrest seen in recent times has shown that the
stability of governments and the resilience of businesses will continue
to be tested. The Group has well-established local and global plans to
mitigate the business risks from disruption. These have operated well
during the pandemic and local outbreaks of unrest in certain markets,
and the Group’s operational resilience will continue to be critically
evaluated and enhanced.
The relationship between the US and China continues to be a key
driver of the level of global geopolitical tension, exerting pressure on
national policymakers in other countries, including the South-east
Asia markets in which the Group operates. As 2021 progressed, with
the US and China turning their attention to more domestic matters,
diplomatic escalations between the two countries eased albeit
against a backdrop of increasing strategic competition. Over Q4 2021
and into 2022, tensions between western powers and Russia have
escalated into conflict in Ukraine, following years of hostilities along
the Ukraine-Russia border. The conflict is likely to have broad
implications for geopolitical relations which remain to be seen,
and may drive the bifurcation of global trade, financial systems
and standards.
Domestically, the China government has continued to pursue its
policy aims with regulatory tightening and actions that have been
multi-faceted and ranging across industries including technology,
real estate, education and entertainment, and have extended to
data usage and the provision of online medical and insurance services
and products. Where these actions have implications for interactions
with the global environment there may be geopolitical effects which
require assessment. The broader long-term impact on business
sentiment, and linked economies such as Hong Kong, remains to
be seen. Legislative or regulatory changes that adversely impact
Hong Kong’s economy or its international trading and economic
relationships, as a key market which also hosts Group head office
functions, could have an adverse impact on sales and distribution
and the operations of the Prudential Group. Meanwhile, the
emergence of the Omicron coronavirus variant and the China and
Hong Kong governments’ continued application of a ‘zero-Covid-19’
policy has increased uncertainty on the timing of border relaxation
between the two territories.
Regulations
Prudential operates in highly regulated markets, and as the nature
and focus of regulation and laws evolve, the complexity of regulatory
(including sanctions) compliance continues to increase and represents
a challenge for international businesses. Key regulatory compliance
risks for the financial services industry include those related to
customer-facing conduct, financial crime and sanctions compliance,
information security and data privacy and residency, and those
associated with third-party management. Prudential’s portfolio of
transformation programmes, which include the expansion of the
Group’s digital capabilities and improvement of business efficiencies
through operating model changes, have the potential to introduce
new, or increase existing, regulatory risks and supervisory interest,
while increasing the complexity of ensuring concurrent regulatory
compliance across markets driven by increasing intra-Group
connectivity and dependencies. National and international regulatory
developments continue to progress, with a continuing focus on
solvency and capital standards, sustainability, technology and data,
conduct of business, systemic risk regulation, corporate governance
and senior management accountability, and macro prudential policy.
Some of these changes will have a significant impact on the way that
the Group operates, conducts business and manages its risks.
Regulatory developments are monitored at a national and global level
and form part of Prudential’s engagement with government policy
teams and regulators.
46
Prudential plc
Annual Report 2021
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Risk review / continued The increase in global strategic competition may provide an impetus to
the fragmentation or increased regionalisation of trade, investment and
standards, increasing the strategic and regulatory risks for businesses,
in particular with laws and regulations with extra-territorial application.
For internationally active groups such as Prudential, operating across
multiple jurisdictions increases the complexity of legal and regulatory
compliance. Compliance with the Group’s legal or regulatory
obligations (including in respect of international sanctions), in one
jurisdiction may conflict with the law or policy objectives of another
jurisdiction, or may be seen as supporting the law or policy objectives
of that jurisdiction over another, creating additional legal, regulatory
compliance and reputational risks. These risks may be increased where
the scope of regulatory requirements and obligations are uncertain,
and where specific cases applicable to the Prudential Group are
complex. The Group has in place risk tolerance frameworks to deal with
complex and conflicting risk trade-offs to guide executive decisions. In
China, the swiftness with which some of the recent regulatory changes
and interventions have been applied has the potential to increase
uncertainty and the strategic and regulatory risks for businesses
operating in China or those which deal with Chinese companies.
The Hong Kong IA’s GWS Framework became effective for Prudential
following designation by the Hong Kong IA on 14 May 2021. The
Group remains compliant with the Framework, subject to agreed
transitional arrangements, and will continue to engage constructively
with the Hong Kong IA as its Group-wide supervisor as it ensures
ongoing sustainable compliance.
Societal developments
Societal changes, including those driven by the Covid-19 pandemic
and anticipated as part of the transition to a lower carbon economy,
can have broad, complex and long-term effects, with the potential
to exacerbate structural inequalities within and across countries.
Such transitions can compel organisations to re-evaluate how best
to serve their customers and the societies in which they operate.
A key development of the pandemic has been the acceleration of
digitalisation across businesses and their supply chains, with an
accompanying increase in the importance of maintaining resilience
against cyber incidents and security threats, such as ransomware
attacks. The Covid-19 pandemic also provided a prompt for businesses
and employees to re-evaluate traditional working practices and has
accelerated certain thematic trends around increased flexibility,
inclusivity and psychological safety in the workplace to enable
employees to openly contribute and challenge.
Prudential’s increasing use of digital services, technologies and
distribution methods, increased adoption of its Pulse platform and
the implementation of virtual face-to-face sales of select ranges of
products in many of its markets during the pandemic have broad
implications for Prudential and its conduct of business. These
developments support the delivery of the Group’s aim to increase the
accessibility and inclusiveness of its products and services, but also
increase technology, data security or misuse and regulatory risks.
Prudential, as a responsible employer, is increasing opportunities for
employees to voice their views and responding to feedback with
initiatives centred on flexible and new ways of working and on how it
incentivises and upskills its workforce. The Group continues to monitor
emerging social trends, including those linked to environmental
change, and their potential impact on its wide range of stakeholders
and how its products and services meet the needs of affected
societies. Its risk management framework continues to evolve in order
to manage the changing nature of these wide-ranging risks including
activities to promote a transparent culture, actively encouraging open
discussion and learning from mistakes.
2. Risk governance
a System of governance
Prudential has in place a system of governance that embeds a
clear ownership of risk, together with risk policies and standards
to enable risks to be identified, measured and assessed, managed
and controlled, monitored and reported. The Group Risk Framework,
owned by the Board, details Prudential’s risk governance, risk
management processes and risk appetite. The Group’s risk governance
arrangements are based on the ‘three lines’ model. The ‘first line’
is responsible for taking and managing risk, while the ‘second line’
provides additional challenge, expertise, oversight, and scrutiny.
The role of the ‘third line’, assumed by the independent Group-wide
Internal Audit function, is to provide objective assurance on the
design, effectiveness and implementation of the overall system of
internal control. The Group-wide Risk, Compliance and Security (RCS)
function reviews, assesses, oversees and reports on the Group’s
aggregate risk exposure and solvency position from an economic,
regulatory and ratings perspectives.
During 2021, the Group continued to review and update its policies
and processes for alignment with the requirements of the Hong Kong
IA’s GWS Framework, which became effective for the Group on
14 May 2021. The Group has also focused on embedding climate-
change as a cross-cutting risk within the Group Risk Framework and
development and embedding of its Group-wide customer conduct risk
framework and policy; its third-party and outsourcing policy; its data
policy and enhancements to its operational resilience.
47
Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 Risk governance
and culture
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i. Risk governance and culture
Prudential’s risk governance comprises the Board organisational
structures, reporting relationships, delegation of authority, roles and
responsibilities, and risk policies that have been established to make
decisions and control activities on risk-related matters. The risk
governance structure is led by the Group Risk Committee, supported
by independent Non-executive Directors on risk committees of
the Group’s main subsidiaries. The Group Risk Committee approves
changes to the Group Risk Framework and the core risk policies
that support it. The Group Risk Committee has direct lines of
communication, reporting and oversight of the risk committees of
the Group’s major businesses. As its adoption across Asia and Africa
increases, the application of the Group’s governance framework and
policies to the Pulse business has been increased. The Pulse Audit &
Risk Committee for Pulse Ecosystems Limited, the holding company
for Pulse, was formed and met for the first time in H1 2021.
Risk culture is a strategic priority of the Board, which recognises its
importance in the way that the Group does business. A Group-wide
culture framework is currently being implemented to unify the Group
towards its shared purpose of helping people get the most out of life.
At the start of the year, the Board established the Responsibility &
Sustainability Working Group to support its responsibilities in relation
to implementation of the culture framework, as well as embedding
the Group’s ESG strategic framework, and progress on diversity and
inclusion initiatives. The culture framework includes principles and
values that define how the Group expects business to be conducted
in order to achieve its strategic objectives, inform expectations
of leadership and support the resilience and sustainability of the
Group. The components of the culture framework support sound
risk management practices by requiring a focus on longer-term
goals and sustainability, the avoidance of excessive risk taking
and highlighting acceptable and unacceptable behaviours. This is
supported through inclusion of risk and sustainability considerations
in performance management for key individuals; the building of
appropriate skills and capabilities in risk management; and by
ensuring that employees understand and care about their role in
managing risk through open discussions. The Group Risk Committee
has a key role in providing advice to the Remuneration Committee
on risk management considerations to be applied in respect of
executive remuneration.
Prudential’s Group Code of Business Conduct and Group Governance
Manual, supported by risk-related policies, include guiding principles
on the day-to-day conduct of all its people and any organisations
acting on its behalf. Supporting policies include those related to
financial crime, covering anti-money laundering, sanctions, anti-
bribery and corruption and conduct. The Group’s third-party and
outsourcing policy requires that human rights and modern slavery
considerations are embedded across all of its supplier and supply
chain arrangements. Procedures to allow individuals to speak out
safely and anonymously against unethical behaviour and conduct
are also in place.
Further details on the Group’s ESG governance arrangements and
strategic framework are included in the Group’s ESG Report, see pages
66 to 136.
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Risk review / continued
ii. The risk management cycle
Risk identification
In accordance with provision 28 of the UK Corporate Governance
Code and the GWS guidelines issued by the Hong Kong IA, a top-down
and bottom-up process is in place to support Group-wide identification
of principal risks. An emerging risk identification framework exists to
support the Group’s preparations in managing financial and non-
financial risks expected to crystallise beyond the short-term horizon.
The Board performs a robust assessment and analysis of these
principal and emerging risk themes through the risk identification
process, the Group Own Risk and Solvency Assessment (ORSA) report
and the risk assessments undertaken as part of the business planning
review, including how they are managed and mitigated, which
supports decision-making.
The ORSA is the ongoing process of identifying, measuring and
assessing, managing and controlling, monitoring and reporting the
risks to which the business is exposed. It includes an assessment of
capital adequacy to ensure that the Group’s solvency needs are met
at all times. Stress and scenario testing, which includes reverse stress
testing requiring the Group to ascertain the point of business model
failure, is another tool that helps to identify the key risks and scenarios
that may have a material impact on the Group. The risk profile
assessment is a key output from the risk identification and risk
measurement processes and is used as a basis for setting Group-wide
limits, management information, assessment of solvency needs,
and determining appropriate stress and scenario testing. The Group’s
annual set of principal risks are given enhanced management and
reporting focus.
Risk measurement and assessment
All identified risks are assessed based on an appropriate methodology
for that risk. Quantifiable risks, which are material and mitigated by
holding capital, are modelled in the Group’s internal model, which is
used to determine the Group Internal Economic Capital Assessment
(GIECA) and is subject to independent validation and processes and
controls around model changes and limitations.
Risk management and control
The Group’s control procedures and systems focus on aligning
the levels of risk-taking with the Group’s strategy and can only
provide reasonable, and not absolute, assurance against material
misstatement or loss. The Group’s risk policies define the Group’s
appetite to material risks and set out the risk management and
control requirements to limit exposure to these risks, see below.
These policies also set out the processes to enable the measurement
and management of these risks in a consistent and coherent way,
including the flows of management information required. The
methods and risk management tools employed to mitigate each
of its major categories of risks are detailed in section 4 below.
Risk monitoring and reporting
The Group’s principal risks inform the management information
received by the Group Risk Committee and the Board, which also
includes key exposures against appetite and developments in the
Group’s principal and emerging risks.
iii. Risk appetite, limits and triggers
The Group recognises the interests of its broad spectrum of
stakeholders (including customers, investors, employees, communities
and key business partners) and that a managed acceptance of risk lies
at the heart of the business. The Group seeks to generate stakeholder
value by selectively taking exposure to risks, reduced to the extent it
is cost-effective to do so, where these are an outcome of its chosen
business activities and strategy. Those risks for which the Group has
no tolerance are actively avoided. The Group’s systems, procedures
and controls are designed to manage risk appropriately, and its
approach to resilience and recovery aims to maintain the Group’s
ability and flexibility to respond in times of stress.
Qualitative and quantitative expressions of risk appetite are defined
and operationalised through risk limits, triggers and indicators. The
RCS function reviews these measures at least annually. The Board
approves changes to the Group’s aggregate risk appetite and the
Group Risk Committee has delegated authority to approve changes
to the system of limits, triggers and indicators.
Group risk appetite is defined and monitored in aggregate by the
setting of objectives for its liquidity, capital requirements and
non-financial risk exposure, covering risks to stakeholders, including
those from participating and third-party business. Group limits
operate within these expressions of risk appetite to constrain material
risks, while triggers and indicators provide additional defined points for
escalation. The Group Risk Committee, supported by the RCS function,
is responsible for reviewing the risks inherent in the Group’s business
plan and for providing the Board with a view on the risk/reward
trade-offs and the resulting impact to the Group’s aggregated position
relative to Group risk appetite and limits, including non-financial
risk considerations.
a. Capital requirements. Limits on capital requirements aim to
ensure that in business-as-usual and stressed conditions the Group
maintains sufficient capital in excess of internal economic capital
requirements, achieves its desired target rating to meet its business
objectives, and supervisory intervention is avoided. The two
measures in use at the Group level are the GWS group capital
requirements and internal economic capital requirements,
determined by the Group Internal Economic Capital Assessment
(GIECA).
b. Liquidity. The objective of the Group’s liquidity risk appetite is to
ensure that sufficient cash resources are available to meet financial
obligations as they fall due in business-as-usual and stressed
scenarios. This is measured using a liquidity coverage ratio which
considers the sources of liquidity against liquidity requirements
under stress scenarios.
Non-financial risks. At the end of 2021 the Group approved a more
streamlined and simplified Non-Financial Risk Appetite approach,
framed around the perspectives of its varied stakeholders, to be
embedded in 2022. The Group accepts a degree of non-financial risk
exposure as an outcome of its chosen business activities and strategy.
It aims to manage these risks effectively to maintain its operational
resilience and its commitments to customers and all stakeholders
and avoid material adverse financial loss or impact to its reputation.
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Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 Risk management
Risk identification
Risk identification covers Group-wide:
1 Top-down risk identification.
2 Bottom-up risk identification.
3 Emerging risk identification.
Risk measurement and assessment
Risks are assessed in terms of materiality.
Material risks which are modelled are
included in appropriately validated
capital models.
Manage and control
Risk appetite and limits allow for the
controlled growth of the Group’s business,
in line with business strategy and plan.
Processes that support the oversight
and control of risks include:
1 The Risk and Control Assessment process.
2 The Own Risk and Solvency Assessment
(ORSA).
3 Group-approved limits and early warning
triggers.
4 Large risk approval process.
5 Global counterparty limit framework.
6 Financial and critical incidents procedures.
7 Stress and scenario testing, including
reverse stress testing.
Monitor and report
Escalation requirements in the event of a
breach are clearly defined. Risk reporting
provides regular updates to the Group’s
Board and risk committees on exposures
against Board-approved appetite
statements and limits. Reporting also
covers the Group’s key risks.
Risk governance
and culture
Business
strategy
Capital
management
Stress and
scenario testing
Risk governance and culture
Risk governance comprises the Board,
organisational structures, reporting
relationships, delegation of authority,
roles and responsibilities, and risk policies.
The Group-wide culture framework includes
principles and values that define how
business is conducted in order to achieve
its strategic objectives, inform expectations
of leadership and guide ESG activities.
Capital management
Capital adequacy is monitored to ensure
that internal and regulatory capital
requirements are met, and that solvency
buffers are appropriate, over the business
planning horizon and under stress.
Business strategy
Business strategy and the business plan
provide direction on future growth and
inform the level of limits on solvency,
liquidity and earnings and for our key risks.
The Risk, Compliance and Security function
provides input and opinion on key aspects
of business strategy.
Stress and scenario testing
Stress and scenario testing is performed to
assess the robustness of capital adequacy
and liquidity, and the appropriateness of
risk limits. Recovery planning assesses
the effectiveness of the Group’s recovery
measures and the appropriateness of
activation points.
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Risk review / continued
3. The Group’s principal risks
The delivery of the Group’s strategy in building long-term value for
its shareholders and other stakeholders, focusing on high-growth
business in Asia and Africa, exposes Prudential to risks. The
materialisation of these risks within the Group or at its joint ventures
or key third party partners may have a financial impact and may
affect the performance of products or services or the fulfilment of
commitments to customers and other stakeholders with an adverse
impact on Prudential’s brand and reputation. This report is focused
mainly on risks to the shareholder but includes those which arise
indirectly through policyholder exposures and third-party business.
The Group’s principal risks, which are not exhaustive, are detailed
below. The Group’s Risk Factor disclosures can be found at the end
of this document.
Covid-19 – longer-term risks and forward-looking areas of focus
As the pandemic and the associated global response have evolved,
it has become clear that Covid-19 and its impacts will persist far longer
than many would have predicted at the onset of the global outbreak
in 2020. The pandemic continues to present risks for the Group,
particularly given the on-going uncertainty arising from current,
emerging and future variants of the virus, and has also resulted in
transformative changes to the business environment and Prudential’s
business model, which are likely to persist even after Covid-19 is
considered endemic. These longer-term risks and forward-looking
areas for the Group are summarised below and, where relevant,
further information is provided within the descriptions of the Group’s
principal risks.
> People risks: Prudential continues to actively support and
enable its employees to work remotely and flexibly and in line
with government policy and guidance in the markets in which
it operates. It has provided its fullest support to those directly
impacted by the coronavirus and their families. The Group is
exploring new ways of working, acknowledging that the pandemic
may accelerate demand for a permanent shift in the pre-pandemic
norms in working arrangements. The duration of the pandemic and
related restrictions in some of the Group’s markets has heightened
the risks to the physical and mental health of its employees. This
is a key area of focus across Prudential, with a coordinated suite
of initiatives being progressed designed to measure and support
the wellbeing and potential uncertainty of employees due to the
Covid-19 pandemic or changes in the Group as it reshapes into
an Asia and Africa focussed business.
> Customer conduct, product and distribution risks: As the initial
pandemic-related initiatives and campaigns rolled out across
markets to support customers expire (including customer cash
benefits, goodwill payments, and extended grace periods for
premium payments), the Group is monitoring the impact to
customers to ensure they are treated fairly and with due care.
The Group’s customer conduct risk framework enshrines its focus
on customer outcomes, under which risk monitoring is performed,
irrespective of the pandemic.
Prudential rolled out, with appropriate regulatory engagement,
virtual face-to-face sales processes and digital product offerings
in most its markets during the pandemic. Where these are expected
to remain, the Group will ensure these processes are in line with
evolving regulations and regulatory expectations, and monitor
such developing processes for customer conduct, operational and
commercial risks. Regardless of the pandemic, Prudential regularly
assesses the suitability and affordability of its products, aiming to
reduce their perceived complexity and increase the transparency
of their costs and benefits. These aims, as well as the Group’s
increasing focus on the sustainable digital distribution of its health
and wealth products via its Pulse platform, help to expand the
financial inclusion of Prudential’s products in its markets.
> Financial market and economic risks: Throughout 2021,
pandemic developments, both positive and negative (such as the
emergence of new Covid-19 variants), have contributed to financial
market volatility. The Group continues close monitoring of equity,
interest rate and credit risks and inflation expectations, as well as
the broader macroeconomic impacts of the pandemic, including
the effects of an uneven recovery across markets. Risk limits and
the appropriateness of the Group’s counter-cyclical capital buffer
are regularly reviewed and adjusted where required.
> Information security risks: Office-based working may not return
to pre-pandemic levels which, along with the pandemic-accelerated
growth in digital operations, products and services, increases
organisational exposure to long-term heightened information
security risks, increasing the opportunities for cyber-crime and
ransomware attacks. The Group continues to strengthen its robust
information security management framework and progress its
programme to enhance and maintain levels of cyber hygiene,
combined with ongoing training and phishing campaigns, aligned
with threat intelligence feeds, and simulation exercises to support
data privacy and operational resilience.
> Insurance risks: In the short term, the Group has seen an
increase in Covid-19-related mortality claims in select markets.
A combination of the economic impact of the pandemic and
extended restrictions on movement has also increased persistency
risk at some of the Group’s businesses. The potential longer-term
impacts of the pandemic include lapses, surrenders and premium
affordability from the broader economic effects; increased and/or
delayed morbidity claims resulting from the deferral of medical
treatment by policyholders during the pandemic; latent morbidity
impacts from the deferral of medical treatment by policyholders;
and the implications from other factors such as long-term
post-Covid-19 symptoms (although there is currently no
consensus on the longer-term impact on morbidity).
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(including those from the external macroeconomic and geopolitical environment)
The global economic and geopolitical environment may impact on the Group directly by affecting trends in financial markets and asset values,
as well as driving short-term volatility.
Risks in this category include the market risks to our investments and the credit quality of our investment portfolio as well as liquidity risk.
Global economic and geopolitical conditions
Macroeconomic and geopolitical developments are considered
material to the Group and can increase the operational, business
disruption, regulatory and financial market risks to the Group and
can directly impact its sales and distribution networks. Changes
in global economic conditions can impact Prudential directly; for
example, by reducing investment returns and fund performance
and liquidity, and increasing the cost of product guarantees.
Indirect impacts include higher inflation, which can reduce
disposable income and decrease propensity for people to save and
buy Prudential’s products, as well as changes in political attitudes
towards regulation. As some countries begin to adopt strategies
Market risks to our investments
(Audited)
This is the potential for reductions in the value of Prudential’s
investments driven by fluctuations in equity prices, interest rates,
foreign exchange rates and property prices. While interest rates
have been rising steadily and may rise further in response to
increasing inflationary pressures, a return to a low interest rate
environment poses challenges to the capital position of life insurers
and new business profitability. The Group has appetite for market
risk where it arises from profit-generating insurance activities to
the extent that it remains part of a balanced portfolio of sources
of income for shareholders and is compatible with a robust
solvency position.
The Group’s market risks are managed and mitigated by
the following:
> The Group market risk policy;
> Risk appetite statements, limits and triggers;
> The Group’s asset liability committees (ALCOs);
> Asset and liability management activities, which include
management actions such as changes in asset allocation, bonus
revisions, repricing and the use of reinsurance where appropriate;
> Hedging using derivatives, including currency forwards, interest
rate futures and swaps, and equity futures;
> The monitoring and oversight of market risks through the regular
reporting of management information; and
> Regular deep dive assessments.
The Group Critical Incident Procedure (GCIP) defines specific
governance to be invoked in the event of a critical incident, such as
significant market, liquidity or credit-related event. This includes,
where necessary, the convening of a Critical Incident Group (CIG)
to oversee, coordinate, and where appropriate, direct activities
during a critical incident.
to manage Covid-19 as an endemic disease, variations in the speed
of economic recovery from the pandemic between markets, and
the subsequent impact on their respective interest rates, inflation
expectations and the relative strength of their currencies (and the
associated impact on their foreign currency debt obligations), may
drive broader long-term economic and financial uncertainty which
may disproportionately impact emerging economies. Financial
markets, economic sentiment and regulatory compliance risks can
be highly susceptible to geopolitical developments. These have
been outlined in Section 1.
Interest rate risk, including asset liability management (ALM).
Interest rate risk is driven by the valuation of Prudential’s assets
(particularly government and corporate bonds) and liabilities,
which are dependent on market interest rates. Sustained
inflationary pressures which may drive higher interest rates may
impact the valuation of fixed income investments and reduce fee
income. Some of the Group’s products are sensitive to movements
in interest rates. Prudential’s appetite for interest rate risk requires
that assets and liabilities should be tightly matched for exposures
where assets or derivatives exist that can cover these exposures.
Interest rate risk is accepted where this cannot be hedged, provided
that this arises from profitable products and to the extent that
interest rate risk exposure remains part of a balanced exposure
to risks and is compatible with a robust solvency position.
The Group’s exposure to interest rate risk arises from the guarantees
of some non-unit-linked products with a savings component,
including the Hong Kong and Singapore with-profits and non-profit
businesses. This exposure arises from the potential for an asset
and liability mismatch, where long-dated liabilities and guarantees
are backed by short-dated assets. When this mismatch is not
eliminated, it is monitored and managed through local risk and
asset liability management committees and Group risk limits
consistent with the Group’s appetite for interest rate risk. Unit-linked
based businesses, such as Indonesia and Malaysia, are also
exposed to interest rate risk resulting from the impact to the present
value of future fees from such products.
The Group-level ALCOs are risk management advisory committees
supporting the identification, assessment and management of key
financial risks to the achievement of the Group’s business objectives.
They also oversee ALM and solvency risks of the local businesses
as well as the declaration and management of non-guaranteed
benefits for participating and universal life lines of business. Local
business units are responsible for the management of their own
asset and liability positions.
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Risk review / continued Risks to the Group’s financial situation (including those from the external macroeconomic and geopolitical environment)
continued
Market risks to our investments
continued
The objective of the local business unit ALM process is to meet
policyholder liabilities with the returns generated from the
investment assets held, while maintaining the financial strength
of capital and solvency positions. The ALM strategy adopted by
the local business units considers the liability profile and related
assumptions of in-force business and new products to appropriately
manage investment risk within ALM risk appetite, under different
scenarios in accordance with policyholders’ reasonable expectations,
and economic and local regulatory requirements. Factors such as
the availability of matching assets, diversification, currency and
duration are considered as appropriate. The assumptions and
methodology used in the measurement of assets and liabilities
for ALM purposes conform with local solvency regulations.
Assessments are carried out on an economic basis which conforms
to the Group’s internal economic capital methodology.
Equity and property investment risk. The shareholder exposure
to equity price movements arises from various sources, including
from unit-linked products where fee income is linked to the market
value of the funds under management. Exposure also arises from
with-profits businesses through potential fluctuations in the value
of future shareholders’ profits and where bonuses declared are
based broadly on historical and current rates of return from the Asia
business’s investment portfolios, which include equities. The Group
has limited acceptance for exposures to equity risk but accepts the
equity exposure that arises on future fees (including shareholder
transfers from the with-profits business).
Liquidity risk
(Audited)
Prudential’s liquidity risk arises from the need to have sufficient
liquid assets to meet policyholder and third-party payments as
they fall due, considered under both business-as-usual and stressed
conditions. It includes the risk arising from funds composed of
illiquid assets and results from a mismatch between the liquidity
profile of assets and liabilities. Liquidity risk may impact on market
conditions and valuation of assets in a more uncertain way than for
other risks like interest rate or credit risk. It may arise, for example,
where external capital is unavailable at sustainable cost, increased
liquid assets are required to be held as collateral under derivative
transactions or where redemption requests are made against
Prudential’s external funds. Liquidity risk is considered material at
the level of the Group. Prudential has no appetite for any business
to have insufficient resources to cover its outgoing cash flows, or for
the Group as a whole to not meet cash flow requirements from its
debt obligations under any plausible scenario.
The Group has significant internal sources of liquidity sufficient to
meet its expected cash requirements for at least 12 months from
the date the financial statements are approved, without having
to resort to external sources of funding. The Group has a total of
$2.6 billion of undrawn committed facilities that can be made use
The material exposures to equity risk in the Group’s businesses include
the following: The China joint venture business is exposed to equity
risk through its investments in equity assets for most of its products,
including participating and non-participating savings products
and protection and investment-linked products. The Hong Kong
business and, to a lesser extent, the Singapore business contribute
to the Group’s equity risk exposure due to the equity assets backing
participating products. The Indonesia and Malaysia businesses are
exposed to equity risk through their unit-linked products.
Foreign exchange risk. The geographical diversity of Prudential’s
businesses means that it has some exposure to the risk of foreign
exchange rate fluctuations. Some entities within the Group write
policies, invest in assets or enter into other transactions in local
currencies or currencies not linked to the US dollar. Although this
limits the effect of exchange rate movements on local operating
results, it can lead to fluctuations in the Group’s US dollar-reported
financial statements. This risk is accepted within the Group’s
appetite for foreign exchange risk. In cases where a non-US dollar
denominated surplus arises in an operation which is to be used to
support Group capital, or where a significant cash payment is due
from a subsidiary to the Group, this currency exposure may be
hedged where considered economically favourable. Further, the
Group generally does not have appetite for significant direct
shareholder exposure to foreign exchange risks in currencies outside
the countries in which it operates, but it does have some appetite for
this on fee income and on equity investments within the with-profits
fund. Where foreign exchange risk arises outside appetite, currency
swaps and other derivatives are used to manage the exposure.
of, expiring in 2026. Access to further liquidity is available through
the debt capital markets and the Group’s extensive commercial
paper programme. Prudential has maintained a consistent presence
as an issuer in the market for the past decade.
A number of risk management tools are used to manage and
mitigate liquidity risk, including the following:
> The Group’s liquidity risk policy;
> Risk appetite statements, limits and triggers;
> Regular assessment by the Group and business units of Liquidity
Coverage Ratios which are calculated under both base case and
stressed scenarios and are reported to committees and the Board;
> The Group’s Liquidity Risk Management Plan, which includes
details of the Group Liquidity Risk Framework as well as analysis
of Group and business units liquidity risks and the adequacy of
available liquidity resources under business-as-usual and stressed
conditions;
> Its contingency plans and identified sources of liquidity;
> The Group’s ability to access the money and debt capital markets;
and
> The Group’s access to external committed credit facilities.
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continued
Group sovereign debt. Prudential invests in bonds issued
by national governments. This sovereign debt holding of the
Group’s operations represented 47 per cent or $14.2 billion1 of
the shareholder debt portfolio of the Group’s operations as at
31 December 2021 (31 December 2020: 45 per cent or $12.8 billion
of the shareholder debt portfolio for the Group’s continuing
operations). The particular risks associated with holding sovereign
debt are detailed further in the disclosures on Risk Factors.
The exposures held by the shareholder-backed business and
with-profits funds in sovereign debt securities at 31 December 2021
are given in note C1 of the Group’s IFRS financial statements.
Corporate debt portfolio. In the shareholder-backed business,
corporate debt exposures totalled $14.5 billion of which $12.7 billion
or 87 per cent were investment grade rated.
Bank debt exposure and counterparty credit risk. The banking
sector represents a material concentration in the Group’s corporate
debt portfolio which largely reflects the composition of the fixed
income markets across the regions in which Prudential is invested.
As such, exposure to banks is a key part of its core investments,
as well as being important for the hedging and other activities
undertaken to manage its various financial risks. Exposure to the
sector is considered a material risk for the Group. Derivative and
reinsurance counterparty credit risk exposure is managed using an
array of risk management tools, including a comprehensive system
of limits. Prudential manages the level of its counterparty credit
risk by reducing its exposure, buying credit protection or using
additional collateral arrangements where appropriate.
At 31 December 2021:
> 87 per cent of the Group’s shareholder portfolio (excluding all
government and government-related debt) is investment grade
rated2. In particular, 52 per cent of the portfolio is rated2 A- and
above (or equivalent); and
> The Group’s shareholder portfolio is well diversified: no individual
sector3 makes up more than 15 per cent of the total portfolio
(excluding the financial and sovereign sectors).
Credit risk
(Audited)
Credit risk is the potential for loss resulting from a borrower’s failure
to meet its contractual debt obligation(s). Counterparty risk, a type
of credit risk, is the probability that a counterparty to a transaction
defaults on its contractual obligation(s) causing the other
counterparty to suffer a loss. These risks arise from the Group’s
investments in bonds, reinsurance arrangements, derivative
contracts with third parties, as well as its cash deposits with banks.
Credit risk is considered a material risk for the Group’s business units.
The Group’s holdings across its life portfolios are mostly in local
currency and with a largely domestic investor base, which provides
support to these positions. The Group’s portfolios are generally
positioned towards high quality names, including those with either
government or considerable parent company balance sheet
support. Areas which the Group are actively monitoring include
the developments in the China property sector and the degree of
government support for state-owned entities in Asia, given recent
defaults observed in the market by such entities in China and
Thailand. The Group’s portfolio is generally well diversified in
relation to individual counterparties, although counterparty
concentration is monitored, in particular in local markets where
depth (and therefore the liquidity of such investments) may be low.
Prudential actively reviews its investment portfolio to improve the
robustness and resilience of the solvency position. The Group has
some appetite to take credit risk to the extent that it remains part
of a balanced portfolio of sources of income for shareholders and
is compatible with a robust solvency position. Further detail on the
Group’s debt portfolio is provided below.
A number of risk management tools are used to manage and
mitigate credit risk, including the following:
> A credit risk policy and dealing and controls policy;
> Risk appetite statements and portfolio-level limits that have
been defined on issuers, and counterparties;
> Collateral arrangements for derivative, secured lending reverse
repurchase and reinsurance transactions which aim to provide
a high level of credit protection;
> The Group Credit Risk Committee’s oversight of credit and
counterparty credit risk and sector and/or name-specific reviews;
> Regular assessments of individual and sector exposures subject
to elevated credit risks; and
> Close monitoring or restrictions on investments that may be
of concern.
The total debt securities at 31 December 2021 for the Group’s
continuing operations were $99.1 billion (31 December 2020:
$89.8 billion). The majority (70 per cent) of the portfolio is in
unit-linked and with-profits funds. The remaining 30 per cent
of the debt portfolio is held to back the shareholder business.
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Risk review / continued The Group’s Sustainability and ESG-related risks
These include sustainability risks associated with environmental considerations such as climate change (including physical and transition risks),
social risks arising from diverse stakeholder commitments and expectations and governance-related risks.
Material risks associated with key ESG themes may undermine the
sustainability of a business by adversely impacting its reputation
and brand, ability to attract and retain customers and employees,
and therefore the results of its operations and delivery of its
strategy and long-term financial success. Prudential seeks to
manage sustainability risks and their potential negative impact
on its business and stakeholders through a focus on the Group’s
purpose to ‘help people get the most out of life’, and transparent
and consistent implementation of its strategy in its key markets
and across operational, underwriting and investment activities.
The Group’s strategy includes providing greater and more inclusive
access to good health and financial security, responsible
stewardship in managing the human impact of climate change
and building human and social capital with its broad range of
stakeholders. It is enabled by strong internal governance, sound
business practices and a responsible investment approach, with
ESG considerations integrated into investment decisions and the
performance of fiduciary and stewardship duties, including voting
and active engagement decisions with respect to investee
companies, as both an asset owner and an asset manager.
i. Environmental issues
Prudential’s strategic focus on stewarding the human impacts of
climate change and decarbonising its operations and investment
activities recognises that environmental concerns, such as water
pollution, biodiversity degradation and notably those associated
with climate change, and their social and economic impacts present
long-term risks to the sustainability of Prudential, and may impact
its customers and other stakeholders.
Prudential’s investment horizons are long term and it is therefore
exposed to the potential long-term impact of climate change risks,
which include the financial and non-financial impact of transition to
a lower carbon economy and physical and litigation risks. The global
transition to a lower carbon economy may have an adverse impact
on investment valuations as the financial assets of carbon-intensive
companies re-price, and this could result in some asset sectors
facing significantly higher costs and a reduction in demand for their
products and services. The speed of this transition, and the extent
to which it is orderly and managed, will be influenced by factors
such as public policy, technology and changes in market or investor
sentiment. The potential impact of these factors on the valuation
of investments may also have a broader economic and social
impact that may affect customers and their demand for the Group’s
products and services.
The transition to a lower carbon economy has the potential to
disproportionately impact the Asia and Africa markets in which
Prudential operates and invests, and the Group’s stakeholders
increasingly expect and/or rely on the Group to support an orderly,
inclusive and sustainable transition based on an understanding of
relevant country and company-level plans, taking into consideration
the impact on the economies, businesses, communities and
customers in these markets.
The pace and volume of new climate-related regulation and
reporting standards emerging across the markets in which the
Group operates, the need to deliver on existing and new voluntary
exclusions on investments in certain sectors, engagement and
reporting commitments and externally assured reporting may
give rise to compliance, operational and disclosure risks which may
be increased by the multi-jurisdictional coordination required in
adopting a consistent risk management approach. Understanding
and appropriately reacting to transition risk and implementing
carbon reduction commitments requires sufficient and reliable data
on carbon exposure and transition plans for the assets in which the
Group invests.
The direct physical impacts of climate change, driven by both
specific short-term climate-related events such as natural disasters
and longer-term changes to climate and the natural environment,
are likely to become increasingly significant factors in the mortality
and morbidity risk assessments for the Group’s insurance product
underwriting and offerings and their associated claims profiles.
Climate-driven events in countries in which Prudential or its key third
parties operate could adversely impact the Group’s operational
resilience and its customers, which may potentially occur through
migration or displacement both within and across borders.
A failure to understand, manage and provide greater transparency
of its exposure to these climate-related risks may have increasing
adverse implications for Prudential and its stakeholders.
ii. Social issues
Social risks that could impact Prudential may arise from a failure
to consider the rights, diversity, wellbeing, needs and interests of
its customers and employees and the communities in which the
Group or its third parties operate. These risks are increased as
Prudential operates in multiple jurisdictions with distinct local
cultures and considerations. Perceived inequalities and income
disparities, intensified by the pandemic, have the potential
to further erode social cohesion across the Group’s markets,
emphasising the importance of an inclusive and sustainable
global economic recovery.
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Evolving social norms and emerging population risks associated
with public health trends (such as an increase in obesity and
mental health deterioration) and demographic changes (such as
population urbanisation and ageing) may affect customer lifestyles
and therefore may impact the level of claims against the Group’s
insurance product offerings. As a provider of insurance and
investment services the Group is committed to playing a role in
preventing and postponing illness in order to protect its customers,
as well as making health and financial security more inclusive and
accessible through enhancements to its products and services and
an increased focus on digital innovation, technologies and
distribution methods. As a result, Prudential has access to sensitive
customer personal data, including data related to personal health,
and an increasing ability to analyse and interpret this data through
the use of complex tools, machine learning and artificial intelligence
technologies. The Group therefore actively manages the regulatory,
ethical and reputational risks associated with actual or perceived
customer data misuse or security breaches and its operational
resilience to support its customers. These risks are outlined below.
The increasing digitalisation of products, services and processes
may also result in new and unforeseen regulatory requirements and
stakeholder expectations for which Prudential monitors, as well as
ensuring support for its customers through this transformation.
As an employer, the Group aims to attract, retain and develop a
diverse group of highly-skilled employees to meet the changing
needs of a transformative organisation. This requires the
implementation of responsible working practices and recognising
the benefits of diversity, ensure psychological safety for employees
to contribute and challenge, and promoting a culture of inclusion
and sense of belonging.
The Group’s reputation extends to its supply chains and its investee
companies, which may be exposed to factors such as poor labour
standards and abuses of human rights by third parties.
iii. Governance
Maintaining high standards of corporate governance is crucial
for the Group and its customers and employees, reducing the risk
of poor decision-making and a lack of oversight of its key risks.
Poor governance may arise where key governance committees
have insufficient independence, a lack of diversity, skills or
experience in their members, or unclear (or insufficient) oversight
responsibilities and mandates. Inadequate oversight over
remuneration also increases the risk of poor senior management
behaviours. Prudential operates across multiple jurisdictions and
has a Group and subsidiary governance structure which may add
further complexity to these considerations. Participation in joint
ventures or partnerships where Prudential does not have direct
overall control and the use of third-party suppliers increases the
potential for reputational risks arising from poor governance.
Prudential is an active contributor to industry fora on sustainability
and the Group was a key contributor to the CRO Forum’s November
2021 guidance paper (‘Mind the Sustainability Gap – Integrating
sustainability into insurance risk management’), that seeks to define
a set of industry best practice guidelines to manage the integration
of sustainability into insurers’ risk management frameworks.
Risk management and mitigation of ESG sustainability risks
at Prudential include the following:
> The Group’s strategic focus on providing greater and more
inclusive access to good health and financial security, responsible
stewardship in managing the human impact of climate change
and building human and social capital with its broad range
of stakeholders;
> The Group Code of Business Conduct and Group Governance
Manual including ESG-linked policies;
> Activities to embed ESG and sustainability and risk within
the Group Risk Framework including:
– Environmental and social risk identification including through
emerging risk processes; and
– Deep dives into ESG themes, including climate-related risks;
> Integrating ESG considerations into investment processes
and responsible supply chain management; and
> Participation in networks to further develop understanding and
support collaborative action in relation to ESG sustainability risks
such as climate change.
Further information on the Group’s ESG governance is included
in section 3 above, and further detail on the Group’s ESG strategic
framework and the management of material ESG themes are
included in the Group’s ESG Report 2021 on pages 66 to 137.
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Risk review / continued Risks from the nature of our business and our industry
These include the Group’s non-financial risks (including operational and financial crime risk), transformation risks from significant change
activity and the insurance risks assumed by the Group in providing its products.
Transformation risk
Transformation risk remains a material risk for Prudential,
with a number of significant change programmes under way,
which if not delivered to defined timelines, scope and cost may
negatively impact its operational capability; control environment;
reputation; and ability to deliver its strategy and maintain
market competitiveness.
The Group’s transformation and change programmes inherently
give rise to design and execution risks, and may introduce new,
or increase existing, business risks (including increasing uncertainty
for the Group’s employees) and increase intra-Group connectivity
and dependencies. While the adoption of technologies related to
digital distribution and artificial intelligence has opened up new
product distribution and value-added service opportunities, it also
exposes Prudential to additional regulatory, information security,
data privacy, operational, ethical and conduct risks which, if not
managed effectively, could result in customer detriment and
reputational damage. The speed of technological change and
adoption in the business also increase the risk that all unintended
consequences are not anticipated. The Group therefore aims to
ensure that, for both transformation and strategic initiatives, strong
programme governance is in place with embedded risk expertise
to achieve ongoing and nimble risk oversight, with regular risk
monitoring and reporting to risk committees. Transformation risk
oversight operates alongside the Group’s existing risk policies and
frameworks to ensure appropriate governance and controls are in
place to mitigate these risks.
Prudential’s current portfolio of transformation and significant
change programmes include the expansion of the Group’s digital
capabilities and use of technology, platforms and analytics, and
improvement of business efficiencies through operating model
changes. Programmes related to regulatory/industry change
such as the development and embedding of the Group Internal
Economic Capital Assessment (GIECA) model under the GWS
Framework, changes required to effect the discontinuation of
inter-bank offered rates (IBORs) in their current form and the
implementation of IFRS 17 are also ongoing.
Risks associated with the Group’s joint venture and jointly owned businesses
Prudential operates, and in certain markets is required by local
regulation to operate, through joint ventures and other joint
ownership or third-party arrangements. A material proportion
of the Group’s business comes from its joint ventures in China
and India. For such operations the level of control exercisable by
the Group depends on the terms of the contractual agreements
between participants. As such the level of oversight, control and
access to management information the Group is able to exercise
over the extent of the exposure to material risks at these operations
may be lower compared to the Group’s wholly owned businesses.
Further information on the risks to the Group associated with joint
ventures and jointly owned businesses are included in the
disclosures on Risk Factors.
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Non-financial risks
The complexity of Prudential, its activities and the extent of
transformation in progress creates a challenging operating
environment and exposure to non-financial risks. The Group’s
appetite framework for non-financial risks considers risks across
a broad range of categories which are outlined below. These risks
are considered to be material at the level of the Group.
at the level of the Group. As well as having preventative risk
management processes in place, it is fundamental that the Group
has robust critical recovery systems in place in the event of a
successful attack on its infrastructure, a breach of its information
security or a failure of its systems in order to retain its customer
relationships and trusted reputation.
Operational risk. This is the risk of loss (or unintended gain or profit)
arising from inadequate or failed internal processes, personnel or
systems and external events, and may arise from employee error,
model error, system failures, fraud or other events which disrupt
business processes or which have a detrimental impact to customers.
Prudential accepts a degree of non-financial risk exposure as an
outcome of its chosen business activities and strategy. It aims to
manage these risks effectively to maintain its operational resilience
and its commitments to customers and all stakeholders and avoid
material adverse financial loss or impact on its reputation.
Outsourcing and third-party risks. The Group’s outsourcing
and third-party relationships require distinct oversight and risk
management processes. The Group has a number of important
third-party relationships, both with market counterparties and
outsourcing partners, including distribution, technology and
ecosystem providers. In Asia, the Group continues to expand its
strategic partnerships and renew bancassurance arrangements.
These arrangements support the delivery of high level and
cost-effective services to customers, but also create a reliance on
the operational resilience and performance of outsourcing and
business partners. The Group’s requirements for the management
of material outsourcing arrangements have been aligned to the
requirements of the Hong Kong IA’s GWS Framework and are
included in its Group third party supply and outsourcing policy.
Third-party management is also included and embedded in the
Group-wide operational risk framework (see below).
Information security and data privacy risk. This includes risks
related to malicious attack on systems, network disruption and the
infringement of data security, integrity or privacy. The frequency
and sophistication of intrusion activities and criminal capability
in this area, including in ransomware (malicious software designed
to block access to a computer system until a sum of money is paid),
continues to increase globally. The technology landscape of
Prudential is transforming at a rapid pace and the underlying
technology infrastructure (and support services) has grown in scope
and complexity in recent years. This, combined with stakeholder
expectations and the potential for reputational and conduct risk
from cyber security breaches and data misuse, which can be
highly-publicised, mean that these risks are considered material
Prudential and the insurance industry are making increasing use of
emerging technological tools and digital services, or partnering with
third parties that provide these capabilities. While these provide
new opportunities, opening up markets, improving insights and
increasing scalability, it also comes with additional risks, including
operational and data misuse risks, which are managed within the
Group’s existing governance and risk management processes.
Automated digital distribution channels increase the criticality
of system and process resilience in order to deliver uninterrupted
service to customers.
Globally, ransomware attacks have increased markedly with the
shift to remote working practices driven by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Prudential has a number of defences in place to protect its systems
from this type of attack, including but not limited to: AI-based
endpoint security software, continuous security monitoring,
network-based intrusion detection, and employee training and
awareness campaigns to raise understanding of attacks utilising
email phishing techniques. Cyber insurance coverage is in place
to provide some protection against potential financial losses and
the Group conducts simulation exercises for ransomware attacks
to assess and develop the effectiveness of incident responses
across its businesses.
Data protection requirements continue to evolve, and include
developments in China outlined in the overview of the Group’s
regulatory risks below. As well as protecting data, stakeholders
expect companies and organisations to use personal information
transparently and appropriately. Control of data through national
data security regimes has become an increasing priority for
governments amid the increase in global strategic competition.
This adds further complexity to regulatory compliance in this area,
in particular in the cross-border transfer or use of data, for global
organisations in addition to the existing regulatory, financial and
reputational risks of a breach of Prudential’s (or third-party suppliers’)
IT systems or loss or misuse of data. In 2021 a new Group Data Policy
was approved, establishing the principles and requirements for
effective and scalable data management in light of the increase in
volume and variety of data expected to be held, as well as the speed
at which it is collected, as part of the Group’s digital aspirations.
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continued
Non-financial risks
continued
The Group’s Information Security and Data Privacy strategy has
four key objectives: business enablement; continuous improvement
of cyber defences; automation and optimisation; and governance
and assurance to ascertain ongoing robustness of cyber security
and privacy measures. In 2021 a focus of Prudential has been
ensuring consistent global coverage of security controls, following
the operationalisation of a revised organisational structure and
governance model for cyber security management. This included
the establishment of a centralised Technology Risk Management
team, leveraging skills, tools and resources across different
technology domains to provide advisory, assurance and operations
support for holistic technology risk management including
information security and privacy. A Group Technology Risk
Committee has been established, providing group-wide oversight
of technology risks, including information security and privacy.
Risk management is also performed locally within business units,
with input from business information security officers and with
oversight from local risk committees. The Prudential plc Board is
briefed at least twice annually on cyber security by the Group CISO
and executive training is provided to ensure that members have the
means to enable appropriate oversight and understand the latest
threats and regulatory expectations. The Group-wide information
security policy was developed in collaboration with industry experts
to support a pragmatic approach to the evolving regulatory
environment globally and ensure compliance with all applicable
privacy laws and regulations and the appropriate and ethical use
of customer data. The policy was also developed with reference
to international standards, including ISO 27001/2, the NIST Cyber
Security Framework and supervisory guidelines. Local standards
are aligned to local regulations and laws.
Model and user developed application (UDA) risk.
Erroneous or misinterpreted tools used in core business activities,
decision-making and reporting may have adverse consequences
for Prudential. The Group utilises various tools to perform a range
of operational functions including the calculation of regulatory or
internal capital requirements, the valuation of assets and liabilities,
determining hedging requirements, and in acquiring new business
using artificial intelligence and digital platforms. Many of these
tools are an integral part of the information and decision-making
frameworks used at Prudential and errors or limitations in these
tools, or inappropriate usage, may lead to regulatory breaches,
inappropriate decision-making, financial loss, customer detriment,
inaccurate external reporting or reputational damage.
The Group has no appetite for model and UDA risk arising as a
result of failing to develop, implement and monitor appropriate risk
mitigation measures. Prudential’s model and UDA risk framework
and policy applies a risk-based approach in order to ensure
appropriate and proportionate risk management is applied to
all models and UDAs used across the business, depending on the
materiality and nature of the data used in these tools, as well as
their complexity.
Prudential’s model and UDA risk is managed and mitigated using
the following:
> The Group’s Model and UDA Risk Policy and relevant Guidelines;
> Annual risk assessment of all tools used for core business
activities, decision-making and reporting;
> Maintenance of appropriate documentation for tools used;
> Implementation of controls to ensure tools are accurate and
appropriately used;
> Tools are subject to rigorous and independent model validation;
and
> Regular reporting to the RCS function and risk committees
to support the measurement and management of the risk.
In 2021 the Group updated its Group’s Model and User
Developed Applications Policy which included a broadening
of the considerations when assessing model criticality to include
a wider group of stakeholders including policyholders (in addition
to shareholders) and associated reputational risk impacts and
increased oversight of models in development, including the
model being developed for RBC at the Hong Kong business.
Technological developments, in particular in the field of AI, pose
new questions on risk oversight provided under the Group Risk
Framework. An oversight forum for the use of AI was established
during 2021 and key ethical principles, which were approved by
the Group Risk Committee in 2020, have been adopted to apply
to the use of AI by the Group.
Business disruption risk. The Group continually seeks to increase
business resilience through adaptation, planning, preparation and
testing of contingency plans and its ability to respond effectively to
disruptive incidents. Business resilience is at the core of the Group’s
embedded Business continuity management (BCM) programme
and framework that help to protect the Group’s systems and its key
stakeholders. The BCM programme and framework covers business
impact analyses, risk assessments, and the maintenance and
exercising of business continuity, incident management and
disaster recovery plans. The programme is designed to provide
business continuity aligned to the Group’s evolving business needs
and the size, complexity and nature of its operations. Business
disruption risks are monitored by the Group Security function,
with key operational effectiveness metrics and updates on specific
activities being reported to the Group Risk Committee.
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Non-financial risks
continued
Financial crime risk. As with all financial services firms, Prudential
is exposed to risks relating to money laundering (the risk that the
products or services of the Group are used by customers or other
third parties to transfer or conceal the proceeds of crime); fraud
(the risk that fraudulent insurance claims, transactions, or
procurement of services, are made against or through the business);
sanctions compliance breaches (the risk that the Group undertakes
business with individuals and entities on the lists of the main
sanctions regimes); and bribery and corruption (the risk that
employees or associated persons seek to influence the behaviour
of others to obtain an unfair advantage or receive benefits from
others for the same purpose).
Prudential operates in some high-risk countries where, for example,
the acceptance of cash premiums from customers may be common
practice, large-scale agency networks may be in operation where
sales are incentivised by commission and fees, where is a higher
concentration of exposure to politically-exposed persons, or which
otherwise have higher geopolitical risk exposure.
The Group-wide policies in place on anti-money laundering, fraud,
sanctions and anti-bribery and corruption reflect the values,
behaviours and standards that are expected across the business.
Screening and transaction monitoring systems are in place and a
series of improvements and upgrades are being implemented, and
a programme of compliance control monitoring reviews is in place
across the Group. Proactive fraud capabilities are in development
and being rolled across local businesses. Work is also underway to
enhance detective fraud, conflicts and anti-bribery and corruption
controls relating to third-party risk management in procurement.
Risk assessments are performed annually at higher risk locations.
Due diligence reviews and assessments against Prudential’s
financial crime policies are performed as part of the Group’s
business acquisition process. The Group continues to undertake
strategic activity to monitor and evaluate the evolving fraud risk
landscape, mitigate the likelihood of fraud occurring and increase
the rate of detection.
The Group has in place a mature confidential reporting system
through which employees and other stakeholders can report
concerns relating to potential misconduct. The process and
results of this are overseen by the Group Audit Committee.
Group-wide framework and risk management for operational and other non-financial risks
The risks detailed above form key elements of the Group’s
non-financial risk profile. A Group-wide operational risk framework
is in place to identify, measure and assess, manage and control,
monitor and report effectively on all material operational risks
across the business. The key components of the framework are
listed below. Outputs from these processes and activities performed
by individual business units are monitored by the RCS function,
which provides an aggregated view of the risk profile across the
business to the Group Risk Committee and Board.
> Application of a risk and control self-assessment (RCSA) process,
where risk exposures are identified and assessed as part of a
periodical cycle;
> An internal incident management process, which identifies,
quantifies and monitors remediation conducted through root
cause analysis and application of action plans for risk events;
> An annual scenario analysis process for the quantification of
extreme, yet plausible manifestations of key operational risks
across the business on a forward-looking basis; and
> A risk appetite framework for non-financial risks that articulates
the level of risk exposure the business is willing to tolerate and
defines escalation processes for breaches of appetite.
These core framework components are embedded across the
Group via the Group Operational Risk Policy and accompanying
standards, which set out the key principles and minimum standards
for the management of operational risk within risk appetite. These
sit alongside other risk policies and standards that individually
engage with specific operational risks, including outsourcing and
third-party supply, business continuity, financial crime, technology
and data, operations processes and extent of transformation.
These policies and standards include subject matter expert-led
processes that are designed to identify, assess, manage and control
operational risks, detailed below. These activities are fundamental
in maintaining an effective system of internal control, and ensure
that operational risk considerations are embedded in key business
decision-making, including material business approvals and in
setting and challenging the Group’s strategy.
> Reviews of key operational risks and challenges within Group and
business unit business plans during the annual planning cycle,
to support business decisions;
> Corporate insurance programmes to limit the financial impact
of operational risks;
> Oversight of risk management during the transformation life
cycle, project prioritisation and the risks, interdependencies
and possible conflicts arising from a large portfolio of
transformation activities;
> Regulatory change teams to assist in proactively adapting
and complying with regulatory developments;
> Group and business unit-level compliance oversight and
risk-based testing in respect of adherence with regulations;
> Screening and transaction monitoring systems for financial
crime and a programme of compliance control monitoring
reviews and regular risk assessments;
> Internal and external review of cyber security capability and
defences; and
> Regular updating and risk-based testing of disaster-recovery
plans and the Critical Incident Procedure process.
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continued
Insurance risks
(Audited)
Insurance risk makes up a significant proportion of Prudential’s
overall risk exposure. The profitability of its businesses depends
on a mix of factors, including levels of, and trends in, mortality
(policyholders dying), morbidity (policyholders becoming ill or
suffering an accident) and policyholder behaviour (variability in
how customers interact with their policies, including utilisation of
withdrawals, take-up of options and guarantees and persistency,
ie lapsing/surrendering of policies), and increases in the costs of
claims over time (claim inflation). The Group has appetite for
retaining insurance risks in the areas where it believes it has
expertise and operational controls to manage the risk and where it
judges it to be more value-creating to do so rather than transferring
the risk, and only to the extent that these risks remain part of a
balanced portfolio of sources of income for shareholders and is
compatible with a robust solvency position.
The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic to economic activity and
employment levels across the Group’s markets has the potential to
elevate the incidence of claims, lapses, or surrenders of policies, and
some policyholders may defer or stop paying insurance premiums
or reduce deposits into retirement plans. In particular extended
restrictions on movement could affect product persistency. The
pandemic may also result in elevated claims and policy lapses or
surrenders in a less direct way, and with some delay in time before
being felt by the Group, due to factors such as policyholders deferring
medical treatment during the pandemic, or policyholders lapsing or
surrendering their policies on the expiry of grace periods for premium
payments provided by the Group’s businesses. Inflationary pressures
driving higher interest rates may lead to increased lapses for some
guaranteed savings products where higher levels of guarantees are
offered by products of the Group’s competitors, reflecting consumer
demand for returns at the level of, or exceeding, inflation. The Group’s
assessment to date is that elevated mortality claims in some markets
can be attributed to Covid-19. These impacts to the business are
being closely monitored with targeted management actions being
implemented where necessary, which includes additional Incurred
But Not Reported (IBNR) claims reserves in some markets, including
where deferrals in non-acute medical treatments due to movement
restrictions have been observed.
The principal drivers of the Group’s insurance risk vary across its
business units. In Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia
a significant volume of health and protection business is written
and the most significant insurance risks are persistency risk,
morbidity risk and medical claims inflation risk.
Medical claims inflation risk: A key assumption in these markets
is the rate of medical claims inflation, which is often in excess of
general price inflation, while the cost of medical treatment
increasing more than expected, resulting in higher than anticipated
medical claims cost passed on to Prudential, is a key risk. This risk
is best mitigated by retaining the right to reprice products and
appropriate overall claims limits within policies, either per type of
medical treatment or in total across a policy, annually and/or over
the policy lifetime.
Morbidity risk: Prudential’s morbidity risk is managed through
prudent product design, underwriting and claims management,
and for certain products, the right to reprice where appropriate.
Prudential’s morbidity assumptions reflect its recent experience
and expectation of future trends for each relevant line of business.
Persistency risk: The Group’s persistency assumptions reflect
recent experience and expert judgement, especially where a lack
of experience data exists, as well as any expected change in future
persistency. Persistency risk is managed by appropriate controls
across the product life cycle. This includes review and revisions to
product design and incentive structures where required, ensuring
appropriate training and sales processes, including those ensuring
active customer engagement and high service quality, appropriate
customer disclosures and product collaterals, use of customer
retention initiatives as well as post-sale management through
regular experience monitoring. Strong risk management and
mitigation of conduct risk and the identification of common
characteristics of business with high lapse rates is also crucial.
Where appropriate, allowance is made for the relationship
(either assumed or observed historically) between persistency and
investment returns. Modelling this dynamic policyholder behaviour
is particularly important when assessing the likely take-up rate
of options embedded within certain products.
Prudential’s insurance risks are managed and mitigated using
the following:
> The Group’s insurance policy, which sets out the Group’s
insurance risk appetite; required standards for effective insurance
risk management by head office and local businesses, including
processes to enable the measurement of the Group’s insurance
risk profile; management information flows; and escalation
mechanisms;
> The Group’s product and underwriting risk policy, which sets out
the required standards for effective product and underwriting
risk management and approvals for new, or changes to existing,
products (including the role of Group); and the processes to enable
the measurement of underwriting risk. The policy also describes
how the Group’s Customer Conduct Risk Policy is met in relation
to new product approvals and current and legacy products;
> In product design and appropriate processes related to the
management of policyholder reasonable expectations;
> The risk appetite statements, limits and triggers;
> Using persistency, morbidity and longevity assumptions that
reflect recent experience and expectation of future trends,
and industry data and expert judgement where appropriate;
> Using reinsurance to mitigate mortality and morbidity risks;
> Ensuring appropriate medical underwriting when policies are
issued and appropriate claims management practices when
claims are received in order to mitigate morbidity risk;
> Maintaining the quality of sales processes, training and using
initiatives to increase customer retention in order to mitigate
persistency risk;
> The use of mystery shopping to identify opportunities for
improvement in sales processes and training;
> Using product repricing and other claims management initiatives
in order to mitigate morbidity and medical expense inflation risk;
and
> Regular deep dive assessments.
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continued
Customer conduct risk
Prudential’s conduct of business, especially in the design and
distribution of its products and the servicing of customers, is crucial
in ensuring that the Group’s commitment to meeting its customers’
needs and expectations is met. The Group’s customer conduct risk
framework, owned by the Group Chief Executive, reflects
management’s focus on customer outcomes.
Factors that may increase conduct risks can be found throughout
the product life cycle, from the complexity of the Group’s products
and services to its diverse distribution channels, which include its
agency workforce, virtual face-to-face sales and sales via online
digital platforms. In alignment with the Group’s purpose of helping
people get the most out of life, Prudential strives towards making
health and protection coverage affordable and accessible to all.
Through Prudential’s Pulse platform, there is increased focus on
making insurance more inclusive to underserved segments of
society through bite-size low-cost digital products and services.
Prudential has developed a Group Customer Conduct Risk Policy
which sets out five customer conduct standards that the business
is expected to meet, being:
1 Treat customers fairly, honestly and with integrity;
2 Provide and promote products and services that meet customer
needs, are clearly explained and that deliver real value;
3 Manage customer information appropriately, and maintain
the confidentiality of customer information;
Prudential manages conduct risk via a range of controls that are
assessed through the Group’s conduct risk assessment framework,
reviewed within its monitoring programmes, and overseen within
reporting to its Boards and Committees.
Management of Prudential’s conduct risk is key to the Group’s
strategy. Prudential’s conduct risks are managed and mitigated
using the following:
> The Group’s code of business conduct and conduct standards,
product underwriting and other related risk policies, and
supporting controls including the Group’s fraud risk control
programme;
> A culture that supports the fair treatment of the customer,
incentivises the right behaviour through proper remuneration
structures, and provides a safe environment to report conduct risk
related issues via the Group’s internal processes and Speak Out;
> Distribution controls, including monitoring programmes relevant
to the type of business (insurance or asset management),
distribution channel (agency, bancassurance, or digital) and
ecosystem, to ensure sales are conducted in a manner that
considers the fair treatment of customers within digital
environments;
> Quality of sales processes and training, and using other initiatives
such as special requirements for vulnerable customers, to improve
customer outcomes;
> Appropriate claims management and complaint handling
4 Provide and promote high standards of customer service; and
practices; and
5 Act fairly and timely to address customer complaints and any
errors found.
> Regular deep dive assessments on, and monitoring of,
conduct risks and periodic conduct risk assessments.
Risks related to regulatory and legal compliance
These include risks associated with prospective regulatory and legal changes and compliance with existing regulations and laws –
including their retrospective application – with which the Group must comply in the conduct of its business.
Prudential operates under the ever-evolving requirements and
expectations of diverse regulatory, legal and tax regimes which may
impact its business or the way it is conducted. This covers a broad
range of risks including changes in government policy and
legislation, capital control measures, and new regulations at either
national or international level. The breadth of local and Group-wide
regulatory arrangements presents the risk that requirements are
not fully met, resulting in specific regulator interventions or actions
including retrospective interpretation of standards by regulators.
As the industry’s use of emerging technological tools and digital
services increases, this is likely to lead to new and unforeseen
regulatory issues and the Group is monitoring emerging regulatory
developments and standards on the governance and ethical use
of technology and data.
In certain jurisdictions in which Prudential operates there are also a
number of ongoing policy initiatives and regulatory developments
which will impact the way Prudential is supervised. These
developments continue to be monitored by the Group at a national
and global level and these considerations form part of the Group’s
ongoing engagement with government policy teams, industry
groups and regulators. Further information on specific areas of
regulatory and supervisory requirements and changes are included
below and in the disclosures on Risk Factors.
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Risk review / continued Risks related to regulatory and legal compliance
continued
Risk management and mitigation of regulatory risk at
Prudential includes:
> Risk assessment of the Business Plan which includes
consideration of the Group’s current strategies;
> Close monitoring and assessment of our business environment
and strategic risks;
> The explicit consideration of risk themes in strategic decisions;
> Ongoing engagement with national regulators, government
policy teams and international standard setters; and
> Compliance oversight to ensure adherence with in-force
regulations and management of new regulatory developments.
Group-wide supervision. The GWS Framework became effective
for the Group on 14 May 2021 following designation by the Hong
Kong IA, subject to transitional arrangements allowed in legislation
which have been agreed with the Hong Kong IA. Under the GWS
Framework, all debt instruments, both senior and subordinated,
issued by Prudential at the date of designation meet the
transitional conditions set by the Hong Kong IA and are included
as eligible Group capital resources.
Global regulatory developments: In the Group’s key markets,
regulatory changes and reforms are in progress, with some
uncertainty on the full impact to Prudential.
> In China, regulatory tightening across a number of industries
in 2021 will likely continue across other industries. Regulatory
developments in China which may have more direct implications
to the Group include the following:
– Development of a holistic data governance regime in China,
which have recently included the Data Security Law,
the Personal Information Protection Law, and the revised
Measures for Cybersecurity Review.
– The CBIRC recently released new regulations on internet
life insurance sales in China which include restrictions on
the selling of certain long-term products online, effective
31 December 2021.
– On 26 October 2021, the National Health Commission
released for public comment draft rules on the internet
healthcare services, usage of which has increased rapidly in
China which include restrictions on online AI-driven diagnosis
and treatments and requirements on meeting financial and
operational criteria.
> Regulators in Hong Kong and Malaysia are progressing with plans
for their respective risk-based capital (RBC) regimes. The Hong
Kong IA is permitting applications for early adoption of its
framework. Meanwhile in China, on 30 December 2021, the
CBIRC released the official regulation for its China Risk Oriented
Solvency System (C-ROSS) II, to be effective for Q1 2022
solvency reporting.
> In Indonesia, regulatory and supervisory focus on the insurance
industry remains high, with a recent focus being on insurers’
governance and IT risk management and the requirements of
2014 Insurance Law relating to the separation of conventional
and Sharia business.
> The protection of customers is an increasing regulatory theme,
with changes to the regulation of investment-linked products
(ILP) progressing in Indonesia as well as Malaysia.
> The pace and volume of climate-related regulatory changes both
internationally and locally across Asia markets is also increasing.
The IAIS published an application paper on the supervision of
climate-related risks in the insurance sector in May 2021, while
regulators, including the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the
Monetary Authority of Singapore, BNM in Malaysia and the
Financial Supervisory Commission in Taiwan, are in the process
of developing supervisory and disclosure requirements.
The Group is actively monitoring and engaging with supervisory
authorities on these changes, among others. These changes may
give rise to compliance, operational and disclosure risks requiring
Prudential to coordinate across multiple jurisdictions in order to
apply a consistent risk management approach.
Systemic risk regulation. Efforts to curb systemic risk and promote
financial stability are also under way. These include developments
by the Financial Stability Board (FSB) and International Association
of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS) in the areas of the Common
Framework (ComFrame), which establishes supervisory standards
and guidance focusing on the effective group-wide supervision of
Internationally Active Insurance Groups (IAIGs) such as Prudential,
and the Insurance Capital Standard (ICS). Further detail on these
developments are included in the disclosures on Risk Factors.
Inter-bank offered rate reforms. In July 2014, the FSB announced
widespread reforms to address the integrity and reliability of IBORs.
The discontinuation of IBORs in their current form and their
replacement with alternative risk-free reference rates such as the
Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) in the US and the
Singapore Swap Offer Rate (SOR) could, among other things, impact
the Group through an adverse effect on the value of Prudential’s
assets and liabilities which are linked to, or which reference IBORs,
a reduction in market liquidity during any period of transition
and increased legal and conduct risks to the Group arising from
changes required to documentation and its related obligations
to its stakeholders.
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Provision 31 of the UK Corporate Governance Code
The Group’s longer-term prospects
Prudential aims to make healthcare affordable and accessible,
protect people’s wealth and empower customers to save for their
goals, which can often be over a time frame of many years. As such,
Prudential considers that its purpose aligns closely with important
societal needs, including making health and financial security
more accessible, improving financial inclusion and education and
transitioning to a low-carbon economy. Prudential is focused on
addressing these increasing needs, reflecting population
demographics in our chosen markets.
The drivers for this structural growth, such as the low penetration rates
across the Asian region, are discussed on pages 8 to 27 alongside the
activities we have taken to deliver our objectives and enhance our
capabilities. In undertaking these activities, we aim both to meet
the evolving needs of our customers and provide sustainable growth
for our shareholders, which will support the viability of our business
over the longer term.
In 2021 the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic have continued to
disrupt the Group’s individual markets to varying degrees and at
different periods. Our focus during this time has been on supporting
our communities, customers and staff through the challenges created.
2021 saw improvement in new business levels over the low levels seen
in 2020 and economic growth has improved in most of the markets
in which the Group operates. We expect the vaccination programmes,
that continue to be rolled out, to facilitate a gradual return to more
normal economic patterns, albeit with some uncertainty over the
short term. Over the longer term we believe that the demand for our
products will continue to grow in line with the structural growth in our
chosen markets.
All of the Group’s activities are underpinned by ongoing risk
management, implemented via the Group Risk Framework and risk
appetite limits described in the Group risk report on pages 48 to 50.
The Group as a whole and each of its life assurance operations are
subject to extensive regulation and supervision, which are designed
primarily to reinforce the Group’s management of its long-term
solvency, liquidity and viability to ensure that it can continue to meet
obligations to policyholders. Further details on the current capital
strength of the Group are provided on pages 40 to 43.
The Group’s management of wider environmental, social and
governance issues that could pose a risk in the future to the
Group, including the impact of climate change, is set out in the
Environmental, Social and Governance report on pages 66 to 136.
This risk and regulatory focus supports the sustainability of our
business over the longer term.
Period of viability assessment
The Directors have assessed the viability of the Group for a period
longer than the 12 months required by the going concern statement.
The Directors performed the assessment by reference to the
three-year plan period to 31 December 2024. Three years is
considered an appropriate period as this is the period over which the
Group undertakes stress-testing for the key economic and insurance
risk factors which most directly affect the viability of the Group.
A period of three years is selected as these forecasts are inherently
volatile over a longer estimation period. This period also represents
the period covered by the detailed business plan that is prepared
annually on a rolling three-year basis. In approving the business plan,
the Directors reviewed the Group’s projected performance with
regards to profitability, cash generation and capital position, together
with the parent company’s liquidity over this three-year period.
Assumptions applied in the plan include foreign exchange rates,
interest rates, economic growth rates, the impact on the business
environment arising from the impact of Covid-19 and includes
anticipated regulatory changes. The Directors are satisfied that this
period is sufficient to enable a reasonable assessment of viability
to be made.
Assessment of principal risks over the period
The Group’s business plan implements the Group’s strategic objectives
through the business model and activities discussed on pages 12 to 13.
Assessment of the risks to achieving the projected performance
remains an integral part of the planning process. The Group’s
approach to risk management and a summary of the key risks facing
the Group are set out on pages 44 to 63.
For the purposes of assessing the Group’s viability, the Directors
considered those risks where the impact of possible adverse external
developments could be of such speed and severity to present a shock
to the Group’s financial position. While all the risks set out in the risk
report have the potential to impact the Group’s performance, the
key risks impacting the Group’s viability are: market risk, credit risk,
liquidity risk and regulatory risk. The Directors also considered the
macroeconomic environment and geopolitical risks in the markets
which the Group operates. Mitigation in place for these key risks to
viability are set out on pages 44 to 63.
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Stress and scenario testing
As noted above, underpinning the projections in the business plan
are a number of economic and other assumptions. To evaluate the
Group’s resilience to significant deteriorations in market and credit
conditions and other shock events, these risks are grouped together
into scenarios which are then applied to the assumptions underlying
the business plans. Sales and other scenarios considered include
those reflecting the possible impacts of Covid-19 restrictions on new
business, including the uncertainty as to the duration of restrictions
in individual markets and the length of time for sales to recover to
previous levels and different timings of expected regulatory changes.
Stresses have been applied to the economic and non-economic
assumptions underlying the base case business plan, reflecting
the Group’s management of its position within its risk appetite.
The stresses applied to our plan economic and other assumptions
in two adverse economic scenarios were as below:
Recession Scenario
Interest
rate
stress
(50)bps
Asia
developed
market
equity
stress
(15)% to
(20)%
Asia
emerging
markets
equity
stress
(25)%
‘Stagflation’ Scenario
+30bps to
+120bps4
(15)% to
(20)%4
(25)% to
(45)%4
The sensitivity of the Group’s regulatory solvency at 31 December
2021 to changes in key assumptions is set out on page 364 of this
annual report. In addition, the adequacy of liquid resources of the
Group’s parent company across the plan period has been assessed by
considering a stress scenario assuming the closure of short-term debt
markets, as well as additional calls on central liquidity by the business
units. In this liquidity stress scenario, the Group would have access to
sufficient resources to meet the funding requirements of the business,
after taking into account the Group’s undrawn committed liquidity
facilities of $2.6 billion, on top of central cash and short-term
investment balances, which as at 31 December 2021 were $1.8 billion
(after allowing for $1.7 billion of debt redeemed in January 2022).
The scenarios tested showed that the Group would be able to
maintain viability over the three-year period under assessment, after
taking account of the actions available to management to mitigate
the impacts on capital and liquidity in such scenarios. These actions
include, but are not limited to, rebalancing investment portfolios,
further market risk hedging, increased use of reinsurance, repricing
of in-force benefits, changes to new business pricing and the mix of
new business being sold. In addition, the Group conducts an annual
reverse stress test which gives the Directors an understanding of
the maximum resilience of the Group to extremely severe adverse
scenarios. The analysis assists in identifying management actions
that could be implemented to restore the Group’s capital and liquidity
resources from extreme positions. This analysis also informs the
Group’s recovery plan and liquidity risk management plan.
Equity
volatility
5%
5%
Credit
spread
increase
50bps
50bps to
90bps4
Credit default/
downgrade
3 times
base
assumption
3 to 5 times
base
assumption4
Adverse
currency
movement
n/a
5% to 20%
Other
stress
Adverse
policyholder
behaviour
Adverse
policyholder
behaviour
The impact on the business of known areas of regulatory change
whose financial implications can be reasonably quantified is also
considered as part of the plan, for example the implementation of
more risk-based regimes in Hong Kong and other markets. As well as
known areas of regulatory change, the Group is exposed to the risk of
sudden and unexpected changes in regulatory requirements at the
Group and local levels. While unexpected changes cannot be fully
anticipated and hence modelled, the risk of regulatory change is
mitigated by capital held by the Group and its subsidiaries in excess
of Group and local regulatory requirements, the Group and its
subsidiaries’ ability to generate significant capital annually through
operational delivery and the availability of compensating actions
designed to restore key capital metrics.
Conclusion on viability
Based on this assessment, the Directors have a reasonable
expectation that the Group will be able to continue in operation and
meet its liabilities as they fall due over the three-year plan period to
December 2024.
Notes
1 Excluding assets held to cover linked liabilities and those of the consolidated
investment funds.
2 Based on middle rating from Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s and Fitch. If unavailable,
NAIC and other external ratings and then internal ratings have been used.
3 Source of segmentation: Bloomberg Sector, Bloomberg Group and Merrill Lynch.
Anything that cannot be identified from the three sources noted is classified as other.
4 Position in range depends on local market.
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Prudential’s approach to ESG
During 2021, Prudential strengthened its focus on ESG,
building on the new ESG strategic framework that we
developed in 2020. This framework is aligned to our
business strategy and our purpose of helping people to get
the most out of their lives by making healthcare affordable
and accessible and by promoting financial inclusion.
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Overview
When we set out to create our ESG framework, we were largely
informed by the trends of a pre-pandemic world, including the rise
in conditions such as heart disease and diabetes, and changing
demographics expanding health, protection and savings gaps.
We know now, two years into the Covid-19 pandemic, that many of
these trends have been exacerbated and, in many ways, reinforced.
This analysis underlines the importance of placing our ESG strategy
at the core of our business strategy.
We have made significant progress in 2021, which we are proud
to present in this report. We established our Board Responsibility and
Sustainability Working Group (RSWG) to oversee our work in this area.
As a significant asset manager and asset owner in regions forecast to
be severely impacted by climate change, Prudential has a distinctive
role to play in the transition to a low-carbon economy. Recognising
this, in May 2021 we set a target to be net zero by 2050 for our
insurance assets, supported by a 25 per cent reduction in emissions
from our investment portfolio1 by 2025. We are reporting the weighted
average carbon intensity (WACI) of our investment portfolio for the
first time in 2021.
The breadth of stakeholders with whom we engage on ESG topics
continues to expand and we have been pleased to engage with
investors, rating agencies, NGOs, governments, regulators and our
colleagues on our framework and to bring their feedback into our
ongoing thinking. A number of our ESG ratings have improved in
2021, notably Sustainalytics, CSA and ISS, though we recognise that
expectations rightly continue to increase and therefore we will keep
our focus on maintaining and improving our ratings as an indicator
of the outcomes we aim to contribute to and achieve.
Across Prudential, inclusivity runs as a common theme in all of our
ESG activity. Within our core business activity of making health
accessible, we seek to make our products as inclusive as possible,
and during 2021, we developed a campaign, We DO Family, to support
the development of more inclusive products that recognise the
evolution of nuclear families; our approach to climate change is
underscored by our commitment to an inclusive transition in our
markets; and, as we build social capital through trusted relationships
with our employees, on whom our success depends, we demonstrated
our commitment to diversity and inclusion through the launch of
PRUCommunities, our inclusion on the Bloomberg GEI for the first
time in 2021, and the commitment by our businesses to the UN
Women’s Empowerment Principles.
The International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS) recently
commented that ‘there is growing acknowledgment that advancing
diversity, equality and inclusion (DE&I) within insurers’ organisations
and business models supports sound prudential and consumer
outcomes and sustainability objectives’.
We consider this focus on inclusivity, both internally and externally,
to be central to our approach and the outcomes we support.
Note
1 Our investment portfolio (’investment portfolio’) includes both listed equities and
corporate bonds, while excluding assets held by joint venture businesses and assets in
unit-linked funds as we do not have full authority to change the investment strategies of
these. Further information is provided in the Basis of Reporting at www.prudentialplc.com/
~/media/Files/P/Prudential-V13/esg-report/basis-of-reporting-2021
Supporting a just and inclusive transition
We fully support the urgent need to reduce global greenhouse
gas emissions to net zero to limit climate change. We are
particularly conscious of what the potentially catastrophic
impacts of climate change may mean for the communities in
which we operate – and millions of our customers – in Asia and
Africa. At the same time, the transition to a low-carbon economy
also impacts the communities in which we operate as they are
currently more dependent on burning fossil fuels for electricity
and have fewer means to finance the transition.
We recognise that our responsibilities go beyond finance and
we want to support communities, companies and governments
during this transition. Therefore our chosen approach continues
to give thoughtful consideration to the need for a just and
inclusive transition in the following ways:
> We unveiled a pledge to become a net-zero asset owner by
2050, committing to specific short-term targets to engage
with companies to help decarbonise our considerable financial
assets. In setting these targets and thresholds, we seek to
maintain investment in companies providing essential services
to communities while they actively transition to alternatives,
such as renewable energy companies that may still have a
small element of coal revenue.
> We actively support this transition by bringing an emerging
market perspective to the decarbonisation discussions, such as
our involvement at COP26, our involvement in bodies such as
the Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance, and our continued support
of the Energy Transition Mechanism as an example of the
practical private-public solutions needed to progress the
energy transition.
> We believe that the responsible approach in the communities
in which we operate is to engage and support the transition,
rather than to divest of all fossil fuel based companies who
are providing essential needs.
> We continue to serve first-time customers and under-served
communities through a range of innovations, recognising that
these groups, especially women and girls, are more heavily
impacted by the effects of climate change.
> We also strengthened our efforts in creating inclusive
workplaces, supporting both external and internal communities
while celebrating diversity in thought and culture.
As we move forward, we know this approach may impact our
ability to decarbonise at a pace achievable in developed markets,
but we believe this to be the right responsible long-term
approach in our markets.
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Targets
The Board and management recognise the importance of targets in evidencing its commitment to progress on ESG topics. To date, Prudential
has established targets in relation to the decarbonisation of its investment portfolio, its Scope 1 and 2 targets and the gender diversity of its senior
leadership team. From 2022, the decarbonisation target will be included in the long-term incentive plan. Further information is available in the
Directors’ remuneration report.
During 2021, the business has made good progress on each of these as set out in the table below and in the relevant sections of this report.
Target
25%
reduction in the carbon
emissions of the investment
portfolio by 2025
Board’s evaluation of progress
Detail in report
On track
PAGE 82
Divestment from all
direct investments
in businesses that
derive more than
30%
of their income from coal, with
equities to be fully divested by
the end of 2021 and fixed-income
assets by the end of 2022
Achieved for equity holdings
On track for fixed income assets
PAGE 83
Engagement with
the companies
responsible for 65%
of the absolute emissions in our
investment portfolio
On track
On track
reduction (per FTE) in Scope
1 and 2 reduction by 2030
25%
Charter target of 30%
Women in Finance
of women in senior leadership
by end of 2021
Achieved, with 35 per cent of
senior leadership roles filled by
women at 31 December 2021
PAGE 83
PAGE 89
PAGE 98
We will continue to review and update our ESG strategy in line with our
business strategy, and all carbon metrics and targets – both near-term
and longer-term – will be regularly reviewed to take into account
evolving scientific data and stakeholder expectations.
The above targets are as at 31 December 2021. The Board will
continue to evolve these as the Group progresses on its ESG journey,
and such future targets may include, but not be limited to, responsible
investment and diversity.
Challenges and goals
As recognised at COP26, limiting global warming to 1.5°C requires
rapid, deep and sustained reductions in global greenhouse gas
emissions in the coming years, particularly in the period to 2030.
Action will be required from all players across both the private and
public sectors. Prudential is committed to working alongside the
governments in the markets in which it operates, multi-lateral
development banks and others. This urgent need for action
informs the goals and challenges of the coming three to five years.
Within an ESG context, our goals for the coming three to five years
include:
> Achievement of the decarbonisation targets set out in May 2021,
and articulation of further targets as appropriate, aligned with
our ambition of pursuing a just and inclusive transition;
> Identifying where the impacts of climate change touch on access
to health and financial security, and seeking to address these to
support our customers;
> Offering savings and protection products to underserved
populations, particularly recognising that these groups, especially
women and girls, are more heavily impacted by the effects of
climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic; and
> Evolving our Scope 1 and 2 target from ‘carbon neutral by 2030’
to ‘net zero by 2030’.
Challenges to the achievement of these goals will include:
> Continually balancing the need for decarbonisation with
sustainable development through a just and inclusive transition,
and particularly how to achieve decarbonisation targets as the
Group grows in its key markets of India, China, Malaysia and
Thailand, which remain highly reliant on coal and other fossil fuels;
> Setting a net-zero target for our Scope 1 and 2 emissions from our
own operations while recognising that renewable energy options
remain limited in some of our markets, and the offset market
matures; and
> Balancing the interests of all our stakeholders across both
developing and developed markets, acknowledging their varying
capacity and perspectives.
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ESG governance
The Board considers ESG to be integrated and aligned with our
core business strategy of helping people to get the most out of life.
It recognises the major role that Prudential can continue to play across
Asia and Africa, as well as in the long-term success, resilience and
health of the communities in which we operate. As such, ESG matters,
including climate change, are overseen by the Board, which is
responsible for determining overall strategy and prioritisation
of key focus areas.
In early 2021, the Board noted the importance of embedding the
ESG Strategic Framework within the Group. It also noted the need
to focus on progressing related matters such as the development
and embedding of the Group’s purpose and values, progressing
diversity and inclusion (D&I) priorities, and building upon employee
engagement activities. Accordingly, the Board established the
Responsibility and Sustainability Working Group (RSWG). The RSWG
is chaired by Alice Schroeder and comprised four Non-executive
Directors during 2021 (Alice Schroeder, Jeremy Anderson, Fields
Wicker-Miurin and Jeanette Wong, who replaced Kai Nargolwala).
The RSWG formally met five times during 2021. The main items dealt
with were:
> The development and embedding of the ESG strategic framework;
> ESG reporting matters including:
– recommendation of the approval of the 2020 ESG report to the
GAC and the Board;
– discussion and agreement of an approach for our FY21 reporting,
acknowledging that the ESG reporting landscape is constantly
evolving and disclosures would therefore need to be considered
and enhanced year on year;
– training on new Hong Kong and global reporting standards; and
– oversight of the approach, preparation and review of the 2021
Report as set out below.
> Consideration and recommendation to the Board of the Group’s
new carbon reduction targets, ahead of the announcement made
in May 2021;
> People and culture matters including:
– oversight of how the Group’s Culture framework has been
embedded throughout the organisation, monitoring the
development of metrics for measuring culture and reviewing
a quarterly dashboard on People-related data;
– ensuring a cohesive diversity and inclusion strategy is embedded
across the Group, regularly monitoring progress against key
metrics, with specific focus on the Global Talent Sponsorship
Programme, the embedding of diversity within recruitment
process, and the launch of the PRUCommunities Programme;
and
– oversight for the Group’s workforce engagement activities
from May 2021. Members of the Working Group and the Board
as a whole attended a variety of both formal and informal
events. Full details of these activities can be found within the
S.172 statement on pages 138.
> Oversight of Group’s corporate and social responsibility
programmes and how they align and work with the Prudence
Foundation, for which it received regular updates on its long-term
work. Deep dives were presented on some of the Foundation’s
flagship programmes and discussions were held on the Foundation’s
aspirations moving into 2022 and aligning the Foundation’s work
with the Group’s climate commitments.
> The Working Group also assisted the Board by reviewing the
Group Code of Business Conduct and the Group Modern Slavery
Statement, recommending both for approval by the Board.
In terms of the specific preparation of this report, the RSWG
considered this throughout its development:
> July 2021: the proposed approach to the Group’s 2021 ESG Report,
including the consideration of various voluntary reporting
frameworks approving alignment with the SASB Insurance
Standard, the HKSE requirements and the approach to materiality
for 2021;
> October 2021: the outline of the 2021 report;
> February 2022: reviewed the first draft; and
> March 2022: final approval.
The Working Group was set up to run until the 2022 AGM and asked
to consider future governance arrangements for responsibility and
sustainability matters as part of its remit. The Working Group has
operated very effectively as a forum for oversight and discussion of
a number of topics that have required additional Board-level focus.
In order to build upon the success of its first year, the Board has
agreed with the Working Group’s recommendation that it continue
in operation for a further year until the 2023 AGM. Thereafter we
will review the evolving agenda and priorities of the Board, the
assignment of responsibilities to the Board’s Committees and consider
how best to ensure that key topics receive the appropriate time and
attention at Board-level.
Management oversight
ESG activity, including the impacts from climate change, is overseen
at a management level by the Group ESG Committee chaired by the
Group Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, in his role
as ESG sponsor. He will continue to chair this Committee in his role as
Interim Group CEO. Membership of the Committee includes the Group
Chief Risk and Compliance Officer, the Group HR Director and senior
representatives from the Group’s asset owner and asset management
businesses, including the Chief Executives of Eastspring and PACS
(Prudential’s Singapore business). One of the Group ESG Committee’s
responsibilities is to oversee the Group’s progress towards fulfilling our
commitment to report against the recommendations of the Financial
Stability Board’s Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures
(TCFD). In 2021, the Group ESG Committee reported to the Board
through the RSWG. Further information on the governance and
oversight of our responsible investment activity is provided on
page 107.
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Prudential plc Board
> Oversees all aspects of ESG, including people, culture and communities, with ultimate responsibility for determining strategy
and prioritisation of key focus areas
> Provides rigorous challenge to management on progress against goals and targets
> Ensures the Group maintains an effective risk management framework, including over climate-related risks and opportunities
INFORMING
REPORTING
The Board delegates specific ESG, including climate change, oversight matters to its committees
Board Responsibility and Sustainability
Working Group
> Meeting frequency in 2021: five times
> Oversees the embedding of the Group’s ESG strategy,
including people, culture and communities, on behalf
of the Board
> Reviews information presented within the ESG report
> Oversees the Group’s ongoing commitment relating
to TCFD
> Chaired by Alice Schroeder. Members are four Group
Non-executive Directors
> Attendees include Group Chair, Group CEO, Group CFO
& COO, Group CHRO
Remuneration
Committee
> Meeting frequency
in 2021: four times
> Supports the ESG
strategy through
alignment of the
Group’s incentive
plan to external
ESG targets
Group Audit
Committee
> Meeting frequency
in 2021: five times
> Oversees the Group’s
financial statements
and non-financial
disclosures, including
climate-related
disclosures
> Oversees whistle-
blowing programme
Group Risk
Committee
> Meeting frequency
in 2021: five times
> Supports the ESG
strategy by ensuring
the risks, including
people, culture and
climate-related risks
and opportunities,
are effectively
managed
INFORMING
REPORTING
Chief Executive and Management Team
The Chief Executive has responsibility for implementation of the Group’s ESG strategy, including people, culture and climate change risks
and opportunities, with support from the executive management team
INFORMING
REPORTING
Group ESG Committee
> Focused on the holistic assessment of ESG matters, including climate change, that are material to the Group
> Chaired by Group CFO & COO
> Members include asset owner and asset manager CEOs, Group CRCO, Group CHRO
INFORMING
REPORTING
Group Responsible Investment Advisory Committee (GRIAC)
> Operational responsibility for oversight of Responsible
Investment activity
> Co-chaired by CIO and Head of Eastspring Portfolio Advisors
> Members include local business CIOs
Prudential Sustainability Advisory Group (PSAG)
> Advise on communications and reporting of ESG-related matters,
and on developing business unit ESG strategies consistent with the
Group strategy
> Chaired by Chairman of Prudential Insurance Growth Markets.
> Members include ESG and other specialists, and business representatives
PSAG is focused on execution and is not part of formal governance
INFORMING
REPORTING
Local business units
The local business units support the implementation of the Group’s ESG strategy, including climate change risks and opportunities
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Description of ESG strategic framework
The key features of our ESG framework are its three strategic pillars, which have clear alignment with our business
strategy. Within each of these, specific focus areas have been identified where there is an opportunity for Prudential
to make a meaningful impact, and as such greater focus will be placed on these.
T H E P I L L A R S AND FOCUS AREAS ARE:
Making health and
financial security accessible
> Digital innovation
> Inclusive offerings
> Promoting financial literacy
READ MORE PAGE 75 >
P O R ATE PURPO
S
E
R
O
C
Building
social capital
> Digital responsibility
> Diversity, inclusion
and belonging
READ MORE PAGE 96 >
Helping people
get the most
out of life
Stewarding the
human impacts
of climate change
> Decarbonising our
investment portfolio
> Supporting a just and
inclusive transition
READ MORE PAGE 82 >
THE FOLLOWING STRATEGIC
ENABLERS SUPPORT THESE PILLARS:
Good governance
and responsible
business practices
READ MORE PAGE 117 >
Responsible
investment
READ MORE PAGE 107 >
Community
engagement
and investment
READ MORE PAGE 113 >
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Our 2021 ESG Report is structured in line with this framework and provides an update on our progress
in the year across each of the pillars and enablers.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are universally recognised and provide a transparent and standardised
mechanism of illustrating the intended outcomes of our strategy. In aligning with the SDGs, the Group is focused on those where
we can make a meaningful impact because of the close relationship with our purpose and business strategy.
We have aligned with the SDGs at a target-level for the following goals and intended outcomes:
SDG
SDG target
Intended outcome
How Prudential can support this outcome
1 No poverty
1.4, 1.5
Increased access to quality healthcare
services, and financial services for the poor
and the underserved, including microfinance.
Innovate to develop new financial products
and distribution channels to advance financial
inclusion (page 75)
3 Good health
and wellbeing
3.8, 3.d
8 Decent work and
economic growth
8.3
Improved resilience of the poor and reduction
in their exposure and vulnerability to climate-
related extreme events and other economic,
social and environmental shocks and disasters,
where there are no, or limited, social safety nets.
Strengthened capacity of our local
(and developing) markets, for early warning,
risk reduction and management of national
and global health risks.
Increased access to quality healthcare and
financial risk protection for all across Asia.
Promoted development-oriented policies
that support productive activities, decent
job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity
and innovation, including through access
to financial services.
13 Climate action
13.1,
13.3
Strengthened societal adaptive capacity
in respect of climate-related hazards.
Improved education, awareness and
human capacity on climate change
mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction
and early warning.
Provide products at a lower ticket size
to enhance affordability
Enable financial literacy to promote
understanding of the need for health
and protection products
Scale health and protection policies
for people on all incomes (page 76)
Collaborate with community organisations
to support health promotion, safety and
resilience activities (page 113)
Expand support for small and medium-sized
enterprises (page 77)
Investments in business and industry
underpinning growth and supporting
the development of capital markets.
Provide financial literacy support and tools
to communities.
Measure, manage and publicly disclose the
carbon footprint of our investment portfolio.
Be an active steward of the investments in
our portfolio companies, engaging with
management and exercising shareholder
voting rights (page 109)
Collaborate with community organisations
to support resilience and disaster recovery
activities (page 115)
Approach to materiality and stakeholder engagement
As set out in the 2020 ESG report, the Group’s ESG framework was
developed following a rigorous process, which identified key ESG
expectations from investors, rating agencies, government and
regulators, stock exchanges, NGOs, industry and independent
organisations, media and employees. This comprehensive stakeholder
engagement informed the materiality assessment for the purposes
of our 2020 ESG reporting. Through this analysis, the three strategic
pillars and three enablers were identified and defined, and these
proposals were discussed with stakeholders across the Group to
ensure that our ESG strategy was fully integrated into the business.
Prudential’s business continues to evolve. The 2020 ESG strategy
analysis considered both internal and external stakeholder
expectations and business strategic priorities to identify the key
ESG themes to form the basis of the Group’s ESG strategy and, as such
this continues to meet the HKSE materiality requirement. During 2021,
we discussed our ESG framework through normal-course interaction
with external stakeholders, including regular investor meetings with
specialist and generalist investors, and meetings with NGOs including
ShareAction. This allowed management to consider the extent to
which the framework is appropriate and resonant to stakeholders.
As the ESG strategy is still being embedded, and in line with best
practice, the 2021 materiality review was carried out by refreshing the
2020 process. The 2021 review acknowledged that the ESG landscape
and stakeholder expectations are evolving quickly, and that
Management noted that the focus on a just and inclusive transition in
our developing markets and how it has informed our decision-making
was of particular interest to many stakeholders. Many of these
stakeholders approach the discussions from a more developed-market
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perspective, and therefore have appreciated this additional context.
The Group has outlined its commitment to enabling a just and
inclusive transition to a low-carbon economy, and its recent net-zero
commitments further support this strategic focus. This demonstrates
alignment between stakeholder priorities, the Group’s material ESG
issues and the Group’s strategic activity.
Across all stakeholder groups consistent themes arose, namely climate
change, human rights and supply chain issues and disclosure of
specific ESG metrics. Many of the topics raised by stakeholders are
covered within the Group’s ESG strategic framework and as a result
of the 2021 work, certain additional topics have been deemed to
be material and to be the key ESG topics and strategic priorities in
managing ESG issues for the short and medium term. The table below
shows how these topics are linked to our strategic framework and how
they have evolved between 2020 and 2021.
The Group will continue to focus on enhancing its disclosure of
these material areas in the coming years. Biodiversity and broader
nature-based considerations are emerging topics among certain
stakeholder groups. This will be kept under close review and is being
tracked by the Group Responsible Investment Advisory Committee.
Engagement with the Group’s stakeholders has highlighted more
generally the continuing appetite for data and metrics to monitor
and measure the Group’s ESG performance and impact. The appetite
for greater transparency on the Group’s workforce composition and
turnover and for metrics for customer complaints will be met by
disclosing against the new HKSE social KPI requirements and the
adoption of the SASB Insurance Standard, as set out below.
Material topics – Prudential’s ESG
strategic pillars and enablers
Making health and
financial security accessible
Stewarding the human
impacts of climate change
Material subtopics
Changes
> Digital innovation
> Inclusive offerings, including
the social impact and benefit
> Promoting financial literacy
> Customer relationships, including
satisfaction
Expanded discussion of digital innovation to include financial
management as well as health
Enhanced focus on the social impact of products within
inclusive offerings
Customer relationships moved into health pillar reflecting
its importance; increased references to customer satisfaction
Management of direct operational environmental impacts considered
as a discrete topic given its importance and setting of public targets
> Decarbonisation of our
investment portfolio
> Supporting a just and
inclusive transition
> Management of direct
operational environmental
impacts
Building social capital
> Diversity, inclusion and belonging
> Digital responsibility
Diversity, inclusion and belonging remains a material subtopic and
is presented in the context of our broader employee relationship
and value proposition
Responsible investment
> Responsible investment
Material topics unchanged
Good governance and
responsible business practices
> Standards of behaviour
> Responsible supply chain
> Responsible tax practices
> Mitigating financial crime
> Whistleblowing
> Responsible working practices
Enhanced focus on responsible supply chain, including human rights
Community engagement
and investment
Supporting communities across
three main areas:
Material topics unchanged
> Health
> Education
> Safety
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Approach to ESG reporting
As a Hong Kong-listed company, Prudential’s ESG reporting must
follow the requirements of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKSE), as
well as the UK Listing Rules. In December 2019, the HKSE Listing Rules
for ESG reporting were updated to include a number of new ‘comply
or explain’ provisions. The new requirements are effective for financial
years commencing on or after 1 July 2020 and Prudential’s 2021 ESG
report has been prepared in accordance with these requirements.
HKSE sets out various reporting principles and they are addressed
through the report as follows:
Materiality
Quantitative
Consistency
Reporting boundary
Discussion of 2021 approach outlined in
‘Approach to materiality’ section above.
As reporting maturity develops, the Group
continues to work towards disclosing more
comparable and quantitative information.
For 2021, additional metrics have been
provided in compliance with the HKSE
requirements and the voluntary adoption
of the SASB Insurance Standard (see below).
The FY21 report has been prepared on a
consistent basis to FY20, with the exception
of the treatment of Jackson. Unless
otherwise stated, Jackson has been excluded
from the commentary on FY21 performance
and from quantitative disclosures as at
31 December 2021. The Scope 1 and 2
disclosures have been provided both
including and excluding Jackson, in order
to provide a baseline for future reporting.
Consistent with prior years, the scope of
the report, and data therein, excludes joint
venture partnerships, notably our joint
ventures in India and China, and the Takaful
business in Malaysia, unless otherwise stated.
New HKSE disclosures are included in the relevant sections of the
report, and an index is included at the end of the ESG report to set out
how Prudential has met each of the new HKSE reporting requirements.
Prudential is a supporter of the recommendations of the Financial
Stability Board’s Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures
(TCFD). Prudential has included climate-related financial disclosures in
this report consistent with the TCFD recommendations and the TCFD’s
recommended disclosures. We have included in our ESG report the
material climate-related financial disclosures consistent with the four
recommendations and the eleven recommended disclosures set under
TCFD. These disclosures are principally set out in the following sections
of this report: ESG Governance, Stewarding the Human Impact of
Climate Change and Responsible Investment. An index is included at
the end of the ESG Report to demonstrate how Prudential is meeting
the TCFD recommendations.
In October 2021, the TCFD released additional guidance
implementing the ‘Recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-
related Financial Disclosures’ (2021 TCFD Annex). Some of the
additional guidance in the 2021 TCFD Annex will require more time for
us to fully consider. We will start this review over the course of 2022.
As well as the work to enhance internal management and reporting
of climate-related information, we participate in external benchmarks
to provide additional visibility to stakeholders on our climate-related
activity. We aim continually to improve the transparency and utility
of our reporting. In 2021, we continued to participate in CDP
(formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project) and maintained our score
with a B grading (2020: B). Given our strategic focus on Asia and
Africa, we decided not to renew our membership of ClimateWise,
which has a predominantly UK focus.
The Group welcomes recent developments around sustainability
reporting standards under the remit of the IFRS Foundation.
In parallel to tracking the convergence in sustainability reporting
standards that is anticipated in the coming years, the Group is
committed to enhancing its disclosures. The goal is to enhance,
over time, the sophistication of our sustainability disclosures in line
with stakeholder expectations, in a way that does not inhibit the
straightforward adoption of new reporting requirements as
convergence takes place. To this end, during 2021 we reviewed various
voluntary reporting frameworks and decided to prioritise reporting
in line with the SASB Insurance Standard for 2021. This approach
was discussed and agreed with the Group ESG Committee and RSWG
in July 2021. An index is included at the end of the ESG report to set
out how Prudential has met each of the new requirements.
While assurance of ESG data is not required by the HKSE, it is
encouraged as part of the HKSE’s 2020 update to the ESG Listing
Rules. Historically, the Group has sought limited assurance on selected
indicators within the Group’s ESG report. These indicators cover
community investment data, employee diversity data and
environment data.
As the maturity of Prudential’s ESG reporting develops and in
recognition of the increasing demand for and use of Prudential’s
ESG data, it is necessary to keep the scope of ESG data assurance
under review.
In order to provide stakeholders with an update on progress against
the Group’s decarbonisation targets, the Group is disclosing the
WACI of its investment portfolio for the first time in the 2021 ESG
Report. Given the degree of stakeholder interest in this metric,
the RSWG agreed that this should be included within the scope
of the assurance work.
Prudential plc appointed Ernst and Young LLP (EY) to provide limited
independent assurance over selected ESG KPIs within the 2021 ESG
Report for the year ended 31 December 2021. These are indicated
throughout. The assurance engagement was planned and performed
in accordance with the International Standard for Assurance
Engagement (ISAE) (UK) 3000 (July 2020), Assurance Engagements
Other than Audits or Reviews of Historical Financial Information.
A limited assurance report was issued and is available on the
Prudential plc website at www.prudentialplc.com/~/media/Files/P/
Prudential-V13/esg-report/assurance-statement-2021. This report
includes details of the scope, respective responsibilities, work
performed, limitations and conclusion.
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Strategic Pillar: Making health
and financial security accessible
Despite the rapid rise in prosperity in Asia, there are still low levels
of insurance cover and limited social safety nets. This is evidenced
by 39 per cent of health and protection spend still being paid
out-of-pocket, and an estimated 80 per cent of the population of
Asia still without insurance cover. Combined with rising prosperity
and ageing populations, this creates a large and growing health and
protection gap that has been estimated at US$1.8 trillion. Our goal
is to close the health, protection and savings gaps across Asia and
Africa. To achieve this, we are focused on four areas:
> Digital innovation, where we make healthcare services and financial
management tools easily available;
> Inclusive offerings, where we develop more inclusive products and
services for underserved segments of society, including products
suitable for a wider range of income groups such as through our
‘bite-sized’ insurance products;
> Meeting the changing needs of our customers and ensuring they
have the best access to our products through our multi-channel
and integrated distribution approach; and
> Promoting financial literacy so that people gain knowledge
of financial management and have a deeper understanding
of protection benefits.
Digital innovation
Digitalisation supports greater accessibility as more consumers,
particularly those in developing markets across Asia and Africa with
relatively high smartphone penetration rates, begin to rely on digital
channels for financial products and services. By scaling up our use of
digital technology, we can help make healthcare and financial security
more accessible and affordable, and support our customers to prevent,
postpone and protect against ill-health.
‘As growing cross-industry
collaborations make
healthcare and financial
security more widely accessible
and affordable to all,
digitalisation could go a long
way to closing the protection
gap – and help people to live
well for longer.’
Boon Huat Lee,
Chief Digital Officer
Core to this is Pulse by Prudential, our all-in-one health and wealth
app, which uses AI-powered tools and personalised services.
Pulse empowers people to take charge of their health and wealth
anytime, anywhere.
Pulse is active in 17 markets in Asia and Africa and we utilise AI
technology to offer users a wide selection of services, ranging from
health assessments and risk factor identification to telemedicine,
wellness and digital payment capabilities. Health features such as AI
Symptom Checker and Digital Twin have been launched in Pulse to
most markets in which Pulse is available. These features are paired
with health experts online (where available) and fitness communities
to help Pulse users stay healthier.
Pulse has widened its offerings, attracting more users, with cumulative
downloads of the Pulse app now exceeding 32 million. The breadth of
services on this all-in-one health and wealth app is designed to attract
a new generation of customers, one that is younger, more health-
conscious, and from middle to lower income groups.
We are growing the capabilities of Pulse across all our businesses,
adding new features that are relevant to each market to increase
user engagement. As we design these services, we consider
emerging population risks and public health trends, such as an
ageing population.
Health is not only the absence of disease but also the ability to be
and stay healthy by taking positive actions towards preventing
adverse health outcomes. Pulse supports our customers to postpone
and prevent ill health through its food and fitness features,
empowering them with the tools they need to embark on their
personal health journey.
The demographic of Pulse users tends to be our younger customers,
for whom the immediacy of information provided by the app is
important. Free features rolled out in 2021 around food and nutrition,
such as accessible information on the importance of micronutrients,
enable our customers to make healthy choices and allow for regular
interaction with the app. Meal plans and recipes are also provided,
with further enhancements planned for 2022 to add more regional
recipes, reflecting culinary diversity.
Fitness features developed in 2021 include the roll-out of
My Wearables in all markets in Asia and Africa, which allows users
to synchronise Pulse to their fitness tracking devices. With the
PulseFit subscription, customers can access curated exercise videos
and track their personal goals to form healthy habits.
All our markets continue to be affected by the Covid-19 pandemic
and our businesses have continued to support our customers and
communities in a range of ways. Initiatives include providing free
Covid-19 protection and post-vaccination benefits, and awareness
campaigns to educate communities on Covid-19 prevention
and protection.
Wealth solutions
We intend to lower the threshold for wealth services, high-quality
advice and services to the broader market. This will be enabled by a
wealth offering on Pulse, which can stand on its own or be combined
with advice from an agent. Our goal is to be a trusted adviser,
regardless of channel, as we financially educate people, help them
plan and visualise goals, and guide them on where and how to invest.
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During 2021, we rolled out digital wealth solutions, Wealth@Pulse,
in three markets – Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines – with
plans to include more markets next year. In these markets, users have
access to a personal AI digital assistant trained to respond to users’
queries on financial planning and a Knowledge Centre containing
bite-sized information resources.
Digital partnerships
Partnerships are critical to the development and success of Pulse.
We build deep relationships with our digital partners to expand
multiple offerings that combine health, wealth, retirement and
lifestyle knowledge and solutions. To date, we have entered into
56 key digital partnerships, including with Smarter Health and Privé
Technologies in 2021. These add to our global and local partnerships
with healthtechs from around the world, including UK-based Babylon
Health, Indonesia-based Halodoc, Malaysia-based DoctorOnCall
and Singapore-based MyDoc.
In Africa, we partnered with a telemedicine partner, Rocket Health,
to provide convenient and cost-effective healthcare services to our
customers and agents in Uganda. In Ghana, we formed a partnership
with BIMA, a leading provider of mobile-delivered insurance and
health services, and AirtelTigo, Ghana’s third-largest mobile operator,
to provide customers with simple, affordable insurance products.
This partnership strengthens our financial inclusion proposition for
the informal sector – primarily made up of petty traders with low
income and no social protection – helping them to access health
and insurance services through a simplified claims process.
Digital health development and thought leadership
In 2021, Prudential Singapore returned as the headline sponsor
for the world’s largest fintech event, the Singapore FinTech Festival,
where our key message was around the importance of trust in building
a sustainable business.
The PRUFintegrate programme continued to engage the design,
technology and student communities around the world through the
API Exchange (APIX) Hackolosseum platform, encouraging them
to reimagine health and wealth outcomes and contribute creative
solutions to business challenges. In 2021, a total of 52 entries took
part in a new challenge statement on how Pulse features can be
leveraged to provide health and wealth benefits for our communities.
In May 2021, Prudential Thailand hosted a virtual two-day
‘HealthHack’ competition, an AI-focused hackathon offering Thai
innovators the opportunity to showcase their healthtech capabilities.
The hackathon sought innovative solutions to two problems: to help
modify unhealthy behaviours and for the non-invasive diagnosis
of a health condition. The solutions were required to leverage AI
capabilities to perform diagnosis through smartphones, wearables
or imaging. The contestants were evaluated based on the level
of innovation, user experience and interface design, as well as
technological techniques employed to build the target feature,
with a total of 16 teams presenting solutions.
In the Philippines, we continued the conversation about pressing
healthcare topics through our Healthscape PH Dialogue Series, which
brought together government and corporate stakeholders. At the
first webinar, titled ‘Healthscape PH: Focus on Filipinos’ Health and
Wellbeing in 2021’, we launched our Health of Asia Barometer report,
which explores the challenges Asian societies face in efforts to
improve citizens’ health and wellness. The second webinar covered
the launch of a study commissioned by the Philippines business on
the effects of climate change on the health and wealth of Filipinos.
The study was designed to guide the government and businesses in
developing climate-mitigation strategies and solutions. The paper’s
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key finding was that no disease group is immune to the effects of
climate change, and that the incidence of some conditions is expected
to increase as a result of climate change. Such conditions include
vector-borne diseases, including dengue fever, as a higher daytime
temperature is scientifically linked to increased dengue incidence.
The paper, which supports Pulse’s proposition of affordable health
protection offerings such as dengue cover, is authored by Dr Renzo
Guinto, a planetary health expert. For more information on this paper,
please refer to page 84.
In Singapore, as part of our ongoing research on preparing for
longevity, we conducted a new study in 2021 with the Economist
Impact (part of the Economist Group) called ‘Re-imagining 100’.
The research examines the pandemic’s impact on Singapore residents
as they live longer lives. While Covid-19 has not adversely affected
Singaporeans’ readiness to live to 100, it has had a negative impact
on their mental health and financial wellbeing. Forty-seven per cent
of the respondents reported a deterioration in their financial wellbeing
since the onset of Covid-19. Mental health is also strained, with
70 per cent of respondents who reported a deterioration in their
mental health also saying their financial wellbeing has declined. This
has affected people’s confidence in their ability to finance longevity,
with only 29 per cent saying they feel prepared to live to 100. In these
uncertain times, we remain committed to helping people prepare for
the future by supporting them in their health and financial planning
journey today.
Inclusive offerings
We recognise the importance of health and financial inclusion,
particularly in emerging markets and in markets that are experiencing
demographic shifts and varying levels of social safety nets. In making
health and financial security accessible, it is vital that we develop
and re-design our products and services, across our multi-distribution
channels, in a way that is inclusive. This is so that underserved
segments, including vulnerable communities, have the protection and
savings products which meet their needs. This will include, but not be
limited to, products that recognise the evolution and needs of families,
women, religious minorities, small and medium-sized enterprises and
lower-income groups.
To encourage greater product innovation around the concept of
families, we ran an internal competition where each business
proposed both new products and changes to product terms that
would address the needs of a wider range of families. The entries were
presented to the Customer Proposition Council and the winning entry
was from Prudential Vietnam with its campaign ‘Tell me who you love’.
The proposed product offers a tailored, standalone critical illness
cover that covers the customer and their chosen beloved. As an added
touch, the customer can choose to send a personalised card to their
selected partner upon purchase. Another notable entry was from our
business in the Philippines, which developed PRUHealth FamLove,
a family solution that gives customers the ability to share coverage
with up to three family members. It also recognises the diversity of
Filipino families by allowing for these to include spouses, but also other
de facto partners, including same-sex couples, and adopted children.
We will be working to implement these concepts in 2022.
Prudential Hong Kong has expanded its beneficiary list for all its
life insurance policies, embracing inclusiveness in support of
evolving family structures. Customers who purchase a life insurance
policy can now choose from either their same-sex or opposite-sex
fiancé/fiancée and spouses, grandparents, grandchildren, cousins,
nephews and nieces, stepchildren and stepparents, or legal guardians,
as their beneficiary.
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We DO family
With our purpose to help people get the most out of life,
Prudential is striving to widen our scope and provide protection
solutions that are more inclusive to meet these evolving customer
needs. During 2021, we developed a campaign, We DO Family,
to support the development of more inclusive products that
recognise the evolution of nuclear families. The initiative seeks
to address this through expanding our product coverage to
include a wider array of relationships. Families exist in many
forms, such as grandparent-grandchildren families, aunts and
uncles parenting nieces and nephews, single-parent families,
stepfamilies, cohabitation and adoptive families, as well as other
de facto family units.
Small and medium-sized enterprises
In 2021, Prudential Singapore introduced Business@Pulse, a one-stop
platform that helps small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
broaden and simplify access to insurance and employee benefits,
which will be implemented in 2022. This is part of our regional
enterprise business offering that enhances the way we support and
interact with our SME partners. Unlike multinational corporations,
SMEs may not have sufficient resources to build or buy their own
digital platforms, often resulting in manual processes. As Singapore
grapples with an ageing workforce and rising healthcare costs, there
is a need to help SMEs support their employees with the necessary
protection through our digital tools. Through Business@Pulse,
employees will be able to view their group insurance coverage and
make claims easily from within the app itself.
Prudential Thailand is also supporting corporate customers, including
SMEs, through the delivery of digital solutions, technologies and
insurance products via its new group employee benefits health
services. The new services offer corporate customers the flexibility to
choose and adjust insurance benefits to suit every type of enterprise
needs. With 24/7 access to Pulse by Prudential, including online
telemedicine services, employees are able to access holistic health
management services, designed to help maintain the physical and
mental health of all employees.
In July 2021, the Philippines business launched a group insurance
package for companies and their employees through a collaborative
partnership with AstraZeneca, a leading biopharmaceutical
company, Avega, the country’s leader in healthcare administration,
and Intellicare, the country’s pre-eminent health maintenance
organisation (HMO). The product is made available via Pulse and
is supplemented by health awareness content from AstraZeneca
that can also be accessed in the app, to create a holistic approach
in providing the best health and wellness programmes for the
Filipino workforce.
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Women
In Thailand, Prudential introduced a ‘Rewrite Her Life’ campaign
aimed at empowering women. As part of this, Prudential Thailand
introduced products and services designed to support and help Thai
women through all stages of life, including those who plan to manage
their financial security. These included PRUClick Saving 8/20 and
PRUSuk Samran, as well as various wellness products covering
women’s health, such as PRUBreast Cancer Care, PRUCritical Care,
PRUSmart Health and PRUHealthy Plus.
In Indonesia, we launched Lady’s Account Critical Cover, a group-
based critical-illness product that is bundled with the UOB Lady’s
Account (savings account). The coverage focuses on seven types
of female cancer including breast, cervix uteri, uterus and ovary.
In the Philippines, PRUHealth Prime – Select Breast Cancer was
introduced as an affordable product that supports early interventions
for breast cancer.
Muslim community
Prudential Malaysia is committed to progressively evolving Pulse
into an all-in-one health and wealth app for Malaysians, as well as
addressing the needs of the Muslim community. As such, a Sharia-
based ecosystem has been developed within Pulse, known as
PRUIman & My Iman, available by subscription. The Sharia-based
ecosystem serves as a digital Islamic lifestyle companion that helps
users achieve total wellness, with the integration of health and wealth
management through Islamic lifestyle practices. It includes tools,
content and information to support the journey towards achieving
quality of life spiritually, physically and financially, the Islamic way.
Prudential Indonesia continues to lead in the Sharia segment, where
we have a market share of 29 per cent, driven by our commitment
to expand inclusive product offerings to the mass market segment.
In 2021, Prudential Indonesia diversified its product offerings by
launching PRUCerah, the first Sharia-based traditional life insurance
that offers monthly education fund benefits and an additional
education fund. Demonstrating our commitment to fulfilling the
diverse needs of Indonesians, we are establishing a dedicated Sharia
business, Prudential Sharia Life Assurance. This will enable full product
vetting by the Sharia religious authorities and the use of specialist
distribution techniques.
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Low-income groups
One of our flagship programmes in Malaysia, PRUKasih, has been
helping low-income families and the disabled community with
temporary financial relief since 2011. As a public-private partnership,
we work with government agencies, 11 NGOs and 27 community
volunteers to scale up and support members and their families with
financial aid in the event that they experience a loss of income due
to illness, accident or death. This sponsored financial protection plan
supports more than 40,000 households across 35 communities and
provides protection to over 33,000 members. Since the project began,
PRUKasih has paid out approximately US$3.87 million
(RM16.2 million) on over 11,000 claims cases.
As part of plans to scale the PRUKasih programme to benefit more
low-income families, we plan to convert the programme into a
microinsurance offering, providing affordable premium products for
the low-income community. With PRUKasih 2.0, we hope to reach
more low-income families nationwide and make financial protection
widely available and affordable.
Bite-sized offerings
A critical aspect of inclusive offerings is affordability. We ensure this by
developing bite-sized insurance products that cater to those who seek
ease and convenient processes without complex documents, as well
as under-insured consumers or first-time buyers who are seeking
financial planning without neglecting their income and lifestyle needs.
We are also specifically designing products to address conditions
that are becoming more prevalent as a result of climate change.
For example, cases of dengue fever, a mosquito-borne viral disease,
are increasing in several of our markets. Examples of such affordable
products, including those addressing such infectious diseases, include:
> In the Philippines, the PRUDengue MedCare and PRUDengue
MedCare Pro plans provide benefit if the insured is diagnosed
with dengue from only $4 for six months or $7 for 12 months.
PRUDengue MedCare provides dengue protection with a lump sum
benefit of PhP10,000 ($200) upon diagnosis, while PRUDengue
MedCare Pro provides an added death benefit due to dengue of
PhP100,000 ($2,000). Parents can also purchase this for their
children. PRUMedCare – Select Infectious Disease is the first and
only product in the Philippines that offers coverage for any of the
four infectious diseases of dengue, typhoid, measles and malaria.
> In Cambodia, we launched a product that provides coverage in case
of diagnosis or death due to dengue and/or malaria, from $4 a year.
> In Vietnam, PRU-Tropical delivers protection against three tropical
diseases of dengue, malaria and measles. We also offer PRU-Guard
24/7 to provide protection against accidents, as well as PRU-Care,
which protects against three critical illnesses – cancer, stroke and
heart diseases – from $3.80 a year.
Customers
Our trusted brands, digitally enabled multi-channel distribution, and
efficient and agile infrastructure enable us to meet the growing health
and wealth needs of people and their communities. We are enhancing
our digital tools and capabilities (such as Pulse) to make it easier for
customers to interact and stay with us.
In parallel to Pulse, we use a multi-channel distribution model with
over 540,000 licenced tied agents and access to over 26,000 bank
branches. We are equipping our people and our advice channels with
new skills, so that we have a much more inclusive approach to the
markets that we serve.
Customers are at the centre of our business. We have a Group Code
of Business Conduct (see Good governance and responsible business
practices section on page 117) that sets out how we do business.
Within this, the Group has set out five Customer Conduct Standards
within the Customer Conduct Risk Policy, each with its own key control
processes and activities:
1. Provide and promote high standards of customer service
We measure customer service in a number of different ways to ensure
we are delivering for our customers, including complaints, persistency
and policy cancellations. On an annual basis we use a third party to
conduct a customer satisfaction survey in each of our businesses,
measuring both net promoter score and overall customer satisfaction.
While cultural differences may not allow a meaningful Group-wide
aggregation on the current methodologies, we are seeking to develop
a more consistent methodology during 2022, which includes in-depth
insights to determine which part of the customer journey has the most
impact on their advocacy, and to better understand customers’
sentiments from their verbatim comments.
We use the insights from these surveys to drive further improvements
in our sales and servicing processes. For example, our claims promise
was developed as a result of this feedback. We also carry out a series
of transactional touchpoint surveys at the local business level on
a systematic, consistent and regular basis to assess customer
satisfaction. Monthly trends are analysed by our businesses and
specific customer feedback is used to carry out root cause analysis.
We recognise that when a customer is making a claim this may be a
particularly stressful time in their lives. Therefore we strive to ensure
that our claims process is simple, fair and transparent, and our staff
and agents are professionally trained to support customers in their
time of need. During 2021, we launched our claims promise for our
customers in Asia:
‘A Prudential policy protects
you and your family during
life’s difficult moments. We
pay your claim as quickly as
possible and with compassion
and care. We make it simple
and easy, and only ask for
necessary information.’
Our claims promise
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Our businesses are required to comply with their local regulatory
requirements and meet our Group-wide policies and standards
covering the fair treatment of customers. We provided regular training
for intermediaries to ensure that the salesforce has a clear
understanding of our products, the target customers for each product,
and the customer risks inherent in each product; and through the
embedding of controls, including customer financial needs analysis
and risk appetite profiling, to ensure the suitability of product sales.
3. Provide and promote products and services that meet
customer needs, are understood by them and deliver value
In ensuring that our products meet customer needs, we consider
product, suitability, marketing and sales quality policies.
Customer proposition
Our approach to responsible proposition design is intended to ensure
that we provide products and services that meet the diverse needs of
our customers and deliver real value. We design the entire pre-sale,
onboarding and fulfilment journey with a deep understanding of the
target customers’ protection and savings needs across their life stages.
The Customer Proposition Council is the forum for our business and
Group-level executives to innovate and institutionalise customer
solutions that can be rolled out and implemented across our markets.
During 2021, the Council focused on the diverse family concept and
standalone critical illness plan, promoting equal access for wider
family members, providing future-proof benefits and value-added
services in an affordable way. Covering governance and oversight,
our Product Approval Committee is responsible for approving
products from our business units, including new insurance products,
alterations of existing products and the launch of new funds on
investment-linked products.
We make the following commitments as part of our claims promise:
> Timeliness: We handle each claim as soon as we receive it and will
keep you informed of its progress.
> Communication with care: We let you know when we receive your
claim, when we require additional documents and the outcome of
your claim. Our staff and agents are professionally trained to guide
you whenever you need help.
> Fairness: We understand that your claim is important to you.
We treat every customer fairly. We ensure our claims process is clear,
transparent and without customer bias.
> Customer experience: Your feedback is important to help us serve
you better. If you have a complaint, we will deal with it seriously.
> Privacy: We take your privacy seriously and will protect it at
all times.
To support customer service, we are upgrading and digitising our
learning and development programmes. Our approach enables our
agents and partners to more capably and confidently advise on an
ever-evolving set of customer needs.
FUTUReady is a suite of Pulse-enabled tools and programmes
that support all aspects of agency management. Our new agent
onboarding programme, PRUExpert includes digital content,
plus several weeks of instructor-led and work-based learning.
The programme is designed to support clear outcomes around
performance, customer-centricity and market conduct. PRUExpert
initially went live in Malaysia and the Philippines in 2021 and will
continue to be rolled out across our markets in 2022. We also provide
agents with more than 1,200 bite-size videos, for anytime anywhere
learning and sales enablement. Our ambition is to help new agents
attain MDRT certification in their first year and for agents to benefit
from enhanced coaching from their leaders.
2. Treat customers fairly, honestly, and with integrity
Our local customer committees monitor our strategic customer
initiatives, with the aim of transforming the customer journey and
fulfilment and embedding a customer-focused culture. Our customer
committees are responsible for making executive decisions on
strategic customer initiatives and incorporating identified actions into
their business operations or plans. Local customer committees feed up
to a Group-level committee, which meets on a quarterly basis, known
as the Transforming Customer Fulfilment Council. One particular
topic that the council focused on during 2021 was revisiting our
underwriting and claims rules to be more inclusive for diverse families.
Our product approval process
Quantitative and qualitative
customer and agent
research to understand
customer needs, and
optimise product ideas
to meet those needs
New product proposals
reviewed and approved
by business product approval
committees, which include
risk and compliance teams
and other relevant functions
New product proposals
reviewed and approved
by Product Approval
Committee
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Suitability
We aim to simplify our insurance products and how they are explained
in product documentation and by salespeople, so that customers can
easily understand the features, benefits and associated terms and
conditions and are able to clearly assess how our products fit with their
needs. We have worked to simplify product brochures, information
on our corporate website and our marketing campaigns to enable
customers to understand the risk and benefits of products by looking
at a single fact sheet. To protect vulnerable customers, our product
development and customer engagement process identifies customer
segments for which the product is not suitable and/or where
assistance and further protection might be needed during the sales
journey. Identifying and treating vulnerable customers with extra care
is a core component of training for our sales force.
4. Maintain the confidentiality of our customer information
and handle the data appropriately
We take all reasonable steps to ensure that customer data is processed
fairly and in accordance with applicable data protection laws. This is
discussed in detail in our Digital Responsibility section on page 104.
5. Act fairly and in a timely way to address customer complaints
We define a complaint as any explicit expression of dissatisfaction,
grievance or criticism of our products or services provided by our
employees/agents, regardless of the form or source, whether written
or verbal, whether justified or alleged and whether from or on behalf
of the complainant. A significant complaint is defined as an allegation
or infraction that may adversely impact the business, whether
financial or non-financial in nature.
Providing prompt and due action, where required, in response to
customer complaints is essential to ensure appropriate outcomes
for customers, treat them fairly and to maintain or rebuild confidence
and trust in the Prudential brand.
Our local businesses are responsible for ensuring appropriate
initiatives are implemented to mitigate or prevent complaints and
associated risks, always striving to improve the handling of complaints
and overall customer experience in the delivery and performance
of products and services to them. Local businesses follow robust
procedures, including governance frameworks for effective
management of complaints, aimed at protecting customers’ interests.
Our local businesses have independent and dedicated teams tasked
with responsibility for managing complaints and maintaining
databases of complaints received. Across the Group as a whole,
our level of complaints remains steady at two complaints per
1,000 policies in force.
Our local businesses analyse complaint trends and patterns to
make an assessment of potential risks and root causes of complaints.
Complaints metrics and accompanying analysis and details of
significant complaints are reported to local management and relevant
committees, guiding subsequent actions aimed at preventing and
managing underlying risks. Significant complaints are escalated where
necessary to relevant senior management members, which may
include the local compliance head and the CEO for appropriate
guidance and management action. Our businesses track follow-up
actions to ensure relevant remedial and preventive actions are
implemented to properly address identified root causes and issues.
Promoting financial literacy
One of the ways in which we make health and financial security
accessible is through increasing financial literacy, a focus area for
Prudence Foundation. Our goal is to ensure that people have a good
understanding of money management from a young age to help
them to make more informed financial choices later in life. More
information on Prudence Foundation’s areas of focus can be found
in the Community Engagement and Investment section on page 113
of this report.
Cha-Ching
Cha-Ching is a global financial education and responsibility
programme aimed at children aged between seven and 12. Now in its
11th year, the programme is aimed at tackling financial literacy gaps
among children and today continues to expand across our markets.
Cha-Ching involves a blended learning approach, leveraging digital
tools and platforms as well as the school environment. Our aim is
to ensure that the programme is accessible and freely available
to millions of children, parents and teachers, equipping them with
the necessary financial literacy skills.
In 2016, Prudence Foundation partnered with Junior Achievement
(JA) to develop the Cha-Ching Curriculum, which has been successfully
implemented for six years through strong NGO and government
collaboration in eight Asian markets: the Philippines, Indonesia,
Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Singapore, Cambodia and Thailand.
More than 23,000 teachers have been trained to deliver the Cha-Ching
Curriculum in schools to date, with over 870,000 primary school
students having learnt the lessons of earn, save, spend and donate.
During 2021, an independent review of Cha-Ching was conducted to
evaluate the progress of over 200,000 students using the curriculum
across five countries in Asia.
‘The findings are impressive
and analysis shows that
students achieve higher scores
on knowledge, attitude and
behaviour after participating
in Cha-Ching than they did
before. Comparisons with other
research suggest that the
impact on financial knowledge
is higher than is typical for
developed economies.’
Dr Adele Atkinson, global expert in financial literacy,
who conducted the review
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In Indonesia, our financial literacy efforts are focused on women, SMEs
and Muslim communities, in addition to children. Through our financial
literacy for women initiative, we reached more than 5,200 women
in 2021. Our Sharia financial literacy programme in partnership with
Sharia-based financial services and Sharia Economic Community
Association (Masyarakat Ekonomi Syariah) reached and educated
nearly 7,500 people about the importance of Sharia insurance and
raised awareness to more than 1,000 SME entrepreneurs.
In Laos, we developed and built an online learning course called
Basics of Life Insurance, where people can access and learn about
life insurance online for free. There are 12 lessons led by financial
consultants covering the importance of life insurance and basic
financial management concepts and skills. We also launched an online
tool called Insurance Protection Calculator for individuals to calculate
and assess their financial wellbeing.
#MoneyParenting
#MoneyParenting, a multi-award-winning initiative that was started
by our asset manager Eastspring, helps parents to learn, teach
and plan more effectively when it comes to financial management.
This dedicated microsite was introduced in 2020 as a result of a
survey conducted by Eastspring with 10,000 parents across nine
Asian markets, which revealed that there was a lack of financial
management tools to help parents become better role models for
their children. #MoneyParenting has seen more than 100 million
impressions of advertising views and over 200,000 users to the
microsite across Asia. It has also received more than one million
views of its videos to date.
In 2021, Eastspring established a new partnership with The Asian
Parent, a leading parenting community, to extend the reach to over
two million parents across Asia. The partnership included a dedicated
platform that offered tips and resources to teach parents how
to introduce their children to money, as well as outreach and
engagement activities. Eastspring has also organised webinar
sessions in collaboration with financial education partners like
Playmoolah and Little Tauke and distribution partners to equip
parents with skills to teach their children financial literacy. In 2021,
these sessions reached over 5,000 parents. We also work with partners
outside of Eastspring to make #MoneyParenting content available,
including through the Pulse app and Prudential Life business channels
in various markets.
In 2021, the teacher-led Cha-Ching Curriculum programme continued
in Africa, where we worked with Junior Achievement Africa to bring
this to over 7,600 primary school students in four countries: Ghana,
Nigeria, Uganda and Côte d’Ivoire. In Asia, Cartoon Network
continues to broadcast the Cha-Ching cartoons, reaching over
35 million households daily. Cha-Ching content continues to be
available online via the website and through digital channels including
social media, receiving over 93 million views to date in Asia and Africa.
Given the ongoing Covid-19 environment in 2021, we actively drove
digital initiatives as part of our efforts to increase the reach and
impact of Cha-Ching:
> The virtual 2021 Global Money Week campaign – led by the OECD
and themed ‘Take care of yourself, take care of your money’ – saw
the active participation of our 11 markets including Indonesia, the
Philippines, Malaysia, Kenya and Nigeria , which held Cha-Ching
webinars, competitions and digital campaigns to raise awareness
of the importance of financial literacy for youths.
> The online Cha-Ching Financial Accreditation (CCFA) continued
to be rolled out where possible. This online assessment is endorsed
by education authorities and was developed in alignment with
the OECD Core Competencies Framework on Financial Literacy
for Youth and the ASEAN Teachers Competency Framework.
The Cha-Ching teacher network continued to be strengthened
through the CCFA, and online CCFA webinars were also held in
the Philippines and Indonesia. To date, over 8,700 teachers have
registered and 4,800 have completed the CCFA online assessment.
Cha-Ching videos and parent resources have been made available
for free on the Pulse app across markets including Singapore,
Vietnam, Cambodia and the Philippines, with expansion into other
countries expected in 2022.
PRUKasih Entrepreneurship Programme
Malaysia continued its PRUKasih Entrepreneurship Programme (PEP)
for 34 members who were equipped with skills and knowledge needed
to start a new business or scale their existing business. The programme
focuses on developing mental and emotional wellbeing, which has
been particularly critical during the pandemic, as well as honing
financial skills. A total grant of US$7,200 (RM30,000) was given to
participants who successfully completed their business pitch with
a panel of judges. More information on PRUKasih can be found on
page 78 of this report.
PRU e-FinLit
The Online Professional Certification Training Program on Financial
Literacy, or PRU e-FinLit, was rolled out in June 2021 across the
province of Negros Occidental in central Philippines, certifying 3,235
teachers in its first phase of implementation. PRU e-FinLit seeks to
systematically improve the financial literacy of the Filipino public
through inclusion of financial literacy in formal education accessible
online, nationwide. This programme also supports the Department
of Education’s newly implemented Financial Education Policy, which
aims to enhance the financial literacy and financial capability of all
learners to make wise financial decisions and achieve financial health.
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Strategic Pillar: Stewarding the
human impacts of climate change
Limiting climate change and its associated increases in planetary
temperatures is one of the greatest global challenges of our time.
Failing to limit these increases is expected to have significant
economic, societal and individual consequences. Prudential remains
committed to proactively play our part in enabling the transition to
a low-carbon economy. We do this by decarbonising our investment
portfolio and own operations, and by working towards sustainable
development and energy transition in all our markets through
collaborative and collective engagement. Recognising this, as we
support the move to low-carbon economies in these emerging
markets, we strive to ensure that the transition is a just and inclusive
one for all of society: a transition that supports sustainable growth
and economic health within our local markets and communities.
This section includes:
> Climate-related metrics and targets
> Identifying climate-related opportunities
> Identifying and assessing climate-related risks
> Managing and responding to climate-related risks
> Climate-related scenario testing
> Managing our direct operational environmental impacts
> Supporting a just and inclusive transition
An index is included in the reference section on page 131 to
demonstrate how we are meeting the recommendations of
the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).
Climate-related metrics and targets
Our focus on decarbonisation of our investment portfolio, to steward
the human impacts of climate change, recognises that climate
change presents long-term risks to the sustainability of our business.
Catastrophic climate change, or the anticipation thereof, could also
have a systemic impact on financial markets before the climate
change occurs.
In May 2021, we announced both long and short-term pledges for
decarbonising our investment portfolio, through which Prudential can
also play our part in the transition to a global low-carbon economy
and the collective efforts to limit the rise in global warming. Our
long-term pledge is to become ‘net zero’ by 2050, with the short-term
pledges discussed in the table below. These pledges are aligned to
the Paris Agreement, which invites parties to commit to holding the
increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above
pre-industrial levels, and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature
increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, recognising that this
would significantly reduce the risks and impacts from climate change.
We continue to review and update our ESG strategy in line with our
business strategy, and all of our climate metrics and targets will be
regularly reviewed to take into account evolving scientific data and
stakeholder expectations. Our targets, as set out below, are for our
investment portfolio, which includes both listed equities and corporate
bonds, while excluding assets held by joint venture businesses and
assets in unit-linked funds, as we do not have full authority to change
the investment strategies of these.
In 2021 we recorded a reduction in the WACI of our investment
portfolio of 23 per cent against our 2019 baseline. However, as we seek
to achieve a just and inclusive transition towards a low-carbon economy,
some of the actions which we may take in pursuit of our long term
carbon reduction ambitions may create short to medium term volatility
in our WACI performance. For example, there are companies in our
markets who currently have high levels of emissions, but are committed
to transition and require financing to support this. In investing in green
bonds from such companies, this will have the impact of increasing the
WACI of our investment portfolio in the short to medium term, until
the underlying companies’ emissions reduce, as the green bond also
takes the score of the overall company. We believe supporting such
companies is consistent with our inclusive transition policy. Our public
target nevertheless remains to achieve a 25 per cent reduction in
WACI in our investment portfolio by 2025, whilst continuing to support
a just and inclusive transition in the markets in which we operate.
Weighted average carbon intensity
(WACI)
Coverage
* Within the scope of EY assurance – see page 74.
2021
2019
% change
296*
69%
386*
67%
(23)
Data availability remains an ongoing challenge, as is reflected in the
coverage level of the WACI calculation for our investment portfolio
in the table. We continue to work with data providers and our asset
managers to improve the availability of data.
We have reviewed climate metrics being adopted by the financial
sector for their appropriateness, data availability (ie coverage) to
support them and their relevance to our markets. We selected a suite
of metrics to measure our exposure to climate change to utilise the
strengths of specific metrics while also addressing their shortcomings.
Absolute emissions measure the total carbon footprint associated
with the investments held in an investment portfolio, whereas WACI
compares that carbon footprint to the revenue also associated
with the investments in the investment portfolio. We use absolute
emissions to monitor our engagements (so as to help reduce absolute
levels of greenhouse gas emissions) and WACI for our investment
portfolio of assets (so as to be able to compare progress in intensity
improvements on different investment portfolios, which is very
important in our roles as asset owner and asset manager).
An example of the need for the use of different metrics is the current
treatment of green bonds: certified green bonds have the same
carbon footprint as a conventional bond from the same company,
even though the green bond is issued to support transitioning to,
for example, low-carbon operations. This equal treatment could
disincentivise purchasing such green bonds from companies who
are committed to transition and require financing. Using a suite of
intensity and absolute emissions metrics helps overcome these
unintended consequences.
Our metrics and targets for the Scope 1, 2 and 3 footprint of our
operations are discussed in the Managing our direct operational
environmental impacts section on page 89 of this report.
We actively monitor and provide feedback to industry bodies, such as
on the TCFD consultation on Proposed Guidance on Climate-related
Metrics, Targets and Transition Plans. We continue in collaboration
with our asset management and asset owner business units to
develop further metrics that are appropriate for our business,
to support enhanced management and reporting for climate risk,
and to integrate into broader investment processes aligned with
our responsible investment framework.
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Our short-term targets and progress made
Short-term climate target
A 25 per cent
reduction in the
carbon emissions
of our investment
portfolio by 2025
against our
2019 baseline
Divestment from all
direct investments
in businesses which
derive more than
30 per cent of their
income from coal,
with equities to
be fully divested by
the end of 2021 and
fixed-income assets
by the end of 2022
A target to engage
with the companies
responsible for
65 per cent of the
absolute emissions
in our investment
portfolio
Progress up to end of 2021
By the end of 2021, we had reduced the
weighted average carbon intensity (WACI) of
our investment portfolio by 23 per cent against
our 2019 baseline, placing us on track to achieve
the 25 per cent target by 2025. We operate
in both developed and emerging markets in
Asia and Africa and the carbon footprint of
investments in these markets, which underlies
our WACI, are higher than in areas such as
Europe. Investment decisions such as strategic
asset allocation, portfolio construction and
investment selection can influence the direction
of the WACI, as can changes in the carbon
intensity of the underlying businesses in which
we invest. Implementing our coal policy was
a key driver of the reduction in WACI.
Looking forward, we have a range of investment
and active ownership strategies available to
further reduce the WACI, including the orderly
implementation of our current coal policy during
2022. In addition, Eastspring seeks to actively
engage with companies in the investment
portfolio in order to influence them to adopt
positive strategies to further improve carbon
efficiency, and to work with sub-fund managers
on reducing the emissions of their funds while
maintaining a focus on performance.
During 2021 we divested from all direct equity
investments in businesses which derive more
than 30 per cent of their income from coal,
whether from mining or energy production.
We remain on track to divest by end of 2022
from fixed-income assets in businesses meeting
the same criteria.
Eastspring has developed a process to meet this
engagement target and has made progress in
2021 towards meeting the target by reviewing
44 per cent of these investee companies, and
engaging with 31 per cent of the same group.
Metric rationale
We use the WACI as a proxy for the transition risk in our investment
portfolio: a higher WACI normally indicates that an investment
portfolio has to transition more extensively to align with the Paris
Agreement. By reducing the WACI of our portfolios, we also support
the transition to a low-carbon economy. A key benefit of using WACI
is that it allows comparisons between different investment portfolios,
which is very important in our roles as asset owner and asset manager.
We believe our coal policy supports a just and inclusive transition in
the markets where we operate, as discussed in the Supporting a just
and inclusive transition section on page 67. When considering different
thresholds, each was tested against whether it supported a just and
inclusive transition and fit our requirements on risk and return.
Companies that are highly dependent on coal are a stranded asset
risk, while a well-diversified portfolio is important, but challenging for
our businesses in emerging markets, which invest in underdeveloped
capital markets. Ultimately, the threshold for our coal policy was set
so as to balance the risk and return, while also allowing companies
in those markets to phase out of coal in an inclusive manner.
We aim to support a just and inclusive transition to a low-carbon
economy through our engagement target, based on a belief that
engagement is preferable to divestment to secure a just transition.
Engagement is a core part of providing effective stewardship and we
seek to encourage business and management practices that support
sustainable development through constructive interaction, based on our
in-depth knowledge of the companies and their business environment.
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Pru Life UK study offers key insights
on climate change
Our business in the Philippines, Pru Life UK, commissioned an
independent study (which can be found here:
https://www.prulifeuk.com.ph/en/explore-pulse/health-
financial-wellness/climate-change/) to better understand the
impact of climate change on Filipino families. The pioneering
study explores the health impacts of climate change and their
potential pressures on financial security and wellbeing.
The impacts of climate change on physical and mental health
will eventually affect the financial health of individuals,
households and communities. While it is hard to calculate the
actual cost of climate-sensitive diseases, it is known that
healthcare needs lead to depletion of savings resulting from
hospitalisation and loss of incomes due to absenteeism.
Therefore, financial security in anticipation of a warming
planet is an urgent priority.
The paper concludes that:
> There is no disease group that is immune to the effects
of climate change, and the incidence of some conditions
is expected to increase as a result of climate change.
> Multiple responses will be needed for the variety of physical
and mental health issues that are likely to arise.
> Climate change must be viewed as a public health issue.
> Rapid decarbonisation to stabilise the climate will be good
not just for the planet but for people’s health too.
> Financial security at all levels is a climate adaptation measure.
> Climate and health knowledge needs to be communicated
to raise awareness and equip people with tools to contribute
to both mitigation and adaptation.
> Building societal resilience to climate change and its health
effects is also an urgent priority since climate change is
already happening.
Identifying climate-related opportunities
We believe our strategic ESG framework, including the goal to
decarbonise the investment portfolio while supporting a just and
inclusive transition, is an important way in which we can meet our
stakeholders’ expectations and fulfil our stewardship obligations.
Over time, it reduces the Group’s asset exposure to climate change
risk – which includes both physical and transition risks – while also
contributing to efforts to mitigate climate change by decarbonising
the global economy.
We also recognise that the implementation of our strategic ESG
framework could generate some climate-related opportunities for
the Group. As a significant investor and asset owner with long-term
investment horizons and liabilities, the Group is in a position to invest
in and develop products linked to climate mitigation and resilience.
In response to this, we are developing responsible investment
products that channel our customers’ savings towards investments
such as the Asia Sustainable Bond Fund by Eastspring. More
information on our ESG-related investment activity is available in
the Responsible investment section starting on page 107, including
increasing the ESG choices for our investment-linked products (ILP),
as described in the Capital allocation section on page 112.
Climate change is also likely to drive demand for new health, insurance
and savings products. New health products need to reflect the impact
of climate change on human health through changes in the incidence
and impact of diseases, and the emergence of new diseases.
This topic is discussed in the Making health and financial security
accessible section on page 75, which also explains how we are
developing more products for underserved sections of the market.
Identifying and assessing climate-related risks
To enable us to continue to be a long-term and resilient business
serving our customers, we must actively identify and assess how
climate change can impact our business.
Our risk identification processes in our Group Risk Framework recognise
thematic emerging and principal risks. ESG risks, which include climate
risk, have previously been identified as a Group principal risk. The
Group Risk Committee and the Board receive updates on the principal
risks identified, the Group’s exposure to these risks and subsequent
management activities. More information is available in section ii.
of the risk management cycle of the Risk Review report in our Annual
Report and Accounts.
We actively participate in industry forums and networks, including the
Chief Risk Officer (CRO) Forum, to further develop understanding and
support collaborative action in relation to ESG risks, including climate
change, and to remain aware of industry best practice as it develops.
The emerging industry consensus, as expressed by both the Climate
Financial Risk Forum and the CRO Forum, is for insurers to treat climate
risk as a cross-cutting amplifier of the existing standalone risk types.
As such, climate-related risks are considered within our existing
risk management processes. By treating climate-related risk as
a cross-cutting risk, we recognise that there could be significant
interdependencies with, and impacts on, other established standalone
risks, such as credit, market, insurance and operational risk. See the
Risk Review report in the Annual Report and Accounts and section ii.
of the risk management cycle for further information on the broader
risk identification process.
During 2021, we continued to focus on developing our understanding
of our exposure to actual and potential climate-related risks and their
associated impacts on the Group, focusing on key local markets in
Asia. We also identified several existing business activities and
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processes where risks may be heightened when a climate lens is
applied. Building on the climate-related risk assessments carried out
in 2020, a series of workshops were held with the appropriate subject
matter experts across the Risk, Compliance and Security teams. These
workshops explored in detail the potential impact of cross-cutting
climate-related risks to existing risks and risk management processes
across short, medium and long-term horizons.
This holistic process enabled us to identify the following areas of
potential exposure to climate-related risks over the short, medium
and long term:
> Financial resilience – Our assets under management are at risk
of physical climate risk in the long term. Some of our assets under
management are in high emission, carbon-intensive and carbon-
reliant sectors. These assets are exposed to transition risk in the
short and medium term, potentially resulting in increased levels of
price volatility, taxation, regulation and/or reduced demand, which
could lead to impairments, downgrades and/or stranding if they fail
to adapt, innovate or transition to a lower-carbon business model.
We have limited financial exposure to such assets in high emission,
carbon-intensive and carbon-reliant sectors, as set out in our
Climate-related metrics and targets section.
> Operational resilience – Climate change could have physical
impacts on our operations. The impact from such climate events on
operational resilience, including the impact on third-party providers
and the servicing of our customers, is explored in our operational
risk scenarios.
> Insurance and product risks – Our strategy focuses on life,
health and wealth products, which excludes us from underwriting
greenhouse gas-intensive activities. Climate change could result in
changes in mortality, morbidity and/or persistency for our life and
health underwriting portfolio. The overall financial impact should be
mitigated by our ability to reprice contracts if needed and develop
new products.
> Data and model limitations – Current limitations in financial
climate data quality and availability, and asset and liability
modelling tools make it challenging to accurately assess the
financial impact on the Group, particularly for longer-term time
horizons. We continue to assess the methods for quantifying the
financial impact of climate risks as they evolve in the industry
and also within the Group. We also use independent internal
and external reviews.
> Regulatory, legislative and disclosure expectations – The pace
and volume of new climate-related regulation across the Group’s
markets could pose compliance and operational challenges that
may necessitate multi-jurisdictional coordination. The increasing
disclosure expectations of stakeholders heightens the potential
for litigation risk associated with external reporting conveying a
material false impression or misleading information. We continue
to monitor and engage on regulatory and industry developments.
Our governance process is designed to help avoid misstatements
and/or overstatements in external reporting.
> Strategy implementation – As the Group implements its ESG
strategy and climate-related commitments, there is a continuing
need to balance potentially different interests, expectations and
objectives, both within and across stakeholder groups. We have
regular internal and external engagement to identify potential
required trade-offs and assess the implications of them through
our governance structures.
While many climate-related risks are common at Group and business
level, the nature, focus and impact of these risks can differ across the
Group’s markets. Our emerging risk process, at both the Group and the
business level, helps ensure that we continue to quickly identify and
adapt nimbly to new and evolving climate change and ESG topics.
Managing and responding to climate-related risks
The management and mitigation of ESG and climate-related risks
is enacted through our Group Governance Manual, which includes
a number of ESG-related policies that support the implementation
of our ESG strategy. Following the series of workshops held with Risk,
Compliance and Security subject matter experts, we identified initial
areas of the Group Risk Framework to update in order to reflect climate
considerations. The main updates are noted below.
The concept of climate as a ‘cross-cutting risk’ was included in the
annual refresh of the Group Risk Framework and associated policies,
and qualitative references to ESG considerations have been added
to the Group Risk Appetite framework, specifically focusing on the
Group’s externally communicated ESG commitments.
CRO Forum participation
As a member of the CRO Forum, we contributed to the paper
published in November 2021 which provides guidance on
industry best practice for embedding ESG and sustainability risks
into insurers’ existing risk management framework (‘Mind the
sustainability gap – Integrating sustainability into insurance risk
management’ at www.thecroforum.org/category/publications/).
We have used the concepts and approaches outlined in the
paper across the Group during 2021 to further embed climate
risk considerations into the Group Risk Framework.
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Updates to the Enterprise Risk Management framework
in 2021 included changes to the Group’s non-financial risk
appetite statements to consider risks through a stakeholder lens.
This stakeholder-focused approach recognises the importance of
considering topics, including climate change, from the perspective
of both their impact on the Group and the Group’s impact on its
wide range of stakeholders (a concept known as ‘double materiality’).
It also recognizes that what is considered financially material to
the Group may change rapidly (a concept known as ‘dynamic
materiality’), particularly in light of rising stakeholder influence, greater
international connectivity, and the increased transparency and speed
of information exchange. It also supports a more forward-looking
approach to identifying emerging ESG considerations.
Other enhancements included adding our ESG-related models,
including the tools developed for measuring and managing the
Group’s investment portfolio decarbonisation, to the scope of the
model and user developed application (MUDA) policy. Additionally, the
updated Outsourcing and Third-Party Supply Policy includes a direct
reference to ESG, and incorporates Responsible Supplier Guidelines
on ESG topics including labour, health and safety, and ethics.
ESG considerations, including those associated with climate, have
been incorporated into core decision-making processes, including:
> Remuneration: changes to the incentive plan have been aligned
with the Group’s externally communicated decarbonisation targets.
> Strategic Decisions, Mergers and Acquisitions: the policies and
processes supporting significant decisions and transactions have
been updated to systematically include consideration of how the
matter requiring approval supports and/or impacts the Group’s
ESG strategy.
> Strategic and Business Planning and Performance
Management: climate and ESG considerations have been
included within the business planning process.
The industry’s understanding of climate-related risks is evolving
quickly. To address this and recognising the cross-cutting nature of
climate risk, we have carried out a number of training initiatives to
raise the level of knowledge and understanding of our colleagues:
> The Group Risk Committee received a briefing on the embedding
of climate risk within the enterprise risk management framework.
> During 2021, we ran a Group-wide monthly climate risk forum, with
participation from specialist risk teams, representatives from local
business risk teams and other functions, including Actuarial and
the Investment teams.
> This training was supplemented with regular direct engagement
with our larger businesses to address specific climate-related
themes relevant to their local markets. Follow-up presentations
covered topics including the practicalities of climate scenario
analysis and guidance on incorporating climate considerations
in the business plan risk assessment process.
> We provided specific training sessions to business continuity and
operational risk colleagues on our third-party physical climate
risk platform to support the adoption of the platform across
our businesses.
> We delivered a series of training sessions on ESG, including
dedicated sessions on climate-focused topics, to over 500 members
of the Risk, Compliance and Security function. These sessions were
led by the appropriate business risk owners and subject matter
experts, ensuring that experiences and lessons learned from
climate-focused activities were shared broadly across the Group’s
business locations and teams.
> Across the broader business, climate risk awareness was
increased through functional and business awareness sessions
and workshops as well as specific sessions on business planning.
Climate change considerations were also a specific focus during
a briefing session with the chairs of the Audit and Risk Committee
of the major businesses.
Climate-related scenario testing
Scenario testing is a key tool to improve understanding and support
decision-making. Scenario testing is particularly useful for raising
awareness of climate change risks due to the wide scope and
unknown timing of potential mitigation and adaptation actions.
Climate scenarios used
During 2021, we continued developing our scenario testing
approach for climate change. Investigating different methodologies
appropriate to our nature, scale and complexity also supports our
ability to engage with our Group and local business regulators on this
topic. We monitored and evaluated developments in climate scenario
testing, including publications by our Group and local regulators and
global bodies, such as the International Association of Insurance
Supervisors (IAIS), the Network for Greening the Financial System
(NGFS), the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) and the
International Energy Agency (IEA).
We use three scenarios to identify risks over the short, medium and
long term:
> Orderly transition scenario: Temperature increases are kept well
below 2°C through the orderly introduction of climate policies,
in line with the second-lowest United Nations IPCC emissions
pathway, known as Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP)
2.6. This scenario includes transition impacts, in an orderly manner,
as well as physical impacts in line with a 1.6°C increase in
temperature.
> Disorderly transition scenario: Temperature increases are kept well
below 2°C but with delayed and sudden introduction of policies,
in line with RCP 2.6. This scenario includes transition impacts, in a
disorderly manner, while still limiting the physical impacts by the
end of the century in line with a 1.6°C increase in temperature.
> Failure to transition scenario: Temperature increases exceed 4°C
with no further policies introduced beyond those already
announced. Little transition impacts are included in the scenario
while dramatic physical impacts are explored, in line with RCP 8.5.
The three scenarios provide plausible future outcomes and are
constructed to simulate the complex and non-linear interactions
between energy, economy and climate systems. They also account
for various policy and technology developments, supporting a
sophisticated exploration of different plausible futures and an
understanding of the impacts from trade-offs between the policy and
technology options. The insights from the scenario testing work were
reported in the Group’s Own Risk and Solvency Assessment report,
which continues to be provided to the Board.
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Summary of how we use climate change scenario testing
Climate scenarios
Scenarios are chosen which represent plausible future
climate pathways and policies
Physical impacts
Includes increased temperatures, rainfall,
sea levels, droughts
Transition impacts
Regional and sectoral economic impacts from
transitioning to low-carbon economies
Financial impacts
Revaluation of the assets and liabilities in response to
additional costs for mitigation and adaptation
Operational impacts
Assess the impact from increased natural disasters on our
existing business continuity management programme
Consider implications
Consider the impact on businesses, strategy and financial planning
over short, medium and long terms
Management discussions
Identify actions to maintain financial and operations
impacts within acceptable levels
Impact on assets and insurance liabilities
We used three commonly applied scenarios, comparable to those
from the NGFS and Bank of England, to quantify the exposure of the
Group’s insurance balance sheet assets and liabilities to physical and
transition climate-related risk.
Each scenario is translated into sensitivities to economic factors, which
are then applied to the Group’s assets and liabilities to quantify the
potential financial impacts of climate change relative to our base
assumption. The scenario with the largest overall impact on the Group
balance sheet is the failed transition scenario, where physical climate
change impacts in the longer term, which could result in financial
market impacts sooner. The disorderly transition scenario has the
biggest impact in the short term as markets assimilate policy changes,
resulting in limited impact in the medium and long term. As expected,
the orderly transition scenario has the lowest overall impact on the
Group balance sheet. Our analysis did not take account of the
potential actions available to the Group to mitigate the impact, in line
with emerging industry practice, and is an area where we expect to
consider further the opportunities available.
Though the Group remains exposed to financial impact from climate
change, the results for each scenario were not outside observed
market volatility and therefore do not indicate the need for an explicit
allowance for climate change in the assumptions used for the liability
valuations or observed market values.
An additional scenario exercise applied to a sample of our carbon-
intensive holdings highlighted the potential range of impacts on
equity prices and corporate bonds between those companies that
have started to transition and those who have not. A key challenge
identified in this exercise is the limited availability of disclosed
climate-related financial reporting across our Asia and Africa holdings,
which is required for sophisticated climate scenario models. We expect
such limitations to be overcome as more climate disclosures occur in
these regions, potentially using established frameworks such as the
TCFD or the anticipated standards from the International
Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB).
We focus on life, health and wealth products and therefore do not
have greenhouse gas (GHG) intensive activities in our underwriting
portfolio. While climate change can impact morbidity, mortality and
persistency, the impact of climate change does not directly alter the
Group’s assumptions for its insurance business based on the annual
review of experience. If experience or exposure were to change, for
example due to a step change in long-term morbidity and/or mortality
expectations in a particular region due to climate events, the financial
impacts from climate-related risks on our insurance liabilities could
be more significant and would be allowed for as part of the regular
review. However, the longer-term impact to the Group should be
managed by our ability to reprice contracts if needed and develop
new products. Work continues on plotting significant clusters of
customer locations to assess the potential risk from physical climate
events to our known customer base.
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The complexity and long-term nature of these climate scenario tests
result in the need for some simplifications in the exercises, in line with
developing industry practices, such as using a static balance sheet.
Simplifications are also applied in estimating the sectoral and
regional impacts. The regional impacts are particularly important
for Prudential given our operational footprint across Asia and Africa.
We participate in and contribute to bodies working towards
overcoming these simplifications, as described in the Supporting
a just and inclusive transition section, starting on page 92.
Climate scenario testing has helped develop our understanding of the
nature of the climate risk the Group faces, reinforcing that the main
financial risk from climate change is to the asset side of the balance
sheet. This is consistent with our business model: as a major asset
owner and manager, we rely on investment returns to meet the
longer-term obligations of our liabilities and remain exposed to
risks that could interrupt or impair those returns, such as a disorderly
transition. This also reinforces the case for our strategic objective
to decarbonise the investment portfolio.
Impact on financial planning and strategy
As part of our annual strategy and business plan exercise, we applied
scenarios comparable to the disorderly transition scenario, ie the
below 2°C scenario, which has the largest financial impact over the
relevant period, to the economic and non-economic assumptions
underlying the exercise. The scenario showed the Group’s financial
plan remains viable over the period under assessment.
Impact on our operations
We are also exposed to climate-related physical risk, which may
threaten our real estate, corporate facilities, infrastructure and other
real assets, and customers.
Our business continuity management programme assesses the risk
to our staff and operating locations from natural disasters, including
those caused by climate-related physical impacts, such as increased
frequency and severity of tropical storms or increased flooding.
We remain focused on maintaining and enhancing our
organisational resilience.
We use a third-party provider to assess our exposure to physical
climate risks and the results of this can be seen in the diagram below.
Exposure estimates are based on the highest United Nations IPCC
emissions pathway, known as RCP 8.5, which is a high-emissions
scenario predicted to lead to temperature increases in excess of 4°C
by the year 2100 from the average temperatures between 1850 and
1900, resulting in significant climate-related physical impacts. The
diagram shows the extent to which our operations could be exposed
to the physical impacts of climate change, if there is no transition to
lower-carbon economies. The climate data used by the third-party
provider is derived from internationally recognised sources, including
IPCC data sets and modelling. The validity of this data has been
spot-checked by back-testing global events.
We continue supplementing existing business continuity
management activities with scenario analysis to identify additional
areas of vulnerability that may arise due to climate change, including
potential impacts on our properties, operations, third-party supply
chains and customers. Utilising our third-party provider’s platform,
pilot scenarios were developed during the year to assess climate-
related impacts within local businesses. Specifically, the operational
risk scenarios were used to investigate how a severe typhoon and/or
flood would cause property damages and business interruption,
providing insight in the potential increases in operational costs and/or
reputational impact.
Impact of RCP 8.5 scenario on Prudential’s locations of operation
Overall risk rating
0–25
26–50
51–75
76–100
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A summary of our Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, excluding Jackson, is
provided below, including a restatement of 2020 on the same basis.
Data for Jackson, and the composite Prudential Group up until the
point of the demerger of Jackson, can be found in the Reference
section of this report.
The emissions table shows Scope 3 emissions on a consistent basis
to those reported for 2020, and the expanded 2021 boundary,
as follows:
> The inclusion of 2,001tCO2e for Asia business travel meant our
business travel emissions increased by 8.9 per cent to 2,139.5 tCO2e
in 2021, reflecting the continued impact of travel restrictions and
other control measures related to the Covid-19 pandemic, even with
the enhanced assured reporting scope.
> Inclusion of the fuel and energy related activities generated Scope
3 emissions of 6,451 tCO2e in 2021. This category of emission is
directly linked to Scope 1 and 2 emissions and therefore, the actions
we are taking to reduce our carbon intensity in these areas will
enable us to deliver reductions in these Scope 3 emissions.
Emissions Source (tCO2e)
Scope 1
2021*
1,481
2020
1,378
Change
(%)
7.5
Scope 2 – market based
19,986
23,608
(15.3)
Scope 2 – location based
21,547
23,525
Scope 3 (2020 boundary comparative)
160
1,998
(8.4)
(92)
Scope 3 (expanded 2021 boundary)
8,793
n/a
Total: Scopes 1 and 2
21,467
24,986
(14.1)
Total: Scopes 1, 2 and 3 (2020 boundary
comparative)
21,627
26,984
(19.9)
Total: Scope 1, 2 and 3 (expanded 2021
boundary)
30,260
n/a
kg per m2 – Scopes 1 and 2
Tonnes per employee – Scopes 1 and 2†
kg per m2 – Scopes 1, 2 and 3 (2020
58.22
1.47
66.72
1.69
(12.7)
(13.0)
boundary comparative)
58.65
72.06
(18.6)
kg per m2 – Scopes 1, 2 and 3 (expanded
2021 boundary)
82.07
n/a
* Within the scope of EY assurance – see page 74 and the Basis of Reporting on the
Prudential plc website at www.prudentialplc.com/~/media/Files/P/Prudential-V13/
esg-report/basis-of-reporting-2021 which notes which Scope 3 categories were
assured in 2021.
† Outside scope of EY assurance.
Managing our direct operational environmental impacts
We seek to actively reduce our direct impact on the environment
in line with our purpose of improving the lives of our customers
and their communities. To understand our impact, we measure
our environmental performance and take action to improve
our performance.
Our Group Environment Policy forms part of our Group Governance
Manual and applies to our operational properties worldwide, guiding
our approach to the management of the direct impacts of our
businesses. This includes compliance with environmental laws and
regulations with respect to emissions, energy consumption, water use,
waste disposal, environmental supply chain management and the
adoption of risk management principles for all property-related matters.
The highlights of our 2021 environmental performance are available
below. Our 2021 reporting covers the period 1 October 2020 to
30 September 2021, and selected indicators, as noted in the disclosure
tables below, are assured by EY. On 13 September we demerged
Jackson, our US operations. These metrics and commentary cover
the performance of the continuing Prudential Group for 2021 and
form the new baseline data from which we will measure future
environmental performance.
As the fall in our 2021 emissions is ahead of the reduction trajectory
required to meet our 2030 target for Scope 1 and 2 emissions, we have
not purchased any carbon offsets for Scope 1 and 2 emissions in 2021.
Data in respect of business travel emissions is collected and reviewed
within the consideration of our broader operational emissions.
Reflecting the previous structure of the Group, and the associated
need to regularly travel to and from operations, we chose historically
to offset our UK procured air travel emissions. Given the reduction in
air travel as a result of the pandemic and the changes in the Group’s
structure, we no longer believe that adopting this approach on an
ongoing basis is meaningful in the context of our broader climate
change activities. Whilst we consider the ongoing role and value of
offsets as they relate to business air travel, we have decided not to
offset any air travel emissions for 2021. We continue to keep our policy
around the use of offsets under review.
Group emissions data
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are broken down into three scopes.
We have included full reporting for Scope 1 and 2 and selected
Scope 3 reporting. Scope 1 emissions are our direct emissions from the
combustion of fuel, fugitive emissions and company-owned vehicles.
Scope 2 emissions cover our indirect emissions from the purchase of
electricity, heating and cooling. We have stated our Scope 2 emissions
using both the location and market-based methods in line with the
GHG Protocol Scope 2 Guidance. We recognise that our Scope 3
emissions footprint is greater than the emissions relating to our own
operations, as reported under Scope 1 and 2. During 2021, we carried
out a review of our Scope 3 emissions and more information on this
is available below.
We aim to broaden the assured scope over time and as such, we are
focused on improving data quality year-on-year, for example the
expansion of our Scope 3 reporting in 2021, as detailed below and in
the Basis of Reporting. We have also focused in 2021 on improving
Scope 1 and 2 data collection from Africa and water and business
travel data reporting from Asia.
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The Covid-19 pandemic has continued to affect our operations,
with lockdowns and office closures for non-essential workers across
the regions where we operate. Our global absolute Scope 1 and 2
(market based) GHG emissions across our occupied estate, excluding
Jackson, were 21,467 tCO2e, down 14.1 per cent in 2021. Electricity use
in our buildings is the largest contributor to our operational footprint
at 19,986 tCO2e (market based), making up 93 per cent of our total
Scope 1 and 2 emissions. The energy consumption associated with
our employees working from home has not been captured in
our reporting.
Monitoring our progress
Based on the site assessments undertaken in previous years, we have
identified emissions reduction opportunities and developed target
projections and emissions reduction roadmaps with each of our
businesses. These roadmaps are being used to track delivery against
our target.
In support of the implementation of these roadmaps, we have been
working to strengthen the processes in place for communicating,
collating, and reviewing environmental data. We have remained
focused on sharing knowledge between our businesses, including via
an online conference aimed at property management teams across
our markets.
During 2021, we migrated the environmental data for our entire
property portfolio into a single digital reporting platform.
This platform allows us to visualise and interrogate the emissions
performance of our property portfolio down to a single building.
This level of granularity enables us to gain better insights where
potential emission reductions can be found and to provide our
business units with a tool to measure the impact of their sustainability
actions. This will support us in tracking progress towards achieving
our 2030 carbon reduction target.
Operational carbon reduction target
We have set a target to become carbon neutral across our Scope
1 and 2 (market-based) emissions by the end of 2030. We aim to
deliver a 25 per cent reduction per full time employee (FTE) in our
operational emissions from a 2016 baseline, then abating the
remaining emissions via carbon offsetting initiatives.
We are ahead of the emissions reduction trajectory required to
meet our 2030 target. However, we are aware that office closures
and operational restrictions imposed to manage the spread of
Covid-19 have played a part in the achievement of this reduction.
We anticipate that as social distancing restrictions ease, and a
more normalised level of operations resume in our offices, we will
see a rebound in our Scope 1 and 2 emissions closer to
normalised levels. Anticipating this partial rebound, we are
developing and implementing reduction measures across our
operations portfolio to address this anticipated increase and to
ensure we continue to meet our target aspirations. We will
continue to keep our performance and our target under review.
Leasing and fitting out our portfolio
The properties we occupy and the decisions we make around
the leasing and fitting out of our facilities form a critical part
in achieving our environmental objectives. During 2021, we
updated our internal property approval process to require our
local businesses to demonstrate that they have assessed the
environmental impact associated with the proposed project.
We also developed internal guidance for incorporating
environmental performance considerations into the office design
process, such as using LED lighting with sensors, installing timers,
lighting zones and maximising natural light. This guidance has
been adopted for projects undertaken in Thailand, Kenya and
the Philippines. Two of these new offices became operational
during 2021 and will generate energy and carbon reductions
in the future.
We are also focusing on the materials used and the waste
generated by office relocations. To reduce the waste from an office
move in Malaysia, we worked with the landlord to reduce the
requirements of the reinstatement clause in their contract, saving
the disposal of 152 tonnes of waste being generated. Our business
in Malaysia has recently used carpet tiles certified carbon neutral.
This project used 900m2 of flooring and resulted in a reduction
of the embodied carbon of eight metric tons of carbon dioxide.
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Scope 3 emissions review
During 2021, we carried out a review of our Scope 3 emissions to
better understand which areas of our value chain contribute most
significantly to our overall emissions footprint. The assessment was
carried out in accordance with both the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and
Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF) and considered
all 15 Scope 3 categories.
Our review identified eight of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol’s
Scope 3 categories that were relevant to Prudential. Of these Scope 3
categories, our most significant emissions are from our investment
portfolio, which we are reporting for the first time in 2021. Data gaps
across some of our Scope 3 categories remain and as Scope 3 data
accuracy and methodologies continue to evolve, we will seek to align
with best practice, and broaden the scope of reported Scope 3
categories. The table below summarises our Scope 3 emissions review.
Category
Relevant Why category is relevant or not
Reported in FY21
Yes. Water data
reported for UK and
Asia. Waste data is
UK only.
Partly, as set out
in Basis of
Reporting
Yes. UK and Asia only. No
1
2
3
Purchased goods
and services
Capital goods
Fuel- and energy-related
activities (not included
in Scope 1 or Scope 2)
Yes
Yes
Yes
There are emissions associated with the products
and services we purchase, for example IT and
professional services.
There are embedded emissions with the capital goods
we purchase, for example IT hardware and furniture.
There are emissions associated with the extraction,
production and distribution of the fuels and electricity
that we purchase, including for business travel.
4 Upstream transportation
Yes
and distribution
5 Waste generated
in operations
6
Business travel
Yes
Yes
7
Employee commuting
Yes
8 Upstream leased assets
Yes
We generate emissions through third-party courier
and logistics services.
We generate emissions through the disposal and
treatment of waste generated in our on-site
operations.
We generate emissions by travelling for business-
related activities, including flights and land transport,
booked through our travel partners.
We generate emissions through staff commuting
and from remote working, however, we have a limited
ability to influence these.
We generate emissions from landlord-provided
services, such as air-conditioning, that are not
captured in our Scope 1 and 2 disclosures.
9 Downstream
transportation
and distribution
No
We do not sell products that are transported.
10 Processing of sold products
11 Use of sold products
No
No
We do not process intermediate products.
We do not sell products that have an associated
energy use outside of our operations.
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
12 End-of-life treatment
of sold products
13 Downstream leased assets
14 Franchises
15 Investments
No
We do not sell physical products that can be disposed.
No
No
No
Yes
We do not lease assets to other entities.
We do not operate any franchises.
No
No
We hold significant financial investments which
generate emissions.
Yes (see Climate-
related metrics and
targets section on
page 82)
Assured
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Yes
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Enforcement actions and other regulatory events
No fines or regulatory actions occurred during the year for
environmental incidents (2020: zero)
Supporting a just and inclusive transition
As a steward of long-term capital, we seek to use our scale and
expertise to drive decarbonisation at pace, and to do so in a way which
is just and fully inclusive. This means that we are continuously mindful
of the need to implement our decarbonisation strategy in a way that
acknowledges the nature of the markets in which we operate, and
seeks to share the financial and social burden of the transition in a
fair manner, promoting sustainable development for all stakeholders.
Our Asian and African markets include highly developed economies,
such as Hong Kong and Singapore, that have diversified, service-led
economies and mature financial markets. It also includes emerging
markets that are more dependent on primary and energy-intensive
industries. These emerging markets have a greater reliance on fossil
fuels in their energy generation mix than developed economies. These
countries’ energy transition is likely to proceed at a slower pace, as
acknowledged by the Paris Agreement and reflected in the countries’
Nationally Determined Contributions.
Supporting a just and inclusive transition through our
Responsible Investment targets
The need for a just and inclusive transition was an explicit
consideration for Group while evaluating possible targets and
commitments. This was brought to life specifically in the decision
around our coal policy where in considering different thresholds, each
was tested against whether it supported a just and inclusive transition.
Ultimately, the threshold for our coal policy was set so as to balance
our stewardship duties in developing markets, while also allowing
companies in those markets to phase out of coal in a just and inclusive
manner and encouraging companies in more developed countries to
phase coal out quicker. In reviewing and approving the targets, the
Board and its Responsibility and Sustainability Working Group (RSWG)
took a specific interest in a just and inclusive transition aspects.
We further support an inclusive transition through our engagement
targets, based on a belief that engagement is preferable to
divestment to secure a just transition, though divestment may be the
appropriate response in certain circumstances. Engagement is a core
part of providing effective stewardship and we seek to encourage
business and management practices that support sustainable
development through constructive interaction, as described in the
examples in our Active ownership section on page 109.
Policy engagement and advocacy
With operations in Asia and Africa, we are well placed to bring an
emerging markets perspective to stakeholder discussions to help
ensure the need for a just and inclusive transition in developing
markets is considered in policy and regulation.
We regularly engage with regulators and monitor evolving climate
risk-related initiatives that could develop into new regulation in the
markets in which we operate. We consider the transition to a low-
carbon economy to be essential and we engage constructively with
trade associations, policymakers and NGOs to shape the evolution
of regulation and standards relating to climate risk and transition.
Throughout 2021, we actively engaged with international standard
setters, and with governments and regulators in the markets where we
operate on key issues shaping the ESG policy environment. As in 2020,
a major area of engagement with our host governments was the
ongoing management of Covid-19 and the impact on our customers,
communities and staff. We have engaged with governments to
support their health priorities, including the use of digital solutions in
healthcare and insurance, and in supporting financial inclusion. More
information on our approach is available in the Making health and
financial security accessible section on page 75. At the same time,
attention on the effects of climate change and the role of the financial
sector increased at both the international and national level
(see Prudential and COP26 on page 94).
As well as direct engagement with governments and regulators,
we worked with a number of trade associations and working groups to
understand and inform approaches to international and national-level
policy and regulations and to benefit from the collaboration and
cooperation that comes from working alongside peers in industry
to inform and understand policymaking.
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The table below summarises the key stakeholders and topics we engaged with and the topics we contributed to.
Stakeholders and topics
At the international level, we closely
followed the climate-related initiatives set
out by both the International Association
of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS) and the
International Organisation of Securities
Commissions (IOSCO)
We also monitored and contributed to
a range of consultations through the IIF
As governments and regulators in the
markets we operate in have developed
their policies and regulations to support
sustainable finance, we have engaged
actively in the policy development process
Engaged with UK policymakers and
regulators during its COP Presidency
on UK listing requirements and
international policymaking
Prudential contribution
> Ongoing discussions with the IAIS on how to assess and incorporate climate-related risks
in its yearly Global Monitoring Exercise.
> Early participation in the IAIS’s Climate Task Force, established in October 2021 with
the purpose of engaging with industry stakeholders to provide input to IAIS climate work.
This will continue in 2022.
> Engagement with, and feedback to the Taskforce on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures
(TCFD) consultation on Proposed Guidance on Climate-related Metrics, Targets and
Transition Plans.
> With the IIF, we led the creation of a working group within their Insurance Regulatory
Committee to focus on how issues affect Asia-Pacific markets specifically, including on
climate change and sustainability and digital transformation and the implications for
financial inclusion.
> We contributed to the following consultations via the IIF:
– IOSCO ESG ratings consultation.
– IFRS Foundation Exposure Draft on Proposed Targeted Amendments to the IFRS
Foundation Constitution to Accommodate an International Sustainability Standards Board
(ISSB) to set IFRS Sustainability Standards.
– IIF Sustainable Finance Working Group (SFWG) response to the TCFD public consultation
on Climate-related Metrics, Targets and Transition Plans.
– IAIS Application Paper on the Supervision of Climate-related Risks in the Insurance Sector.
> The Group CEO’s membership of, and participation in, the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s
International Advisory Panel (IAP), which included a focus on national and regional
sustainable finance priorities.
> Membership of Singapore’s Green Finance Industry Task Force’s Workstream on Disclosure.
Our Singapore business provided inputs to the development of a best practices disclosure
document, which sets out pathways for financial institutions (specifically banks, asset
managers and insurers) to adopt and put in place TCFD recommendations based on
the different stages they are at in their sustainability reporting journey. Our Singapore
business also provided responses to the SGX Consultation Paper on Climate and Diversity,
and ESG Metrics.
> Response to Indonesia’s regulatory requirements to submit a Sustainable Finance Action
Plan (SFAP).
> Participation in the Mayor of Shanghai’s annual International Business Leaders’ Advisory
Council meeting, with a paper on developing Shanghai’s role in sustainable finance.
> Membership of the CBI’s Sustainable Finance Working Group.
> Input to the UK Financial Reporting Council consultation on the use of scenario analysis
by FTSE350 companies.
> Participation in an ABI roundtable to help provide feedback on the PRA/FCA Climate Financial
Risk Forum Scenario Analysis Working Group’s draft Scenario Analysis Guide for Insurers and
Asset Managers.
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Prudential and COP26
A major focus of policymakers, regulators and business in 2021
was the preparation for and meeting of the UNFCCC’s Conference
of Parties (COP26), under the UK and Italian Presidency, with the
meeting from 31 October to 13 November 2021.
Through 2021, Prudential worked with the UK government’s
COP Unit and UK embassies in our markets on key themes ahead
of COP26. We participated in local Energy Transition Councils
facilitated by the UK government in a number of ASEAN markets.
We also participated in green finance workshops organised by
the UK government or other partners in collaboration with
domestic policymakers.
At COP26, across a range of activities, the Chair, Group CFO
and COO and senior Prudential representatives highlighted
the importance of an inclusive transition in Asia and Africa;
the challenges of addressing coal retirement and investment in
renewables in developing markets; and the framework for financial
market participants to achieve net-zero goals – for example, the
creation of an International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB)
to deliver a global baseline for sustainability-related disclosure
standards. Prudential partnered with the GHS@COP26 conference,
which took place during COP26, led by the City of London
Corporation and the Green Finance Institute, to amplify these
messages and initiatives.
Prudential supported the publication during COP26 by the World
Economic Forum (WEF) of a set of principles to ensure a ‘Just and
Urgent Energy Transition’, while Don Kanak, chairman of
Prudential Insurance Growth Markets, took part in the Asian
Development Bank’s partnership launch for the development
of an Energy Transition Mechanism, alongside the Indonesian
and Philippine governments.
Memberships of trade associations, such as Asia House, the UK-
ASEAN Business Council and the China-Britain Business Council, and a
number of British and European Chambers of Commerce, enabled the
organisation of, and participation in roundtables and meetings with
policymakers on green and sustainable finance, healthcare and digital
issues, often virtually given the continuing restrictions on international
travel. Green and sustainable finance also featured in various
government-to-government and regulatory dialogues that took
place through the year, and into which Prudential advocated relevant
priorities and perspectives. Through membership and chairmanship of
the EU-ASEAN Business Council, contributions were made to a range
of policy papers and events covering issues including plastics, energy
transition, healthy ageing, fuel economy and fuel standards, and
digital tools for affordable protection, health and wellness.
We developed and contributed to a range of advocacy and position
papers and events covering a broad range of issues from climate and
health to financial inclusion. Examples include Prudential’s Philippines
business, Pru Life UK, which commissioned a study that aimed to
support greater understanding of the effects of climate change
on Filipinos’ health and wealth, and to guide the industry and
government in developing practical preparation and mitigation
strategies (see case study). With support from Prudential Singapore,
EuroCham Singapore produced a ‘Future of Healthcare and Wellbeing
White Book, 2021–2022’, including a paper on ’Healthcare and
Innovation – a Healthcare financier perspective’ by Prudential.
We were the headline sponsor of the Singapore FinTech Festival 2021,
with a major focus on the role and impact of digital innovation on
expanding financial inclusion. We participated in the Commonwealth
Trade and Investment Summit in September 2021, highlighting
the role of technology in expanding financial and health inclusion.
We sponsored the CamTech 2021 Summit which included a focus on
the potential for digitisation to drive inclusion and on green finance.
Energy Transition Mechanism
Coal-fired power plants represent a fifth of total global carbon
emissions, and nearly three-quarters of emissions from the electricity
and heating sector. Given the global reliance on coal, the private
and public sectors must work together to support the transition to
a low-carbon economy. The development of the Energy Transition
Mechanism (ETM) is an example of the type of project that will be
needed, which is being trialled in Indonesia and the Philippines. The
ETM concept was developed by Don Kanak, Chairman of Prudential
Insurance Growth Markets.
The ETM is a scalable public-private partnership that can be used
to acquire and then retire coal-fired power plants well before the
end of their useful life, in an orderly and just way. The ETM proposes
that an investment fund is established in collaboration with national
authorities in order to purchase and retire coal-fired power plants
within 10 to 15 years, cutting short their expected lifetimes of 30 to
40 years. A complementary facility would channel proceeds into
renewable power, grid upgrades and support for workers and
communities. In this way, the ETM would help developing countries
to finance an orderly transition towards less reliance on coal in the
total energy mix and have access to affordable renewable power.
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In 2021, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) commissioned a study to
validate and refine the ETM concept in Indonesia, the Philippines and
Vietnam. After the first study was completed, the ADB launched a
detailed feasibility study of operationalising the ETM in Asia, with a
pilot in late 2022 in Indonesia and the Philippines. The ‘Southeast Asia
ETM Partnership’ was formally launched in November 2021 at COP26,
with attendance from senior officials in developed and developing
countries and philanthropists.
We continue to support the ETM as an example of the practical
private-public solutions needed to progress the energy transition and
we look forward to seeing the outcome of the detailed feasibility study
in Indonesia and the Philippines.
Sustainable Development Investment Partnership (SDIP)
The SDIP is a multi-stakeholder initiative under the World Economic
Forum and OECD, of which Prudential and over 40 other companies,
foundations, multilateral development banks and governments
are members. Its goal is to mobilise finance at scale in developing
countries in support of the Sustainable Development Goals. Through
the SDIP, we work with public and private sector institutions in
emerging markets, particularly in South-east Asia, to scale domestic
and international investment in sustainable infrastructure and
promote energy transition.
Working with SDIP, we became an initial signatory of the ‘Principles
for Financing a Just and Urgent Energy Transition’ (JUET Principles),
launched at COP26. These principles create a better context for the
developed countries to step up their financial assistance to the
emerging markets and complement the ETM through creating the
right enabling environment to facilitate large-scale and urgent energy
transition in developing economies.
Work is underway to further explore where the SDIP and the EU-
ASEAN Business Council can work together with the Net Zero Asset
Owner Alliance to increase the voice of emerging markets in
transition finance.
Joining the Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance
In June 2021, we joined the United Nations-convened Net Zero
Asset Owner Alliance (NZAOA). The NZAOA is a network of
institutional investors committed to the decarbonisation of their
investment portfolios with support from scientific advisers and
collaborators, including the Partnership for Carbon Accounting
Financials and the Science Based Targets initiative.
In joining the NZAOA, we aim to bring an emerging markets
perspective to the discussions on investment portfolio
decarbonisation, which is critical to ensure that the specific needs
of those developing markets are addressed. Since joining the
NZAOA, we have participated in a range of discussions, including
updates to the NZAOA’s target setting protocol, inclusion of
additional asset classes such as sovereign bonds in carbon
accounting, engagement and protocols. Additionally, we have
taken the initiative to set up a new sub track, within the NZAOA,
focused on financing the transition in emerging markets.
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Strategic Pillar: Building social capital
We build social capital by building trusted relationships with
our employees, on whom our success depends, and we seek to
safeguard the public’s trust in us through our rigorous approach
to digital responsibility.
Our people responsibility
As an employer, we have made a pledge to make Prudential a place
where our people can Connect, Grow and Succeed.
Our Employee Value Proposition
With ‘Ambitious’ as one of our values, we have a bold vision for what
it is like to work at Prudential. We are on a multi-year transformational
journey to reach this, within which 2021 was a critical year.
Our Group Culture Framework outlines who we are, why we exist,
and how we conduct our business and ourselves, as well as how we
behave while at work and in the wider world. The four components
that comprise our culture framework are: Purpose, Principles, Values,
Future-Ready Skills.
‘Prudential’s purpose is to help people
get the most out of life. We do that
for customers and employees alike.
We know that career decisions are
significant – and that you entrust us
with your time, talent and passion.
This powers our ambitions in Asia
and Africa. In exchange, to honour
the trust you place in us, we pledge
to make Prudential a place where
you can Connect, Grow, and Succeed.’
Prudential plc’s Employee Value Proposition
INTRODUCTION
In October 2021, to give form to our Group Culture Framework, we
launched a unified employee value proposition (EVP). The EVP speaks
to our current and prospective employees, prompting reflection on
the impact they can make at Prudential, and providing tangible proof
points on how Prudential powers their careers. The EVP is as follows:
How Culture Shapes Our EVP
The EVP is a pledge, not a strategy itself. Our people strategy and
a three-year roadmap were socialised with our Board and guide our
work to fulfil the promises it makes. The strategy covers areas including
culture, diversity and inclusion, learning and development, leadership,
talent, performance and more; the roadmap lays out a series of
intended outcomes. During 2021, the roadmap called for aligning
processes and engaging our people, with performance management
being a focal point.
Purpose
Principles
Values
Future-Ready Skills
EVP Exchange
EVP Pledge
Campaigns
Segments
Personas
We help people get the most out of life
We put
customers first
We act
with integrity
We embrace a
growth mindset
We invest
in communities
We take the
long view
AMBITIOUS
CURIOUS
EMPATHETIC
COURAGEOUS
NIMBLE
Look
Broadly
Tell
Stories
Think
Conceptually
Imagine
Possibilities
Build
Iteratively
Work
Collaboratively
WHY
HOW
WHAT
PRU YOU
YOU PRU
Connect.
Grow.
Succeed.
People from the PRU
People
Future of Work
People Managers
Multiple personas to be developed in 2022 for each of the segments based on generation, background, skills, experience, etc.
6 | Group HR
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A System of Components
We intend to build a culture that
is purpose-led, customer-
focussed, and digitally-savvy.
Our Group Culture Framework
outlines who we are, why we exist,
how we conduct our business and
ourselves, as well as how we behave
while at work and out in the world.
The four components that comprise
our Culture Framework are: Purpose,
Principles, Values, Future-Ready Skills.
Culture can be difficult to describe
and even more difficult to
meaningfully shape. This carefully
architected system of components is
expressed in simple and sincere
terms, organised in a mutually
reinforcing way. It attempts to make
culture more actionable for our
leaders, more accessible for our
people and agents, and more tangible
for all involved.
Our values
A M B I T I O U S
C U R I O U S
E M P A T H E T I C
C O U R A G EO U S
N I M B L E
Culture
Our people surveys are central to measuring our progress on our
three-year culture journey. We conducted our first survey in May 2020
and our second in January 2021. These initial surveys told us that,
although our people were proud to work for Prudential and were being
supported in our initial response to Covid-19, they needed more
support in the areas of work-life balance, raising concerns, and career
and learning opportunities.
We then carried out our third global people survey in December 2021,
with 95 per cent of our colleagues participating and providing
feedback. Understanding of the Group’s values was the most
improved factor on the survey, compared to January 2021. Overall
engagement continues to improve, and our 2021 engagement score
was above the benchmark median score for all industries globally.
Since we ran the initial survey in May 2020, we have made significant
improvement in the following areas:
> Open and honest two-way communications;
> Reporting a concern without fear;
> Rarely feeling overstressed by work; and
> Doing something when someone is not delivering in their role.
At Group level, topics raised by colleagues included learning and
development opportunities, positioning our colleagues for growth
during business transformation and enhancing colleague wellness.
Insights from the survey will help inform plans at both business
and Group level.
In 2020, we conducted our first Collaboration Jam, a three-day
inclusive online conversation where colleagues could connect and
co-create solutions for the issues that matter most to them. Input
from our colleagues during 2020’s Collaboration Jam helped us to
define our new values: ambitious, curious, empathetic, courageous
and nimble, which we believe are fundamentally human values,
represented by different parts of the body so that they are accessible
regardless of language or seniority. Each value is defined by different
mindsets and acceptable and unacceptable behaviours, making it
clear what is expected of our colleagues. Our values are embedded in
our approach to feedback and reward. We launched our values in early
2021, with a series of videos where colleagues explained what the
values meant to them personally.
We conducted our second Collaboration Jam in August 2021, with
over 9,000 colleagues registering to participate and more than 75,000
comments made over the 72-hour period. As in 2020, the 2021 Jam
engaged our people to define another aspect of our Group Culture
Framework, our future-ready skills, which we explored through key
themes of culture and connection, customer-centricity, hybrid work,
and wellbeing and the future of work. We used this colleague input to
identify the values associated with the future-ready skills as well as the
competencies necessary to put them into action. The competencies
will be used to build our self-directed learning paths, which will be
offered to colleagues in 2022. Insights gained from the Collaboration
Jam form a key part of the ongoing development and iteration of our
people roadmap.
The values and the future-ready skills work together to signal to our
people how we want them to ‘show up’ in everyday interactions with
customers and colleagues and also what we want them to do as they
undertake their work. Our learning programmes are organised around
the future-ready skills and our people receive continuous feedback on
how well they are living the values from peers and managers through
TellMe, an internal app that enables this feedback.
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Learning
We have made a pledge to make Prudential a place where our people
can connect, grow, and succeed. A significant part of our pledge to
employees is preparing them for the future of work, so that they can
participate in and contribute to our transformation, and also so that
they are confident and well equipped for wherever their careers may
take them.
In 2021, at the Group level, we made a series of strategic investments
in learning and development (L&D). Our vision is to build a workforce
that knows how to learn and does so in the flow of work and in service
of our business ambitions. Our L&D strategy is intertwined with our
Group Culture Framework, linking our learning programmes to our
organisational culture. More information about the training provided
to our agency force is provided on page 79.
We have partnered with LUMA Institute, an education company,
to help develop our innovation and design thinking capability.
To achieve scale, we have introduced LUMA Workplace, which is an
online platform that enables a do-it-yourself approach to design
thinking that includes tools, templates, suggested agendas and more.
To lay a foundation for a broader rollout of design thinking as a
future-ready skill, we have trained almost 250 people from across
the Group on LUMA’s Practitioner Certification Programme.
We hosted two company-wide webinars: one on ‘New ways of
working’, and another called ‘What could go wrong?’ The first
unpacked our values and introduced the concepts around our
future-ready skills. It also served as the launch for LUMA Workplace
and LinkedIn Learning, which hosted curated learning paths around
our future-ready skills. The second webinar extended the narrative
around values into the space of sound risk management. Both
webinars were broadcast with live simultaneous translation in
several local languages to increase accessibility of the content.
Our local businesses also developed local learning programmes
tailored to specific needs. Notably, Prudential Singapore held a
week-long ‘Learning Fest’ called PRUYou Fest: Supercharging You
to Power up PRU, focused on capability building and celebrating
the learning culture at Prudential Singapore. The event saw 1,260
attendees, including employees and agency distributors, who clocked
over 1,700 learning hours that week.
Employees are expected to complete mandatory training each
year on key topics such as anti-bribery and corruption, anti-money
laundering, privacy and competition law, completing an average
of 12 hours training during 2021.
Diversity, inclusion and belonging
We seek to build a culture where diversity of thinking, skills, identity
and experience is celebrated and inclusion assured for our people,
customers and partners.
To proactively manage the hiring and promotion of senior leaders,
we have developed a dashboard that will be used at both a Group and
local business level to support the management of talent pipelines.
A summary of our D&I performance is included below. While our
diversity figures have improved year-on-year, we recognise that we
have more to do in this area, and a number of the initiatives set out
below are aimed at addressing this, for example our Talent
Sponsorship Programme that launched in 2021.
> At 31 December 2021, the representation of women on our
Board was 40 per cent. However, following the 2022 AGM, the
representation of women will be 33 per cent, just below the average
for FTSE100 companies, and we expect further changes during
2022 as the Board continues to evolve.
> We have exceeded the recommendation of the Parker Review to
have at least one director being from what is regarded in the UK
as an ethnic minority background on the Board by 2021, with five
of our 15 directors meeting this criteria.
> As a signatory to the HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter since
2016, we had a target of 30 per cent women in senior management
by the end of 2021. At 31 December 2021 this figure was
35 per cent.
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Gender diversity – total workforce*
Total workforce
8,291
6,183
12
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Gender diversity – senior management*
Senior Managers
Group Executive
Committee (GEC)
44
1
Executive Directors
Chair & Independent
Non-executive Directors
6
82
4
3
6
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Female
Male
Unspecified†
* Within the scope of EY assurance – see page 74
† No specification or information is captured on gender for an immaterial number
of our employees. These employees are recorded as ‘unspecified’.
Our Global D&I Council, established in May 2020, is responsible
for defining our global D&I strategy and supporting programmes,
promoting and championing D&I initiatives in respective
businesses and challenging the organisation when progress is limited.
The Council provides updates to the Board twice a year and the
Responsibility and Sustainability Working Group (RSWG) receives
quarterly D&I updates. In July 2021 we expanded the Council to
include five additional members to ensure alignment to the broader
ESG strategy. The Council has established a global D&I Charter
guided by the principles of empowering our employees, fostering
transparency, and creating communities.
In October 2021, after reviewing our approach to employee networks,
the Global D&I Council launched PRUCommunities, which are led and
owned by our people and open to everyone at Prudential, providing
person-to-person connections and a strengthened sense of belonging.
PRUCommunities is designed to be a safe place for our people to share
identities, interests and goals, and ignite the changes they would like
to see at Prudential. PRUCommunities of our people enable them
to Connect, Grow and Succeed through building connection and
community locally, regionally and globally across businesses
and functions. On 19 November 2021 the first global event for
PRUCommunities was hosted with #PinkFridayPride, run by PRUPride
to support LGBTQI+ colleagues.
During 2021, we launched our Talent Sponsorship Programme, which
is aimed at accelerating diverse talent and matches our most senior
executives as sponsors to selected leaders and sponsees who have
been identified through our talent review process as critical pipeline
for our future. This programme aims to provide sponsees with greater
visibility in the organisation, increasing their impact in their existing
roles and accelerating their career progression. The programme has
been a learning experience for both sponsors and sponsees, who
built trusted relationships across the organisation, gained a greater
understanding of other functions and developed their personal
leadership. To date, over 70 per cent of sponsees have achieved their
objectives. The programme will expand in 2022 by cascading to the
next level of our talent pipeline, doubling the number of sponsees to
60, and focusing on underrepresented talent groups, based on gender,
generation and background, to drive diversity and inclusion in
leadership at Prudential.
As part of our ongoing commitment to transparency, during 2021 we
again submitted responses to the ShareAction Workforce Disclosure
Initiative, where we achieved a score of 88 per cent (2020: 76 per cent)
and the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index, being listed on the index
for the second year.
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Leadership
We have taken steps to embed inclusive traits into the mindsets
and behaviours that underpin our values. We focus on Senior
Management Team (SMT) hiring, succession and development,
leveraging a tool underpinned by Hogan Assessments. The tool has
been developed to provide insight on alignment with our values and
leadership capabilities and identify potential derailers including
potential biases an individual may have. Furthermore, certain local
businesses have run workshops to invite leaders to reflect on their
personal leadership and engage conversation around changes that
could help them become more inclusive. This is consistent with our
approach on learning, where we set Group-wide strategy and run
certain company-wide programmes, which local businesses
complement with interventions to meet local needs.
With our focus on raising awareness and embedding our values and
inclusiveness, we provided our top 200 leaders with the Leadership
Culture Journey programme during 2021. The programme provided a
safe space, connecting leaders from across the organisation to reflect
and freely discuss our values and what they mean to our leaders
personally. They have also learned practices and tips to reinforce
our values in daily reality. As part of this, we introduced an Adaptive
Leadership framework, which supports systemic change around
mindsets, behaviours, capabilities and more.
Since 2020, we have enrolled a cohort of our leaders in a
Transformative Journey, a deeply contemplative programme aimed
at developing more human-centric leaders and change agents for the
organisation. Over 60 per cent of this year’s cohort reported improved
wellbeing and all say they have shifted their mindset and feel more
empowered to drive change. Going forward, we are aiming to reach
a critical mass of our leaders in order to drive a more courageous and
entrepreneurial mindset throughout the organisation. To sustain
the momentum of this programme, we are aiming to enrol up to
50 per cent of our leaders and top talent on this programme in 2022.
Talent and succession
Our talent management approach is evolving by providing both
targeted interventions for selected segments of talents and leaders
identified as successors for future leadership roles, as well as providing
all employees with access to individual development and career
opportunities. To align with external hiring, individuals identified in
succession pipelines will undertake our Hogan-based Assessment,
which will inform their selection when the role becomes available
and also guide their development in preparation for their next
career move.
Our focus is to promote from within to provide meaningful careers
for our people and strengthen our leadership capabilities deeper
into the organisation. In 2021, almost 70 per cent of our leadership
appointments have been internal candidates, of which a number
have come from the promotion of talents, including those who have
participated in our Talent Sponsorship Programme. We also focus on
internal mobility, and nearly 50 per cent of all appointments came
from cross-business mobility.
We have improved succession coverage by accelerating readiness
of successors who are ready to take a designated role within the next
18 months and we have increased our talent pipeline by 30 per cent
over three years. We have achieved this by moving deeper into the
line of succession to mitigate the risk of promotions leaving gaps.
To strengthen our pipelines in commercial, financial and HR roles,
we piloted new functional assessment centres, using psychometrics to
identify future potential and panel interviews on critical skills assessed
by internal leaders. Our Executive Development Centre supports the
talent pipeline for the most strategic roles in our organisation, with
43 per cent of participants being promoted within a year, 14 per cent
taking on expanded roles and the remainder continuing to grow into
their existing roles.
Recognising that every employee is a talent, we are developing
a more democratised approach to talent development, providing
all employees with the opportunity to access mentoring and new
career experiences.
In June, we launched myMentor, a platform to provide mentoring
at scale, where employees can register as a mentor and/or search
for a mentor across the entire organisation. Mentors can share their
extensive knowledge, insights, advice and experiences with colleagues
across the Group, supporting personal and organisational growth
in a transparent and democratised manner. Over 130 mentoring
relationships have been created during 2021 on the platform,
significantly increasing the number of mentorship opportunities
for our people.
In October, we piloted our Opportunity Marketplace platform, which
aims to provide colleagues with new learning and development
opportunities, capturing the untapped energy and capabilities of
our people. The Marketplace applies machine learning to match our
people’s skills and aspirations with project opportunities, permanent
roles and learning opportunities. It allows people to drive their own
growth and development by furthering their experience and skills in
areas that interest them. We will continue to roll out the Opportunity
Marketplace during 2022.
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Wellbeing
Following feedback from our Collaboration Jams, we have sought
to raise awareness on wellness, as well as connection with and
recognition from colleagues. During 2021, we co-created our
wellbeing framework with all of our businesses to define how we
ensure that we look after the health and wellness of our employees.
Our focus is on four main wellbeing pillars: health and wellness,
financial, work-life blend and mental wellbeing. More detail on how we
support our colleagues across these four areas of wellbeing is provided
in the table below. These Group-wide programmes are supplemented
by local initiatives, including family Fridays, where employees are
encouraged to finish early, virtual fitness challenges and wellbeing
webinars and speaker events. The implementation of the wellbeing
framework is monitored through a dashboard, which provides an
indication of how well we are performing against the wellbeing
standards and enablers.
We continue to develop our wellbeing approach in the context of the
rapid transition to hybrid ways of working, which will see an ongoing
proportion of people continuing to work remotely. We have developed
our approach to hybrid working, including principles and toolkits to
support our employees based on guidance from our people through
the 2021 Collaboration Jam, along with input from our managers and
leadership. In October, we engaged over 120 managers across the
Group to understand how to support them to implement hybrid
working at Prudential on an ongoing basis. This identified three key
areas of focus for successful hybrid working, namely technical skills
and the need for digital upskilling of employees, human skills to
support and manage wellbeing, and organisational support to provide
consistent access to hybrid working arrangements for our people.
The aim of this is to enable a transition to sustainable performance
that prioritises employee wellbeing while facilitating working in a
hybrid way.
Reward and recognition
We aim to build reward plans that attract and engage exceptional
people, foster their wellbeing and provide with them fair and
personalised opportunities to share in organisational success.
We recognise and reward high performance and are committed to a
fair and transparent system of reward. Among our benefits, we offer
employees competitive pension arrangements. Remuneration is
linked to the delivery of business goals, our values and expected
behaviours. We ensure that our rewards for our people do not
incentivise inappropriate risk-taking by assessing employees on
‘what’ they have achieved, and on ‘how’ they have done so.
We aim to create the right environment for all of our people to excel
and contribute to the company’s success, in line with our purpose to
help people get the most out of life. In 2021, we introduced a new
performance management framework based on our employee value
proposition to connect, grow and succeed. The framework is based
on our ‘Coach’ principles:
> Continuous: Frequent feedback anytime, anywhere;
> Ownership: Each of us is responsible for our own careers;
> Authentic: Open conversations in a trusted, honest and
motivating manner;
> Clear employee, team and individual goals: Clarity on what is
expected of our employees and teams; individual goals all align
to our business strategy; and
> How we behave and exhibit our Group values form an integral
component of individual performance.
We have prioritised linking our values to reward outcomes. We
continue to drive 360-feedback for our colleagues, which we adapted
in 2021 to ensure the way in which we evaluate performance and
development is aligned with our values. The behaviours associated
with our values form the basis of peer-to-peer feedback, which in turn
is included in annual performance reviews, linking behaviours to
reward outcomes.
The Group’s executive remuneration arrangements reward the
achievement of Group, business, functional and personal targets,
provided that performance is aligned to the Group’s risk framework
and appetite and that our conduct expectations, as well as those
of our regulators and other stakeholders, are met. Information on
executive remuneration and its alignment with the pay of other
employees, including the CEO pay ratio and UK gender pay gap,
is provided in the Directors’ Remuneration Report within the
Annual Report.
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Wellbeing at Prudential is defined across four pillars:
Area
Health and wellness We create a
Benefit principles
workplace that fosters
a healthy lifestyle
We provide competitive
protection benefits
for employees and
their families
Mental wellbeing
We promote mental
health through access
to services and support,
when and where our
people need them within
an environment of
psychological safety
at work
Financial wellbeing We support our
Social wellbeing
employees to achieve
financial security
through innovative
financial tools, financial
literacy and planning
We provide an inclusive,
family-friendly work
environment and
promote community
work opportunities
We recognise different
ways of working
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Additional benefits available in some of our markets
Home Environment – To foster a safer and
more comfortable home environment we offer
to provide colleagues with home office and
gym equipment, as well as hygiene and
cleaning devices.
Healthy Lifestyle – To emphasise a healthy
lifestyle, we offer nutrition, fitness training
and also collective office exercise breaks.
Vaccination Leave – We offer extra time off for
colleagues to receive vaccinations and have
proper time to rest and recover.
Core company-wide benefits
All our markets offer minimum life
coverage of 48x monthly base salary
to help provide financial security for
colleagues’ families, subject to local
insurer approvals. This is in addition to
the supplementary support of six months
guaranteed basic cash and other benefits,
such as accrued pension and extended
medical coverage.
Pru Care Fund – In addition to life
protection and sick leave benefits in
place, we are ready to provide financial
assistance of up to US$20,000 so that
employees can meet basic needs in
the event of hardship resulting from
unexpected loss of income due to
permanent disability, critical illness
or exceptional circumstances.
Our medical plans include coverage for
clinical psychologists and psychiatrists
for employees and their dependants.
Staycation – Additional time off is offered in
conjunction with annual leave to encourage
leisure and recharge during lockdown.
Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
– We offer 24/7 counselling for colleagues
and dependants, supplemented by a
year-long series of webinars on wellbeing.
We offer competitive retirement
savings plans.
PruSharePlus – this is an employee
share scheme offered across most of
our markets that gives employees an
opportunity to invest in the Company
in return for matching share awards.
Hybrid working.
Global Wellness Day – All colleagues
across our global footprint were
encouraged to take a synchronous day
off, dedicated to resting, recharging and
spending time with family and friends.
PRUCommunities, with a focus on health
and sport, have been supported and
created across the organisation and
are being further encouraged with the
launch of the Global PRUCommunities
Governance Framework in October 2021.
Parental Care Expenses – This replaces
maternity coverage expenses and is extended
to cover expenses related to adoption
and surrogacy.
Parental Leave – Primary caregivers can have
up to 16 consecutive weeks of paid leave,
subject to statutory requirements, following
the birth, adoption or surrogacy of a child.
This replaces maternity leave.
Partner Leave – Partners supporting primary
caregivers in the event of the birth, adoption
or surrogacy of a child can have up to 10 days
of paid leave. This replaces our current five-day
paid paternity leave.
Phase Back – Colleagues may return to work on
a part-time basis (minimally 50 per cent) for up
to four weeks following a period of long-term
absence, such as parental leave or long-term
sick leave.
Sabbatical – Colleagues may apply for an
unpaid career break of up to 12 months,
subject to your years of service.
Early Release on Eve of Special Holidays – Early
release will move to 12pm from 4pm to give
colleagues more time to enjoy and celebrate
special holidays with family and friends.
prudentialplc.com
Mental Health Framework
The pandemic has led to a rising demand for mental health
support. Prudential has introduced a Mental Health Framework
focused on raising awareness, providing preventive care, offering
protection and building sustainability through support and
connection in the workplace, collectively known as ‘APPS’.
Since the launch of our new Employee Assistance Programme
(EAP) in March 2021, about one in four employees have
accessed the services. Since inception, over 2,400 employees
have attended our monthly wellbeing seminars on topics
including boosting mental health, building resilience and
effective stress management since inception. The top searches
on the EAP website were in relation to mental health and
work-related subjects.
We have also enhanced our mental health coverage by
incorporating psychiatrist and clinical psychologist coverage in
local health plans to support the inclusion of mental health for
employees and their dependants.
Looking ahead, we are focused on building deep capability and driving
mobility across the organisation. This is in line with the needs of the
business as we accelerate Pulse and continue to drive our
transformation. Building on this year’s progress, our priorities for
2022 include:
> Work: Preparing our people for the future of work. We will raise the
digital literacy of our entire population and host a series of design
thinking programmes to reinforce our values, build out our
future-ready skillsets, and equip our people managers.
> Workforce: Positioning our business and digital teams for growth.
We will continue organisation design work that clarifies our
operating model, make a significant investment in digital upskilling
for select technical roles, and increase rotational assignments.
> Workplace: Powering high-performance teams and wellness for all.
We will deploy tools and programmes that support sustainable
hybrid working and continue the focus on psychological safety,
particularly as it relates to workloads and expectations.
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Our digital responsibility
Digital innovation is central to our aim of helping our customers to
be healthier and wealthier, helping them to get the most out of life.
We are ambitious and we act with integrity in regard to digital
responsibility. We are resolute in our commitment to fairness, safety
and transparency in the design, governance and operation of our
digital ecosystem.
Group-wide Information Security Framework
With the increasing reliance on technology in delivering our business
objectives, effective management of technology risk is of paramount
importance. Information security and privacy is rated one of the
top risks in Prudential, and we continue to demonstrate strong
commitment to protect our customer data and preserve the
privacy of our customers through a robust information security
management framework.
Global Security Operating Model
The Group-wide information security team operates globally through
a ‘Centre of Execution’ model, leveraging skillsets, experience and
resources across our geographical footprint to optimise our security
defences and responses across Asia, Africa and the UK. The model
fosters strong collaboration and knowledge sharing, which is crucial
in the new era of cyber security. The global model has allowed us
to consolidate and optimise information security technologies and
processes across the Group, enabling security services to become
more effective and efficient.
Group Data Policy
More than ever, the ability to manage increasing volumes of data
is critical to any company’s success in a digital world. Prudential is
currently going through a digital transformation and is creating
ecosystems that enable the Group to collect and use data from
various customer touchpoints. Given the Group’s ongoing digital
aspirations, the data that needs to be managed is expected to
continue to grow at pace, with an increase in both the variety
and volume of information and the speed at which it is collected.
Managing this data responsibly is key to gaining the trust of
customers globally.
The Group Data Policy defines Prudential’s approach to ensuring that
core data is managed effectively throughout its lifecycle in line with
the regulatory frameworks of the markets in which we operate, data
security and privacy policies and the Group Data Strategy. Under the
Group Data Strategy, we seek to democratise the access of data,
turning data into an organisational asset that can be leveraged to
improve the health of our customers and enhance their wealth.
Core data has been defined as data that is currently relevant to the
single sources of truth for customer, product, pricing, contract, asset,
valuation and external data.
The data lifecycle includes acquiring the right data, ingesting it,
storing it, transforming it so that it can be consumed by applications
to support AI, business intelligence and operational use cases,
and retaining it in accordance with regulatory requirements.
The effective management of Prudential’s data is a joint responsibility
of the business and technology teams, and managing data
responsibly is key in gaining the trust of our customers globally.
Specifically, the policy requirements are classified into five key areas:
> Data governance and structure: The practice of making strategic
and operational decisions to manage organisational data
effectively. Data Governance Councils are established at Group
and local business levels and define data procedures and policies
to be implemented across the organisation.
> Data access: Ensure data is easily explorable and accessible
in a structured way.
> Data usage: Ensure data is not misused or abused, and is used
ethically, according to any applicable law, and with due
consideration for individual privacy.
> Data quality: Ensure that the organisation’s data is accurate
and consistent over its entire lifecycle.
> Training and certification: Create a data culture within the
organisation. Improve the data literacy of our staff.
Group Information Security Policy
The Group Information Security Policy (GISP) underpins how
Prudential governs and manages information security. To support
our global approach, the GISP is applied to all relevant businesses in
Prudential, and the policy is developed with reference to numerous
international and local standards including:
> ISO27002;
> NIST Cyber Security Framework;
> The Hong Kong Insurance Authority Guideline on Cybersecurity;
> The Monetary Authority of Singapore’s Guidelines on Technology
Risk Management; and
> The Bank Negara Malaysia Risk Management in Technology
Policy Document.
The policy is also supported by a suite of technical standards to enable
consistent implementation. Our global security function retains its
overarching commitment to protect the business, comply with all
applicable laws and regulations, and support the growth of the
Group securely.
Oversight and Governance of Information Security
As the technology landscape of Prudential continues to evolve at
pace, a new technology risk management model has been established
through: (i) the establishment of the Group Technology Risk
Committee (GTRC) and the Technology Risk Management team;
(ii) the operationalisation of technology risk reporting across all
businesses; and (iii) the provision of independent second-line
assurance services.
The GTRC was established in September 2021, replacing the Group
Information Security and Privacy Committee (GISPC), following the
demerger of Jackson. The GTRC defines and provides governance
of the overall technology risk management framework, including
information security and privacy risks, across the Group. The GTRC
meets at least quarterly and is a sub-committee of the Group
Executive Risk Committee (GERC).
As the chairman of the GTRC and a standing member of the GERC,
the Group Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) provides regular
update to the GERC and the Group Risk Committee (GRC) on the cyber
threats facing Prudential and the progress of Prudential’s security
programme. Periodically, the Group CISO also holds a dedicated
session with the GRC for a more in-depth discussion on the cyber risk
facing Prudential.
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Data within our digital ecosystem is treated the same as all data in our
organisation and is governed by the Group-wide Information Security
Policy and Group-wide Privacy Policy. Pulse collects information about
users in order to provide relevant services to them. Health-related
information is collected by our health partners (such as Babylon)
directly and Prudential will only receive a user’s health information
from our health partners with the user’s explicit consent. All
information collected is transparent to the user through the Privacy
Notice provided to them before user registration.
To align the range of regulatory expectations and requirements across
our businesses relating to customer privacy, we have developed the
OnePulse Privacy Framework (OPF) to standardise the implementation
of privacy controls. Referencing the General Data Protection
Regulation (GDPR) requirements, the OPF outlines the mandatory
and configurable controls to be built into our Pulse app, covering data
subject rights, customer consent and privacy notices. Additional
controls are being considered as regulatory requirements evolve eg
China Personal Information Protection Law. More information about
our approach to privacy is available below.
Privacy
As a business with a large global footprint, Prudential must navigate
a number of different privacy laws. Robust privacy governance allows
us to ensure that processing activities concerning the personal data
of our customers, staff members, agents and stakeholders are
embedded with ‘privacy-by-design’ principles and their privacy rights
are being respected, which includes personal data being used and
processed with legitimate causes, no over-collection of their personal
data or tracking them, the data subjects being well informed about
our processing and their respective privacy rights and processes being
in place for handling their requests. This supports Prudential’s
trustworthiness with customers, enabling them to let us process their
personal data without concern that their data will be misused. A key
focus in 2021 was to further embed privacy across the Group and
ensure that the protection and compliant use of personal data is
considered a key component during new projects and initiatives.
In addition to the local privacy training that employees receive, global
training focusing on the requirements of the Group Privacy Policy has
been rolled out to ensure that employees are regularly reminded of
their responsibilities when handling personal data. Privacy maturity
reviews were conducted across Asia, Africa and the UK and work is
underway to further strengthen our Group-wide privacy controls.
The Group Privacy Office continues to have oversight of privacy
compliance through implementation of the Group Privacy Policy
and regularly reports on Privacy compliance to the Group Executive
Risk Committee. The office works closely with privacy officers across
Asia and Africa to support and advise on ongoing privacy compliance,
as well as to provide a point of escalation for resolving data
privacy issues.
Cyber strategy and risk management
We have developed our global information security programme
to deliver our cyber security strategy and to drive continuous
improvement across people, process and technology.
During 2021, the Group-wide information security programme
evolved to focus on four key aspects to protect the Group and our
customer data against heightened cyber threats, while enabling
digital transformation of the business. These are (1) enabling secured
digital platform and ecosystems; (2) uplifting the cyber defence
capabilities; (3) automation and continuous improvement; and (4)
transformation of the security organisation.
Data breach metrics
Total number of
(privacy) data
breaches
Total number of
(privacy) data
breaches involving
sensitive health
information
Total number of
customers and
employees affected
by company’s data
breaches
18
6
47,266
Total number of
customers and
employees affected
by company’s data
breaches involving
sensitive health
information
113
A total of 18 data breaches were reported and collectively involved
personal data of 47,266 individuals. The top three types of data
breaches were i) loss of policy documents in transit (33 per cent);
ii) data disclosed to incorrect recipient by email, post or other means
(33 per cent); and iii) SMSs sent to wrong customers or terminated
distribution representatives (22 per cent).
Out of the 18 data breaches reported, six involved sensitive health
information and collectively impacted 113 individuals. The six data
breaches were mainly related to policy document loss, data disclosed
to incorrect recipient via post or emails, and a contractor sending
unencrypted files to an external email address.
While the incidents do not represent any systemic issue, mitigation
actions have been taken to prevent recurrence of the incidents.
Digital responsibility and Pulse
Prudential is committed to providing robust security protection over
both our Pulse app and customer data, via a core set of security
controls that have been implemented into our Pulse app. These
include multi-factor authentication as part of the device registration
process, mandating minimum mobile device operating systems
versions, prevention of jailbroken and rooted devices from using Pulse,
and the secure transmission and storage of data.
The Pulse app follows a robust secure development lifecycle that
includes scanning for vulnerabilities in code and open-source software
libraries. Independent penetration testing is conducted by a third
party as and when changes are delivered as part of the Pulse
ecosystem development. This is further secured by continuous testing
through engaging a group of professional security researchers or
ethical hackers.
Our Pulse ecosystem relies on partnerships with a range of third
parties. All business partners we engage with go through a detailed
due diligence process to ensure that they meet our high standards on
data security and protection requirements. Additionally, our in-house
security monitoring tool has been developed to detect vulnerability
and alert our key partners in order to keep Prudential safe by keeping
our ecosystem partners safe.
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Development of AI Council and AI Ethics Principles
Artificial intelligence (AI) is not only core to Pulse, but in the course of 2021, AI has successfully been
deployed in several insurance business processes. This is guided by our eight AI Ethics Principles,
which we developed in 2020 and which are governed by the Global AI Council. They are:
Value
Design AI with a clearly defined purpose,
and aligned with customer values
Transparency and
Explainability
Be transparent that AI is used
as part of our products and
services, explain this simply
and be prepared to justify
decisions made
Fairness
Treat people fairly,
avoid bias and unfair
discrimination
Reliability
Design AI that is highly
reliable and robust
Compliance
Comply and respect
relevant regulations,
including human rights laws
Accountability
and Responsibility
Accept accountability
transparently for the
outcome of the use of AI
Privacy and Security
Respect user privacy
and security
Assurance
Continuously review and
monitor our AI deployment
and outcomes to continually
meet all principles
Building AI and digital capabilities
for the next generation
AI Bootcamp – Prudential Cambodia organised an AI Bootcamp
in October 2021 to raise awareness of AI technology and its
applications among local universities, as well as create brand
awareness of Pulse and recruit Pulse Ambassadors. Thirty
students from seven local universities with different backgrounds
and majors participated in the event. Prudential colleagues led
workshops that took students with no knowledge of AI to create
a workable AI prototype during the one-day hackathon, which
ended with a competition. The event was well received by the
students, and Prudential Cambodia plans to organise similar
hackathon events in the future.
PRU AI Explorer Programme – Launched in the Philippines, the
PRU AI Explorer Programme is a capability-building programme
that offers AI and digital learnings, and immersion opportunities
for underserved teens, in partnership with Junior Achievement
Philippines and Microsoft Philippines. Its pilot run entailed a
complementary Microsoft-powered online introductory Data
Science course and Data Analyst certification for 1,000 senior
high students from public schools and alternative learning
systems in various marginalised communities including Tondo in
Manila, Cabanatuan City in Luzon, Negros Occidental province in
Visayas, and the Bicol region.
An AI Centre of Execution (CoE) has also been set up to optimise
expertise and serves as a platform for best practices sharing across
the Group.
The Ethics Working Group of the Global AI Council is instrumental in
upholding our AI Ethics Principles and is the only working group that
approves or rejects AI prototypes. This working group was constituted
and met for the first time in 2021. Chaired by Prudential’s Global Chief
Science Officer, its 15 members include representatives from various
businesses and functions, with expertise in the fields of AI, medicine
and ethics. Its main responsibilities include providing approval of all AI
initiatives and prototypes and maintaining a record of all assessments
and certifications.
In 2021, the Ethics Working Group reviewed AI systems that were in
production for compliance with our eight AI Ethics Principles, based
on real-world system performance. In several instances, the Ethics
Working Group has made the decision to remove existing AI
functionality from production where it has not been possible to
ascertain compliance with all eight principles. The features removed
include My AI Clinic, AI Skin Health Check, and Gout Buster,
demonstrating how we evolve our AI deployment to align with
our customers’ needs and provide tangible value to them.
Our AI ethics governance has enabled us to build and implement
AI systems thoughtfully, by considering all aspects that promote
the responsible and ethical use of AI.
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investment portfolio. The new Group Responsible Investment Policy
and the targets announced in May 2021 were both discussed by the
GRIAC, prior to approval by the Group ESG Committee and the
Responsibility and Sustainability Working Group (RSWG).
Our asset manager, Eastspring, has established its own governance
structure for responsible investment, which is aligned with the Group
governance, to ensure ESG considerations are taken into account in
all investment activities, and also for assets managed for third-party
clients. Additionally, Eastspring is responsible for the implementation
of certain elements of the Group Responsible Investment Policy, for
which an appropriate governance structure is needed. The Eastspring
Investments Sustainability Steering Committee, chaired by the
Eastspring’s Chief Executive Officer, oversees all sustainability and
responsible investment activities. The Eastspring Responsible
Investment Working Group assists in implementation of the activities.
Further information on Eastspring’s governance can be found at
www.eastspring.com/about-us/responsible-investment
Group Responsible Investment Policy
During 2021, we made significant updates to our Group Responsible
Investment Policy. The purpose of the policy is to articulate the
Group’s expectations relating to responsible investment and guide our
local businesses and asset managers, including Eastspring Portfolio
Advisers (EPA), on how to consider ESG factors in investment activities.
EPA is our investment centre of excellence for tactical asset allocation,
model portfolio construction, manager selection, liability-driven
investments and solutions and derivative expertise.
The policy aims to manage ESG risks and improve long-term returns
on assets, producing better results for both clients and communities.
The policy ensures that, as an asset owner and asset manager,
Prudential can monitor and measure ESG considerations over time.
A summary of the policy can be found here: www.prudentialplc.com/
en/investors/governance-and-policies/policies-and-statements,
including details on the scope of the policy. The updated Group
Responsible Investment Policy is structured across six different
implementation strategies as shown in the diagram below to support
the investment portfolio targets we announced in May 2021, as set
out in the Climate-related metrics and targets section on page 82.
This implementation strategies approach was developed in 2021
as part of the policy update.
Strategic Enabler: Responsible investment
As a significant allocator of capital in financial markets, our
commitment to responsible investment encompasses our role as both
asset owner and asset manager. In that capacity, we can play a vital
role in the just and inclusive transition to a low-carbon economy.
We seek to apply ESG considerations more broadly in our investment
decisions and in our stewardship duties, including ensuring that our
investment decisions are aligned with our diversity values and support
our focus on making health and financial security accessible.
Responsible Investment Governance
We see responsible investment as the dual responsibility of both the
asset owner and the asset manager. Our life insurance businesses
(as asset owners) and Eastspring (as asset managers, including its
advisory activities through Eastspring Portfolio Advisers) therefore
work closely together on all aspects of responsible investment. This
dual responsibility is reflected both in our governance and in our Group
Responsible Investment Policy, which outlines our expectations as
described further below in this section. The governance for ESG, which
includes the governance for responsible investment, is set out in the
ESG governance section on page 69 of this report.
Responsible investment activity is overseen by the Group ESG
Committee. Operational responsibility for responsible investment
activity is delegated to the Group Responsible Investment Advisory
Committee (GRIAC), which provides a forum for the Group and local
businesses to consider responsible investment approaches. The GRIAC
is co-chaired by the Chief Investment Officer (CIO) of Prudential
and Co-Chief Investment Officer of Eastspring, who are both senior
executives within our main asset owner and asset management
businesses. Other permanent members include the CIOs of the major
life businesses, as well as representatives from the Group Finance and
Group Risk functions.
The GRIAC meets at least monthly to monitor the implementation of
current responsible investment activities, and considers and prioritises
new initiatives. The GRIAC considers potential trade-offs between
responsible investment initiatives and the risk/return profile of the
Our six implementation strategies
Screening the
portfolio
Maintaining an
awareness of the
potential risks to the
Group’s reputation
arising from
investment activities
Exclusion
ESG integration
Active ownership
Capital allocation
Market influence
Excluding a
company from
the investment
portfolio if its
products or conduct
is considered to be
unacceptable
Incorporation of
ESG information
into our parts of the
investment process:
> Asset allocation
> Portfolio
management
> Risk
management
> Manager
selection
Maintaining a
dialogue with
the companies in
which we invest
about ESG risks and
opportunities
Voting policy that
supports long-term
performance by
taking account of
relevant ESG issues
Shifting capital
from harmful
activites towards
environmental or
social needs
> Portfolio
decarbonisation
> ESG investments
Influencing the
market with regard
to responsible
investment by
contributing
to sustainable
initiatives
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Screening the portfolio
Our local businesses are required to maintain an awareness of ESG risks in the investment portfolio and report on these, enabling us to take
appropriate action if an investee company’s products or conduct are not in line with our values. This screening is integrated to internal reporting on
responsible investment and is also carried out on an ad hoc basis. Screening is the starting point for any new policy on responsible investment and
it informs our follow-up actions, such as engagement or shifting invested capital away from the company, with complete exclusion as a last resort.
Examples of screening the investment portfolio include assessments of our exposure to violators of the UN Global Compact and other severe
incidents relating to conduct.
Exclusion
We exclude companies from our investment portfolio if their products or conduct are considered to be unacceptable to Prudential. When considering
a Group-wide exclusion, an assessment is made on the expected risk vs return impact of the investment portfolio. A proposal for an exclusion needs
to be approved by the local business and follows our responsible investment governance process.
We have Group-wide exclusions on coal, tobacco and controversial weapons as defined below. Our local businesses may add additional companies
to their exclusions if they see fit. The scope and nature of the Group-wide exclusions are reviewed regularly, both for appropriateness and impact on
the investment portfolio.
Our Group-wide exclusions
Coal exclusion
Description
Exceptions
Companies generating more than 30 per cent of their revenue from coal mining and/or electricity generated from coal.
Green bonds of coal companies with clear alignment to the Paris Agreement are exempted as Prudential will support
these companies in contributing to the energy transition. The investment portfolio manager should also seek reasonable
assurance that funding provided by the green bond is not freeing up additional financial capacity for that issuer or related
companies in the market that will be used to fund non-sustainable alternatives.
Status
Divestment by the end of 2021 for equities has been completed, and by the end of 2022 for corporate bonds is on track.
Tobacco exclusion
Description
Exceptions
Status
Companies that produce tobacco, which are labelled as ‘Tobacco’ by GICS level 3 (or GICS Sub-Industry).
None
Divestment by end 2021 has been completed.
Controversial weapons exclusion
Description
Companies with verified involvement in cluster munitions, anti-personnel mines, biological weapons, chemical weapons
and nuclear weapons outside of the UN Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
Exceptions
None
Status
Divestment by end 2021 has been completed.
In 2021, Eastspring developed and implemented an exclusions policy
for the large majority of its Collective Investment Schemes (CIS).
While this exclusions policy currently addresses tobacco and
controversial weapons exclusions, Eastspring is committed to an
ongoing review of this policy. For example, Eastspring is assessing
the potential implications related to the exclusion of companies
generating revenue from coal, where it has direct control over mandate
guidelines, and the potential for engagement with clients in relation
to their own mandate guidelines. The definitions of Eastspring’s
exclusions align to the definitions of the Group-wide exclusions.
ESG integration
We seek to integrate ESG factors into our investment decisions
alongside traditional financial analysis, to better manage risk and
generate sustainable, long-term returns for our customers. ESG
integration is relevant for the entire investment process, and all
the relevant investment teams within the Group are expected to
demonstrate how ESG considerations are integrated into investment
decisions. Eastspring in Singapore has integrated the Sustainability
Accounting Standards Board (SASB) framework into the majority of
its investment processes to help systematically identify financially
material ESG factors at the company level.
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Eastspring also reports annually to the Principles of Responsible
Investment (PRI), demonstrating how ESG is integrated into
investment decisions. In 2020, Eastspring achieved A+ scores across
two categories and A scores across four categories, well above the
median scores for the PRI’s asset management signatories. The PRI’s
next reporting cycle has been postponed until 2023, but we remain
committed to providing transparency on our progress.
We operate in both developed and emerging markets in Asia and
Africa and the responsible investment landscape differs significantly
across these markets. Challenges relating to the emerging markets in
which we operate include the availability of company-level ESG data.
If data is not available in a certain market, local investment teams are
required to set up their own framework to assess ESG risks. Eastspring
Vietnam has set up such a framework, leveraging industry standards
and combining this with company-level assessments, which are often
obtained by speaking to companies directly.
We are supportive of further regulation around ESG integration in
investments (see the Policy engagement and advocacy section on
page 92). The European Union’s Sustainable Finance Disclosure
Regulation (SFDR) is one such development. In 2021, 82 per cent
of Eastspring’s international funds (SICAV) received Article 8 status,
which means the fund ‘promotes, among other characteristics,
environmental or social characteristics, or a combination of those
characteristics, provided that the companies in which the investments
are made follow good governance practices’.
Additionally, we have integrated climate risk into our investment
process for our balance sheet assets, where relevant. We treat climate
risk as a cross-cutting risk within our risk management and we
continue developing our climate scenario testing approach. More
information on how we take climate risk into account is covered in the
Stewarding the human impacts of climate change section on page 82.
We are also exploring methods to integrate climate change in our
strategic asset allocation. Our asset manager, Eastspring, approaches
climate risk at the company level and has engaged with the Singapore
regulator, Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), on its
Environmental Risk Management Guidelines.
Active ownership through engagement and voting
As custodians of our customers’ assets, it is important that we act
in ways consistent with our stewardship responsibilities. This means
seeking to maximise the long-term capital growth of the assets
entrusted to us, while remaining accountable to our customers for
our actions and being aware of our duty to uphold their best interests
when carrying out investment activities.
Eastspring is a member of International Corporate Governance
Network (ICGN) and its stewardship approach is aligned with the
ICGN Global Stewardship Principles and ICGN Global Governance
Principles. Eastspring is also a member of the Asian Corporate
Governance Association, which seeks to promote high standards
of corporate governance across the Asia-Pacific region.
We believe active ownership via engagement and voting is preferable
to divestment and will seek to engage with investee companies where
we have concerns, and use divestment only in circumstances where
that is the appropriate response.
Engagement
Engagement is a core part of providing effective stewardship and we
seek to encourage business and management practices that support
sustainable financial performance through constructive interaction,
based on our in-depth knowledge of the companies and their business
environment. Our level of conviction to hold a particular investment
can be impacted by the results of engagement.
Eastspring undertakes company engagements focused on both
financial and non-financial matters on an annual basis. Engagement
is traditionally carried out for equity holdings, but investing in
companies’ debt can also be used as a way to engage with companies
on important matters. Engagement is therefore happening across
different teams within Eastspring, with its Equity, Fixed Income and
Sustainability teams engaging on different topics:
> Engagement with the companies responsible for 65 per cent of
the absolute carbon emissions of Prudential’s investment portfolio,
as described in the box below;
> Engagement with companies on ESG risks that are financially
material for the specific company to get a better understanding
on how the company is handling these risks; and
> Collaborative engagement focusing on specific ESG topics.
With respect to specific engagements related to material ESG issues,
Eastspring’s Equity, Fixed Income and Sustainability teams have
engaged with around 500 companies in 2021, in addition to
engagement on financial issues with companies.
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Eastspring participates actively in industry working groups on
sustainability. On climate change, Eastspring is actively involved
in the following:
> Asia and Japan engagement by Climate Action 100+
> the ASEAN utilities engagement undertaken by the Asia
Investor Group on Climate Change (AIGCC)
> engagement on disclosure on climate change, water
and deforestation by the CDP
The production of palm oil is linked to deforestation and biodiversity
loss, with over 85 per cent of the global supply of palm oil produced
in Indonesia and Malaysia. Prudential operates in both of these
countries and, as an example of collaborative engagement, Eastspring
has joined the PRI Sustainable Commodities Programme. Within this
working group, Eastspring Indonesia and Eastspring Malaysia are
engaging with companies to produce more RSPO-certified palm oil,
which is an important step in making the sector more sustainable.
Another example of collaborative engagement is with a Malaysian
utility company, where Eastspring combined direct and collaborative
engagement. The equity team in Malaysia conducted four
engagements with the company in 2021 to address its renewable
energy ambitions, including technology applications, its overseas
acquisitions, and its plans to reduce its reliance on coal via its energy
transition. Eastspring was part of a collaborative engagement
whereby the company’s net zero ambitions were discussed. Eastspring,
through the AIGCC Utilities Engagement Programme, followed this
engagement with a written request for the company to specifically
state its plan on how it will reach its net zero ambitions with short,
medium, and longer-term targets. Currently, the company is signalling
that target-setting is expected to take place in early 2023.
ESG report / continued
Engagement target on climate change
We have set a target to engage with the companies responsible
for 65 per cent of the absolute carbon footprint of our investment
portfolio. Eastspring has developed a process to meet this
engagement target. Engagement is carried out by the portfolio
manager and/or by the sustainability team. The sustainability
team works closely with the investment teams to make sure
the engagement is aligned and the relevant information is
incorporated. Eastspring relies on multiple sources of input to
inform engagement, including input from the portfolio manager,
CDP, Climate Action 100+ and the company’s sustainability reports.
Identify which
companies contribute
65 per cent of
absolute carbon
footprint
Engage with company,
monitor progress,
review at
pre-determined dates
and determine
follow-up actions
Cross-check company
disclosures against
market standards,
initiatives and view
of investment team
Assessment of
company’s quality
of management,
targets and
strategy by
Eastspring
sustainability team
For engagement relating to decarbonisation, the requests
included in the engagement are aligned with the expectations
of the Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance for companies to:
> commit to net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across their
value chains by no later than 2050 and be supportive of the
transition to a net-zero greenhouse gas emission world by 2050;
> define interim GHG reduction targets that are in line with
reaching net-zero emissions by 2050;
> develop and implement plans for their businesses to remain
viable in a climate-neutral economy, with meaningful
consideration of associated social impacts;
> support adoption and implementation of governmental
policies facilitating the transition to net-zero emissions;
> prepare for and not disrupt price mechanisms on GHG
emissions;
> take action and make progress on efforts to lower GHG
emission intensity of their operations and products, and
to disclose in line with the four core elements of TCFD
recommendations: governance, strategy, risk management,
and metrics and targets; and
> enter direct time-bound engagement dialogue with Alliance
members and/or other investor initiatives to discuss efforts
to decarbonise their business by 2050.
Eastspring has developed a process to meet this engagement
target and has made progress in 2021 towards meeting the
target by reviewing 44 per cent of these investee companies
and engaging with 31 per cent of the same group. Eastspring
will continue engagement until it is decided the company has
implemented our requests satisfactorily.
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Eastspring’s disagreement to the equity-dilutive bond issue and
accepted its recommendation for training and adoption of SASB
disclosure standards.
While the steel industry’s commitment to transition toward a
low-carbon economy is vital, we continue to actively engage on
a range of material ESG issues.
Example 2
The equity team in Singapore engaged an Australian-based steel
company on gender diversity. Progress has been made with a piloted
talent acquisition strategy, which has driven an increase in female
representation in operator and trade roles at the company.
The company has adopted a multi-faceted approach by changing
work practices and modifying role designs to better accommodate
more diverse talent pools: facilities were upgraded to cater for a
greater proportion of women; hiring practices were changed to
access wider candidate pools and shifting requirements to
qualifications to attitudes and behaviours; and the company offered
alternative work arrangements, inclusive leadership training for
managers, and a rethink of job designs.
Eastspring engages companies around sustainable business
practices, the structures that govern them and the company’s
commitment to improving the level of transparency.
Example 3
Eastspring’s equity team in Indonesia has had an ongoing
engagement with an agribusiness on governance, transparency and
risks related to its capital structure. Over this time, the company has
made commitments that translated into positive outcomes in their
reporting, as well as progress on the Roundtable on Sustainable
Palm Oil (RSPO) certification for South Sumatra. The company’s
focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and chemical
fertiliser use has led to improved composting practices, which fulfil
50 per cent of fertiliser needs, and an improved yield, achieving
99.9 per cent traceability.
Eastspring engages on unsustainable practices that are likely to
impact the longer-term enterprise value of a company.
Example 4
Eastspring’s Fixed Income Team in Singapore engaged with a coal
mining contractor around its longer-term business model and
transition planning. As the company’s existing customer base are
coal miners, it suggested a higher revenue risk as the company is
structurally unable to significantly diversify its revenues away from
the customer base in the near term. The engagement led the team to
conclude that the company does not have sufficient preparedness for
dealing with the evolving financing landscape and lacks the intention
of increasing transparency for bond investors. With an increased
understanding and based on the apparent risks, the team reduced
holdings in these bonds.
While these examples are not exhaustive of the topics Eastspring
has raised in company engagements, they highlight the interlinked
nature of environmental, social and governance impacts for
companies. Good governance practices can support social and
environmental impacts to business activities and in turn, the
longer-term drivers of returns for a business.
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Engagement on financially material ESG impacts
In the case of Eastspring’s Fundamental Equity and Fixed Income
teams, company engagements assist in understanding how
companies are using their capital and conducting their business.
Engagements may take place on a variety of issues, including
ESG matters that present a potential material risk to a company’s
financial performance.
Example 1
Eastspring’s equity team has been actively engaging management
of a Japan-based steel company since 2017 on three key issues:
carbon emissions and energy usage (including disclosure policies),
board governance and structure, and workplace safety. Starting from
2021, our topic of engagement expanded to include our monitoring
of progress of the company’s efforts to transition to a low-carbon
economy, and raising the quality and diversity in the Board and
senior management.
The team discussed the potential shift in the business model
and strategies in the transition to a low-carbon economy and
monitored the progress of transition. The team also challenged
the management’s decision to issue convertible bonds to fund
transitioning projects as well as overseas acquisition. In addition,
Eastspring advocated for further training, particularly on diversity,
for Board directors and senior management, and suggested the
adoption of disclosure standards by the Sustainable Accounting
Standards Board (SASB) in the annual sustainability report.
Over the course of this long-term engagement, the team has
observed good progress towards setting specific medium and
long-term carbon emission reduction targets, with the ultimate goal
of net zero by 2050. Certain progress was noted in transitioning
technology, with a carbon-neutral technology project being rolled out
at the specialty steel subsidiary in Europe. Management registered
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Voting
Alongside engagement, voting is considered part of the investment
process and a way to support long-term performance by investee
companies. By exercising our votes, we seek both to add value and to
protect our interests as shareholders. We consider the relevant issues,
meet company management if necessary and vote accordingly.
Where possible, we seek to discuss any contentious resolutions with
investee companies before casting our votes, in order to ensure that
our objectives are understood, and our votes will be cast in the best
interests of our investors and clients. Where appropriate, we use
third-party investment advisers to aid the process of making proxy
voting decisions. Eastspring engages Institutional Shareholder
Services (ISS), a fellow signatory to the United Nations-supported
Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), to provide administrative
assistance in connection with voting proxies.
In 2021, Eastspring voted on 97.4 per cent of the total number of
proxy votes in which it was eligible to vote. Eastspring voted with
management recommendations 90.7 per cent of the time and voted
against management recommendations 9.3 per cent of the time.
Please refer to Eastspring’s website for more information on its proxy
voting record: www.eastspring.com/about-us/responsible-investment
Capital allocation
Capital allocation refers to the allocation of our capital towards
environmental or social needs appropriate to the markets in which
we operate, while also securing the required financial returns from
such investment opportunities that meet the long-term needs of
our customers and investors. We will continue to refine our definitions
for ESG investments in 2022 in line with best practice and industry
standards, such as the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation
of the European Union.
Through shifting capital to companies that align more closely with
our values, we believe we can incentivise companies to operate more
sustainably, especially if combined with engagement. As described
below, we do this for both our investment portfolio and our
investment-linked products (ILP), where the investment risk associated
with the product is usually borne by the policyholder.
Investment portfolio
In 2021, Prudential Hong Kong shifted a large part of its US equities
core allocation to ESG factor Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs). These
ETFs reduce fossil fuel reserves by 30 per cent and reduce the carbon
footprint by 30 per cent compared to the broad benchmark. As such,
shifts to ETFs with a lower carbon footprint support us in achieving
our investment portfolio decarbonisation target.
In 2021, Prudential Singapore reached its target of investing
SGD200 million in sustainable investments mainly by investing in
ETFs, despite reporting in 2020 that progress to meet the target was
a challenge due to a lack of internal ESG fund strategies and shifting
business priorities. At present, there are no plans to set a new
investment target for ESG-related products, but Prudential Singapore
anticipates integrating more investment strategies with an ESG focus
in 2022.
ILP funds
Prudential Singapore launched two sustainable ILP funds in 2021.
These offer clients in Singapore a way to invest more sustainably while
aiming to provide long-term total returns. Singapore-based clients can
now invest in:
> PRULink Global Impact ESG Equity Fund: Managed by Wellington
Management Company LLC, the fund invests primarily in global
equities and focuses on companies whose core business aims to
generate positive social and/or environmental change alongside
financial returns.
> PRULink Global Climate Change Equity Fund: Managed by GMO
Investment Management Company (Ireland) Limited. The fund
invests primarily in equities of companies that are positioned to
directly or indirectly benefit from efforts to curb or mitigate the
long-term effects of global climate change, to address the
environmental challenges presented by global climate change,
or to improve the efficiency of resource consumption.
Eastspring’s collective investment schemes are often offered to clients
as ILP funds. Eastspring has integrated ESG considerations in the
investment decisions for its international fund range, in line with the
Principles of Responsible Investment, of which Eastspring has been a
signatory since 2018. This is evidenced by the fact that the majority of
Eastspring’s international fund range is managed under a regulatory
classification that promotes ESG characteristics and Eastspring
factsheets are progressively integrating ESG data and metrics.
Market influence
We recognise the role that we can play in our markets, both bilaterally
and through industry partners, to support the development of
sustainable finance. For over 100 years we have built long-term,
trusted relationships with policymakers and regulators on important
local issues such as capital market development, product design and
innovation, capacity building and financial inclusion. We seek to
engage with policy bodies and regulators in the markets in which we
operate to both shape the debate and align our approach to evolving
best practice. Further detail is provided in the Supporting a just and
inclusive transition section on page 92.
We operate in both developed and emerging markets in Asia and
Africa and the responsible investment landscape differs significantly
across these markets. Challenges relating to the emerging markets in
which we operate include the availability of ESG data, the size of the
investment universe and a lack of funding to finance the energy
transition. We leverage our experience within developed markets,
including around risk management, financing the transition and
ESG standards, to help support sustainable finance developments
in emerging markets. In 2021, Prudential became a signatory to the
PRI as an asset owner and joined the Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance.
Since joining the NZAOA, we have sought to raise awareness of the
challenges in transition finance, especially in emerging markets,
such as the issue that certified green bonds have the same carbon
footprint as conventional bonds from the same company, which could
disincentivise investment in companies committed to the transition.
Going forward, Prudential will remain active on signalling the
challenges for emerging markets and, where possible, contributing
to a solution. More information about Prudential’s memberships,
signatories and commitments is available on our website.
Eastspring collaborates closely with the Asia Investor Group on
Climate Change (AIGCC). Eastspring has taken an active role in the
low-carbon investment working group, the utilities engagement,
the engagement and policy working group and the climate training
working group.
In 2021, Eastspring contributed to several initiatives, including
WWF’s RESPOND tool, which aims to explore and compare how asset
managers are implementing responsible investment, and WWF’s
Barriers to Impact report, which uncovers what driving tangible,
real-world change entails for Asian financial institutions.
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Strategic Enabler: Community
engagement and investment
Our approach to community investment
We align our community investment strategy with our business
purpose, taking into consideration our stakeholders’ areas of
interests. Our strategy remains focused on health issues relevant
to communities where we operate, education (specifically financial
education) and building community resilience through safety. In living
our purpose, we contribute to improving lives and leaving a lasting
impact on society through our employee engagement and volunteer
programmes. We continue to build on the long-term relationships
we have with our community partners, offering both financial and
skills-based support.
Governance of community investment
Our Group-wide Community Investment Policy and the Group’s
ESG strategy guide our approach to community investment and
engagement. Within this framework, our businesses have the
autonomy to manage their own community investment programmes.
In Asia and Africa, Prudence Foundation, a unified charitable
organisation governed by a statutory Board of Directors, regularly
reviews our strategy and funding for community investment
programmes with the aim of maximising positive outcomes in the
regions where we operate. The Responsibility and Sustainability
Working Group (RSWG) oversees our community engagement and
investment activities on behalf of the Board.
Our Group-wide Community Investment Policy sets out minimum
standards, including not permitting any investment or contributions
that are prohibited by law or regulation, those under the Political
Donations Policy, and those to any religious organisation whose
principal aim is to propagate a particular faith. It is the Group’s policy
neither to make donations to political parties nor to incur political
expenditure, within the meaning of those expressions as defined in the
UK Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. The Group
did not make any such donations or incur any such expenditure
in 2021.
Monitoring and measuring community investment
Our community investment performance metrics are aligned to the
Business for Societal Impact (B4SI) Framework, which is used to
monitor progress and guide the valuation of cash contributions.
In 2021, direct cash donations to charitable organisations totalled
$5.9 million (2020: $9.7 million), reflecting donations made during the
reporting year by continuing operations, excluding JVs. 2020 figures
have been restated on this basis. For a breakdown, please refer to
the charts.
Due to the broad nature of our community work, some of our
projects span different focus areas, in which case classification is
made according to the activity’s primary purpose. For instance, our
community resilience projects may sit within social/welfare, education
or health. The reduction in our overall spend was largely attributed to
having more one-off donations in response to the immediate impact
of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Exceptional activities undertaken
in 2020 included our donations to The China Research Development
Foundation and a number of Covid-19 relief projects.
Prudential colleagues and agents also contributed around 26,000
hours of volunteer service in their local communities in 2021.
Charitable donations by region* %
87% Asia
10% UK
3% Africa
Charitable donations by area of focus %
35% Social and welfare
30% Education
13% Emergency relief
13% Health
6% Other or uncategorised
3% Economic development
* Within the scope of EY assurance – see page 74.
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Covid-19 Relief Fund
In 2020, the Group created a US$2.5 million Covid-19 Relief Fund,
which was administered by Prudence Foundation, Prudential’s
community investment arm in Asia and Africa. The fund was
distributed to Prudential’s businesses globally, supporting approved
charitable and community projects that addressed the immediate
social and economic impacts of the pandemic.
In 2021, a new US$2 million fund was launched to continue to support
communities still struggling with the pandemic. Local businesses’
programmes have focused on supporting vulnerable communities
on efforts that include Covid-19 messaging, hygiene and sanitation,
nutrition and educational programmes. These include:
> Prudential Laos’ support for the Laos Red Cross in providing schools
with appropriate Personal Protective Equipment as children return
to school.
> Two projects in Uganda, with one providing food to teachers in
vulnerable communities whose livelihoods have been affected by
prolonged school closures due to the pandemic. The second project
focuses on providing mental health services to those suffering from
the impacts of Covid-19. as well as raising awareness on the issue.
In addition to the Covid-19 Relief Fund, Prudence Foundation also
launched a SAFE STEPS Kids ‘Be Cool Be Clean’ campaign with
Cartoon Network. This campaign includes video and activity materials
that teach children the importance of good hygiene. The content is
distributed across all Cartoon Network platforms as well as our key
SAFE STEPS Kids partnerships, such as the International Federation
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and various National
Red Cross Societies.
Health
In the area of health inclusion, Prudence Foundation has been
supporting early childhood care and development since 2013.
In 2020, we established a new partnership with UNICEF to implement
a regional early childhood development (ECD) programme that
advances ECD as part of the Nurturing Care Framework. The goal is to
raise awareness and provide essential knowledge and skills to parents
and caregivers around holistic nurturing care for children aged from
up to three years old. In 2021, the programme saw a successful pilot
in Indonesia, where it reached 30,000 parents and 60,000 children
aged under five. In addition, with funding support from Prudence
Foundation, UNICEF has completed country rapid assessment on
Nurturing Care ECD services in four countries: Cambodia, Indonesia,
Thailand and the Philippines. The findings will help inform a larger
initiative for developing country-specific ECD strategy and
programming approach in the near future.
Virtual Mapathon
Each year, disasters around the world kill nearly 100,000 people
and affect as many as 200 million people, and millions more die
of preventable diseases. Many of the places where these
incidents occur are ‘missing’ from open and accessible maps,
resulting in a lack of reach for humanitarian organisations.
Since 2014, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), also known as
Doctors Without Borders, has been supporting the Ministry of
Health in Nigeria to fight Noma, a low-profile disease that mostly
affects children under five living in poverty.
In October 2021, Prudence Foundation, in partnership with MSF,
organised two Missing Map Mapathon sessions, where PRU
Volunteers helped to put the missing places and populations in
Sabon Birni and Illela of Nigeria on the digital map. The effort will
help MSF get to the patients more quickly, track diseases more
effectively and better understand where the needs of the people
are the greatest during an emergency.
A total of 174 PRU Volunteers from 20 locations across Asia,
Africa and the UK participated in the Mapathon events, mapping
out over 7,000 buildings in Sabon Birni and Illela. With physical
volunteering becoming more challenging, this virtual
volunteering event provided a meaningful opportunity for our
employees to connect with one another in a good cause. We are
hopeful that our contribution will make a significant impact in
enabling timely prevention and treatment of the disease. We will
consider holding the activity again in 2022, given the positive
response received.
In conjunction with the Mapathon, Prudence Foundation has
also made a donation of US$45,000 (HKD 350,000) to fund MSF
activities in providing healthcare to the people in need.
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Education
Cha-Ching
Developed by Prudential to address the gap in financial literacy for
children, Cha-Ching is a global financial education and responsibility
programme catering to children aged between seven and 12.
The award-winning programme, now in its 11th year, continues to
expand across all our markets and is well received by children, parents,
educators and government. For more on our approach to promoting
financial literacy and how it supports making health and financial
security more accessible, please see page 80.
Safety
SAFE STEPS
To promote the resilience of communities, we run SAFE STEPS,
a global programme that provides education and awareness on
life-saving tips, including information on climate and disaster risk
preparedness, road safety, first aid and Covid-19. Developed in
partnership with the IFRC and National Geographic, it continues to
reach millions of people in Asia and Africa through our many media
partnerships and government collaborations.
In 2020, we developed the SAFE STEPS Covid-19 campaign to provide
key educational messages and awareness on Covid-19 across Asia
and Africa. In 2021, Prudence Foundation worked with IFRC Africa
to implement a Covid-19 Risk Communication and Community
Engagement programme, providing informative materials to help
address common Covid-19 misinformation and vaccine concerns.
In addition, country-specific communication strategies are being
co-developed between local Prudential business and National
Red Cross organisations to cater for local concerns and needs across
five countries.
Prudence Foundation continued with its SAFE STEPS Kids initiative,
which uses popular cartoon characters to equip millions of children
with actionable information to protect themselves and others in the
event of emergencies or disaster situations. The programme has been
leveraged by National Red Cross societies in Malaysia, Singapore,
Indonesia and the Philippines and integrated into school activities,
reaching more than 7,000 students via both online and offline
programmes.
The programme’s reach continues to be significant:
> SAFE STEPS programmes reach over 100 million people in Asia and
Africa via various media partnerships;
> SAFE STEPS Kids has a TV reach of 35 million households every day;
and
> On social media, SAFE STEPS Kids has reached over 23 million
people, and its videos have been viewed 5.6 million times across
all digital platforms since its launch.
SAFE STEPS in Asia
In Vietnam, Prudential has partnered with AIP Foundation to
implement a holistic SAFE STEPS Kids Road Safety programme in two
provinces in 2020 and 2021. The programme not only benefited over
2,700 students directly through educational activities, but also saw
other positive benefits such as:
> The average helmet-wearing rate across the project schools
increased from 26 per cent (pre-intervention) to 88 per cent at the
end of the project;
> Students’ road safety knowledge improved from 9.8 per cent to
59.6 per cent; and
> Safe pedestrian behaviour improved from 78 per cent to 97 per cent
for students who walked on the sidewalk; and from 18 per cent to
76 per cent for those using zebra crossings.
In the Philippines, Prudential continued to partner with the Metro
Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to promote the wellbeing of
its employees, as well as motorists and pedestrians, through the SAFE
STEPS Road Safety programme. MMDA is the frontline government
agency in Metro Manila that is responsible for traffic management,
waste management and disaster prevention, among others.
Free personal accident insurance coverage was extended to 8,000
of its regular and contingent employees who belong to marginalised
sectors and have little or no access to protection. From 2020 to October
2021, we processed benefits for 21 families of MMDA’s employees.
SAFE STEPS in Africa
SAFE STEPS Road Safety Africa continues to be launched across
our Africa markets:
> Zambia continues to work with the Road Traffic Safety Agency
on distributing the campaign, where it is broadcast on eight radio
stations, reaching 8 million people.
> In Côte d’Ivoire, new partnerships have been established to
promote the campaign, reaching over 5 million people.
> In Ghana, a partnership has been established with the
government’s ‘Arrive Alive’ campaign, which will see the SAFE STEPS
Road Safety campaign run on multiple channels.
> Lastly, in 2021 a partnership with Nation Media Group, the largest
independent media house in East and Central Africa, was
established for the promotion of the campaign in Kenya
throughout 2022.
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SAFE STEPS D-Tech Awards
The SAFE STEPS Disaster Tech (D-Tech) Innovation Programme,
introduced in 2019, is to identify, fund and support innovative disaster
tech solutions that could save lives in natural and climate-related
disaster events. It is also aimed at catalysing innovation and
increasing investment and non-financial support through
partnerships. The programme has been unified with the SAFE STEPS
programme and relaunched as the SAFE STEPS D-Tech Awards. The
second awards edition kicked off in December 2020 and the finalists
and winners were announced in June 2021. The Stimson Center from
the US won the non-profit category with its Mekong Dam Monitor,
which uses satellite data to provide near real-time monitoring of water
levels in Mekong dams, enabling downstream communities to prepare
for floods, water supply disruptions and other risks caused by upstream
dam operations. EcoWorth Tech from Singapore was awarded the
for-profit prize for its Carbon Fibre Aerogel (CFA) sponge, made of
low-cost natural materials capable of cleaning waters and absorbing
oil, mitigating the environmental impact of polluting industries.
In addition to prize funds, the winners had the opportunity to receive
mentorship, technology support and access to investor networks
across the region. The SAFE STEPS D-Tech Awards continue to grow
and our network of partners supporting the D-Tech Awards now
includes humanitarian partner, IFRC, technology partner, Lenovo,
and eight strategic partners.
Disaster risk reduction in schools
Since 2013, Prudence Foundation has been supporting the
implementation of Safe Schools in partnership with Save the Children
and Plan International, which aims to address the objectives of the
Comprehensive Safe Schools Framework (CSSF), a globally recognised
framework that focuses on the importance of school infrastructure,
school disaster management and disaster risk education. This
partnership also supports the objectives of the Sendai Framework
for Disaster Risk Reduction.
In 2021, in view of the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing risks
related to climate change that continue to impact learners globally,
Prudence Foundation supported a global initiative led by Global
Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction & Resilience in the Education
Sector (GADRRRES) and Save The Children, to revise and strengthen
the CSSF. The revised Global Comprehensive Safe School Framework
is expected to be completed by March 2022 and will look to include
an all-hazards approach to education resilience compared to
previous editions.
To date, Safe Schools has been implemented in Indonesia, Vietnam,
Thailand, Cambodia and the Philippines, with over 141,000 students
and 51,000 adults trained in disaster risk reduction planning and
capacity building. In 2019, Prudence Foundation renewed its
partnership with Plan International to roll out the programme across
Thailand, Cambodia and the Philippines between 2019 and 2022,
aiming to reach a further 20,000 children and adults by the end of
2022. However, we have since reached over 48,000 children and
adults, exceeding the original three-year target.
In the Philippines, Prudence Foundation has partnered with Save the
Children and the Philippines’ Department of Education to develop a
management information system for schools designed to reduce
disaster risk, along with training and capacity-building for teachers
and local government officials. All components of the Disaster Risk
Reduction Management Information System (DRRMIS) have been
completed in 2021, however due to school closures, only the first
component of the ecosystem – Rapid Assessment of Damages Report
(RADaR) – was implemented nationwide. This was a timely rollout,
as the Philippines was hit by five typhoons and three earthquakes
in a span of just six months in 2021. During these disasters, RADaR
was used by over 21,000 schools, with more than 37,000 submissions,
providing timely reports to enable a speedy response from the
government to ensure school safety and education continuity. The
programme will continue to be rolled out and expanded through 2022
and 2023, with the aim of benefitting over 20 million students and
almost 47,000 schools nationwide. External consultants have also
been engaged to conduct an independent evaluation of the
programme, with the intent to share evidence-based impacts and
build a case study for other governments to reduce disaster risk and
potentially replicate this approach in other countries.
London community investment activity
Prudential plc continued its long-term support of Save the Children’s
Emergency Fund, which helps the charity prevent and respond to
crises across the world. In 2021, the charity responded to a number
of incidents in our markets, including floods in Indonesia and Nigeria,
the threat of Ebola in Côte d’Ivoire, and Covid-19 relief efforts in
Uganda and Thailand.
Prudential’s London office continued its three-year partnerships with
four local charities – The Cares Family, The Connection at St Martin’s,
Mind in the City, Hackney and Waltham Forest, and The Amos Bursary
– supporting projects tackling homelessness, isolation and loneliness,
mental health and social inclusion.
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Strategic Enabler: Good governance
and responsible business practices
Strong governance processes are the foundation of our business and
critical to maintaining trust with stakeholders, particularly in the highly
regulated financial markets in which we operate. Our governance
framework is clear about our standards of behaviour, and those
standards flow into every part of what we do, including our financial
performance and tax practices, as well as operating to mitigate
financial crime and informing how we deal with our customers and
suppliers. We also recognise the importance of reducing the direct
impact of our own operations on the environment and see this as a
non-negotiable responsible business practice.
Our Governance Framework
Our Group Code of Business Conduct sits at the heart of the Group
Governance Manual, our internal governance framework that sets out
the principles by which we conduct our business and ourselves. The
Code highlights the ethical standards that the Board expects of itself,
our employees, our agents and others working on behalf of the Group,
and is supported by a set of Group-wide principles and values that
define how the Group expects business to be conducted in order to
achieve its strategic objectives. Our Group Governance Manual
presents our Group-wide approach to governance, risk management
and internal control, and is subject to regular review to ensure that we
meet the expectations of our stakeholders. Our Group Governance
Manual also contains our full suite of policies, which is designed to
ensure that we comply with all applicable laws and regulations. Each
business must certify annual compliance with the requirements set
out in the Manual, including the Code, Delegated Authorities and
Group-wide policies.
The Group’s Annual Report and Accounts include a comprehensive
Governance section, which provides further information on how the
governance framework operates, the Board of Directors, the Reports
of the Committees and an overview of the risk management and
internal control system.
Employee relations
Prudential’s policies protect our employees by formalising its
responsibilities and those of everyone in the organisation in a number
of areas.
We believe in supporting human rights and acting responsibly and
with integrity in everything we do. Our own Group Governance Human
Resources Policies set the tone and are guided by the principles of
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and of the International
Labour Organization’s core labour standards. These are also reflected
within our Group Code of Business Conduct, which sets out the Group’s
values and expected standards of behaviour for all employees, and in
our Group Third Party Supply and Outsourcing Policy, which describes
how we work with suppliers. Our Discrimination & Harassment Policy
prohibits any form of discrimination, harassment, bullying and other
types of misconduct where the behaviour is contrary to Prudential’s
values and standards.
Prudential’s Employee Relations Policy recognises that the way we
engage our employees across the Group is fundamental to our ability
to attract the people we want, retain our current employees, and
motivate them to achieve success. As such, each local business is
required to have an effective approach in place to promote positive
relationships with our employees and their representative
organisations. To secure our colleagues’ rights to freedom of
association and collective bargaining, we encourage a positive and
constructive relationship with collective employee representative
bodies across Prudential. The trade union representation and
collective bargaining practices vary by market. We currently have
trade union representation in our business units in Malaysia,
Singapore, Vietnam, Zambia, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, and Cameroon.
We give full and fair consideration to applications for employment
made by disabled persons and make appropriate arrangements for
continuing the employment of, and arranging training for, employees
who have become disabled. We seek to promote the training, career
development and progression of disabled persons, making
appropriate adaptations where required.
As in any company, from time to time employees may have a
grievance relating to their work, working environment or working
relationships that they wish to raise. Our grievance policies are owned
by the local businesses. We take grievances seriously, taking into
account the rights of the person raising the grievance, the rights
of any person a grievance is raised against and any other affected
individuals. In addition to grievance policies and procedures, our
employees are encouraged to raise any concerns through other
channels, including their managers, Human Resources or our
third-party confidential hotline and platform, Speak Out. Speak Out
is designed to receive all manner of concerns, including those relating
to any violation of human rights.
We are committed to a fair and transparent system of reward.
Our Remuneration Policy ensures that we pay our colleagues a fair
and reasonable wage in all markets, and in the UK we pay at least
the London Living Wage. Annual benchmarking exercises ensure
that wages are competitive for the role performed in each location.
To recognise the hard work and commitment shown by our employees
in preparation for the demerger and to give our people a stake in
the new chapter of the company’s development, each permanent
Prudential plc employee (other than the Group Executive Committee)
received a Celebration Award of US$1,000 of restricted shares (settled
in cash where locally required), which will be released in October 2022.
We continue to develop our wellbeing approach in the context of
the rapid transition to more flexible ways of working. In order to fully
support employees, we have increased flexibility around schedules
and locations, increased remote working support, and reviewed and
extended different types of leave support.
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Supply chain
Our Group Code of Business Conduct outlines the values and
standards that are required by each of our suppliers. Our Group
Third Party Supply and Outsourcing Policy is core to our supply chain
governance and specifies our position on supply chain management,
setting out our approach to due diligence, selection criteria,
contractual requirements and ongoing monitoring of relationships.
During 2021 we extensively updated our Group Third Party Supply
and Outsourcing policy, with the updated policy coming into effect
on 1 January 2022. The updated policy has a specific detailed
section on the responsible selection of suppliers, which now includes
considerations for environmental and social practices, in addition
to existing requirements on supplier capability, competitiveness and
due diligence activities. The policy was reviewed and approved by
the Group Risk Committee, before being approved by the Board.
Supply chain due diligence
Our local businesses conduct due diligence before engaging with and
ultimately selecting a new supplier. We perform regular due diligence,
review meetings and audits where required, and our policies and
procedures are supported by regular employee training exercises.
We require our suppliers to pass financial stability tests and
demonstrate a track record of high performance. We also review the
controls the supplier has in place to prevent data leakage and look for
any personal data protection issues. Our Speak Out whistleblowing
service enables employees to raise any concerns they may have in
relation to our third-party relationships, and our contractors and
third-party suppliers are also able to use this service. All third-party
agreements across all our markets are required to undergo due
diligence activities, which include human trafficking, anti-money
laundering and anti-bribery and corruption checks on the third parties
that we deal with.
During 2021, we continued to deploy an additional procurement
management system module, Coupa Risk Assess, across our local
businesses, providing a single system to gather supplier due diligence.
The deployment of this system, which will be completed in Q1 2022,
is strengthening our visibility of third-party risks across high-risk areas,
such as information and technology security concerns, data privacy,
anti-bribery and corruption and business continuity and resiliency
risks. Through this system, we have also begun to issue due diligence
questionnaires focusing on modern slavery risks, targeting high-risk
categories. More information on our approach to modern slavery
is available below.
Our responsible supplier guidelines
In line with our new Group-wide Third Party Supply and Outsourcing
Policy, we have introduced new responsible supplier guidelines, which
came into effect on 1 January 2022. These guidelines cover a range
of ESG topics as outlined below, and have been incorporated into
our new supplier onboarding and ongoing supplier due diligence
processes. These activities are applied on a risk-based methodology,
targeting our suppliers that are material to the Group or those that
provide services that expose the Group to modern slavery-related risks.
Theme
Environmental
Summary of responsible supplier guidelines
Recognising that sustainable businesses should acknowledge the planet’s finite resources, Prudential expects its suppliers
to support sound environmental management principles and reduce their impact on the environment within which
they operate.
This includes a review of whether suppliers have written environmental/sustainability policies and governance systems
are in place appropriate to the size and nature of their operations and that they abide by relevant laws/legislation.
Social
Prudential expects suppliers to respect the human rights of their employees and to comply with all relevant legislation,
regulations and directives in the countries and communities in which they operate.
Key aspects include ensuring suppliers prohibit forced and child labour; employees are paid legally mandated minimum
wages and/or industry standards and are not discriminated against; suppliers provide safe working environments and
abide by local laws/regulations; suppliers support fair trade and ethical sourcing practices and suppliers promote diversity
and inclusion within their working environments. In the UK, we require our suppliers to pay their employees the London
or UK Living Wage, as set by the Greater London Authority and the Centre for Research in Social Policy respectively.
Governance
Suppliers with which Prudential has regular and recurring dealings should have good management and governance
processes in place to ensure compliance with the Responsible Supplier guidelines. Furthermore, suppliers must make
reasonable efforts to monitor their supply chain, ensuring that their suppliers are aware of, and compliant with, the aims
of the guidelines.
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Modern slavery
We are committed to ensuring that slavery, human trafficking,
child labour or any other abuse of human rights has no place in our
organisation or supply chain, and we continue to progress on carrying
out a range of activities to enhance our approach to modern slavery
across our global operations:
> Policy development – Embedding responsible supplier risk
assessments and due diligence requirements within the new
Group Third Party Supplier and Outsourcing Policy, effective from
1 January 2022.
> Endorsement and education – Ensuring that executives across our
local businesses and our procurement and risk teams are aware of
the Group’s modern slavery compliance requirements. Ensuring
these colleagues have a detailed understanding on how to identify
modern slavery risks.
> Analysis – Continuing to understand our current exposure to
modern slavery risks within our supply chain and development
of remediation plan to address gaps.
> Due diligence – Development of modern slavery (and broader ESG)
due diligence/risk assessment frameworks, processes and
guidelines, and operationalising these via Coupa Risk Assess.
> Ongoing monitoring and reporting – Defining internal reporting
metrics to measure progress and effectiveness of controls.
As part of this activity, we are continuing to review our exposure to
modern slavery issues across Asia and Africa. This broad review covers
key exposure to industries where low-skilled labour is often employed,
including cleaning services, catering, guarding and low-cost
manufacturing. Modern slavery risks are further heightened in
geographies affected by conflicts, countries with weak rule of law
and countries with a high degree of migrant workers. The review
covers all the suppliers engaged in these key areas across Asia and
Africa. The review is based on live supplier contracts and spend
against the categories above, with local procurement teams
investigating any issues identified. For high-risk suppliers, we ensure
robust contracting and monitoring procedures are in place, with
remediation plans in place where necessary.
For more information around how we are identifying and managing
our risks in relation to modern slavery, human trafficking, child and
forced labour, please read our Modern Slavery Statement on the
Prudential plc website at www.prudentialplc.com/en/esg/esg-reporting
Commitment to small suppliers
In order to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to supporting our
supply chain through the difficult trading circumstances triggered
by the Covid-19 pandemic, we have continued to provide payment
assistance. Our Small Supplier Accelerated Payment Scheme was
launched in the UK in March 2020 to support our suppliers with fewer
than 100 employees to assist with their cash flow. This has now
benefited over 150 small suppliers, with payments of nearly £9 million
in 2021.
Responsible tax practices
Our tax strategy considers a range of different stakeholders, supported
by the Group Tax Risk Policy, which sets out the standards for
managing and reporting a broad range of tax risks across the Group.
In 2021, we made a total tax contribution of $1,071 million (FY2020:
$1,208 million excluding Jackson), demonstrating our commitment to
paying the right amount of tax, and thus helping to contribute to the
health and development of the communities in which we operate.
We understand the importance of paying the right amount of tax
on time in each of our markets. We manage our tax affairs in a
transparent, responsible and sustainable manner and seek to build
constructive relationships with tax authorities in all the countries in
which we operate. Our Tax Strategy Report is published annually and
provides further support on how we meet this commitment, through
disclosures demonstrating the clear link between our business
footprint and our tax footprint.
Our tax strategy report also complies with the mandatory requirements
of the UK Finance Act 2016 and provides more information on:
> How we act responsibly and take an objective view in all of our
tax matters;
> How we manage tax in line with our Group governance and risk
management procedures;
> How we ensure transparency and engagement with all our
stakeholders by setting out how we contribute to our communities
through the taxes we pay and collect in all of our major markets;
> What drives our tax payments and why there is a difference
between the corporate taxes paid and the tax charge in
our accounts;
> Our operations in low tax jurisdictions; and
> How we monitor domestic and global tax developments.
We actively monitor developments in the tax transparency agenda
and look to further develop the disclosure of meaningful tax
information to help our various stakeholders’ understanding of our tax
footprint. We will be publishing our updated tax strategy, which will
include more information on the tax we paid in 2021, how we manage
our tax affairs and the governance and management of tax risk, by
31 May 2022. Information on our tax charge and effective tax rate can
be found on pages 261 to 264 (note B3) of our 2021 Annual Report.
Fighting financial crime
As with all financial services firms, Prudential is exposed to risks relating
to money laundering, terrorist financing, sanctions, fraud, bribery and
corruption. Preventing, detecting and responding to these risks is
embedded within the Prudential Group’s global financial crime risk
management operations. We conduct risk assessments on all our
businesses to identify, understand and assess the risks; and take
measures to mitigate these. Financial crime risks are reported to the
Group Risk Committee, which oversees the effectiveness of controls.
The residual financial crime risk is managed through monitoring,
assurance and enhancement of the control environment at a local level.
During 2021 we continued to take action to reduce our residual
risk exposure, strengthen our capability and reduce the impact of
financial crime. To mitigate financial crime risk and support ongoing
compliance with relevant legislation and regulation, core policies
dealing with all aspects of financial crime, supported by minimum
compliance standards, have been refreshed and cascaded to all
businesses. Our Anti-Bribery and Corruption standards include a
commitment to fostering a culture in which bribery is never
acceptable. Our Anti-Money Laundering and Sanctions Policy
outlines how we prohibit money laundering or terrorist financing
in our working practices, setting out how we establish parameters
to prevent this taking place across the organisation and the
commitment we have to comply with sanctions, laws and
regulations by screening, prohibiting or restricting business activity,
and following up through investigation. Collectively these policies
form part of the Group Governance Framework, with local
businesses attesting their compliance to the requirements each year.
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This is complemented by the implementation of automated
transaction monitoring systems and risk-based assurance activity.
We have continued to strengthen and enhance our financial crime
risk management capability through investment in automation
and advanced analytics.
Our financial crime team remains committed to professional
development and regularly participates in industry conferences and
seminars across Asia. We delivered a comprehensive financial crime
training programme across the Group to ensure the staff are made
aware of new developments in financial crime, as well as the latest
statutory and regulatory requirements.
We continue to comply with international sanctions requirements
by monitoring international sanctions closely. We integrate updated
lists into our operational processes to detect exposure, including
our regular customer and vendor screening processes. During 2021,
we continued to focus in particular on the US-China sanctions
developments and regulations that have been issued in order
to assess their impact on our business activities.
Whistleblowing
Our Group Speak Out Policy sets out our framework and controls
relating to whistleblowing. Our Group-wide whistleblowing
programme, Speak Out, is accessible both internally and externally to
all our stakeholders in multiple languages. Speak Out provides a range
of reporting channels that include web, hotline and mobile app, as well
as post, email and in-person. Reporters are able to log concerns –
anonymously, if they prefer – on a range of issues such as anti-bribery
and corruption, compliance breaches, discrimination, harassment
and health and safety. Concerns are received by an independent
third party then managed by an internal team, independent of the
business. These matters are then investigated by appropriately
trained and skilled investigators. On an annual basis, all colleagues
are required to complete a computer-based training module on Speak
Out. The programme is also supported by regular communications
containing useful resources. In addition to the Speak Out programme,
colleagues are encouraged to raise concerns through HR channels.
Whistleblowing reporting is overseen by the Group Audit Committee
and local business audit committees through quarterly reporting
and frequent discussions with the Group Chief Security Officer.
These committees have access to analysis of case trends and an
annual assessment of the effectiveness of the Speak Out programme,
which is benchmarked externally. Any material issues are reported
to the Board.
In 2021, the Speak Out programme was widely promoted across the
Group and received reports from every market in which Prudential has
an active business. During 2021, the total number of cases reported
to the Group increased slightly when compared with the previous year,
and the total number reported was in line with external benchmarks.
The greatest volume of reported issues related to staff or agency
conduct and breaches in Group policies. Training, promotional
awareness material and internal communications have all contributed
to the encouraging growth in the use of Speak Out and the number
of concerns raised. The programme was the subject of independent
benchmarking, using Protect (UK whistleblowing charity) and on all
three aspects (Governance, Operations & Engagement), the Group
scored above benchmark.
Responsible working practices and health and safety procedures
We recognise the importance of health, safety and wellbeing to help
staff get the most out of life and meet business objectives. The Group
Health and Safety Policy and operational standards ensure that local
businesses establish, implement and maintain a comprehensive
health and safety governance framework. Our policies aim to provide
a safe and healthy working environment that prevents injury and
ill-health, and reduces risks to the health and safety of employees,
contractors, visitors and others who may be affected by our
operations, to as low a level as is reasonably practicable.
Our policy and operational standards are aligned with the global
ISO 45001:2018 standards and include prescriptive minimum
requirements for health and safety governance, legal requirements
and programme framework. The Group Chief Security Officer has
overall responsibility for the health and safety programme, reporting
to the Group Chief Risk & Compliance Officer. Local business
performance relating to health and safety is monitored through
local health and safety committees and at Group level by the Group
Security function, with key operational compliance metrics and
updates on specific activities being reported to the Group Risk
Committee and cross-functional working groups and committees.
The Group continuously reviews and develops the health and safety
programme to ensure continual improvement.
We sadly lost 52 staff and agents during the year to Covid. We have
taken steps throughout the year to support the emotional, mental
and financial wellbeing of our people across the Group through these
challenging times. More information on our approach to employee
wellbeing is available in the Building Social Capital section on page 101.
Our health and safety programmes have primarily focused on
our ongoing response to the Covid-19 pandemic, ensuring that
appropriate precautions are implemented in the workplace. We have
also focused on providing training and awareness on prevention
measures and health and safety best practices for the home.
Communications are regularly sent to staff reminding them of the
behaviours and key protocols needed to protect themselves and the
wider community from Covid-19. Our communications have focused
on local regulatory changes, maintaining high standards of hygiene,
protocols around health monitoring and attendance at the office,
and sensible social distancing. Masks are encouraged to be worn by
staff in common areas of the office and, in some jurisdictions, this is
mandated due to local regulations. We have provided intranet
resource centres where staff can seek information concerning Covid-19
precautions and best practices, travel restrictions and Covid-related
news. Staff support has been provided through wellbeing programmes
focusing on mental, physical, family and social wellbeing, and we also
provide support and advice though a 24-hour Employee Assistance
Programme offered by an external provider.
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Reference tables
Hong Kong Stock Exchange requirements
We demerged Jackson on 13 September 2021. The metrics and commentary covered in this section include the performance of the continuing
Prudential Group and exclude Jackson.
HKEX KPI Requirement
Environmental
Information on: (a) the policies;
and (b) compliance with relevant
laws and regulations that have
a significant impact on the
issuer relating to air and
greenhouse gas emissions,
discharges into water and land,
and generation of hazardous
and non-hazardous waste.
The types of emissions and
respective emissions data.
Direct (Scope 1) and energy
indirect (Scope 2) greenhouse
gas emissions (in tonnes) and,
where appropriate, intensity.
Total hazardous waste
produced (in tonnes) and,
where appropriate, intensity.
Total non-hazardous waste
produced (in tonnes) and,
where appropriate, intensity.
Indicator
Disclosure
A1
Our Group Environment Policy applies to our operational properties worldwide, guiding our
approach to the management of the direct impacts of our business units.
A1.1 & A1.2 Prudential provides full reporting for Scope 1 and 2 emissions and selected Scope 3 reporting.
More information is provided in the Group emissions data section on page 89.
Direct Scope 1 emissions (tCO2-e)
Direct Scope 1 Emissions (tCO2-e/FTE)
Direct Scope 1 Emissions (kgCO2-e/m2)
Direct Scope 2 (market based) Emissions (tCO2-e)
Direct Scope 2 (market based) Emissions (tCO2-e/FTE)
Direct Scope 2 (market based) Emissions (kgCO2-e/m2)
2021
1,481
0.10
4.02
19,986
1.37
54.21
2020
1,378
0.09
3.68
23,608
1.62
63.04
A1.3
As a life insurer, the production of hazardous waste is not applicable to our operations.
A1.4
Total non-hazardous waste produced (tonnes)
Total non-hazardous waste produced (tonnes/FTE)
2021
222
0.02
2020
376
0.03
Waste associated with our operations includes office waste and limited food waste from
canteens. As we occupy leased assets and smaller offices, waste is commonly controlled by the
landlord or the municipal government via direct roadside collection. It therefore it is not always
possible to obtain waste data. We continue to work with our landlords in all the areas we operate
to enhance the coverage of our reporting. During 2021, we increased the scope of reporting of
waste data to cover 60 per cent of our occupied floor area.
While the scope of our waste reporting increased, the volume of non-hazardous waste produced
fell during 2021. This reflects the impact of Covid-related office closures and reduced office
occupancy across our markets.
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Indicator
Disclosure
Description of emissions
target(s) set and steps taken
to achieve them.
A1.5
We have set a target to become carbon neutral across our Scope 1 and 2 (market-based)
emissions by the end of 2030. We aim to deliver a 25 per cent reduction per full time employee
(FTE) in our operational emissions from a 2016 baseline, then abating the remaining emissions
via carbon offsetting initiatives. To date the steps we have taken are:
> Carrying out site assessments for the highest consuming assets in our portfolio to identify
measures to reduce our carbon intensity
> Tracking the application of energy savings measures in all assets we occupy. These will be
reviewed quarterly.
> Developing roadmaps for all business units with identified reduction measures to be
implemented by 2025.
To date, we are ahead of the emissions reduction trajectory required to meet our target.
More information is available on page 90.
We have also set a target to reduce the carbon emissions of our portfolio of shareholder and
policyholder assets by 25 per cent by 2025. Our ambition is that the assets we hold on behalf
of our insurance companies will be ‘net zero’ by 2050. During 2021 we reduced the WACI of our
portfolio by 23 per cent against the 2019 baselines. More information is available on page 82.
A1.6
Non-hazardous waste is sorted in our offices and where possible recycled. The waste generated
by our operations is managed by the landlord of the premises we occupy and therefore we are
restricted in materials we can recycle by their operations.
The waste we produce is not material to the overall environmental impact of our operations
and as such, we do not currently have any targets in place to reduce the waste associated with
our operations. We continue to encourage waste reduction across our operations and we have
implemented initiatives such as providing staff with reusable cups and lunchboxes to reduce
consumption of single use plastic.
As a life insurer the production of hazardous waste is not applicable to our operations.
Our Group Environment Policy applies to our operational properties worldwide, guiding our
approach to the management of the direct impacts of our business units.
Description of how hazardous
and non-hazardous wastes are
handled, and a description of
reduction target(s) set and
steps taken to achieve them.
Policies on the efficient use of
resources, including energy,
water and other raw materials.
Direct and/or indirect energy
consumption by type in total
(kWh in ’000s) and intensity.
A2
A2.1
Total Consumption (kWh)
kWh/FTE
More information is available in the SECR report on page 136.
Water consumption in total
and intensity.
A2.2
Total water withdrawal (m3)
Total water withdrawal (m3/m2)
2021
2020
42,131,700
2,891.48
43,981,515
2,974.34
2021
2020
123,025.82
0.33
133,241.18
0.36
We are not currently able to report the water consumption of all our assets as some sites
do not have water submetering or water is charged as part of the service charge.
During 2021, we increased the scope of reporting of water data to cover 74 per cent
of our occupied floor area.
Description of energy use
efficiency target(s) set and
steps taken to achieve them.
A2.3
We do not have explicit energy efficiency targets in place. However, 93 per cent of our Scope 1
and 2 carbon emissions are from the use of electricity thus, to achieve our carbon reduction
targets the implementation of energy efficiency measures are key.
We have carried out site assessments across our asset portfolio and identified measures
to reduce our impact. We have in turn developed roadmaps for our businesses with measures
to implement to generate energy savings. We will continue to carry out these assessments
and identify savings opportunities to reduce our energy consumption.
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Indicator
Disclosure
Description of whether there is
any issue in sourcing water that
is fit for purpose, water efficiency
target(s) set and steps taken
to achieve them.
Total packaging material used for
finished products (in tonnes) and,
if applicable, with reference to
per unit produced.
Policies on minimising the
issuer’s significant impact
on the environment and
natural resources.
Description of the significant
impacts of activities on the
environment and natural
resources and the actions
taken to manage them.
Policies on identification
and mitigation of significant
climate-related issues which
have impacted, and those
which may impact, the issuer.
Description of the significant
climate-related issues which have
impacted, and those which may
impact, the issuer, and the actions
taken to manage them.
A2.4
As a life insurer with office-based operations, water consumption and water efficiency are not
material to our business.
Currently, we do not have any targets in place to reduce the water used in our operations.
A2.5
As a life insurer, the use of packaging material is not applicable to our business.
A3
A3.1
Our Group Environment Policy applies to our operational properties worldwide, guiding our
approach to the management of the direct impacts of our business units.
The most significant impact of our activities on the environment is through our investment
portfolio. More information about how we are reducing the weighted average carbon intensity
footprint of our investment portfolio is available on page 82. More information is available in
the Responsible investment section on page 107.
A4
More information is available in the Identifying and assessing climate-related risks section
on page 84 and the Managing and responding to climate-related risks section on page 85.
A4.1
Different scenarios, including below 2°C scenarios, have different potential impacts on our
businesses, strategy, and financial planning, as described in the Climate-related scenario testing
section starting on page 86.
We have identified short, medium and long term climate-related issues as described in the
Identifying and assessing climate-related risks section starting on page 84. We have taken
actions, including integrating our processes for identifying, assessing, and managing climate-
related risks into our overall risk management, as described in the Identifying and assessing
climate-related risks section on page 84 and the Managing and responding to climate-related
risks section on page 85.
We also identified climate-related opportunities, as described in the following sections: the
Description of ESG strategic framework section starting on page 71, the Inclusive offerings
section starting on page 76, and the Identifying climate-related opportunities section on
page 84.
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Indicator
Disclosure
Social
Information on: (a) the policies;
and (b) compliance with relevant
laws and regulations that have
a significant impact on the
issuer relating to compensation
and dismissal, recruitment
and promotion, working hours,
rest periods, equal opportunity,
diversity, anti-discrimination,
and other benefits and welfare.
B1
Prudential’s policies protect our employees by formalising its responsibilities and those of
everyone in the organisation. More information on the following policies is available on page 133:
> Discrimination and Harassment Policy
> Diversity and Inclusion Policy
> Employee Relations Policy
> Recruitment Policy
> Remuneration Policy
> Talent Policy
Total workforce by gender,
employment type, age group
and geographical region.
B1.1
Total workforce (FTE) by gender
Total workforce (FTE) by employee type
Female – 57% (8,291.1)
Male – 43% (6,182.6)
Unspecified – 0% (12.0)
Full time – 100% (14,471.8)
Part time –0% (13.9)
Total workforce (FTE) by age group
Total workforce (FTE) by region
Below 30 – 20% (2,962.4)
30–50 – 72% (10,406.2)
Over 50 – 8% (1,080.1)
Unspecified – 0% (37.0)
Asia – 87% (12,574.5)
Africa – 12% (1,692.0)
Europe & USA – 1% (219.2)
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ESG report / continued HKEX KPI Requirement
Indicator
Disclosure
Employee turnover rate by gender,
age group and geographical region.
B1.2
Employee turnover rate by age group %
Employee turnover rate by region %
<30
30–50
>50
19%
16%
38%
Overall
(ex. Africa)
Europe & USA
Asia
24%
22%
24%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
Employee turnover rate by gender %
Female
Male
23%
26%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
B2
Information on: (a) the policies;
and (b) compliance with relevant
laws and regulations that have
a significant impact on the
issuer relating to providing a
safe working environment and
protecting employees from
occupational hazards.
The Group Health and Safety Policy and operational standards ensure business units establish,
implement and maintain a comprehensive health and safety governance framework. Our policies
aim to provide a safe and healthy working environment that prevents injury and ill-health, and
reduces risks to the health and safety of employees, contractors, visitors, and others who may be
affected by operations, to as low as is reasonably practicable.
Our policy and operational standards are aligned with the global ISO 45001: 2018 standards and
include prescriptive minimum requirements for health and safety governance, legal requirements
and programme framework.
Number and rate of work-related
fatalities occurred in each of the
past three years including the
reporting year.
Lost days due to work injury.
Description of occupational health
and safety measures adopted,
and how they are implemented
and monitored.
B2.1
There were no work-related fatalities in the reporting year (2020: nil, 2019: nil).
B2.2
B2.3
23 incidents resulting in 88 days lost to work injury.
Health and safety measures adopted are predictive and reactive, centrally coordinated
and locally executed and include:
> Defined policy, roles, responsibilities, and management mechanisms;
> Legal requirements, and monitoring changes on an ongoing basis;
> Risk profiling, assessment and control plans;
> Incident reporting and investigation protocols;
> Protocols for procurement of equipment and services;
> Provision of information, instruction, and training;
> Arrangements for communication and consultation with employees;
> Workplace welfare facilities and wellbeing programmes; and
> Mechanisms for monitoring, reviewing and reporting performance.
Policies on improving
employees’ knowledge and skills
for discharging duties at work.
Description of training
activities.
B3
Our Performance and Learning Policy sets out the importance of our people and frames how
we invest in their development to deliver against our strategy and the future success of the
organisation. This includes our Performance Management Framework.
More information is available in the Learning section on page 98.
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Indicator
Disclosure
The percentage of employees
trained by gender and
employee category.
B3.1
Percentage of employees trained
by gender %
Percentage of employees trained
by employee category %
Female
Male
Unspe-
cified
97%
97%
Top Level
Middle Level
Rank & File
45%
99%
99%
96%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80% 100%
0%
20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
The average training hours
completed per employee by
gender and employee category.
B3.2
Average training hours completed
per employee by gender
Average training hours completed
per employee by category
Female
Male
Unspe-
cified
12.44
Top Level
6.09
11.22
Middle Level
9.19
5.65
Rank & File
12.63
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Information on: (a) the policies;
and (b) compliance with relevant
laws and regulations that have
a significant impact on the
issuer relating to preventing
child and forced labour.
Description of measures to review
employment practices to avoid
child and forced labour.
Description of steps taken to
eliminate such practices when
discovered.
B4
We are committed to ensuring that slavery, human trafficking, child labour or any other abuse
of human rights has no place in our organisation or supply chain.
The nature of our business means that main risk would be in our supply chain. More information
is available in the Modern slavery section on page 119.
B4.1, B4.2 We believe in supporting human rights and acting responsibly and with integrity in everything
we do. Our own Group Governance Human Resources Policies set the tone and are guided by
the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and of the International Labour
Organization’s core labour standards. These are also reflected within our Group Code of Business
Conduct, which sets out the Group’s values and expected standards of behaviour for all
employees, and in our Group Third Party Supply and Outsourcing Policy which describes how
we work with suppliers.
The nature of our business means that main risk would be in our supply chain. More information
is available in the Modern slavery section on page 119.
Policies on managing
environmental and social risks
of the supply chain.
B5
Our Group Code of Business Conduct outlines the values and standards that are required by each
of our suppliers. Our Group Third Party Supply and Outsourcing Policy is core to our supply chain
governance and our responsible supplier guidelines cover a range of ESG topics. More information
is available in the Supply chain section on page 118.
Number of suppliers
by geographical region.
Description of practices relating
to engaging suppliers, number of
suppliers where the practices are
being implemented, and how they
are implemented and monitored.
Description of practices used
to identify environmental and
social risks along the supply chain,
and how they are implemented
and monitored.
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B5.1
B5.2
Asia
Africa
Europe
Total
8,751
1,255
517
10,523
During 2021 we continued to deploy an additional procurement management system module,
Coupa Risk Assess, across our business units, providing a single system to gather supplier due
diligence. The deployment of this system across our business units is strengthening our visibility
of third-party risks across high risk areas, such as information and technology security concerns,
data privacy, anti-bribery and corruption and business continuity and resiliency risks. Through this
system, we have also begun to issue due diligence questionnaires focusing on modern slavery
risks, targeting high risk categories. More information on our approach to modern slavery is
available below.
B5.3
More information is available in the Supply chain due diligence section on page 118 and the
Modern slavery section on page 119.
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ESG report / continued HKEX KPI Requirement
Indicator
Disclosure
Description of practices used
to promote environmentally
preferable products and services
when selecting suppliers, and
how they are implemented
and monitored.
Information on: (a) the policies;
and (b) compliance with
relevant laws and regulations
that have a significant impact
on the issuer relating to health
and safety, advertising,
labelling and privacy matters
relating to products and
services provided and methods
of redress.
Percentage of total products sold
or shipped subject to recalls for
safety and health reasons.
Number of products and service
related complaints received and
how they are dealt with.
Description of practices relating
to observing and protecting
intellectual property rights.
B6.3
B5.4
B6
In line with the new Group-wide Third Party Supply and Outsourcing Policy, we have introduced
new responsible supplier guidelines. Our responsible supplier guidelines cover a range of
ESG topics. More information is available in the Supply chain section on page 118.
Our Customer Conduct Risk Policy includes our Customer Conduct Standards and sets out the
core values and standards that the Group expects all employees and persons acting on behalf
of it to observe. More information is available in the Customers section on page 78.
Our Group Data Policy defines how we should manage data throughout its lifecycle and employ
the technology best suited for the business use cases. More information is available on page 104.
Our Privacy Policy governs the protection of data and complies with the General Data Protection
Regulation. More information is available on page 105.
B6.1
As a life insurer, this is not applicable to our business.
B6.2
42,038 (2020: 34,308)
While the overall number has increased, our level of complaints remains steady at two complaints
per 1,000 policies in force.
More information on how we deal with customer complaints is available on page 80.
Prudential’s brand, being the Prudential and Eastspring names and the Face of Prudence,
are considered as our intellectual property. These are protected by a comprehensive process
to maintain registered trademarks in the brand across all of the markets in which we operate.
This is supported by a brand Co-existence Agreement with Prudential Financial and M&G plc.
Where we see infringements of our brand, we take active steps to enforce our rights against
third parties.
Certain elements of our artificial intelligence development are considered to be intellectual
property, and a dedicated working group within the AI Council is tasked with formalising,
registering and protecting Prudential’s intellectual property in this space. Further disclosure
is not provided due to commercial sensitivity.
Description of quality assurance
process and recall procedures.
B6.4
A description of our quality assurance procedures is available in the Customers section
on page 78.
Description of consumer data
protection and privacy policies,
and how they are implemented
and monitored.
As a life insurer, product recall procedures are not relevant to our business.
B6.5
Our Group Data Policy defines how we should manage data throughout its lifecycle and employ
the technology best suited for the business use cases. More information is available on page 104.
Our Privacy Policy governs the protection of data and complies with the General Data Protection
Regulation. More information is available on page 105.
Our Information Security Policy supports our resilient information security programme across
the organisation and our commitment to protecting the data entrusted to us by customers.
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Indicator
Disclosure
B7
More information on the following policies is available on page 135:
> Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy
> Anti-Money Laundering and Sanctions Policy
> Group Escalation Policy
> Group Counter Fraud Policy
B7.1
None
B7.2
More information is available in the Whistleblowing section on page 120.
B7.3
B8
We provide training to our staff to ensure that they are familiar with international standards and
best practice, as well as being well equipped to implement our policies in their respective markets.
Training completion levels are monitored throughout the year.
Our Community Investment Policy covers how we are committed to working with the communities
in which we operate as active and supportive members. It also outlines our strategy for investing
in the community and how we make investments and report against them.
Information on: (a) the policies;
and (b) compliance with relevant
laws and regulations that have
a significant impact on the
issuer relating to bribery,
extortion, fraud and money
laundering.
Number of concluded legal cases
regarding corrupt practices
brought against the issuer or its
employees during the reporting
period and the outcomes of
the cases.
Description of preventive
measures and whistle-blowing
procedures, and how they are
implemented and monitored.
Description of anti-corruption
training provided to directors
and staff.
Policies on community
engagement to understand
the needs of the communities
where the issuer operates
and to ensure its activities
take into consideration the
communities’ interests.
Focus areas of contribution
B8.1
35% Social and welfare
30% Education
13% Emergency relief
13% Health
6% Other or uncategorised
3% Economic development
Resources contributed to the
focus area.
B8.2
In 2021, direct cash donations to charitable organisations totalled $5.9 million
(2020: $9.7 million).
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SASB Topic
Transparent Information
& Fair Advice for Customers
Code
FN-IN-270a.1
Disclosure
Nil
Accounting metric
Total amount of monetary losses
as a result of legal proceedings
associated with marketing and
communication of insurance
product-related information to
new and returning customer
Complaints-to-claims ratio
FN-IN-270a.2
Total number of complaints received / total claims
raised x 1,000 = 25
Prudential believes that this metric is less applicable
to the life insurance sector, and that a more
appropriate metric is the number of complaints per
1,000 policies in force, which remains steady at two.
Customer retention rate
FN-IN-270a.3
89 per cent
Description of approach to
informing customers about products
FN-IN-270a.4 More information on the way we communicate
with customers and our approach to responsible
marketing is available in the Customers section
on page 78.
Incorporation of Environmental,
Social, and Governance Factors
in Investment Management
Total invested assets, by industry
and asset class
FN-IN-410a.1
Total invested assets by asset class
US$ million
Debt
Loan
Equity securities and portfolio holdings in
unit
Other financial instruments
Derivatives
Deposits including items classified as
cash equivalents
Cash (as defined under IFRS)
Property
Total
81,540
2,367
48,448
0
212
5,351
1,112
56
139,086
Total invested assets by industry
US$ million
Basic materials
Communications
Consumer, cyclical
Consumer, non-cyclical
Energy
Financial
Funds
Government
Industrial
Other
Technology
Utilities
Total
1,435
3,879
2,452
4,913
3,302
20,016
9,261
46,102
2,578
40,205
1,807
3,136
139,086
Description of approach to
incorporation of environmental,
social, and governance (ESG)
factors in investment management
processes and strategies
FN-IN-410a.2 We seek to integrate ESG factors into our investment
decisions, alongside traditional financial analysis,
to better manage risk and generate sustainable,
long-term returns for our customers. Our Group
Responsible Investment Policy guides our business
units on how to consider ESG factors in investment
activities. More information is available in the
Responsible Investment section on page 107.
Additional information is provided in Eastspring’s
PRI report.
129
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Accounting metric
Code
Disclosure
Policies Designed to Incentivize
Responsible Behaviour
Environmental Risk Exposure
Systemic Risk Management
Activity Metric
Net premiums written related to
energy efficiency and low-carbon
technology
Discussion of products and/or
product features that incentivize
health, safety, and/or
environmentally responsible
actions and/or behaviors
Probable Maximum Loss (PML)
of insured products from weather-
related natural catastrophes
Total amount of monetary
losses attributable to insurance
payouts from (1) modeled natural
catastrophes and (2) non-modeled
natural catastrophes, by type of
event and geographic segment
(net and gross of reinsurance)
Description of approach to
incorporation of environmental risks
into (1) the underwriting process
for individual contracts and (2) the
management of firm-level risks and
capital adequacy
Exposure to derivative instruments
by category: (1) total potential
exposure to noncentrally cleared
derivatives, (2) total fair value of
acceptable collateral posted with
the Central Clearinghouse, and (3)
total potential exposure to centrally
cleared derivatives
FN-IN-410b.1
As a life insurer, this metric is not applicable
to our business.
FN-IN-410b.2
As a life insurer, this metric is not applicable
to our business.
FN-IN-450a.1
As a life insurer, this metric is not applicable
to our business.
FN-IN-450a.2 As a life insurer, this metric is not applicable
to our business.
FN-IN-450a.3
As a life insurer, this metric is not applicable
to our business.
FN-IN-550a.1
(1) total potential exposure to noncentrally
cleared derivatives
US$31,156m
(2) total fair value of acceptable collateral
posted with the Central Clearinghouse
US$769m
(3) total potential exposure to centrally
cleared derivatives
US$13,377m
Total fair value of securities lending
collateral assets
FN-IN-550a.2 US$158m
Description of approach to
managing capital and liquidity-
related risks associated with
systemic non-insurance activities
Number of policies in force, by
segment: (1) property and casualty,
(2) life, (3) assumed reinsurance
FN-IN-550a.3
A description of our approach is covered in the
Risk Report of our Annual Report and Accounts,
under the discussion of the Group’s principal risks.
FN-IN-000.A
Total policies in force:
17,760,921
130
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Annual Report 2021
prudentialplc.com
ESG report / continued TCFD index
Pillar
Governance
Disclose the organisation’s
governance around climate-
related risks and opportunities.
Strategy
Disclose the actual and potential
impacts of climate-related risks
and opportunities on the
organisation’s businesses,
strategy and financial planning
where such information is material.
Recommended disclosure
a) Describe the Board’s oversight
of climate-related risks and
opportunities.
b) Describe management’s role in
assessing and managing climate-
related risks and opportunities.
a) Describe the climate-related risks
and opportunities the organisation
has identified over the short,
medium, and long term.
b) Describe the impact of climate-
related risks and opportunities
on the organisation’s businesses,
strategy, and financial planning.
c) Describe the potential impact
of different scenarios, including a
2°C scenario, on the organisation’s
businesses, strategy, and
financial planning.
Disclosure
The Board oversees climate-related risks and opportunities as
described in the ESG governance section starting on page 69,
which includes our governance around climate-related risks and
opportunities. Our governance for responsible investment is disclosed
in the Responsible Investment Governance section starting on
page 107.
Management has an active role in assessing and managing climate-
related risks and opportunities, as described in the Management
oversight section starting on page 69, and the management of
responsible investment as described in the Responsible Investment
Governance section starting on page 107.
We have identified short, medium and long term climate-related
risks as described in the Identifying and assessing climate-related
risks section starting on page 84. We identified climate-related
opportunities, as described in the following sections: the Description
of ESG strategic framework section starting on page 71, the Inclusive
offerings section starting on page 76, and the Identifying climate-
related opportunities section on page 84.
Our businesses, strategy, and financial planning is impacted by
climate-related risks and opportunities as described in the following
sections:
> Businesses: the Identifying and assessing climate-related risks
section starting on page 84, the Climate-related scenario testing
section starting on page 86, and the Managing our direct
operational environmental impacts section starting on page 89.
> Strategy: the Description of ESG strategic framework section
starting on page 71, the Inclusive offerings section starting on
page 76, and the Identifying climate-related opportunities section
starting on page 84.
> Financial planning: The Impact on financial planning and strategy
section starting on page 88.
Different scenarios, including below 2°C scenarios, have different
potential impacts on our businesses, strategy, and financial planning,
as described in the Climate-related scenario testing section starting
on page 86.
Risk management
Disclose how the organisation
identifies, assesses and manages
climate-related risks.
a) Describe the organisation’s
processes for identifying and
assessing climate-related risks.
We have processes for identifying and assessing climate-related risks,
as described in the Identifying and assessing climate-related risks
section starting on page 84.
b) Describe the organisation’s
processes for managing
climate-related risks.
We have processes for managing climate-related risks, as described
in the Managing and responding to climate-related risks section
starting on page 85.
c) Describe how processes
for identifying, assessing,
and managing climate-related
risks are integrated into the
organisation’s overall risk
management.
We have integrated our processes for identifying, assessing,
and managing climate-related risks into our overall risk management,
as described in the Identifying and assessing climate-related risks
section on page 84 and the Managing and responding to climate-
related risks section on page 85.
131
Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 Pillar
Recommended disclosure
Disclosure
Metrics and targets
Disclose the metrics and targets
used to assess and manage
relevant climate-related risks
and opportunities, where such
information is material.
a) Disclose the metrics used by
the organisation to assess climate-
related risks and opportunities
in line with its strategy and risk
management process.
b) Disclose Scope 1, Scope 2, and,
if appropriate, Scope 3 greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions, and the
related risks.
c) Describe the targets used by the
organisation to manage climate-
related risks and opportunities and
performance against targets.
We use a suite of metrics to assess climate-related risks and
opportunities, which are disclosed in the Climate-related metrics
and targets section on page 82 and in the Managing our direct
operational environmental impacts section on page 89.
We disclose Scope 1, Scope 2 and selected Scope 3 greenhouse gas
emissions in the Group emissions data section on page 89.
Scope 3 category 15 is our most material source of GHG emissions,
for which we describe the related risks in the Identifying and assessing
climate-related risks section starting on page 84. We do not have
material climate-related risks and opportunities related to our Scope 1
and Scope 2 GHG emissions.
We use a suite of targets to manage our climate-related risks
and the performance against those targets, as described in the
following sections:
> Investment portfolio: Climate-related metrics and targets section
starting on page 82
> Operations: Operational carbon reduction target on page 90
We have, to date, not yet set targets for opportunities.
In summary for our investment portfolio, in May 2021, we announced
both long and short term pledges. Our long term pledge is to become
‘net zero’ by 2050 with the short term pledges as follows:
> A 25 per cent reduction in the carbon emissions of our investment
portfolio by 2025 against our 2019 baseline. By the end of 2021,
we had reduced the weighted average carbon intensity (WACI) of
our investment portfolio by 23 per cent against our 2019 baseline,
placing us on track to achieve the 25 per cent target by 2025.
> Divestment from all direct investments in businesses which derive
more than 30 per cent of their income from coal, whether from
mining or energy production, with equities to be fully divested
by the end of 2021 and fixed-income assets by the end of 2022.
During 2021 we divested from all such direct equity investments
and remain on track to divest by end of 2022 from fixed-income
assets in businesses meeting the criteria.
> A target to engage with the companies responsible for 65 per cent
of the absolute emissions in our investment portfolio. Eastspring
has developed a process to meet this engagement target. In 2021,
Eastspring reviewed 44 per cent of these investee companies,
and engaged with 31 per cent of the same group.
For operations, we have set a target to become carbon neutral across
our Scope 1 and 2 (market-based) emissions by the end of 2030.
We aim to deliver a 25 per cent reduction per full time employee
(FTE) in our operational emissions from a 2016 baseline, then abating
the remaining emissions via carbon offsetting initiatives. To date,
we are ahead of the emissions reduction trajectory required to meet
our target.
132
Prudential plc
Annual Report 2021
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ESG report / continued Our Group-wide policies relating to our ESG Strategic Framework
ESG strategic pillar/enabler
Making health and
financial security
accessible
Owner and date of last review
Group Chief Executive
July 2021
Our Group-wide policies
To ensure we treat our customers fairly, management of conduct risks is key.
Prudential mitigates conduct risk with robust controls, which are identified and
assessed through the Group’s conduct risk assessment framework, and regularly
tested within its monitoring programmes. Our Customer Conduct Risk Policy provides
this framework and includes our Customer Conduct Standards, which set out the
core values and standards that the Group expects all employees and persons acting
on behalf of it to observe, and which further support our ESG strategy. These values
and standards include specific requirements regarding customers. In particular,
the Group has committed to:
> Treat customers fairly and honestly;
> Provide and promote products and services that meet customer needs,
are clearly explained and deliver real value;
> Maintain the confidentiality of our customer information;
> Provide and promote high standards of customer service; and
> Act fairly and in a timely way to address customer complaints and any
errors we find.
Stewarding the
human impacts
of climate change
Our Responsible Investment Policy articulates how ESG considerations are integrated
into investment activities and processes in a consistent and coherent way. It describes
our approach to ensure external commitments and internal targets on responsible
investment are met and to ensure the different objectives of responsible investment
are taken into consideration when making investment decisions.
Group Chief Financial Officer
and Chief Operating Officer
July 2021
Building social capital
Our Environment Policy outlines our approach to understanding and managing the
direct environmental impact of the Group. This covers our measurement, monitoring,
review and reporting of issues associated with our environmental performance.
Our Discrimination and Harassment Policy reflects our commitment to creating
and maintaining a welcoming, supportive culture in which all can work in a friendly
and professional working environment. This policy prohibits discrimination,
harassment, bullying and other types of misconduct where the behaviour is contrary
to Prudential’s values and standards. Where our people experience or witness
inappropriate behaviours, they are encouraged to report this via a range of available
channels including their line manager, Human Resources, grievance procedures
or Speak Out. Finally, the policy reinforces Prudential’s zero-tolerance stance over
retaliation against reporters of any concerns or for cooperating or participating
in the investigation of a complaint.
Group Chief Financial Officer
and Chief Operating Officer
July 2021
Group HR Director
July 2021
Our Diversity and Inclusion Policy sets out how we foster an inclusive workforce
and ensure all our employees are treated fairly and feel valued, and together have
the diversity in skill sets and backgrounds that enriches the organisation. Our policy
considers a range of diversity aspects of our employees, including gender, age,
ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and background.
Group HR Director
July 2021
Our Employee Relations Policy outlines the way we engage our employees and
motivate them to achieve success for the Group: promoting positive relationships
with employees, representative organisations and trade unions, and maintaining
a positive reputation for the treatment of employees.
Group HR Director
July 2021
133
Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 ESG strategic pillar/enabler
Our Group-wide policies
Building social capital
continued
Our Performance and Learning Policy sets out the importance of our people and
frames how we invest in their development to deliver against our strategy and the
future success of the organisation. This includes our Performance Management
Framework.
Our Recruitment Policy covers the Group’s recruitment processes, reflecting fairness,
equality of opportunities for all, and for all recruitment decisions to be made without
bias and with due consideration. The Recruitment Policy aims to provide a set of
principles to guide hiring for all involved across the organisation, introducing
consistency in the process and decision-making across the Group while setting
standards to enable oversight and improve quantitative and qualitative reporting
of the recruitment process.
Our Remuneration Policy outlines our effective approach to appropriately
rewarding our employees in a way that aligns incentives to business objectives
and performance, and enables the recruitment, retention and incentivisation of
high-calibre employees in line with our risk appetite and Group Reward Principles.
Our Talent Policy demonstrates how we attract, select and develop the best people
for roles that will ensure high performance in the short term and future-proof
leadership capability through building business-relevant longer-term succession
and talent pipelines. It sets out our fair and effective approach to pursuing this.
Our Consensual Relationships Policy reinforces our values, as well as the Group
Code of Business Conduct. The policy applies to consensual romantic and sexual
relationships and reflects our continuing commitment to a professional and
supportive working environment, where everybody is treated fairly, has equal
opportunities, and is respected and valued for their contributions to our company.
Our Group Data Policy is centred on the principle that data must be well governed
and effectively managed through its lifestyle. The Policy provides a data, business,
people and technology framework, which defines how we should manage data
throughout its lifecycle and employ the technology best suited for the business
use cases.
Owner and date of last review
Group HR Director
July 2021
Group HR Director
July 2021
Group HR Director
December 2021
Group HR Director
July 2021
Group HR Director
July 2021
Group Chief Digital Officer
July 2021
Responsible investment
Our Privacy Policy governs the protection of data and complies with the General
Data Protection Regulation. Our Information Security Policy supports our resilient
information security programme across the organisation and our commitment
to protecting the data entrusted to us by customers.
Group Chief Digital Officer
July 2021
Our Responsible Investment Policy articulates how ESG considerations are integrated
into investment activities and processes in a consistent and coherent way. It describes
our approach to ensure external commitments and internal targets on responsible
investment are met and to ensure the different objectives of responsible investment
are taken into consideration when making investment decisions.
Group Chief Financial Officer
and Chief Operating Officer
July 2021
134
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Annual Report 2021
prudentialplc.com
ESG report / continued ESG strategic pillar/enabler
Our Group-wide policies
Good governance
and responsible
business practices
Our Group Code of Business Conduct sits at the heart of our Group Governance
Manual, and highlights the ethical standards that the Board expects of itself,
our employees, our agents and others working on behalf of the Group. The Code
is supported by a set of Group-wide principles and values that define how the
Group expects business to be conducted in order to achieve its strategic objectives.
Owner and date of last review
Group Chief Executive
December 2021
Our Group Risk Framework describes the Group’s approach to risk management,
and the key arrangements and standards for risk management and internal control
that support the Group’s compliance with Group-wide statutory and regulatory
requirements.
Group Chief Risk and
Compliance Officer
July 2021
Our Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy covers our values for reputation, ethical
behaviour and reliability. As an organisation we are focused on financial practices
that align to those values and we prohibit corruption or bribery within our
working practices.
Our Anti-Money Laundering and Sanctions Policy outlines how we prohibit money
laundering or terrorist financing in our working practices, setting out how we establish
parameters to prevent this taking place across the organisation and the commitment
we have to comply with sanctions, laws and regulations by screening, prohibiting
or restricting business activity, and following up through investigation.
Our Security Policy has been replaced with a number of new policies.
The Group Resilience Policy covers physical security, health and safety and business
continuity management. The Group Escalation Policy sets the framework by which
the Group can conduct investigations relating to a range of security issues. The Group
Counter Fraud Policy supports our business units in the development of proportionate
fraud systems to enhance fraud detection, protection and investigation. The Group
Speak Out Policy sets out the framework and controls relating to whistleblowing.
Our Tax Risk Policy includes our processes to manage tax-related risk, by identifying,
measuring, controlling and reporting on issues considered an operational,
reputational or regulatory risk.
Our Political Donations Policy outlines our position that as an organisation we do not
donate to political parties. This is defined as covering any political party or candidate
or any other organisation that attempts to affect support for any political party. It is
defined as covering any payment or gift or contribution, direct or indirect, as defined
by the UK’s Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. The policy covers
expenditure on engagement activity on public policy discussions and applies across
the Group.
Group Chief Risk and
Compliance Officer
July 2021
Group Chief Risk and
Compliance Officer
July 2021
Group Chief Risk and
Compliance Officer
July 2021
Group Chief Financial Officer
and Chief Operating Officer
July 2021
Group Chief Financial Officer
and Chief Operating Officer
July 2021
Our Third-Party Supply and Outsourcing Policy covers how we manage and oversee
our third-party arrangements, through due diligence/selection criteria, contractual
requirements, the ongoing monitoring of such relationships, and reporting and
escalation. Additionally, the policy considers the requirements of the UK Modern
Slavery Act and the principles of the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Group Chief Financial Officer
and Chief Operating Officer
July 2021
Community
engagement
and investment
Our Community Investment Policy covers how we are committed to working with
the communities in which we operate as active and supportive members. It also
outlines our strategy for investing in the community and how we make investments
and report against them.
Group Chief Financial Officer
and Chief Operating Officer
and Group HR Director
July 2021
135
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Our 2021 energy consumption and GHG emissions are disclosed below in accordance with the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR)
framework of the Companies Act 2006 (Strategic and Directors’ Reports). No energy reduction projects were undertaken in the UK portfolio during
2021. Information on energy reduction initiatives across our Asian and African portfolio are included in the section on Managing our direct operational
environmental impacts. This table shows emissions for the composite Prudential Group (including Jackson up until the point of the demerger) and
covers the period 1 October 2020 to 30 September 2021. More information on the methodologies used is available in the Basis of Reporting.
Emissions from activities for which the company own and control,
including combustion of fuel and operation facilities (Scope 1) tCO2e
Emissions from purchase of electricity, heat, steam and cooling
purchased for own use (Scope 2, location based) tCO2e
Emissions from purchase of electricity, heat, steam and cooling
purchased for own use (Scope 2, market based) tCO2e
Total gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions (location-based) tCO2e
Intensity ratio: tCO2e/m2
Intensity ratio: tCO2e/fte
Energy consumption used to calculate above emissions: kWh (Scope 1)
Energy consumption used to calculate above emissions: kWh (Scope 2)
GHG emissions tables
Group (Including Jackson)
Emissions Source (tCO2e)
Scope 1
Scope 2 – market based
Scope 2 – location based
Scope 3 (2020 boundary comparative)
Scope 3 (expanded 2021 boundary)
Total: Scopes 1 and 2 market based
Total: Scopes 1, 2 and 3 (2020 boundary comparative)
Total: Scope 1, 2 and 3 (expanded 2021 boundary)
kg per m2 – Scopes 1 and 2
Tonnes per employee – Scopes 1 and 2
kg per m2 – Scopes 1, 2 and 3 (2020 boundary comparative)
kg per m2 – Scopes 1, 2 and 3 (expanded 2021 boundary)
Jackson
Emissions Source (tCO2e)
Scope 1
Scope 2 – market based
Scope 2 – location based
Scope 3 (2020 boundary comparative)
Scope 3 (expanded 2021 boundary)
Total: Scopes 1 and 2
Total: Scopes 1, 2 and 3 (2020 boundary comparative)
Total: Scope 1, 2 and 3 (expanded 2021 boundary)
kg per m2 – Scopes 1 and 2
Tonnes per employee – Scopes 1 and 2
kg per m2 – Scopes 1, 2 and 3 (2020 boundary comparative)
kg per m2 – Scopes 1, 2 and 3 (expanded 2021 boundary)
136
Prudential plc
Annual Report 2021
2021
2020
UK and
offshore
Global
(excluding UK
and offshore)
UK and
offshore
Global
(excluding UK
and offshore)
122
122
177
244
0.0119
1.1675
3,954
36,516
34,900
40,470
0.0850
2.3354
147
125
208
272
0.0484
1.0146
5,490
42,995
42,995
48,485
0.0972
2.6245
663,621
19,252,400
764,344
23,903,383
559,790
69,984,995
543,498
77,714,027
2021
4,076
35,077
36,638
296
10,397
39,154
39,450
49,551
78.85
2.23
79.44
99.79
2021
2,595
15,091
15,091
137
1,605
17,686
17,823
19,291
138.33
5.96
139.40
150.88
2020
5,637
43,203
43,120
2,164
n/a
48,840
51,004
n/a
96.24
2.61
100.51
n/a
2020
4,259
19,595
19,595
166
n/a
23,854
24,020
n/a
179.34
6.03
180.58
n/a
Change (%)
(27.7)
(18.8)
(15.0)
(86.3)
(19.8)
(22.7)
(18.1)
(14.5)
(21.0)
Change (%)
(39.1)
(23.0)
(23.0)
(17.5)
(25.9)
(25.8)
(22.9)
(1.2)
(22.8)
prudentialplc.com
ESG report / continued
Non-financial information statement
We recognise that to help our customers get the most out of life,
we need to take a long-term view on a wide range of issues that affect
our business and the communities in which we operate. To do this,
we maintain a proactive dialogue with our stakeholders to ensure that
we are managing these issues sustainably and delivering long-term
value. Further information on our engagement with our stakeholders
can be found in our Section 172 Statement below.
The Group’s Strategic Report, including the ESG report and the
Section 172 Statement, includes information required by the
non-financial reporting provisions contained in sections 414CA
and 414CB of the Companies Act 2006. These reporting requirements
are met in a number of sections of our annual report. The diagram
below illustrates where the relevant material is presented.
ESG Strategic Enabler:
Good governance
and responsible
business practices
PAGE 117
Employees
Anti-bribery and
anti-corruption
matters
ESG Strategic Enabler:
Good governance
and responsible
business practices
PAGE 117
Human
rights
Social
matters
Business
model
PAGES 12 TO 13
Principal
risks
C O R P O R ATE PURPOSE
PAGES 51 TO 63
Governance,
Group-wide policies
and due diligence
PAGE 133
Environmental
matters
KPI:
Carbon emissions
PAGE 28
ESG Strategic Pillar:
Stewarding the human impacts
of climate change
PAGE 82
Streamlined Energy and Carbon
Reporting (SECR) framework
PAGE 136
ESG Strategic Enabler:
Good governance
and responsible
business practices
PAGE 117
ESG Strategic Pillar:
Making health
and financial
security accessible
PAGE 75
ESG Strategic Pillar:
Building
social capital
PAGE 96
137
Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 UK Companies Act, Section 172 Statement
The Board recognises the importance of considering all stakeholders
in its decision making.
Section 172 of the UK Companies Act 2006 (the Act) requires
each Director to act in a way that he or she considers, in good
faith, would be most likely to promote the success of the
Company for the benefit of its members as a whole. In doing
this, Section 172 requires a Director to have regard to the
interests of the Company’s employees, its relationship with
suppliers and customers and the impact of the Company’s
operations on the community and the environment, amongst
other matters.
This statement details how the Board builds and maintains
strong relationships with its stakeholders, how it understands
their interests, needs and concerns and how the strength of
these relationships are contributing to the Company’s success.
Prudential’s key stakeholders are its customers, investors, our
workforce, regulators, governments and wider society and suppliers.
The Section 172 duty applies to each individual Director, even when
decisions are made collectively by the Board. It is fiduciary in nature
and so recognises the position of trust that each Director holds and
the need for good faith. The stakeholder factors are also relevant in
the creation of the Group’s corporate culture.
Customers
Why customers matter to Prudential
The Group’s purpose is to help customers get the most out of life.
We make healthcare affordable and accessible, delivering products
and services which meet the diversity of people’s needs. We protect
people’s wealth and grow their assets and we empower our
customers to save for their goals. Prudential is building the capacity
to serve 50 million customers by 2025. Our customers are at the
heart of what we do, and we are committed to helping them get
the most out of life.
How the Board engages and communicates with customers
and understands their interests, needs and concerns
Our extensive distribution channels enable us to better understand
and service customers’ financial needs. Prudential engages directly
with its customers through contact centres, dedicated account
Upon joining the Board, each Director is provided with an induction
which includes a detailed briefing on director duties, including those
arising under Section 172 and an overview of the Group’s stakeholders.
A briefing note reminding Directors of their Section 172 duties is made
available to the Board at each of its meetings. Individuals who submit
proposals to the Board for approval are required to address the Section
172 criteria in their papers, pointing out what impact the proposal
may have on the Group’s stakeholders, or how stakeholder views have
been taken into account. This ensures that the Board is sufficiently
briefed, and that materials support a robust discussion, with due
regard to the impact a proposal may have on the Group’s
stakeholders.
Section 172 duties are taken into account in our Board succession
planning and training materials. We ensure that we take account
of any conflicts between different stakeholder concerns, and resolve
such conflicts as smoothly as possible at the highest level necessary.
A summary of the Board’s stakeholder engagement activities in 2021
is set out below.
managers, face-to-face advice (where possible), mobile phone apps
and telephone technical support teams. The development of
Prudential’s digital proposition, specifically the digital health app
Pulse, has enabled Prudential to give its customers a greater range
of services, including through partnerships with others.
The Board receives regular reports on issues affecting customers
from business heads. In particular, during 2021, it has focussed
on the impact of the pandemic on customers, including the steps
being taken by the business to support them and the operational
resilience of the business and key suppliers to service them. Through
deep dives on local businesses, the Board has developed a better
understanding of how the business is responding to customer needs
in individual markets.
The impact that engagement with customers has on Board
decision-making
The outcome of our operational teams’ engagement with
customers is transmitted through the business and used to shape
the design of our products and how and where we distribute those
products, and ultimately to inform strategic decisions made at
Board level. Decisions about which markets to access, what kind
of products to offer and how to develop our agency force, our bank
partnerships and our digital capabilities, are all driven by an
understanding of what customers want, based on engagement
with those customers.
The Board has actively discussed and supported the evolution
of the digital strategy throughout 2021, and the customer and
distribution strategies of individual businesses. The Group intends
to build capacity to serve a greater number of customers. The Board
receives updates and tracks the progress towards this goal.
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Investors
Why investors matter to Prudential
The Board is committed to the long-term delivery of future
shareholder returns through value appreciation and dividends.
Securing our investors’ trust through regular engagement ensures
their ongoing investment and support.
How the Board engages and communicates with investors
and understands their interests, needs and concerns
The Group seeks to maintain an open and active dialogue with
investors. This ensures that the Group’s strategy is well understood
by the market and that investors’ perspectives and concerns are
communicated to the Board.
During 2021, over 480 meetings were held with around 364
individual institutional investors in the UK, continental Europe, the
US and Asia. Of these 480 meetings, 367 were attended by one or
more of the Executive Directors. These meetings took the form of
one on one, group sessions and participation in panels and walking
tours organised in some cases by brokers.
In late 2021, an in-depth investor perception survey by an
independent third party was commissioned. This survey covered
long standing and existing shareholders as well as those who
participated in the Hong Kong equity raise. The topics covered
included Group leadership and strategy, execution of strategic
projects and detailed questions on the operating businesses in key
markets. The results of the perception survey were presented to the
Board for discussion in early 2022 and actions were agreed in a
number of areas for implementation by the management team.
The Board would like to register its thanks to the shareholders who
participated in this extensive process.
The Chair holds an ongoing programme of engagement with major
investors in respect of governance and strategic matters, with the
Chair attending over 35 investor meetings in 2021. She reports back
to the Board on the key themes raised.
Engagement with institutional investors on the Directors’
Remuneration Policy and implementation is led by the
Remuneration Committee Chair. This year, the Committee Chair
designate joined a number of these meetings. The Chair of the
Remuneration Committee reports to the Committee on such
matters. The Committee’s advisors also provide advice on major
investor and proxy agency views and the Committee takes these
into account throughout the year when making decisions.
All Non-executive Directors, and in particular the Senior
Independent Director and Committee Chairs, are available
to meet with major shareholders on request.
The Group’s AGM is the single largest shareholder engagement
event of the year. In 2021, shareholders were unable to attend
the AGM in person due to UK Government restrictions. Instead,
shareholders were invited to participate in the AGM electronically
via the Lumi platform. In August 2021, at a General Meeting to
approve the separation of Jackson Financial Inc., shareholders
were able to attend in person and also electronically, where they
could raise questions directly with the Board and vote on the
demerger resolution.
Prudential will continue to offer shareholders the opportunity
to attend shareholder meetings in person, where possible, and
electronically. This hybrid approach allows the greatest flexibility
for shareholders who want to engage with the Board, including the
growing number of Hong Kong based shareholders, who now have
the opportunity to participate more meaningfully in shareholder
decision making, or would otherwise not have the opportunity to
participate directly.
A key focus for investor relations activity in 2022 will be growing
the investor base that specialises in Emerging Market growth
companies, in particular investors based in Asia. We expect that the
level of investor interaction using digital mechanisms will remain
high though we are hopeful that face-to-face engagement can
take place more than was possible in 2021. We are taking steps
to support an increase in liquidity on the Hong Kong line of
stock (ticker 2378 HK) including the facilitation of transfers of
shareholdings from the London line. Considerable marketing and
communications were initiated in 2021 and will continue, including
working with Asian-based research franchises to increase the
number of commentators located close to our operating markets
and those who actively cover our Asian regional peers. We intend
to host a number of tailored and thematic investor relations events
during the year for investors and research analysts.
The impact that engagement with investors has on Board
decision-making
During 2021, the Board considered the views of shareholders when
deciding how to structure the separation of Jackson (see break
out box below for further detail), on matters concerning Board
succession and composition, and with regards to the size, structure
and timing of the Hong Kong share capital raise more broadly
(see break out box below for further detail). The perspectives
gained from investor meetings, and the need for broad investor
support, were considered by the Board when making these key
strategic decisions.
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Workforce
Why the workforce matters to Prudential
The Group aims to attract, retain and develop highly-skilled staff.
Ongoing engagement with the workforce is critical to ensuring the
successful delivery of the Group’s strategic objectives.
How the Board engages and communicates with the workforce
and understands their interests, needs and concerns
The Board uses a range of formal and informal methods to engage,
communicate and understand the views of the workforce.
In May 2021, the Board’s Responsibility & Sustainability Working
Group assumed responsibility for workforce engagement activities
and has also sought to engage other Non-executive Directors. This
role was previously fulfilled by designated Non-executive Directors,
Kai Nargolwala for Asia, and Tom Watjen for the US and the UK.
In anticipation of Kai’s retirement from the Board in May 2021,
the Board reflected on the experience of having had a designated
Non-executive Director as the mechanism for workforce
engagement and decided to adopt this alternative mechanism
as a means to get wider and deeper Non-executive involvement,
alongside the insights that the Executive Directors bring into the
Boardroom. The Board is satisfied that the Working Group is
effective in its engagement with the workforce, and will continue
to monitor the arrangements on a periodic basis.
In addition to the Working Group’s direct engagement with the
workforce, and additional engagement by the Executive Directors,
the Board also receives regular updates on employee matters.
In particular, the Board received reports on the impact of the
pandemic and the prolonged period of work from home and hybrid
working arrangements.
A summary of the Working Group’s engagement with the workforce
in 2021, and that of other Non-executive Directors, is set out below:
Townhall Meetings
Members of the Working Group participated in various Townhall
meetings throughout 2021 for members of the workforce located
in the UK and Hong Kong head offices. The normalisation of remote
meetings, as a consequence of the pandemic, has provided an
opportunity for wider attendance at these townhalls and therefore
the ability to connect with a larger population of the workforce.
Members of the Working Group gained a sense of employee
sentiment across the head office locations and could gauge how
management were setting the tone, embodying the Group’s Values,
and supporting the workforce through a period of transformation
in Prudential and wider global upheaval.
Collaboration Jam II
The Collaboration Jam II was a 72-hour crowd-sourced online
conversation, supported by external advisers HSM, exploring
future-ready skills, wellbeing in the context of the pandemic,
and gathering employee views around the shift to hybrid working.
Over three days, members of the Working Group participated in
the Jam, together with over 9,000 members of the workforce.
A summary of insights emerging from Jam II was presented to the
Working Group, including HSM’s conclusions and recommendations.
A key area of focus was the impact of the prolonged period of
home/hybrid working on employees and their wellbeing. HSM’s
conclusions noted a strong alignment of views globally on key topics
and that there was an opportunity for the Group to harness a strong
desire from employees for individual accountability and a readiness
for change, through providing more support and guidance to
achieve high performance underpinned by wellbeing. Management
outlined how these insights were being reflected in initiatives to
support employee wellbeing, helping them to navigate working in
a hybrid environment, equipping them with skills for an increasingly
digital business, and continuing to foster an inclusive environment
in which employees are comfortable speaking out.
Values Connect Sessions
These sessions formed part of the Leadership Culture Journey (LCJ),
the Group’s signature programme to equip the Top 200 leaders
to role model the five Group Values launched in September 2020
(Ambitious, Courageous, Curious, Empathetic, Nimble).
Members of the Working Group joined facilitated small group
sessions that were held with senior leaders in order for them to
share their personal views and learnings from the LCJ. Each session
focused on one of the Values.
Participating in these sessions gave Working Group Members
an opportunity to connect in a small group setting and to better
understand how the Values were being embedded across the
organisation and how well they resonated with employees.
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Workforce / continued
Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Council Meetings
The D&I Council is co-chaired by the Group Chief Financial Officer
and Group Chief Operating Officer and the Group HR Director,
and comprises 17 leaders from across the Group. It is responsible
for defining a global D&I strategy, promoting and championing
D&I initiatives in respective businesses, and challenging
the organisation.
The impact that engagement with the workforce
has on Board decision-making
The Board received detailed updates on the Working Group’s
engagement with the workforce, the development of key talent
and the succession pipeline and on D&I priorities, which included
the output of the Global Talent Review, and the output of
employee surveys.
The Working Group has been regularly updated on the Council’s
meetings and the Group’s D&I initiatives. Through attendance,
Members of the Working Group have been able to see directly how
the Council is fulfilling its role and gained a better understanding
of the progress being made on initiatives in support of the Group’s
goal to empower employees and create a sense of belonging
through respect and appreciation of differences.
The Board discussed with management throughout the year the
various ongoing initiatives to support the workforce. These included
initiatives to support staff well-being through the pandemic, to
embed the Group’s values and desired behaviours throughout the
organisation and to develop talent and a diverse and inclusive
workplace. These are set out in more detail in the ESG Report on
pages 66 to 136.
To address sentiments revealed by the Group-wide engagement
surveys, Prudential took several immediate actions, including the
creation of regional forums to discuss individual acceleration plans,
assigned mentors, offered involvement in strategic projects and
provided opportunities for more interaction with executive leaders.
Regulators
In November 2021, members of our Group Executive Committee
presented to the Regulatory College of Supervisors on the Group’s
strategy and key business initiatives.
The Directors meet with the Hong Kong IA on a periodic basis,
sharing an agreed range of management information. Discussions
cover areas such as capital, risk management and governance
issues impacting Prudential and the industry.
The Board receives regular updates on our engagement with the
Hong Kong IA regarding the shape of its legislative and regulatory
framework and how the requirements of the GWS Framework have
been implemented by the Group.
The impact that engagement with regulators has on Board
decision-making
During 2021, the Board discussed and approved various matters
in relation to its designation under the Hong Kong IA Insurance
Ordinance and the GWS Framework, including the details of all
transitional arrangements agreed with the Hong Kong IA.
After designation, the Group Risk Committee regularly oversees the
progress made by the Group on transitional arrangements agreed
with the Hong Kong IA.
The Board also engaged pro-actively with the Hong Kong IA and
other relevant regulators throughout the year on strategic initiatives
that we have completed including the demerger of the Jackson
business, the equity raise and the debt restructuring.
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Why regulators matter to Prudential
Regulators regulate and supervise the insurance and asset
management industries, promote its general stability and protect
policy holders.
Prudential operates in highly regulated markets, and seeks to
maintain honest, constructive and open relationships with
regulators to ensure mutual trust, respect and understanding.
How the Board engages and communicates with regulators
and understands their interests, needs and concerns
During 2021, Prudential was included as a designated insurance
holding company under the Hong Kong Insurance Authority’s (IA)
Insurance Ordinance, and is now subject to the Hong Kong IA’s
Group-wide Supervision (GWS) Framework.
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Governments and the wider society
Why governments and the wider society matter to Prudential
We regard governments in the markets in which we operate as
important stakeholders. In addition, we support communities
where we operate, by making healthcare affordable and accessible,
offering savings and protection products, paying tax revenues
and community support activity.
How the Board engages and communicates with governments
and the wider society and understands their interests,
needs and concerns
As in 2020, a major area of engagement with our host governments
was the on-going management of Covid-19 and the impact on
our customers, communities and workforce. Throughout 2021,
Prudential actively engaged with international standard setters,
and with governments and regulators in the markets in which we
operate on key issues shaping their policy environment, including
emerging ESG issues.
As well as direct engagement with governments and regulators,
we worked with a number of trade associations and working
groups to understand and inform approaches to international
and national-level policy and regulations and to benefit from the
collaboration and cooperation that comes from working alongside
peers in industry to inform and understand policy-making.
Memberships of trade associations such as Asia House, the
UK-ASEAN Business Council and the China-Britain Business Council,
and a number of British and European Chambers of Commerce,
enabled the organisation of, and participation in roundtables and
meetings with policymakers on green and sustainable finance,
healthcare and digital issues, often virtually given the continuing
restrictions on international travel. Green and sustainable finance
also featured in various government-to-government and regulatory
dialogues that took place through the year, and into which
Prudential advocated relevant priorities and perspectives.
The progress of these initiatives together with key government
and political developments are reported to the Board throughout
the year by the Director of Group Government Relations.
Our approach to community investment and engagement is
guided by our Group-wide Community Investment Policy and the
Group’s ESG strategy. Within this framework, our businesses have
the autonomy to manage their own community investment
programmes. The Prudence Foundation regularly reviews our
strategy and funding for community investment programmes
with the aim of maximising positive outcomes in the regions where
we operate. The Responsibility and Sustainability Working Group
oversees our community engagement and investment activities on
behalf of the Board. In 2021 the Working Group received an update
on the activities of the Prudence Foundation, including an overview
of its alignment to the Group ESG strategic framework and strategy,
its structure, governance and budget together with an update on
its flagship programmes and the Foundation’s aspirations for 2022
and beyond.
The impact that engagement with the government
and the wider society has on Board decision-making
In May 2021, the Board approved a number of climate-related
commitments including a pledge to become a ‘net zero’ asset owner
by 2050 and various immediate actions to support that objective.
Throughout 2021, Prudential worked with the UK government and
UK embassies in our markets on key themes ahead of the meeting
of the UNFCCC’s Conference of Parties (COP26), including
developing sustainable capital markets and the role of investors in a
just and long term energy transition. We participated in local Energy
Transition Councils facilitated by the UK government in a number
of ASEAN markets, and green finance workshops organised by the
UK government or other partners in collaboration with domestic
policymakers (for example, in Thailand and Kenya).
At COP26, across a range of activities, the Chair, Group CFO
and COO and senior Prudential representatives highlighted the
importance of a just and inclusive transition in Asia and Africa;
the challenges of addressing coal retirement and investment in
renewables in developing markets; and the framework for financial
market participants to achieve net zero goals.
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Suppliers
Why suppliers matter to Prudential
Together with our workforce, our suppliers support us in serving
our customers. Strong supplier relationships are therefore vital.
How the Board engages and communicates with suppliers
and understands their interests, needs and concerns
Modern slavery
Prudential is committed to ensuring that slavery, human trafficking,
child labour or any other abuse of human rights has no place in our
organisation or supply chain. Management continue to carry out
a range of activities to enhance the Group’s approach to modern
slavery, not least through the implementation of the responsible
supplier risk assessments and due diligence requirements within
the new Group Third Party Supplier and Outsourcing Policy (GTPSO).
Payment terms
In order to demonstrate Prudential’s ongoing commitment
to supporting its supply chain, through the difficult trading
circumstances triggered by the global pandemic, Prudential
continued to provide payment assistance in 2021.
Prudential’s standard contractual payment terms in the UK provide
for payment to suppliers within 30 days after the invoice date.
In the most recent reporting period ending 31 December 2021,
the average time taken to pay invoices was 29 days. For smaller
suppliers with under 100 employees, our Small Supplier Accelerated
Payment Scheme aims to pay suppliers in as little as 10 days after
the invoice date. The Scheme has now benefited over 150 small
suppliers with payments of nearly £9 million in 2021.
The impact that engagement with suppliers has on Board
decision-making
During 2021, the Board approved a new GTPSO, which governs the
relationships that the Group has with over 6,000 service providers.
The policy aligns and builds on the Group’s ESG framework through
the introduction of Responsible Supplier Guidelines that promote
the development of a sustainable and ethical supply chain, with
a particular emphasis on conducting due diligence on a service
provider’s position and compliance with human rights, ethical and
safe labour practices and local labour laws and wage standards
for spend in categories considered to be of higher risk. The policy
was reviewed and approved by the Risk Committee, before being
approved by the Board.
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Case studies of the Board’s consideration of the impact on stakeholders of major transactions
During 2021, the Board approved two significant strategic transactions, namely: the separation and demerger of Jackson Financial Inc. and the
equity capital raising through the issue of new shares on the Hong Kong branch register. The Board spent a considerable amount of time discussing
the impact each transaction would have on the affected stakeholders before making a decision. Set out below is a summary of those considerations.
The separation and demerger of Jackson Financial Inc.
Impact of stakeholder considerations on the Board’s
decision to approve the demerger of Jackson Financial
In January 2021, the Board, after discussing the merits of the
proposed transaction and its impact on the affected stakeholder
groups, decided that a demerger was in the best interests of
shareholders when assessed against other options, including
a minority IPO, other separation paths or retaining Jackson.
Throughout the project the Company engaged pro-actively with
the Hong Kong IA and the Michigan Department of Insurance and
Financial Services, and the Board took into account their views in
the structuring of the transaction in order to secure their support.
The Board actively considered mitigants to reduce the impact on
institutional and retail investors who may have been unable to hold
shares in Jackson, including determining the size of the stake the
Group could retain upon the demerger, and supporting a proactive
programme of investor relations activity.
A share sale option was also established to enable small retail
shareholders to sell their Jackson Shares and receive the cash sale
proceeds, net of applicable withholding taxes with Prudential
covering the cost of brokerage and any currency conversion.
The Company’s registrar, EQ, also provided a corporate sponsored
nominee service which enabled eligible shareholders who may face
logistical and/or practical difficulties in holding shares listed on a
U.S. exchange, to hold their entitlement to Jackson Shares in the
form of CREST Depository Interests instead.
At the General Meeting in August 2021, shareholders
overwhelmingly supported the demerger resolution, voting
99.65 per cent in favour of the separation. Shortly thereafter the
Board approved a dividend in-specie, distributing Jackson shares
to the Group’s shareholders.
Context
In January 2021, the Board of Prudential announced that it had
decided to pursue the separation of its US operations (Jackson)
from the Group through a demerger, whereby shares in Jackson
would be distributed to Prudential shareholders.
Stakeholder considerations
In arriving at this strategic decision the Board took into account
the impact that the separation would have on the affected
stakeholders. The Board received regular briefing materials, advice
and presentations from Management and its advisors and sought
to understand the views of investors as it determined its strategy.
The impact of changes arising from the separation on employees
and customers was also discussed, prioritising the fair treatment
of all involved.
The Board believed that the separation would lead to an
improvement in strategic, operational and financial execution
for both the Group and Jackson after the separation, which would
enhance their speed and agility to adapt to their customers’
evolving needs, to manage stakeholder relationships and improve
financial outcomes for their respective shareholders. The separation
of Jackson would also complete Prudential’s strategic
transformation from a global group into a business exclusively
focussed on the long-term structural opportunities of Asia
and Africa.
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Decision to raise equity and issue shares on the Hong Kong branch register
Context
In January 2021, Prudential announced that the Board was
considering a potential $2.5-$3 billion raising of equity in the
context of the intended demerger of Jackson, in order to accelerate
de-levering of the Group’s balance sheet through the redemption of
existing high-coupon debt. At the same time, the Group announced
changes in the regulatory capital calculation used by Jackson. This
meant that there would be no pre-separation dividend to Group
shareholders.
Stakeholder considerations
The Board believed there were clear benefits to shareholders from
increasing both its Asian shareholder base and the liquidity of its
shares in Hong Kong. As a non pre-emptive equity raise, the size of
the issuance was limited to the 5 per cent shareholder authorisation
which had been obtained at the 2021 AGM with an overwhelming
99.69 per cent of votes cast in its favour. The Board recognised the
potential shareholder concerns of a non pre-emptive raise and
engaged with the Group’s top 20 shareholders to ensure any specific
concerns were heard.
Impact of stakeholder considerations on the Board’s
decision to approve the Hong Kong share offer
Having considered the interest of all stakeholders, particularly the
views expressed by the Group’s existing shareholders, the Board
reached the conclusion that a Hong Kong Fully Marketed Offer,
comprising a global institutional placing and a simultaneous public
offer to Hong Kong based retail investors (including a preferential
offer to eligible employees and agents) was in the best interests of
the Company as a whole. The allocation of shares under the offer
took into account a number of criteria, including the interests of
existing shareholders and the strategic benefits of increasing both
our Asian shareholder base and enhancing liquidity in Hong Kong.
The share offer was launched in October 2021, raising
approximately $2.4 billion of equity from a range of existing
shareholders, new Asia-focussed institutional investors and
sovereign wealth funds. The equity raise enabled $2.25 billion of
debt repayment to de-lever the Group’s balance sheet and enhance
the Group’s financial flexibility in light of the breadth of the
opportunities to invest in growth.
Strategic report approval by the Board of Directors
The strategic report set out on pages 6 to 145 is approved
by the Board of Directors.
Signed on behalf of the Board of Directors
Mike Wells
Group Chief Executive
8 March 2022
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148 Chair’s introduction
150 Our leadership
156 Corporate Governance
158 How we operate
167 Risk management and internal control
169 Committee reports
191 Statutory and regulatory disclosures
193
Index to principal Directors’ report disclosures
147
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Prudential plc Annual Report 2021
Chair’s introduction
Shriti Vadera
Chair
While the challenges of the pandemic
continued during 2021, it was an
eventful first year for me as Chair of
Prudential. We took significant steps
as a company and I would like to
thank my fellow Board members,
management, colleagues and
shareholders for their commitment,
support and, at times, their patience.
Recognising the huge impact on individuals and communities alike,
we have worked assiduously to support our staff and customers
throughout 2021. The Board has continued, in large part, to operate
virtually, with members meeting together only where permissible and
possible. There was a small window in November 2021 when more of
us were able to meet in London and this provided an invaluable
opportunity for the face-to-face connection which has been sadly
absent over the last two years.
Board composition
The Board has continued to evolve to reflect the Group’s changing
geographic footprint and strategic focus on our transformation to
a purely Asian and African-focused growth company. In addition
to changes to the Executive team, one of my key priorities has been
changes to the non-executive composition of the Board. While a number
of long-standing Directors have come to the end of their tenure, I have
been delighted with the appointments of the three Non-executive
Directors who joined us in 2021 Chua Sock Koong, Ming Lu and Jeanette
Wong together with George Sartorel who joined the Board in January of
this year. Between them, they bring a depth and breadth of operational
experience in Asia and add to the diversity of thought and perspectives
around the Boardroom table. They enhance the Board’s familiarity with
digital technology, and better enable it to support and challenge the
business at an operational level. We introduced Sock Koong, Ming and
Jeanette at last year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM). George brings
deep operating expertise in insurance from a long career in the sector
across the Asia Pacific region, as well as experience of digital
transformation. We will continue to seek Asian, specialist financial
services and digital experience in the next phase of appointments.
I am sorry to say goodbye to some long-standing members of the
Board who have seen the Group through a period of transformation.
Following Kai Nargolwala’s retirement from the Board at the AGM
in May 2021, Fields Wicker-Miurin retired from the Board on
31 December 2021. Fields was a valued member of the Board,
the Remuneration Committee and the Board’s Responsibility
& Sustainability Working Group (RSWG) since its inception.
On reaching the end of their nine-year tenure, Anthony Nightingale
and Alice Schroeder will step down from the Board at the conclusion
of the 2022 AGM. Alice has been a valuable long-standing member of
both the Audit and Risk Committees and I am particularly grateful for
her work setting up and chairing the RSWG since February 2021.
Anthony has brought considerable experience and insight to the
Board, Nomination & Governance Committee and as Chair of the
Remuneration Committee since 2015, in which role he has been
highly diligent in engagement with our shareholders. As previously
announced, Chua Sock Koong will succeed Anthony as Chair of the
Remuneration Committee following the conclusion of the 2022 AGM.
I would like to thank all of them for their contributions.
To ensure a smooth transition and to mitigate some of the loss of
institutional memory of those Directors stepping down, we have
brought the new joiners onto the Board early. This overlap means that
the Board is larger in the medium term than is expected over the
longer term, but this enables new members to benefit from the
out-going members’ experience and insight. As a further important
element of ensuring stability and continuity of knowledge during this
period of transition and as the average tenure of Board members will
be a little over three years following the 2022 AGM, the Board
considered that it would be in the best interests of the Company to
extend the tenure of the Senior Independent Director, Philip Remnant,
by one year to the 2023 AGM. I have sought the view of major
shareholders as part of my annual programme of engagement and
am grateful for the support indicated so far.
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Board agenda in 2021
I have set out in my Chair’s letter the transformation of the Group
in 2021 and the key transactions which took place. Overseeing those
transactions and the necessary documentation took up a significant
amount of the Board and management’s attention during the year.
I am grateful to all for the additional time put in, which ensured that
the Board agenda progressed on a number of other fronts at the
same time.
Alongside the corporate transactions, the focus of the Board’s agenda
has been to deepen its knowledge of Prudential’s individual businesses
through a series of deep dives with local management teams. These
have focused on the specifics of each business alongside cross-cutting
themes, their customer propositions, distribution strategies including
the use of digital, their competitive landscape, the particular
challenges they face and how they are meeting them. It has been
beneficial and rewarding to meet different teams across the Group
(albeit largely virtually), to hear their experiences and witness the
energy they bring to supporting customers, employees, agents and
communities, including through the pandemic. I am looking forward
to being able to hold these sessions in person in the near future.
As I noted last year, good governance includes a commitment to
continuous improvement and to that end I am grateful to Jeremy
Anderson for leading an exercise to consider lessons for the Board
to learn from the revision to Jackson’s hedge modelling, announced
last January, which had an impact on Jackson’s statutory capital.
Building on the work done by management and internal audit to
look at policies and controls in relation to model risk management,
Mr Anderson made a number of recommendations to enhance
governance oversight arrangements at Group and at our business
units. Further detail is included in his report on pages 184 to 190.
Impact on, and engagement with, key stakeholders
The Board considers ESG matters as needing to be fully integrated
and aligned with its core business strategy. ESG, including climate
change, is overseen by the Board, which is responsible for determining
overall strategy and prioritisation of key focus areas, and to ensure
our ESG strategic framework (published in 2020) is being embedded
across our business. We established the RSWG to devote more time
to overseeing our work on the environment, communities, diversity,
inclusion, people and culture, the embedding of our ESG framework,
the enhancement of disclosures for 2021 and to employee
engagement activities. During 2021, we reviewed various voluntary
reporting frameworks and decided to prioritise reporting in line
with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board Insurance
Standard for 2021.
As a significant asset manager and asset owner in regions forecast to
be severely impacted by climate change, Prudential has a distinctive
role to play in the transition to a low-carbon economy. Recognising
this, in May 2021, we set a target to be net zero by 2050 for our
insurance assets supported by a 25 per cent reduction in the weighted
average carbon intensity of our investment portfolio by 2025. Full
details of the strategy and the work of the RSWG are included in the
ESG Report on page pages 66 to 137.
Alongside consideration of the impact Prudential can have across
its customers, communities and wider stakeholders, the Board has
focused on the wellbeing of our employees through 2021, not least
as we continue to adjust to the impact of the pandemic on working
practices and as the organisation goes through a period of significant
change. 2021 was the second year of a three-year plan to promote
and embed a diverse and inclusive culture and our chosen behaviours
across the Group, and the Board and I have participated in a number
of employee engagement activities and seen how the Group’s values
are being embedded in our business. Further details are included in the
Section 172 Statement on pages 140 to 141.
Focus for 2022
I hope this report and those of my fellow Committee Chairs
demonstrates the careful work, challenge and oversight undertaken
in 2021. After a year of significant change and external uncertainties,
in 2022 the Board will focus on delivery of the opportunities we believe
our strategic decisions have positioned Prudential to realise across
our markets. The Covid-19 pandemic and its effects will continue to
impact the markets and societies in which we operate, so we will focus
on the wellbeing of our staff and the development and delivery of
products and services which best support our customers and
policyholders. We will invest in our skills and capabilities as Pulse
positions us for digitally-enabled delivery of health protection,
insurance and wealth management products and services. We will
continue to build on our leading positions in Hong Kong and South-
east Asia, and where we see the greatest growth opportunities in
the largest economies of China, India, Indonesia and Thailand.
Technology innovation, adaptation and adoption will continue to
be a key driver and enabler of our strategy.
The ongoing pandemic meant I was unable to meet shareholders
in person at our AGM in 2021, though I welcomed the engagement
we were able to have through our virtual meetings. We were able to
hold a hybrid General Meeting (GM) in August 2021 for the vote on
the demerger of Jackson, while throughout the year I have been
pleased to meet with our major investors, though largely virtually
rather than in-person. I hope that the AGM in 2022 provides the first
opportunity for me to meet with shareholders at the AGM in person,
public health circumstances permitting. The detailed arrangements
will be communicated in our AGM Notice published in April 2022.
I look forward to updating you further there.
Shriti Vadera
Chair
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Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 Our leadership
Board of Directors
Changes to the Board in 2021:
> On 1 January 2021, Shriti Vadera became
the Chair of the Board
> On 12 May 2021, Chua Sock Koong, Ming Lu
and Jeanette Wong joined the Board
> Following the conclusion of the 2021 AGM
held on 13 May 2021, Kaikhushru Nargolwala
retired from the Board
> On 31 December 2021, Fields Wicker-Miurin
retired from the Board
Changes to the Board in 2022:
> On 14 January 2022, George Sartorel joined
the Board
> As announced on 10 February 2022, at the
end of March 2022 Mike Wells will retire from
his role as Group Chief Executive and step
down from the Board. Mark FitzPatrick,
currently Group Chief Financial Officer and
Chief Operating Officer, will become Interim
Group Chief Executive and James Turner,
currently Group Chief Risk and Compliance
Officer, will become Group Chief Financial
Officer. Avnish Kalra will succeed Mr Turner as
Group Chief Risk and Compliance Officer and
will join the Group Executive Committee.
> Following the conclusion of the 2022 AGM
to be held on 26 May 2022, Anthony
Nightingale and Alice Schroeder will retire
from the Board
The composition of the Prudential Corporation
Asia Limited board of directors mirrors the
Prudential plc Board.
Changes to Board Committee Membership:
> On 1 January 2021, Shriti Vadera became
the Chair of the Nomination & Governance
Committee
> On 4 February 2021, Jeremy Anderson
stepped down from the Nomination &
Governance Committee and became a
member of the Responsibility & Sustainability
Working Group . David Law stepped down
from the Nomination & Governance
Committee and joined the Remuneration
Committee and Tom Watjen joined the
Nomination & Governance Committee
> On 4 February 2021, Fields Wicker-Miurin
and Kai Nargolwala joined the Responsibility
& Sustainability Working Group
> On 3 March 2021, Amy Yip stepped down
from the Remuneration Committee and
joined the Audit Committee
> On 12 May 2021, Chua Sock Koong joined
the Audit Committee and Remuneration
Committee, Ming Lu joined the Nomination
& Governance Committee and Risk
Committee and Jeanette Wong joined
the Audit Committee and Risk Committee
> On 1 November 2021, Jeanette Wong
joined the Responsibility & Sustainability
Working Group
Shriti Vadera
Chair
N
Michael Wells
Group Chief Executive
Mark FitzPatrick CA
Group Chief Financial Officer
and Chief Operating Officer
James Turner FSA FCSI FRM
The Hon. Philip Remnant CBE FCA
Group Chief Risk and Compliance Officer
Senior Independent Director
Appointments
> Appointed to the Board: January 2011
> Appointed Group Chief Executive:
June 2015
> Age: 61
Relevant skills and experience
Mike has more than three decades’ experience
in insurance and retirement services, having
started his career at the US brokerage house
Dean Witter, before going on to become a
managing director at Smith Barney Shearson.
Mike joined the Prudential Group in 1995
and became Chief Operating Officer and
Vice-Chairman of Jackson in 2003. In 2011,
he was appointed President and Chief
Executive Officer of Jackson, and joined the
Board of Prudential.
During his leadership of Jackson, Mike was
responsible for the development of Jackson’s
market-leading range of retirement solutions.
He was also part of the Jackson teams that
purchased and successfully integrated a
savings institute and two life companies.
Key current external appointments
> International Advisory Panel of the
Monetary Authority of Singapore
> San Diego University Advisory Board
> China Children Development Foundation
Appointments
> Appointed to the Board: May 2020
> Appointed Chair: January 2021
> Age: 59
Relevant skills and experience
Shriti brings senior boardroom experience
and leadership skills at complex organisations,
including extensive experience in the financial
services sector, with international operations
and at the highest level of international
negotiations between Governments and in
multilateral organisations. She contributes
her wide-ranging and global experience in
economics, public policy and strategy, as well
as her deep understanding and insight into
global and emerging markets and the
macro-political and economic environment.
Shriti was chair of Santander UK Group
Holdings, the Senior Independent Director
at BHP and a Non-executive Director of
Astra Zeneca. Between 2009 and 2014,
she undertook a wide range of assignments,
such as advising the South Korean Chair
of the G20, two European countries on the
Eurozone and banking crisis, the African
Development Bank on infrastructure
financing and a number of global investors
and sovereign wealth funds on strategy
and economic and market developments.
From 2007 to 2009, Shriti was a Minister in the
UK government, serving in the Cabinet Office,
Business Department and International
Development Department. She led on the UK
Government’s response to the global financial
crisis and its Presidency of the G20. From 1999
to 2007 she was a member of HM Treasury’s
Council of Economic Advisers.
Shriti’s career began with 15 years in investment
banking with SG Warburg/UBS, where she had
a strong focus on emerging markets.
Key current external appointments
> Institute of International Finance,
Board Member
> Chair, The Royal Shakespeare Company
> Appointed to the Board: July 2017
> Appointed to the Board: March 2018
> Appointed to the Board: January 2013
Appointments
> Age: 53
Appointments
> Age: 52
A N Re
Appointments
> Age: 67
Relevant skills and experience
Mark has a strong background across
Relevant skills and experience
Relevant skills and experience
Having held senior positions at Prudential for
Philip is a chartered accountant and brings
financial services, insurance and investment
over a decade, James has a wide-ranging
substantial advisory, regulatory and listed
management, encompassing wide
understanding of the business and draws on
company experience to the Board, having
geographical experience relevant to the
previous experience across internal audit,
worked in senior roles across the financial
Group’s key markets.
finance and compliance, as well as technical
services sector, including asset management,
Mark previously worked at Deloitte for 26 years,
knowledge and skills, relevant to his role.
in the UK and Europe.
building his industry focus on insurance and
James joined Prudential as the Director of
Philip was formerly a senior adviser at Credit
investment management globally. During this
Group-wide Internal Audit and was appointed
Suisse and a Vice Chairman of Credit Suisse First
time, Mark was Managing Partner for Clients
Director of Group Finance in September 2015.
Boston Europe and Head of its UK Investment
and Markets, a member of the executive
James joined the Board as the Group Chief Risk
Banking Department. He was twice seconded
committee and a member of the board of
Officer in March 2018 and in July 2019 assumed
to the role of Director General of the Takeover
Deloitte UK. He was a Vice Chairman of Deloitte
responsibility for Group Compliance relocating
Panel. Philip served on the board of Northern
for four years, leading the CFO Programme
to Hong Kong in August 2019.
Rock plc and was Chairman of the Shareholder
Executive. Philip also served on the board of
UK Financial Investments Limited and was
Chairman of The City of London Investment
Trust plc and of M&G Group Limited.
Key current external appointments
> Severn Trent plc
> Takeover Panel (deputy chairman)
and developing the CFO Transition labs. Mark
previously led the Insurance & Investment
Management audit practice and the insurance
industry practice.
Mark is also a Director of Prudential Services
Limited and Pulse Ecosystems Pte. Ltd, which
are wholly owned Prudential subsidiaries.
Mark is co-Chair of the Prudential Diversity
& Inclusion Council and the Chair of the
Group ESG Committee.
Key current external appointments
> British Heart Foundation
> Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust plc
150
Prudential plc
Annual Report 2021
prudentialplc.com
Changes to the Board in 2021:
> On 1 January 2021, Shriti Vadera became
the Chair of the Board
> On 12 May 2021, Chua Sock Koong, Ming Lu
and Jeanette Wong joined the Board
> Following the conclusion of the 2021 AGM
held on 13 May 2021, Kaikhushru Nargolwala
retired from the Board
> On 31 December 2021, Fields Wicker-Miurin
retired from the Board
Changes to the Board in 2022:
> On 14 January 2022, George Sartorel joined
the Board
> As announced on 10 February 2022, at the
end of March 2022 Mike Wells will retire from
his role as Group Chief Executive and step
down from the Board. Mark FitzPatrick,
currently Group Chief Financial Officer and
Chief Operating Officer, will become Interim
Group Chief Executive and James Turner,
currently Group Chief Risk and Compliance
Officer, will become Group Chief Financial
Officer. Avnish Kalra will succeed Mr Turner as
Group Chief Risk and Compliance Officer and
will join the Group Executive Committee.
> Following the conclusion of the 2022 AGM
to be held on 26 May 2022, Anthony
Nightingale and Alice Schroeder will retire
from the Board
The composition of the Prudential Corporation
Asia Limited board of directors mirrors the
Prudential plc Board.
the Chair of the Nomination & Governance
Committee
> On 4 February 2021, Jeremy Anderson
stepped down from the Nomination &
Governance Committee and became a
member of the Responsibility & Sustainability
Working Group . David Law stepped down
from the Nomination & Governance
Committee and joined the Remuneration
Committee and Tom Watjen joined the
Nomination & Governance Committee
> On 4 February 2021, Fields Wicker-Miurin
and Kai Nargolwala joined the Responsibility
& Sustainability Working Group
> On 3 March 2021, Amy Yip stepped down
from the Remuneration Committee and
joined the Audit Committee
> On 12 May 2021, Chua Sock Koong joined
the Audit Committee and Remuneration
Committee, Ming Lu joined the Nomination
& Governance Committee and Risk
Committee and Jeanette Wong joined
the Audit Committee and Risk Committee
> On 1 November 2021, Jeanette Wong
joined the Responsibility & Sustainability
Working Group
Shriti Vadera
Chair
N
> Age: 59
Michael Wells
Group Chief Executive
June 2015
> Age: 61
Relevant skills and experience
Relevant skills and experience
Shriti brings senior boardroom experience
Mike has more than three decades’ experience
and leadership skills at complex organisations,
in insurance and retirement services, having
including extensive experience in the financial
started his career at the US brokerage house
services sector, with international operations
Dean Witter, before going on to become a
and at the highest level of international
managing director at Smith Barney Shearson.
Mike joined the Prudential Group in 1995
and became Chief Operating Officer and
Vice-Chairman of Jackson in 2003. In 2011,
he was appointed President and Chief
Executive Officer of Jackson, and joined the
Board of Prudential.
During his leadership of Jackson, Mike was
responsible for the development of Jackson’s
market-leading range of retirement solutions.
He was also part of the Jackson teams that
purchased and successfully integrated a
savings institute and two life companies.
Key current external appointments
> International Advisory Panel of the
Monetary Authority of Singapore
> China Children Development Foundation
financing and a number of global investors
> San Diego University Advisory Board
negotiations between Governments and in
multilateral organisations. She contributes
her wide-ranging and global experience in
economics, public policy and strategy, as well
as her deep understanding and insight into
Shriti was chair of Santander UK Group
Holdings, the Senior Independent Director
at BHP and a Non-executive Director of
Astra Zeneca. Between 2009 and 2014,
she undertook a wide range of assignments,
such as advising the South Korean Chair
of the G20, two European countries on the
Eurozone and banking crisis, the African
Development Bank on infrastructure
and sovereign wealth funds on strategy
and economic and market developments.
From 2007 to 2009, Shriti was a Minister in the
UK government, serving in the Cabinet Office,
Business Department and International
Development Department. She led on the UK
Government’s response to the global financial
crisis and its Presidency of the G20. From 1999
to 2007 she was a member of HM Treasury’s
Council of Economic Advisers.
Shriti’s career began with 15 years in investment
banking with SG Warburg/UBS, where she had
a strong focus on emerging markets.
Key current external appointments
> Institute of International Finance,
Board Member
> Chair, The Royal Shakespeare Company
Changes to Board Committee Membership:
global and emerging markets and the
> On 1 January 2021, Shriti Vadera became
macro-political and economic environment.
Executive Directors
Non-executive Directors
Appointments
Appointments
> Appointed to the Board: May 2020
> Appointed to the Board: January 2011
> Appointed Chair: January 2021
> Appointed Group Chief Executive:
Appointments
> Appointed to the Board: July 2017
> Age: 53
Appointments
> Appointed to the Board: March 2018
> Age: 52
Appointments
> Appointed to the Board: January 2013
> Age: 67
Mark FitzPatrick CA
Group Chief Financial Officer
and Chief Operating Officer
James Turner FSA FCSI FRM
Group Chief Risk and Compliance Officer
The Hon. Philip Remnant CBE FCA
Senior Independent Director
A N Re
Relevant skills and experience
Having held senior positions at Prudential for
over a decade, James has a wide-ranging
understanding of the business and draws on
previous experience across internal audit,
finance and compliance, as well as technical
knowledge and skills, relevant to his role.
Relevant skills and experience
Philip is a chartered accountant and brings
substantial advisory, regulatory and listed
company experience to the Board, having
worked in senior roles across the financial
services sector, including asset management,
in the UK and Europe.
James joined Prudential as the Director of
Group-wide Internal Audit and was appointed
Director of Group Finance in September 2015.
James joined the Board as the Group Chief Risk
Officer in March 2018 and in July 2019 assumed
responsibility for Group Compliance relocating
to Hong Kong in August 2019.
Philip was formerly a senior adviser at Credit
Suisse and a Vice Chairman of Credit Suisse First
Boston Europe and Head of its UK Investment
Banking Department. He was twice seconded
to the role of Director General of the Takeover
Panel. Philip served on the board of Northern
Rock plc and was Chairman of the Shareholder
Executive. Philip also served on the board of
UK Financial Investments Limited and was
Chairman of The City of London Investment
Trust plc and of M&G Group Limited.
Key current external appointments
> Severn Trent plc
> Takeover Panel (deputy chairman)
Relevant skills and experience
Mark has a strong background across
financial services, insurance and investment
management, encompassing wide
geographical experience relevant to the
Group’s key markets.
Mark previously worked at Deloitte for 26 years,
building his industry focus on insurance and
investment management globally. During this
time, Mark was Managing Partner for Clients
and Markets, a member of the executive
committee and a member of the board of
Deloitte UK. He was a Vice Chairman of Deloitte
for four years, leading the CFO Programme
and developing the CFO Transition labs. Mark
previously led the Insurance & Investment
Management audit practice and the insurance
industry practice.
Mark is also a Director of Prudential Services
Limited and Pulse Ecosystems Pte. Ltd, which
are wholly owned Prudential subsidiaries.
Mark is co-Chair of the Prudential Diversity
& Inclusion Council and the Chair of the
Group ESG Committee.
Key current external appointments
> British Heart Foundation
> Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust plc
Key
A Audit Committee
Ri Risk Committee
N Nomination & Governance Committee
Rs Responsibility & Sustainability Working Group
Re Remuneration Committee
Committee Chair
151
Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 Our leadership / continued
Non-executive Directors / continued
Jeremy Anderson CBE
Independent Non-executive Director
Chua Sock Koong
Independent Non-executive Director
David Law ACA
Independent Non-executive Director
Independent Non-executive Director
Anthony Nightingale CMG SBS JP
Independent Non-executive Director
George Sartorel
Independent Non-executive Director
Ri A Rs
A Re
A Ri Re
Appointments
> Appointed to the Board: January 2020
> Age: 63
Appointments
> Appointed to the Board: May 2021
> Age: 64
Relevant skills and experience
Jeremy brings to the Board substantial
leadership experience in the financial services
sector across Asia. He has extensive technical
audit and risk management skills and
experience, particularly with regards to
multinational companies.
Jeremy was formerly the Chairman of Global
Financial Services at KPMG International having
previously been in charge of its UK Financial
Services Practice and held roles including Head
of Financial Services KPMG Europe, Head of
Clients and Markets KPMG Europe and CEO of
KPMG’s UK consulting business. Jeremy served
as a member of the Group Management Board
of Atos Origin and as Head of its UK operations.
Jeremy also served on the board of the UK
Commission for Employment and Skills.
Key current external appointments
> UBS Group AG/UBS AG (Audit Committee
Chair, Senior Independent Director,
Vice-Chair)
> The Productivity Group
> The Kingham Hill Trust
Relevant skills and experience
Sock Koong has more than 30 years’ experience
in business leadership, operations, information
technology and digitalisation throughout Asia.
From 2007 to 2020, Sock Koong was
Chief Executive Officer of Singapore
Telecommunications Limited (Singtel), Asia’s
leading communications technology group,
having previously held a number of senior
roles at the firm, including Treasurer, Chief
Executive Officer International and Group
Chief Financial Officer.
Key current external appointments
> Bharti Airtel Limited & Bharti Telecom
Limited
> Cap Vista Pte Ltd
> Defence Science and Technology Agency
> The Singapore Public Service Commission
> The Singapore Council of Presidential
Advisers
> Royal Philips NV
Appointments
> Appointed to the Board: September 2015
> Age: 61
Relevant skills and experience
David has extensive technical knowledge and
skills in audit, accounting and financial reporting
matters and experience across the Group’s key
markets, and across a number of industry
sectors, particularly insurance.
David is a chartered accountant and
spent almost 33 years working with Price
Waterhouse and PricewaterhouseCoopers
(PwC). During that time he was, amongst other
things, the global leader of PwC’s insurance
practice, a partner in the UK firm, and worked
as the lead audit partner for multinational
insurance companies. He also led PwC’s
insurance and investment management
assurance practice in London and the firm’s
Scottish assurance division. After his retirement
from PwC, David became a director and Chief
Executive Officer of L&F Holdings Limited and
its subsidiaries, which is the professional
indemnity captive insurance group which serves
the PwC network and its member firms. David
retired from this role in June 2019.
Key current external appointments
> University of Edinburgh (Chair of Audit and
Risk Committee; Membership of Exception
Committee, Nominations Committee and
Remuneration Committee)
152
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Annual Report 2021
prudentialplc.com
Ming Lu
Ri N
Appointments
> Age: 63
Re N
Appointments
> Age: 74
Appointments
> Age: 64
> Appointed to the Board: May 2021
> Appointed to the Board: June 2013
> Appointed to the Board: January 2022
Relevant skills and experience
Relevant skills and experience
Relevant skills and experience
Ming has over 30 years’ experience of investing
Anthony has extensive listed company
and developing businesses throughout the
experience and knowledge of the Asian
Asia Pacific region.
markets.
Ming is the Head of Asia Pacific at KKR Asia
From 2006 to 2012, Anthony was managing
George has considerable operational expertise
in financial services, following a career spanning
40 years in the insurance industry including
across the Asia Pacific region.
Limited and is a Partner of Kohlberg Kravis
director of the Jardine Matheson Group,
From 2014 to 2019 he was the regional Chief
Roberts & Co. L.P. He also serves as a member
having previously held a number of senior
Executive Officer of Allianz’s Asia Pacific
of the KKR Asian Private Equity Investment
executive positions with the firm. Anthony was
business, having previously held a range of
Committee, KKR Asian Portfolio Management
formerly a director of Schindler Holding Limited,
senior roles for Allianz including Chief Executive
Committee and KKR Investment, Management
chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber
of Allianz Italy, Chief Executive of Allianz Turkey,
and Distribution Committee. Since 2018
he has played an important role in KKR’s
of Commerce, an Asia-Pacific Economic
Global Head of Change Programmes for the
Cooperation (APEC) Business Advisory Council
Allianz Group, General Manager of Allianz
Asia growth and expansion and has served
Representative of Hong Kong, China and
Malaysia, Allianz Australia and New Zealand.
as a member of the Asia Infrastructure
the Hong Kong representative to the APEC
He also previously sat on the Financial Advisory
Investment Committee and Asia Real Estate
Vision Group.
Investment Committee.
Key current external appointments
Panel of the Monetary Authority of Singapore
from 2015 to 2019.
Ming previously worked for CITIC, the largest
> Jardine Matheson Holdings (and other
Mr Sartorel began his career at Manufacturers
direct investment firm in China, before moving
Jardine Matheson group companies)
Mutual Insurance in Australia.
> Shui On Land Limited
> Vitasoy International Holdings Limited
> The Innovation and Strategic
Development Council in Hong Kong
Key current external appointments
> Insurance Australia Group Limited
to Kraft Foods International Inc.. He was
president of Asia Pacific at Lucas Varity, and
a partner at CCMP Capital Asia (formerly
J.P. Morgan Partners Asia), where he was
responsible for investment in the automotive,
consumer and industrial sectors across a
number of countries throughout Asia. Ming
has also held directorships at Ma San Consumer
Corporation, Mandala Energy Management Pte
Ltd, Weststar Aviation Service Sdn Bhd and
MMI Technologies Pte Ltd.
Key current external appointments
> KKR Asia Ltd
> Goodpack Pte Ltd
Jeremy Anderson CBE
Chua Sock Koong
David Law ACA
Independent Non-executive Director
Independent Non-executive Director
Independent Non-executive Director
Ming Lu
Independent Non-executive Director
Anthony Nightingale CMG SBS JP
Independent Non-executive Director
George Sartorel
Independent Non-executive Director
Ri A Rs
Appointments
> Age: 63
A Re
Appointments
> Age: 64
A Ri Re
Appointments
> Age: 61
> Appointed to the Board: January 2020
> Appointed to the Board: May 2021
> Appointed to the Board: September 2015
Relevant skills and experience
Relevant skills and experience
Relevant skills and experience
Jeremy brings to the Board substantial
Sock Koong has more than 30 years’ experience
David has extensive technical knowledge and
leadership experience in the financial services
in business leadership, operations, information
skills in audit, accounting and financial reporting
sector across Asia. He has extensive technical
technology and digitalisation throughout Asia.
matters and experience across the Group’s key
audit and risk management skills and
experience, particularly with regards to
multinational companies.
From 2007 to 2020, Sock Koong was
Chief Executive Officer of Singapore
markets, and across a number of industry
sectors, particularly insurance.
Telecommunications Limited (Singtel), Asia’s
David is a chartered accountant and
Jeremy was formerly the Chairman of Global
leading communications technology group,
spent almost 33 years working with Price
Financial Services at KPMG International having
having previously held a number of senior
Waterhouse and PricewaterhouseCoopers
previously been in charge of its UK Financial
roles at the firm, including Treasurer, Chief
(PwC). During that time he was, amongst other
Services Practice and held roles including Head
Executive Officer International and Group
things, the global leader of PwC’s insurance
of Financial Services KPMG Europe, Head of
Chief Financial Officer.
Clients and Markets KPMG Europe and CEO of
KPMG’s UK consulting business. Jeremy served
as a member of the Group Management Board
of Atos Origin and as Head of its UK operations.
Jeremy also served on the board of the UK
Commission for Employment and Skills.
Key current external appointments
> UBS Group AG/UBS AG (Audit Committee
Chair, Senior Independent Director,
Vice-Chair)
> The Productivity Group
> The Kingham Hill Trust
Key current external appointments
> Bharti Airtel Limited & Bharti Telecom
Limited
> Cap Vista Pte Ltd
> Defence Science and Technology Agency
> The Singapore Public Service Commission
Advisers
> Royal Philips NV
> The Singapore Council of Presidential
its subsidiaries, which is the professional
practice, a partner in the UK firm, and worked
as the lead audit partner for multinational
insurance companies. He also led PwC’s
insurance and investment management
assurance practice in London and the firm’s
Scottish assurance division. After his retirement
from PwC, David became a director and Chief
Executive Officer of L&F Holdings Limited and
indemnity captive insurance group which serves
the PwC network and its member firms. David
retired from this role in June 2019.
Key current external appointments
> University of Edinburgh (Chair of Audit and
Risk Committee; Membership of Exception
Committee, Nominations Committee and
Remuneration Committee)
Ri N
Re N
Appointments
> Appointed to the Board: May 2021
> Age: 63
Appointments
> Appointed to the Board: June 2013
> Age: 74
Appointments
> Appointed to the Board: January 2022
> Age: 64
Relevant skills and experience
George has considerable operational expertise
in financial services, following a career spanning
40 years in the insurance industry including
across the Asia Pacific region.
From 2014 to 2019 he was the regional Chief
Executive Officer of Allianz’s Asia Pacific
business, having previously held a range of
senior roles for Allianz including Chief Executive
of Allianz Italy, Chief Executive of Allianz Turkey,
Global Head of Change Programmes for the
Allianz Group, General Manager of Allianz
Malaysia, Allianz Australia and New Zealand.
He also previously sat on the Financial Advisory
Panel of the Monetary Authority of Singapore
from 2015 to 2019.
Mr Sartorel began his career at Manufacturers
Mutual Insurance in Australia.
Key current external appointments
> Insurance Australia Group Limited
Relevant skills and experience
Ming has over 30 years’ experience of investing
and developing businesses throughout the
Asia Pacific region.
Relevant skills and experience
Anthony has extensive listed company
experience and knowledge of the Asian
markets.
From 2006 to 2012, Anthony was managing
director of the Jardine Matheson Group,
having previously held a number of senior
executive positions with the firm. Anthony was
formerly a director of Schindler Holding Limited,
chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber
of Commerce, an Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC) Business Advisory Council
Representative of Hong Kong, China and
the Hong Kong representative to the APEC
Vision Group.
Key current external appointments
> Jardine Matheson Holdings (and other
Jardine Matheson group companies)
> Shui On Land Limited
> Vitasoy International Holdings Limited
> The Innovation and Strategic
Development Council in Hong Kong
Ming is the Head of Asia Pacific at KKR Asia
Limited and is a Partner of Kohlberg Kravis
Roberts & Co. L.P. He also serves as a member
of the KKR Asian Private Equity Investment
Committee, KKR Asian Portfolio Management
Committee and KKR Investment, Management
and Distribution Committee. Since 2018
he has played an important role in KKR’s
Asia growth and expansion and has served
as a member of the Asia Infrastructure
Investment Committee and Asia Real Estate
Investment Committee.
Ming previously worked for CITIC, the largest
direct investment firm in China, before moving
to Kraft Foods International Inc.. He was
president of Asia Pacific at Lucas Varity, and
a partner at CCMP Capital Asia (formerly
J.P. Morgan Partners Asia), where he was
responsible for investment in the automotive,
consumer and industrial sectors across a
number of countries throughout Asia. Ming
has also held directorships at Ma San Consumer
Corporation, Mandala Energy Management Pte
Ltd, Weststar Aviation Service Sdn Bhd and
MMI Technologies Pte Ltd.
Key current external appointments
> KKR Asia Ltd
> Goodpack Pte Ltd
Key
A Audit Committee
Ri Risk Committee
N Nomination & Governance Committee
Rs Responsibility & Sustainability Working Group
Re Remuneration Committee
Committee Chair
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Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 Our leadership / continued
Non-executive Directors / continued
Alice Schroeder
Independent Non-executive Director
Thomas Watjen
Independent Non-executive Director
Jeanette Wong
Independent Non-executive Director
Rs A Ri
Re Ri N
A Ri Rs
Appointments
> Appointed to the Board: June 2013
> Age: 65
Appointments
> Appointed to the Board: July 2017
> Age: 67
Appointments
> Appointed to the Board: May 2021
> Age: 61
Relevant skills and experience
Alice has extensive business transformation
and management experience at the executive
and board level, across the insurance, asset
management, technology and financial
services industries in the United States.
Relevant skills and experience
Tom has experience across the insurance,
asset management and financial services
industries as well as experience with listed
companies in the United Kingdom and the
United States.
Alice was formerly a director of Bank of America
Merrill Lynch International, an independent
board member of the Cetera Financial Group
and held the office of chief executive officer
and chair of WebTuner (now Showfer Media
LLC). Alice was also a managing director at
CIBC Oppenheimer, PaineWebber (now UBS)
and Morgan Stanley. Alice began her career
at Ernst & Young as a qualified accountant,
before joining the Financial Accounting
Standards Board, where she oversaw the
issuance of several significant insurance
accounting standards.
Tom was formerly a director of Sun Trust Bank,
an executive vice president and the chief
financial officer of Provident Companies Inc.
and, following Provident’s merger with Unum,
president and chief executive officer of the
renamed Unum Group. Tom started his career
at Aetna Life and Casualty before joining
Conning & Company, an investment and asset
management provider, where he became a
partner in the consulting and private capital
areas. He joined Morgan Stanley in 1987,
and became a managing director in its
insurance practice.
Key current external appointments
> HSBC North America Holdings Inc.
> RefleXion Medical Inc.
> Quincy Health, LLC
> Natus Medical Incorporated
> Westland Insurance Group Ltd
> Carbon Streaming Corporation
Key current external appointments
> Arch Capital Group Limited
> LocatorX, Inc
Relevant skills and experience
Jeanette brings to the Board operational skills
and experience in the financial services sector,
following a career spanning more than 35 years
across South-east Asia and the broader Asia
Pacific region.
From 2008 to 2019, she led DBS Group’s
institutional banking business, where she
was responsible for corporate banking, global
transaction services, strategic advisory, and
mergers and acquisitions. Prior to this, Jeanette
was DBS Group’s Chief Administrative Officer
then, from 2003 to 2008, the firm’s Chief
Financial Officer. As part of her role at DBS
Group, Jeanette held non-executive director
positions with ASEAN Finance Corporation,
TMB Bank and the Bank of the Philippine
Islands.
Jeanette began her career in Singapore at
Banque Paribas before moving to Citibank
and then JPMorgan in Singapore, where she
held senior pan-Asian roles. She has previously
served as a non-executive director of Fullerton
Fund Management Ltd and Neptune Orient
Lines Limited.
Key current external appointments
> UBS Group AG
> PSA International Pte Ltd
> Council of CareShield Life (Chair)
> Singapore Airlines Limited
> Singapore Securities Industry Council
> GIC Pte Ltd (Board Risk Committee Member)
Key
A Audit Committee
Ri Risk Committee
N Nomination & Governance Committee
Rs Responsibility & Sustainability Working Group
Re Remuneration Committee
Committee Chair
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Independent Non-executive Director
Amy Yip
A
Appointments
> Age: 70
Tom Clarkson
Company Secretary
Appointments
> Age: 46
> Appointed to the Role: August 2019
> Appointment to the GEC: June 2019
> Appointed to the Board: September 2019
Relevant skills and experience
Relevant skills and experience
Relevant skills and experience
Amy has extensive skills and experience in
banking, insurance, asset management and
Tom is the Company Secretary and plays
Jolene is the Group Human Resources Director,
a pivotal role in the governance and
appointed to that role in June 2019, and has
administration of Prudential and is a trusted
been part of the Prudential Group since
adviser to the Board.
July 2011.
government following a career spanning more
Prior to his appointment as Company
Jolene is responsible for driving the Culture
than 40 years in China and South-east Asia.
Secretary, Tom held a number of senior roles
and People strategies across the Group. She is
Amy was formerly a non-executive director
of Deutsche Börse AG, Temenos Group AG,
Fidelity Funds, Vita Green, Hong Kong and an
at Prudential, including Head of Compliance,
also a Councillor of Prudence Foundation, the
Business Partners and prior to that, Group
community investment arm of Prudential
Litigation & Regulatory Counsel.
and is Co-Chair of our Global Diversity and
Executive Director of Reserves Management
Tom is an admitted solicitor, having practised
Inclusion Council.
at the Hong Kong Monetary Authority.
law at Herbert Smith LLP, London from 2002
Jolene has more than 30 years’ international
to 2012, which included secondments to Lloyds
experience. Prior to joining Prudential, she spent
Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland.
over 21 years with multinational companies in
From 2006 to 2010, Amy was Chief
Executive Officer of DBS Bank (Hong Kong)
Limited, where she was concurrently Head of
its wealth management group and previously
chair of DBS asset management. Amy began
her career at the Morgan Guaranty Trust
Company of New York, going on to hold
progressively senior appointments at
Rothschild Asset Management and Citibank
Private Bank.
Key current external appointments
> AIG Insurance Hong Kong Limited
> EFG Bank and EFG Bank International
(Chairman, Asia Pacific Advisory Board)
The Group Executive Committee (GEC)
comprises the Executive Directors, the Chief
Executive of Asia and Africa, and the Group
Human Resources Director.
The GEC is a management committee
constituted to support the Group Chief
Executive, who also chairs the GEC. For the
purposes of the Hong Kong Listing Rules,
Senior Management is defined as the
members of the GEC.
Jolene Chen
Group Human Resources Director
Appointments
> Age: 62
a variety of resourcing, organisational design,
talent management, learning and development
and human resources roles.
Nicolaos Nicandrou
Chief Executive, Asia and Africa
> Appointment to the GEC: October 2009
Appointments
> Age: 56
Relevant skills and experience
Nic became Chief Executive, Asia and Africa
in July 2017 and is responsible for Prudential
Corporation Asia’s life insurance and asset
management business across 14 markets in
Asia. Nic is also the chairman of CITIC-
Prudential Life Insurance Limited.
Nic started his career at PwC. Before joining
Prudential as an Executive Director and Chief
Financial Officer in 2009, he worked at Aviva,
where he held a number of senior finance roles,
including as Norwich Union Life’s finance director
and board member, Aviva group financial control
director, Aviva group financial management and
reporting director and CGNU group financial
reporting director.
Company Secretary
Group Executive Committee
The Group Executive Committee (GEC)
comprises the Executive Directors, the Chief
Executive of Asia and Africa, and the Group
Human Resources Director.
The GEC is a management committee
constituted to support the Group Chief
Executive, who also chairs the GEC. For the
purposes of the Hong Kong Listing Rules,
Senior Management is defined as the
members of the GEC.
Alice Schroeder
Thomas Watjen
Jeanette Wong
Independent Non-executive Director
Independent Non-executive Director
Independent Non-executive Director
Amy Yip
Independent Non-executive Director
Tom Clarkson
Company Secretary
Jolene Chen
Group Human Resources Director
Rs A Ri
Appointments
> Age: 65
Re Ri N
Appointments
> Age: 67
A Ri Rs
Appointments
> Age: 61
> Appointed to the Board: June 2013
> Appointed to the Board: July 2017
> Appointed to the Board: May 2021
Relevant skills and experience
Relevant skills and experience
Relevant skills and experience
Alice has extensive business transformation
Tom has experience across the insurance,
Jeanette brings to the Board operational skills
and management experience at the executive
asset management and financial services
and experience in the financial services sector,
and board level, across the insurance, asset
industries as well as experience with listed
following a career spanning more than 35 years
management, technology and financial
services industries in the United States.
companies in the United Kingdom and the
across South-east Asia and the broader Asia
United States.
Pacific region.
Alice was formerly a director of Bank of America
Tom was formerly a director of Sun Trust Bank,
From 2008 to 2019, she led DBS Group’s
Merrill Lynch International, an independent
an executive vice president and the chief
institutional banking business, where she
board member of the Cetera Financial Group
financial officer of Provident Companies Inc.
was responsible for corporate banking, global
and held the office of chief executive officer
and, following Provident’s merger with Unum,
transaction services, strategic advisory, and
and chair of WebTuner (now Showfer Media
president and chief executive officer of the
mergers and acquisitions. Prior to this, Jeanette
LLC). Alice was also a managing director at
renamed Unum Group. Tom started his career
was DBS Group’s Chief Administrative Officer
CIBC Oppenheimer, PaineWebber (now UBS)
at Aetna Life and Casualty before joining
then, from 2003 to 2008, the firm’s Chief
and Morgan Stanley. Alice began her career
Conning & Company, an investment and asset
Financial Officer. As part of her role at DBS
at Ernst & Young as a qualified accountant,
management provider, where he became a
Group, Jeanette held non-executive director
before joining the Financial Accounting
Standards Board, where she oversaw the
issuance of several significant insurance
accounting standards.
partner in the consulting and private capital
positions with ASEAN Finance Corporation,
areas. He joined Morgan Stanley in 1987,
TMB Bank and the Bank of the Philippine
and became a managing director in its
Islands.
insurance practice.
Key current external appointments
> HSBC North America Holdings Inc.
Key current external appointments
> Arch Capital Group Limited
> LocatorX, Inc
> RefleXion Medical Inc.
> Quincy Health, LLC
> Natus Medical Incorporated
> Westland Insurance Group Ltd
> Carbon Streaming Corporation
Jeanette began her career in Singapore at
Banque Paribas before moving to Citibank
and then JPMorgan in Singapore, where she
held senior pan-Asian roles. She has previously
served as a non-executive director of Fullerton
Fund Management Ltd and Neptune Orient
Lines Limited.
Key current external appointments
> UBS Group AG
> PSA International Pte Ltd
> Council of CareShield Life (Chair)
> Singapore Airlines Limited
> Singapore Securities Industry Council
> GIC Pte Ltd (Board Risk Committee Member)
A
Appointments
> Appointed to the Board: September 2019
> Age: 70
Relevant skills and experience
Amy has extensive skills and experience in
banking, insurance, asset management and
government following a career spanning more
than 40 years in China and South-east Asia.
Amy was formerly a non-executive director
of Deutsche Börse AG, Temenos Group AG,
Fidelity Funds, Vita Green, Hong Kong and an
Executive Director of Reserves Management
at the Hong Kong Monetary Authority.
From 2006 to 2010, Amy was Chief
Executive Officer of DBS Bank (Hong Kong)
Limited, where she was concurrently Head of
its wealth management group and previously
chair of DBS asset management. Amy began
her career at the Morgan Guaranty Trust
Company of New York, going on to hold
progressively senior appointments at
Rothschild Asset Management and Citibank
Private Bank.
Key current external appointments
> AIG Insurance Hong Kong Limited
> EFG Bank and EFG Bank International
(Chairman, Asia Pacific Advisory Board)
Appointments
> Appointed to the Role: August 2019
> Age: 46
Appointments
> Appointment to the GEC: June 2019
> Age: 62
Relevant skills and experience
Tom is the Company Secretary and plays
a pivotal role in the governance and
administration of Prudential and is a trusted
adviser to the Board.
Prior to his appointment as Company
Secretary, Tom held a number of senior roles
at Prudential, including Head of Compliance,
Business Partners and prior to that, Group
Litigation & Regulatory Counsel.
Tom is an admitted solicitor, having practised
law at Herbert Smith LLP, London from 2002
to 2012, which included secondments to Lloyds
Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland.
Relevant skills and experience
Jolene is the Group Human Resources Director,
appointed to that role in June 2019, and has
been part of the Prudential Group since
July 2011.
Jolene is responsible for driving the Culture
and People strategies across the Group. She is
also a Councillor of Prudence Foundation, the
community investment arm of Prudential
and is Co-Chair of our Global Diversity and
Inclusion Council.
Jolene has more than 30 years’ international
experience. Prior to joining Prudential, she spent
over 21 years with multinational companies in
a variety of resourcing, organisational design,
talent management, learning and development
and human resources roles.
Nicolaos Nicandrou
Chief Executive, Asia and Africa
Appointments
> Appointment to the GEC: October 2009
> Age: 56
Relevant skills and experience
Nic became Chief Executive, Asia and Africa
in July 2017 and is responsible for Prudential
Corporation Asia’s life insurance and asset
management business across 14 markets in
Asia. Nic is also the chairman of CITIC-
Prudential Life Insurance Limited.
Nic started his career at PwC. Before joining
Prudential as an Executive Director and Chief
Financial Officer in 2009, he worked at Aviva,
where he held a number of senior finance roles,
including as Norwich Union Life’s finance director
and board member, Aviva group financial control
director, Aviva group financial management and
reporting director and CGNU group financial
reporting director.
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Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 Corporate Governance Principles
1. Board leadership and company purpose
A. Board promotes long-term value and sustainability
The application of principle A and a description of how opportunities
and risks to the future success of the business have been considered
and addressed (provision 1) are set out in the Strategic report on
pages 6 to 145.
B. Purpose, Values and Strategy aligned with Culture
The Board is satisfied Prudential’s purpose, values and strategy are
aligned with its culture. An explanation of the Group’s approach to
investing in and rewarding its workforce is set out in the ESG Report
on page 101 and in the Directors’ Remuneration Report on pages 194
to 233. Our reporting against provision 5 is set out in the Section 172
Statement on pages 138 to 145.
C. Performance measures and controls
The responsibility for ensuring that the necessary resources are in place
for Prudential to meet its objectives is delegated to Management.
See pages 167 to 168 for the Board’s approach to risk management
and internal controls.
D. Engagement with stakeholders
Engagement with shareholders and stakeholders is described in the
Section 172 Statement on pages 138 to 145 and in the ESG Report
on pages 66 to 137.
E. Workforce policies and practices
Application of principle E is described in the Section 172 Statement on
pages 138 to 145 (provision 5), in the ESG Report on pages 66 to 137
and in the whistleblowing disclosure (provision 6) on page 120.
Corporate Governance
Corporate governance codes – statement of compliance
The Company has dual primary listings in London (premium listing)
and Hong Kong (main board listing) and has therefore adopted a
governance structure based on the UK and Hong Kong Corporate
Governance Codes (the UK and HK Codes). This report explains how
the principles set out in the UK and HK Codes have been applied.
The Board confirms that, for the year under review, the Company
has applied the principles and complied with the provisions of the
UK Code. The Company has also complied with the provisions of the
HK Code, other than as follows:
> Provision B.1.2(d) (now provision E.1.2(d)) of the HK Code requires
companies, on a comply or explain basis, to have a remuneration
committee which makes recommendations to a main board on
the remuneration of non-executive directors. This provision is not
compatible with provision 34 of the UK Code which recommends
that the remuneration of non-executive directors be determined in
accordance with the Articles of Association or, alternatively, by the
Board. Prudential has chosen to adopt a practice in line with the
recommendations of the UK Code.
> Given the circumstances of the pandemic and UK government
guidance, which did not allow large public gatherings as at the date
of the 2021 AGM, the Board decided, with regret, that shareholders,
external advisers (including the auditor) and the majority of
Directors would not be able to attend the AGM in person (and thus
provisions A.6.7 (now provision C.1.6) of the HK Code could not be
fully complied with). The AGM was attended in person by the Chair,
the Senior Independent Director, the Group Chief Financial Officer
and Chief Operating Officer, and the Company Secretary. The
Group Chief Executive and the Chairs of the Board’s principal
committees attended the meeting via weblink and were available
to shareholders for questions. The auditor also attended via
weblink. A recording of the AGM is available on the Company’s
website. Prudential continued to keep shareholders informed
through its website and released results and other presentations
during the year.
> The GM held on 27 August 2021 was convened for the sole purpose
of approving the demerger of Jackson Financial Inc. For this reason,
only the Chair, the Group Chief Financial Officer and Chief
Operating Officer, and the Company Secretary attended the GM
and thus, provisions A.6.7 (now provision C.1.6) of the HK Code was
not fully complied with.
The UK Code is available from www.frc.org.uk
The HK Code is available from www.hkex.com.hk
The table below contains references to disclosures in this Annual
Report and Accounts which will enable shareholders to evaluate how
Prudential has applied the principles of the UK Code and complied
with the more detailed provisions.
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2. Division of responsibilities
4. Audit, risk and internal control
F. Role of the Chair
A description of the Chair’s role is set out on page 59. Shriti Vadera
was independent on appointment when assessed against the criteria
in UK Code provision 10 (she was also independent under HK Code
criteria). There is no requirement for independence to be determined
post appointment. Her biography is on page 150.
G. Division of responsibilities
The Board comprises a majority of independent Non-executive
Directors. There is a clear division of responsibility between the Board
and the executive management team. See pages 172 to 173 for our
reporting against provision 10 and 11; and the governance structure
of the Board and its principal Committees on page 158.
H. Non-executive Directors
As part of reviewing the performance of Non-executive Directors
and recommending them for election by shareholders at the AGM,
the Board was satisfied that each Non-executive Director has
sufficient time to meet their board responsibilities (see page 174).
I. Effective and efficient processes
The 2021 board evaluation tested and confirmed that the Board
has the necessary support and information to function effectively
and efficiently. See page 166 for more information.
3. Composition, succession and evaluation
J. Appointments and succession planning
An explanation of the Board’s appointment and succession planning
activities can be found on pages 169 to 174 and forms our disclosure
against provision 20 and 23.
K. Skills, experience and knowledge
The Board and its Committees have a diverse combination of skills,
experience and knowledge. An overview of Directors’ skills, experience,
knowledge and length of service is set out in the Director biographies
on pages 150 to 155.
L. Evaluation of composition and diversity
The outcome of the 2021 Board Evaluation and disclosure against
provision 23 can be found in the Nomination & Governance Report
on pages 169 to 174.
M. Integrity of financial statements
Prudential has formal and transparent policies and procedures to
ensure the independence and effectiveness of both internal and
external audit functions. An explanation of the independence and
effectiveness of the external audit process can be found in the Audit
Committee report on pages 179 to 180. In accordance with DTR
7.1.3(5) the Board is satisfied with the integrity of Prudential’s financial
and narrative statements.
N. Fair, balanced and understandable
The Board has presented a fair, balanced and understandable
assessment of Prudential’s position and prospects in this Annual
Report and Accounts. The disclosure against provision 27 can be found
on page 321 and is supported by our disclosure against provision 26
in the Audit Committee Report on pages 175 to 183. Disclosures
concerning going concern (provision 30) and viability (provision 31)
can be found on pages 191 and 64 respectively.
O. Internal controls and risk management
A description of Prudential’s internal controls framework and risk
management framework is set out on page 167 and its emerging
and principal risks are set out on page 51.
5. Remuneration
P. Remuneration policies and practices
Prudential’s remuneration policies and practices support the
achievement of the Group’s strategy, promote long-term sustainable
success and are aligned to its purpose and values. A description of
the work of the Remuneration Committee can be found on pages 194
to 233.
Q. Procedure for developing policy
The procedure for the development of the remuneration policy and
a summary of the current Directors’ remuneration policy is set out
in the Directors’ Remuneration report on pages 194 to 233.
R. Independent judgement and discretion
Directors exercise independent judgement and discretion when
authorising remuneration outcomes. The shareholder-approved
remuneration policy sets out the limited circumstances in which the
Remuneration Committee may exercise discretion. The policy can
be accessed on the Company’s website at www.prudentialplc.com/
investors/governance-and-policies/policies-and-statements
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Board and Committee Structure
Shareholders
Board of Directors
Collectively responsible for the long-term success of Prudential
Audit
Committee
Assists the Board in meeting
its responsibilities for the
integrity of the Group’s
financial reporting, including
the effectiveness of the
internal control and risk
management system and for
monitoring the effectiveness
and objectivity of internal and
external auditors.
Risk
Committee
Assists with the oversight
of the Group’s risk appetite,
tolerance and strategy.
Monitors current and
potential risk exposures,
the effectiveness of the
risk management
framework and the Group’s
adherence to the various
risk policies.
Remuneration
Committee
Assists with the
implementation and
operation of the
Remuneration Policy, including
the remuneration of the Chair
and the Executive Directors,
as well as overseeing the
remuneration arrangements
of other staff within
its purview.
Nomination &
Governance Committee
Assists with the recruitment
of candidates for the
Board and the
maintenance of an
effective framework
for succession planning.
Provides support
and advice on
corporate governance
arrangements.
SEE PAGES 175 TO 183
FOR MORE
SEE PAGES 184 TO 190
FOR MORE
SEE PAGES 194 TO 233
FOR MORE
SEE PAGES 169 TO 174
FOR MORE
Responsibility &
Sustainability
Working Group
Enables the Board to
bring additional
focus to the embedding
of the Group’s ESG
strategic framework
and oversight of people
initiatives during a
critical phase.
SEE PAGES 69 TO 70
IN THE ESG REPORT
FOR MORE.
Group Chief Executive
Responsible for the day-to-day management of the business
Group Executive Committee
Led by the Chair, the Board is collectively responsible for the long-term
sustainable success of the Company. It does this by setting the
strategy and strategic objectives, approving capital allocations,
annual budgets and business plans for the Group, overseeing the
operations and monitoring financial performance and reporting.
The Board establishes the Group’s purpose and values and approves
the environmental, social and governance policies, satisfying itself
that these and the Group’s culture are aligned with the strategy.
Further, the Board is responsible for ensuring that an effective system
of internal control and risk management is in place, approving the
Group’s overall risk appetite and tolerance and endorsing the Directors’
Remuneration Policy for approval by shareholders.
To assist the Board in carrying out its functions, a substantial part
of the Board’s responsibilities is delegated to the Board’s principal
Committees, which comprise Non-executive Directors. The Board’s
principal Committees are the Audit Committee, Risk Committee,
Remuneration Committee and the Nomination & Governance
Committee. In addition, the RSWG was formed in February 2021
to assist the Board with matters concerning the Group’s overall ESG
Strategic Framework, including its engagement with the workforce.
The Board receives regular updates on Committee and RSWG
activities. The Terms of Reference for each of the Board’s
Committees are available to view on the Company’s website
www.prudentialplc.com/en/investors/governance-and-policies/
board-and-committees-governance
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In addition to the principal Committees and the RSWG, the Board
has established a Standing Committee which can meet as required
to assist with any business of the Board. It is typically used for ad hoc
urgent matters which cannot be delayed until the next scheduled
Board meeting. All Directors are members of the Standing Committee
and have the right to attend all meetings and receive papers. Before
taking decisions on any matter, the Standing Committee must first
determine that the business it is intending to consider is appropriate
for a Committee of the Board and does not need to be properly
brought before the whole Board. All Standing Committee meetings
are reported in full to the next scheduled Board meeting.
The Standing Committee allows for fast decision-making where
necessary, while ensuring that the full Board has oversight of all
matters under consideration and all Directors can contribute.
During 2021, the Standing Committee met twice.
Delegation to management
Responsibility for the day-to-day management of the business and
implementation of strategy has been delegated to the Group Chief
Executive, within certain limits, for execution or further delegation
by him in respect of matters which are necessary for the effective
day-to-day running and management of the business. The Group Chief
Executive delegates responsibility to certain senior executives through
management reporting lines (principally to other GEC members,
including the Chief Executive, Asia and Africa). The Chief Executive
of each local business has authority (subject to the Delegated
Authorities) for the management of the respective business.
Board size and roles
The Board’s size allows for decision-making to reflect a broad range
of views and perspectives while allowing all Directors to participate
effectively in meetings. At the date of publication, the Board
comprised 12 Non-executive Directors and three Executive Directors.
At each scheduled meeting of the Board, the Non-executive Directors
meet without the Executive Directors present.
The roles of Chair and Group Chief Executive are clearly segregated.
The Chair has overall responsibility for the leadership of the Board
while the Group Chief Executive manages and leads the business.
The Senior Independent Director acts as a sounding board for the
Chair, and provides support in the delivery of her objectives. The Chair,
Group Chief Executive and Senior Independent Director all have
written terms of reference which are approved by the Board and
kept under regular review. A summary is available to view on the
Company’s website.
Chair
Group Chief
Executive
Senior
Independent
Director
Committee
Chairs
Non-
executive
Directors
The Chair has overall responsibility for
the leadership of the Board and succession
planning. She sets the Board’s agenda,
with a primary focus on strategy,
performance and value creation and
ensures effective communication with
shareholders and, together with the
Group Chief Executive, represents the
Group externally.
The Group Chief Executive is
accountable to and reports to the Board.
He is responsible for the day-to-day
management of the Group,
recommending an overall strategic plan
to the Board for approval and executing
the approved strategy.
The Senior Independent Director (SID)
acts as a sounding board for the Chair,
and support in the delivery of her
objectives. The SID also acts as an
intermediary for other Directors and
shareholders when necessary and leads
the annual performance evaluation of
the Chair.
Committee Chairs are responsible
for the leadership and governance of
their respective Committee. They set
the agenda for Committee meetings
and report to the Board on the
Committee activities.
Non-executive Directors offer constructive
challenge to management, holding them
to account for the performance of the
business. They also provide strategic
guidance, offer specialist advice and
serve on at least one of the Board’s
principal Committees.
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Our governance framework
The Group Governance Manual (GGM) defines Prudential’s Group-
wide approach to Governance, Risk Management and Internal
Control. The principles by which Prudential conducts its business
activities are set out in the Group Code of Business Conduct (Code)
which sits at the heart of the GGM, incorporating standards of
business conduct which set expectations over employee behaviour
by presenting all individual obligations referenced throughout the
GGM policies in a single code. The GGM itself sets out the Group’s
Governance Framework, Group-wide policies and standards, including
the Group Risk Framework, delegated authorities and lines of
responsibility and is supported by a programme of regular learning
for all Prudential colleagues.
The Code is regularly reviewed by the Board to ensure that it remains
appropriate for the global business. In 2021, the review was delegated
to the RSWG and a new section was added concerning employee
wellbeing and how our culture of diversity and inclusion is designed
to support individuals across the Group. Each individual employee
confirms their compliance with the Code on an annual basis.
The Nomination & Governance Committee conducts an annual
review of the Group’s Governance Framework, monitoring the Group’s
significant governance policies, including governance arrangements
of the Group’s main subsidiaries, and makes recommendations to the
Board as appropriate. The Risk Committee approves the Group Risk
Framework, an integral part of the GGM, and the Audit Committee
monitors Group-wide compliance with the GGM throughout the year.
Businesses manage and report compliance with the Group-wide
mandatory requirements set out in the GGM through annual
attestations. This includes compliance with our Risk Management
Framework, a summary of which is set out on pages 167 to 168 of
this report.
The content of the GGM is reviewed regularly, reflecting the developing
nature of both the Group and the markets in which it operates, with
significant changes on key policies reported to the relevant Board
Committee. The GGM helps the Board embed the Group’s system of
risk management and internal control into the day-to-day operations
of the business.
Subsidiary governance
Prudential’s major businesses in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia
and Singapore and the Eastspring holding company (the Material
Subsidiaries) have appointed independent non-executive directors
to their boards. Each Material Subsidiary has established an audit
and a risk committee, with standard terms of reference. To ensure
an effective information flow, the Chairs of the Audit and Risk
Committees maintain regular dialogue with their counterparts in
each of the Material Subsidiaries. In addition, the Audit and Risk
Committees receive regular reports from the audit and risk
committees of the Material Subsidiaries.
Other businesses also operate local audit and risk committees,
with standard terms of reference. Those committees report to the
Group-level Committees through written updates provided by
attendees from Group functions and the chairs of the committees
can escalate matters to the Group Committee Chairs as required.
The Nomination & Governance Committee is responsible for
oversight of governance arrangements for the Material Subsidiaries.
Directors’ inductions, training and development
Following feedback from the 2020 Board evaluation, the Nomination
& Governance Committee oversaw the development of a revised
induction programme and process for new Board members in 2021.
The revised programme features a series of core topics, including an
overview of the Group, its key businesses and the control environment,
and tailored content, to reflect the new Board member’s role and any
particular needs identified during the recruitment process. The
induction includes written materials, presentations and meetings with
the Chair, the Group Chief Executive, the Group Chief Financial Officer
and Chief Operating Officer, the Group Chief Risk and Compliance
Officer, the Chairs of the Board’s principal Committees (as
appropriate) and the Chief Executive, Asia and Africa. Further
meetings with members of senior management at Group and local
level are also scheduled as required to develop the Directors’
knowledge of the business. Each new Board member is also assigned
a longer-standing Non-executive Director to support them in their
new role and provide advice and feedback.
Training
Throughout the year the Board and its Committees received regular
business updates and participated in deep dive sessions, developing
the Board’s more granular knowledge of individual businesses, current
and emerging issues relevant to the Group and its operations and
on particular products and business opportunities. In 2021, these
sessions included deep dives into the Group’s operations in a number
of its markets, the Group’s digital platform Pulse, together with a
Board workshop on geopolitical risks, training on the Hong Kong
Insurance Authority’s (IA) new group-wide supervision (GWS)
framework and regulatory regime, and an update on aspects of
director duties. An insurance training session was also held for Chua
Sock Koong, Ming Lu and Jeanette Wong as part of their induction
to the Board.
All Directors have the opportunity to discuss their individual
development needs as part of their Director evaluations and are
encouraged to request specific updates during the year. At the start
of the year, suggested topics are shared with the Board for feedback.
Directors are asked to provide information on any external training or
development on an annual basis. All Directors have the right to obtain
professional advice at Prudential’s expense.
Stakeholder engagement
Information on the Board’s engagement with, and discussion of,
stakeholder views as part of the Board decision-making process can
be found on pages 138 to 145. Additional information can be found
on our website at www.prudentialplc.com/about-us/esg/our-approach
Regulatory environment
During 2021, Prudential was included as a designated insurance
holding company under the Hong Kong IA Insurance Ordinance,
and is now subject to the Hong Kong IA’s GWS Framework. The GWS
Framework includes requirements for Hong Kong insurance groups
to have in place appropriate corporate governance arrangements
and to maintain appropriate internal controls for the oversight of
their business.
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Individual regulated entities within the Group continue to be subject
to entity-level regulatory requirements in the relevant jurisdictions in
which they carry on business.
Interactions with regulators form a key part of the Group’s governance
framework and the Chair, Group Chief Executive, Group Chief Risk and
Compliance Officer, and the Chief Executive, Asia and Africa play a
leading role in representing the Group to regulators and ensuring our
dialogue with them is constructive.
Employee voice
Following the retirement of Kai Nargolwala from the Board at the
conclusion of the 2021 AGM and the separation of Jackson Financial
Inc. in September 2021, responsibility for workforce engagement
activities was transferred to the RSWG.
An overview of the workforce engagement activities undertaken during
2021 is set out in the Section 172 Statement on pages 138 to 145.
Shareholders
The Board recognises the importance of maintaining an appropriate
level of two-way communication with shareholders. In addition to the
extensive management engagement with shareholders, the Chair
holds an ongoing programme of regular contact with major
shareholders to discuss their views on the Group’s governance. The
Senior Independent Director and the Committee Chairs are available
at the request of shareholders. Engagement with institutional
investors on the Directors’ Remuneration Policy and implementation
is led by the Remuneration Committee Chair. An investor perception
study was also commissioned in 2021, the results of which are set
out in more detail together with an overview of other shareholder
engagement activities undertaken during 2021 in the Section 172
Statement on pages 138 to 145.
Sock Koong met with, amongst others, the Head of Internal Audit,
the external auditor KPMG, the Director of Group Financial
Accounting & Reporting and the Chief Actuary.
These meetings were tailored to Sock Koong’s role at Prudential
and provided her with a detailed view of each Committee’s work,
current issues and emerging themes, as well as an understanding
of the interests of the Group’s key stakeholders.
Philip Remnant was chosen as the long-standing Non-executive
Director to support Sock Koong, in particular to share his experience
of UK governance and shareholder expectations. In October 2021,
it was announced that Sock Koong would take over from Anthony
Nightingale as Chair of the Remuneration Committee following
the 2022 AGM. In anticipation of this, Sock Koong was able to join
Anthony’s programme of shareholder engagement in late 2021 in
order to meet some of the Group’s major shareholders and develop
a deeper sense of their views.
Following the conclusion of her formal induction programme, the
Company Secretary and Sock Koong discussed specific follow-up
areas for 2022 and feedback on the induction programme.
‘Although hampered by being largely
virtual, the induction provided by
the Company gave me an excellent
introduction to the business, my role,
and the key issues for different stakeholder
groups, providing me with a good basis
to enable me to contribute to Boardroom
discussion. I look forward to meeting
more of my fellow Directors and senior
leaders in person soon.’
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Induction of Chua Sock Koong
In May 2021, Chua Sock Koong joined the Board as an Independent
Non-executive Director and Member of the Remuneration and
Audit Committees.
Sock Koong, together with Ming Lu and Jeanette Wong, met with
senior management to get an overview of the Group’s business,
strategy, operations, risk profile, and culture framework. They also
received briefings on their duties as Directors under relevant
corporate governance frameworks and the Group’s regulatory
environment, and met with the Head of Investor Relations and
the Group’s corporate brokers in order to understand shareholder
perspectives. Through participation in the Board deep dive
sessions, Sock Koong has built up her understanding of individual
businesses, and she visited the insurance business in Singapore
to meet with the local leadership team.
Specifically for her role, Sock Koong met with the Chair of the
Remuneration and Audit Committees together with key members
of the senior management team, including for remuneration
related matters, the Group Human Resources Director and the
Director, Group Reward and Employee Relations and the Group’s
remuneration adviser, Deloitte. For audit related matters,
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Key areas of focus – how the Board spent its time in 2021
The Board met 18 times during 2021, which is
twice the number of meetings held in 2020.
These additional meetings were required
primarily to support the demerger of Jackson
Financial Inc. and the Hong Kong Share Offer.
The table below gives an indication of the
key topics considered throughout the year.
11%
Governance and
Approvals
37%
Strategy, Business
Plan and Capital
12%
Stakeholders
Board allocation
of meeting time in 2021
25%
Transactions
15%
Performance,
Business and Operations
Strategy, Business Plan and Capital
Business and strategy deep dives
> Participated in deep dive sessions,
including discussion and a holistic review
of Prudential’s insurance and asset
management operations and strategic
outlook in Indonesia, Thailand, China,
Hong Kong, India, Africa and Singapore
> Discussed geo-political risks and the
domestic and international outlook
for China
> Reviewed and evaluated Pulse,
Prudential’s fully digital ecosystem
and platform-based business
Business plan and budget
> Approved the 2022-2024 business plan
and budget
> Considered and approved any spend
over $30 million and oversaw other
management approvals
> Approved the 2022 Strategic Priorities
Performance, Business and Operations
Financial results
> Reviewed and approved the half year
and full year results and the Form 20F
> Considered fair, balanced and
understandable requirements in the half
and full year financial reports, following
a review by the Audit Committee
> Reviewed and approved the Going
Concern and the Viability Statements
that appeared in the 2020 Annual Report
> Approved the 2020 second interim dividend
and first interim dividend for 2021
Capital
> Oversaw an increase in the allocation of
capital invested in organic new business
and investments in capabilities/distribution,
following the restructuring of the Group into
a pure-play Asia and Africa growth business
Reports from CEO, CFO and COO, CRCO
> Received regular reports from the Group
Chief Executive, Group Chief Financial
Officer and Chief Operating Officer and
the Group Chief Risk Officer and
Compliance Officer
> Received regular reports and presentations
from the Chief Executive, Asia and Africa
and (prior to September 2021), the Jackson
Chief Executive
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Transactions
Demerger of Jackson Financial Inc.
> Considered the merits of an IPO vs
demerger of Jackson, including the
impact on the Group’s stakeholders
> Received numerous transaction updates
throughout 2021 from internal and
external advisers
> Assured itself of the operational
readiness of Jackson and Prudential
prior to the demerger
> Approved the re-organisation of the
Group’s holding in Jackson, prior to
the distribution of Jackson shares to
Prudential shareholders
Stakeholders
> Approved the Prudential Circular, the
> Debated the share offer allocations,
Supplementary Circular and the Notice
of General Meeting, amongst other
transaction documents
Hong Kong share offer
> Considered the investment case for
the share offer, including the long-term
strategic benefits
> Approved a reduction in the board lot
size in Hong Kong to increase the turnover
of Prudential shares, especially amongst
retail shareholders
including the portion of shares available
to Hong Kong retail investors, employees
and agents
> Approved proposals on the use of the
share offer proceeds
> Approved the Prospectus, Supplementary
Prospectus and various transaction
documents
> Considered other opportunities for inorganic
growth presented by management from
time to time
Investors
> Received regular reports from the
Director of Investor Relations on
shareholder-related matters, feedback
from the Chair’s shareholder engagement
exercise in January 2021 and regular
feedback from management on their
ongoing shareholder engagement activities
> Commissioned an investor perception
survey
> Considered the impact on UK-based
investors who were unable to participate
in the Hong Kong Share Offer
> As part of business reviews, considered
customer proposition, products, and
customer service
> Considered the impact of the pandemic
on customers and initiatives to mitigate
the impact/the support being provided
to them
Employees
> Received updates from the RSWG on various
people initiatives and regularly discussed
people issues, including the impact of
the pandemic
> Attended the employee Collaboration
Customers
> Discussed the evolution of Prudential’s
Jam and discussed employee
engagement feedback
digital strategy Pulse, including customer
feedback on the design of Prudential’s
products, how and where they are
distributed, and which markets
to access
Environment
> Oversaw changes to the Group
Responsible Investment framework,
enabling the implementation of a new
Responsible Investment Policy and
Initiatives, including the Group’s
commitment to carbon reduction targets
> Received a report on Prudential’s
participation at the United Nations
Climate Change Conference in Glasgow
Regulators
> Received training on the key aspects
of the Hong Kong IA GWS Framework
and the responsibilities of the Board
> Received reports from the Head of Group
Government Relations on key government
and political developments and regulatory
policy updates
Communities
> Considered the impact of the pandemic
on the communities in which we operate
and efforts by the business to support
affected communities (eg supporting
vaccination programmes)
Governance and Approvals
Approvals
> Considered various routine and
administrative proposals put to the
Board for approval not covered above
> Reviewed the Delegation of Authority
and noted key matters approved
by management
Board Committees
> Received reports from the Chairs of
the Audit, Risk, Remuneration and
Nomination & Governance Committees
> Considered updates to the Group Risk
Appetite following the demerger of Jackson
> Approved the Own Risk and Solvency
Assessment for submission to the
Hong Kong IA
Shareholder meetings
> Attended the AGM and General Meeting
(as required) to approve the demerger of
Jackson Financial Inc (either in person,
or online)
Board evaluation & succession planning
> Received the findings of the External
Board Evaluation. Discussed and agreed
the action plan and monitored progress.
> Approved Board appointments and
committee changes on recommendation
from the Nomination & Governance
Committee
> Considered succession planning for the
Group Chief Executive
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Board meeting attendance throughout 2021
Individual Directors’ attendance at Board meetings throughout the year is set out in the table below.
Board Meetings
Attended/Requiring
Attendance
General Meetings1
Attended/Requiring
Attendance
Chair
Executive Directors
Shriti Vadera
Mike Wells2
Mark FitzPatrick2
James Turner2
Non-executive Directors
Philip Remnant
Jeremy Anderson
Chua Sock Koong3
David Law
Ming Lu3
Kai Nargolwala4
Anthony Nightingale
Alice Schroeder
Tom Watjen
Fields Wicker-Miurin
Jeanette Wong3
Amy Yip
18/18
17/17
17/17
17/17
18/18
18/18
8/8
18/18
7/8
8/9
16/18
18/18
18/18
18/18
8/8
18/18
2/2
1/1
2/2
–
1/1
1/1
–
1/1
–
–
1/1
–
–
–
–
–
Notes
1 Attendance at the 2021 AGM was limited due to Covid-19 restrictions in the UK
2 Executive Directors did not attend a board meeting convened specifically to discuss executive succession planning
3 Chua Sock Koong , Ming Lu and Jeanette Wong joined the Board on 12 May 2021
4 Kai Nargolwala stepped down from the Board following the conclusion of the AGM held on 13 May 2021
Board and Committee papers are usually provided one week in advance of a meeting. Where a Director is unable to attend a meeting,
his or her views are canvassed in advance by the Chair of that meeting where possible.
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Board effectiveness
Actions during 2021 arising from the 2020 review
The performance evaluation of the Board and its principal Committees for 2020 was conducted externally by Independent Board Evaluation,
an independent consultancy. The external nature of the review met the provisions of the UK Code which requires external evaluations on no less
than three-yearly intervals. The findings were presented to the Nomination & Governance Committee and Board for discussion in December 2020.
A final report was presented in February 2021, and the Board approved a number of action points for 2021. Set out below is an update on progress
to address the 2021 actions:
Theme
Maximising Board inclusivity
Summary of Actions
> Enhance induction processes to
leverage new Board members’
skills as quickly as possible
> Recognising the challenge
with current travel restrictions,
create more opportunities for
less formal discussion among
Board members
Focusing on the People
and ESG agenda
> Consider how best to
give additional Board time
and focus to the ESG and
people agenda
Improvements to Board
information flows
> As the shape of the Group
changes, build up Board
members’ depth of knowledge
of the Asia and Africa
business and refocus the
Board agenda to maximise
time considering business
performance and strategy
on a more granular basis
> Review and strengthen links
with subsidiary boards to
leverage insight and support
from those boards
Improvements to Board
processes
> Consider processes for briefings
outside of meetings to support
inclusivity and maximise ways
in which Directors benefit
from each other’s experience
and expertise
Progress in 2021
> The Company Secretary reviewed best practice and, together with
the Chair and with input from management, revised the previous
schedule of induction material in order to produce a core induction
programme for all new Board members, with additional sessions for
those joining each of the Committees. The revised programme is
tailored to reflect the needs of the incoming Non-executive Director
and aligned with the Board calendar, including making use of the
programme of business deep dives presented to the Board and other
Board training.
> Time was provided for informal introductions to the new Board
members in Q2, but otherwise the continued travel restrictions,
the challenges of time-zones and the volume of Board business
have limited the opportunity for the Board to have much informal
time together.
> In February 2021, the Board established the RSWG, which is
responsible for assisting the Board embed the Group’s overall
ESG Strategic Framework, leading on workforce engagement
and developing a Group-wide approach to all forms of diversity
and inclusion, including the setting of measurable objectives and
monitoring progress against key metrics.
> A summary of how the RSWG spent its time in 2021 is set out
in the ESG Report on pages 69 to 70.
> The Chair and Company Secretary made changes to the Board’s
agenda for 2021 to devote more meeting time to substantive
business matters, including a programme of business deep dives,
consideration of strategic matters, discussion of key risks and
consideration of stakeholders. Other approvals and governance
matters were given less meeting time and the forward agenda was
further developed to assist with planning. How the Board allocated
its time in 2021 is set out on pages 162 to 163.
> In February 2021, the Nomination & Governance Committee
considered Board governance arrangements across the Asia
businesses. Regular conversations are held between the Audit
and Risk Committee Chairs and their counterparts in the Material
Subsidiaries, reporting on their discussions to the Audit and Risk
Committees as appropriate. In addition, a further audit and risk
governance event was held in October 2021, which was attended by
all Non-executive Directors of the Material Subsidiaries, and by six
members of the Board and the Chief Executive, Asia and Africa. The
event received very positive feedback.
> Non-executive and Executive Directors alike were keen to retain the
level of access between Non-executive Directors and management
and felt that the time spent in discussions in advance of meetings
was an effective and efficient use of everyone’s time and served to
enhance the discussion in the room, rather than substitute it in any
way. Directors are mindful of the need to raise substantive issues
during the formal meetings rather than only during pre-meeting
discussions with management. The Remuneration Committee has
trialled ‘opt-in briefings’, held shortly before the Committee meetings
and hosted by management.
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2021 review and actions for 2022
The performance evaluation of the Board and its principal Committees for 2021 was conducted internally at the end of 2021, led by the Company
Secretary, through a questionnaire. The findings were presented to the Nomination & Governance Committee and the Board in February 2022
and collective Committee and Board discussions to exchange ideas and agree priorities arising from the evaluation took place. Whilst the review
confirmed that the Board and its principal Committees continued to operate effectively during the year and that no major improvements were
required, an action plan was approved by the Board to respond to the following recommendations:
Theme
Board composition, succession
planning and meeting process
Summary of Actions
> Continue to develop the skills map to fully support the work on Board succession planning and review
processes for oversight of the development of the pipeline for executive positions with the critical skills
and diversity required for the Group’s future strategy.
> Given the difficulties during the last two years regarding travel and face-to-face interaction, create more
opportunities for Board interaction amongst themselves, with management and with employees,
where possible in person.
Board oversight, stakeholders
and decision making
> Focus more Board meeting agenda time on customers and employees and review and update KPIs
for consistent reporting and analysis.
> Consider new ways to ensure learnings from past decisions are highlighted to the Board where appropriate,
to fully support decision-making.
Risk oversight
> Enhance risk reporting to the Board to further support the prioritisation of key risks.
Director evaluation
Individual performance of Non-executive Directors was considered by the Chair, who gathered and provided feedback as appropriate throughout
the year. The Nomination & Governance Committee discussed the performance of each Director at its meeting in February 2022, as part of the
overall Board evaluation, including the Executive Directors in their capacity as Board members. The Chair relayed feedback as required.
Feedback on the performance of the Chair was separately provided to, and discussed with her, by the Senior Independent Director. The
performance of Executive Directors, in their capacity as Executives, is subject to regular review. The Chair assessed the performance of the Group
Chief Executive, in consultation with the Non-executive Board, while the Group Chief Executive appraised the performance of each of the Executive
Directors as part of the annual Group-wide performance evaluation of all employees. The Chair of the Risk Committee provided feedback to the
Group Chief Executive on the performance of the Group Chief Risk and Compliance Officer. Executive Director performance is also reviewed by the
Remuneration Committee as part of its deliberations on bonus payments.
The outcome of these evaluation processes informs the Nomination & Governance Committee’s recommendation for Directors to be put forward
for re-election by shareholders.
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Risk management and internal control
The Board is responsible for ensuring that an appropriate and
effective system of risk management and internal control is in place
across the Group.
The framework of risk management and internal control centres on
clear delegated authorities to ensure Board oversight and control of
important decisions. The framework is underpinned by the Group
Code of Business Conduct, which sets out the ethical standards the
Board requires of itself, employees, agents and others working on
behalf of the Group, and is supported by a set of Group-wide principles
and values that define how the Group expects business to be
conducted in order to achieve its strategic objectives. The framework
is designed to monitor and manage, rather than eliminate, the risk of
failure to achieve business objectives, and can only provide reasonable
and not absolute assurance against material misstatement or loss.
Internal control
The GGM sets out the general principles by which we conduct our
business and ourselves and defines our Group-wide approach to
Governance, Risk Management and Internal Control. Further
information on the GGM can be found on page 160. Group-wide
policies, internal controls and processes, based on the provisions
established in the Manual, are in place across the Group. These include
controls covering the preparation of financial reporting. The operation
of these controls and processes facilitates the preparation of reliable
financial reporting and the preparation of local and consolidated
financial statements in accordance with the applicable accounting
standards, and requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. These
controls include certifications by the Chief Executive and Chief
Financial Officer of each business with respect to the accuracy
of information provided for use in preparation of the Group’s
consolidated financial reporting, and the assurance work carried
out in respect of US reporting requirements.
The Board has delegated authority to the Audit Committee to review
the framework and effectiveness of the Group’s system of internal
control. The Audit Committee is supported in this responsibility by
the assurance work carried out by Group-wide Internal Audit (GwIA)
and the work of the audit committees of the Group’s Material
Subsidiaries, which oversee the effectiveness of controls in each
respective business. Details of how the Audit Committee oversees
the framework of controls and their effectiveness on an ongoing basis,
is set out more fully in the report on pages 175 to 183.
Risk management
A key component of the GGM is the Group Risk Framework, which
requires all businesses to establish processes for 1. identifying, 2.
measuring and assessing, 3. managing and controlling, and 4.
monitoring and reporting the risks facing the business.
The Board determines the nature and extent of the principal risks it
is willing to take in achieving its strategic objectives. The Board has
delegated authority to the Risk Committee to assist it in providing
leadership, direction and oversight of the Group’s overall risk appetite,
risk tolerance and strategy; overseeing and advising on the current
and potential future risk exposures of the Group; reviewing and
approving the Group’s risk management framework, including
changes to risk limits within the overall Board approved risk appetite;
and monitoring the effectiveness of the risk management framework
and adherence to the various risk policies. Regular activities are
detailed in the report on pages 184 to 190.
The Group’s risk governance arrangements, which support the Board,
the Risk Committee and the Audit Committee, are based on the
principles of the ‘three lines model’: risk taking and management,
risk control and oversight, and independent assurance.
Three lines model
First line (risk taking and management)
> Takes and manages risk exposures in accordance with the risk
appetite, mandate and limits set by the Board;
> Identifies and reports the risks that the Group is exposed to,
and those that are emerging;
> Promptly escalates any limit breaches or any violations of risk
management policies, mandates or instructions;
> Identifies and promptly escalates significant emerging risk issues;
and
> Manages the business to ensure full compliance with the Group
risk management framework as set out in the GGM, which
among other requirements, includes the Group Risk Framework
and associated policies as well as approval requirements.
Second line (risk control and oversight)
> Assists the Board to formulate the risk appetite and limit
framework, risk management plans, risk policies, risk reporting
and risk identification processes; and
> Reviews and assesses the risk-taking activities of the first line,
and where appropriate challenging the actions being taken to
manage and control risks.
Third line (independent assurance)
> Provides independent assurance on the design, effectiveness
and implementation of the overall system of internal control,
including governance structures and processes, risk management
and compliance.
Each business is required to implement a governance structure
based on the three lines model, proportionate to its size, nature
and complexity, and to the risks that it manages.
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Formal review of controls
A formal evaluation of the risk management and internal control
system is carried out at least annually. Prior to the Board reaching
a conclusion on the effectiveness of the system in place, the report
is considered by the Disclosure Committee and Audit Committee,
with risk specific disclosures within the report also reviewed by the
Risk Committee. This evaluation takes place prior to the publication
of the Annual Report.
As part of the evaluation, the Chief Executive and Chief Financial
Officer of each business, including Head Office, certify compliance
with the Group’s governance policies and associated risk management
and internal control requirements. The Governance function, under
the responsibility of the Group Chief Financial Officer and Chief
Operating Officer, facilitates a review of the matters raised in this
certification process. This includes the assessment of any risk and
control issues reported during the year, risk and control matters
identified and reported by the other Group oversight functions and
the findings from the reviews undertaken by GwIA, which carries out
risk-based audit plans across the Group. Issues arising from any
external regulatory engagement are also taken into account.
For the purposes of the effectiveness review, the Group has followed
the FRC Guidance on Risk Management, Internal Control and
Related Financial and Business Reporting. In line with this guidance,
the certification provided does not apply to material joint ventures
and associates where the Group does not exercise full management
control. In these cases, the Group satisfies itself that suitable
governance and risk management arrangements are in place
to protect the Group’s interests. Additionally, the relevant Group
company which is party to the joint venture or associate must,
in respect of any services it provides in support of the joint venture
or associate, comply with the requirements of the Group’s internal
governance framework.
Effectiveness of controls
In accordance with provision 29 of the UK Code and provisions C.2.1,
C.2.2 and C.2.3 (now provisions D.2.1, D.2.2 and D.2.3) of the HK Code,
the Board reviewed the effectiveness and performance of the system
of risk management and internal control during 2021. This review
covered all material controls, including financial, operational and
compliance controls, risk management systems, budgets and the
adequacy of the resources, qualifications, experience of staff of the
Group’s accounting, internal audit and financial reporting functions.
The review identified a number of areas for improvement, and the
necessary actions have been or are being taken. The Audit
Committees at Group and Material Subsidiary levels collectively
monitor outstanding actions regularly and ensure sufficient resource
and focus is in place to resolve them within a reasonable timeframe.
This includes oversight of Jackson Financial Inc. whilst it was a
subsidiary of the Group.
The Board confirms that there is an ongoing process for identifying,
measuring and assessing, managing and controlling, and monitoring
and reporting the significant risks faced by the Group, including the
Jackson Financial Inc. business prior to its demerger on 13 September
2021, which has been in place throughout the period and up to the
date of this report, and confirms that the system remains effective.
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Committee reports
Shriti Vadera
Chair
Committee’s purpose
The purpose of the Committee is to assist the Board in retaining
an appropriate balance of skills to support the strategic
objectives of the Group, to develop a formal, rigorous and
transparent approach to the appointment of Directors and
maintain an effective framework for succession planning.
Further, the Committee provides support and advice to the
Board on governance arrangements.
More information on the role and responsibilities of the
Nomination & Governance Committee can be found
in its Terms of Reference, which are available at
www.prudentialplc.com/investors/governance-and-policies/
board-and-committees-governance
Membership and 2021 meeting attendance
Committee Members
Shriti Vadera
Jeremy Anderson1
David Law1
Ming Lu2
Anthony Nightingale
Philip Remnant
Tom Watjen3
2021 Meetings
6/6
1/1
1/1
3/3
5/6
6/6
5/5
Regular attendees
> Group Chief Executive
> Group Human Resources Director
> Company Secretary
Notes
1 Jeremy Anderson and David Law stepped down from the Nomination
& Governance Committee on 4 February 2021
2 Ming Lu joined the Nomination & Governance Committee on 12 May 2021
3 Tom Watjen joined the Nomination & Governance Committee on 4 February 2021
Nomination
& Governance
Committee
report
‘In 2021, the Committee held six
meetings, with an ongoing focus
on succession planning, Board
appointments and induction.’
Dear shareholders
I am pleased to provide you with my report as Chair of the
Nomination & Governance Committee.
2021 was a busy year for the Committee as it supported the Board in
planning for Group Chief Executive succession and worked with the
Chief Executive on succession planning for other Executive Director
and senior executive roles, conducted searches for additional
non-executive members of the Board, and considered changes to the
composition of the Board’s Committees in order to ensure that the
Board continues to have the right combination of skills, experience
and knowledge to lead the Group.
Succession planning
A key focus of the Committee has been succession planning for
the Group Chief Executive and members of the Group Executive
Committee in light of the structural changes the Group is undergoing.
Given the importance of Chief Executive and Executive Director
succession, the other Non-executive Directors were invited to join
the Committee in considering development plans for internal
candidates and external benchmarking. These activities supported
the appointments of Mark FitzPatrick as interim Group Chief
Executive, James Turner as Group Chief Financial Officer and Avnish
Kalra as Group Chief Risk and Compliance Officer, as announced on
10 February 2022. They also provided the foundation for the formal
process that is now underway to appoint a new Chief Executive after
Mike Wells steps down.
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Committee composition
The Committee regularly reviews the size, structure and composition
of the Board and its principal Committees. A number of changes to
Committee membership were made at the start of the year, including
to this Committee. New members have generally been assigned to
either the Audit or Risk Committee to help them build their knowledge
of the business.
Governance
The Committee oversaw an internal evaluation of the effectiveness
of the Board and its principal Committees. The review confirmed that
the Board and its Committees continued to operate effectively in
2021 and no major areas requiring improvement were identified.
The Committee discussed some areas for further enhancement,
which are set out on page 166.
The Committee considered the Group’s governance framework and
its governance policies, including governance arrangements of the
Group’s main subsidiaries to ensure that they remain appropriate
and fit for purpose.
The rest of this report sets out in more detail the activities of the
Committee in 2021. I would like to thank the Committee members
for their diligence and contribution throughout the year and
management for their responsiveness to challenge and the quality
of papers.
Shriti Vadera
Chair of the Nomination & Governance Committee
Alongside this work, the Committee has been active in searches for
non-executive candidates with the experience, skills and diversity
of thought and perspectives necessary to support the strategic
objectives of the Group in Asia and Africa.
In May 2021, Chua Sock Koong, Ming Lu and Jeanette Wong were
appointed to the Board, followed by George Sartorel in January 2022.
Between them, the Board has gained further deep pan-Asian
operating experience, relevant financial services expertise and
significantly enhanced its digital insights. Our new Directors succeed
Kai Nargolwala, who retired from the Board in May 2021, Fields
Wicker-Miurin, who retired from the Board on 31 December 2021 and
Anthony Nightingale and Alice Schroeder, who will step down from
the Board at the conclusion of the 2022 AGM.
Non-executive Director induction
With the amount of change on the Board, ensuring that new Directors
are properly inducted and able to contribute as quickly as possible
has been another key focus for me and the Committee. The
Committee oversaw the development and implementation of a
revised induction programme for new Board members, tailored to
reflect each member’s role and any particular needs identified during
the recruitment process. Each new Board member is also assigned a
long-standing Non-executive Director to help support them in their
new role.
Diversity and inclusion
The Committee seeks candidates who bring different experiences,
skills and perspectives to the Boardroom, ensuring that the Board
has insights into the key markets in which we operate and a
balance of sector-specific knowledge, operational experience,
and commercial acumen.
At 31 December 2021, the representation of women on our Board
was 40 per cent. As anticipated, this has since dropped to 33 per cent,
but we expect further changes over the next year as the Board
continues to evolve, and we will work towards the target of 40 per cent
women on the Board by the end of 2025, as recommended by the
FTSE Women Leaders Review.
The backgrounds of our Board members increasingly reflect the
footprint of the Group’s operations and we have well exceeded
the recommendation of the Parker Review at the time of this
report, with five of our 15 Directors being from what is regarded
in the UK as an ethnic minority background as a result of the
recruitment of Non-executive Directors aligned to our Asia
and Africa focussed business.
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The Committee received and discussed development assessments of
internal candidates conducted by external consultants. It also received
the output of extensive external talent mapping.
Succession planning for Executive Directors and the Group Executive
Committee includes both longer-term planning and emergency cover.
Assessment and development for internal candidates is undertaken,
in addition to mapping for potential external candidates. Planning for
emergency cover is assisted by a broad annual review of talent across
the Group and recognises the possible difficulties in identifying and
attracting suitable talent on potentially short notice.
The Committee received feedback on the performance of each
Executive Director from the Group Chief Executive and confirmed the
Executive Director succession plans. The Committee has oversight of
a diverse pipeline of leadership talent extending below the level of the
Group Executive Committee and seeks to attract, retain and develop
the next generation of emerging leadership. In 2021, it was assisted
in this by the RSWG. In 2021, the focus was on building new
capabilities to support the changing business model and future
direction of the business and on developing and embedding future
ready skills.
The Committee’s discussions are being supported by the Group
Human Resources Director, Egon Zehnder and Spencer Stuart.
In addition to acting as search consultant in respect of certain
Non-executive and Executive hires, Egon Zehnder provides support
for senior management development assessments and plans.
Non-executive roles
Recognising the number of Non-executive Directors reaching the
end of their tenure in 2021 and 2022, the Committee oversaw an
extensive external recruitment exercise starting in late 2020, which
resulted in the appointments of Chua Sock Koong, Ming Lu and
Jeanette Wong in May 2021. A further search for candidates with
operational insurance experience, led to the appointment of George
Sartorel in January 2022. In considering his appointment, the
Committee took into account Mr Sartorel’s deep pan-Asian insurance
operating experience, including his successful transformation of
Allianz’s business in Asia, together with his experience of digital
transformation. The search also identified further candidates who
may be considered for future appointments.
These appointments are part of an ongoing process to refresh the
Board to ensure that it has the right skills and experience to support
the Group’s strategic objectives in Asia and Africa, both now and in the
future, in particular, pan-Asian operating experience, relevant financial
services expertise and a high degree of digital familiarity.
Board composition
The Committee regularly reviews the size, structure and composition
of the Board and its principal committees, including the balance of
Non-executive to Executive Directors on the Board, the overall number
of Directors, their respective skills and experience.
At 15 members (at the time of this report), the Board is currently larger
than is expected over the medium term. However, during 2021,
bringing new joiners on early ensured a smooth transition, to enable
them to benefit from out-going members’ experience and insight, and
to mitigate some of the loss of institutional memory of those Directors
stepping down.
The Committee has concluded that each of the Directors in office for
the year under review continued to perform effectively and was able
to devote appropriate time to fulfil their duties, and that the Board
and its Committees had an appropriate combination of skills,
experience and knowledge.
In reaching this conclusion, the Committee determined that the
Non-executive Directors continued to demonstrate the desired
attributes, contributing effectively to decision-making and exercising
sound independent judgement in holding management to account.
Accordingly, the Committee recommended to the Board those
Directors standing for election at the 2022 AGM.
During 2021, the Committee also reviewed the membership of the
Board’s principal Committees, recommending changes to the Board.
When making recommendations, the Committee takes account of
the current composition of each of the principal Committees, the skills
and experience of the members and the strategic objectives of the
Group. Assigning new Directors to the Audit or Risk Committees
has also helped them to build up their knowledge of the business.
More information on Committee membership changes can be found
on page 150.
Most notably, in October 2021, the Committee recommended to the
Board the choice of Chua Sock Koong to succeed Anthony Nightingale
as Chair of the Remuneration Committee when he steps down at
the conclusion of the 2022 AGM. By taking this decision at this time,
it enabled Ms Chua to start her transition to the role by accompanying
Mr Nightingale on the programme of annual shareholder engagement.
Succession planning
The Committee keeps under review the leadership needs of the Group,
both for Executive and Non-executive Directors. Board succession
plans are supported and informed by the results of the annual Board
evaluation and individual Director evaluations.
Executive roles
The Committee’s work during the year supported the Board in its
responsibility for executive succession planning to ensure continuous
and effective leadership of the Group. The Committee reviewed the
succession plans in place for the Group Chief Executive, other
Executive Directors and Group Executive Committee roles. Succession
plans for the Group Executive Committee were discussed with the
Group Chief Executive to identify business requirements and to plan
for future succession needs. Given the Board’s responsibility for
appointing the Group Chief Executive and other Executive Directors,
all Non-executive Directors attended these sessions.
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Process for appointing new Directors
The Committee assists the Board in ensuring that there is a formal,
rigorous and transparent approach to the appointment of
new Directors.
The Committee is involved from the start when a vacancy or a gap
in the Board’s skills is identified. A role description is prepared, listing
the desired skills and experience and reflecting feedback from the
Committee and the objectives of the Group’s Diversity and Inclusion
Policy. Once agreed, specialist talent agencies are typically engaged to
create a long-list of candidates which is reviewed by the Committee and
other Board members to create a short-list. Interviews with short-listed
individuals then take place with selected Committee and Board
members and feedback is provided to the Committee. In this manner,
a preferred candidate is selected and the Committee then recommends
the individual to the Board for appointment. For the appointment of
Executive Directors, other than the Group Chief Executive, the process is
led by the Group Chief Executive working closely with the Chair and the
Committee, and is subject to discussion at, and approval by, the Board.
The Senior Independent Director leads the Committee in the process of
appointing a new Chair.
Contemporaneous with this process, due diligence checks are
undertaken on the candidate and Prudential liaises with the relevant
regulatory authorities. The Committee is kept updated on this process
as appropriate.
Non-executive Director tenure*
Philip Remnant
David Law
Tom Watjen
Amy Yip
Jeremy Anderson
Shriti Vadera
Chua Sock Koong
Ming Lu
Jeanette Wong
George Sartorel
0
2
4
6
8
10
Number of years
* Tenure following the conclusion of the 2022 AGM, to be held
on 26 May 2022.
The re-election of Philip Remnant
Philip Remnant, the Senior Independent Director
joined the Board in January 2013. Notwithstanding
that he has exceeded nine years on the Board, the
Committee recommended to the Board that he
remain as an independent member of the Board for
a further year. Mr Remnant would remain a member
of the Audit and Remuneration Committees and the
Senior Independent Director.
Given the significant transition that the Board is
undergoing, and the average tenure of the Non-
executive Directors of just over three years, the
Committee concluded that it would be in the best
interests of the Company to retain Mr Remnant for
an additional year. The Board will benefit from the
stability and continuity of knowledge and experience,
Mr Remnant’s deep knowledge and experience of
UK corporate governance, and the valuable support
that he is providing to the Chair in his role as Senior
Independent Director.
While the UK Code provides that the independence
of a Director who has served for more than nine years
is likely to have been impaired, or could appear to have
been impaired, the Committee and Board assessed
his performance and were satisfied that Mr Remnant
remains independent in character and judgement.
As part of her annual engagement of major investors
on governance matters, the Chair set out the above
rationale to a number of investors, who were
supportive of the proposed extension. Subject to
shareholder approval at the 2022 AGM, Mr Remnant
will step down from the Board at the 2023 AGM.
During that time, the Board will identify who is best
suited to succeed Mr Remnant in the role of Senior
Independent Director.
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Terms of appointment
Non-executive Directors are appointed for an initial term of three
years, and subject to review by the Committee and re-election by
shareholders, it is expected that Non-executive Directors serve a
second term of three years.
After six years, Non-executive Directors may be appointed for a
further year, up to a maximum of three years, or more in certain
limited circumstances. Reappointment is subject to rigorous review
as well as re-election by shareholders.
The Directors’ remuneration report sets out the terms of their letters
of appointment, in addition to the terms of Executive Directors’
service contracts.
Independence
The independence of Non-executive Directors is assessed as part
of the appointment process, and annually thereafter, in line with
requirements. To support that assessment, each Non-executive
Director (except the Chair) provides an annual independence
confirmation as required under the Hong Kong Listing Rules. Members
of the Audit Committee are assessed against independence criteria
in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
During 2021 all Non-executive Directors were considered to be
independent by the Committee. The Chair, who was independent
on appointment, is no longer considered independent. Anthony
Nightingale and Alice Schroeder, who joined the Board in June 2013,
will not be seeking re-election at the AGM in May 2022.
Board diversity
Board gender diversity %
Female
31 Dec 2021
40%
31 Dec 2020
29%
31 Dec 2019
23%
Male
60%
71%
77%
Given the global reach of the Group’s operations, its business strategy
and long-term focus, the Board makes every effort to ensure it is able
to recruit Directors with diversity of thought and perspective who
will support and challenge the ongoing transformation of the
organisation. The Committee seeks candidates with backgrounds,
experience and skills that broaden the Board’s capability, ensuring it
has representation from individuals with insights into the markets in
which the Group operates. Talent search agencies are briefed on the
Group’s requirements and candidate selection is based on merit,
against objective criteria and with due regard for the benefits of
diversity on the Board.
The Group’s Diversity and Inclusion Policy applies at all levels of the
business and the Committee is responsible for overseeing a diverse
pipeline for the Board and other senior executives and driving a
Group-wide culture where our people feel valued, treated fairly and
respected: enabling them to fully contribute their thoughts and
perspectives and to be their authentic selves.
The Committee considers that the pipeline for diverse talent of the
Group Executive Committee level remains reasonable with continued
effort needed. Female representation of those who are regarded as
senior management and part of the leadership teams is 35 per cent.
The RSWG has overseen the development of a people dashboard,
including measures for tracking local representation and experience,
which will be used by the Committee in future. Inclusive leadership
practices are implemented starting with the Board and Committee
and throughout the organisation.
A full description of the Group’s activities on diversity and inclusion
can be found in the ESG report, on pages 66 to 137.
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Time commitment
Non-executive Directors are expected to devote such time as is
necessary for the proper performance of their duties. The expected
time commitment is agreed and set out in writing in the Letter of
Appointment, at which point the existing external demands on an
individual’s time are assessed to confirm their capacity to take on the
role. The assessment takes into account the time required to prepare
for and attend Board and Committee meetings, the AGM, general
projects, Board training, dinners and other activities. The current time
expectations for Board and Committee membership are set out in the
following table. The time expectations of Directors performing Chair
roles is considerably more.
Further external appointments which could impair the ability of
Directors to meet these time commitments must first be discussed
with the Chair and, where appropriate, approved by the Committee
or the Board. The taking on of any external appointments by an
Executive Director is also subject to Board consent.
During 2021, the Committee considered the time commitment
required of the Non-executive Directors. It was concluded that the
expected time commitment set out in the table below remains
appropriate, notwithstanding that for 2021, given the volume of
work in connection with the corporate transactions, the actual time
commitment may have exceeded these numbers.
Number of regular scheduled meetings
Board
6 meetings
Audit Committee
5 meetings
Risk Committee
5 meetings
Remuneration Committee
4 meetings
Nomination & Governance Committee
3 meetings
Approximate time
commitment
32.5 days
15 days
7.5 days
5 days
4 days
Conflicts of interest
Directors have a statutory duty to avoid conflicts of interest.
In addition, the Company has in place procedures to identify and,
where necessary, mitigate potential conflicts of interest. These
processes help to ensure decisions are made in the best interests
of the Company.
The Board has delegated authority to the Committee to identify and,
where necessary, authorise any actual or potential conflicts of interest.
When recommending a candidate for appointment or re-election to
the Board, the Committee considers the external appointments of the
proposed candidate and recommends authorisation of any conflicts
to the Board as appropriate, attaching conditions to the authorisation
where necessary. If a Director makes a request to take on a new
external position during the year, the Chair considers the proposed
external appointment and escalates to the Committee for
authorisation where a conflict or potential conflict could arise.
The Board considers that the procedures for dealing with conflicts
of interests operate effectively.
Board effectiveness
The Committee oversees the process by which the Board, its
Committees and individual Directors’ effectiveness is assessed.
Following the external evaluation conducted in 2020 and the
completion of resultant actions, the 2021 Board evaluation was
conducted internally using a questionnaire. The findings were
presented to the Committee and the Board in February 2022 and
an action plan was agreed to address areas of focus identified by
the evaluation. The themes, summary of actions and progress are
set out on page 166.
Governance
The Committee reviews the Group’s governance framework on an
annual basis, monitoring the Group’s significant governance policies,
including governance arrangements of the Group’s main subsidiaries,
recommending changes to the Board as appropriate.
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Audit Committee
report
David Law
Chair
Committee’s purpose
The Committee’s purpose is to assist the Board in meeting its
responsibilities for the integrity of the Group’s financial reporting,
including the effectiveness of the internal control and risk
management system and for monitoring the effectiveness
and objectivity of internal and external auditors.
More information about the Audit Committee can be found
in its Terms of Reference, which are available at
www.prudentialplc.com/investors/governance-and-policies/
board-and-committees-governance
Membership and 2021 meeting attendance
Committee Members
David Law, Chair
Jeremy Anderson
Chua Sock Koong1
Philip Remnant
Alice Schroeder
Jeanette Wong1
Amy Yip2
2021 Meetings
14/14
14/14
6/6
14/14
14/14
6/6
9/10
Regular attendees
> Chair of the Board
> Group Chief Executive
> Group Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer
> Group Chief Risk and Compliance Officer
> Director of Group Finance
> Director of Group Financial Accounting and Reporting
> Company Secretary
> Group Chief Internal Auditor
> External Audit Partner
> Chief Security Officer
Notes
1 Chua Sock Koong and Jeanette Wong joined the Audit Committee on 12 May 2021
2 Amy Yip joined the Audit Committee on 3 March 2021
‘The Group enters 2022 focused
on Asia and Africa. Getting to this
position has required significant,
difficult work from many colleagues
– thank you for all your efforts –
and the continued support from
our shareholders, for which also
many thanks.’
Dear shareholders
2021 has been another busy year for the Audit Committee as the
Group completed its transformation into a pure Asia and Africa
growth company, whilst also managing through the ongoing
challenges of the pandemic. At the start of the year the Committee
considered that the following should be the key areas of focus in
addition to its regular ongoing responsibilities.
1.
Consideration of the impact of Covid 19 on financial matters
including controls, accounting judgements and disclosures;
2.
Oversight of any required listing particulars;
3.
Monitoring the ongoing preparation for IFRS 17; and
4.
Consideration of the implications of the Jackson demerger on the
disclosures, level of materiality, assurance levels and governance
of the ongoing business.
I am pleased that at the end of the year the review of the Committee’s
effectiveness concluded that we had delivered against these
objectives. We will refresh our priorities for 2022 in the light of the
feedback received and new focus of the Group.
In addition to its regular schedule of meetings, the Committee met on
six further occasions during the year to specifically review documents
and consider proposals in relation to the Jackson demerger and the
Hong Kong share offer. Some scheduled meetings were extended to
allow time for the Committee to increase its understanding of the
Asia business.
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Throughout the year, the Committee continued to focus on the
impact of Covid-19 on the business, particularly in respect of controls,
key judgements and disclosures. No specific matters arose that
materially impacted the Group’s balance sheet, viability or internal
controls but we remain vigilant as the pandemic and government
responses in our markets evolve.
External auditor
An important part of the Committee’s work consists of overseeing the
relationship with the Group’s external auditor, currently KPMG LLP
(KPMG), including safeguarding independence, approving non-audit
fees and satisfying ourselves that it is in the best interests of
shareholders for the Committee to recommend their reappointment.
The Committee discussed with KPMG the continued impact of
Covid-19 to ensure that it was able to deploy sufficient resources and
complete its audit work satisfactorily. The Committee continued its
practice of meeting privately with KPMG and I have held a number
of meetings with the lead partner throughout the year. Following
the demerger of Jackson and therefore the change in the size of the
Group, one area of discussion with KPMG has been the scope and
materiality of audit work.
As reported last year, the Board has resolved that it intends to
recommend EY for appointment as the Group’s auditor for the
financial year ending 31 December 2023 onwards, subject to
shareholder approval at the AGM in 2023. KPMG will remain the
Group’s auditor until 2023. During 2021, EY and KPMG commenced
the transition process, with EY meeting the Committee to confirm its
independence of the Group in the fourth quarter of 2021. We will also
be transitioning our lead KPMG partner for the 2022 audit following
completion of Philip Smart’s five-year term. I would like to thank Philip
for his leadership of the external audit over these particularly
challenging years.
Internal audit
During the year we engaged Deloitte to conduct an external review of
Internal Audit’s effectiveness. We were delighted to learn that the
Function had received strong feedback which was in line with our own
view of their performance during a period of considerable change for
the Group. The Committee receives regular updates from the Group
Chief Internal Auditor and key members of his team and I meet
regularly with him and the Group-wide Quality Assurance Director
to discuss internal audit work and matters arising. Having a strong
function with appropriate resource focused on our key risks has been
a priority of the Committee throughout the year.
In order to increase its focus on the Group’s Asia and Africa entities,
the Committee has strengthened its relationships in 2021 with the
audit committees in each of the Material Subsidiaries and this will
continue in 2022. Sessions were scheduled in 2021 and for 2022 for
the Committee to receive presentations from local audit committee
chairs and finance teams, to allow discussion of key accounting
assumptions and judgements, control matters, key products and
the drivers of profitability.
To further develop the close working relationship between the
Committee and the local audit committees, Jeremy Anderson, the
Chair of the Risk Committee and I co-chaired an annual session
attended by all of the Non-executive Directors of the Material
Subsidiaries. Key matters discussed included the impact of Covid-19
on financial matters and controls, cyber and information security,
conduct, culture, oversight of third parties and the implementation
of IFRS 17.
The Group’s IFRS 17 project has gained momentum as we prepare for
its adoption within our half year 2023 financial statements. This year
the focus has been on some of the key judgements as well as building
and testing the complex system changes needed to apply the new
reporting requirements. The Committee has been kept informed
of progress on a regular basis. More information on the project is
contained in note A3.2 of the financial statements.
We have paid particular attention to our whistleblowing procedures
and monitored these for any indicators of issues. I regularly meet
privately with the Chief Security Officer to discuss whistleblowing
cases and how they are resolved. These are also discussed in private
sessions with the Committee or the relevant local audit committee.
Committee membership and compliance with
regulatory requirements
During 2021 Chua Sock Koong, Jeanette Wong and Amy Yip joined
the Committee. They each bring extensive financial and commercial
knowledge and insight to the Committee, particularly in the Asia
region. The Committee bids farewell to Alice Schroeder in May who,
after joining the Committee in 2013, will step down from the
Committee and the Board at the conclusion of the 2022 AGM. On
behalf of the Committee, I would like to thank Alice for her significant
contribution and deep knowledge of the US environment.
The Board has confirmed that each member of the Committee is
independent according to SEC criteria and that I may be regarded as
the Committee’s financial expert for the purposes of section 407 of
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Further, for the purposes of the UK and Hong
Kong Corporate Governance Codes, each member of the Committee
has recent and relevant financial experience. Detailed information on
the experience, qualifications and skillsets of all Committee members
can be found on pages 150 to 155.
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Regulatory developments
A key focus for the Committee during 2021 has been the Group’s
programme to demonstrate compliance with the GWS Framework
following the designation of Prudential in May 2021, as well as
compliance with its reporting regulations. We also participated in
the lessons learned project led by the Risk Committee that followed
the prior year change to the modelling of Jackson’s statutory capital
and have amended our terms of reference as a result of the review.
Finally, I would like to thank our management colleagues for their
huge efforts this past year in difficult circumstances, their
responsiveness to challenge and the quality of papers; and my fellow
Committee members for their diligence and contribution throughout
the year.
David Law
Chair of the Audit Committee
Transactions
The Committee spent a considerable amount of additional time
in 2021 reviewing offer documents and considering matters in
connection with the Jackson demerger and the Hong Kong share offer.
For the Jackson demerger, the Committee reviewed the Circular
several times before recommending the accounting aspects for
approval by the Board. These reviews focused on: the approach to
verification; the working capital analysis; the Financial Position and
Prospectus Procedures; historical financial information contained in
the Circular and the no-significant change statement. The treatment
of Jackson in the Group’s accounts following the demerger was also an
area of focus. The Committee reviewed management representation
letters, the status of work carried out by KPMG and the treatment
of Jackson in the Group’s accounts following the demerger. The
Committee reviewed the Jackson Information Statement for the Form
10, including the due diligence processes and accounting matters
raised by the SEC, particularly the restatement of the accounting for
a reinsurance contract within the Jackson standalone US GAAP
accounts which, given the differences between US GAAP and IFRS
accounting literature, had no implications for the Group’s accounts.
Following the publication of the Circular, the Committee reviewed
the Supplementary Circular, including the half-year 2021 results, and
made recommendations to the Board in connection with the internal
reorganisation of the Group’s holding in Jackson, which required the
Committee to review an interim set of accounts and consider the
demerger accounting steps.
For the Hong Kong share offer, the Committee reviewed and made
recommendations to the Board, in respect of the draft Prospectus and
offering documents, including the no material adverse change statement,
the indebtedness statement and pro forma financial information.
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Principal activities and significant issues considered by the Audit Committee during 2021
Matters considered
Accounting judgements
and estimates supporting
the Group’s Results
How the Committee addressed the matter
One of the Committee’s key responsibilities is to monitor the integrity of the financial statements and any other
periodic financial reporting. This year reviewing demerger and listing documents has added to the more regular focus
on the half-year financial statements, the Annual Report and Accounts (including compliance with the GWS public
reporting requirements), associated results announcements and Form 20-F disclosures, as well as the annual update
of the Group’s published Tax Strategy.
In reviewing these and other items, the Committee received reports from management and, as appropriate, reports
from internal and external assurance providers.
When considering financial reporting matters, the Committee assesses compliance with relevant accounting
standards, regulations and governance codes focusing on key areas of judgement and complexity. No material
changes to accounting policies were made during 2021. The Committee continued to receive updates on the Group’s
plans to implement IFRS 9 ‘Financial Instruments’ and IFRS 17 ‘Insurance Contracts’, which are expected to be
effective on 1 January 2023. The approach to adopting these standards is further discussed in note A3.2 of the IFRS
financial statements.
Throughout its review of financial reporting matters and disclosure, the Committee considered the impact of the
Covid-19 pandemic and the short-term uncertainties that it has created. Further explanation on the financial impact
Covid-19 has had on the business is set out in the Strategic and Operating Review and Financial Review sections of this
annual report.
The Committee reviewed the key assumptions and judgements supporting the Group’s IFRS results, including those
made in valuing the Group’s investments, insurance liabilities and intangible assets under IFRS, together with reports
on the operation of internal controls to derive these amounts. The Committee also reviewed the assumptions
underpinning the Group’s European Embedded Value (EEV) metrics.
Assumptions setting
The measurement of insurance liabilities is based on estimates of future cash flows, including those to and from
policyholders, over a long period of time. These estimates can, depending on the type of business, be highly
judgemental. The Committee considered changes to assumptions and other estimates used to derive IFRS insurance
liabilities and for EEV reporting. The key assumptions reviewed were:
> Persistency, mortality, morbidity (including expectations of future medical costs inflation and related premium
rises) and expense assumptions within the continuing life businesses.
> Economic assumptions, including investment return and associated risk discount rates. This included review of the
decision to include a liquidity premium within the valuation interest rate used by Thailand to calculate its IFRS
policyholder liabilities as discussed in note C3.2.
The Committee was satisfied that the assumptions adopted by management were appropriate. Further information
on the effects of material changes to insurance assets and liabilities is included in note C3 of the IFRS financial
statements.
Valuation of investments
The Committee received information on the carrying value of investments in the Group’s balance sheet including
information on how those values were calculated for those investments which require more judgement. Further
information on the valuation of assets is contained in note C2 of the IFRS financial statements. The Committee
satisfied itself that overall investments were valued appropriately.
Intangible assets
The Committee received information to enable it to review the more material intangible asset balances, for example,
whether there had been any indication of impairment of the Group’s distribution rights asset or goodwill in light of the
continued impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on activities in Asia countries. The Committee was satisfied that there
was no impairment of the Group’s intangible assets at 31 December 2021. Further information is contained in note C4
of the IFRS financial statements.
Treatment of Jackson within the financial statements
The Committee reviewed the accounting for the demerger of Jackson as explained in note D1.2 of the IFRS financial
statements. This included confirmation that Jackson met the held for sale and discontinued criteria of IFRS 5
‘Non-current Assets Held for Sale and Discontinued Operations’ in half year 2021 and consideration of the fair value
of Jackson at the same date. The Committee assessed management’s analysis of the related presentation and
disclosure in the financial statements and concluded they were appropriate.
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Principal activities and significant issues considered by the Audit Committee during 2021
Matters considered
How the Committee addressed the matter
Other financial
reporting matters
External Audit
Demerger of Jackson
The Committee reviewed the Shareholder Circular and Supplementary Circular prepared by management in
accordance with the UK Listing Rules for the demerger of Jackson and was regularly briefed by Jackson management
on its own preparation for listing as a stand-alone US entity. Assurance was sought from external parties including the
Group’s reporting accountants and financial advisers. The Committee reviewed the procedures undertaken to support
the verification of material statements made in the Prudential Shareholder Circular. The Committee reviewed drafts
of documents throughout 2021 and commented on the approach and content throughout the process.
International placing and Hong Kong public offer of new share capital
In October 2021, the Group issued new shares on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange through a concurrent Hong Kong
public offer and international placing. The Committee reviewed the Prospectus for the share offer, prepared by
management in accordance with the Hong Kong Listing Rules, and the procedures undertaken to support the
verification of material statements made in the Prospectus.
Going concern and viability statements
The Committee considered various analyses from management regarding the capital and liquidity positions at Group
and parent company level, taking into account the Group’s principal risks. This included an assessment of the impact
that different stress scenarios may have on the Group’s plan and its resilience to those threats. Following this review,
it recommended to the Board that it could conclude that the financial statements should continue to be prepared on
a going concern basis and that the disclosures in the 2021 Annual Report and Accounts on the Group’s longer-term
viability were both reasonable and appropriate.
Fair, balanced and understandable requirement
The Committee carried out a formal review of whether the 2021 Annual Report and Accounts were ‘fair, balanced
and understandable’ as required by the UK Corporate Governance Code. In particular, it considered whether the
report gave a full picture of the Group’s business model, strategy, financial position and performance in the year,
with important messages appropriately highlighted. It also considered the level of consistency between financial
statements and narrative sections, whether performance measures were clearly explained and the prominence of
alternative performance measures.
After completion of its detailed review, the Committee was satisfied that, taken as a whole, the Group’s Annual Report
and Accounts were fair, balanced and understandable.
Taxation
The Committee regularly received updates on the Group’s tax matters and provisions for certain open tax items,
including tax matters in litigation. The Committee was satisfied that the level of provisioning adopted by
management was appropriate. See notes B3 and C7 of the IFRS financial statements. In 2021, the Committee was
also updated on the OECD proposals to reform international tax including the introduction of a global minimum tax
rate of 15 per cent intended to be effective from 2023.
Parent company financial statements
The Committee reviewed the parent company profit and loss account and balance sheet, which included the
recoverability of the parent company’s investment in subsidiaries by assessing and confirming that the net assets
of the relevant subsidiaries (being an approximation of their minimum recoverable amount) were in excess of their
carrying value at the balance sheet date.
External audit effectiveness
The Group’s external auditor is KPMG LLP (KPMG) and oversight of the relationship with KPMG is one of the
Committee’s key responsibilities. The Committee reviewed the effectiveness of the auditor throughout the year taking
into account:
> The detailed audit strategy for the year, approach to risk assessment and coverage of the audit response to
highlighted significant risks;
> Their approach to Group materiality setting in the context of the demerger of Jackson and their proposal on how
that is applied to the individual business units;
> Insight around the key accounting judgements and the way KPMG applied constructive challenge and professional
scepticism in dealing with management;
> The outcome of management’s internal evaluation of the auditor as discussed below; and
> Other external evaluations of KPMG, with a focus on the FRC’s annual quality review.
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Principal activities and significant issues considered by the Audit Committee during 2021
Matters considered
How the Committee addressed the matter
External Audit continued
There is an open dialogue on emerging risks and issues between the Group Lead Partner and Committee members
via a regular schedule of meetings aligned to key reporting milestones. In 2021 the Committee formally met with the
Group Lead Partner without management present on two separate occasions.
Internal evaluation of KPMG was conducted using a questionnaire survey that was circulated to the Committee
members, independent members of the audit committees of Material Subsidiaries, the Group Chief Financial Officer
and Chief Operating Officer and the Group’s senior financial leadership for completion. A key component of the
evaluation was the degree of challenge and robustness of approach to the audit. The survey asked 29 questions
over four categories (audit quality and execution, team performance, process and communication) in relation to the
2020 audit.
KPMG was given the opportunity to respond to the findings in the reports and where necessary, proposed
enhancements to the audit process and team.
The Committee noted the publication by the FRC in July 2021 of the results of its Annual Quality Review. While the
report contained a number of areas for improvement for KPMG as a whole, the Committee noted that the FRC had
reviewed KPMG’s audit of Prudential’s financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2019, for which no
significant recommendations were made by the FRC for further improvement and a number of areas of good practice
were highlighted.
Auditor independence and objectivity
The Committee has responsibility for monitoring auditor independence and objectivity and is supported in doing so
by the Group’s Auditor Independence Policy (the Policy). The Policy is approved annually by the Committee. It sets out
the circumstances in which the external auditor may be permitted to undertake non-audit services and is based on
four key principles which specify that the auditor should not:
> Have a mutual or conflicting interest with the Group;
> Audit its own firm’s work;
> Act as management or employees for the Group; or
> Be put in a position of being an advocate for the Group.
The Policy has two permissible service types: those that require specific approval by the Committee on an
engagement basis and those that are pre-approved by the Committee with an annual monetary limit capped at no
more than five per cent of the Group audit fee in the proposed year and capped at $65,000 individually. The Policy
also provides that the total fees payable to KPMG for non-audit services, other than those required by law or
regulation, shall be limited to no more than 70 per cent of the average audit fees paid in the past three consecutive
financial years. In accordance with the Policy, the Committee approved these permissible services, classified as either
audit or non-audit services, and monitored the usage of the annual limits on a quarterly basis. Non-audit services
undertaken by KPMG were agreed prior to the commencement of work and were confirmed as permissible for the
external auditor to undertake in accordance with the Policy which complies with the rules and regulations of the FRC’s
Revised Ethical Standard (2019), the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the standards of the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB).
The Committee monitored the nature and extent of non-audit services on a regular basis to ensure the provision of
non-audit services complied with the Group’s Policy and did not impair the auditor’s objectivity or independence.
The Committee noted that KPMG typically only performed non-audit services where they complemented its role as
external auditor, for example the review of half year and EEV financial statements or additional assurance to support
capital market requirements. This work has by necessity been significant as a result of the demerger of Jackson and
the public offering in Hong Kong in 2021. It is not however considered to detract from the objectivity and
independence of KPMG due to the nature of the work and the involvement of separate teams.
In keeping with professional ethical standards, KPMG also confirmed its independence to the Committee and set out
the supporting evidence for its conclusion in a report that was considered by the Committee prior to publication of the
financial results.
The Committee will continue to monitor developments to ensure the Group’s policies and processes around audit
effectiveness and independence evolve in line with market practice.
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Matters considered
How the Committee addressed the matter
External Audit continued
Fees paid to the external auditor
The fees paid to KPMG for the year ended 31 December 2021 amounted to $15.5 million (2020: $16.0 million) of
which $6.5 million (2020: $3.8 million) was total amounts payable in respect of non-audit services, except those
required by law and regulation, as defined by the FRC’s Revised Ethical Standard (2019). A breakdown of the fees
payable to KPMG can be found in note B2.4 of the IFRS financial statements. The ratio of non-audit fees for the Group
in 2021 over the average of audit fees for the past three years is 51 per cent for the Group, 19 per cent below the
70 per cent cap set by the FRC.
In 2021, $2.1 million including amounts incurred by the discontinued US operations (2020: $0.4 million) of the
$6.5 million (2020: $3.8 million) spent on non-audit services, excluding those required by law and regulation, was for
one-off services associated with the demerger of Jackson and the public offering of equity shares in Hong Kong.
Excluding these one-off fees, total non-audit service fees that are subject to non-audit fee cap in 2021 were
$4.4 million compared with $3.4 million in 2020. The services associated with this amount included the review of the
Group’s half year financial statements and EEV disclosures and in 2021 additionally included assurance work
performed by KPMG in connection with Prudential Hong Kong’s application to early adopt the new risk-based
framework in Hong Kong, the result of which is pending.
In all these cases, the audit firm was considered the most appropriate to carry out the work, given its knowledge of the
Group and the synergies that arise from running these engagements alongside its main audit.
All non-audit services were pre-approved by the Committee and were in line with the Policy discussed above.
Reappointment of the external auditor
Based on the outcome of the effectiveness evaluation and all other considerations, the Committee concluded that
there was nothing in the performance of the auditor which would require a change at the next AGM. The Committee
therefore recommended that KPMG be reappointed as the auditor. A resolution to this effect will be proposed to
shareholders at the 2022 AGM.
Audit tender
The Committee acknowledges the provisions contained in the UK Code in respect of audit tendering, along with legal
requirements on mandatory lead auditor rotation and audit tendering. In conformance with these requirements,
the Company conducted a competitive tender in 2020 to change audit firm for the 2023 financial year end. KPMG
was appointed in 1999 and since 2005, the Committee has annually considered the need to retender the external
audit service.
Following the tender in 2020, the Board resolved that it intends to recommend EY for appointment for the year ending
31 December 2023 onwards, subject to shareholders’ approval at the AGM in 2023. Transition to the new audit firm
has commenced and in the fourth quarter of 2021 EY confirmed to the Committee their independence from the
Prudential Group. A description of the detailed tender process is set out in the 2020 Annual Report and Accounts.
Throughout the 2021 financial year, the Company has complied with the provisions of the Statutory Audit Services
for Large Companies Market Investigation (Mandatory Use of Competitive Tender Processes and Audit Committee
Responsibilities) Order 2014 issued by the UK Competition and Markets Authority.
Lead Audit Partner Rotation
Philip Smart, KPMG Group Lead Partner, was appointed in respect of the 2017 financial year and is expected to be
replaced after a five-year term following the completion of this 2021 reporting cycle. In line with the Financial
Reporting Council’s Ethical Standard, the rules and regulations of the SEC and the standards of the PCAOB, a new
Group Lead Partner will be required for the 2022 audit. The replacement Lead Partner has been identified and an
appropriate transition plan is in place. During the 2021 year end audit, the new Lead Partner shadowed Mr Smart
and met with members of the Committee and management team and attended Committee meetings.
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Principal activities and significant issues considered by the Audit Committee during 2021
Matters considered
How the Committee addressed the matter
Whistle blowing
Internal audit
Speak out
The Group continues to operate a Group-wide whistleblowing programme (‘Speak Out’), hosted by an independent
third party (Navex). The Speak Out programme received ad hoc reports from a wide variety of channels, including a
web portal, hotline, email and letters. Reports are captured, confidentially recorded by Navex, and triaged by Group
Security Investigations prior to investigation by the appropriate teams.
The Committee is responsible for oversight of the effectiveness of the Group’s whistleblowing arrangements.
The Committee received regular reports on the most serious cases and other significant matters raised through the
programme and the actions taken to address them. The Committee was also briefed on emerging Speak Out trends
and themes. The Committee may, and has, requested further reviews of particular areas of interest.
The Committee reviews the Group’s Speak Out programme annually, satisfying itself that it continues to comply with
legal, regulatory and governance requirements. The Committee also considered the consistency of approach adopted
across subsidiary audit committees. The Speak Out programme has been further strengthened during the year by
the management level committees. Where relevant, the Committee requested information on the sharing of
lessons learned.
The Chair and Committee spent time privately with the Group Chief Security Officer to understand outcomes of
investigations, ensure that investigations were adequately resourced and appropriately managed, that there had
been no retaliation against anyone making a report and that investigations were not improperly influenced.
A review of the Speak Out programme and its oversight was undertaken in 2021.
Regular reporting
The Committee received regular updates from GwIA on audits conducted and management’s progress in addressing
audit findings within agreed timelines. Any delays in implementing remediation actions were escalated to the
Committee and given particular scrutiny.
The independent assurance provided by GwIA formed a key part of the Committee’s deliberations on the Group’s
overall control environment. During 2021, the areas reviewed included: transformation and change management
(in particular relating to the demerger of Jackson); financial controls; outsourcing and third-party supply; customer
outcomes; cyber security and IT risk; compliance and regulatory; and the second line.
The Group Chief Internal Auditor reports functionally to the Committee Chair and, for management purposes,
to the Group Chief Executive, and also has direct access to the Chair of the Board. In addition to formal Committee
meetings, the Committee meets with the Group Chief Internal Auditor in private to discuss matters relating to,
for example, the effectiveness of the internal audit function, significant audit findings and the risk and control culture
of the organisation.
The Committee Chair also meets with GwIA’s Quality Assurance Director to discuss the outcome of the quality reviews
of GwIA’s work and actions arising.
Annual internal audit plan and focus for 2022
GwIA operates a rolling six-month approach to audit planning. The Committee approved the plan for the second half
of 2021. It also considered and approved the Internal Audit Plan, resource and budget for the first half of 2022.
The H1 2022 Internal Audit Plan was formulated based on a bottom-up risk assessment of audit needs mapped
against various metrics combined with top-down challenge. The plan was then mapped against a series of risk and
control parameters, including the top risks identified by the Risk Committee, to verify that it is appropriately balanced
between financial, business change, regulatory and operational risk drivers and provides appropriate coverage of key
risk areas and audit themes within a risk-based cycle of coverage. Key areas of focus for H1 2022 include: strategic
change initiatives; customer outcomes; cyber security; financial risk and financial controls; culture; outsourcing
and digitalisation.
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Principal activities and significant issues considered by the Audit Committee during 2021
Matters considered
How the Committee addressed the matter
Internal audit continued
Effectiveness of Internal Audit
The Committee is responsible for approval of the GwIA charter, audit plan, resources, and for monitoring the
effectiveness of the function.
The Committee also assesses the effectiveness of GwIA through a combination of External Quality Assessment (EQA)
reviews, required every five years, and an annual internal effectiveness review.
In 2021, Deloitte performed an EQA of GwIA, which assessed GwIA as a mature function that Generally Conforms
(the highest rating under the IIA’s framework) with the Institute of Internal Audit (IIA) International Professional
Practices Framework and Internal Audit Financial Services Code of Practice (the Standards), and with the approach
to meeting the requirements and expectations of the Hong Kong Insurance Authority including the Groupwide
Supervision framework. The assessment also considered GwIA’s purpose, position, processes and reporting in the
context of the Group’s wider systems of governance.
Having considered the findings of the EQA and the 2021 Internal Effectiveness review, performed by the GwIA Quality
Assurance Director, the Committee concluded that GwIA had continued to operate independently of management
and in compliance with the requirements of GwIA delegated authorities, procedures and practice standards in all
material respects and had remained aligned to mandated objectives during 2021.
Internal control and
risk management
Internal control and risk management systems
The Committee is responsible for reporting and making recommendations to the Board on the effectiveness of the
Group’s system of risk management and internal control.
The Committee considered the outcome of the annual review of the system of risk management and internal control.
The review identified specific areas for improvement and the necessary actions that have been, or are being, taken.
Group Governance Manual
The Group Governance Manual (the Manual) sets out the general principles by which we conduct our business and
ourselves and defines our Group-wide approach to Governance, Risk Management and Internal Control.
Incorporating our Group Code of Business Conduct, the Group Governance Manual sets out the general principles
by which we conduct our business and ourselves. Each business attests annually to compliance with:
> Mandatory requirements set out in Group-wide policies, including the Group Code of Business Conduct; and
> Matters requiring prior approval from those parties with delegated authority.
The Committee reviewed the results of the Group Governance Manual annual content review and the results of the
year-end compliance attestation for the year ended 31 December 2021.
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report
‘The Committee has continued to
provide the Board with leadership,
direction and oversight of the risk
appetite and exposures of the Group.’
Dear shareholders
As Chair of the Risk Committee I am pleased to report on the
Committee’s activities and focus during 2021. The Committee
continued to consider the challenges presented by the pandemic,
it also provided key input into the historic changes to the Group
that were completed during the year.
The Hong Kong IA’s GWS Framework became effective for the Group
on 14 May 2021, following designation by the Hong Kong IA, subject
to agreed transitional arrangements. The Committee considered
updates, including the results of an independent readiness
assessment, on the implementation of the Framework prior to
Prudential’s designation. Following implementation, we received
regular updates on the Group’s ongoing compliance.
The risks associated with the Jackson demerger and equity raise,
which completed in September and October 2021 respectively,
were a key focus of the Committee, which considered risk opinions
and approved the associated risk disclosures included in transaction
documentation.
Some of the other key risks and matters considered by the Committee
are summarised in this letter, with further information included in the
table below.
Committee reports / Risk Committee report
Jeremy Anderson
Chair
Committee’s purpose
The Committee’s purpose is to assist the Board in providing
leadership, direction and oversight of the Group’s overall risk
appetite, tolerance and strategy. It oversees and advises the Board
on the current and potential risks to the Group, reviewing and
approving the Group’s risk management framework, and monitoring
its effectiveness and adherence to the various risk policies.
More information on the Risk Committee can be found
in its Terms of Reference, which are available at
www.prudentialplc.com/investors/governance-and-policies/
board-and-committees-governance
Membership and 2021 meeting attendance
Committee Members
Jeremy Anderson
David Law
Ming Lu1
Kai Nargolwala2
Alice Schroeder
Tom Watjen
Jeanette Wong1
2021 Meetings
9/9
9/9
5/5
4/4
9/9
9/9
5/5
Regular attendees
> Chair of the Board
> Group Chief Executive
> Group Chief Risk and Compliance Officer
> Group Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer
> Company Secretary
> Group Chief Internal Auditor
> Chief risk officers of Jackson3 and PCA
> Members of the Group Risk Leadership Team are invited
to attend each meeting as appropriate.
Notes
1 Ming Lu and Jeanette Wong joined the Risk Committee on 12 May 2021.
2 Kai Nargolwala stepped down from the Board following the conclusion of the AGM
held on 13 May 2021.
3 The Chief Risk officer of Jackson ceased attendance following the demerger.
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Committee operation and governance
As part of its duties detailed above, the Committee reviews the Group
Risk Framework (GRF) to ensure that it remains effective in identifying
and managing the risks faced by the Group and recommends changes
for approval by the Board. We considered and approved the Risk,
Compliance and Security (RCS) function’s planned activities for
2021 and received regular reports from the Group Chief Risk and
Compliance Officer (CRCO), who is advised by the Group Executive
Risk Committee (GERC). We also received regular reports from the
GwIA function and updates from other areas of the business as
needed. In 2021, to ensure sufficient time was provided for key
matters requiring detailed discussions, additional Committee time
was planned following the scheduled meetings in February and
November 2021.
The Committee works closely with the Audit Committee to ensure
both committees are updated and aligned on matters of common
interest and I report to the Board on the main matters discussed.
Direct lines of communication, reporting and oversight of the risk
committees of the Group’s Material Subsidiaries are in place. Their
terms of reference are aligned to the Committee’s own, and include
the requirement for relevant risk escalations directly to the Committee.
Regular direct communication and close cooperation with each of the
local chairs remains a key component of our governance framework,
and at each meeting I update the Committee on important points
raised at local level. In order to foster a close working relationship with
the local audit and risk committees and deepen understanding of
Group-wide risk topics, David Law and I chaired a session attended by
the non-executive directors of the Group’s Material Subsidiaries.
The effectiveness of the Committee was reviewed as part of the
annual Board evaluation, which confirmed that the Committee
continued to operate effectively during the year, with actions agreed
where necessary to improve its effectiveness. I provided feedback on
the performance of the Group CRCO to the Group Chief Executive as
part of the annual evaluation of the Board and its members.
Risk appetite and principal risks
a. Risk governance, capital and liquidity
The Committee performed its regular review of the Group’s risk
policies and proposed changes to the Group risk appetite statements
and associated limits, including how these would apply following the
demerger of Jackson. We regularly reviewed the strength of our capital
and liquidity positions, including the results of stress and scenario
analyses. We also considered regular updates on the approach for
adoption of the proposed Risk-Based Capital (RBC) regime at our
Hong Kong business.
b. The Group’s principal risks
The Committee considered the principal risks to the Group’s financial
viability and non-financial resilience and sustainability, in particular
those driven by a constantly-changing operating environment and
the risks to, and resulting from, the Group’s digital and sustainability
agenda. The Committee reviewed the Group’s annual Own Risk
and Solvency Assessment (ORSA) report in May 2021 and in-depth
reviews were performed on existing and emerging high-risk areas.
The Committee also received reports from the risk committee chairs
of the Material Subsidiaries in 2021, with the chief risk officers of
Asia, Africa and (prior to demerger) Jackson regularly attending
Committee meetings.
c. Covid-19 risks
The Committee continued to monitor developments in risks from the
pandemic and the Group’s ongoing responses to it. It has become
clear that Covid-19 and its impact will continue for longer than many
would have predicted, and some societal changes accelerated by the
pandemic may be significantly long-term or permanent. This includes
the expectations on the nature of working arrangements and
customer expectations on insurance and health products and their
accessibility. A key focus of the Committee in 2022 will be on how
Prudential continues to conduct itself in a way to sustainably deliver
easily accessible and socially inclusive products. Similarly, time will
be prioritised to discuss the fair treatment of its policyholders, the
well-being of its staff, and the broader long-term macro-economic
impacts of Covid-19, such as increased inflation. A fuller explanation
of the principal risks facing the Group and the way in which these are
managed is set out in the Risk Review on pages 44 to 65.
Sustainability, including climate change risk
The Group’s annual update of its principal risks and ORSA report
included assessments of the key sustainability risk areas associated
with ESG considerations, including climate change related risks.
In 2021, the Committee considered key changes to the GRF to reflect
that sustainability risks, such as environmental risk, can impact and
increase the Group’s existing risks. Updates to the non-financial
risk appetite framework to frame risk appetite statements around
stakeholder considerations and lenses, more aligned to ESG
considerations, were approved by the Committee, and policies
were updated to explicitly reference climate change and other ESG
considerations. A Group Responsible Investment Policy was approved
to support the Group’s external commitments, including those around
asset book de-carbonisation. We also approved the Group’s revised
Third-Party and Outsourcing Policy, which specifically references ESG
within its key principles.
Digital and technology risks
The Committee received regular updates on information security,
data privacy and technology risks and incidents, as well as
developments in the external threat landscape such as the rise in
prominence of ransomware. It approved a new Group Data Policy
establishing the principles and requirements for effective and scalable
data management, in light of the increase in volume and variety of
data expected as part of the Group’s digital aspirations. A specific
session of the Committee’s October 2021 meeting included updates
on the Group’s technology risk governance model, regulatory
developments, the results of external penetration testing and a deep
dive review into planned features of Prudential’s Pulse platform.
The Committee was kept apprised on the key risks associated with
Pulse. It also received updates on the progress of roll-out plans in new
markets and the implementation of key platform features, as well as
developments in risk governance over the Pulse business, such as the
setting up of an Audit and Risk Committee at the Pulse subsidiary
during the year.
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Model risk
In 2021, given their importance to the Group’s business, the
Committee focused on the risks associated with its critical models.
Following the revision to Jackson’s hedge modelling, announced on
28 January 2021, which impacted Jackson’s statutory capital, with the
Committee’s support I led a review of the oversight and governance
arrangements which operate for the Group’s critical models. The work
focused on reviews of relevant Group policies, existing controls in
relation to models and model changes, risk validation activity, and the
visibility of model risk management information. It took into account
the output from an internal audit performed during the year.
The Committee has been satisfied that appropriate controls are in
place and operating for critical models across the Group’s portfolio of
businesses. A number of enhancements are being made at a Group
and business level to ensure consistency of approach and additional
oversight by both specialist technical teams and the board-level
governance risk and audit committees across the Group, with
implementation in 2022.
The Committee approved updates to the Group’s Model and User
Developed Applications Policy, which explicitly includes the AI ethical
principles the Group’s models must comply with. Updates included an
increase in oversight of models in development and the broadening of
the considerations when assessing model criticality to include a wider
group of stakeholders and reputational risk impacts.
The Committee received regular updates on the development of the
Group internal economic capital assessment (GIECA) model in 2021.
This included approving the overall GIECA methodology, prior to
submission to the Hong Kong IA, and the risk calibrations for new
long-term economic assumptions. It also considered the governance
framework and validation activity for the GIECA model.
The Committee was also regularly updated on developments on
the model planned to be used by the Hong Kong business under the
Hong Kong IA’s RBC regime.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank my fellow Committee
members and Prudential’s RCS function, both at Group level and at
the level of local businesses, in supporting the crucial work of the
Committee during such a transformative year.
Jeremy Anderson
Chair of the Risk Committee
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Principal activities and significant issues considered by the Risk Committee during 2021
Matters considered
Risk Management
How the Committee addressed the matter
Group principal risks, including Chief Risk and Compliance Officer (CRCO) reporting
The Committee evaluated the Group’s principal risks, considering recommendations for promoting additional risks
and changes in the scope of existing risks. The Committee also received regular reporting on the Group’s exposure to,
and management of, its principal risks, emerging risk themes and external developments within the Group CRCO’s
regular report to the Committee. Further information on how the Group identifies emerging and principal risks can
be found in the Risk Review.
The Group CRCO’s reports also provided the Committee with regulatory updates, including the implications of
the developing global capital standards, systemic risk regulation, engagement with the Hong Kong IA on the
implementation of the GWS Framework and the Group’s ongoing compliance with the Framework following its
designation by the supervisor.
Covid-19 related risks
The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has been broad with continuing implications for the Group’s solvency and
liquidity position. The Committee received regular updates on the nature and extent of the impacts across its principal
risks, including the ongoing resilience, market and economic, product, information security, distribution and customer
conduct risks and the Group’s ongoing responses to them.
A key focus of the Committee in 2021 has been monitoring the potential impact of the pandemic to the level of
mortality claims and policy lapses or surrenders (both to the business and to customers) in certain markets.
Deep dives
As part of its risk oversight responsibilities, the Committee considers the results of ‘deep dive’ risk reviews performed
over the year.
In 2021, these focused on the risks related to the Group’s medical reimbursement product lifecycle and product risks
across its major insurance businesses; the product implications arising from IFRS17; network security through
penetration testing; and proposed functionality for the Pulse platform. The Committee also considered the results of a
review of the risk assessment processes for anti-money laundering and anti-bribery and corruption across its markets.
The Committee received updates on actions and developments relating to deep dives completed in 2020, including
those related to interest rate risk management.
Transformation oversight
The Committee monitored the progress of the Group’s key strategic projects during the year which, in addition to
those outlined in the letter above, included activities focused on IFRS 17 implementation and IBOR cessation.
Information security and data privacy
During 2021, updates were provided to the Committee on key external developments relevant to information security
and data privacy, including changes in regulations and the external threat landscape. This included a focus on the
global increase in frequency of ransomware attacks and the risk management and mitigation arrangements in place
at the Group. The Committee also received regular progress updates on the operationalisation of the Group-wide
governance model and strategy for the management of information security and data privacy risks, as well as
Group-wide information security and privacy metrics providing a view of security posture across the businesses.
In May 2021, we approved a new Group Data Policy, detailed in the letter above.
A session of the October 2021 Committee meeting was dedicated to information security and data privacy, where
the Committee considered the matters detailed in the letter above.
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Principal activities and significant issues considered by the Risk Committee during 2021
Matters considered
How the Committee addressed the matter
Risk Management
continued
Sustainability, including climate change, risk
A key component of the RCS Plan for 2021, approved by the Committee in February 2021, was the embedding of
climate risk considerations into the GRF. This, and the other ESG-related matters considered by the Committee, have
been detailed in the letter above.
We received regular updates on key climate-related regulatory and legislative developments, including those in
respect of disclosure requirements, progress against the Group’s responsible investment commitments and its ESG
ratings by external assessors and agencies.
Remuneration
The Committee has a formal role in the provision of advice to the Remuneration Committee on risk management
considerations in respect of executive remuneration. It considered risk management assessments of proposed
executive remuneration structures and outcomes during the year, making related recommendations to the
Remuneration Committee for its consideration.
Stress and scenario testing
The Committee is responsible for reviewing the outcome and results of stress and scenario testing, which is a key risk
identification, measurement and management tool for the Group.
Stress and scenario testing is a key component of the Group’s ORSA process and the Risk Assessment of the Business
Plan, as described below, as well as its Recovery Planning and Reverse Stress Testing (RST).
The Group’s Recovery Plan, considered by the Committee in October 2021, included an assessment of the viability
and operational resilience of the Group under severe financial and non-financial shock scenarios. The Plan concluded
that, as at end of 2021, the Group is expected to remain in a resilient financial and operational condition when
under severe stress, with only a very extreme scenario breaching the Group’s recovery activation measures, and that
established governance frameworks and procedures are in place for senior management to respond to actual and
potential threats.
Risk Assessment of the Business Plan
As part of its role in overseeing and advising the Board on future risk exposures and strategic risks, the Committee
reviewed the Risk Assessment of the Business Plan, which highlighted key financial and non-financial risks, in particular
those driven by the uncertain recovery in markets, the impacts of regional Covid-19 resurgences and reinstatements
of restrictions and geopolitical risks. The analysis reviewed included sensitivity assessments of the impact of various
plausible scenarios.
Model risk management
At a number of meetings during the year, the Committee reviewed the oversight and governance arrangements
which operate for the Group’s critical models. The review focused on a number of activities undertaken by
management and internal audit to look at relevant Group policies, existing controls in relation to models and model
changes, risk validation activity, and the visibility of model risk management information, taking into account the
output from an internal audit performed during the year. The review made a number of recommendations which,
in summary:
> confirm the central role of management and the various executive technical committees in overseeing model
assumptions, development and assurance, and in determining matters for escalation, but adjust some of their
terms of reference to expand their coverage;
> clarify the oversight expectations and responsibilities of the Audit and Risk Committees at Group and BU level; and
> develop guidance, examples and training to help committees approach their roles in an appropriately consistent
manner.
The Committee will monitor progress against the agreed actions over the course of 2022.
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Principal activities and significant issues considered by the Risk Committee during 2021
Matters considered
How the Committee addressed the matter
Regulatory and
Compliance Matters
GWS Framework
The matters considered by the Committee in advance of the Group’s designation under, and ongoing compliance
with, the GWS Framework post-designation have been detailed in the letter above.
Compliance and regulatory change
The Committee received regular reporting on key regulatory compliance risks and mitigation activity across the
Group’s businesses throughout the year, covering regulatory changes, reviews and interventions, including those
relating to US-China sanctions.
We also received regular updates on conduct risk and progress under the Group’s Conduct Risk Programme,
including those related to the further implementation, assurance and the engagement model of the Group Conduct
Risk Framework.
Group-wide Internal Audit
The Committee received updates from GwIA throughout the year relating to matters which fall within the scope of
its responsibilities. In October 2021, we considered the GwIA function’s report on its audit into model governance.
Risk and Compliance
Framework
Annual review of risk policies, risk framework compliance and Committee effectiveness
The GRF and risk policies were subject to their annual review, with amendments made to ensure the policies remained
appropriate post the GWS Framework becoming effective for the Group and the Jackson demerger, as well as changes
to reflect the Group’s purpose, ESG strategy and culture framework. The Board approved the changes recommended
by the Committee.
The Committee reviewed the results of the annual Group Governance Manual year-end compliance attestation
performed by the business units under the GRF and associated policies.
In February 2022, the Committee considered the findings of the annual evaluation of Committee effectiveness,
agreeing actions where necessary to improve Committee effectiveness. It also considered the effectiveness of,
and approved updates to, the RCS Function Mandate which formally sets out the purpose and responsibilities of
the RCS function and its effectiveness in overseeing the key risks to the Group.
Group Risk Appetite and Limits
The Committee is responsible for recommending changes in the Group’s overall risk appetite and tolerance to
the Board for approval.
In May 2021, the Committee recommended for approval by the Board proposed enhancements to the Group Risk
Appetite framework to ensure its continued appropriateness post the Jackson demerger and to meet relevant
requirements under the new GWS Framework. We approved new Limits and Triggers on asset duration and duration
mismatches in July 2021 for road-testing. In November 2021, we approved an increase in the Group’s capital
counter-cyclical buffer reflective of the assessed mid-to-late economic cycle.
Updates to the non-financial risk appetite framework and statements were approved in November 2021 to frame
risk appetite statements around stakeholder considerations and lenses, more aligned to ESG considerations.
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Principal activities and significant issues considered by the Risk Committee during 2021
Matters considered
How the Committee addressed the matter
External and
regulatory reporting
ORSA
The ORSA is a key ongoing process for identifying, assessing, controlling, monitoring and reporting the risks to which
the Group is exposed and assessing capital adequacy over the business planning horizon.
In May 2021, the Committee considered the Group’s ORSA report, based on the Business Plan, prior to its approval
by the Board.
Systemic Risk Management
The Financial Stability Board (FSB) has endorsed a new Holistic Framework for systemic risk management and
suspended Global Systemically Important Insurer (G-SII) designations until the completion of a review in 2022.
Many of the policy requirements that resulted from the Group’s prior designation in 2016 as a G-SII have been
adopted into the Insurance Core Principles (ICPs) and ComFrame – the common framework for the supervision of
Internationally Active Insurance Groups (IAIGs) – and included under the Hong Kong IA’s GWS Framework. Prudential
was included in the first register of IAIGs released by the IAIS on 1 July 2020 and was designated an IAIG by the
Hong Kong IA following an assessment against the established criteria in ComFrame. The Committee therefore
considered, and recommended for approval by the Board, the Systemic Risk Management Plan, Recovery Plan and
Liquidity Risk Management Plan.
GIECA development
The Committee received regular updates on the development of the Group’s GIECA model and remained actively
involved in its progress. Following updates at the February and May 2021 meetings, which included a summary of the
key methodology decisions, the Committee approved risk calibrations for new long-term economic assumption risks
at its July 2021 meeting.
In October 2021, the Committee approved the overall updated GIECA methodology prior to submission to the
Hong Kong IA, and considered the governance framework for the GIECA model and a validation report and opinion
on model developments.
In November 2021, we approved key assumptions for the proposed model to be used for FY 2021 results.
Hong Kong RBC
In February 2021, the Committee considered an update on Hong Kong RBC adoption which included considerations
on technical specifications. In November 2021, it considered the plans for independent assurance opinions on RBC
results and considered updates on the internal and external validation of the proposed RBC model.
Insurance Capital Standards (ICS)
The Committee considered the Group’s FY2020 ICS results in November 2021. This included an update on key areas
of focus for the Group’s engagement on the development of the ICS during the five-year monitoring period.
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Statutory and regulatory disclosures
Financial reporting
The Directors have a duty to report to shareholders on the
performance and financial position of the Group and are responsible
for preparing the financial statements on pages 234 to 321 and
the supplementary information on pages 334 to 335. It is the
responsibility of the auditor to form independent opinions, based
on its audit of the financial statements and its audit of the EEV basis
supplementary information, and to report its opinions to the
Company’s shareholders and to the Company. Its opinions are given
on pages 322 to 331 and pages 357 to 359. Company law requires
the Directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year
that give a true and fair view of the financial affairs of the Company
and of the Group. The criteria applied in the preparation of the
financial statements are set out in the Statement of Directors’
responsibilities on page 321.
Company law also requires the Board to approve the Strategic report.
In addition, the UK Code requires the Directors’ statement to state
that they consider the Annual Report and financial statements, taken
as a whole, is fair, balanced and understandable and provides the
information necessary for shareholders to assess the Company’s
position and performance, business model and strategy.
The Directors are further required to confirm that the Strategic report
includes a fair review of the development and performance of the
business, with a description of the principal risks and uncertainties.
Such confirmation is included in the Statement of Directors’
responsibilities on page 321.
The Strategic report provides, on pages 6 to 145, a description of the
Group’s capital position, financing and liquidity. The risks facing the
Group’s business are discussed in the Risk review of the risks facing our
business and how these are managed on pages 44 to 65.
The Directors who held office at the date of approval of this Directors’
report confirm that, so far as they are each aware, there is no relevant
audit information of which the Company’s auditor is unaware; each
Director has taken all the steps that he or she ought to have taken
as a Director to make himself or herself aware of any relevant audit
information and to establish that the Company’s auditor is aware of
that information. This confirmation is given and should be interpreted
in accordance with the provisions of Section 418 of the Companies
Act 2006.
Going concern
In accordance with the guidance issued by the Financial Reporting
Council in September 2014, ‘Guidance on Risk Management, Internal
Control and Related Financial and Business Reporting’, after making
sufficient enquiries, the Directors have a reasonable expectation that
the Company and the Group have adequate resources to continue
their operations for a period of at least 12 months from the date that
the financial statements are approved. Further information is provided
in note A1 on page 242.
Powers of the Board
The Board may exercise all powers conferred on it by the Company’s
Articles and the Companies Act 2006. This includes the powers of
the Company to borrow money and to mortgage or charge any of its
assets (subject to the limitations set out in the Companies Act 2006
and the Company’s Articles of Association) and to give a guarantee,
security or indemnity in respect of a debt or other obligation of the
Company.
Rules governing the appointment of Directors
The appointment and removal of Directors is governed by the
provisions in the Articles of Association (the Articles), the UK Code,
the HK Code (as appended to the Hong Kong Listing Rules) and the
Companies Act 2006.
Director indemnities
Subject to the provisions of the Companies Act 2006, the Company’s
Articles permit the Directors and officers of the Company to be
indemnified in respect of liabilities incurred as a result of their office.
Suitable insurance cover is in place in respect of legal action against
directors and senior managers of companies within the Group.
Qualifying third-party indemnity provisions are also available for
the benefit of the Directors of the Company and such other persons,
including certain directors of other companies within the Group.
These indemnities were in force for 2021 and remain so.
Contract of significance
At no time during the year did any Director hold a material interest
in any contract of significance with the Company or any subsidiary
undertaking.
Securities dealing and inside information
Prudential has adopted securities dealing rules relating to transactions
by Directors on terms no less exacting than required by Appendix 10
to the HK Listing Rules and by relevant UK regulations. Having made
specific enquiry of all Directors, the Directors have complied with these
rules throughout the period.
The Group has adopted an Information Sharing and Securities
Dealing Policy which includes guidance and procedures for the
identification, dissemination and escalation of inside information
as well as appropriate controls on the disclosure of such information
in line with regulatory requirements. All staff are made aware of
the policy and receive communications reminding them of their
obligations when they work on any confidential matters in the
business or are notified when the Company enters or exits a
closed period.
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Under the agreements governing Prudential Corporation Holdings
Limited’s life insurance and fund management joint ventures with
China International Trust & Investment Corporation (CITIC), if there
is a change of control of the Company, CITIC may terminate the
agreements and either, (i) purchase the Company’s entire interest in
the joint venture or require the Company to sell its interest to a third
party designated by CITIC, or (ii) require the Company to purchase
all of CITIC’s interest in the joint venture. The price of such purchase
or sale is to be the fair value of the shares to be transferred,
as determined by the auditor of the joint venture.
Customers
The five largest customers of the Group constituted in aggregate
less than 30 per cent of its total revenue from sales for each of 2021
and 2020.
Statutory and regulatory disclosures / continued
Requirements of Listing Rule 9.8.4
Information to be included in the Annual Report and Accounts under
UK Listing Rule 9.8.4 may be found as follows:
Listing Rule
9.8.4 (4)
Description
Details of long-term incentive schemes
required by Listing Rule 9.4.3
9.8.4 (7)
Details of allotments of equity securities
for cash
9.8.4 (10)
Contracts of Significance involving
a Director
9.8.4 (12) Details of shareholder waiver of dividends
9.8.4 (13) Details of shareholder waiver of future
dividends
Page
214
296
191
401
401
US regulation and legislation
As a result of its listing on the New York Stock Exchange, the Company
is required to comply with the relevant provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act 2002 as they apply to foreign private issuers and have adopted
procedures to ensure such compliance. In particular, in relation to
Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act 2002 which covers disclosure
controls and procedures, a Disclosure Committee has been established,
reporting to the Group Chief Executive, chaired by the Group Chief
Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer and comprising members
of head office management. The work of the Disclosure Committee
supports the Group Chief Executive and Group Chief Financial Officer
and Chief Operating Officer in making the certifications regarding the
effectiveness of the Group’s disclosure procedures.
Hong Kong IA GWS public disclosures
Under the GWS Framework, the Group is required to provide publicly
certain risk, capital and other disclosures. These GWS public disclosure
requirements, as set out in the Guideline on Group Supervision (GL32)
and Insurance (Group Capital) Rules issued by the Hong Kong IA, are
met by certain disclosures within this Annual Report and Accounts.
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Index to principal Directors’ report disclosures
Information required to be disclosed in the Directors’ report may be found in the following sections:
Information
Section in Annual Report
Disclosure of information to auditor
Statutory and regulatory disclosures
Directors in office during the year
Board Diversity
ESG report
Employment practices
Greenhouse gas emissions
Charitable donations
Political donations and expenditure
Remuneration Committee report
Directors’ interests in shares
Agreements for compensation for loss of office
or employment on takeover
Board of Directors
Governance report
ESG report
ESG report
ESG report
ESG report
ESG report
Directors’ remuneration report
Directors’ remuneration report
Directors’ remuneration report
Details of qualifying third-party indemnity provisions
Governance report
Page number(s)
191 and 192
150 to 155
169 to 174
66 to 137
66 to 137
66 to 137
66 to 137
66 to 137
194 to 233
223
226
191
Internal control and risk management
Governance report and Strategic report
167 and 168
Powers of Directors
Rules governing appointment of Directors
Governance report
Governance report
Significant agreements impacted by a change of control Governance report
Future developments of the business of the Company
Strategic and operating review
Post-balance sheet events
Note D3 of the notes on the Group financial statements
Rules governing changes to the Articles of Association
Shareholder information
Structure of share capital, including changes during
the year and restrictions on the transfer of securities,
voting rights, power to purchase own shares and
significant shareholders
Shareholder information, Governance report and
note C8 of the notes on the Group financial statements
Business review
Changes in borrowings
Dividend details
Financial instruments
Group overview and Strategic report
Financial review and note C5 of the notes on the
Group financial statements
Group overview and Strategic report
Strategic report and Additional information
Corporate governance statement including compliance
with the Code
Governance report
Fostering the Company’s business relationships
Monitoring culture
ESG report
ESG report
191
191
191
14 to 18
303
400
296
6 to 145
290
6 to 145
44 to 65 and
276 to 280
146 to 193
138 to 145
97
In addition, the risk factors set out on pages 382 to 395 and the additional unaudited financial information set out on pages 361 to 381,
are incorporated by reference into the Directors’ report.
The Directors’ report is signed on behalf of the Board of Directors by
Tom Clarkson
Company Secretary
8 March 2022
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remuneration
report
194
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 prudentialplc.com Contents
196 Annual statement from the Chair
of the Remuneration Committee
201 Our Executive Directors’ remuneration
at a glance
202 Summary of the current Directors’
remuneration policy
204 Annual report on remuneration
230 Additional remuneration disclosures
195
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Prudential plc Annual Report 2021
Directors’ remuneration report
Anthony Nightingale CMG SBS JP
Chair of the Remuneration Committee
This report has been prepared to comply with Schedule 8 of The Companies
(Directors’ Remuneration Policy and Directors’ Remuneration Report) Regulations
2019, as well as the Companies Act 2006 and other related regulations.
The following sections were subject to audit:
Table of 2021 and 2020 Executive Director total remuneration (the ‘single figure’)
and related notes (including details of all fixed and variable remuneration elements
shown in the single figure table), Pension entitlements, Long-term incentives
awarded in 2021, Chair of the Board and Non-executive Director remuneration
in 2021 and 2020, Statement of Directors’ shareholdings and Payments to past
Directors and payments for loss of office.
196
Prudential plc
Annual Report 2021
Annual statement
from the Chair of
the Remuneration
Committee
Dear shareholder,
I am pleased to present our Directors’ remuneration report for
the year to 31 December 2021 on behalf of the members of the
Remuneration Committee.
This will be the last report that I present as Chair of the Remuneration
Committee before I step down from the Board at the AGM. I am
pleased that Chua Sock Koong, who has served on the Remuneration
Committee since the 2021 AGM, has been appointed to undertake
this role with effect from the 2022 AGM. I also want to thank Kai
Nargolwala, Fields Wicker-Miurin and Amy Yip, who stepped down from
the Committee in 2021, for their service and valuable contribution.
By way of preface, I would like to share the context for the key
decisions the Committee took during 2021 and to outline those
taken in respect of remuneration arrangements for 2022.
Remuneration decisions made in respect of 2021
Determining demerger-related decisions
The Jackson business demerged from the Group with effect from
13 September 2021. As I described last year, the Committee
established a set of principles to underpin decisions on remuneration
relating to the demerger, including:
> Executives should not be advantaged or disadvantaged by
the separation;
> The value of outstanding awards and their key terms (vesting
dates, holding periods, malus and clawback provisions) should
be unaffected;
> If performance conditions are revised, the new conditions should
be no more or less stretching than those originally attached to the
awards; and
> Where the Committee has applied discretion, this will be
clearly disclosed.
These principles are consistent with those adopted in respect of the
2019 demerger of the M&G business.
These principles were the basis for the decisions taken by the
Committee, including the treatment of outstanding share awards
which were set out in the Shareholder Circular published on 6 August
2021 which can be found at www.prudentialplc.com/~/media/Files/
P/Prudential-V3/demerger-transaction-documents/demerger-
transaction-circular.pdf and voted upon and approved by
shareholders at the 27 August 2021 General Meeting.
This treatment, together with adjustments made to the performance
targets of in-flight Prudential Long Term Incentive Plan (PLTIP) awards
as a result of the demerger, is detailed in the ‘Remuneration decisions
taken in relation to the demerger’ section of this report.
prudentialplc.com
Reflecting 2021 financial performance
Prudential’s executive remuneration arrangements reward the achievement of Group, business, functional and personal targets, provided that this
performance is delivered within the Company’s risk framework and appetites, and that the conduct expectations of Prudential, our regulators and
other stakeholders are met.
As set out in the Strategic report section earlier in this Annual Report, despite the continuing challenges of the market environment throughout
2021, the Group delivered positive operating results as we continue to develop our capabilities and presence in our chosen Asia and Africa markets.
The table below illustrates achievement of our key financial objectives, as set out in the Strategic Report:
Performance measures
Group performance ($m)1
Life new business profit from continuing operations
A measure of the future profitability of the new business
sold during the year and an indicator of the profitable
growth of the Group.
New business profit accounted for 35 per cent of Group
financial bonus targets.
2,201
2,526
Operating free surplus generated from
continuing operations3
A measure of the internal cash generation of our businesses.
Operating free surplus generated accounted for 30 per cent
of Group financial bonus targets.
Adjusted operating profit from continuing operations4
Prudential’s primary measure of profitability and a key
driver of shareholder value.
Adjusted operating profit accounted for 25 per cent
of Group financial bonus targets.
Net cash remitted by businesses5
Cash flows across the Group6 reflect our aim of achieving
a balance between ensuring sufficient net remittances
from business units to cover the dividend (after corporate
costs) and the use of cash for reinvestment in profitable
opportunities.
A cash flow measure accounted for 10 per cent of the
Group financial bonus targets.
2020
915
2020
2,757
2020
932
2021
1,179
2021
3,233
2021
1,451
2020
2021
15%
2020-2021 growth
2021 bonus achievement2
+15% Above target level,
approaching
stretch target level
29%
+29% Above stretch
target level
17%
+17% Above target level,
approaching
stretch target level
56%
+56% Above stretch
target level
Notes
1 As reported.
2 Targets and the level of achievement are set out in the ‘Annual bonus outcomes for 2021’ section of the Annual report on remuneration.
3 For insurance operations, operating free surplus generated represents amounts maturing from the in-force business during the period less investment in new business and excludes
non-operating items. For asset management businesses, it equates to post-tax operating profit for the year.
4 In this report ‘adjusted operating profit’ refers to adjusted IFRS operating profit based on longer-term investment returns from continuing operations.
5 2020 business unit remittances exclude remittances from discontinued remittances.
6 Group cash flow includes business unit remittances net of dividends and corporate costs.
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Life new business profit was 15 per cent higher than prior year on an actual exchange rate basis (13 per cent on a constant exchange rate basis)
driven principally by the increase in APE sales and the effect of favourable changes to the mix of products sold. This result was above the
approved target.
Operating free surplus generation was 29 per cent higher than 2020 on an actual exchange rate basis (and 26 on a constant exchange rate basis)
and this result was above the approved stretch target.
2021 adjusted operating profit was 17 per cent higher than prior year on an actual exchange rate basis (16 per cent on a constant exchange rate
basis) reflecting the performance outlined in the Strategic report, and delivered a result that is above the approved target.
Business units remittance levels were 56 per cent higher than 2020 and were above the approved stretch target. Holding company cash was $3.6bn
at the year end, after dividends, corporate costs and strategic investment. The Group cash flow measure was above the approved stretch target.
The Group achieved these results while maintaining appropriate levels of capital and while operating within the Group’s risk framework and
appetites in the challenging market environment.
Reflecting stakeholders’ 2021 experiences
In reaching its decisions for 2021, the Committee considered the experience of the Group’s stakeholders, as set out below. More details can be
found in the ESG section of the Strategic report.
Investors
> Jackson demerger: The separation of Jackson completed
Prudential’s transformation into a business exclusively targeting
the long-term structural opportunities of Asia and Africa, supported
by a 99.65 per cent shareholder vote in favour of the separation.
Shortly thereafter the Board declared a dividend in specie,
distributing the Jackson shares to the Group’s shareholders, other
than a retained financial investment of 18.4 per cent that will be
sold down to less than 10 per cent within 12 months.
> Equity raise: Having considered the interests of all stakeholders,
particularly those expressed by the Group’s existing shareholders,
the Board reached the conclusion that a Hong Kong Fully Marketed
Offer was in the best interests of the Company as a whole. The
share offer was launched in October 2021, raising approximately
$2.4 billion in equity, a portion of which was subsequently used
to repay debt.
> Investor survey: In late 2021, the Group engaged an independent
third party to undertake an in-depth investor perception study.
This study included both long-standing shareholders and those
who participated in the Hong Kong equity raise referred to above.
The topics covered included the Group’s strategy and the execution
of the transformation of the Group.
Our people
> Celebration Award: To recognise the hard work and commitment
shown by our people in preparation for the demerger and to give
them a stake in the new chapter of the Company’s development,
each Prudential plc employee (other than the Group Executive
Committee) received a Celebration Award of US$1,000 of restricted
shares which will be released in October 2022.
> Covid-19 and wellness: Covid-19 has continued to be the
dominant health and safety concern for our people. Prudential
continued to support and protect colleagues through regular
communication and the extension of health and safety
programmes across the Group, ensuring that appropriate
precautions are implemented in the workplace. In the 2021 People
Survey, 91 per cent of respondents agreed that the Group was
supporting employees during the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition,
our offices closed for a Wellness Day in July, encouraging our people
to rest, recharge and to spend time with family and friends.
> Gender diversity: Prudential achieved c35 per cent representation
of women in senior leadership at the end of 2021, above the
30 per cent commitment under the HM Treasury ‘Women in
Finance Charter’. Prudential was also included in the 2021
Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index.
> Employee engagement: The 2021 People Survey, in which more
than 95 per cent of employees participated, demonstrated that
employee engagement continued to increase, up 3 per cent this
year and a total of 4 per cent since our first Group-wide survey
in May 2020.
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Governments and Regulators
> Finalisation of the revised basis of Group regulatory capital
known as ‘GWS’: GWS legislation became effective on 29 March
2021, with the formal designation of the Group as a Designated
Insurance Holding Company (‘DIHC’) under the Hong Kong IA’s
GWS Framework with effect from 14 May 2021.
> Engagement with the lead regulator: Management worked
closely with HKIA to support finalisation of preparations for
compliance with the GWS legislation. The Group also proactively
engaged with regulators in advance of the demerger of the US
business and worked closely with the HKIA and the HKSE ahead
of the Group’s 2021 equity raise.
> Covid-19 support: The Group has not received any Covid-19
government support in 2021.
Customers
> Digital responsibility and Pulse: Pulse continued to evolve during
2021 with the roll-out of Wealth@Pulse in Singapore, Thailand and
the Philippines. This wealth offering gives access to wealth services
and high quality advice to a wider market.
> Product development: During 2021, the Group created the
concept of ‘Modern Families’ to support the development of more
inclusive products that recognise that the concept of families has
evolved. Prudential has also worked to simplify product brochures,
information on our corporate website and our marketing
campaigns to enable customers to understand the risk and benefits
of products by looking at a single fact sheet.
> Claims promise: During 2021, the Group launched its claims
promise for customers in Asia to support its customers during life’s
difficult moments. The promise includes commitments to
timeliness, communication with care, fairness, customer experience
and privacy.
Suppliers
> Partnership: In 2021, the Group focused on moving away from
a culture of regarding external firms as ‘vendors’ to improved
collaboration, with the development of key digital partnerships
(eg, Babylon Health). To date, we have entered into 56 key
digital partnerships.
> Rapid payments to small UK suppliers: Following the
introduction in early 2020 of more favourable payment terms for
suppliers with less than 100 employees (‘Jump Pay’), the Group
achieved a payment rate of 86.5 per cent within 30 days in 2021,
compared to 76.5 per cent in 2020.
Society
> Working towards a lower carbon economy: In May 2021, the
Group set a target to be net zero by 2050 for our insurance assets,
supported by 25 per cent reduction in emissions from the portfolio
by 2025, a target which is incorporated in the 2022 PLTIP award.
The Group is on track for achievement of this target and achieved
the exit of coal equity holdings (above 30 per cent revenue
threshold) by the end of 2021.
> Prudence Foundation’s award-winning programme Cha-Ching
is building financial literacy for millions of children. It is available in
13 languages, and reaches 35 million households every day on TV.
In 2021, the Cha-Ching Curriculum programme expanded in Africa,
where the Group worked with Junior Achievement Africa to bring
this to 5,000 primary school students in Kenya, Ghana, Zambia,
Nigeria, Uganda and Côte d’Ivoire. In March 2021, the Prudence
Foundation supported the OECD’s Global Money Week which
aimed to equip young people to manage their money wisely.
> Covid-19 Relief Fund: In 2021, a new US$2 million fund was
launched to continue to support communities still struggling
with the pandemic. Local businesses’ programmes have focused
on supporting vulnerable communities on efforts that include
Covid-19 messaging, hygiene and sanitation, nutrition and
educational programmes.
Rewarding 2021 performance
The Committee determined remuneration outcomes having considered the financial performance of the Group, its delivery to stakeholders and the
personal contribution of executives.
As set out above, 2021 saw the Group perform strongly against its key operating profit and operating free surplus generation targets in the face of
difficult external conditions, including ongoing challenges caused by the pandemic and travel restrictions. At the same time, the Group achieved
several significant strategic milestones as it became exclusively focused on Asia and Africa. This performance, combined with effective personal
leadership, resulted in overall bonus outcomes of 96.7 per cent - 98.7 per cent for the Executive Directors. The Committee believes that the bonuses
it awarded for 2021 appropriately reflect underlying Group performance, individual and/or functional performance and wider factors, including the
experience of stakeholders during the year.
Over the longer term, the Group has shown strong performance against the sustainability scorecard targets, however the portion (75 per cent) of
the awards related to Prudential’s total shareholder return (TSR) lapsed as TSR performance was ranked below the median of the peer group. On
this basis, the Committee determined that 17.75 per cent of the PLTIP awards made to Executive Directors in 2019 would vest. These awards will be
released to participants from April 2022 but remain subject to a two-year holding period.
The total 2021 remuneration or ‘single figure’ for the Group Chief Executive, Mike Wells, is 15 per cent lower than his total 2020 ‘single figure’ which
has been restated on the required basis to reflect the actual value of the PLTIP award at vesting, notwithstanding his exceptional leadership and
personal performance. This chiefly reflects the level of vesting of his 2019 PLTIP award which was partially offset by a higher 2021 AIP outcome
compared to 2020.
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Remuneration decisions and priorities for 2022
The Committee intends to continue to operate within the existing Directors’ remuneration policy during 2022.
Reflecting senior leadership changes
As announced on 10 February 2022, Mike Wells has informed the Board that having led the Group through its transformation into an Asia and
Africa-focused business, he intends to retire, and will step down from his role at the end of March 2022. Remuneration arrangements in respect of
his departure have been determined in line with the shareholder-approved Directors’ remuneration policy. When Mike steps down, Mark FitzPatrick
will become interim Group Chief Executive whilst the Board is conducting a search for a new permanent Group Chief Executive. James Turner will
become the Group Chief Financial Officer, succeeding Mark.
Information about the remuneration decisions made in connection with all of these changes was included in the 10 February 2022 announcement
and can be found in the ‘Statement of implementation of remuneration policy in 2022’ section of this report.
Incentivising the achievement of our ESG commitments
During 2021, the Committee discussed how the Group’s evolving ESG strategy and external commitments could be reflected in incentive
arrangements. Having considered the key dimensions of the ESG strategy and the advice of the Responsibility & Sustainability Working Group, the
Committee concluded that a measure aligned with our published commitment to reduce the carbon emissions of all shareholder and policyholder
assets by 25 per cent by 20251 should be attached to 2022 PLTIP awards. This metric was selected due to its importance and the multi-year
timeframe which could be translated into a meaningful three-year target (2022-2024).
The new carbon reduction measure will have a weight of 5 per cent and will replace ECap in the sustainability scorecard. Combined with the existing
diversity measure, the total weight of the ESG measures in the 2022 PLTIP will be 10 per cent. Objectives related to other aspects of our ESG
commitments will be included in the 2022 bonus arrangements of the responsible executives. Further information about the measures and targets
set for the 2022 incentives is provided in the ‘Statement of implementation of remuneration policy in 2022’ section of this report.
Alignment of Annual Incentive Plan (AIP) with the Group’s forward-looking strategy
For 2022, the weightings of the financial AIP measures have been aligned with those adopted for the Asia business to better reflect the Group’s
focus, following the demerger, on the high-growth Asia and Africa businesses. Further, in 2021, the Group Chief Financial Officer was designated as
a Key Person in a Control Function under the Hong Kong Group-wide supervision regime and as such, in line with regulatory requirements, his 2022
AIP will include a functional element.
Engaging shareholders on 2022 remuneration arrangements
I had the opportunity during late 2021 to engage with many of our major shareholders, as well as the organisations that represent and advise
them. I am pleased to say that we have had the benefit of substantive feedback from around 50 per cent of our shareholder register and that the
majority of shareholders and advisory bodies who provided input were supportive of the remuneration decisions taken in respect of 2021 and of the
arrangements that we proposed for 2022. In particular, investors endorsed the implementation of the carbon reduction measure in the PLTIP as
many of them saw this as aligned with their own focus on sustainability. On behalf of the Committee, I would like to thank the shareholders and
advisory bodies for their engagement. Chua Sock Koong had the opportunity to meet many shareholders during this process and I know that she
looks forward to continuing this useful dialogue in the future.
Reviewing the Directors’ remuneration policy
The Group’s Directors’ remuneration policy is due to expire at the 2023 AGM. Given the Group’s exclusive focus on Asia and Africa, it is essential that
the new policy equips the Group to recruit and retain critical executive talent in our key markets. The Committee is conscious of the challenges of
balancing the strategic shift to Asia and Africa with the constraints which result from a primary UK listing and this will be a key consideration for the
review of the policy which Chua Sock Koong will lead during 2022. Any proposed changes will be discussed with shareholders and their advisory
bodies in 2022 before the new policy is presented to shareholders at the 2023 AGM.
I trust that you will find this report a clear account of the way in which the Committee has implemented the Directors’ remuneration policy during
2021 and of the proposed Directors’ remuneration arrangements for 2022.
Anthony Nightingale, CMG SBS JP
Chair of the Remuneration Committee
8 March 2022
Note
1 The portfolio, with a value of $128 billion as at 31 December 2020, excludes unit-linked funds and assets held by joint venture businesses. In addition, this policy cannot be applied to certain
externally managed collective investment scheme balances.
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Our Executive Directors’ remuneration at a glance
What performance means for Executive Directors’ pay in 2021
At Prudential, remuneration packages are designed to ensure strong alignment between pay and performance. 2021 saw the Group perform
strongly against its financial and strategic objectives which has been appropriately reflected in the incentive outcomes, as set out in the Annual
report on remuneration.
The value of the performance-related elements of remuneration is added to the fixed packages provided to Executive Directors to calculate the
2021 ‘single figure’ of total remuneration. The total 2021 ‘single figure’ for the Group Chief Executive is 15 per cent less than the total restated 2020
‘single figure’. This chiefly reflects the level of vesting of the 2019 PLTIP award which was partially offset by a higher 2021 AIP outcome compared
to 2020. The values for the current Executive Directors are outlined in the table below:
Executive Director
Role
Mark FitzPatrick
James Turner
Mike Wells
Group Chief Financial Officer
and Chief Operating Officer
Group Chief Risk and
Compliance Officer
Group Chief Executive
Fixed pay
Variable pay
2021
salary
($000)
1,085
943
1,581
2021
pension and
benefits
($000)
416
771
668
2021
bonus
($000)
1,860
1,629
3,057
2021
PLTIP
vesting
($000)
536
450
1,296
2021
single
figure
($000)
3,897
3,793
6,602
2020
single
figure1
($000)
4,349
4,003
7,768
Note
1 2020 single figure has been restated on the required basis to reflect the actual value of the 2018 PLTIP award at vesting.
Aligning pay with the Group’s forward-looking strategy
Remuneration approach in light of the demerger
Following the demerger of Jackson, the Group is exclusively focused on its higher growth businesses in Asia and Africa. In this context and to
reflect post-demerger priorities, the Committee has reviewed executive remuneration arrangements and made several changes. This included:
> Adjusting the weightings of the financial AIP measures, by increasing the focus on New Business Profit;
> Updating pay benchmarking peer groups to increase focus on the Asia-led financial services organisations; and
> Revising our TSR peer group ahead of 2021 awards being made under the PLTIP in order to reflect the post-demerger footprint of the Group.
To recognise the hard work and commitment shown by our employees in preparation for the demerger and to give our people a stake in the new
chapter of the Company’s development, each Prudential plc employee (other than the Group Executive Committee) received, in October 2021,
a Celebration Award of US$1,000 of restricted shares which will be released in October 2022.
Remuneration arrangements for 2022
Decisions summarised below were taken by the Committee in 2021. Changes to the remuneration arrangements which follow the senior leadership
changes announced in February 2022 are set out in the ‘Statement of implementation of remuneration policy in 2022’ section of this report.
Remuneration packages for 2022, effective 1 January 2022, are set out in detail in the Annual report on remuneration and are summarised below.
Executive Director
Role
Mark FitzPatrick
James Turner
Mike Wells
Group Chief Financial Officer
and Chief Operating Officer
Group Chief Risk and
Compliance Officer
Group Chief Executive
2022 salary
(local currency)1
2022 salary
(USD)2
Maximum
bonus
(% of salary)
Bonus
deferred
(% of bonus)
PLTIP
award
(% of salary)3
Annual Incentive Plan (AIP)
£822,000
$1,131,000
HK$7,550,000
£1,184,000
$971,000
$1,629,000
175%
175%
200%
40%
40%
40%
250%
250%
400%
Notes
1 Salary increases of 3 per cent were awarded with effect from 1 January 2022.
2 The exchange rate used to convert pay to USD is the reporting rate during 2021 of 0.7269 for GBP and 7.7728 for HKD. All salaries are rounded to the nearest $1,000/£1,000 or HKD 10,000.
3 The PLTIP award is subject to a three-year performance period and a holding period which ends on the fifth anniversary of the award.
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The current Directors’ remuneration policy was approved at the AGM on 14 May 2020 and is expected to fully apply until the 2023 AGM, when
shareholders will be asked to approve a revised Directors’ remuneration policy, in line with the requirement to submit the policy for shareholder
approval at least every three years. The Committee is comfortable that the current Policy operated as intended and that the overall 2021
remuneration paid to Executive Directors as set out below and within the Annual report on remuneration, was appropriate.
The pages that follow present a summary of the current Directors’ remuneration policy. The complete policy is available on the Company’s
website at www.prudentialplc.com/investors/governance-and-policies/policies-and-statements.
Summary of the Directors’ remuneration policy
Salary and
benefits
Pension
Cash bonus
Deferred bonus
Prudential
Long Term
Incentive Plan
(PLTIP)
Current key elements
of remuneration
Fixed pay
Short-term
variable pay
One-year performance
assessed on financial,
functional and personal
objectives, set with
reference to business plans
approved by the Board.
Awards are subject to the
achievement of a Pillar I
capital underpin aligned
with the Hong Kong
Insurance Authority
capital framework.
Long-term
variable pay
Three-year performance
assessed on a
combination of:
> Financial measures;
> Total Shareholder
Return (TSR) relative to
international insurance
peers; and
> Sustainability scorecard
of capital, conduct and
diversity measures
Share ownership
guidelines
Share
ownership
guidelines
2
0
2
1
2
0
2
2
2
0
2
3
2
0
2
4
2
0
2
5
2
0
2
6
Key features of operation
of the current policy
How we implemented the policy in 2021
Salaries reviewed annually with increases
generally aligned with those of the
workforce. Benefits reflect individual
circumstances and are competitive in
the local market
Pension contributions and/or a cash
supplement up to 22.5% of salary
(20% from 14 May 2021). Executive
Directors based in Hong Kong receive
this in addition to contributions into the
Hong Kong Mandatory Provident Fund
A salary freeze was implemented in 2021 for
Executive Directors, other than for the Group
Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating
Officer whose salary was increased in April 2021
by 5% to reflect the increase in the scope of
the role
Pension contributions for the incumbent
Executive Directors remained at 13% of salary,
in line with the employer pension contribution
available to the UK workforce
The maximum opportunity is up to 200%
of salary
The Group Chief Executive was awarded a
maximum opportunity of 200% of salary
40% of bonus is deferred into shares for
three years
Other Executive Directors were awarded a
maximum opportunity of 175% of salary
Award is subject to malus and clawback
provisions, including in circumstances
where there are non-financial issues
and personal conduct which falls short
of the Company’s expectations
2021 bonuses were paid based on financial
and personal objectives and, in the case of
the Group Chief Risk & Compliance Officer,
functional objectives
Maximum award under the Plan is 550%
of salary although regular awards are
below this level
Awards are subject to a three-year vesting
period from date of grant and a further
two-year holding period from the end of
the vesting period
Awards are subject to malus and clawback
provisions, including in circumstances
where there are non-financial issues and
personal conduct which falls short of the
Company’s expectations
The proportion of awards which will vest
for threshold performance is 20%
Awards in 2021 were below the plan limits:
> Group Chief Executive: 400% of salary
> Other Executive Directors: 250% of salary
Weight of 2021 PLTIP measures was as follows:
50% TSR, 30% Return on Embedded Value
(RoEV) and 20% sustainability scorecard.
On vesting, the Committee will review awards
to ensure that participants do not benefit from
windfall gains. The Committee will consider
Prudential’s stretching performance targets;
share price performance of Prudential and its
peers; the prices of the indices on which
Prudential is listed; and any other factors
deemed relevant.
The post-employment shareholding
requirement is implemented by requiring
Executive Directors retiring from the Board
to obtain clearance to deal in the Company’s
shares during the two years following
their retirement
Significant in-employment share
ownership guidelines for all Executive
Directors as follows:
> 400% of salary for the Group
Chief Executive
> 250% of salary for other
Executive Directors
Executives have five years from the later
of the date of their appointment, or the
date of an increase in these guidelines,
to build this level of ownership
Executive Directors leaving the Board are
required to hold the lower of their actual
shareholding at their retirement date and
their in-employment share ownership
guideline for a period of two years, subject
to Remuneration Committee discretion
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Principles underlying the policy
When determining the 2020 Directors’ remuneration policy, the Committee had regard to a number of key principles as illustrated below:
Current key elements
of remuneration
Simplicity
How we implemented the policy in 2021
The Committee is comfortable that the current remuneration structure is simple as it consists of fixed
remuneration, annual and long-term incentives only.
This structure is largely unchanged from our previous policy. Stakeholders are familiar with the operation
of reward arrangements and there is a demonstrable link between performance and reward outcome.
Risk
The Group Risk Committee formally provides advice to the Committee on risk management considerations
to inform decisions over bonus payments and long-term incentive vesting levels.
The policy provides the Committee with substantial flexibility to adjust incentive outcomes, to reduce or
cancel unvested awards and to reclaim both bonus and long-term incentive payments. The Committee’s
discretionary powers have been formalised and additional malus and clawback triggers for personal conduct
introduced in relation to the AIP and PLTIP to take into account non-financial and individual factors.
The time horizon for our long-term incentives extends for five years, including the holding period on awards.
There are currently significant in-employment share ownership guidelines for all Executive Directors providing
a material connection to the sustained success of the Company. Executives have five years from the later of
the date of their appointment, or the date of an increase in these guidelines, to build this level of ownership.
A post-employment shareholding requirement for Executive Directors provides continued alignment with
the success of the Company and stakeholder interests even after leaving the Board. This obligation will be
implemented by requiring Executive Directors retiring from the Board to obtain clearance to deal in the
Company’s shares during the two years following their retirement.
Alignment to culture
New and existing Executive Directors are offered pension benefits of 13 per cent of salary, aligned with the
employer pension contribution available to the UK workforce.
The conduct measure in the PLTIP rewards for appropriate management action and ensures that there are
no significant conduct/culture/governance issues that result in significant capital add-ons or material fines.
The new carbon reduction measure in the PLTIP is aligned to the ESG strategy and recognises the Group’s
commitment in this area.
The pay arrangements for Executive Directors are aligned with those of the senior leadership team.
The vesting period attached to the long-term incentives reflects the time horizon of the business plan.
The additional post-vesting holding period and post-employment shareholding requirement strengthens
the community of interests between Executives and other stakeholders.
Clarity
The Committee has consulted with the Company’s largest shareholders and their advisers on the current
policy and executive pay decisions before they are implemented.
Details on Executive Director pay are clearly set out in the Annual report on remuneration.
Proportionality
There are no incentive awards for below threshold performance. Financial targets are set against the
Board-approved Plan.
Under the PLTIP, 20 per cent of each portion of the award will vest for achieving threshold performance.
The Committee approves the termination arrangements of Executive Directors to ensure that there is no
reward for failure.
The PLTIP leaver rules are another safeguard that there is no reward for failure under this plan.
The Committee’s discretionary powers have been formalised and additional malus and clawback triggers
for personal conduct introduced in relation to the AIP and PLTIP to take into account non-financial and
individual factors.
Predictability
The levels of awards under incentive arrangements to Executive Directors at threshold, on-target and
maximum performance points are clearly defined and presented in relevant sections of this report.
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Membership and 2021 meeting attendance
Committee Members
Anthony Nightingale CMG SBS JP (Chair)
Thomas Watjen
Kai Nargolwala1
Fields Wicker-Miurin2
Amy Yip3
The Hon. Philip Remnant CBE FCA
David Law ACA4
Chua Sock Koong5
2021 Meetings
8/10
10/10
5/6
9/10
4/4
9/10
9/9
4/4
Regular attendees
> Chair
> Group Chief Executive
> Company Secretary
> Group Human Resources Director
> Director of Group Reward and Employee Relations
> Remuneration Committee Adviser
Notes
1 Kai Nargolwala stepped down from the Remuneration Committee on 13 May 2021.
2 Fields Wicker-Miurin stepped down from the Remuneration Committee on
31 December 2021.
3 Amy Yip stepped down from the Remuneration Committee on 3 March 2021.
4 David Law joined the Remuneration Committee on 4 February 2021.
5 Chua Sock Koong joined the Remuneration Committee on 12 May 2021.
Role and responsibilities
The role and responsibilities of the Committee are set out in its terms of reference, which are reviewed by the Committee and approved by the
Board on a periodic basis, and which can be found on the Company’s website at https://www.prudentialplc.com/~/media/Files/P/Prudential-V3/
content-pdf/gremco-tor-at-01-01-2022.pdf. The Committee’s role is to assist the Board in meeting its responsibilities regarding the determination,
implementation and operation of the overall remuneration policy for the Group, including the remuneration of the Chair of the Board, Executive
Directors, Group Executive Committee members and the Company Secretary, as well as overseeing the remuneration arrangements of other staff
within its purview. In 2021, the Committee met seven times and also dealt with a number of matters by email circulation.
The principal responsibilities of the Committee set out in their terms of reference and discharged during 2021 were:
> Approving the operation of performance-related pay schemes operated for the Executive Directors, other members of the Group Executive
Committee and the Company Secretary, and determining the targets and individual payouts under such schemes;
> Reviewing the operation and awards made under all share plans requiring approval by the Board and/or the Company’s shareholders.
Specifically, during 2021, this included approving the remuneration section of the Demerger Agreement and all related adjustments to pay
and performance schemes;
> Monitoring compliance of the Chair and Executive Directors and other members of the Group Executive Committee with share ownership
guidelines;
> Reviewing and approving individual packages for the Executive Directors and other members of the Group Executive Committee, and the fees
of the Chair. Similarly, reviewing and approving fees for the Non-executive Directors of the Group’s material subsidiaries;
> Reviewing workforce remuneration practices and related policies across the Group when setting the remuneration policy for Executive Directors,
as well as the alignment of incentives and awards with culture;
> Reviewing and approving the content and format of the UK gender pay gap report;
> Monitoring the remuneration and risk management implications of remuneration of senior executives across the Group and other selected roles;
and
> Overseeing the implementation of the Group remuneration policy for roles within the scope of the specific arrangements referred to in the
Hong Kong IA GWS Framework.
The Chair and the Group Chief Executive attend meetings by invitation. The Committee also had the benefit of advice from:
> Group Chief Risk and Compliance Officer;
> Group Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer;
> Group Human Resources Director; and
> Director of Group Reward and Employee Relations.
Individuals are not present when their own remuneration is discussed and the Committee is always careful to manage potential conflicts of interest
when receiving views from Executive Directors or senior management about executive remuneration proposals.
As part of our broader programme of shareholder engagement, the Chair of the Committee held meetings with shareholders and the principal
advisory bodies to discuss decisions taken in respect of the Executive Directors’ remuneration arrangements for 2022. We have had the benefit
of substantive feedback from 50 per cent of our shareholder register and are pleased that the majority of shareholders and advisory bodies who
provided input were supportive of our proposals and commended the manner in which we conducted the consultation process.
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During 2021, Deloitte LLP was the independent remuneration adviser to the Committee. Deloitte was re-appointed by the Committee in 2021
following a competitive tender process. As part of this process, the Committee considered the services that Deloitte provided to Prudential and its
competitors, as well as other potential conflicts of interest. Deloitte is a member of the Remuneration Consultants’ Group and voluntarily operates
under their code of conduct when providing advice on executive remuneration in the UK. Deloitte regularly meets with the Chair of the Committee
without management present. The Committee is comfortable that the Deloitte engagement partner and team providing remuneration advice to
the Committee do not have connections with Prudential that may impair their independence and objectivity. The total fees paid to Deloitte for the
provision of independent advice to the Committee in 2021 were £81,250 charged on a fixed fee as well as time and materials basis. During 2021,
Deloitte provided Prudential management advice on remuneration, digital and technology, taxation, internal audit, global mobility, risk and
regulatory matters. Remuneration advice is provided by an entirely separate team within Deloitte.
In addition, in 2021 the Committee and management commissioned a large scale research project by Aon, which included analysis of
remuneration trends and structures across a number of sectors and geographies. The total cost of this project, including analysis and data provided
in respect of executives below Board, was US$117,700 charged on a fixed fee basis. Aon were selected and appointed by management. The
Committee is comfortable that the advice received was objective and independent. During 2021, Aon provided other parts of the Group
management advice on staff salary data, insurance services and asset management consulting services.
In 2021 the Board conducted an evaluation of its effectiveness which included an assessment of the Remuneration Committee. The evaluation
confirmed that the Committee continued to operate effectively during the year.
Remuneration decisions taken in relation to the demerger
The Jackson business demerged from the Group with effect from 13 September 2021. The Committee established a set of principles, consistent
with that applied on the 2019 demerger of M&G, to underpin decisions on remuneration relating to the demerger with Jackson, including:
> Executives should not be advantaged or disadvantaged by the demerger;
> The value of outstanding awards and their key terms (release dates, holding periods, malus and clawback provisions) should be unaffected;
> Where performance conditions need to be revised, the new conditions should be no more or less stretching than those originally attached to
the awards; and
> Where the Committee has applied discretion, this will be disclosed clearly.
These principles formed the basis for the treatment of outstanding share awards which was set out in the Shareholder Circular published on
6 August 2021 and approved by shareholders at the August 2021 General Meeting. In summary, employees of Prudential plc (including the
Executive Directors of the Company) received the demerger dividend on their outstanding deferred bonus and long-term incentive awards in
the form of additional Prudential plc shares which will be released on the same timetable and on the same basis as their original share awards.
The Committee decided that it was appropriate that, wherever possible, executives should be rewarded in the shares of the business which
they continue to lead. For awards under UK all-employee share plans, the treatment was in line with the relevant rules and regulations.
Adjusting the AIP and in-flight PLTIP performance conditions
At the time of the demerger, the 2021 AIP financial targets were adjusted to exclude the Jackson business for the remainder of the year.
The Committee decided that the financial targets for the 2019 and 2020 PLTIP awards should be adjusted to exclude the Jackson components
of the Plan on which the targets were based, with effect from the date of the demerger, in order to appropriately account for the period that
Jackson were not part of the Group. The revised targets will be disclosed in the remuneration report for the year in which the awards vest.
The 2021 PLTIP award targets exclude Jackson performance, with the exception of the ‘conduct’ measure in the sustainability scorecard which
includes Jackson until the point of demerger.
No changes have been made to the TSR peer groups for any outstanding PLTIP awards held by Prudential plc staff. The TSR peer group was
revised ahead of 2021 awards being made in order to reflect the post-demerger footprint of the Group.
Demerger share calculation
At the time of the demerger of Jackson from Prudential plc shareholders received one share in Jackson for every forty shares they hold in
Prudential plc. The Committee approved the approach to converting the demerger dividend into additional Prudential plc shares and ADRs for
those with outstanding awards at the date of the demerger. Prudential plc employees who held awards over Prudential shares or ADRs therefore
received the value of the demerger dividend in the form of additional Prudential plc shares or ADRs respectively. These additional shares/ADRs
will vest on the same timetable and on the same basis as the original award.
The Committee considered a number of approaches for converting the demerger dividend into additional Prudential plc shares/ ADRs. It decided
to determine the number of additional Prudential plc shares/ADRs to be awarded as a dividend by dividing the value of Jackson shares (based on
the volume weighted average price realised through the bulk sale of Jackson shares immediately following demerger date) by the Prudential plc
share price averaged over the first ten days of Jackson’s regular trading on the NYSE. This approach ensured alignment between the value that
our employees and our shareholders realised from the demerger.
TSR calculation
The Committee determined that the calculation of TSR for in-flight PLTIP awards should be adjusted to reflect the demerger of Jackson.
This involved the application of an adjustment factor calculated in line with standard methodologies.
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$000s (unless stated)
Mark FitzPatrick
James Turner1
Mike Wells
Total
2021
salary
1,085
943
1,581
3,609
2021
taxable
benefits*
275
646
463
1,384
2021
total
bonus†
1,860
1,629
3,057
6,546
2021
PLTIP
releases‡
2021
pension
benefits§
Total 2021
fixed
remuneration~
Total 2021
variable
remuneration~
Total 2021
remuneration
the ‘single
figure’^
Total 2021
remuneration
the ‘single
figure’ in
GBP (£000)#
536
450
1,296
2,282
141
125
205
471
1,501
1,714
2,249
5,464
2,396
2,079
4,353
8,828
3,897
3,793
6,602
2,832
2,757
4,799
14,292
10,388
* Benefits include (where provided) the cost of providing the use of a car and driver, medical insurance, security arrangements, relocation/expatriate benefits and shares awarded due to participation
in the Share Incentive Plan (SIP).
† The total value of the bonus, comprising both the 60 per cent delivered in cash and 40 per cent bonus deferred into Prudential plc shares for three years. The deferred part of the bonus is subject
to malus and clawback in accordance with the malus and clawback policies, but no further performance conditions.
‡ In line with the regulations, the estimated value of the 2021 PLTIP releases for all Executive Directors has been calculated based on the average share price over the last three months of 2021
(£14.00/US$19.26) and includes the accumulated dividends delivered in the form of shares. The Committee’s approach to determining the level of vesting for this award is set out in the
‘Remuneration in respect of performance periods ending in 2021’ section. The number of Prudential plc shares under award has been adjusted to take account of the Jackson demerger in line
with the approach set out in the section on ‘Remuneration decisions taken in relation to the demerger’. As set out in the 2019 Annual Report, these awards have previously been adjusted on
the demerger of M&G. The actual value of vesting PLTIP awards, based on the share price on the date awards are released, will be shown in the 2022 report. Due to the share price depreciation
over the vesting period, the estimated value per share of the 2019 PLTIP awards is 9.1% lower than the value per share at grant. As a result, no value is attributable to share price appreciation.
No adjustment to vesting levels has been proposed as a result of the share price depreciation.
§ 2021 pension benefits include cash supplements for pension purposes and contributions into defined contribution schemes as outlined in the ‘pension benefit entitlement’ section.
~ Total fixed remuneration includes salary, taxable benefits and pension benefits. Total variable remuneration includes total bonus and PLTIP releases.
^ Each remuneration element is rounded to the nearest $1,000 and totals are the sum of these rounded figures. Total remuneration is calculated using the methodology prescribed by Schedule 8
of Statutory Instrument 2013 No. 1981 – The Large and Medium-sized Companies and Groups (Accounts and Reports) (Amendment) Regulations 2013. Total 2021 remuneration has been
converted to US dollars using the exchange rate of 0.7269 for GBP and 7.7728 for HKD. Exchange rate fluctuations will therefore impact the reported value.
# Total 2021 remuneration has been converted to GBP using the exchange rate of 0.7269 USD to 1 GBP.
Note
1 Mr Turner is paid in HK dollars, while Messrs Wells and FitzPatrick are paid in sterling.
Table of 2020 Executive Director total remuneration (the ‘single figure’)
$000s (unless stated)
Mark FitzPatrick
James Turner1
Mike Wells
Total
2020
salary
980
950
1,481
3,411
2020
taxable
benefits*
239
643
388
1,270
2020
total
bonus†
1,186
1,322
1,355
3,863
2020
PLTIP
releases‡
2020
pension
benefits§
Total 2020
fixed
remuneration~
Total 2020
variable
remuneration~
Total 2020
remuneration
the ‘single
figure’^
Total 2020
remuneration
the ‘single
figure’ in
GBP (£000)#
1,773
919
4,286
6,978
171
169
258
598
1,390
1,762
2,127
5,279
2,959
2,241
5,641
4,349
4,003
7,768
3,391
3,122
6,057
10,841
16,120
12,570
* Benefits include (where provided) the cost of providing the use of a car and driver, medical insurance, security arrangements, relocation/expatriate benefits and shares awarded due to participation
in the Share Incentive Plan (SIP).
† The total value of the bonus, comprising both the 60 per cent delivered in cash and 40 per cent bonus deferred into Prudential plc shares for three years. The deferred part of the bonus is subject
to malus and clawback in accordance with the malus and clawback policies, but no further performance conditions.
‡ In line with the regulations, the value of the 2020 PLTIP releases for all Executive Directors has been calculated using the share price at vesting of £14.9984 and includes the accumulated dividends
delivered in the form of shares. The number of Prudential plc shares under award have been adjusted in line with the approach set out in the section on ‘Remuneration decisions taken in relation to
the demerger’ in the 2019 Annual Report. Due to the share price depreciation over the vesting period, the estimated value per share of the 2018 PLTIP awards is 16.5 per cent lower than the value
per share at grant. As a result, no value is attributable to share price appreciation. No adjustment to vesting levels has been proposed as a result of the share price depreciation.
§ 2020 pension benefits include cash supplements for pension purposes and contributions into defined contribution schemes as outlined in the ‘pension benefit entitlement’ section.
~ Total fixed remuneration includes salary, taxable benefits and pension benefits. Total variable remuneration includes total bonus and PLTIP releases.
^ Each remuneration element is rounded to the nearest $1,000 and totals are the sum of these rounded figures. Total remuneration is calculated using the methodology prescribed by Schedule 8
of Statutory Instrument 2013 No. 1981 – The Large and Medium-sized Companies and Groups (Accounts and Reports) (Amendment) Regulations 2013. Total 2020 remuneration has been
converted to US dollars using the exchange rate of 0.7798 for GBP and 7.7560 for HKD. Exchange rate fluctuations will therefore impact the reported value.
# Total 2020 remuneration has been converted to GBP using the exchange rate of 0.7798 for GBP.
Note
1 Mr Turner is paid in HK dollars, while Messrs Wells and FitzPatrick are paid in sterling.
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Annual report on remuneration / continued Remuneration in respect of performance in 2021
Base salary
No salary increases were awarded to Executive Directors with effect from January 2021. However, the scope of the role of the Group Chief Financial
Officer and Chief Operating Officer was expanded in April 2021 to include oversight of the Group’s investment processes and governance in addition
to his previous responsibilities. The Hong Kong IA has also asked that he is designated as a Key Person in a Control Function with responsibility
for the Financial Control function. The scope of Mr FitzPatrick’s role was previously increased in 2019 to include the Chief Operating Officer
responsibilities without an increase in remuneration. Having considered these developments, the Committee decided to award a 5 per cent salary
increase for Mr FitzPatrick with effect from 1 April 2021.
As a result, Executive Directors received the following salaries in 2021:
Executive Director
2021 salary
(local currency)
from 1 January 2021
2021 salary
(USD)1 from
1 January 2021
2021 salary
(local currency)
from 1 April 2021
2021 salary
(USD)1 from
1 April 2021
Mark FitzPatrick, Group Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer
James Turner, Group Chief Risk and Compliance Officer
Mike Wells, Group Chief Executive
£760,000
HK$7,330,000
£1,149,000
$1,046,000
$943,000
$1,581,000
£798,000
$1,098,000
No change
No change
Note
1 2021 salaries were converted to US dollars using an exchange rate of 0.7269 for GBP and 7.7728 for HKD. All salaries are rounded to the nearest $1,000/£1,000 or HKD 10,000.
Pension benefit entitlements
Pension benefit arrangements for 2021 are set out in the table below. The employer pension contribution available to the UK workforce
is 13 per cent of salary.
Executive Director
James Turner
2021 pension benefit
Pension supplement in lieu of pension of 13 per cent of salary
and a HKD18,000 employer payment to the Hong Kong
Mandatory Provident Fund.
Life assurance provision
Eight times salary.
Mark FitzPatrick and Mike Wells
Pension supplement in lieu of pension of 13 per cent of salary.
Four times salary plus an additional four times
salary dependants’ pension.
Annual bonus outcomes for 2021
Target setting
For 2021, financial AIP metrics comprise 80 per cent of the bonus opportunity for all Executive Directors apart from the Group Chief Risk and
Compliance Officer, for whom this accounts for 40 per cent of the bonus opportunity. The performance ranges are based on the annual business
plans approved by the Board and reflect the ambitions of the Group, in the context of anticipated market conditions. The financial element of
Executive Directors’ 2021 bonuses was determined by the achievement of four Group measures, namely adjusted operating profit, operating free
surplus generation, EEV new business profit and cash flow, which are aligned to the Group’s growth and cash generation focus.
Personal objectives comprise 20 per cent of the bonus opportunity for all Executive Directors. These objectives were established at the start of
the year and reflect the Company’s Strategic Priorities set by the Board. For 2021, Executive Directors had two shared strategic objectives linked
to developing and embedding the Group’s ESG strategic framework and completing the separation of Jackson from the Group.
Functional objectives account for the remaining 40 per cent of the Group Chief Risk and Compliance Officer’s bonus opportunity. These are based
on the Group Risk Plan and are developed with input from the Chair of the Group Risk Committee.
AIP payments are subject to meeting minimum capital thresholds which are aligned to the Group risk framework and appetites (as adjusted for any
Group Risk Committee approved counter-cyclical buffers), as described in the Group Chief Risk and Compliance Officer’s report section of this report.
The Committee seeks advice from the Group Risk Committee on risk management considerations to inform decisions about remuneration
architecture and performance measures to ensure that risk management, culture and conduct are appropriately reflected in the design and
operation of Executive Directors’ remuneration.
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The Committee determines the overall value of the bonus, taking account of the inputs described above and any other factors which it
considers relevant.
The Committee considered a report from the Group Chief Risk and Compliance Officer which had been approved by the Group Risk Committee.
This report confirmed that the 2021 results were achieved within the Group’s and businesses’ risk framework and appetite. The Group Chief Risk
and Compliance Officer also considered the effectiveness of risk management and internal controls, and specific actions taken to mitigate risks,
particularly where these may be at the expense of profits or sales. The report also confirmed that the Group met minimum capital thresholds
which were aligned to the Group risk framework and appetites. The Committee took into account this advice when determining AIP outcomes
for Executive Directors.
The table below illustrates the weighting of performance measures for 2021 and the level of achievement under the AIP:
Executive Director
Mark FitzPatrick
James Turner
Mike Wells
Weighting of measures
(% of total bonus opportunity)
Achievement against performance measures
(% of maximum for each component)
Group
financial
measures
80%
40%
80%
Functional
objectives
Personal
objectives
–
40%
–
20%
20%
20%
Group
financial
measures
98.4%
98.4%
98.4%
Functional
objectives
Personal
objectives
–
98.8%
–
96.4%
99.2%
90.0%
2021 AIP outcome1
(% of total bonus
opportunity)
98.0%
98.7%
96.7%
Note
1 All bonus awards are subject to 40 per cent deferral for three years and the deferred bonus will be paid in Prudential plc shares.
Financial performance
The Committee reviewed performance against the performance ranges at its meeting in February 2022. Group adjusted operating profit
and Group free surplus generation were approaching the stretch target established by the Board. Life new business profit and Group cash flow
achievement exceeded the stretching targets established by the Board.
The level of performance required for threshold, plan and maximum payment against the Group’s 2021 AIP financial measures and the results
achieved are set out below:
2021 AIP measure
Group adjusted operating profit
Group operating free surplus generated
Group cash flow
Group EEV new business profit
Weighting
Threshold
($m)
25%
30%
10%
35%
4,882
1,726
(348)
2,163
Target
($m)
5,278
1,866
91
2,472
Stretch target
($m)
Achievement
($m)
5,674
2,006
154
2,534
5,616
2,087
394
2,526
Personal performance
A proportion of the annual bonus for each Executive Director is based on the achievement of personal objectives including:
> The executive meeting their individual conduct and customer measures;
> The executive’s contribution to Group strategy as a member of the Board; and
> Specific goals related to the function for which they are responsible and progress on major projects.
At the end of the year, the Committee considered the performance of all executives against objectives established at the start of the year. At its
meeting in February 2022, it concluded that 2021 had seen the execution of significant strategic objectives, as described in the Strategic report.
These achievements reflect Executive Directors’ high level of performance against their 2021 personal objectives. All executives met their
individual conduct measures and each Executive Director made a significant contribution to the achievement of Group strategy during 2021.
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Annual report on remuneration / continued The below summarises performance against the personal objectives and strategic priorities for the current Executive Directors:
Shared strategic objectives
2021 key strategic objective
ESG – climate and diversity
Develop and embed the Group’s
ESG strategic framework, with a
particular focus on:
> initiatives to improve
accessibility to health and
financial security;
> managing the Group’s exposure
to climate-related risks and
opportunities; and
> its actions as a consequence,
and improving diversity,
inclusion and belonging in
the organisation.
SOCIETY, PEOPLE
Achievement
The ESG framework was embedded at both functional and local
business levels and the Prudential Sustainability Advisory Group
was established.
Performance relative to target
Above target level, approaching
stretch target level
In May 2021, the Group set a target to become a net zero 2050 asset
owner supported by a 25 per cent reduction in emissions from the
portfolio by 2025. The Group is on track for achievement of this target
and has achieved the exit of coal equity holdings (above the 30 per cent
revenue threshold) by the end of 2021. A responsible investment policy
was agreed and has been implemented.
The Group launched the We DO Family campaign to support the
development of inclusive products that recognise the evolution of
nuclear families by expanding the Group’s product coverage to include
a wider array of relationships.
The Group demonstrated its commitment to Diversity & Inclusion by
achieving a c35 per cent representation of women in senior leadership
at the end of 2021, above the 30 per cent commitment under the
HM Treasury ‘Women in Finance Charter’. The Group was included
on the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index for the first time and is
committed to the United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles.
Complete the separation
of Jackson from the Group
INVESTORS
The Group completed the separation of Jackson resulting in Prudential’s
transformation from a diversified, global group into a focused business
exclusively targeting the long-term structural opportunities of Asia
and Africa.
Above stretch target level
The Group secured shareholder support of the demerger (at the General
Meeting in August 2021, 99.65 per cent shareholders supported the
demerger resolution). Shortly thereafter the Board declared a dividend
in specie, distributing the Jackson shares to the Group’s shareholders.
The Group retained a stake in Jackson following the demerger.
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Above stretch target level
Mark FitzPatrick, Group Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer
2021 key strategic deliverables
Strategic communications
with debt and equity markets
and Equity raise
Lead strategic communications
between Prudential and the
debt and equity markets, and
specifically deliver the required
debt repayment and refinancing.
Seek to raise US$2.5-3 billion
of new equity capital.
INVESTORS
Achievement
Ensured debt and equity plan remained supported by investors as
the Jackson demerger and Equity raise evolved, through regular
engagement with investors and ratings agencies so that both share
prices and credit ratings were not impacted by equity raise and
temporarily high leverage post Jackson demerger.
Ensured that market disclosures on debt issuance and repayment
were updated at the appropriate times and the lead regulator HKIA
was supportive of the debt transactions and their capital implications.
Raised c$1 billion and repaid c$3 billion of debt (including $1.7 billion
redeemed in January 2022), maximising opportunity for deleveraging,
debt refinancing and reduction in interest costs.
Developed and refined structure, transaction size and timing
throughout 2021, to ensure a successful Hong Kong Equity raise,
ultimately leading to significant increase in Hong Kong share liquidity.
Developed and communicated the equity story to investors through
Capital Markets Day, leading Finance, Investor Relations, Corporate
Strategy, Communications, Legal and external parties to deliver
and execute.
Increase Asia shareholder base
Increase the Asia shareholder
base and Hong Kong liquidity.
INVESTORS
Raised $2.4 billion of equity in Hong Kong to optimise balance sheet
to reflect focus on Asia and Africa.
Above stretch target level
Delivered the Hong Kong Equity raise marketing, securing milestone
orders and ran the Hong Kong public offering.
Supported further roll out of Asia research coverage. Directly managed
Asia based IR effort, tailoring Investor Relation efforts to increase
access to Asia-based investors via conferences and Investor Relation
activities, including site visits. Drove continued domestic Hong Kong
stock commentary and public relations efforts.
Deliver IFRS 17 reporting
changes to ensure systems in
place to deliver comparative
reporting from 2022.
REGULATORS
Sponsored the IFRS17 programme and chaired the Group-wide steering
committee for IFRS 17. During 2021, the Group made significant
progress with the build and testing of new actuarial and finance systems.
Above target level, approaching
stretch target level
Programme activities were completed to enable the production of the
opening balance sheet and comparatives in 2022.
Recognising Mr FitzPatrick’s very strong performance against both his individual and shared personal objectives during 2021, the Committee
judged that 19.3 per cent of a maximum of 20 per cent attributable to personal objectives was appropriate.
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Annual report on remuneration / continued James Turner, Group Chief Risk and Compliance Officer
2021 key objectives
Lead strategic communications
between Prudential and
key regulators, ensuring
constructive and open
relationships.
Maintain constructive
engagement and relationships
with industry peers.
REGULATORS
Develop the Risk and
Compliance leadership
team and key talent to
enable strong succession
planning/talent pipeline.
PEOPLE
Achievement
Worked closely with HKIA to support finalisation of preparations for
compliance with the GWS legislation, which became effective on
29 March 2021, with formal designation of the Group with effect from
14 May 2021.
Proactively engaged with regulators in advance of the demerger of US
business and provided support for the necessary interaction between
the HKIA and DIFS.
Provided insight to regulators on key Group risks and associated
developments as part of the annual College of Supervisors.
Engaged with both regulators and the stock exchange as part
of a key role in the Group’s 2021 equity raise.
Continued leadership role in discussions with regulator and peers
on development of the HK RBC capital regime given its economic
capital focus.
Supported the development of the senior team within the US business
to take key functional leadership roles post operational separation of
the US business.
Supported Group-wide talent development initiatives including
mentorship and sponsorship of future and recently promoted leaders
across Asia.
Developed the Risk and Compliance leadership key talent across the
region including identifying potential successors for the Group Chief
Risk and Compliance Officer role.
Performance relative to target
Above stretch target level
Above stretch target level
Recognising Mr Turner’s very strong performance against both his individual and shared personal objectives during 2021, the Committee judged
that 19.8 per cent of a maximum of 20 per cent attributable to personal objectives was appropriate.
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2021 key objectives
Pulse
Progress the rapid roll out across
Asia and Africa and monetisation
potential of Pulse as a platform
with increasing functionality
and operational and financial
synergies with the rest of
the business.
CUSTOMERS
Accelerated Asian
and African growth
Ensure a healthy balance sheet
and sufficient capital and funding
for accelerated Asian and
African growth, including for
opportunities that may be
developed or become available
outside the Group 2021–2023
Plan, in a manner that begins
the re-rating of the share price.
INVESTORS
Performance relative to target
Above stretch target level
Above stretch target level
Achievement
Supervised the roll-out of Pulse which is now available in 17 markets and
exceeding 32 million downloads and c13 million registrations by the end
of 2021. Pulse has attracted a large proportion of young generation
users (aged 18 to 35) and mass segment users.
Insights gathered on Pulse provided a better understanding of
customer needs, allowing the Group to digitally deliver products and
services customized to users’ interests and requirements. These insights
also help the agency network assist those customers that require a more
personal, advice-led approach.
By the end of 2021, the Group has entered into over 56 key digital
partnerships which allowed it to harness the strengths and abilities of
its partners, to broaden the product and services offering and to expand
its market reach.
In October 2021 Prudential completed a share offer raising
approximately HK$18.5 billion or US$2.4 billion on the Hong Kong Stock
Exchange (HKSE). The proceeds were used to redeem existing debt, in
order to maintain and enhance Prudential’s financial flexibility in light
of the breadth of opportunities to invest for growth in Asia and Africa.
We estimate the Moody’s total leverage at 31 December to be
26 per cent and if the further debt redemptions of $1,725 million in
January 2022 had been completed as at 31 December 2021, we
estimate that this figure would have been 21 per cent.
Recognising Mr Wells’s very strong performance against both his individual and shared personal objectives during 2021, the Committee judged
that 18 per cent of a maximum of 20 per cent attributable to personal objectives was appropriate.
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Annual report on remuneration / continued Functional performance
The Group Chief Executive and the Chair of the Group Risk Committee undertake the assessment of performance against functional objectives
for the Group Chief Risk and Compliance Officer. 2021 achievement is summarised below:
Summary of 2021 functional objectives
Group-wide risk and compliance
developments
Oversee implementation of HKIA GWS
requirements with key focus on development
of GIECA.
Specific non-financial risk framework
development to change to reflect the
2021 plan:
> Enhancing customer-related conduct
risk management information.
> Adapting the framework to ensure it
remains effective in light of the strategic
objectives related to the Pulse business.
> Further updates to reflect the impact
of climate related transition risk.
INVESTORS, REGULATORS
Risk and compliance oversight
Ensure the business is sufficiently informed
on external risk perspectives and challenged,
where appropriate to take effective actions
and decisions.
Provide Non-executive and Executive
management information and insight to
fully support members in meeting their
responsibilities and duties set out in their
Terms of Reference in respect of risk
management.
Support the identification and management
of emerging and top risks by the business,
including deep dives into areas identified
in the Top Risk process (eg interest rate
management, oversight of the separation
of Jackson, modelling and assumption risks
and technology risk management).
INVESTORS, REGULATORS
Operating model Implementation
Operationalise a Group-wide function for the
International business, improving efficiency
and effectiveness through collaboration
and coordination.
INVESTORS
Achievement
Worked closely with Group Finance to lead the
development of the GIECA methodology, including
providing regular updates to the Group Risk Committee
to enable appropriate level of challenge and transparency
of key assumptions and modelling simplifications during
the critical development stage.
Led the adaptation of the Enterprise Risk Management
Framework and Governance to meet changing
requirements, including those associated with the Group’s
strategic focus digitalisation and external developments
in the understanding of the risks associated with
climate change.
Engaged first-line stakeholders in training, awareness
and conduct risk assessments, as well as providing conduct
advice for Pulse, and enhancing conduct elements in the
product approval process.
Delivered insightful Chief Risk and Compliance Officer
updates to the Group Risk Committee focusing on the
impact on the Group of rapidly developing risk themes
such as geo-political developments, pandemic impacts,
the management of sanctions and credit risk in the
balance sheet.
Completed the program of targeted, deep dive risk reviews,
as proposed and agreed with the Group Risk Committee
at the start of the year, including assessments following
penetration testing, the use and development of digital
wallets and the long-term impacts of lower for longer
interest rates on core products in each of the larger markets.
Provided clear and concise risk analysis and opinions
in support of Board decisions including in relation the
demerger of the US business, the equity raise and other
strategic initiatives.
Led an initiative, including training, to demonstrate an
open discussion of mistakes and ‘what could go wrong’ by
senior leaders, in order to encourage similar conversations
within teams and promote psychological safety.
Completed functional alignment to Asia/Africa business
operations following the demerger of the US business
including build of technology and digital risk capabilities
and leadership for the Asia/Africa business.
Reinforced functional mission and operation as a Group-
wide function and developed communication and training
programmes to support the global Risk, Compliance and
Security function in understanding and responding to key
elements of the Group’s strategy including digitalisation
and ESG related initiatives.
Performance relative to target
Above stretch target level
Above stretch target level
Above target level, approaching
stretch target level
In recognition of James Turner’s very strong performance against his functional objectives during 2021, the Committee judged that
39.5 per cent of a maximum of 40 per cent attributable to functional objectives was appropriate.
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The Committee determined the 2021 AIP awards below on the basis of the performance of the Group and of the individual executives.
In making these decisions, it reflected on factors including:
> The overall contribution of the executive;
> Behavioural, conduct and risk management considerations; and
> Wider experience of stakeholders and overall corporate performance.
40 per cent of the 2021 bonus awards will be deferred into shares for three years.
Executive Director
Mark FitzPatrick2
James Turner
Mike Wells
Role
Group Chief Financial Officer
and Chief Operating Officer
Group Chief Risk and Compliance Officer
Group Chief Executive
Notes
1 Salaries are converted to US dollars using an exchange rate of 0.7269 for GBP and 7.7728 for HKD.
2 The salary for Mr FitzPatrick reflects the salary increase awarded with effect from 1 April 2021.
Maximum
2021 AIP
(% of salary)
Actual 2021
AIP award
(% of maximum
opportunity)
175%
175%
200%
98.0%
98.7%
96.7%
2021 salary1
$1,085,000
$943,000
$1,581,000
2021
bonus award
(including
cash and
deferred
elements)
$1,859,795
$1,628,507
$3,056,778
Long-term incentives vesting in respect of performance to 31 December 2021
Prudential Long Term Incentive Plan (PLTIP)
Target setting
Our long-term incentive plans have stretching performance conditions that are aligned to the strategic priorities of the Group. In 2019, all Executive
Directors were granted awards under the PLTIP. In determining the financial targets under the sustainability scorecard, the Committee had regard
to the stretching nature of the three-year Business Plan for adjusted operating profit and capital positions as set by the Board. Further, in setting
the conduct and diversity targets under the sustainability scorecard, the Committee considered input from the Group Chief Risk and Compliance
Officer on conduct risk for the conduct measure and had regard to the Company’s commitment under the Women in Finance Charter for the
diversity measure.
The weightings of the measures are detailed in the table below:
Weighting of measures
Sustainability Scorecard
Vesting (% of maximum)
Solvency
II capital
generation/
Group free
surplus
generation2
6.25%
6.25%
6.25%
ECap
operating
capital
generation3
6.25%
6.25%
6.25%
Group TSR1
75%
75%
75%
Conduct4
Diversity5
Threshold
performance
Stretch
performance
6.25%
6.25%
6.25%
6.25%
6.25%
6.25%
20%
20%
20%
100%
100%
100%
Executive Director
Mark FitzPatrick
James Turner
Mike Wells
Notes
1 Group TSR is measured on a ranked basis over three years relative to peers.
2 At the time of award a Solvency II operating capital generation measure was used in the sustainability scorecard. As set out in the ‘Remuneration decisions taken in relation to the demerger’
section of the 2019 Directors’ remuneration report, Solvency II operating capital generation was replaced with Group free surplus generation from 1 July 2019 since Prudential ceased to be
subject to Solvency II capital requirements and no longer calculated or disclosed a Solvency II position following the demerger of the M&G business and the change in the Company’s
Group-wide supervisor.
3 This is cumulative three-year ECap Group operating capital generation, less cost of capital (based on the capital position at the start of the performance period).
4 Conduct is assessed through appropriate management action, ensuring there are no significant conduct/culture/governance issues that could result in significant capital add-ons or material
fines.
5 Diversity is measured as the percentage of the Leadership Team that is female at the end of 2021. The target for this metric has been based on progress towards the goal that the Company set
when it signed the Women in Finance Charter, where 30 per cent of our Leadership Team should be female by the end of 2021.
As described in the section on ‘Remuneration decisions taken in relation to the demerger’, the Committee adjusted the performance conditions
attached to the 2019 PLTIP awards in order to take account of the demerger with Jackson, ensuring that the revised performance conditions were
no more or less stretching than those originally attached to the awards. As set out in the 2019 Annual Report, these awards have previously been
adjusted on the demerger of M&G. The performance assessment provided opposite is based on these adjusted targets.
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Annual report on remuneration / continued Performance assessment
In deciding the proportion of the awards to be released, the Committee considered actual results against performance targets. The Committee
also reviewed underlying Company performance to ensure vesting levels were appropriate, including an assessment of whether results were
achieved within the Group’s risk framework and appetite. Finally, overall vesting levels were reviewed to ensure that levels of reward provided remain
reflective of the Company’s performance. The Directors’ remuneration policy summary section contains further details of the design of Prudential’s
long-term incentive plans.
TSR1
Group Solvency II operating
capital generation/Group
operating free surplus
generation3
Capital measure – Group ECap
operating capital generation3
Threshold
(20 per cent of award vests)
Median
Stretch
(100 per cent of award vests)
Upper quartile
Group Solvency II operating capital generation
from 1 January 2019 to 30 June 2019 – target
$2.0 billion.
Group operating free surplus generation from
1 July 2019 to 31 December 2021 – target
$9.6 billion
Performance achieved
Vesting outcome
below median
above target but below the
cumulative stretch target
0 per cent
83 per cent
Target $6.1 billion
below threshold
0 per cent
Conduct
Partial achievement
Stretch achievement
Diversity2
28 per cent of
Leadership Team
being female
32 per cent of
Leadership Team
being female
no conduct, culture or governance
issues that resulted in significant
capital add-ons or material fines
100 per cent
35 per cent of our Leadership
Team was female
100 per cent
Notes
1 Peer group for the 2019 awards is AIA, Aegon, AXA Equitable, China Taiping Insurance, Great Eastern, Lincoln National, Manulife, MetLife, Ping An Insurance, Principal Financial,
Prudential Financial, Sun Life Financial. No adjustments were made to the peer group in respect of the demerger.
2 In 2019 the Leadership Team was subdivided into the Leadership Team and the Executive Council. Both of these leadership groups are considered for the purposes of this assessment.
3 Jackson performance was excluded from the point of demerger.
Details of cumulative achievement under the capital measures have not been disclosed as the Committee considers that these are commercially
sensitive and would put the Company at a disadvantage compared to its competitors. The Committee will keep this disclosure policy under review
based on whether, in its view, disclosure would compromise the Company’s competitive position.
PLTIP vesting
The Committee considered a report from the Group Chief Risk and Compliance Officer which had been approved by the Group Risk Committee.
This report confirmed that the financial results were achieved within the Group’s risk framework and appetite. On the basis of this report and the
performance of the Group described above, the Committee decided not to apply any adjustment to the arithmetic vesting outcome under the
2019 PLTIP awards and determined the vesting of each Executive Director’s PLTIP awards as set out below:
Executive Director
Mark FitzPatrick, Group Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer
James Turner, Group Chief Risk and Compliance Officer
Mike Wells, Group Chief Executive
Maximum value
of award at
full vesting1
Percentage
of the PLTIP
award vesting
Number of
shares vesting2
Value of
shares vesting1
$3,018,080
$2,533,597
$7,300,743
17.75%
17.75%
17.75%
27,814
23,349
67,284
$535,694
$449,699
$1,295,881
Notes
1 The share price used to calculate the value of the PLTIP awards with performance periods which ended on 31 December 2021 and vest in April 2022 for all Executive Directors, was the average
share price for the three months up to 31 December 2021, being £14.00 converted at the exchange rate of 0.7269 USD. The number of Prudential plc shares under award has been adjusted
to account for the demerger of Jackson in line with the approach set out in the section on ‘Remuneration decisions taken in relation to the demerger’.
2 The number of shares vesting includes accrued dividends. Shares vesting will be subject to a two-year holding period.
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2021 share-based long-term incentive awards
The table below shows the awards of conditional shares made to Executive Directors under the PLTIP in 2021 and the performance conditions
attached to these awards.
Number of
shares
subject
to award
Face value of award
% of
salary
(USD)†
Percentage
of awards
released for
achieving
threshold
targets
End of
performance
period
Weighting of performance conditions
Group
TSR
Sustainability
scorecard§
RoEV
126,245
250%
$2,613,822
20% 31 December 2023
50%
30%
20%
Executive Director Role
Mark FitzPatrick Group Chief Financial Officer
and Chief Operating Officer
James Turner
Group Chief Risk and
Compliance Officer
Mike Wells
Group Chief Executive
305,382
400%
$6,322,739
20% 31 December 2023
111,215
250%
$2,302,636
20% 31 December 2023
50%
50%
30%
30%
20%
20%
† Awards for Executive Directors are calculated based on the average share price over the three dealing days prior to the grant date, being £15.05/$20.70.
§ Each of the four measures within the sustainability scorecard has equal weighting. They are GWS operating capital generation, Group ECap operating capital generation, diversity and conduct.
The Committee will review awards on vesting to ensure that participants do not benefit from windfall gains. The Committee will consider
Prudential’s stretching performance targets, the share performance of Prudential and its peers, the prices of the indices on which Prudential is listed
and any other factors deemed relevant.
As set out in the section on ‘Remuneration decisions taken in relation to the demerger’, 2021 PLTIP targets were set excluding the Jackson business
from the targets, with the exception of the conduct measure in the sustainability scorecard which included Jackson until the demerger date.
Relative TSR
Under the Group TSR measure, 20 per cent of the award will vest for TSR at the median of the peer group, increasing to full vesting for performance
within the upper quartile. The peer group for 2021 PLTIP awards, which reflects the footprint of the post-separation Group, is set out below:
AIA Group
Allianz
AXA
China Life
China Pacific Insurance (CPIC)
China Taiping Insurance
Great Eastern
Manulife Financial
New China Life (NCl)
Ping An Insurance
Sun Life Financial
Zurich Insurance Group
Return on Embedded Value (RoEV)
Performance will be assessed on the average three-year Group RoEV relative to the 2021-2023 Board approved Plan. 20 per cent of the award
will vest for achieving the threshold level of 9.0 per cent, increasing to full vesting for reaching the stretch level of at least 11.0 per cent.
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Annual report on remuneration / continued Sustainability scorecard
Under the 2021 sustainability scorecard, performance will be assessed for each of the four measures, at the end of the three-year performance
period. Performance will be assessed on a sliding scale. Each of the measures has equal weighting and the 2021 measures are set out below:
Capital measure:
Cumulative three-year ECap Group operating capital generation, less cost of capital (based on the capital position
at the start of the performance period) relative to threshold.
Vesting basis:
Performance below threshold results in nil vesting, 20 per cent vesting for achieving threshold, increasing to full vesting
for performance above stretch level. The threshold figure for this metric will be published in the Annual Report for the final
year of the performance period.
Capital measure:
Cumulative three-year GWS1 operating capital generation relative to threshold.
Vesting basis:
Performance below threshold results in nil vesting, 20 per cent vesting for achieving threshold, increasing to full vesting
for performance above stretch level. The threshold figure for this metric will be published in the Annual Report for the final
year of the performance period.
Conduct measure:
Through strong risk management action, ensure there are no significant conduct/culture/governance issues that result
in significant capital add-ons or material fines.
Vesting basis:
Performance below threshold results in nil vesting, 20 per cent vesting for partial achievement of the Group’s expectations,
increasing to full vesting for achieving the Group’s expectations.
Diversity measure:
Percentage of the Executive Council and Leadership Team that are female at the end of 2023.
Vesting basis:
Performance below threshold results in nil vesting, 20 per cent vests for meeting the threshold of at least 33 per cent of
our Executive Council and Leadership Team being female at the end of 2023. Full vesting will be achieved for reaching the
stretch level of at least 37 per cent being female by the end of 2023.
Note:
1 Following the Group’s designation by the Hong Kong Insurance Authority in May 2021, the Group’s regulatory capital requirements are now determined by the GWS Framework. This means
that the Local Capital Summation Method (LCSM) measure has been replaced with GWS operating capital generation. Since the GWS methodology for calculating operating capital
generation is the same as that previously applied under the LCSM framework, this will not require any adjustment to be made to the targets attached to outstanding PLTIP awards and the
assessment of their achievement will be unaffected.
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Performance graph and table
The chart below illustrates the TSR performance of Prudential, the FTSE 100 (as the Company has a premium listing on the London Stock
Exchange) and the peer group of international insurers used to benchmark the Company’s performance for the purposes of the 2021 PLTIP awards.
The chart illustrates the performance of a hypothetical investment of $100 in ordinary shares of Prudential plc over the 10-year period 1 January
2012 to 31 December 2021 compared to a similar investment in the FTSE 100 or an index of the Company’s peers. Total shareholder return is based
on Returns Index data calculated on a daily share price growth plus re-invested dividends (as measured at the ex-dividend dates).
Prudential TSR vs. FTSE 100 and peer group average – total return over 10-year period to December 2021
Ten-year TSR chart – Prudential TSR vs. FTSE 100 and peer group average
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
$358
$231
$195
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
Prudential
FTSE 100
Peer group
The information in the table below shows the total remuneration for the Group Chief Executive over the same period:
$0001
2012
2013
2014
2015
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
Group Chief Executive
Salary, pension and benefits
Annual bonus payment
(As % of maximum)
LTIP vesting
(As % of maximum)
Other payments
Group Chief Executive ‘single
T Thiam T Thiam T Thiam T Thiam2 M Wells2 M Wells M Wells M Wells M Wells M Wells M Wells
2,249
3,029
3,057
2,904
(96.7%)
(99.5%)
1,296
4,016
(17.8%)
(70.8%)
–
–
2,406
3,501
(100%)
16,233
(100%)
–
2,122
2,804
(96%)
2,746
(62.5%)
–
2,415
2,673
(94%)
5,955
(95.8%)
–
2,423
2,848
(95%)
4,837
(62.5%)
–
2,126
1,355
(46.0%)
4,286
(68.8%)
–
2,201
3,207
(99.8%)
8,167
(100%)
–
3,048
1,903
(99.7%)
6,564
(100%)
–
938
1,077
(77.3%)
5,174
(100%)
–
2,169
3,160
(100%)
9,733
(100%)
–
figure’ of total remuneration3
15,062
13,575
22,140
7,189
11,515
9,950
11,042
10,109
7,671
7,768
6,602
Notes
1 All remuneration has been converted to USD using the average exchange rate for each respective financial year.
2 Tidjane Thiam left the Company on 31 May 2015. Mike Wells became Group Chief Executive on 1 June 2015. The figures shown for Mike Wells’s remuneration in 2015 relate only to his service
as Group Chief Executive.
3 Further detail on the ‘single figure’ is provided in the ‘single figure’ table for the relevant year. The figures provided reflect the value of vesting LTIP awards on the date of their release other than
for 2021 (for which an estimate is used).
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Annual report on remuneration / continued Relative importance of spend on pay
The table below sets out the amounts payable in respect of 2020 and 2021 on all employee pay and dividends:
All employee pay ($m)1,2
Dividends including demerger dividend ($m)3
Dividends excluding demerger dividend ($m)3
Notes
1 All employee pay as taken from note B2.1 to the financial statements.
2 FY21 and FY20 excludes Jackson costs.
3 Dividends taken from note B5 to the financial statements.
2020
1,000
420
420
2021
1,057
2,201
466
Percentage
change
6%
424%
11%
Percentage change in remuneration
The table below sets out how the change in remuneration for each Director between 2020 and 2021 and between 2019 and 2020 compared
to a wider employee comparator group:
Executive Directors
Mark FitzPatrick1,2
James Turner1
Mike Wells1
Chair and Non-executive Directors
Shriti Vadera3
Jeremy Anderson4
David Law4
Ming Lu6
Kai Nargolwala5
Anthony Nightingale
Philip Remnant
Alice Schroeder4
Chua Sock Koong6
Thomas Watjen4
Fields Wicker-Miurin4,7
Jeanette Wong6
Amy Yip
Average pay for all UK-based employees
Salary
(% change)
Benefits
(% change)
Bonus8
(% change)
2020-21
2019-20
2020-21
2019-20
2020-21
2019-20
3%
(0.5)%
(0.5)%
907%
13%
6%
–
(61)%
0%
0%
24%
–
(4)%
14%
–
0%
3.05%
1%
10%
1%
–
–
1%
–
10%
4%
1%
1%
–
10%
1%
–
0%
15%
1%
20%
–
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
26%
49%
35%
–
n/a
n/a
–
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
–
n/a
n/a
–
n/a
46%
23%
110%
(27)%
(2)%
(52)%
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
–
n/a
n/a
–
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
–
n/a
n/a
–
n/a
3.76%
0.67%
(3.95)%
5.76%
(7.27)%
Notes
1 The change in the total salaries paid to Messrs FitzPatrick, Turner and Wells in 2020 includes a salary increase reversed from 1 April 2020. The change in salaries and bonuses for Executive
Directors is calculated on a local currency basis. The change in benefits for Executive Directors is calculated in USD, as benefits values are denominated in a number of currencies.
2 Mark FitzPatrick received a salary increase of 5 per cent effective 1 April 2021 due to an increased scope to his role.
3 Shriti Vadera joined the Board and the Nominations Committee on 1 May 2020 and became Chair on 1 January 2021. The change in pay reflects her pro-rated pay for 2020 as well as her
change in role.
4 Fluctuations in pay are due to change in Committee memberships in 2021.
5 Kai Nargolwala stepped down from the Board at the 2021 AGM.
6 Chua Sock Koong, Ming Lu and Jeanette Wong joined the Board in 2021.
7 Fields Wicker-Miurin retired from the Board on 31 December 2021.
8 The change in bonus shows change in the value of the annual bonus and does not include the value of long-term incentive awards, in line with the reporting regulations.
The regulations prescribe that this comparison should include all employees of the parent company. The number of individuals employed by the
parent company is insufficient to be the basis of a representative comparison. Therefore, the Committee decided to use all UK-based employees
as the basis for this calculation. The average pay for all employees has been calculated on a full-time equivalent basis by reference to the total
pay awarded to UK employees in 2021, 2020 and 2019. The salary increase includes uplifts made through the annual salary review, as well as
any additional changes in the year, for example, to reflect promotions or role changes. The increase in bonus is driven by the strong financial
performance of the business in 2021 compared to 2020. There has been no change to the level of taxable benefit coverage received by employees.
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The table below compares the Group Chief Executive’s ‘single figure’ of total remuneration to that received by three representative UK employees
in 2021.
The reduction in ‘single figure’ remuneration for the Group Chief Executive was driven by the lower vesting of the 2019 PLTIP. This was coupled with
the increase in bonus received by all employees, due to the better financial performance of the Group, which has led to a reduction in pay ratio at all
quartiles when compared to previous years.
Year
2021
20201
2019
Method
Option B
Option B
Option B
25th
percentile
pay ratio
62 : 1
72 : 1
78 : 1
Median
pay ratio
44 : 1
48 : 1
60 : 1
75th
percentile
pay ratio
29 : 1
32 : 1
39 : 1
Note
1 2020 CEO pay ratio has been recalculated to account for the 2020 CEO ‘single figure’ restated on the required basis to reflect the actual value of the 2018 PLTIP award at vesting.
Under the regulations, there is a choice of three methodologies to determine the 25th, median and 75th full-time equivalent remuneration of our
UK employees. The Company has chosen to use the 2021 hourly rate gender pay gap information (collected in accordance with the Equality Act
2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2017), as this method uses data that is aligned with other disclosures made under our gender pay
gap reporting and includes all UK employees (‘Option B’ in the table above). The employees used in the calculations were identified using the most
recently collected gender pay gap data, on 1 February 2022, following the end of the financial year. Base salary and total remuneration for these
identified employees has then been calculated based on their actual remuneration for 2021. The Committee determined that the identified
employees are reasonably representative since the structure of their remuneration arrangements is in line with that of the majority of employees
within the UK-based Group Head Office workforce. The same methodology used for calculating the ‘single figure’ of the Group Chief Executive has
been used for calculating the pay and benefits of these three UK employees. No elements of remuneration were omitted or adjusted. The identified
individuals were employed on a full-time basis so no further adjustment has been made to their remuneration.
The salary and total remuneration received during 2021 by the indicative employees used in the above analysis are set out below:
2021 salary ($000)
Total 2021 remuneration ($000)
25th
percentile
87
106
Median
113
150
75th
percentile
153
227
The Committee believes that the median pay ratio is consistent with the pay, reward and progression policies for our UK-based Group Head Office
employees. The base salary and total remuneration levels for the Group Chief Executive and the median representative employee are competitively
positioned within the relevant markets and reflect the operation of our remuneration structures which are effective in appropriately incentivising
staff, having regard to our risk framework, risk appetites and to rewarding the ‘how’ as well as the ‘what’ of performance.
Gender pay gap
Our UK business, Prudential Services Limited, is the employing entity for all of our London Head Office staff including the UK-based Group Chief
Executive and his direct reports. Prudential Services Limited has recently reported its 2021 UK gender pay gap data and details can be found on the
Group’s website (www.prudentialplc.com/en/esg/esg-reporting).
Due to the change in the Group’s business focus, senior management roles are split between locations in the UK and Asia. The 2021 gender pay gap
calculations are based on the employees based in the UK only, and therefore exclude data for part of our senior management team, including a
number of senior female leaders, who are based in Hong Kong.
While women and men continue to be paid equally for performing similar roles, our gender pay gap reflects the fact that men and women have
traditionally held different roles, particularly in the financial services sector. It highlights the fact that we have more men than women in leadership
and senior operational roles. We continue to focus our efforts on closing the gender pay gap as quickly as possible. Female representation in our
leadership roles has increased from 33 per cent in 2020 to 35 per cent in 2021 in our London Head Office.
The UK headcount of Prudential Services Ltd is now below the 250-person threshold which triggers mandatory publication of the gender pay gap
and the CEO pay ratio. Both the 2021 gender pay gap and the CEO pay ratio data have been disclosed on a voluntary basis.
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Annual report on remuneration / continued Consideration of workforce pay and approach to engagement
During the year, the Committee considered workforce remuneration and related policies in the businesses across the Group. Information presented
to the Committee, by way of a dashboard, included how the Company’s incentive arrangements are aligned with the culture and informed the
Committee’s decision-making on executive pay and policy. By way of example, employee salary increase budgets are considered as part of the
year-end review of Executive Director compensation and salary increases.
As part of the Board’s wider approach to employee engagement, which also included a Group-wide engagement survey, the Committee took
additional measures in 2021 to explain how the remuneration of Executive Directors aligns with the wider Company pay policy. The Company
operates a microsite on its intranet that outlines executive pay arrangements during the previous financial year and key areas of change for the
year ahead. It explains to employees that total remuneration for Executive Directors is made up of a number of elements and is governed by both
the Directors’ remuneration policy and the Group’s remuneration policy (which is also published on the Company’s website) with the relevant links
to these documents. Employee engagement was led by two Non-executive Directors until May 2021 when this responsibility was transferred to the
Responsibility & Sustainability Working Group established by the Board in February 2021. The Governance Report section of this report describes
how they discharged this responsibility during 2021.
To recognise the hard work and commitment shown by our employees in preparation for the demerger and to give our people a stake in the new
chapter of the Company’s development, each Prudential plc employee (other than the Group Executive Committee) received, in October 2021,
a Celebration Award of US$1,000 of restricted shares which will be released in October 2022.
As part of our continuing efforts to safeguard our employees’ wellbeing, we implemented a Group Wellness Day on 2 July 2021. All employees
Group-wide were encouraged to take that extra day off to rest and recharge, spend time with family and friends. Feedback from the 2021
Collaboration Jam suggests that the Wellness Day was very well received.
Chair and Non-executive Director remuneration in 2021
Chair fees
Shriti Vadera became the Chair of the Board from 1 January 2021. Her 2021 fee was set at £765,000 ($1,052,414) with effect from that date.
Non-executive Directors’ fees
The Non-executive Directors’ fees are denominated in Sterling. Fee levels were reviewed by the Board during 2021, and no increases to the Sterling
amounts were awarded. Increases in US Dollar amounts reflect changes in exchange rate. The Board approved fees for the Responsibility &
Sustainability Working Group at the time it was established in February 2021, taking account of the anticipated duties and time commitment
involved in discharging the assigned responsibilities.
Annual fees
Basic fee
Additional fees:
Audit Committee Chair
Audit Committee member
Remuneration Committee Chair
Remuneration Committee member
Risk Committee Chair
Risk Committee member
Nomination & Governance Committee Chair1
Nomination & Governance Committee member
Responsibility & Sustainability Working Group Chair
Responsibility & Sustainability Working Group member
Senior Independent Director
Workforce engagement role3
From
1 July 2020
($)2
From
1 July 2020
(£)2
From
1 July 2021
($)2
From
1 July 2021
(£)2
127,000
99,000
136,000
99,000
96,000
38,000
83,000
38,000
96,000
38,000
–
19,000
–
–
64,000
38,000
75,000
30,000
65,000
30,000
75,000
30,000
–
15,000
–
–
50,000
30,000
103,000
41,000
89,000
41,000
103,000
41,000
–
21,000
62,000
30,000
69,000
41,000
75,000
30,000
65,000
30,000
75,000
30,000
–
15,000
45,000
22,000
50,000
30,000
Notes
1 There is no fee paid for the role of Nomination & Governance Committee Chair.
2 Fees were denominated in sterling and were converted to USD using an exchange rate of 0.7798 for 2020 and 0.7269 for 2021.
3 The workforce engagement role was discontinued in 2021, as the scope of this role is now covered by the newly formed Responsibility & Sustainability Working Group. No specific fees
are currently paid for the workforce engagement role.
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Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 If, in a particular year, the number of meetings is materially greater than usual, the Company may determine that the provision of additional fees
is fair and reasonable.
The resulting fees paid to the Chair and Non-executive Directors are:
Chair
Shriti Vadera1
Non-executive Directors
Jeremy Anderson2
David Law
Ming Lu3
Kai Nargolwala4
Anthony Nightingale
Philip Remnant
Alice Schroeder
Chua Sock Koong3
Jeanette Wong3
Thomas Watjen
Fields Wicker-Miurin5
Amy Yip
2021 fees
($000s)
2020 fees
($000s)
1,052
306
318
126
102
246
308
270
139
144
250
203
177
97
252
281
–
242
230
287
204
–
–
242
165
165
2021
taxable
benefits*
($000s)
102
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Total
3,641
2,165
102
2020
taxable
benefits*
($000s)
Total 2021
remuneration:
the ‘single
figure’
($000s)†
Total 2021
remuneration:
the ‘single
figure’ in GBP
(£000s)‡
Total 2020
remuneration:
the ‘single
figure’
($000s)†
Total 2020
remuneration:
the ‘single
figure’
in GBP
(£000s)‡
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
1,154
306
318
126
102
246
308
270
139
144
250
203
177
839
222
231
92
74
179
224
197
101
105
182
147
129
97
252
281
–
242
230
287
204
–
–
242
165
165
76
197
219
–
189
179
224
159
–
–
189
129
129
3,743
2,722
2,165
1,690
* Benefits include the cost of providing the use of a car and driver, medical insurance and security arrangements.
† Each remuneration element is rounded to the nearest $1,000/£1,000 and totals are the sum of these rounded figures. Total remuneration is calculated using the methodology prescribed
by Schedule 8 of the Companies Act. The Chair and Non-executive Directors are not entitled to participate in annual bonus plans or long-term incentive plans.
‡ Total remuneration has been converted to US dollars using the exchange rate of 0.7798 for the 2020 single figure calculations and 0.7269 for the 2021 single figure calculations.
As Non-executive Directors and the Chair don’t receive variable remuneration components, the table above doesn’t include a sum of total fixed and total variable remuneration.
Notes
1 Shriti Vadera joined the Board on 1 May 2020.
2 Jeremy Anderson joined the Board on 1 January 2020 and was appointed as the Chair of the Risk Committee in May 2020.
3 Jeanette Wong, Chua Sock Koong and Ming Lu joined the Board on 12 May 2021.
4 Kai Nargolwala retired from the Board on 13 May 2021.
5 Fields Wicker-Miurin retired from the Board on 31 December 2021.
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Annual Report 2021
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Annual report on remuneration / continued Statement of Directors’ shareholdings
The interests of Directors in ordinary shares of the Company are set out below. ‘Beneficial interest’ includes shares owned outright, shares acquired
under the Share Incentive Plan (SIP) and deferred annual incentive awards, detailed in the ‘Additional remuneration disclosures’ section. It is only
these shares that count towards the share ownership guidelines.
1 January 2021
(or on date of
appointment)
Total
beneficial
interest
(number of
shares)
During 2021
31 December 2021
Share ownership guidelines
Number
of shares
acquired
Number
of shares
disposed
Total
beneficial
interest*
(number of
shares)
Number
of shares
subject to
performance
conditions†
Total interest
in shares
Beneficial
interest as a
percentage of
basic salary/
basic fees§
Share
ownership
guidelines‡
(% of
salary/fee)
Chair
Shriti Vadera
Executive Directors
Mark FitzPatrick
James Turner
Mike Wells1
Non-executive Directors
Jeremy Anderson
Chua Sock Koong2
David Law
Ming Lu3
Kai Nargolwala4
Anthony Nightingale
Philip Remnant
Alice Schroeder5
Thomas Watjen6
Fields Wicker-Miurin7
Jeanette Wong8
Amy Yip
67,500
–
–
67,500
–
67,500
166,360
138,168
1,144,085
121,509
77,843
257,333
59,269
11,276
136,846
228,600
204,735
1,264,572
459,132
422,448
1,110,622
687,732
627,183
2,375,194
9,157
–
11,054
–
70,000
50,000
7,916
20,000
10,340
6,500
–
2,500
–
7,500
–
7,000
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
9,157
7,500
11,054
7,000
70,000
50,000
7,916
20,000
10,340
6,500
–
2,500
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
9,157
7,500
11,054
7,000
70,000
50,000
7,916
20,000
10,340
6,500
–
2,500
100%
250%
250%
400%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
125%
405%
307%
1556%
131%
107%
158%
100%
1000%
714%
113%
286%
148%
93%
–
36%
* There were no changes of Directors’ interests in ordinary shares between 31 December 2021 and 7 March 2022 with the exception of the UK-based Executive Directors due to their participation
in the monthly Share Incentive Plan (SIP). Mark FitzPatrick acquired a further 29 shares in the SIP and Mike Wells acquired a further 30 shares in the SIP during this period.
† Further information on share awards subject to performance conditions are detailed in the ‘share-based long-term incentive awards’ part of the ‘Additional remuneration disclosures’ section.
‡ Holding requirement of the Articles of Association (2,500 ordinary shares) must be obtained within one year of appointment to the Board. The increased guidelines for Executive Directors were
introduced with effect from January 2013 and increased again in 2017. Executive Directors have five years from this date (or date of joining or role change, if later) to reach the enhanced guideline.
The guideline for Non-executive Directors was introduced on 1 July 2011. Non-executive Directors have three years from their date of joining to reach the guideline.
§ Based on the average closing price for the six months to 31 December 2021 (£14.14).
The Company and its Directors, Chief Executives and shareholders have been granted a partial exemption from the disclosure requirements under Part XV of the Securities and Futures Ordinance
(SFO). As a result of this exemption, Directors, Chief Executives and shareholders do not have an obligation under the SFO to notify the Company of shareholding interests, and the Company is
not required to maintain a register of Directors’ and Chief Executives’ interests under section 352 of the SFO, nor a register of interests of substantial shareholders under section 336 of the SFO.
The Company is, however, required to file with the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited any disclosure of interests notified to it in the United Kingdom.
Notes
1 For the 1 January 2021 figure, Mike Wells’s beneficial interest in shares is made up of 297,320 ADRs (representing 594,640 ordinary shares) and 549,445 ordinary shares. For the 31 December
2021 figure, his beneficial interest in shares is made up of 297,320 ADRs (representing 594,640 ordinary shares) and 669,932 ordinary shares.
2 Chua Sock Koong was appointed to the Board on 12 May 2021.
3 Ming Lu was appointed to the Board on 12 May 2021.
4 Kai Nargolwala stepped down from the Board on 13 May 2021. Total interests in shares is shown at this date.
5 For the 1 January 2021 figure, Alice Schroeder’s beneficial interest in shares is made up of 10,000 ADRs (representing 20,000 ordinary shares). For the 31 December 2021 figure, the beneficial
interest in shares is made up of 10,000 ADRs (representing 20,000 ordinary shares).
6 For the 1 January 2021 figure, Thomas Watjen’s beneficial interest in shares is made up of 5,170 ADRs (representing 10,340 ordinary shares). For the 31 December 2021 figure, the beneficial
interest in shares is made up of 5,170 ADRs (representing 10,340 ordinary shares).
7 Fields Wicker-Miurin stepped down from the Board on 31 December 2021. Total interests in shares is shown at this date.
8 Jeanette Wong was appointed to the Board on 12 May 2021.
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Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 The bar chart below illustrates the Executive Directors’ shareholding as a percentage of base salary relative to the applicable share ownership guideline.
1556%
405%
400%
250%
250%
307%
1,600%
1,400%
1,200%
1,000%
800%
600%
400%
200%
0%
Mark FitzPatrick
James Turner
Mike Wells
Share ownership guidelines as % of salary
Beneficial interest as at 31 December 2021, as % of salary
Outstanding share options
The following table sets out the share options held by the Executive Directors in the UK Savings-Related Share Option Scheme (SAYE) as at the end
of the period. No other directors participated in any other option scheme.
Date of
grant
Mark FitzPatrick 21 Sep 17
21 Sep 17
James Turner
22 Sep 20
Mike Wells
Market
price at
31 Dec
2021
(pence)
1274.5
1274.5
1274.5
Exercise
price
(pence)
1455
1455
964
Exercise period
Number of options
Beginning
End
Beginning
of period
Granted
Exercised
Cancelled
Forfeited
Lapsed
01 Dec 22 31 May 23
30 Jun 21
01 Jan 21
01 Dec 23 31 May 24
2,061
1,237
1,867
–
–
–
–
1,237
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
End of
period
2,061
–
1,867
Notes
1 No gain was made by Directors in 2021 on the exercise of SAYE options.
2 No price was paid for the award of any option.
3 The highest and lowest closing share prices during 2021 were £15.86 and £11.73 respectively.
4 All exercise prices are shown to the nearest pence.
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Annual Report 2021
prudentialplc.com
Annual report on remuneration / continued Directors’ terms of employment
Details of the service contracts of each Executive Director are outlined in the table below. The Directors’ remuneration policy contains further details
of the terms included in Executive Director service contracts.
Executive Directors
Mark FitzPatrick
James Turner
Mike Wells
Date of contract
Notice period
to the
Company
Notice period
from the
Company
17 May 2017
1 March 2018
21 May 2015
12 months
12 months
12 months
12 months
12 months
12 months
Letters of appointment of the Chair and Non-executive Directors
Details of Non-executive Directors’ individual appointments are outlined below. The Directors’ remuneration policy contains further details on their
letters of appointment. The Chair and Non-executive Directors are not entitled to receive any payments for loss of office.
Chair/Non-executive Director
Appointment by the Board
Notice period
Time on the Board at 2022 AGM
Chair
Shriti Vadera
Non-executive Directors
Kai Nargolwala1
Philip Remnant
Anthony Nightingale
Alice Schroeder
David Law
Thomas Watjen
Fields Wicker-Miurin2
Amy Yip
Jeremy Anderson
Ming Lu
Chua Sock Koong
Jeanette Wong
1 May 2020
(Chair from 1 January 2021)
12 months
2 years
1 January 2012
1 January 2013
1 June 2013
10 June 2013
15 September 2015
11 July 2017
3 September 2018
2 September 2019
1 January 2020
12 May 2021
12 May 2021
12 May 2021
6 months
6 months
6 months
6 months
6 months
6 months
6 months
6 months
6 months
6 months
6 months
6 months
n/a
9 years 4 months
8 years 11 months
8 years 11 months
6 years 8 months
4 years 10 months
n/a
2 years 8 months
2 years 4 months
1 year
1 year
1 year
Note
1 Kai Nargolwala retired from the Board on 13 May 2021.
2 Fields Wicker-Miurin retired from the Board on 31 December 2021.
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Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 Payments to past Directors and payments for loss of office
There were no payments to Directors for loss of office in 2021.
As disclosed in the 2019 Directors’ remuneration report, a number of Directors stepped down from the Board in 2019. Treatment of their
outstanding awards and other remuneration elements was disclosed in 2019. We set out below payments in respect of the awards that vested
during 2021.
Nic Nicandrou
Nic (Chief Executive, Asia and Africa) holds a PLTIP award granted in 2019 and as set out in the section ‘Remuneration in respect of performance in
2021’ the performance condition attached to Nic’s 2019 PLTIP awards was partially met and 17.75 per cent of these awards will be released in 2022.
The details of the release are set out below.
Award
PLTIP
Number of
shares vesting1
Value of
shares vesting2
38,945
$750,076
Notes
1 The number of shares vesting includes accrued dividends.
2 The share price used to calculate the value was the average share price for the three months up to 31 December 2021 being £14.00.
Paul Manduca
The former Chair, Paul Manduca, received benefits of $104,401 in 2021, as the Company paid taxes on certain benefits provided to Mr Manduca
during the period of his Board service which ended on 31 December 2021.
Other Directors
A number of former Directors receive retiree medical benefits for themselves and their partner (where applicable). This is consistent with other
senior members of staff employed at the same time. A de minimis threshold of £10,000 has been set by the Committee; any payments or benefits
provided to a past Director above this amount will be reported.
Statement of voting at general meeting
The Directors’ remuneration policy was approved by shareholders at the 2020 Annual General Meeting. At the 2021 Annual General Meeting,
shareholders were asked to vote on the 2020 Directors’ remuneration report. Each of these resolutions received a significant vote in favour by
shareholders and the Committee is grateful for this support and endorsement by our shareholders. The votes received were:
Resolution
Votes for
% of votes
cast
Votes
against
% of votes
cast
Total votes cast
Votes
withheld
To approve the Directors’ remuneration policy (2020 AGM)
To approve the Directors’ remuneration report (2021 AGM)
1,930,172,979
1,881,362,121
95.84
94.71
83,796,656
104,979,307
4.16
5.29
2,013,969,635
1,986,341,428
1,043,445
24,844,708
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Annual report on remuneration / continued Statement of implementation of remuneration policy in 2022
Base salary
Executive Directors’ remuneration packages were reviewed in 2021 with changes effective from 1 January 2022. When the Committee made these
decisions, in line with the Director’s remuneration policy, several factors were taken into consideration, including the salary increases awarded to
other employees in 2021 and the expected increases in 2022, the performance of the Executive Directors, and external market reference points
(which were updated following the demerger to increase focus on Asia-led financial services organisations).
After due deliberation, the Committee considered there should be 3 per cent salary increases to the Executive Directors with effect from 1 January
2022. The 2022 salary increase budgets for other employees across the Group’s businesses were between 4.5 per cent and 5 per cent. On this basis,
2022 will be the tenth consecutive year in which the increases generally offered to executives have been below or close to the bottom of the range
of salary increases budgeted for the broader workforce.
The salaries which were effective from 1 January 2022 are set out below:
> Mark FitzPatrick: £822,000
> James Turner: HK$7,550,000
> Mike Wells: £1,184,000
On 1 April 2022, Mike Wells will step down from his role and Mark FitzPatrick will be appointed as interim Group Chief Executive. During his interim
appointment, Mr FitzPatrick’s salary will remain unchanged at £822,000, and he will be eligible for a monthly, pensionable cash supplement of
£30,167, giving him the same fixed pay for this period as his predecessor. On the same date, James Turner will be appointed as Group Chief Financial
Officer. Mr Turner’s annual salary will increase to HK$8,460,000. This figure is lower than the salary paid to his predecessor given that Mr Turner is
not being appointed as Chief Operating Officer.
Annual bonus
Award levels
Mike Wells will continue to be eligible for a maximum bonus opportunity of 200 per cent of salary, unchanged from prior year. This will be prorated
for the period worked (until 31 March 2022). Mark FitzPatrick will be eligible for a maximum bonus opportunity of 175 per cent of salary, unchanged
from prior year. Following his appointment as interim Group Chief Executive, his maximum bonus opportunity will increase to 200 per cent of salary,
aligned to the current opportunity for the Group Chief Executive role. This increased bonus opportunity will include the monthly cash supplement
for the period served as interim Group Chief Executive. James Turner’s maximum bonus opportunity will remain unchanged at 175 per cent of
salary.
Performance conditions
In 2021 the Group Chief Financial Officer role was designated under the Hong Kong Group-wide supervision regime as a Key Person in a Control
Function, and in line with the Hong Kong IA’s regulatory requirements for control staff, his 2022 Annual Incentive Plan (AIP) will include a functional
component. Therefore, the 2022 AIP for the Group Chief Financial Officer role will be based on the achievement of financial (50 per cent), functional
(30 per cent) and personal (20 per cent) performance targets. This structure will apply to Mark FitzPatrick between 1 January 2022 and 31 March
2022 and to James Turner for the remainder of the year. The balance of financial, functional and personal performance targets will remain
unchanged for the other Executive Director roles.
As disclosed in the 2020 Annual Report, for 2022 financial AIP measures and weightings will be aligned with those adopted for the Asia business,
increasing the focus on NBP. The resulting 2022 financial AIP measures and weightings are as follows:
> Group EEV new business profit – 45 per cent;
> Group adjusted operating profit – 25 per cent;
> Group operating free surplus generated – 20 per cent; and
> Group Holding Company cash flow – 10 per cent.
There was general endorsement of the weighting of the 2022 AIP measures by shareholders during our latest consultation.
2022 share-based long-term incentive awards
Award levels
Mike Wells will not receive a 2022 PLTIP award. No changes have been made to the PLTIP award levels for other Executive Directors for 2022.
Performance conditions
The performance conditions and weightings for the 2022 PLTIP awards for all Executive Directors will be as follows, unchanged from prior year:
> Relative TSR (50 per cent of award);
> A return on embedded value measure (30 per cent of award); and
> Sustainability scorecard of strategic measures (20 per cent of award).
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Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 Relative TSR
Under the Group TSR measure, 20 per cent of the award will vest for TSR at the median of the peer group, increasing to full vesting for performance
within the upper quartile. TSR is measured on a local currency basis since this has the benefit of simplicity and directness of comparison.
The TSR peer group remains unchanged from 2021 and is set out below:
AIA Group
Allianz
AXA
China Life
China Pacific Insurance (CPIC)
China Taiping Insurance
Great Eastern
Manulife Financial
New China Life (NCl)
Ping An Insurance
Sun Life Financial
Zurich Insurance Group
Return on Embedded Value
20 per cent of the award will vest for achieving the threshold level of performance of 8.0 per cent, increasing to full vesting for reaching the stretch
level of at least 10.8 per cent. RoEV will be calculated as the total post-tax EEV operating profit as a percentage of the average EEV basis
shareholders’ equity. RoEV will be assessed at the Group level.
Sustainability scorecard
The sustainability scorecard has been revised to ensure that reward remains aligned with the strategic priorities and capital allocation framework
of the post-separation Group. In particular:
> A new carbon reduction measure replaced ECap in the sustainability scorecard for 2022 PLTIP awards to reflect the Group’s evolving ESG strategy
and external commitments to reduce the carbon emissions of all shareholder and policyholder assets by 25 per cent by 2025; and
> GWS operating capital generation replaced the LCSM following the Hong Kong Group-wide Supervision framework becoming effective in May 2021.
Under the 2022 sustainability scorecard, performance will be assessed for each of the four measures, at the end of the three-year performance
period. Performance will be assessed on a sliding scale. Each of the measures has equal weighting and the 2022 measures are set out below:
Carbon reduction
measure:
A reduction in weighted average carbon intensity (WACI) at the end of the performance period (31 December 2024)
compared with the baseline as at 31 December 2019. Please see our ESG report for details of our carbon reduction target,
our progress to date and the future actions that we plan in order to achieve our ambitions in this area.
Vesting basis:
Performance below threshold results in nil vesting, 20 per cent vesting for achieving threshold of at least 22.5 per cent
reduction in WACI (ie 299), increasing to full vesting for performance above stretch level of at least 27.5 per cent reduction
in WACI (ie 280). The 2019 baseline has been the subject of limited scope assurance by EY. Please see our ESG report
for details.
Capital measure:
Cumulative three-year GWS operating capital generation relative to threshold.
Vesting basis:
Performance below threshold results in nil vesting, 20 per cent vesting for achieving threshold, increasing to full vesting
for performance above stretch level. The threshold figure for this metric will be published in the Annual Report for the final
year of the performance period.
Conduct measure:
Through strong risk management action, ensure there are no significant conduct/culture/governance issues that result
in significant capital add-ons or material fines.
Vesting basis:
Performance below threshold results in nil vesting, 20 per cent vesting for partial achievement of the Group’s expectations,
increasing to full vesting for achieving the Group’s expectations.
Diversity measure:
Percentage of the Executive Council and Leadership Team that are female at the end of 2024.
Vesting basis:
Performance below threshold results in nil vesting, 20 per cent vests for meeting the threshold of at least 34 per cent of our
Executive Council and Leadership Team being female at the end of 2024, increasing to full vesting for reaching the stretch
level of at least 38 per cent being female at that date.
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Annual report on remuneration / continued Mike Wells’s leaving arrangements
As announced on 10 February 2022, Mr Wells will remain employed by the Group until 8 February 2023. His salary, pension and certain benefits
will continue to be paid or provided, on the same basis as at present, until the end of his employment.
Mr Wells’s 2021 bonus will be calculated and paid in the usual way, at the usual time. A 2022 bonus, if any, would be pro-rated for the period worked
in 2022.
Mr Wells’s outstanding deferred bonus awards will be released on the original timetable, subject to malus and clawback provisions. Outstanding
long-term incentive awards will be pro-rated to the end of his employment and will vest in line with the original vesting dates, subject to satisfaction
of the performance conditions as well as malus and clawback provisions. No long-term incentive award will be made in 2022.
Mr Wells’s shareholding will be subject to the share ownership guideline (400% of his current salary) for a period of two years after stepping down
from the Board. During this period he will be required to obtain clearance to deal in the Company’s shares. A capped contribution will be made to
legal fees, and to the costs of filing UK tax returns for periods for which Mr Wells has Prudential employment income taxable in the UK. Mr Wells will
not be eligible for any payments for loss of office.
Further information on these remuneration arrangements, prepared in accordance with section 430(2B) of the Companies Act 2006, is available
on the Prudential website at www.prudentialplc.com/en/investors/governance-and-policies/section-430-2B-of-the-companies-act-2006
Chair and Non-executive Directors
Fees for the Chair and Non-executive Directors will remain unchanged from 1 January 2022. The next regular fee level review will be conducted
in 2022.
Anthony Nightingale, CMG SBS JP
Chair of the Remuneration Committee
8 March 2022
Shriti Vadera
Chair
8 March 2022
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Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021
Additional remuneration disclosures
Directors’ outstanding long-term incentive awards
Share-based long-term incentive awards
Plan
name
Year of
award
Conditional
share awards
outstanding
at 1 Jan 2021
Conditional
awards
in 2021
Demerger
adjustment
in 20212
(Number of
shares)
(Number of
shares)
123,110
142,470
175,115
4,765
5,857
4,222
126,245
440,695
126,245
14,844
103,281
119,600
177,562
4,000
5,938
3,719
111,215
400,443
111,215
13,657
297,713
344,629
423,594
11,526
14,168
10,214
305,382
2018
2019
2020
2021
2018
2019
2020
2021
2018
2019
2020
2021
PLTIP
PLTIP
PLTIP
PLTIP
PLTIP
PLTIP
PLTIP
PLTIP
PLTIP
PLTIP
PLTIP
PLTIP
Market
price at
date of
award
(pence)
1750
1605.5
1049.5
1495.5
1750
1605.5
1049.5
1495.5
1750
1605.5
1049.5
1495.5
Dividend
equivalents
on vested
shares1
(Number of
shares
released)
Rights
exercised
in 2021
Rights
lapsed
in 2021
7,047
84,638
38,472
Conditional
share awards
outstanding
at 31
December
2021
(Number of
shares)
Date of
end of
performance
period
–
147,235
180,972
130,467
31 Dec 20
31 Dec 21
31 Dec 22
31 Dec 23
7,047
3,651
84,638
43,894
38,472
458,674
59,387
–
123,600
183,500
114,934
31 Dec 20
31 Dec 21
31 Dec 22
31 Dec 23
3,651
43,894
59,387
422,034
17,043
204,678
93,035
–
356,155
437,762
315,596
31 Dec 20
31 Dec 21
31 Dec 22
31 Dec 23
1,065,936
305,382
35,908
17,043
204,678
93,035 1,109,513
Mark FitzPatrick
James Turner
Mike Wells
Notes
1 A dividend equivalent was accumulated on these awards.
2 The table above reflects the adjustments made to outstanding awards at the time of the demerger.
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Other share awards
The table below sets out Executive Directors’ deferred bonus share awards.
Conditionally
awarded
in 2021
(Number of
shares)
Dividends
accumulated
in 20211
(Number of
shares)
Shares
released
in 2021
(Number of
shares)
Conditional
share
awards
outstanding
at 31
December
2021
(Number of
shares)
Demerger
adjustment2
Date of
end of
restricted
period
Date of
release
Market
price at
date of
award
Market
price at
date of
vesting or
release
(pence)
(pence)
34,289
–
31 Dec 20
1750
1495.5
Conditional
share
awards
outstanding
at 1 Jan
2021
(Number of
shares)
Year of
grant
2018
34,289
2019
39,295
2020
49,903
310
393
68
1,321
40,926
31 Dec 21
1,677
51,973
31 Dec 22
821
25,459
31 Dec 23
2021
24,570
123,487
24,570
771
34,289
118,358
2019
25,125
2020
43,095
2021
24,889
68,220
24,889
2018
59,344
2019
67,551
2020
85,712
2021
28,074
197
340
68
605
533
676
77
844
26,166
31 Dec 21
1,448
44,883
31 Dec 22
832
25,789
31 Dec 23
–
96,838
59,344
–
31 Dec 20
1750
1495.5
2,270
70,354
31 Dec 21
2,881
89,269
31 Dec 22
1605.5
1047
938
29,089
31 Dec 23
1495.50
1605.5
1047
1495.5
1605.5
1047
1495.5
Mark FitzPatrick
Deferred 2017 annual
incentive award
Deferred 2018 annual
incentive award
Deferred 2019 annual
incentive award
Deferred 2020 annual
incentive award
James Turner
Deferred 2018 annual
incentive award
Deferred 2019 annual
incentive award
Deferred 2020 annual
incentive award
Mike Wells
Deferred 2017 annual
incentive award
Deferred 2018 annual
incentive award
Deferred 2019 annual
incentive award
Deferred 2020 annual
incentive award
212,607
28,074
1,286
59,344
188,712
Notes
1 A dividend equivalent was accumulated on these awards.
2 The table above reflects the adjustments made to outstanding awards at the time of the demerger.
231
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All-employee share plans
It is important that all employees are offered the opportunity to own shares in Prudential, connecting them both to the success of the Company and
to the interests of other shareholders. Executive Directors are invited to participate in these plans on the same basis as other staff in their location.
Save As You Earn (SAYE) schemes
UK-based Executive Directors are normally eligible to participate in the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) approved Prudential Savings-Related
Share Option Scheme. This scheme allows all eligible employees to save towards the exercise of options over Prudential plc shares with the option
price set at the beginning of the savings period at a discount of up to 20 per cent of the market price.
Participants are able to elect to enter into savings contracts of up to £500 per month for a period of three or five years. At the end of this term,
participants may exercise their options within six months and purchase shares. If an option is not exercised within six months, participants are
entitled to a refund of their cash savings plus interest if applicable under the rules. Shares are issued to satisfy those options which are exercised.
No options may be granted under the schemes if the grant would cause the number of shares which have been issued, or which remain issuable
pursuant to options granted in the preceding 10 years under the scheme and any other option schemes operated by the Company, or which have
been issued under any other share incentive scheme of the Company, to exceed 10 per cent of the Company’s ordinary share capital at the
proposed date of grant.
Details of Executive Directors’ rights under the SAYE scheme are set out in the ‘Outstanding share options’ table.
Share Incentive Plan (SIP)
UK-based Executive Directors are also eligible to participate in the Company’s Share Incentive Plan (SIP). All UK-based employees are able
to purchase Prudential plc shares up to a value of £150 per month from their gross salary (partnership shares) through the SIP. For every four
partnership shares bought, an additional matching share is awarded which is purchased by Prudential plc on the open market. Dividend shares
accumulate while the employee participates in the plan. If the employee withdraws from the plan, or leaves the Group, matching shares may
be forfeited.
The table below provides information about shares purchased under the SIP together with matching shares (awarded on a 1:4 basis) and
dividend shares.
Mark FitzPatrick
James Turner
Mike Wells
Year of
initial grant
2017
2011
2015
Share Incentive
Plan awards
held in Trust at
1 Jan 2021
(Number of
shares)
570
849
925
Partnership
shares
accumulated
in 2021
(Number of
shares)
125
–
124
Matching
shares
accumulated
in 2021
(Number of
shares)
Dividend
shares
accumulated
in 2021
(Number of
shares)
Share Incentive
Plan awards
held in Trust at
31 December 2021
(Number of
shares)
31
–
31
5
7
8
731
856
1,088
Cash-settled long-term incentive awards
There are no outstanding cash settled awards held by Executive Directors.
Dilution
Releases from the Prudential Long Term Incentive Plan and the Prudential Agency Long Term Incentive Plan are satisfied using new issue shares
rather than by purchasing shares in the open market. Shares relating to options granted under all-employee share plans are also satisfied by new
issue shares. The combined dilution from all outstanding shares and options at 31 December 2021 was 1 per cent of the total share capital at the
time. Deferred bonus awards will continue to be satisfied by the purchase of shares in the open market.
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Remuneration of the five highest-paid individuals and the remuneration of senior management
In line with the requirements of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited, the following table sets out, on an aggregate basis, the annual
remuneration of i) the five highest-paid employees, and ii) senior management for the year ended 31 December 2021.
Of the five individuals with the highest emoluments in 2021, one was an Executive Director for the full year whose emoluments are disclosed in this
report. The aggregate of the emoluments of the other four individuals for 2021 are set out in the table below. Senior management comprised the
Executive Directors and members of the Group Executive Committee. The table sets out the aggregate of the emoluments paid to the senior
management team:
Components of remuneration
Base salaries, allowances and benefits in kind
Pension contributions
Performance-related pay
Payments made on appointment
Payments made on separation1
Total
Note
1 Further detail on the payments made to Senior Managers can be found in note B2.3 to the IFRS financial statements.
Their emoluments for 2021 were within the following bands:
Remuneration band HKD
4,000,001 – 4,500,000
14,000,001 – 14,500,000
25,500,001 – 26,000,000
29,000,001 – 29,500,000
30,000,001 – 30,500,000
41,000,001 – 41,500,000
44,500,001 – 45,000,000
51,000,001 – 51,500,000
63,000,001 – 63,500,000
184,000,001 – 184,500,000
Remuneration band USD equivalent
514,600 – 578,900
1,801,200 – 1,865,500
3,280,700 – 3,345,000
3,731,000 – 3,795,300
3,859,600 – 3,923,900
5,274,800 – 5,339,100
5,725,100 – 5,789,400
6,561,300 – 6,625,700
8,105,200 – 8,169,500
23,672,300 – 23,736,600
Note
1 Further detail on the payments made to Senior Managers can be found in note B2.3 to the IFRS financial statements.
Five highest paid
Senior management
HKD000
25,463
2,500
60,441
–
244,893
333,297
$000
HKD000
3,276
322
7,776
–
31,506
42,880
72,725
7,028
118,235
–
182,650
380,638
$000
9,356
904
15,211
–
23,499
48,970
Number of employees
Five highest
paid
Senior
management1
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
1
0
1
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Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 Financial
statements
234
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 prudentialplc.com Contents
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A
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d
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n
a
l
i
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f
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r
m
a
t
i
o
n
Index to Group IFRS financial statements
236
314 Parent company financial statements
316 Notes on the parent company
financial statements
321 Statement of Directors’ responsibilities
322
Independent auditor’s report to Prudential plc
235
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021
Index to Group IFRS financial statements
Consolidated income statement
Consolidated statement of comprehensive income
Consolidated statement of changes in equity
Consolidated statement of financial position
Consolidated statement of cash flows
Page
236
238
239
240
241
Section
Page
Section
Notes to the financial statements
A
A1
A2
A3
Basis of preparation and accounting policies
Basis of preparation and exchange rates
New accounting pronouncements in 2021
Accounting policies
A3.1 Critical accounting policies, estimates
B
B1
B2
B3
B4
B5
C
C1
C2
C3
and judgements
A3.2 New accounting pronouncements not
yet effective
Earnings performance
Analysis of performance by segment
Segment results
B1.1
B1.2 Determining operating segments and
B1.3
B1.4
performance measure of operating segments
Revenue from continuing operations
Profit after tax from continuing operations
by segment
Acquisition costs and other expenditure
Staff and employment costs
B2.1
B2.2 Share-based payment
B2.3 Key management remuneration
B2.4 Fees payable to the auditor
Tax charge from continuing operations
Total tax charge by nature
B3.1
B3.2 Reconciliation of shareholder effective tax rate
Earnings per share
Dividends
Financial position
Group assets and liabilities by business type
Fair value measurement
C2.1 Determination of fair value
C2.2 Fair value measurement hierarchy of Group
assets and liabilities
C2.3 Additional information on financial instruments
Policyholder liabilities and unallocated surplus
C3.1 Policyholder liabilities and unallocated surplus
by business type from continuing operations
C3.2 Reconciliation of gross and reinsurers’ share of
policyholder liabilities and unallocated surplus
C3.3 Reinsurers’ share of insurance contract liabilities
C3.4 Products and determining contract liabilities
C4
C5
C6
C7
C8
C9
C10
C11
D
D1
D2
D3
D4
D5
D6
Intangible assets
C4.1 Goodwill
C4.2 Deferred acquisition costs and other
intangible assets
Borrowings
C5.1 Core structural borrowings of shareholder-
financed businesses
C5.2 Operational borrowings
Risk and sensitivity analysis
C6.1 Continuing insurance operations
C6.2 Eastspring and central operations
Tax assets and liabilities
C7.1 Current tax
C7.2 Deferred tax
Share capital, share premium and own shares
Provisions
Capital
C10.1 Group objectives, policies and processes
for managing capital
C10.2 Local capital regulations
C10.3 Transferability of capital resources
Property, plant and equipment
Other information
Corporate transactions
D1.1 (Loss) gain attaching to corporate transactions
D1.2 Discontinued US operations
Contingencies and related obligations
Post balance sheet events
Related party transactions
Commitments
Investments in subsidiary undertakings,
joint ventures and associates
D6.1 Basis of consolidation
D6.2 Dividend restrictions and minimum capital
requirements
D6.3 Investments in joint ventures and associates
D6.4 Related undertakings
215
216
244
244
248
252
252
253
255
257
257
258
258
261
261
261
262
263
265
266
267
272
272
273
276
281
281
283
284
284
Page
287
287
288
290
290
290
291
292
293
294
294
294
295
296
296
296
297
298
299
301
301
301
303
303
304
304
304
304
306
306
308
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Consolidated income statement
Continuing operations:
Gross premiums earned
Outward reinsurance premiums
Earned premiums, net of reinsurance
Investment return
Other income
Total revenue, net of reinsurance
Benefits and claims
Reinsurers’ share of benefits and claims
Movement in unallocated surplus of with-profits funds
Benefits and claims and movement in unallocated surplus of with-profits funds, net of reinsurance
Acquisition costs and other expenditure
Finance costs: interest on core structural borrowings of shareholder-financed businesses
Loss attaching to corporate transactions
Total charges net of reinsurance
Share of profit from joint ventures and associates, net of related tax
Profit before tax (being tax attributable to shareholders’ and policyholders’ returns) note (i)
Tax charge attributable to policyholders’ returns
Profit before tax attributable to shareholders’ returns
Total tax charge attributable to shareholders’ and policyholders’ returns
Remove tax charge attributable to policyholders’ returns
Tax charge attributable to shareholders’ returns
Profit after tax from continuing operations
Loss after tax from discontinued US operations note (ii)
(Loss) profit for the year
Attributable to:
Equity holders of the Company:
From continuing operations
From discontinued US operations
Non-controlling interests:
From continuing operations
From discontinued US operations
(Loss) profit for the year
Earnings per share (in cents)
Based on profit attributable to equity holders of the Company:
Basic
Based on profit from continuing operations
Based on loss from discontinued US operations note (ii)
Total
Diluted
Based on profit from continuing operations
Based on loss from discontinued US operations note (ii)
Total
Note
2021 $m
2020* $m
B1.3
B1.3
B1.3
B1.3
C3.2
C3.2
C3.2
C3.2
B2
D1.1
D6.3
B1.1
B3.1
B3.1
D1.2
Note
B4
24,217
(1,844)
22,373
3,486
641
26,500
(17,738)
(971)
(202)
(18,911)
(4,560)
(328)
(35)
(23,834)
352
3,018
(342)
2,676
(804)
342
(462)
2,214
(5,027)
(2,813)
2,192
(4,234)
(2,042)
22
(793)
(771)
23,495
(1,625)
21,870
13,762
615
36,247
(34,463)
6,313
(438)
(28,588)
(4,651)
(316)
(30)
(33,585)
517
3,179
(271)
2,908
(711)
271
(440)
2,468
(283)
2,185
2,458
(340)
2,118
10
57
67
(2,813)
2,185
2021
2020
83.4¢
(161.1)¢
(77.7)¢
83.4¢
(161.1)¢
(77.7)¢
94.6¢
(13.0)¢
81.6¢
94.6¢
(13.0)¢
81.6¢
* The comparative results have been re-presented from those previously published to reflect the Group’s US operations as discontinued in 2021 (see note A1).
Notes
(i)
(ii)
This measure is the formal profit before tax measure under IFRS. It is not the result attributable to shareholders principally because total corporate tax of the Group includes those taxes on
the income of consolidated with-profits and unit-linked funds that, through adjustments to benefits, are borne by policyholders. These amounts are required to be included in the tax charge
of the Company under IAS 12. Consequently, the IFRS profit before tax measure is not representative of pre-tax profit attributable to shareholders as it is determined after deducting the
cost of policyholder benefits and movements in the liability for unallocated surplus of with-profits funds after adjusting for tax borne by policyholders.
Loss from discontinued operations represents the aggregate of the post-tax results during the year up to demerger and the remeasurement adjustment to the carrying value of the business
and recycling of cumulative reserves from other comprehensive income upon demerger (see note D1.2).
237
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Note
2021 $m
2020* $m
Continuing operations:
Profit for the year
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Exchange movements on foreign operations arising during the year
Valuation movements on retained interest in Jackson classified as available-for-sale securities
Total items that may be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss
Total comprehensive income from continuing operations
Discontinued US operations:
Loss for the year
Valuation movements on available-for-sale debt securities, net of related change in amortisation of deferred
acquisition costs and related tax
Cumulative valuation movements on available-for-sale debt securities, net of related tax and change in DAC,
and net investment hedges recycled through profit or loss at the point of demerger
Total comprehensive (loss) income from discontinued US operations
D1.2
2,214
(180)
250
70
2,284
(5,027)
(763)
(1,278)
(7,068)
2,468
233
–
233
2,701
(283)
292
–
9
Total comprehensive (loss) income for the year
(4,784)
2,710
Attributable to:
Equity holders of the Company:
From continuing operations
From discontinued US operations
Non-controlling interests:
From continuing operations
From discontinued US operations
Total comprehensive (loss) income for the year
2,277
(6,283)
(4,006)
7
(785)
(778)
2,697
(40)
2,657
4
49
53
(4,784)
2,710
* The comparative results have been re-presented from those previously published to reflect the Group’s US operations as discontinued in 2021 (see note A1).
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Consolidated statement of changes in equity
Year ended 31 Dec 2021 $m
Note
Share
capital
Share
premium
Retained
earnings
Translation
reserve
Available-
for-sale
securities
reserves
Share-
holders’
equity
Non-
controlling
interests
Total
equity
Reserves
Profit for the year
Other comprehensive (loss) income from continuing
operations:
Exchange movements on foreign operations
Valuation movements on retained interest in
Jackson classified as available-for-sale securities
Total comprehensive income (loss) from
continuing operations
Total comprehensive (loss) income from
discontinued US operations
Total comprehensive (loss) income for the year
Demerger dividend in specie of Jackson
Other dividends
Reserve movements in respect of share-based
payments
Effect of transactions relating to non-controlling
interests†
Share capital and share premium
New share capital subscribed
Treasury shares
Movement in own shares in respect of share-based
payment plans
Net increase (decrease) in equity
Balance at 1 Jan
Balance at 31 Dec
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
9
–
D1.2
B5
B5
C8
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
2,373
2,192
–
–
–
2,192
22
2,214
(165)
(15)
(180)
(165)
–
–
–
250
250
2,192
(165)
250
2,277
–
7
250
2,284
(4,234)
(2,042)
(1,735)
(421)
46
(32)
–
–
(24)
463
298
(2,512)
(6,283)
(785)
(7,068)
(2,262)
(4,006)
(778)
(4,784)
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
(1,735)
(421)
46
–
(9)
–
(1,735)
(430)
46
(32)
(278)
(310)
2,382
(24)
–
–
2,382
(24)
9
173
182
2,373
2,637
(4,208)
14,424
5,010
10,216
298
1,132
1,430
(2,262)
2,512
(3,790)
20,878
(1,065)
1,241
(4,855)
22,119
250
17,088
176
17,264
Year ended 31 Dec 2020* $m
Note
Share
capital
Share
premium
Retained
earnings
Translation
reserve
Available-
for-sale
securities
reserves
Share-
holders’
equity
Non-
controlling
interests
Total
equity
Reserves
Profit for the year
Other comprehensive income (loss) from continuing
operations:
Exchange movements on foreign operations
Total comprehensive income from
continuing operations
Total comprehensive (loss) income from
discontinued US operations
Total comprehensive income for the year
Dividends
Reserve movements in respect of share-based
payments
Effect of transactions relating to non-controlling
interests†
Share capital and share premium
New share capital subscribed
Treasury shares
Movement in own shares in respect of share-based
payment plans
Net increase in equity
Balance at 1 Jan
Balance at 31 Dec
D1.2
B5
C8
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
1
–
1
172
173
2,458
–
–
239
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
2,458
(340)
2,118
(814)
89
(484)
239
–
239
–
–
–
–
–
12
–
–
(60)
12
2,625
2,637
849
13,575
14,424
239
893
1,132
300
2,212
2,512
–
–
–
300
300
–
–
–
–
–
2,458
10
2,468
239
(6)
233
2,697
(40)
2,657
(814)
4
49
53
2,701
9
2,710
(18)
(832)
89
–
(484)
1,014
13
(60)
1,401
19,477
20,878
–
–
1,049
192
1,241
89
530
13
(60)
2,450
19,669
22,119
* The comparative results have been re-presented from those previously published to reflect the Group’s US operations as discontinued in 2021 (see note A1).
† The $(278) million in 2021 relates to the derecognition of Athene’s non-controlling interest upon the demerger of Jackson. The 2020 amount of $1,014 million related to the equity investment by
Athene Life Re Ltd. into the discontinued US operations in July 2020.
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Assets
Goodwill
Deferred acquisition costs and other intangible assets
Property, plant and equipment
Reinsurers’ share of insurance contract liabilities
Deferred tax assets
Current tax recoverable
Accrued investment income
Other debtors
Investment properties
Investments in joint ventures and associates accounted for using the equity method
Loans
Equity securities and holdings in collective investment schemes note (ii)
Debt securities note (ii)
Derivative assets
Other investments
Deposits
Cash and cash equivalents
Total assets
Equity
Shareholders’ equity
Non-controlling interests
Total equity
Liabilities
Insurance contract liabilities
Investment contract liabilities with discretionary participation features
Investment contract liabilities without discretionary participation features
Unallocated surplus of with-profits funds
Core structural borrowings of shareholder-financed businesses
Operational borrowings
Obligations under funding, securities lending and sale and repurchase agreements
Net asset value attributable to unit holders of consolidated investment funds
Deferred tax liabilities
Current tax liabilities
Accruals, deferred income and other creditors
Provisions
Derivative liabilities
Total liabilities
Total equity and liabilities
31 Dec 2021 $m 31 Dec 2020 $m
note (i)
Note
C4.1
C4.2
C11
C3.3
C7.2
C7.1
C1(vii)
C1(vii)
C1
C1
C1
C2.2
C2.2
C1(vi)
C1
C1
C3.2
C3.2
C3.2
C3.2
C5.1
C5.2
C7.2
C7.1
C1(viii)
C9
C2.2
C1
C1
907
6,858
478
9,753
266
20
1,171
1,779
38
2,183
2,562
61,601
99,094
481
–
4,741
7,170
199,102
17,088
176
17,264
150,755
346
814
5,384
6,127
861
223
5,664
2,862
185
7,983
372
262
181,838
199,102
961
20,345
893
46,595
4,858
444
1,427
3,171
23
1,962
14,588
278,635
125,829
2,599
1,867
3,882
8,018
516,097
20,878
1,241
22,119
436,787
479
3,980
5,217
6,633
2,444
9,768
5,975
6,075
280
15,508
350
482
493,978
516,097
Notes
(i)
(ii)
The 31 December 2020 comparative statement of financial position included discontinued US operations.
Included within equity securities and holdings in collective investment schemes and debt securities as at 31 December 2021 are $854 million of lent securities and assets subject
to repurchase agreements (31 December 2020: $895 million from continuing operations; $1,112 million from discontinued US operations).
The Parent Company statement of financial position is presented on page 314.
The consolidated financial statements on pages 237 to 313 were approved by the Board of Directors on 8 March 2022. They were signed
on its behalf:
Shriti Vadera
Chair
Mike Wells
Group Chief Executive
Mark FitzPatrick
Group Chief Financial Officer
and Chief Operating Officer
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Consolidated statement of cash flows
Continuing operations:
Cash flows from operating activities
Profit before tax (being tax attributable to shareholders’ and policyholders’ returns)
Adjustments to profit before tax for non-cash movements in operating assets and liabilities:
Investments
Other non-investment and non-cash assets
Policyholder liabilities (including unallocated surplus of with-profits funds)
Other liabilities (including operational borrowings)
Investment income and interest payments included in profit before tax
Operating cash items:
Interest receipts
Interest payments
Dividend receipts
Tax paid
Other non-cash items
Net cash flows from operating activities note (i)
Cash flows from investing activities
Purchases of property, plant and equipment
Proceeds from disposal of property, plant and equipment
Acquisition of business and intangibles note (ii)
Disposal of businesses note (iii)
Net cash flows from investing activities
Cash flows from financing activities
Structural borrowings of shareholder-financed operations: note (iv)
Issuance of debt, net of costs
Redemption of debt
Interest paid
Payment of principal portion of lease liabilities
Equity capital:
Issues of ordinary share capital
External dividends:
Dividends paid to the Company’s shareholders
Dividends paid to non-controlling interests
Net cash flows from financing activities
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents from continuing operations
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents from discontinued US operations
Cash and cash equivalents at 1 Jan
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at 31 Dec
Comprising:
Cash and cash equivalents from continuing operations
Cash and cash equivalents from discontinued US operations
Note
2021 $m
2020* $m
3,018
3,179
(14,553)
2,658
9,095
16
(3,738)
2,328
(11)
1,480
(453)
438
278
(36)
–
(773)
83
(726)
995
(1,250)
(314)
(118)
2,382
(421)
(9)
1,265
817
(1,621)
8,018
(44)
7,170
7,170
–
(20,978)
(7,185)
27,670
155
(2,931)
1,833
(25)
1,305
(551)
301
2,773
(57)
6
(1,142)
–
(1,193)
983
–
(294)
(128)
13
(814)
(18)
(258)
1,322
(339)
6,965
70
8,018
6,397
1,621
C5.1
C8
B5
D1.2
* The comparative results have been re-presented from those previously published to reflect the Group’s US operations as discontinued in 2021 (see note A1).
Included in net cash flows from operating activities are dividends from joint ventures and associates of $175 million (2020: $118 million).
Cash flows from the acquisition of business and intangibles include amounts paid for distribution rights.
Notes
(i)
(ii)
(iii) Disposal of businesses includes sale of subsidiaries, joint ventures and associates and investments that do not form part of the Group’s operating activities.
(iv)
Structural borrowings of shareholder-financed businesses exclude borrowings to support short-term fixed income securities programmes, non-recourse borrowings of investment subsidiaries
of shareholder-financed businesses and other borrowings of shareholder-financed businesses. Cash flows in respect of these borrowings are included within cash flows from operating
activities. The changes in the carrying value of the structural borrowings of shareholder-financed businesses for the Group are analysed below:
2021
2020
Cash movements $m
Non-cash movements $m
Balance at
1 Jan
6,633
5,594
Issuance
Redemption
995
983
(1,250)
–
Foreign
exchange
movement
(13)
42
Demerger of
Jackson
Other
movements
Balance at
31 Dec
(250)
–
12
14
6,127
6,633
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A1 Basis of preparation and exchange rates
Prudential plc (‘the Company’) together with its subsidiaries (collectively, ‘the Group’ or ‘Prudential’) provides life and health insurance and asset
management products in Asia and Africa. The Group is joint-headquartered in London and Hong Kong.
Basis of preparation
These consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with IFRS Standards as issued by the IASB and in accordance with
UK-adopted international accounting standards. At 31 December 2021, there were no unadopted standards effective for the year ended
31 December 2021 which impact the consolidated financial statements of the Group, and there were no differences between UK-adopted
international accounting standards and IFRS Standards as issued by the IASB in terms of their application to the Group.
The Group accounting policies are the same as those applied for the year ended 31 December 2020 with the exception of the adoption of the
new and amended IFRS Standards as described in note A2. In 2021, the Group changed its operating segments for financial reporting under IFRS 8
‘Operating Segments’, as discussed further in note B1.2 and reclassified the US operations as discontinued as discussed further below.
The parent company statement of financial position prepared in accordance with the UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (including
Financial Reporting Standard 101 ‘Reduced Disclosure Framework’) is presented on page 314.
Going concern basis of accounting
The Directors have made an assessment of going concern covering a period of at least 12 months from the date that these financial statements are
approved. In making this assessment, the Directors have considered both the Group’s current performance, solvency and liquidity and the Group’s
business plan taking into account the Group’s principal risks and the mitigations available to it which are described in the Risk review report.
The assessment includes consideration of the results of key market risk stress and scenario testing over the assessment period covering the
potential impact of up or down interest rate movements, falling equity values, corporate credit spread widening and an elevated level of credit
losses. Sales and other scenarios considered include those reflecting the possible impacts of Covid-19 restrictions on new business, including the
uncertainty as to the duration of restrictions in individual markets and the length of time for sales to recover to previous levels and different timings
of expected regulatory changes. Further details are included in the viability statement within the Risk review report.
Based on the above, the Directors have a reasonable expectation that the Company and the Group have adequate resources to continue their
operations for a period of at least 12 months from the date that these financial statements are approved. No material uncertainties that may cast
significant doubt on the ability of the Group to continue as a going concern have been identified. The Directors therefore consider it appropriate to
continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing these financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2021.
Discontinued US operations
On 28 January 2021, the Board announced that it had decided to pursue the separation of its US operations (Jackson) from the Group through a
demerger, which was completed on 13 September 2021. In accordance with IFRS 5 ‘Non-Current Assets Held for Sale and Discontinued Operations’,
the results of the Group’s US operations have been classified as discontinued operations in these consolidated financial statements.
In order to present the results of the continuing operations on a comparable basis, and consistent with IFRS 5 requirements, loss after tax
attributable to the discontinued US operations in 2021 up to demerger has been shown in a single line in the income statement together with the
loss on remeasurement to fair value and the recycling of cumulative reserves from other comprehensive income upon demerger. The loss on
remeasurement to fair value has been recognised in accordance with IFRIC 17, ‘Distribution of non-cash assets to owners’, which requires Jackson to
be remeasured to fair value at the point of demerger. Comparatives have been restated accordingly, with further analysis provided in note D1.2.
Notes B1 to B4 have also been prepared on this basis.
IFRS 5 does not permit the comparative 31 December 2020 statements of financial position to be re-presented, as the US operations were not
classified as discontinued at that point in time. In the related balance sheet notes, prior period balances have been presented to show the amounts
from discontinued US operations separately from continuing operations in order to present the results of the continuing operations on a
comparable basis. Additionally, in the analysis of movements in Group’s assets and liabilities between the beginning and end of the years, the
balances of the discontinued US operations are removed from the opening balances to show the underlying movements from continuing
operations.
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Exchange rates
The exchange rates applied for balances and transactions in currencies other than the presentation currency of the Group, US dollars (USD) were:
USD : local currency
Chinese yuan (CNY)
Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
Indian rupee (INR)
Indonesian rupiah (IDR)
Malaysian ringgit (MYR)
Singapore dollar (SGD)
Taiwan dollar (TWD)
Thai baht (THB)
UK pound sterling (GBP)
Vietnamese dong (VND)
Closing rate at year end
Average rate for the year to date
31 Dec 2021
31 Dec 2020
31 Dec 2021
31 Dec 2020
6.37
7.80
74.34
14,252.50
4.17
1.35
27.67
33.19
0.74
22,790.00
6.54
7.75
73.07
14,050.00
4.02
1.32
28.10
30.02
0.73
23,082.50
6.45
7.77
73.94
14,294.88
4.15
1.34
27.93
32.01
0.73
22,934.86
6.90
7.76
74.12
14,541.70
4.20
1.38
29.44
31.29
0.78
23,235.84
Foreign exchange translation
In order to present the consolidated financial statements in USD, the results and financial position of entities not using USD as functional currency
(ie the currency of the primary economic environment in which the entity operates) must be translated into USD.
All assets and liabilities of entities not operating in USD are converted at closing exchange rates while all income and expenses are converted at
average exchange rates where this is a reasonable approximation of the rates prevailing on transaction dates. The impact of these foreign exchange
translations into the Group’s USD presentation currency is recorded as a separate component in the statement of comprehensive income. Upon the
disposal of the entity, the related cumulative foreign exchange translation differences are recycled from other comprehensive income to the income
statement as part of the gain or loss on disposal.
The general principle for converting foreign currency transactions to the functional currency of an entity is to translate at the functional currency
spot rate prevailing at the date of the transactions. Foreign currency monetary assets and liabilities are translated at the spot exchange rate for the
functional currency at the reporting date. Changes resulting from the foreign exchange translations into the functional currency of the entity are
recognised in the income statement.
Certain notes to the financial statements present comparative information at constant exchange rates (CER), in addition to the reporting at
actual exchange rates (AER) used throughout the consolidated financial statements. AER are actual historical exchange rates for the specific
accounting year, being the average rates over the year for the income statement and the closing rates at the balance sheet date for the statement
of financial position. CER results are calculated by translating prior year results using the current year foreign exchange rate, ie current year average
rates for the income statement and current year closing rates for the statement of financial position.
A2 New accounting pronouncements in 2021
The IASB has issued the following new accounting pronouncements to be effective from 1 January 2021, unless otherwise stated:
> Amendments to IFRS 4 ‘Extension of temporary IFRS 9 exemption until 1 January 2023’ issued in June 2020;
> Amendments to IFRS 9, IAS 39, IFRS 7, IFRS 4 and IFRS 16 ‘Interest Rate Benchmark Reform – phase 2’ issued in August 2020; and
> Amendments to IFRS 16 ‘Covid-19 Related Rent Concession beyond 30 June 2021’ issued in March 2021 and effective from 1 April 2021.
The adoption of these pronouncements has had no significant impact on the Group financial statements. The Group has taken advantage of the
ability to defer IFRS 9 until 2023 when it adopts IFRS 17 ‘Insurance Contracts’.
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Note A3.1 presents the critical accounting policies, estimates and judgements applied in preparing the Group’s consolidated financial statements.
Other accounting policies, where significant, are presented in the relevant individual notes. All accounting policies are applied consistently for the
years presented and normally are not subject to changes unless new accounting standards, interpretations or amendments are introduced by
the IASB.
A3.1 Critical accounting policies, estimates and judgements
The preparation of these financial statements requires Prudential to make accounting estimates and judgements about the amounts of assets,
liabilities, revenues and expenses, which are both recognised and unrecognised (eg contingent liabilities) in the financial statements. Prudential
evaluates its critical accounting estimates, including those related to long-term business provisioning and the fair value of assets as required. The
notes below set out those critical accounting policies, the application of which requires the Group to make critical estimates and judgements. Also
set out are further critical accounting policies affecting the presentation of the Group’s results and other items that require the application of critical
estimates and judgements.
The accounting policies below relate to the Group’s continuing operations. A summary of key accounting policies of the Group’s discontinued US
operations is set out in note D1.2.
(a) Critical accounting policies with associated critical estimates and judgements
Measurement of policyholder liabilities and unallocated surplus of with-profits
The measurement basis of policyholder
liabilities is dependent upon the
classification of the contracts under IFRS 4.
IFRS 4 permits the continued usage of previously applied Generally Accepted Accounting
Practices (GAAP) for insurance contracts and investment contracts with discretionary
participating features.
Impacts $177.3 billion of policyholder
liabilities and unallocated surplus of
with-profits funds including those held by
joint venture and associates.
Policyholder liabilities are estimated based
on a number of actuarial assumptions (eg
mortality, morbidity, policyholder
behaviour and expenses).
The Group applies judgement in
determining the actuarial assumptions to
be applied to estimate the future amounts
due to or from the policyholder in the
measurement of the policyholder liabilities.
Measurement of investment contract
liabilities with discretionary participation
features and insurance contract liabilities
A modified statutory basis of reporting was adopted by the Group on first time adoption of IFRS
Standards in 2005. This was set out in the Statement of Recommended Practice issued by the
Association of British Insurers (ABI SORP). The ABI SORP was withdrawn for the accounting
periods beginning in or after 2015. As used in these consolidated financial statements, the term
‘grandfathered’ ABI SORP refers to the requirements of the pronouncements prior to its
withdrawal.
For investment contracts that do not contain discretionary participating features, IAS 39 is
applied and, where the contract includes an investment management element, IFRS 15 ‘Revenue
from Contracts with Customers’ applies.
The policies applied for the continuing businesses are noted below.
The policyholder liabilities for businesses of the continuing insurance operations are generally
determined in accordance with methods prescribed by local GAAP, adjusted to comply with the
‘grandfathered’ ABI SORP where necessary. Refinements to the local reserving methodology are
generally treated as changes in estimates, dependent on their nature. The UK-style with-profits
funds’ liabilities in Hong Kong are valued under the realistic basis in accordance with the
requirements of ‘grandfathered’ FRS 27 ‘Life Assurance’ (issued by the UK Accounting Standards
Board in 2004 and withdrawn in 2015). The realistic basis requires the value of liabilities to be
calculated as the sum of a with-profits benefits reserve, future policy-related liabilities and the
realistic current liabilities of the fund. In Taiwan and India, US GAAP principles are applied.
Further details on how liabilities are determined for material product types are set out in note
C3.4. This includes the approach to assumption setting including a margin for prudence. The
sensitivity of the insurance operations to variations in key economic assumptions, as well as the
insurance risks of mortality and morbidity, is discussed in note C6.1.
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A Basis of preparation and accounting policies / continued Measurement of policyholder liabilities and unallocated surplus of with-profits continued
Measurement of unallocated surplus
of with-profits funds
Liability adequacy test
Unallocated surplus of with-profits funds represents the excess of assets over policyholder
liabilities, determined in accordance with the Group’s accounting policies, that have yet to be
appropriated between policyholders and shareholders for the Group’s with-profits funds in Hong
Kong and Malaysia. The unallocated surplus is recorded wholly as a liability with no allocation to
equity. The annual excess or shortfall of income over expenditure of the with-profits funds, after
declaration and attribution of the cost of bonuses to policyholders and shareholders, is
transferred to or from the unallocated surplus each period through a charge or credit to the
income statement. In Hong Kong, the unallocated surplus includes the shareholders’ share of
expected future bonuses, with the expected policyholder share being included in policyholder
liabilities. Any excess of assets over liabilities and amounts expected to be paid out by the fund
on future bonuses is also included in the unallocated surplus.
The balance of the unallocated surplus is determined after full provision for deferred tax on
unrealised appreciation or depreciation on investments.
The Group performs adequacy testing on its insurance liabilities to ensure that the carrying
amounts (net of related deferred acquisition costs and, where relevant, present value of acquired
in-force business) is sufficient to cover current estimates of future cash outflows of the in-force
policies over the expected lives. Any deficiency is immediately charged to the income statement.
The liability adequacy test is performed at the level of a portfolio of contracts that are subject to
broadly similar risks and managed together as a single portfolio which may be at an entity or
local business unit level, depending on how the business is managed.
(b) Further critical accounting policies affecting the presentation of the Group’s results
Presentation of results before tax attributable to shareholders
The total tax charge for the Group reflects tax that, in addition to that relating to shareholders’
profit, is also attributable to policyholders through the interest in with-profits or unit-linked funds.
Further detail is provided in note B3. Reported IFRS profit before the tax measure is therefore not
representative of pre-tax profit attributable to shareholders. Accordingly, in order to provide a
measure of pre-tax profit attributable to shareholders, the Group has chosen to adopt an income
statement presentation of the tax charge and pre-tax results that distinguishes between
policyholders’ and shareholders’ returns.
Profit before tax is a significant IFRS income
statement item. The Group has chosen to
present a measure of profit before tax
attributable to shareholders which
distinguishes between tax borne by
shareholders and tax attributable to
policyholders to support understanding of
the performance of the Group.
Profit before tax attributable to
shareholders is $2,676 million and
compares to profit before tax of
$3,018 million.
Segmental analysis of results and earnings attributable to shareholders
The Group uses adjusted operating profit
as the segmental measure of its results.
Total segmental adjusted operating profit is
$4,023 million and is shown in note B1.1.
The basis of calculation of adjusted operating profit is provided in note B1.2.
For shareholder-backed business, with the exception of securities which are treated as available-
for-sale, and assets classified as loans and receivables at amortised cost, all financial investments
and investment properties are designated as assets at fair value through profit or loss. Short-term
fluctuations in fair value affect the result for the year and the Group provides additional analysis
of results before and after the effects of short-term fluctuations in investment returns, together
with other items that are of a short-term, volatile or one-off nature.
Short-term fluctuations in investment returns on assets held by with-profits funds in Hong Kong,
Malaysia and Singapore do not affect directly reported shareholder results. This is because (i) the
unallocated surplus of with-profits funds is accounted for as a liability and (ii) excess or deficit of
income and expenditure of the funds over the required surplus for distribution are transferred to
or from policyholder liabilities (including the unallocated surplus).
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A3.1 Critical accounting policies, estimates and judgements continued
(c) Other items requiring application of critical estimates or judgements
Carrying value of distribution rights intangible assets
The Group applies judgement to assess
whether factors such as the financial
performance of the distribution
arrangements, changes in relevant
legislation and regulatory requirements
indicate an impairment of intangible assets
representing distribution rights.
To determine the impaired value, the Group
estimates the discounted future expected
cash flows arising from cash generating
unit containing the distribution rights.
Affects $3.8 billion of assets as shown in
note C4.2.
Distribution rights relate to bancassurance partnership arrangements for the distribution of
products for the term of the contractual agreement with the bank partner, for which an asset is
recognised based on fees paid and fees payable not subject to performance conditions.
Distribution rights impairment testing is conducted when there is an indication of impairment.
To assess indicators of an impairment, the Group monitors a number of internal and external
factors, including indications that the financial performance of the arrangement is likely to be
worse than expected and changes in relevant legislation and regulatory requirements that could
impact the Group’s ability to continue to sell new business through the bancassurance channel,
and then applies judgement to assess whether these factors indicate that an impairment has
occurred.
If an impairment has occurred, a charge is recognised in the income statement for the difference
between the carrying value and recoverable amount of the asset. The recoverable amount is the
greater of fair value less costs to sell and value in use. Value in use is calculated as the present
value of future expected cash flows from the asset or the cash generating unit to which it is
allocated.
Deferred acquisition costs (DAC) for insurance contracts
The Group estimates projected future
profits/margins to assess whether
adjustments to the carrying value or
amortisation profile of DAC asset are
necessary.
Impacts $2.8 billion of DAC as shown in
note C4.2.
Costs of acquiring new insurance business are accounted for in a way that is consistent with the
principles of the ‘grandfathered’ ABI SORP.
The Group determines qualifying costs that should be capitalised (ie those costs of acquiring new
insurance contracts that meet the criteria under the Group’s accounting policy for DAC) shown by
an explicit carrying value in the balance sheet. However, in some insurance operations, the
deferral is implicit through the reserving basis. DAC is amortised against the profit margins within
future revenues on the related insurance policies. For some business units this is approximated by
amortising DAC on a straight-line basis over the expected duration of the policies. During the
year, following review of the expected duration of policies, Hong Kong extended the life over
which acquisition costs in the balance sheet are amortised. This reduced amortisation by circa
$40 million in the year.
The recoverability of the DAC is measured and the DAC asset is deemed impaired if the projected
margins (which are estimated based on a number of assumptions similar to those underlying
policyholder liabilities) are less than the carrying value. To the extent that the future margins
differ from those anticipated, an adjustment to the carrying value will be necessary either
through a charge to the income statement (if the projected margins are lower than carrying
value) or through a change in the amortisation profile.
For those business units applying US GAAP to insurance assets and liabilities, as permitted by the
‘grandfathered’ ABI SORP, acquisition costs are deferred and amortised as per the US GAAP
requirements under ASC 944 Financial Services – Insurance.
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A Basis of preparation and accounting policies / continued Financial investments – Valuation
Financial investments held at fair value
represent $161.8 billion of the Group’s total
assets.
Financial investments held at amortised
cost represent $6.7 billion of the Group’s
total assets.
The Group estimates the fair value of
financial investments that are not actively
traded using quotations from independent
third parties or internally developed pricing
models.
The Group holds the majority of its financial investments at fair value (primarily through profit or
loss). Financial investments held at amortised cost primarily comprise loans and deposits.
Determination of fair value
The fair values of the financial instruments for which fair valuation is required under IFRS
Standards are determined by the use of current market bid prices for exchange-quoted
investments or by using quotations from independent third parties such as brokers and pricing
services or by using appropriate valuation techniques.
The estimated fair value of derivative financial instruments reflects the estimated amount the
Group would receive or pay in an arm’s-length transaction. This amount is determined using
quoted prices if exchange listed, quotations from independent third parties or valued internally
using standard market practices.
Current market bid prices are used to value investments having quoted prices. Actively traded
investments without quoted prices are valued using prices provided by third parties such as
brokers or pricing services. Financial investments measured at fair value are classified into a three-
level hierarchy as described in note C2.1.
If the market for a financial investment of the Group is not active, the Group establishes fair value
by using quotations from independent third parties, such as brokers or pricing services, or by using
internally developed pricing models. Priority is given to publicly available prices from independent
sources when available, but overall the source of pricing and/or the valuation technique is chosen
with the objective of arriving at a fair value measurement which reflects the price at which an
orderly transaction would take place between market participants on the measurement date.
Changes in assumptions relating to these variables could positively or negatively impact the
reported fair value of these financial investments. Details of the financial investments classified
as ‘level 3’ to which valuation techniques are applied and the sensitivity of profit before tax to a
change in the valuation of these items, are presented in note C2.2(ii).
Financial investments – Determining impairment of the ‘available-for-sale’ retained interest in Jackson
The Group applies judgement to assess
whether factors such as the severity and
duration of any decline in fair value of the
‘available-for-sale’ retained interest in
Jackson, indicate an impairment in value of
the financial investments.
Affects $0.7 billion of assets.
The Group retained a 19.7 per cent economic interest in the equity securities of Jackson
immediately following its demerger in September 2021. In December 2021, Jackson repurchased
2,242,516 shares of its Class A common stock from Prudential which reduced Prudential’s
remaining economic interest in Jackson to 18.4 per cent as of 31 December 2021. The Group
intends to monetise, subject to market conditions, a further portion of this investment to support
investment in Asia within 12 months of the demerger, such that the Group will own less than
10 per cent at the end of such period (see note D1.2 for further details).
The retained interest in Jackson’s equity securities has been classified as ‘available-for-sale’ under
IAS 39 with unrealised gains and losses recognised in other comprehensive income. Upon
disposal or impairment, the accumulated unrealised gains and losses are transferred from other
comprehensive income to the income statement as realised gains or losses. An available-for-sale
equity security is considered to be impaired if there is objective evidence that the cost may not be
recovered. The consideration of evidence of impairment for the equity securities of Jackson
requires management’s judgement to consider if a decline in the fair value is significant or
prolonged. There has been no impairment of these securities during 2021.
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A3.2 New accounting pronouncements not yet effective
The following standards, interpretations and amendments have been issued by the IASB but are not yet effective in 2021, including those which
have not yet been adopted by the UK Endorsement Board. The Group prepares financial statements in accordance with IFRS Standards as issued by
the IASB and UK-adopted international accounting standards. This is not intended to be a complete list as only those standards, interpretations and
amendments that could have a material impact on the Group’s financial statements are discussed.
IFRS 9 ‘Financial instruments: Classification and measurement’
IFRS 9 became mandatorily effective for the annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2018, with early application permitted and transitional
rules apply.
The Group met the eligibility criteria for temporary exemption under the Amendments to IFRS 4 from applying IFRS 9 and has accordingly
deferred the adoption of IFRS 9 until the date when IFRS 17 ‘Insurance Contracts’ is expected to be adopted upon its current mandatory effective
date. The Group made a reassessment during the year following the demerger of the US operations in September 2021 and confirmed that it
continued to qualify for the temporary exemption. The Group is eligible as its activities are predominantly to issue insurance contracts based on the
criteria as set out in the amendments to IFRS 4. The required disclosure of the fair value of the Group’s financial assets, showing the amounts for
instruments that meet the ‘Solely for Payment of Principal and Interest’ (SPPI) criteria but do not meet the definition of held for trading and are not
managed and evaluated on a fair value basis separately from all other financial assets, is provided below.
When adopted IFRS 9 replaces the existing IAS 39 ‘Financial Instruments – Recognition and Measurement’ and will affect the following
three areas:
The classification and the measurement of financial assets and liabilities
IFRS 9 redefines the classification of financial assets. Based on the way in which the assets are managed in order to generate cash flows and their
contractual cash flow characteristics (whether the cash flows represent ‘solely payments of principal and interest’), financial assets are classified into
one of the following categories: amortised cost, fair value through other comprehensive income (FVOCI) and fair value through profit or loss
(FVTPL). An option is also available at initial recognition to irrevocably designate a financial asset as at FVTPL if doing so eliminates or significantly
reduces accounting mismatches.
Under IAS 39, 95 per cent of the Group’s financial investments are valued at FVTPL and the Group’s current expectation is that the vast majority
of its investments will continue to be classified as such under IFRS 9.
The existing IAS 39 amortised cost measurement for financial liabilities is largely maintained under IFRS 9. For financial liabilities designated at
FVTPL IFRS 9 requires changes in fair value due to changes in the entity’s own credit risk to be recognised in other comprehensive income.
The calculation of the impairment charge relevant for financial assets held at amortised cost or FVOCI
A new impairment model based on an expected credit loss approach replaces the existing IAS 39 incurred loss impairment model, resulting in
earlier recognition of credit losses compared to IAS 39. This aspect is the most complex area of IFRS 9 to implement and will involve significant
judgements and estimation processes. The Group is currently assessing the scope of assets to which these requirements will apply but as noted
above it is currently expected that the majority of assets will be held at FVTPL to which these requirements will not apply.
The hedge accounting requirements which are more closely aligned with the risk management activities of the Company
No significant change to the Group’s hedge accounting is currently anticipated, but this remains under review.
The Group is assessing the impact of IFRS 9 and implementing this standard in conjunction with IFRS 17 as permitted. Further details on IFRS 17
are provided below.
The parent company and a number of intermediate holding companies in the UK and non-insurance subsidiaries in Asia adopted IFRS 9 in 2018
in their individual or separate financial statements where these statements are prepared in accordance with IFRS, including the UK Financial
Reporting Standard 101 ‘Reduced Disclosure Framework’. The public availability of the financial statements for these entities varies according to the
local laws and regulations of each jurisdiction. The results for these entities continue to be accounted for on an IAS 39 basis in these consolidated
financial statements.
The fair value of the Group’s directly held financial assets at 31 December 2021 and 2020 are shown below. Financial assets with contractual
terms that give rise on specified dates to cash flows that are solely payments of principal and interest (SPPI) as defined by IFRS 9 are shown
separately. This excludes financial assets that meet the definition of held for trading or are managed and evaluated on a fair value basis.
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A Basis of preparation and accounting policies / continued Financial assets, net of derivative liabilities
Accrued investment income
Other debtors
Loans note (i)
Equity securities and holdings in collective investment schemes
Debt securities
Derivative assets, net of derivative liabilities
Deposits
Cash and cash equivalents
Total financial assets, net of derivative liabilities
Financial assets, net of derivative liabilities
Accrued investment income
Other debtors
Loans note (i)
Equity securities and holdings in collective investment schemes
Debt securities
Derivative assets, net of derivative liabilities
Deposits
Cash and cash equivalents
Total continuing operations
Discontinued US operations note (ii)
Total financial assets, net of derivative liabilities
Financial assets that pass
the SPPI test
All other financial assets,
net of derivative liabilities
Fair value at
31 Dec 2021
$m
Movement in
the fair value
during 2021
$m
Fair value at
31 Dec 2021
$m
Movement in
the fair value
during 2021
$m
1,171
1,779
2,126
–
226
–
4,741
7,170
17,213
–
–
41
–
–
–
–
–
41
–
–
647
61,601
98,868
219
–
–
161,335
–
–
(1)
4,061
(3,164)
(943)
–
–
(47)
Financial assets that pass
the SPPI test
All other financial assets,
net of derivative liabilities
Fair value at
31 Dec 2020
$m
Movement in
the fair value
during 2020
$m
Fair value at
31 Dec 2020
$m
Movement in
the fair value
during 2020
$m
1,049
2,901
1,998
–
–
–
3,875
6,397
16,220
44,649
60,869
–
–
21
–
–
–
–
–
21
3,327
3,348
–
–
450
59,295
89,796
(60)
–
–
149,481
229,879
379,360
–
–
3
3,186
6,709
925
–
–
10,823
25,793
36,616
Notes
(i)
(ii)
The loans that pass the SPPI test in the table above are primarily carried at amortised cost under IAS 39. Further information on these loans is as provided in note C2.2.
The financial assets that pass the SPPI test held by the discontinued US operations at 31 December 2020 primarily represented debt securities classified as available-for-sale under IAS 39.
The underlying financial assets of the Group’s joint ventures and associates accounted for using the equity method are analysed below into those
which meet the SPPI condition of IFRS 9, excluding any financial assets that meet the definition of held for trading or are managed and evaluated
on a fair value basis, and all other financial assets.
Fair value information of the financial assets held by CITIC-Prudential Life Insurance Company (CPL), the Group’s individually material joint
venture, is shown in the table below. The amounts disclosed represent 100 per cent of the entity’s financial assets and not the Group’s share of those
amounts and have been prepared on the same basis as the Group’s IFRS financial statements.
CPL (100% of the financial assets of the entity)
Fair value at 31 Dec
Fair value at 31 Dec
Movement in the fair value during
Financial assets
2021 $m
2020 $m
2021 $m
2020 $m
2021 $m
2020 $m
Financial assets that pass
the SPPI test*
All other financial assets
Accrued investment income
Other debtors
Loans
Equity securities and holdings in collective
investment schemes
Debt securities
Deposits
Cash and cash equivalents
Total financial assets
170
620
656
–
–
1,210
422
3,078
170
392
502
–
–
1,176
316
2,556
–
–
–
12,882
11,976
–
–
24,858
–
–
–
9,396
8,502
–
–
17,898
–
–
–
254
184
–
–
438
–
–
–
1,142
(12)
–
–
1,130
* The carrying value approximates fair value for the financial assets in this category with no movement in the fair value during the year.
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A3.2 New accounting pronouncements not yet effective continued
Fair value information for the Group’s share of financial assets of other joint ventures and associates in aggregate is set out in the table below:
Other JVs and associates (Prudential’s share
of the financial assets of the entities)
Financial assets that pass
the SPPI test*
All other financial assets
Fair value at 31 Dec
Fair value at 31 Dec
Movement in the fair value during
Financial assets
2021 $m
2020 $m
2021 $m
2020 $m
2021 $m
2020 $m
Accrued investment income
Other debtors
Loans
Equity securities and holdings in collective
investment schemes
Debt securities
Deposits
Cash and cash equivalents
Total financial assets
85
187
26
–
–
203
510
1,011
71
114
18
–
–
189
424
816
–
–
–
3,859
3,674
–
–
7,533
–
–
–
3,251
3,490
–
–
6,741
–
–
–
680
(121)
–
–
559
–
–
–
461
108
–
–
569
* The carrying value approximates fair value for the financial assets in this category with no movement in the fair value during the year.
IFRS 17 ‘Insurance Contracts’
In May 2017, the IASB issued IFRS 17 ‘Insurance Contracts’ to replace the existing IFRS 4 ‘Insurance Contracts’. In June 2020, the IASB issued
amendments to IFRS 17, including delaying the effective date to reporting periods on or after 1 January 2023. In addition, in December 2021, the
IASB issued an amendment to IFRS 17 to permit a classification overlay for financial assets presented in comparative periods on initial application
of IFRS 17. The standard is subject to endorsement in the UK via the UK Endorsement Board which is expected in April 2022. The Group intends to
adopt IFRS 17 on its mandatory effective date, alongside the adoption of IFRS 9.
IFRS 4 permitted insurers to continue to use the statutory basis of accounting for insurance assets and liabilities that existed in their jurisdictions
prior to January 2005. IFRS 17 replaces this with a new measurement model for all insurance contracts.
IFRS 17 requires liabilities for insurance contracts to be recognised as the present value of future cash flows, incorporating an explicit risk
adjustment, which is updated at each reporting date to reflect current conditions, and a contractual service margin (CSM) that is initially set equal
and opposite to any day-one gain arising on initial recognition. Losses are recognised directly into the income statement. For measurement
purposes, contracts are grouped together into contracts of similar risk, profitability profile and issue year, with further divisions for contracts that are
managed separately.
Profit for insurance contracts under IFRS 17 is represented by the recognition of the services provided to policyholders in the period (release of the
CSM), release from non-economic risk (release of risk adjustment) and investment profit. CSM is released in line with Coverage Units that are a
measure of the quantity of benefits provided under a contract and the period over which coverage is provided.
The CSM is released as profit over the coverage period of the insurance contract, reflecting the delivery of services to the policyholder. For certain
contracts with participating features (where a substantial share of the fair value of the related investments and other underlying items is paid to
policyholders), the CSM reflects the variable fee to shareholders (the ‘Variable Fee Approach’). For these contracts, the CSM is adjusted to reflect the
changes in economic experience and assumptions. For all other contracts the CSM is only adjusted for non-economic assumptions (the ‘General
Measurement Model’). The Group expects to use both the Variable Fee Approach and the General Measurement model, depending on the specific
characteristics of the insurance products.
IFRS 17 introduces a new measure of insurance revenue, based on the delivery of services to policyholders and excluding any premiums related to
the investment elements of policies, which will be significantly different from existing premium revenue measures, currently reported in the income
statement.
In order to transition to IFRS 17, the amount of deferred profit, being the CSM at transition date, needs to be determined. IFRS 17 requires this
CSM to be calculated as if the standard had applied retrospectively. However, if this is not practical an entity is required to choose either a modified
retrospective approach or to determine the CSM by reference to the fair value of the liabilities at the transition date (1 January 2022). The approach
for determining the CSM will have a significant impact on both shareholders’ equity and on the amount of profits on in-force business in future
reporting periods. The Group expects all three approaches to be applied on transition, depending on the information that is available to be used for
the different groups of contracts of the Group.
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A Basis of preparation and accounting policies / continued IFRS 17 implementation programme
IFRS 17 is expected to have a significant impact as the requirements of the new standard are complex and requires a fundamental change to
accounting for insurance contracts as well as the application of significant judgement and new estimation techniques. A reliable estimate of the
effect of changes required to the Group’s accounting policies as a result of implementing these standards, which is expected to alter the timing of
IFRS profit recognition, is not yet available as implementation is under way. The implementation of this standard involves significant enhancements
to IT, actuarial and finance systems of the Group.
The Group has a Group-wide implementation programme to implement IFRS 17 and IFRS 9. The programme is responsible for setting Group-
wide accounting policies and developing application methodologies, establishing appropriate processes and controls, sourcing appropriate data
and implementing actuarial and finance system changes.
A Group-wide Steering Committee, chaired by the Group Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer with participation from the Group
Risk function and the Group’s and business units’ senior finance managers, provides oversight and strategic direction to the implementation
programme. A number of sub-committees are also in place to provide governance over the technical interpretation and accounting policies
selected, design and delivery of the programme. During 2021, the Group has made significant progress with the build and testing of new actuarial
and finance systems. It is not practicable to provide reliable estimates of the quantitative impact on the Group’s results and financial position for the
2021 Annual Report.
Other new accounting pronouncements
In addition to the above, the following new accounting pronouncements have also been issued and are not yet effective but the Group is not
expecting them to have a significant impact on the Group’s financial statements:
> Amendments to IAS 37 ‘Onerous contracts – Cost of fulfilling a contract’ issued in May 2020 and effective from 1 January 2022;
> Annual Improvements to IFRS 2018–2020 issued in May 2020 and effective from 1 January 2022;
> Amendments to IAS 16 ‘Property, Plant and Equipment: Proceeds before intended use’ issued in May 2020 and effective from 1 January 2022;
> Reference to the Conceptual Framework – Amendments to IFRS 3 ‘Business combination’ issued in May 2020 and effective from 1 January 2022;
> Amendments to IAS 1 ‘Classification of liabilities as current or non-current’ issued in January 2020 and effective from 1 January 2023. An
exposure draft was issued in November 2021 proposing for this effective date to be delayed to no earlier than 1 January 2024;
> Amendments to IAS 1 and IFRS Practice Statement 2 ‘Disclosure of accounting policies’ issued in February 2021 and effective from
1 January 2023;
> Amendments to IAS 8 ‘Definition of Accounting Estimates’ issued in February 2021 and effective from 1 January 2023; and
> Amendments to IAS 12 ‘Deferred tax related to assets and liabilities arising from a single transaction’ issued in May 2021 and effective from
1 January 2023.
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B1 Analysis of performance by segment
B1.1 Segment results
Continuing operations:
CPL
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Malaysia
Singapore
Growth markets and other note (ii)
Eastspring
Total segment profit
Other income and expenditure:
Investment return and other income
Interest payable on core structural borrowings note (iii)
Corporate expenditure note (iv)
Total other income and expenditure
Restructuring and IFRS 17 implementation costs note (v)
Adjusted operating profit
Short-term fluctuations in investment returns on shareholder-backed business note (vi)
Amortisation of acquisition accounting adjustments
(Loss) gain attaching to corporate transactions
Profit before tax attributable to shareholders
Tax charge attributable to shareholders’ returns
Profit for the year from continuing operations
Loss from discontinued US operations
(Loss) profit for the year
Attributable to:
Equity holders of the Company
From continuing operations
From discontinued US operations
Non-controlling interests
From continuing operations
From discontinued US operations
2021 $m
2020* $m
2021 vs 2020 %
Note
note (i)
AER
note (i)
CER
note (i)
AER
note (i)
CER
note (i)
343
975
446
350
663
932
314
251
891
519
309
574
835
283
269
889
529
313
589
841
286
4,023
3,662
3,716
(15)
(316)
(412)
(743)
(162)
2,757
(579)
(5)
735
2,908
(440)
2,468
(283)
(15)
(316)
(428)
(759)
(167)
2,790
(554)
(5)
733
2,964
(450)
2,514
(283)
2,185
2,231
37%
9%
(14)%
13%
16%
12%
11%
10%
n/a
(4)%
28%
19%
28%
10%
(16)%
12%
13%
11%
10%
8%
n/a
(4)%
30%
20%
(14)%
(11)%
17%
21%
0%
n/a
(8)%
(5)%
(10)%
n/a
n/a
16%
17%
0%
n/a
(10)%
(3)%
(12)%
n/a
n/a
2,458
(340)
2,504
(340)
(11)%
n/a
(12)%
n/a
2,118
2,164
10
57
67
10
57
67
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
B1.4
B1.4
B1.2
D1.1
B3
D1.2
21
(328)
(298)
(605)
(185)
3,233
(458)
(5)
(94)
2,676
(462)
2,214
(5,027)
(2,813)
2,192
(4,234)
(2,042)
22
(793)
(771)
(Loss) profit for the year
(2,813)
2,185
2,231
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Basic earnings per share (in cents)
Based on adjusted operating profit, net of tax and non-controlling interest
from continuing operations
Based on profit from continuing operations, net of non-controlling interest
Based on loss for the year from discontinued US operations, net of
non-controlling interest
2021
2020
2021 vs 2020 %
Note
AER
note (i)
CER
note (i)
AER
note (i)
CER
note (i)
B4
B4
101.5¢
83.4¢
86.6¢
94.6¢
87.6¢
96.4¢
17%
(12)%
16%
(13)%
B4
(161.1)¢
(13.0)¢
(13.1)¢
n/a
n/a
* The comparative results have been re-presented from those previously published to reflect the Group’s US operations as discontinued in 2021 (see note A1).
Notes
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
Segment results are attributed to the shareholders of the Group before deducting the amount attributable to the non-controlling interests. This presentation is applied consistently
throughout the document. For definitions of AER and CER refer to note A1.
For growth markets and other, adjusted operating profit includes other items of $217 million (2020: $119 million) which primarily comprise of taxes for life joint ventures and associates and
other non-recurring items, which in 2021 largely included the impact of refinements to the run-off of the allowance of prudence within technical provisions.
Included in the interest on core structural borrowings charged to the income statement of $(328) million was $(126) million related to the four tranches of debt that were redeemed in
December 2021 and January 2022 using the proceeds from the share offer during the year.
(iv) Corporate expenditure as shown above is for head office functions in London and Hong Kong.
(v)
(vi)
Restructuring and IFRS 17 implementation costs include those incurred in continuing insurance and asset management operations of $(101) million (2020: $(97) million).
In general, the short-term fluctuations reflect the value movements on shareholders’ assets and policyholder liabilities (net of reinsurance) arising from market movements in the year. In
2021, rising interest rates across most operations led to unrealised bond losses which more than offset the impact of higher discount rates on policyholder liabilities under the local reserving
basis applied and equity gains on shareholder-backed business in the year. This has led to the overall negative short-term investment fluctuations for total insurance and asset management
operations.
B1.2 Determining operating segments and performance measure of operating segments
Operating segments
The Group’s operating segments for financial reporting purposes are defined and presented in accordance with IFRS 8 ‘Operating Segments’ on the
basis of the management reporting structure and its financial management information.
Under the Group’s management and reporting structure, its chief operating decision maker is the Group Executive Committee (GEC), chaired by
the Group Chief Executive. In the management structure, responsibility is delegated to the Chief Executive, Asia and Africa, for the day-to-day
management of the insurance and asset management operations (within the framework set out in the Group Governance Manual). This in turn is
delegated to the Chief Executives of Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Growth markets (comprising Africa and the remaining Asia
subsidiary operations) and Eastspring, the Group’s Asia asset manager. CPL is managed jointly with CITIC, a Chinese state-owned conglomerate.
In the first quarter of 2021, the Group reviewed its operating segments for financial reporting under IFRS 8 following changes to the business and
financial management information provided to the GEC. As a result, performance measures for insurance operations are now analysed by
geographical areas for the larger business units of CPL, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, with Eastspring, the asset management
business, also analysed separately. All other Asia and Africa insurance operations are included in the ‘Growth markets and other’ segment alongside
other amounts that are not included in the segment profit of an individual business unit, including tax on life joint ventures and associates and other
items that are not representative of the underlying segment trading for the period. The 2020 comparatives have been re-presented to show the
new segments for comparison. On 13 September 2021, the Group completed the demerger of the US operations (Jackson Financial Inc.) from
the Prudential plc Group. Accordingly, the US operations do not represent an operating segment at the year end. The results of US operations have
been reclassified as discontinued in these consolidated financial statements in accordance with IFRS 5 ‘Non-current Assets Held for Sale and
Discontinued Operations’, and have therefore been excluded in the analysis of performance measure of operating segments.
Operations which do not form part of any business unit are reported as ‘Unallocated to a segment’ and comprise head office functions in London
and Hong Kong.
Performance measure
The performance measure of operating segments utilised by the Group is IFRS operating profit based on longer-term investment returns (adjusted
operating profit), as described below. This measurement basis distinguishes adjusted operating profit from other constituents of total profit or loss
for the period as follows:
> Short-term fluctuations in investment returns on shareholder-backed business;
> Amortisation of acquisition accounting adjustments arising on the purchase of business; and
> Gain or loss on corporate transactions, as discussed in note D1.1.
Determination of adjusted operating profit for investment and liability movements
(i) With-profits business
For with-profits business in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, the adjusted operating profit reflects the shareholders’ share in the bonuses
declared to policyholders. Value movements in the underlying assets of the with-profits funds only affect the shareholder results through indirect
effects of investment performance on declared policyholder bonuses and therefore, do not affect directly the determination of adjusted
operating profit.
(ii) Assets and liabilities held within unit-linked funds
The policyholder unit liabilities are directly reflective of the underlying asset value movements. Accordingly, the adjusted operating profit reflects
the current year value movements in both the unit liabilities and the backing assets, which offset one another.
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B1.2 Determining operating segments and performance measure of operating segments continued
(iii) Other shareholder-backed long-term insurance business
In the case of other shareholder-financed business, the measurement of adjusted operating profit reflects that, for the long-term insurance
business, assets and liabilities are held for the longer term. For this business the Group believes trends in underlying performance are better
understood if the effects of short-term fluctuations in market conditions, such as changes in interest rates or equity markets, are excluded. In
determining the profit on this basis, the following key elements are applied to the results of the Group’s shareholder-financed businesses.
(a) Policyholder liabilities that are sensitive to market conditions
Under IFRS, the degree to which the carrying values of liabilities to policyholders are sensitive to current market conditions varies between business
units depending upon the nature of the ‘grandfathered’ measurement basis. Taiwan and India apply US GAAP, whose policyholder liabilities are not
sensitive to market movements as they are locked in at policy inception.
Movements in liabilities for some types of business do require bifurcation between the elements that relate to longer-term market condition and
short-term effects to ensure that at the net level (ie after allocated investment return and charge for policyholder benefits) the adjusted operating
profit reflects longer-term market returns.
For certain non-participating business, for example in Hong Kong, the economic features are more akin to asset management products with
policyholder liabilities reflecting asset shares over the contract term. Consequently, for these products, the charge for policyholder benefits in the
adjusted operating profit reflects the asset share feature rather than volatile movements that would otherwise be reflected if the local regulatory
basis (as applied for the IFRS balance sheet) was used.
For other types of non-participating business, expected longer-term investment returns and interest rates are used to determine the movement
in policyholder liabilities for determining adjusted operating profit. This ensures assets and liabilities are reflected on a consistent basis.
(b) Assets backing other shareholder-backed long-term insurance business
Except in the case of assets backing liabilities which are directly matched (such as unit-linked business) adjusted operating profit for assets backing
shareholder-financed business is determined on the basis of expected longer-term investment returns. Longer-term investment returns comprise
actual income receivable for the year (interest/dividend income) and longer-term capital returns, determined for debt and equity-type securities on
the basis described below. The difference between the actual investment returns in the reporting period and the longer-term investment returns is
recognised within short-term fluctuations in investment returns.
Debt securities and loans
As a general principle, for debt securities and loans, the longer-term investment returns comprise the interest receivable for the year and the
amortisation of interest-related realised gains and losses to the date when sold securities would have otherwise matured (or a suitable proxy for this
period). All unrealised gains and losses are treated as a component of short-term investment fluctuations. Consideration is given to the need to
recognise an expected longer-term level of defaults for the securities within the longer-term investment returns, based on past performance and
having regard to the credit quality of the portfolio, with any difference with actual credit-related realised losses arising in the year being included in
short-term fluctuations. If, under this analysis, realised gains and losses are principally considered to be interest related with no significant credit-
related losses based on past performance, then all realised gains and losses to date for these operations are treated as interest related and
amortised to adjusted operating profit over the period to the date those securities would otherwise have matured and no separate charge to
longer-term investment returns for credit defaults is made.
For Group debt securities at 31 December 2021, the level of interest-related realised gains and losses on previously sold bonds that had yet to be
amortised to adjusted operating profit from short-term investment fluctuations was a net gain of $515 million (2020: net gain of $525 million).
Equity-type securities
For equity-type securities, the longer-term rates of return are estimates of the long-term trend investment returns for income and capital having
regard to past performance, current trends and future expectations. Different rates apply to different categories of equity-type securities.
For continuing insurance operations, investments in equity-type securities held for non-linked shareholder-backed business amounted to
$6,073 million as at 31 December 2021 (31 December 2020: $4,963 million). The longer-term rates of return applied in 2021 ranged from
5.5 per cent to 16.9 per cent (2020: 5.1 per cent to 16.9 per cent) with the rates applied varying by business unit. These rates are broadly stable from
year to year but may be different between regions, reflecting, for example, differing expectations of inflation in each local business unit. The
assumptions are for the returns expected to apply in equilibrium conditions. The assumed rates of return do not reflect any cyclical variability in
economic performance and are not set by reference to prevailing asset valuations. The longer-term investment returns for the insurance joint
ventures and associates accounted for using the equity method are determined on a similar basis as the other insurance operations described above.
Derivative value movements
Generally, derivative value movements are excluded from adjusted operating profit. The exception is where the derivative value movements broadly
offset changes in the accounting value of other assets and liabilities included in adjusted operating profit.
(iv) Other non-insurance businesses
For these businesses, the determination of adjusted operating profit reflects the underlying economic substance of the arrangements. Generally,
realised gains and losses are included in adjusted operating profit with temporary unrealised gains and losses being included in short-term
fluctuations. In some instances, realised gains and losses on derivatives and other financial instruments are amortised to adjusted operating profit
over a time period that reflects the underlying economic substance of the arrangements.
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Prudential plc
Annual Report 2021
prudentialplc.com
B Earnings performance / continued B1.3 Revenue from continuing operations
Premiums and annuity considerations for conventional and other protection type insurance policies are recognised as revenue when due. Premiums
and annuity considerations for linked policies and other investment type policies are recognised as revenue when received or, in the case of unitised
or unit-linked policies, when units are issued. These amounts exclude premium taxes and similar duties where Prudential collects and settles taxes
borne by the policyholder.
Policy fees charged on linked policies for mortality, morbidity, asset management and policy administration are recognised when related services
are provided.
(a) Analysis of total revenue by segment
Insurance operations note (i)
2021 $m
Hong Kong
Indonesia Malaysia
Singapore
Growth
markets
and other Eastspring
Inter-
segment
.elimination
Total
segment
Unallocated
to a segment Group total
Gross premiums earned
Outward reinsurance premiums
10,032
(1,557)
1,724
(43)
Earned premiums, net of reinsurance
Other income note (ii)
Total external revenue note (iii)
Intra-group revenue
Interest income note B1.3b
Dividend and other investment income
Investment appreciation (depreciation)
8,475
52
8,527
–
934
679
57
Total revenue, net of reinsurance
10,197
1,681
12
1,693
–
87
74
34
1,888
1,900
(47)
1,853
–
1,853
–
220
160
(300)
6,246
(137)
6,109
22
6,131
–
707
506
(29)
4,315
(60)
4,255
117
4,372
1
618
86
(361)
1,933
7,315
4,716
–
–
–
437
437
217
3
–
8
665
–
–
–
–
–
(218)
–
–
–
24,217
(1,844)
22,373
640
23,013
–
2,569
1,505
(591)
–
–
–
1
1
–
1
19
(17)
24,217
(1,844)
22,373
641
23,014
–
2,570
1,524
(608)
(218)
26,496
4
26,500
Insurance operations note (i)
2020 $m
Hong Kong
Indonesia Malaysia
Singapore
Growth
markets
and other Eastspring
Inter -
segment
.elimination
Total
segment
Unallocated
to a segment Group total
Gross premiums earned
Outward reinsurance premiums note (iv)
11,091
(1,918)
Earned premiums, net of reinsurance
Other income note (ii)
Total external revenue note (iii)
Intra-group revenue
Interest income note B1.3b
Dividend and other investment income
Investment appreciation (depreciation)
9,173
59
9,232
–
646
646
7,493
1,738
(62)
1,676
8
1,684
–
104
86
(201)
Total revenue, net of reinsurance
18,017
1,673
1,783
(27)
1,756
–
1,756
–
210
99
369
2,434
5,035
432
5,467
38
5,505
–
447
364
2,045
8,361
3,848
(50)
3,798
91
3,889
1
570
65
765
5,290
–
–
–
417
417
164
5
5
21
612
–
–
–
–
–
(165)
–
–
–
23,495
(1,625)
21,870
613
22,483
–
1,982
1,265
10,492
–
–
–
2
2
–
15
32
(24)
23,495
(1,625)
21,870
615
22,485
–
1,997
1,297
10,468
(165)
36,222
25
36,247
Notes
(i)
(ii)
CPL, Prudential’s life business in China, is a 50/50 joint venture with CITIC and is accounted for using the equity method under IFRS. The Group’s share of its results is presented in a single line
within the Group’s profit before tax on a net of related tax basis, and therefore not shown in the analysis of revenue line items above. Revenue from external customers of CPL (Prudential’s
share) in 2021 is $3,052 million (2020: $1,866 million). Further financial information on CPL is provided in note D6.3.
Other income comprises income from external customers and consists primarily of revenue from the Group’s asset management business of $437 million (2020: $417 million). The
remaining other income consists primarily of policy fee revenue from external customers and asset management rebate revenue from external fund managers. Also included in other
income is fee income on financial instruments that are not held at fair value through profit or loss of $1 million (2020: $1 million).
(iii) Due to the nature of the business of the Group, there is no reliance on any major customers. Of the Group’s markets, only Hong Kong and Singapore have external revenue that exceeds
10 per cent of the Group total for all years presented.
The 2020 outward reinsurance premiums in Singapore included a credit of $542 million for the recapture of previously reinsured business following a change in regulatory requirements.
(iv)
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Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information B1 Analysis of performance by segment continued
B1.3 Revenue from continuing operations continued
(b) Additional analysis of investment return
Investment return included in the income statement principally comprises interest income, dividends, investment appreciation and depreciation
(realised and unrealised gains and losses) on investments designated as fair value through profit or loss, and realised gains and losses (including
impairment losses) on items held at amortised cost and/or designated as available-for-sale. Movements in unrealised appreciation or depreciation
of securities designated as available-for-sale are recorded in other comprehensive income. Interest income is recognised as it accrues. Dividends on
equity securities are recognised on the ex-dividend date and rental income is recognised on an accrual basis.
Realised and unrealised gains (losses) on securities at fair value through profit or loss note (i)
Realised and unrealised (losses) gains on derivatives at fair value through profit or loss note (i)
Realised (losses) gains on loans note (i)
Interest income note (ii)
Dividends
Other investment returns (including foreign exchange gains and losses)
Investment return from continuing operations
2021 $m
2020 $m
624
(943)
(2)
2,570
1,496
(259)
3,486
9,741
916
–
1,997
1,257
(149)
13,762
Notes
(i)
(ii)
Realised gains and losses on the Group’s investments from continuing operations for 2021 recognised in the income statement amounted to a net gain of $6.0 billion (2020: a net gain of
$4.9 billion).
Interest income from continuing operations includes $280 million (2020: $257 million) in respect of financial assets not at fair value through profit and loss.
The overall financial strength of Prudential and the results, both current and future, of the insurance business are in part dependent upon the quality
and performance of the various investment portfolios. Prudential’s insurance investments support a range of businesses operating in many
geographic areas. Each of the operations formulates a strategy based on the nature of its underlying liabilities, its level of capital and its local
regulatory requirements. Prudential’s insurance business’s investments, excluding assets to cover linked liabilities and those attributable to external
unit holders of consolidated investment funds, are largely held by Prudential’s Singapore and Hong Kong operations.
All investments of the Group’s continuing operations are carried at fair value in the statement of financial position with fair value movements,
which are volatile from period to period, recorded in the income statement, except for loans and receivables, which are generally carried at
amortised cost (unless designated at fair value through profit or loss) and the Group’s retained interest in Jackson and certain centrally held debt
securities, which are designated as available-for-sale and therefore the changes in unrealised fair value are booked in other comprehensive income.
Subject to the effect of the exceptions, the period-on-period changes in investment returns primarily reflect the generality of overall market
movements for equities and debt securities. In addition, foreign exchange rates affect the US dollar value of the translated income. Consistent with
the treatment applied for other items of income and expenditure, investment return for operations not using US dollars as functional currency is
translated at average exchange rates. The year-on-year movements in investment return of the Group mainly reflect the cumulative impact from
the changes in interest rates on bond asset values and in the performance of the equity markets.
Allocation of investment return between policyholders and shareholders
Investment return is attributable to policyholders and shareholders. A key feature of the accounting policies under IFRS is that the investment return
included in the income statement relates to all investment assets of the Group, irrespective of whether the return is attributable to shareholders,
policyholders or the unallocated surplus of with-profits funds, the latter two of which have no direct impact on shareholders’ profit. The table below
provides a breakdown of the investment return attributable to each type of business.
Continuing operations:
Policyholder returns
Assets backing unit-linked liabilities
With-profits business
Shareholder returns
Total investment return from continuing operations
2021 $m
2020 $m
516
2,700
3,216
270
3,486
1,549
8,384
9,933
3,829
13,762
Policyholder returns
Investment returns allocated to policyholders are those from investments in which shareholders have no direct economic interest, namely
unit-linked business for which the investment returns are wholly attributable to policyholders and with-profits business in which the shareholders’
economic interest (and the basis of recognising IFRS basis profits) is restricted to a share of the actuarially determined surplus for distribution.
Except for this surplus, the investment returns of the with-profits funds are attributable to policyholders (through the asset-share liabilities) or the
unallocated surplus, which is accounted for as a liability under IFRS 4 as shown in note C3.
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B Earnings performance / continued Shareholder returns
For shareholder-backed non-with-profits business, the investment returns are not directly attributable to policyholders and, therefore, impact
shareholders’ profit directly.
B1.4 Profit after tax from continuing operations by segment
CPL
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Malaysia
Singapore
Growth markets and other
Eastspring
Total segment
Unallocated to a segment (central operations) note
Group total profit after tax from continuing operations
2021 $m
2020 $m
278
1,068
362
265
394
434
284
3,085
(871)
2,214
394
994
409
256
521
548
253
3,375
(907)
2,468
Note
Comprising of other income and expenditure of $(605) million (2020: $(743) million) attributable to the head office functions in London and Hong Kong and $(185) million (2020: $(162) million) of
restructuring and IFRS 17 implementation costs as shown in note B1.1, $(25) million (2020: $28 million) of short-term fluctuations on investment returns, $(35) million (2020: $(30) million) from
corporate transactions as shown in note D1.1 and related tax of $(21) million (2020: nil).
B2 Acquisition costs and other expenditure
Acquisition costs incurred for insurance policies note (iii)
Acquisition costs deferred
Amortisation of acquisition costs note (iii)
Administration costs and other expenditure (net of other reinsurance commission) notes (i)(ii)(iii)(iv)
Movements in amounts attributable to external unit holders of consolidated investment funds
Total acquisition costs and other expenditure from continuing operations
2021 $m
2020 $m
(2,089)
848
(343)
(3,128)
152
(4,560)
(2,080)
617
(308)
(2,433)
(447)
(4,651)
Notes
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
Included in total administration costs and other expenditure from continuing operations is depreciation of property, plant and equipment of $(169) million (2020: $(186) million), of which
$(123) million (2020: $(134) million) relates to the right-of-use assets recognised under IFRS 16. The 2020 amount also included a credit of $770 million for the commission arising from the
reinsurance transaction entered into by the Hong Kong business during the year.
Administration costs and other expenditure from continuing operations includes fee expenses relating to financial liabilities held at amortised cost and are part of the determination of the
effective interest rate.
Total depreciation and amortisation expense from continuing operations are included in ‘Acquisition costs incurred for insurance policies’, ‘Administration costs and other expenditure’ and
‘Amortisation of acquisition costs’ and relates primarily to amortisation of DAC of insurance contracts and distribution rights intangibles. The segmental analysis of depreciation and
amortisation is shown below.
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Malaysia
Singapore
Growth markets and other
Eastspring
Total segment
Unallocated to a segment (central operations)
Total depreciation and amortisation from continuing operations
2021 $m
2020 $m
(123)
(51)
(56)
(162)
(390)
(17)
(799)
(31)
(830)
(158)
(34)
(37)
(144)
(301)
(16)
(690)
(35)
(725)
(iv)
Interest expense is included in ‘Administration costs and other expenditure’ other than interest on core structural borrowings that is presented separately on the income statement as finance
costs. Interest expense of the central operations amounted to $(331) million (2020: $(334) million) comprising $(328) million (2020: $(316) million) of interest on core structural borrowings
and $(3) million of interest on lease liabilities (2020: $(4) million) and nil (2020: $(14) million) of interest on other operational borrowings. The interest expense of the other segments of
$(10) million (2020: $(13) million) comprises wholly of interest on lease liabilities and is distributed evenly across these segments. Excluding interest on lease liabilities, the interest expense
of the continuing operations of $(328) million (2020: $(330) million) relates to interest on financial liabilities that are not at fair value through profit and loss.
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Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information B2 Acquisition costs and other expenditure continued
B2.1 Staff and employment costs
The average number of staff employed by the Group, for both continuing and discontinued operations, during the years shown was:
Asia and Africa operations note (i)
Head office function note (ii)
Total continuing operations
Discontinued US operations note (iii)
Total Group
2021
13,237
600
13,837
3,306
17,143
2020
12,949
657
13,606
3,650
17,256
Notes
(i)
(ii)
(iii) Average staff numbers of the discontinued US operations were for the period up to the demerger in September 2021.
The Asia and Africa operations staff numbers above exclude 440 (2020: 502) commission-based sales staff who have an employment contract with the Company.
The ‘Head office function’ staff numbers include staff based in London and Hong Kong.
The costs of employment, for both continuing and discontinued operations, were:
Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Defined contribution schemes
Total Group*
2021 $m
2020 $m
Continuing
Discontinued*
Group total
Continuing
Discontinued
Group total
973
42
42
1,057
511
22
29
562
1,484
64
71
1,619
917
41
42
1,000
619
26
34
679
1,536
67
76
1,679
* Total costs of employment in the table above include staff costs of the discontinued US operations for the period up to the demerger in September 2021.
B2.2 Share-based payment
The Group offers discretionary share awards to certain key employees and all-employee share plans in the UK and a number of Asia locations. The
compensation expense charged to the income statement is primarily based upon the fair value of the awards granted, the vesting period and the
vesting conditions. The Company has established trusts to facilitate the delivery of Prudential plc shares under some of these plans. The cost to the
Company of acquiring these newly issued shares held in trusts is shown as a deduction from shareholders’ equity.
(a) Description of the plans
The Group operates a number of share award plans that provides Prudential plc shares, or ADRs, to participants upon vesting. The plans in
operation include the Prudential Long Term Incentive Plan, the Prudential Annual Incentive Plan, savings-related share option schemes, share
purchase plans and deferred bonus plans. Where Executive Directors participate in these plans, details about those schemes are provided in the
Directors’ remuneration report. The following information is provided about plans in which the Executive Directors do not participate:
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B Earnings performance / continued Share scheme
Description
Prudential Corporation Asia Long-Term
Incentive Plan (PCA LTIP)
The PCA LTIP provides eligible employees with conditional awards. Awards are discretionary and
vest after three years subject to the employee being in employment. Vesting of awards may also
be subject to performance conditions. All awards are generally made in Prudential shares. In
countries where share awards are not feasible for reasons including securities and/or tax
considerations, awards will be replaced by the cash value of the shares that would otherwise have
vested.
Prudential Agency Long-Term Incentive
Plan (LTIP)
Certain agents are eligible to be granted awards in Prudential shares under the Prudential Agency
LTIP. These awards are structured in a similar way to the PCA LTIP described above.
Restricted Share Plan (RSP)
Deferred bonus plans
Savings-related share option
schemes note
Share purchase plans
The Company operates the RSP for certain employees. Awards under this plan are discretionary,
and the vesting of awards may be subject to performance conditions. All awards are made in
Prudential shares.
The Company operates a number of deferred bonus plans including the Group Deferred Bonus
Plan (GDBP) and the Prudential Corporation Asia Deferred Bonus Plan (PCA DBP). There are no
performance conditions attached to deferred share awards made under these arrangements.
Employees and eligible agents in a number of geographies are eligible for plans similar to the
HMRC-approved Save As You Earn (SAYE) share option scheme in the UK. During the year ended
31 December 2021, eligible agents based in certain business units can participate in the
International Savings-Related Share Option Scheme for Non-Employees.
Eligible employees outside the UK are invited to participate in arrangements similar to the
Company’s HMRC-approved UK SIP, which allows the purchase of Prudential plc shares. Staff
based in Asia are eligible to participate in the Prudential Corporation Asia All Employee Share
Purchase Plan.
Note
The total numbers of securities available for issue under the scheme is disclosed in note I(vii) in additional unaudited financial information.
(b) Outstanding options and awards
The following table shows the movement in outstanding options and awards under the Group’s share-based compensation plans:
Balance at beginning of year:
Granted
Modification
Exercised
Forfeited
Cancelled
Lapsed/Expired
Jackson awards derecognised on demerger
Balance at end of year
Options immediately exercisable at end of year
Options outstanding under SAYE schemes
Awards outstanding under
incentive plans
2021
2020
2021
2020
Number
of options
millions
Weighted
average
exercise price
£
Number
of options
millions
Weighted
average
exercise price
£
Number of awards
millions
2.3
0.4
0.1
(0.7)
–
(0.1)
–
–
2.0
0.2
11.86
11.90
11.77
12.58
11.11
11.51
12.88
–
11.61
12.26
3.8
0.4
–
(0.9)
–
(0.1)
(0.9)
–
2.3
0.5
12.38
9.64
–
11.44
14.27
12.55
13.28
–
11.86
12.64
40.6
5.2
0.7
(8.6)
(3.1)
(0.1)
(0.6)
(9.5)
24.6
33.0
20.2
–
(10.3)
(1.5)
(0.1)
(0.7)
–
40.6
On demerger of Jackson from the Prudential Group, outstanding share awards for Prudential plc participants were adjusted to receive the demerger
dividend in the form of additional Prudential plc shares, to be released on the same timetable and to the same extent as their original share awards.
In the case of the International Savings-Related Share Option Scheme for Non Employees the adjustments to outstanding options were confirmed
as being fair and reasonable by an independent financial adviser in accordance with the rules of that plan and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange
Listing Rules.
Employees of Jackson were granted replacement awards over Jackson shares, in exchange for existing Group awards outstanding under incentive
plans. As designated replacement awards were granted, no cancellation was recognised in respect of the original awards. As the replacement
awards are an obligation of Jackson these awards were derecognised by the Group on demerger.
The weighted average share price of Prudential plc for 2021 was £14.31 (2020: £11.64).
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Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information B2 Acquisition costs and other expenditure continued
B2.2 Share-based payment continued
The following table provides a summary of the range of exercise prices for Prudential plc options outstanding at 31 December:
Outstanding
Weighted average
remaining contractual
life
years
Number outstanding
millions
Exercisable
Weighted average
exercise prices
£
Number exercisable
millions
Weighted average
exercise prices
£
2021
2020
2021
2020
2021
0.4
1.2
0.2
0.2
2.0
0.4
1.2
0.3
0.4
2.3
3.2
2.7
1.6
1.4
2.6
4.2
2.2
2.2
1.3
2.4
9.64
11.38
13.94
14.55
11.61
2020
9.64
11.11
13.94
14.55
11.86
2021
2020
2021
–
0.1
0.1
–
0.2
–
0.3
–
0.2
0.5
–
11.04
13.94
–
12.26
2020
–
11.11
–
14.55
12.64
Between £9 and £10
Between £11 and £12
Between £13 and £14
Between £14 and £15
Weighted average
The years shown above for weighted average remaining contractual life include the time period from end of vesting period to expiration of contract.
(c) Fair value of options and awards
The fair value amounts estimated on the date of grant relating to all options and awards were determined by using the following assumptions:
Dividend yield (%)
Expected volatility (%)
Risk-free interest rate (%)
Expected option life (years)
Weighted average exercise price (£)
Weighted average share price at grant date (£)
Weighted average fair value at grant date (£)
2021
2020
Prudential
LTIP (TSR)
SAYE
options
Other
awards
Prudential
LTIP (TSR)
SAYE
options
Other
awards
–
26.69
0.36
–
–
15.11
7.70
0.81
22.31
1.18
4.50
14.76
11.90
4.13
–
–
–
–
–
–
14.79
–
41.08
0.39
–
–
10.49
4.93
3.45
27.55
0.27
3.92
10.74
9.64
1.95
–
–
–
–
–
–
10.54
The compensation costs for all awards and options are recognised in net income over the plans’ respective vesting periods. The Group uses the
Black-Scholes model to value all options, and financial equivalence to value all awards other than those which have TSR performance conditions
attached (some Prudential LTIP and RSP awards) for which the Group uses a Monte Carlo model in order to allow for the impact of these conditions.
These models are used to calculate fair values for share options and awards at the grant date based on the quoted market price of the stock at the
measurement date, the amount, if any, that the employees are required to pay, the dividend yield, expected volatility, risk-free interest rates and
exercise prices.
For all options and awards, the expected volatility is based on the market implied volatilities as quoted on Bloomberg. The Prudential specific
at-the-money implied volatilities are adjusted to allow for the different terms and discounted exercise price on SAYE options by using information on
the volatility surface of the FTSE 100.
Risk-free interest rates are taken from swap spot rates with projection terms matching the corresponding vesting periods. For awards with a TSR
condition, volatilities and correlations between Prudential and a basket of 12 competitor companies is required. For grants in 2021, the average
volatility for the basket of competitors was 23.62 per cent (2020: 41.40 per cent). Correlations for the basket are calculated for each pairing from the
log of daily TSR returns for the three years prior to the valuation date. Market implied volatilities are used for both Prudential and the basket of
competitors. Changes to the subjective input assumptions could materially affect the fair value estimate.
Other awards, without market performance conditions or exercise price, are valued based on grant date share price.
(d) Share-based payment expense charged to the income statement
The total expense for continuing operations recognised in 2021 in the consolidated financial statements relating to share-based compensation is
$100 million (2020: $103 million), of which $94 million (2020: $97 million) is accounted for as equity-settled.
The Group had $32 million of liabilities at 31 December 2021 (31 December 2020: $32 million) relating to share-based payment awards
accounted for as cash-settled.
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B Earnings performance / continued B2.3 Key management remuneration
Key management constitutes the Directors of Prudential plc, as they have authority and responsibility for planning, directing and controlling the
activities of the Group, and other non-director members of the Group Executive Committee.
Total key management remuneration is analysed in the following table:
Salaries and short-term benefits
Post-employment benefits
Share-based payments
Payments on separation
2021 $m
2020 $m
29.3
1.4
14.0
23.5
68.2
20.0
1.2
14.6
–
35.8
The share-based payments charge comprises $7.5 million (2020: $10.7 million), which is determined in accordance with IFRS 2 ‘Share-based
Payment’ (see note B2.2) and $6.5 million (2020: $3.9 million) of deferred share awards.
B2.4 Fees payable to the auditor
Audit of the Company’s annual accounts
Audit of subsidiaries pursuant to legislation
Audit fees payable to the auditor
Audit-related assurance services note (i)
Other assurance services
Services relating to corporate finance transactions
Non-audit fees payable to the auditor
Total fees payable to the auditor
Analysed into:
Fees payable to the auditor attributable to continuing operations
One-off non-audit services associated with demerger and public offering note (ii)
Other audit and non-audit services
Fees payable to the auditor attributable to discontinued US operations
2021 $m
2020 $m
2.4
5.9
8.3
4.5
1.1
1.6
7.2
15.5
1.9
11.3
13.2
2.3
15.5
2.3
9.2
11.5
3.5
0.7
0.3
4.5
16.0
0.4
9.5
9.9
6.1
16.0
Notes
(i)
(ii)
Of the audit-related assurance service fees of $4.5 million in 2021 (2020: $3.5 million), $0.6 million (2020: $0.7 million) relates to services that are required by law and regulation.
Of the $1.9 million one-off non-audit services fees associated with the demerger of the US operations and the public offering in Hong Kong in 2021. $0.1 million was for audit-related
assurance and $0.1 million for other assurance services required by law and regulation.
B3 Tax charge from continuing operations
Prudential is subject to tax in numerous jurisdictions and the calculation of the total tax charge inherently involves a degree of estimation and
judgement. Current tax expense is charged or credited based upon amounts estimated to be payable or recoverable as a result of taxable amounts
for the current year and adjustments made in relation to prior years. The positions taken in tax returns where applicable tax regulation is subject to
interpretation are recognised in full in the determination of the tax charge in the financial statements if the Group considers that it is probable that
the taxation authority will accept those positions. Otherwise, provisions are established based on the likely amount of the liability, or recovery, by
providing for the single best estimate of the most likely outcome or the weighted average expected value where there are multiple outcomes.
The total tax charge includes tax expense attributable to both policyholders and shareholders. The tax expense attributable to policyholders
comprises the tax on the income of the consolidated with-profits and unit-linked funds. In certain jurisdictions, life insurance companies are taxed
on both their shareholders’ profits and on their policyholders’ insurance and investment returns on certain insurance and investment products.
Although both types of tax are included in the total tax charge in the Group’s consolidated income statement, they are presented separately in the
consolidated income statement to provide the most relevant information about tax that the Group pays on its profits.
Deferred taxes are provided under the liability method for all relevant temporary differences. IAS 12 ‘Income Taxes’ does not require all
temporary differences to be provided for, in particular, the Group does not provide for deferred tax on undistributed earnings of subsidiaries where
the Group is able to control the timing of the distribution and the temporary difference created is not expected to reverse in the foreseeable future.
Deferred tax assets are only recognised when it is more likely than not that future taxable profits will be available against which these losses can be
utilised.
Deferred tax is measured at the tax rates that are expected to apply to the period when the asset is realised or the liability settled, based on tax
rates (and laws) that have been enacted or are substantively enacted at the end of the reporting period.
261
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information B3 Tax charge from continuing operations continued
B3.1 Total tax charge by nature
The total tax charge from continuing operations in the income statement is as follows:
Tax charge
Attributable to shareholders:
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Malaysia
Singapore
Growth markets and other
Eastspring
Total segment
Unallocated to a segment (central operations)
Tax charge attributable to shareholders
Attributable to policyholders:
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Malaysia
Singapore
Growth markets and other
Tax charge attributable to policyholders
Total tax charge from continuing operations
2021 $m
2020 $m
(40)
(74)
(71)
(67)
(159)
(30)
(441)
(21)
(462)
(79)
4
(2)
(261)
(4)
(342)
(804)
(15)
(125)
(58)
(87)
(125)
(30)
(440)
–
(440)
(60)
(3)
(34)
(170)
(4)
(271)
(711)
Profit before tax includes Prudential’s share of profit after tax from the joint ventures and associates that are equity-accounted for. Therefore, the
actual tax charge in the income statement does not include tax arising from the results of joint ventures and associates including CPL.
The reconciliation of the expected to actual tax charge attributable to shareholders is provided in B3.2 below. The tax charge attributable to
policyholders of $(342) million (2020: $(271) million) above is equal to the profit before tax attributable to policyholders. This is the result of
accounting for policyholder income after the deduction of expenses and movement on unallocated surpluses on an after-tax basis.
The total tax (charge) credit from continuing operations comprises:
Current tax expense:
Corporation tax
Adjustments in respect of prior years
Total current tax charge
Deferred tax arising from:
Origination and reversal of temporary differences
Impact of changes in local statutory tax rates
Credit in respect of a previously unrecognised tax loss, tax credit or temporary difference from a prior period
Total deferred tax charge
Total tax charge from continuing operations
2021 $m
2020 $m
(405)
6
(399)
(388)
–
(17)
(405)
(804)
(376)
(7)
(383)
(306)
(1)
(21)
(328)
(711)
262
Prudential plc
Annual Report 2021
prudentialplc.com
B Earnings performance / continued
B3.2 Reconciliation of shareholder effective tax rate
In the reconciliation below, the expected tax rate reflects the corporation tax rates that are expected to apply to the taxable profit or loss of the
continuing operations. It reflects the corporation tax rates of each jurisdiction weighted by reference to the amount of profit or loss contributing to
the aggregate result from continuing operations.
Continuing operations:
Adjusted operating profit
Non-operating (loss) profit note (i)
Profit before tax
Tax charge at the expected rate
Effects of recurring tax reconciliation items:
Income not taxable or taxable at concessionary rates note (ii)
Deductions not allowable for tax purposes
Items related to taxation of life insurance businesses note (iii)
Deferred tax adjustments including unrecognised tax losses note (iv)
Effect of results of joint ventures and associates note (v)
Irrecoverable withholding taxes note (vi)
Other
Total credit
Effects of non-recurring tax reconciliation items:
Adjustments to tax charge in relation to prior years
Movements in provisions for open tax matters note (vii)
Impact of changes in local statutory tax rates
Adjustments in relation to business disposals and corporate transactions
Total credit
Total actual tax charge
Analysed into:
Tax charge on adjusted operating profit
Tax credit on non-operating result note (i)
Actual tax rate on:
Adjusted operating profit:
Including non-recurring tax reconciling items note (viii)
Excluding non-recurring tax reconciling items
Total profit note (viii)
2021
2020
Tax
attributable to
shareholders
$m
Percentage
impact
on ETR
%
Tax
attributable to
shareholders
$m
Percentage
impact on ETR
%
20%
(2)%
3%
(7)%
4%
(3)%
2%
1%
(2)%
0%
(2)%
0%
1%
(1)%
17%
3,233
(557)
2,676
(539)
63
(92)
177
(111)
80
(60)
(8)
49
(11)
47
6
(14)
28
(462)
(548)
86
17%
18%
17%
2,757
151
2,908
(602)
102
(32)
152
(172)
129
(35)
17
161
(25)
33
(1)
(6)
1
(440)
(497)
57
18%
18%
15%
21%
(4)%
1%
(5)%
6%
(4)%
1%
(1)%
(6)%
1%
(1)%
0%
0%
0%
15%
263
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information B3 Tax charge from continuing operations continued
B3.2 Reconciliation of shareholder effective tax rate continued
Notes
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
(vi)
‘Non-operating (loss) profit’ is used to refer to items excluded from adjusted operating profit and includes short-term investment fluctuations in investment returns on shareholder-backed
business, corporate transactions and amortisation of acquisition accounting adjustments.
Income not taxable or taxable at concessionary rates primarily relates to non-taxable investment income in Singapore and Malaysia.
Items related to taxation of life insurance businesses primarily relates to Hong Kong where the taxable profit is computed as 5 per cent of net insurance premiums.
The unrecognised tax losses reconciling amount reflects losses arising where it is unlikely that relief for the losses will be available in future periods.
Profit before tax includes Prudential’s share of profit after tax from the joint ventures and associates. Therefore, the actual tax charge does not include tax arising from profit or loss of joint
ventures and associates and is reflected as a reconciling item.
The Group incurs withholding tax on remittances received from certain jurisdictions and on certain investment income. Where these withholding taxes cannot be offset against corporate
income tax or otherwise recovered, they represent a cost to the Group. Irrecoverable withholding tax on remittances is included in Other operations and is not allocated to any segment.
Irrecoverable withholding tax on investment income is included in the relevant segment where the investment income is reflected.
(vii) The statement of financial position contains the following provisions in relation to open tax matters:
Balance at 1 Jan
Removal of discontinued US operations
Movements in the current year included in tax charge attributable to shareholders
Provisions utilised in the year
Other movements (including interest arising on open tax matters and amounts included in the Group’s share of profits from
joint ventures and associates, net of related tax)
Balance at 31 Dec
(viii) The actual tax rates of the relevant business operations are shown below:
2021 $m
113
(3)
(47)
(4)
(17)
42
Tax rate on adjusted operating profit
Tax rate on profit before tax
5%
4%
17%
17%
21%
21%
15%
15%
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Malaysia
Singapore
Growth
markets
and other
22%
27%
Eastspring
Other
operations
Total
attributable to
shareholders
10%
10%
(3)%
(2)%
17%
17%
2021 %
Tax rate on adjusted operating profit
Tax rate on profit before tax
3%
1%
24%
23%
18%
18%
14%
14%
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Malaysia
Singapore
Growth
markets
and other
22%
19%
Eastspring
Other
operations
Total
attributable to
shareholders
11%
11%
0%
0%
18%
15%
2020 %
264
Prudential plc
Annual Report 2021
prudentialplc.com
B Earnings performance / continued B4 Earnings per share
Based on adjusted operating profit
Short-term fluctuations in investment returns on shareholder-
backed business
Amortisation of acquisition accounting adjustments
Loss attaching to corporate transactions
Based on profit from continuing operations
Based on loss from discontinued US operations
Based on loss for the year
Based on adjusted operating profit
Short-term fluctuations in investment returns on shareholder-
backed business
Amortisation of acquisition accounting adjustments
Gain attaching to corporate transactions
Based on profit from continuing operations
Based on loss from discontinued US operations
Based on profit for the year
Note
D1.1
D1.2
Note
D1.1
D1.2
2021
Non-
controlling
interests
$m
Net of tax
and non-
controlling
interests
$m
Basic
earnings
per share
cents
Diluted
earnings
per share
cents
(17)
2,668
101.5¢
101.5¢
(5)
–
–
(382)
(5)
(89)
(14.5)¢
(0.2)¢
(3.4)¢
(14.5)¢
(0.2)¢
(3.4)¢
Before
tax
$m
3,233
(458)
(5)
(94)
Tax
$m
(548)
81
–
5
2,676
(462)
(22)
2,192
83.4¢
83.4¢
(4,234)
(161.1)¢
(161.1)¢
(2,042)
(77.7)¢
(77.7)¢
2020
Non-
controlling
interests
$m
Net of tax
and non-
controlling
interests
$m
Basic
earnings
per share
cents
Diluted
earnings
per share
cents
(10)
2,250
86.6¢
86.6¢
–
–
–
(530)
(5)
743
(20.4)¢
(0.2)¢
28.6¢
94.6¢
(20.4)¢
(0.2)¢
28.6¢
94.6¢
(340)
(13.0)¢
(13.0)¢
2,118
81.6¢
81.6¢
Before
tax
$m
2,757
(579)
(5)
735
Tax
$m
(497)
49
–
8
2,908
(440)
(10)
2,458
Basic earnings per share are calculated based on earnings attributable to ordinary shareholders, after related tax and non-controlling interests,
divided by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the year, excluding those held in employee share trusts, which are
treated as cancelled. For diluted earnings per share, the weighted average number of shares in issue is adjusted to assume conversion of all dilutive
potential ordinary shares. The Group’s only class of potentially dilutive ordinary shares are those share options granted to employees where the
exercise price is less than the average market price of the Company’s ordinary shares during the year. No adjustment is made if the impact is
anti-dilutive overall.
The weighted average number of shares for calculating basic and diluted earnings per share, which excludes those held in employee share trusts,
is set out as below:
Number of shares (in millions)
Weighted average number of shares for calculation of basic earnings per share
Shares under option at end of year
Shares that would have been issued at fair value on assumed option price at end of year
Weighted average number of shares for calculation of diluted earnings per share
2021
2,628
2
(2)
2,628
2020
2,597
2
(2)
2,597
265
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information B5 Dividends
Demerger dividends from discontinued operations
On 13 September 2021, following approval by the Group’s shareholders, Prudential plc demerged Jackson, its US operations, via a dividend in specie.
At the point of the demerger, the Group retained a non-controlling holding of 19.7 per cent economic interest (19.9 per cent voting interest) in the
total common stock of Jackson. As required by IFRIC 17 ‘Distributions of Non-Cash Assets to Owners’, the dividend has been recorded at
$1,735 million, being the fair value of those shares distributed to shareholders at the date of the demerger of Jackson.
Other dividends
Dividends relating to reporting year:
First interim ordinary dividend
Second interim ordinary dividend
Total
Dividends paid in reporting year:
Current year first interim ordinary dividend
Second interim ordinary dividend for prior year
Total
2021
2020
Cents per share
$m
Cents per share
5.37¢
11.86¢
17.23¢
5.37¢
10.73¢
16.10¢
140
326
466
138
283
421
5.37¢
10.73¢
16.10¢
5.37¢
25.97¢
31.34¢
$m
140
280
420
140
674
814
First and second interim dividends are recorded in the period in which they are paid.
Dividend per share
The 2021 first interim dividend of 5.37 cents per ordinary share was paid to eligible shareholders on 28 September 2021.
On 13 May 2022, Prudential will pay a second interim dividend of 11.86 cents per ordinary share for the year ended 31 December 2021. The
second interim dividend will be paid to shareholders included on the UK register at 6.00pm BST and to shareholders on the HK register at 4.30pm
Hong Kong time on 25 March 2022 (Record Date), and also to the Holders of US American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) as at 25 March 2022. The
second interim dividend will be paid on or about 20 May 2022 to shareholders with shares standing to the credit of their securities accounts with
The Central Depository (Pte) Limited (CDP) at 5.00pm Singapore time on the Record Date.
Shareholders holding shares on the UK or Hong Kong share registers will continue to receive their dividend payments in either GBP or HKD
respectively, unless they elect otherwise. Shareholders holding shares on the UK or Hong Kong registers may elect to receive dividend payments in
USD. Elections must be made through the relevant UK or Hong Kong share registrar on or before 21 April 2022. The corresponding amount per
share in GBP and HKD is expected to be announced on or about 28 April 2022. The USD to GBP and HKD conversion rates will be determined by the
actual rates achieved by Prudential buying those currencies prior to the subsequent announcement.
Holders of ADRs will continue to receive their dividend payments in USD. Shareholders holding an interest in Prudential shares through CDP in
Singapore will continue to receive their dividend payments in SGD at an exchange rate determined by CDP.
Shareholders on the UK register are eligible to participate in a Dividend Reinvestment Plan.
266
Prudential plc
Annual Report 2021
prudentialplc.com
B Earnings performance / continued
C Financial position
C1 Group assets and liabilities by business type
The analysis below is structured to show the investments and other assets and liabilities of the Group by reference to the differing degrees of
policyholder and shareholder economic interest of the different types of business.
Debt securities are analysed below according to the issuing government for sovereign debt and to credit ratings for the rest of the securities.
The Group uses the middle of the Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s and Fitch ratings, where available. Where ratings are not available from these rating
agencies, local external rating agencies’ ratings and lastly internal ratings have been used. Securities with none of the ratings listed above are
classified as unrated and included under the ‘below BBB- and unrated’ category. The total securities from continuing operations (excluding
sovereign debt) that were unrated at 31 December 2021 were $1,130 million (31 December 2020: $780 million). Additionally, government debt
is shown separately from the rating breakdowns in order to provide a more focused view of the credit portfolio.
In the table below, AAA is the highest possible rating. Investment grade financial assets are classified within the range of AAA to BBB- ratings.
Financial assets which fall outside this range are classified as below BBB-.
267
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information C1 Group assets and liabilities by business type continued
31 Dec 2021 $m
Asia and Africa
Insurance
With-
profits
note (i)
Unit-
linked
note (i)
Other
note (i)
Eastspring
Elimina-
tions
Total
Unallo-
cated
to a
segment
Elimination
of intra-
group
debtors and
creditors
Group
total
Debt securities notes (ii)(iv)
Sovereign debt
Indonesia
Singapore
Thailand
United Kingdom
United States
Vietnam
Other (predominantly Asia)
Subtotal
Other government bonds
AAA
AA+ to AA-
A+ to A-
BBB+ to BBB-
Below BBB- and unrated
Subtotal
Corporate bonds
AAA
AA+ to AA-
A+ to A-
BBB+ to BBB-
Below BBB- and unrated
Subtotal
Asset-backed securities
AAA
AA+ to AA-
A+ to A-
BBB+ to BBB-
Below BBB- and unrated
Subtotal
Total debt securities
Loans
Mortgage loans
Policy loans
Other loans
Total loans
Equity securities and holdings in
collective investment schemes
Direct equities
Collective investment schemes
Total equity securities and holdings in
collective investment schemes
Other financial investments note (iii)
Total financial investments note (v)
Investment properties
Investments in joint ventures and associates
accounted for using the equity method
Cash and cash equivalents note (vi)
Reinsurers’ share of insurance contract liabilities note C3.3
Other assets note (vii)
Total assets
Shareholders’ equity
Non-controlling interests
Total equity
Contract liabilities and unallocated surplus of
with-profits funds
Core structural borrowings
Operational borrowings
Other liabilities note (viii)
Total liabilities
Total equity and liabilities
268
Prudential plc
Annual Report 2021
414
3,684
–
–
28,552
–
2,030
34,680
1,472
45
667
121
204
2,509
1,222
2,203
9,046
9,523
4,009
26,003
88
6
26
15
2
598
550
–
7
47
20
720
609
1,068
1,577
–
3,525
3,022
4,001
1,942
13,802
11
126
3
–
–
–
21
161
86
2
119
16
15
238
236
359
675
1,711
678
3,659
6
1
–
–
2
246
12
304
116
450
1,128
411
1,858
5,294
5,105
1,827
14,495
74
4
17
9
1
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
137
63,329
9
5,848
105
29,530
–
161
–
1,365
668
2,033
–
–
–
–
150
368
11
529
10,290
23,950
12,812
7,704
2,286
3,787
34,240
20,516
6,073
1,561
101,163
–
–
905
225
1,184
103,477
–
–
–
149
26,513
–
–
911
–
166
27,590
–
–
–
94,002
–
142
9,333
103,477
103,477
25,651
–
–
1,939
27,590
27,590
2,318
38,450
38
1,878
1,444
9,528
9,191
60,529
14,289
45
14,334
37,646
–
106
8,443
46,195
60,529
–
–
–
–
84
3
87
106
354
–
305
181
–
759
1,599
1,120
131
1,251
–
–
18
330
348
1,599
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
1,632
5,428
1,580
7
32,124
3,042
6,772
50,585
1,804
59
1,090
253
669
3,875
1,869
4,420
15,015
16,339
6,514
44,157
168
11
43
24
5
251
98,868
150
1,733
679
2,562
25,472
35,444
60,916
–
4,134
– 166,480
38
–
2,183
–
3,441
–
9,753
–
(51)
11,249
(51) 193,144
–
–
–
15,409
176
15,585
– 157,299
–
–
–
266
19,994
(51)
(51) 177,559
(51) 193,144
–
–
–
226
–
–
–
226
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
226
–
–
–
–
683
2
685
1,088
1,999
–
–
3,729
–
3,608
9,336
1,679
–
1,679
–
6,127
595
935
7,657
9,336
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
1,632
5,428
1,580
233
32,124
3,042
6,772
50,811
1,804
59
1,090
253
669
3,875
1,869
4,420
15,015
16,339
6,514
44,157
168
11
43
24
5
251
99,094
150
1,733
679
2,562
26,155
35,446
61,601
–
5,222
– 168,479
38
–
2,183
–
7,170
–
9,753
–
(3,378)
11,479
(3,378) 199,102
–
–
–
17,088
176
17,264
– 157,299
6,127
–
861
–
17,551
(3,378)
(3,378) 181,838
(3,378) 199,102
prudentialplc.com
C Financial position / continued Asia and Africa
31 Dec 2020 $m
Debt securities notes (ii)(iv)
Sovereign debt
Indonesia
Singapore
Thailand
United Kingdom
United States
Vietnam
Other (predominantly Asia)
Subtotal
Other government bonds
AAA
AA+ to AA-
A+ to A-
BBB+ to BBB-
Below BBB- and unrated
Subtotal
Corporate bonds
AAA
AA+ to AA-
A+ to A-
BBB+ to BBB-
Below BBB- and unrated
Subtotal
Asset-backed securities
AAA
AA+ to AA-
A+ to A-
BBB+ to BBB-
Below BBB- and unrated
Subtotal
Total debt securities
Loans
Mortgage loans
Policy loans
Other loans
Total loans
Equity securities and holdings in
collective investment schemes
Direct equities
Collective investment schemes
US separate account assets
Total equity securities and holdings in
collective investment schemes
Other financial investments note (iii)
Total financial investments note (v)
Investment properties
Investments in joint ventures and
associates accounted for using the
equity method
Cash and cash equivalents note (vi)
Reinsurers’ share of insurance contract
liabilities note C3.3
Other assets note (vii)
Total assets
Shareholders’ equity
Non-controlling interests
Total equity
Contract liabilities and unallocated
surplus of with-profits funds
Core structural borrowings
Operational borrowings
Other liabilities note (viii)
Total liabilities
Total equity and liabilities
Insurance
With-
profits
note (i)
Unit-
linked
note (i)
Other
note (i)
564
979
1,999
–
2,551
2,881
3,681
658
551
–
7
21
11
700
1,948
12,655
96
2
131
16
9
254
221
476
695
1,299
849
3,540
9
1
–
–
2
405
28
339
196
451
1,419
540
1,871
5,194
4,785
1,483
13,873
24
–
16
9
8
385
3,939
–
–
24,396
–
1,322
30,042
1,420
129
811
452
631
3,443
1,228
1,943
7,289
9,005
2,814
22,279
74
2
15
12
9
112
55,876
12
5,754
57
28,004
–
1,231
492
1,723
15,668
18,125
–
33,793
1,566
92,958
–
–
1,049
257
1,538
–
–
–
–
13,064
7,392
–
20,456
405
26,615
–
–
587
–
252
95,802
27,454
–
–
–
–
–
–
86,410
–
194
9,198
95,802
95,802
25,433
–
–
2,021
27,454
27,454
158
351
16
525
3,325
1,638
–
4,963
2,173
35,665
16
1,689
1,354
11,106
9,418
59,248
12,861
34
12,895
38,107
–
105
8,141
46,353
59,248
Eastspring
Elimina-
tions
Total
US
discont’d
12
117
11
–
–
–
19
159
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
1
–
2
3
–
–
–
–
–
–
162
–
–
–
–
71
10
–
81
97
340
–
273
156
–
839
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
1,619
5,586
2,010
7
26,968
2,892
5,722
44,804
1,921
159
1,281
664
1,091
5,116
1,989
4,290
13,179
15,089
5,148
39,695
107
3
31
21
19
181
89,796
158
1,582
508
2,248
–
–
–
–
5,126
–
30
5,156
377
522
188
3
–
1,090
265
869
10,759
12,686
1,975
26,554
2,110
171
741
163
48
3,233
36,033
7,833
4,507
–
12,340
32,128
27,165
–
253
25
219,062
59,293
219,340
4,241
155,578
16
4,094
271,807
7
1,962
3,146
–
1,621
–
(62)
11,363
11,985
35,232
19,813
1,608
(62) 184,050
328,480
Unallo-
cated
to a
segment
Elimination
of intra-
group
debtors and
creditors
Group
total
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
2
–
2
13
15
–
–
3,251
–
3,624
6,890
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
1,619
5,586
2,010
7
32,094
2,892
5,752
49,960
2,298
681
1,469
667
1,091
6,206
2,254
5,159
23,938
27,775
7,123
66,249
2,217
174
772
184
67
3,414
125,829
7,991
6,089
508
14,588
32,381
27,192
219,062
278,635
8,348
427,400
23
1,962
8,018
–
(3,323)
46,595
32,099
(3,323) 516,097
1,102
144
1,246
–
–
23
339
362
1,608
–
–
–
13,963
178
14,141
8,511
1,063
9,574
(1,596)
–
(1,596)
–
–
–
20,878
1,241
22,119
–
–
–
(62)
149,950
–
322
19,637
(62) 169,909
(62) 184,050
296,513
250
1,498
20,645
318,906
328,480
–
6,383
624
1,479
8,486
6,890
–
–
–
(3,323)
446,463
6,633
2,444
38,438
(3,323) 493,978
(3,323) 516,097
269
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information C1 Group assets and liabilities by business type continued
Notes
(i)
(ii)
‘With-profits’ comprises the with-profits assets and liabilities of the Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore operations. ‘Other’ includes assets and liabilities of other participating business and
other non-linked shareholder-backed business. ‘Unit-linked’ comprises the assets and liabilities held in the unit-linked funds.
Of the Group’s debt securities, the following amounts were held by the consolidated investment funds from continuing operations.
Debt securities held by consolidated investment funds from continuing operations
31 Dec 2021 $m 31 Dec 2020 $m
Total
15,076
Total
15,928
(iii) Other financial investments comprise derivative assets and deposits. For the discontinued US operations, other financial investments in 2020 also included private equity investments in
(iv)
(v)
limited partnerships.
The credit ratings, information or data contained in this report which are attributed and specifically provided by Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s and Fitch Solutions and their respective affiliates
and suppliers (‘Content Providers’) is referred to here as the ‘Content’. Reproduction of any Content in any form is prohibited except with the prior written permission of the relevant party.
The Content Providers do not guarantee the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, timeliness or availability of any Content and are not responsible for any errors or omissions (negligent or
otherwise), regardless of the cause, or for the results obtained from the use of such Content. The Content Providers expressly disclaim liability for any damages, costs, expenses, legal fees, or
losses (including lost income or lost profit and opportunity costs) in connection with any use of the Content. A reference to a particular investment or security, a rating or any observation
concerning an investment that is part of the Content is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any such investment or security, nor does it address the suitability of an investment or
security and should not be relied on as investment advice.
Of the total financial investments from continuing operations of $168,479 million as at 31 December 2021 (31 December 2020: $155,593 million), $71,524 million (31 December 2020:
$66,138 million) are expected to be recovered within one year, including equity securities and holdings in collective investment schemes.
(vi) Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash at bank and in hand, deposits held at call with banks, treasury bills and other short-term highly liquid investments with less than 90 days maturity
from the date of acquisition and are analysed as follows:
Continuing operations:*
Cash
Cash equivalents
Discontinued US operations
Total cash and cash equivalents
Analysed as:
Continuing operations:
Held by the Group’s holding and non-regulated entities and available for general use
Other funds not available for general use by the Group, including funds held for the benefit of policyholders
Discontinued US operations
Total cash and cash equivalents
31 Dec 2021
$m
31 Dec 2020
$m
1,902
5,268
7,170
7,170
3,729
3,441
7,170
7,170
2,087
4,310
6,397
1,621
8,018
3,250
3,147
6,397
1,621
8,018
* The Group’s cash and cash equivalents from continuing operations are held in the following currencies as at 31 December 2021: USD 46 per cent, GBP 20 per cent, HKD 3 per cent, SGD 3 per cent,
MYR 9 per cent and other currencies 19 per cent (31 December 2020: USD 48 per cent, GBP 19 per cent, HKD 4 per cent, SGD 4 per cent, MYR 10 per cent and other currencies 15 per cent).
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C Financial position / continued (vii) Of total ‘Other assets’ from continuing operations, there are:
– Property, plant and equipment (PPE) of $478 million at 31 December 2021 (31 December 2020: $584 million). Movements in the PPE including right-of-use assets are provided in note C11; and
– Accrued investment income and other debtors, which are analysed as follows:
31 Dec 2021
$m
31 Dec 2020
$m
Continuing operations:
Interest receivable
Other accrued income
Total accrued investment income
Amounts receivable due from:
Policyholders
Intermediaries
Reinsurers
Other sundry debtors
Total other debtors
Discontinued US operations
Total accrued investment income and other debtors
Analysed as:
Continuing operations:
Expected to be settled within one year
Expected to be settled beyond one year
Discontinued US operations
872
299
1,171
686
4
226
863
1,779
2,950
2,761
189
2,950
2,950
639
410
1,049
757
2
920
1,237
2,916
633
4,598
3,730
235
3,965
633
4,598
(viii) Within ‘Other liabilities’ from continuing operations are accruals, deferred income and other liabilities of $7,983 million (31 December 2020: $8,445 million), which are analysed as follows
(detailed maturity analysis is provided in note C2.3):
Continuing operations:
Accruals and deferred income
Creditors arising from direct insurance and reinsurance operations
Interest payable
Funds withheld under reinsurance agreements
Other creditors
Discontinued US operations
Total accruals, deferred income and other creditors
31 Dec 2021
$m
31 Dec 2020
$m
565
1,120
77
1,545
4,676
7,983
616
1,284
74
1,019
5,452
8,445
7,063
7,983
15,508
271
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information C2 Fair value measurement
The Group holds financial investments in accordance with IAS 39, whereby subject to specific criteria, financial instruments are required to be
accounted for under one of the following categories:
> Financial assets and liabilities at fair value through profit or loss – this comprises assets and liabilities designated by management as fair value
through profit or loss on inception and derivatives. This includes instruments that are managed and the performance evaluated on a fair value
basis, including liabilities related to net assets attributable to unit holders of consolidated investment funds and policyholder liabilities for
investment contracts without discretionary participation features. All investments within this category are measured at fair value with all changes
thereon being recognised in investment return in the income statement.
> Financial investments on an available-for-sale basis – this comprises assets that are designated by management as available-for-sale and/or do
not fall into any of the other categories. These assets are initially recognised at fair value plus attributable transaction costs and are subsequently
measured at fair value. Interest and/or dividend income is recognised in the income statement. Unrealised gains and losses are recognised in
other comprehensive income. Upon disposal or impairment, accumulated unrealised gains and losses are transferred from other comprehensive
income to the income statement as realised gains or losses. Up until the demerger of Jackson in 2021, the majority of the debt securities held by
Jackson were designated as ‘available-for-sale’ in the Group’s financial statement. Subsequent to the demerger, the Group has designated its
retained interest in Jackson (as described in note D1.2) as ‘available-for-sale’ equity securities.
> Loans and receivables – except for those designated as fair value through profit or loss or available-for-sale, these instruments comprise non-
quoted investments that have fixed or determinable payments. These instruments include loans collateralised by mortgages, deposits, loans to
policyholders and other unsecured loans and receivables. These investments are initially recognised at fair value plus transaction costs.
Subsequently, these instruments are carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method. The effective interest rate is the rate that
exactly discounts estimated future cash receipts through the expected life of the financial instrument or, when appropriate, a shorter period to the
net carrying amount of the financial asset. When assets held at amortised cost are subject to impairment testing, estimated future cash flows are
compared to the carrying value of the asset. The estimated future cash flows are discounted using the financial asset’s original or variable
effective interest rate and exclude credit losses that have not yet been incurred. If, in subsequent periods, an impaired loan or receivable recovers
in value (in part or in full) and this recovery can be objectively related to an event occurring after the impairment, then any amount determined to
have been recovered is reversed through the income statement.
The Group uses the trade date method to account for regular purchases and sales of financial assets.
C2.1 Determination of fair value
The fair values of the financial instruments for which fair valuation is required under IFRS Standards are determined by the use of current market bid
prices for exchange-quoted investments, or by using quotations from independent third parties, such as brokers and pricing services or by using
appropriate valuation techniques.
The estimated fair value of derivative financial instruments reflects the estimated amount the Group would receive or pay in an arm’s-length
transaction. This amount is determined using quoted prices if exchange listed, quotations from independent third parties or valued internally using
standard market practices.
Other than the loans which have been designated at fair value through profit or loss, the carrying value of loans and receivables is presented net
of provisions for impairment. The fair value of loans is estimated from discounted cash flows expected to be received. The discount rate used is
updated for the market rate of interest where applicable.
The fair value of the subordinated and senior debt issued by the parent company is determined using quoted prices from independent
third parties.
The fair value of financial liabilities (other than subordinated debt, senior debt and derivative financial instruments) is determined using
discounted cash flows of the amounts expected to be paid.
Valuation approach for level 2 fair valued assets and liabilities
A significant proportion of the Group’s level 2 assets are corporate bonds, structured securities and other non-national government debt securities.
These assets, in line with market practice, are generally valued using a designated independent pricing service or quote from third-party brokers.
These valuations are subject to a number of monitoring controls, such as comparison to multiple pricing sources where available, monthly price
variances, stale price reviews and variance analysis on prices achieved on subsequent trades.
When prices are not available from pricing services, quotes are sourced directly from brokers. Prudential seeks to obtain a number of quotes from
different brokers so as to obtain the most comprehensive information available on their executability. The selected quote is the one which best
represents an executable quote for the security at the measurement date.
Generally, no adjustment is made to the prices obtained from independent third parties. Adjustments are made in only limited circumstances,
where it is determined that the third-party valuations obtained do not reflect fair value (eg either because the value is stale and/or the values are
extremely diverse in range). Securities valued in such manner are classified as level 3 where these significant inputs are not based on observable
market data.
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C Financial position / continued Valuation approach for level 3 fair valued assets and liabilities
Investments valued using valuation techniques include financial investments which by their nature do not have an externally quoted price based
on regular trades, and financial investments for which markets are no longer active as a result of market conditions, eg market illiquidity.
The Group’s valuation policies, procedures and analyses for instruments categorised as level 3 are overseen by Business Unit committees as
part of the Group’s wider financial reporting governance processes. The procedures undertaken include approval of valuation methodologies,
verification processes, and resolution of significant or complex valuation issues. In addition, the Group has minimum standards for independent
price verification to ensure valuation accuracy is regularly independently verified. Adherence to this policy is monitored across the business units.
C2.2 Fair value measurement hierarchy of Group assets and liabilities
(a) Assets and liabilities carried at fair value on the statement of financial position
The table below shows the assets and liabilities carried at fair value analysed by level of the IFRS 13 ‘Fair Value Measurement’ defined fair
value hierarchy. This hierarchy is based on the inputs to the fair value measurement and reflects the lowest level input that is significant to
that measurement.
All assets and liabilities held at fair value are classified as fair value through profit or loss, except for $909 million of financial assets classified as
available-for-sale at 31 December 2021 (31 December 2020: nil for continuing operations), of which $683 million related to the Group’s retained
interest in Jackson’s equity securities. All assets and liabilities held at fair value are measured on a recurring basis. As of 31 December 2021, the
Group did not have any financial instruments that are measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis.
Financial instruments at fair value
Continuing operations
Loans
Equity securities and holdings in collective investment schemes
Debt securities
Other investments (including derivative assets)
Derivative liabilities
Total financial investments, net of derivative liabilities
Investment contract liabilities without discretionary participation features
Net asset value attributable to unit holders of consolidated investment funds
Total financial instruments at fair value for continuing operations
Percentage of total (%)
Analysed by business type:
Financial investments, net of derivative liabilities at fair value
With-profits
Unit-linked
Non-linked shareholder-backed business
Total financial investments net of derivative liabilities, at fair value
Percentage of total continuing operations (%)
Total financial investments, net of derivative liabilities at fair value
Other financial liabilities at fair value
Group total financial instruments at fair value
31 Dec 2021 $m
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Quoted prices
(unadjusted)
in active
markets
Valuation
based on
significant
observable
market inputs
note (i)
Valuation
based on
significant
unobservable
market inputs
note (ii)
–
54,107
76,049
359
(146)
130,369
–
(5,618)
124,751
81%
82,489
24,024
23,856
130,369
81%
130,369
(5,618)
124,751
616
6,917
22,987
122
(116)
30,526
(814)
(46)
29,666
19%
15,438
2,343
12,745
30,526
19%
30,526
(860)
29,666
5
577
58
–
–
640
–
–
640
0%
506
5
129
640
0%
640
–
640
Total
621
61,601
99,094
481
(262)
161,535
(814)
(5,664)
155,057
100%
98,433
26,372
36,730
161,535
100%
161,535
(6,478)
155,057
273
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information C2 Fair value measurement continued
C2.2 Fair value measurement hierarchy of Group assets and liabilities continued
31 Dec 2020 $m
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Quoted prices
(unadjusted)
in active
markets
Valuation
based on
significant
observable
market inputs
note (i)
Valuation
based on
significant
unobservable
market inputs
note (ii)
Loans
Equity securities and holdings in collective investment schemes
Debt securities
Other investments (including derivative assets)
Derivative liabilities
Total financial investments, net of derivative liabilities
Investment contract liabilities without discretionary participation features
Net asset value attributable to unit holders of consolidated investment funds
Other financial liabilities held at fair value
Total financial instruments at fair value
Percentage of total (%)
Analysed by business type:
Financial investments, net of derivative liabilities at fair value, from continuing operations:
With-profits
Unit-linked
Non-linked shareholder-backed business
Total financial investments, net of derivative liabilities at fair value
Other financial liabilities at fair value
Total financial instruments, net of derivative liabilities, at fair value from continuing operations
Percentage of total continuing operations (%)
Total financial instruments, net of derivative liabilities, at fair value from discontinued
US operations
Group total financial instruments at fair value
–
272,863
75,998
123
(298)
348,686
–
(5,464)
–
343,222
86%
78,203
25,144
20,999
124,346
(5,464)
118,882
83%
224,340
343,222
416
5,224
49,769
2,477
(184)
57,702
(792)
(17)
–
56,893
14%
11,481
1,075
12,068
24,624
(809)
23,815
17%
33,078
56,893
Total
3,877
278,635
125,829
4,466
(482)
412,325
(792)
(5,975)
(3,589)
401,969
100%
90,079
26,219
33,156
149,454
(6,273)
143,181
100%
3,461
548
62
1,866
–
5,937
–
(494)
(3,589)
1,854
0%
395
–
89
484
–
484
0%
1,370
1,854
258,788
401,969
Notes
(i)
(ii)
For continuing operations, of the total level 2 debt securities of $22,987 million at 31 December 2021 (31 December 2020: $18,868 million), $24 million (31 December 2020: $140 million)
are valued internally.
At 31 December 2021, the Group held $640 million (31 December 2020: $484 million) of net financial instruments at fair value within level 3 from continuing operations. This represents less
than 0.5 per cent of the total fair valued financial assets, net of financial liabilities, for both years.
Of this amount, equity securities from continuing operations of $1 million (31 December 2020: $2 million) are internally valued, representing less than 0.1 per cent of the total fair valued
financial assets net of financial liabilities for both years. Internal valuations are inherently more subjective than external valuations. The $640 million from continuing operations
(31 December 2020: $484 million) referred to above includes the following items:
– Equity securities and holdings in collective investment schemes of $577 million (31 December 2020: $445 million) consisting primarily of property and infrastructure funds held by the
participating funds, which are externally valued using the net asset value of the invested entities; and
– Other sundry individual financial instruments of a net asset of $63 million (31 December 2020: net asset of $39 million).
Of the net assets from continuing operations of $640 million (31 December 2020: $484 million) referred to above:
– A net asset of $506 million (31 December 2020: $395 million) is held by the participating funds and therefore shareholders’ profit and equity are not impacted by movements in the
valuation of these financial instruments; and
– A net asset of $129 million (31 December 2020: $89 million) is held to support non-linked shareholder-backed business, of which $112 million (31 December 2020: $89 million) are
externally valued and are therefore inherently less subjective than internal valuations. If the value of all these level 3 financial instruments decreased by 20 per cent, the change in
valuation would be $(26) million (31 December 2020: $(18) million), which would reduce shareholders’ equity by this amount before tax. All of this amount would pass through the income
statement substantially as part of short-term fluctuations in investment returns outside of adjusted operating profit.
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C Financial position / continued
(b) Transfers into and out of levels
The Group’s policy is to recognise transfers into and out of levels as of the end of each reporting period except for material transfers which are
recognised as of the date of the event or change in circumstances that caused the transfer. Transfers are deemed to have occurred when there is a
material change in the observed valuation inputs or a change in the level of trading activities of the securities.
During 2021, the transfers between levels within the Group’s portfolio, were primarily transfers from level 1 to level 2 of $3,789 million
(31 December 2020: $3,927 million) and transfers from level 2 to level 1 of $1,742 million (31 December 2020: $1,631 million). These transfers which
relate to equity securities and debt securities arose to reflect the change in the observed valuation inputs and in certain cases, the change in the
level of trading activities of the securities. There were transfers out of level 3 of $12 million (31 December 2020: nil) and into level 3 of $30 million
(31 December 2020: $32 million) in the year.
Reconciliation of movements in level 3 assets and liabilities measured at fair value
The following table reconciles the value of level 3 fair valued assets and liabilities at 1 January 2021 to that presented at 31 December 2021.
Total investment return recorded in the income statement represents interest and dividend income, realised gains and losses, unrealised gains
and losses on the assets classified at fair value through profit and loss and foreign exchange movements on an individual entity’s overseas
investments. Total gains (losses) recorded in other comprehensive income largely comprises the translation of investments into the Group’s
presentational currency of US dollars.
Reconciliation of movements in level 3 assets
and liabilities measured at fair value
Balance at 1 Jan
Removal of discontinued US operations
Total (losses) gains in income statement note
Total losses recorded in other comprehensive income
Purchases and other additions
Transfers (out of) into level 3
Balance at 31 Dec
Reconciliation of movements in level 3 assets
and liabilities measured at fair value
Balance at 1 Jan
Total gains (losses) in income statement note
Total gains (losses) recorded in other comprehensive income
Purchases
Sales
Issues
Settlements
Transfers into level 3
Balance at 31 Dec
Equity securities
and holdings
in collective
investment
schemes
Loans
6
–
(1)
–
–
–
5
445
–
(6)
(5)
143
(12)
577
2021 $m
Debt
securities
US
(discont’d)
33
–
(3)
(2)
–
30
58
1,370
(1,370)
–
–
–
–
–
Equity securities
and holdings
in collective
investment
schemes
Loans
2020 $m
Net asset value
attributable to
unit holders
of consolidated
investment
funds
Debt
securities
–
–
–
–
–
6
–
–
6
264
49
9
255
(132)
–
–
–
445
6
(5)
–
–
–
–
–
32
33
(2)
2
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
US
(discont’d)
1,140
(72)
(2)
363
(123)
(204)
247
21
1,370
Group
total
1,854
(1,370)
2
(7)
143
18
640
Group
total
1,408
(26)
7
618
(255)
(198)
247
53
1,854
Note
Of the total net gain in the income statement of $2 million from continuing operations in 2021 (2020: $46 million), $2 million (2020: $12 million) relates to net unrealised gains and losses of
financial instruments still held at the end of the year, which can be analysed as follows:
Loans
Equity securities and holdings in collective investment schemes
Debt securities
Total continuing operations
2021 $m
2020 $m
(1)
6
(3)
2
–
11
1
12
275
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information C2 Fair value measurement continued
C2.2 Fair value measurement hierarchy of Group assets and liabilities continued
(c) Assets and liabilities at amortised cost and their fair value
The table below shows the financial assets and liabilities carried at amortised cost on the statement of financial position and their fair value. Cash
deposits, accrued income, other debtors, accruals, deferred income and other liabilities are excluded from the analysis below, as these are carried at
amortised cost which approximates fair value.
31 Dec 2021 $m
31 Dec 2020 $m
Level 2
Valuation
based on
significant
observable
market
inputs
Level 3
Valuation
based on
significant
unobservable
market
inputs
2,152
(6,565)
(514)
(223)
(5,150)
–
–
–
–
–
Fair
value
Carrying
value
2,152
1,941
(6,565)
(514)
(6,127)
(514)
(223)
(223)
(5,150)
(4,923)
Level 2
Valuation
based on
significant
observable
market
inputs
Level 3
Valuation
based on
significant
unobservable
market
inputs
Fair
value
Carrying
value
2,026
–
(7,178)
(501)
(231)
(5,884)
(2,899)
(8,783)
–
–
–
–
–
–
(2,617)
2,026
–
(7,178)
(501)
(231)
(5,884)
(5,516)
1,826
–
(6,383)
(501)
(271)
(5,329)
(5,497)
(2,617)
(11,400)
(10,826)
Assets
Loans
Liabilities
Core structural borrowings of shareholder-financed
businesses
Operational borrowings (excluding lease liabilities)
Obligations under funding, securities lending and
sale and repurchase agreements
Total continuing operations
Discontinued US operations
Total Group
The fair value of the assets and liabilities in the table above, with the exception of the subordinated and senior debt issued by the parent company,
has been estimated from the discounted cash flows expected to be received or paid. Where appropriate, the observable market interest rate has
been used and the assets and liabilities are classified within level 2. Otherwise, they are included as level 3 assets or liabilities. The fair value of the
subordinated and senior debt issued by the parent company is determined using quoted prices from independent third parties.
C2.3 Additional information on financial instruments
(a) Financial risk
Liquidity analysis
Contractual maturities of financial liabilities on an undiscounted cash flow basis
The following table sets out the contractual maturities for applicable classes of financial liabilities, excluding derivative liabilities and investment
contracts that are separately presented. The financial liabilities are included in the column relating to the contractual maturities of the
undiscounted cash flows (including contractual interest payments) based on the earliest period in which the Group can be required to pay
assuming conditions are consistent with those of year end.
Financial liabilities
Core structural borrowings of shareholder-financed
businesses*, note C5.1
Lease liabilities under IFRS 16
Other operational borrowings
Obligations under funding, securities lending
and sale and repurchase agreements
Accruals, deferred income and other liabilities
Net asset value attributable to unit holders of
consolidated unit trusts and similar funds
Total
carrying
value
6,127
347
514
223
7,983
1 year
or less
1,872
110
514
223
5,972
5,664
5,664
31 Dec 2021 $m
Contractual maturity profile for financial liabilities
After 1
year to
5 years
After 5
years to
10 years
After 10
years to
15 years
After 15
years to
20 years
Over
20 years
No stated
maturity
Total undis-
counted
cash flows
1,253
216
–
1,817
45
–
1,642
11
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
750
–
–
–
2,011
7,334
382
514
223
7,983
–
5,664
2,761
22,100
Total
20,858
14,355
1,469
1,862
1,653
* On 20 January 2022, US$1,725 million of notes in core structural borrowings of shareholder-financed businesses were redeemed. As of 31 December 2021, these amounts have been included as
having a contractual maturity of 1 year or less in the table above.
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C Financial position / continued Financial liabilities
Core structural borrowings of shareholder-financed
businesses note C5.1
Lease liabilities under IFRS 16
Operational borrowings
Obligations under funding, securities lending and sale
and repurchase agreements
Accruals, deferred income and other liabilities
Net asset value attributable to unit holders of
consolidated unit trusts and similar funds
Total continuing operations
Discontinued US operations
Total Group
Total
carrying
value
6,383
445
501
271
8,445
1 year
or less
119
132
501
271
6,845
5,481
5,481
21,526
18,802
13,349
7,676
40,328
21,025
31 Dec 2020 $m
Contractual maturity profile for financial liabilities
After 1
year to
5 years
After 5
years to
10 years
After 10
years to
15 years
After 15
years to
20 years
Over
20 years
No stated
maturity
Total undis-
counted
cash flows
1,179
285
–
–
183
–
1,647
4,790
6,437
1,726
68
–
–
–
–
1,794
2,563
4,357
631
20
–
–
–
–
651
1,056
1,707
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
1
1
3,725
–
–
–
1,504
7,380
505
501
271
8,532
–
5,481
5,229
3,583
8,812
22,670
19,669
42,339
Maturity analysis of derivatives
The following table shows the carrying value of the gross and net derivative positions from continuing operations.
31 Dec 2021
31 Dec 2020
Carrying value of net derivatives $m
Derivative
assets
Derivative
liabilities
481
379
(262)
(439)
Net
derivative
position
219
(60)
All net derivatives have been included at fair value due within one year or less, representing the basis on which they are managed (ie to manage
principally asset or liability value exposures). The Group has no cash flow hedges and, in general, contractual maturities are not considered essential
for an understanding of the timing of the cash flows for these instruments.
Maturity analysis of investment contracts
The table below shows the maturity profile for investment contracts based on undiscounted cash flow projections of expected benefit payments
from continuing operations.
31 Dec 2021
31 Dec 2020
Maturity profile for investment contracts $m
Total
carrying
value
459
470
1 year
or less
14
14
After 1
year to
5 years
After 5
years to
10 years
After 10
years to
15 years
After 15
years to
20 years
Over
20 years
Total undis-
counted
cash flows
442
490
63
2
16
1
6
–
2
–
543
507
The undiscounted cash flows in the maturity profile shown above excludes contracts which have no stated maturity but which are repayable
on demand.
Most investment contracts have options to surrender early, often subject to surrender or other penalties. Therefore, most contracts can be said
to have a contractual maturity of less than one year, but the additional charges and term of the contracts mean these are unlikely to be exercised
in practice and the more useful information is to present information on expected payment.
The vast majority of the Group’s financial assets are held to back the Group’s policyholder liabilities. Although asset/liability matching is an
important component of managing policyholder liabilities (both those classified as insurance and those classified as investments), this profile is
mainly relevant for managing market risk rather than liquidity risk. Within each business unit, this asset/liability matching is performed on a
portfolio-by-portfolio basis.
In terms of liquidity risk, a large proportion of the policyholder liabilities contain discretionary surrender values or surrender charges, meaning
that many of the Group’s liabilities are expected to be held for the long term. Much of the Group’s investment portfolios are in marketable securities,
which can therefore be converted quickly to liquid assets.
For the reasons provided above, an analysis of the Group’s assets by contractual maturity is not considered meaningful to evaluate the nature
and extent of the Group’s liquidity risk.
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C2.3 Additional information on financial instruments continued
Credit risk
The Group’s maximum exposure to credit risk of financial instruments before any allowance for collateral or allocation of losses to policyholders is
represented by the carrying value of financial instruments on the balance sheet that have exposures to credit risk comprising cash and cash
equivalents, deposits, debt securities, loans and derivative assets, accrued investment income and other debtors. The collateral in place in relation
to derivatives is described in note (c) below. The Group’s exposure to credit risk is further discussed in the Risk review report.
Of the total loans and receivables from continuing operations held at 31 December 2021, $7 million (31 December 2020: $8 million) are past
their due date but are not impaired, of which $2 million are less than one year past their due date (31 December 2020: $1 million). The Group
expects full recovery of these loans and receivables.
There are no financial assets that would have been past due or impaired had the terms not been renegotiated in both years.
In addition, the Group did not take possession of any other collateral held as security in both years.
Further details of collateral in place in relation to derivatives, securities lending, repurchase agreements and other transactions are provided in
note (c) below.
Foreign exchange risk
As at 31 December 2021, the Group held 26 per cent (31 December 2020: 24 per cent) of its financial assets and 63 per cent (31 December 2020:
57 per cent) of its financial liabilities from continuing operations in currencies mainly USD, other than the functional currency of the relevant
business units or the currency to which the functional currency is pegged (eg financial assets and liabilities of USD denominated business in Hong
Kong). The exchange risks inherent in these exposures are mitigated through the use of derivatives, mainly forward currency contracts and currency
swaps as described in note (b) below.
The amount of exchange loss recognised in the income statement from continuing operations in 2021, except for those arising on financial
instruments measured at fair value through profit or loss, is $132 million (2020: $33 million).
(b) Derivatives and hedging
Derivative financial instruments are used to reduce or manage investment, interest rate and currency exposures, to facilitate efficient portfolio
management and for investment purposes.
The Group does not regularly seek to apply fair value or cash flow hedging treatment under IAS 39. The Group has no net investment, fair value or
cash flow hedges under IAS 39 at 31 December 2021 and 2020. All derivatives that are not designated as hedging instruments are carried at fair
value, with movements in fair value being recorded in the income statement.
Embedded derivatives are embedded within other non-derivative host financial instruments and insurance contracts to create hybrid instruments.
Embedded derivatives meeting the definition of an insurance contract are accounted for under IFRS 4. Where economic characteristics and risks of
the embedded derivatives are not closely related to the economic characteristics and risks of the host instrument, and where the hybrid instrument is
not measured at fair value with the changes in fair value recognised in the income statement, the embedded derivative is required to be bifurcated
and carried at fair value as a derivative measured in accordance with IAS 39.
In addition, the Group applies the option under IFRS 4 to not separate and fair value surrender options embedded in host contracts and with-
profits investment contracts whose strike price is either a fixed amount or a fixed amount plus interest.
Derivatives held and their purpose
The Group enters into a variety of exchange traded and over-the-counter derivative financial instruments, including futures, options, forward
contracts, swaps and swaptions.
All over-the-counter derivative transactions are conducted under standardised ISDA (International Swaps and Derivatives Association Inc)
master agreements and collateral agreements are in place between the individual entities and relevant counterparties under each of these market
master agreements.
Derivatives are used for efficient portfolio management to obtain cost effective and management of exposure to various markets in accordance
with the Group’s investment strategies and to manage exposure to interest rate, currency, credit and other business risks. The Group also uses
interest rate derivatives to reduce exposure to interest rate volatility.
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C Financial position / continued (c) Derecognition, collateral and offsetting
Derecognition of financial assets and liabilities
The Group’s policy is to derecognise financial assets when it is deemed that substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership have been
transferred.
The Group derecognises financial liabilities only when the obligation specified in the contract is discharged, cancelled or has expired.
Reverse repurchase agreements
The Group is party to various reverse repurchase agreements under which securities are purchased from third parties with an obligation to resell
the securities. The securities are not recognised as investments in the statement of financial position but the right to receive the cash paid is
recognised as deposits.
The Group has entered into reverse repurchase transactions under which it purchased securities and had taken on the obligation to resell the
securities. At 31 December 2021, the fair value of the collateral held in respect of these transactions, which is represented by the purchased
securities, was $2,149 million (31 December 2020: $602 million from continuing operations; $1 million from discontinued operations).
Securities lending and repurchase agreements
The Group is also party to various securities lending agreements (including repurchase agreements) under which securities are loaned to third
parties on a short-term basis. The loaned securities are not derecognised; rather, they continue to be recognised within the appropriate investment
classification. To the extent cash collateral is received it is recognised on the statement of financial position with the obligation to repay the cash
paid recognised as a liability. Other collateral is not recognised.
At 31 December 2021, the Group had $854 million (31 December 2020: $895 million from continuing operations; $1,112 million from
discontinued operations) of lent securities and assets subject to repurchase agreements. The cash and securities collateral held or pledged under
such agreements were $913 million (31 December 2020: $934 million from continuing operations; $1,113 million from discontinued operations).
Collateral and pledges under derivative transactions
At 31 December 2021, the Group had pledged $99 million (31 December 2020: $85 million from continuing operations; $2,337 million from
discontinued operations) for liabilities and held collateral of $50 million (31 December 2020: $181 million from continuing operations;
$2,125 million from discontinued operations) in respect of over-the-counter derivative transactions. These transactions are conducted under terms
that are usual and customary to collateralised transactions including, where relevant, standard securities lending and repurchase agreements.
The Group has entered into collateral arrangements in relation to over-the-counter derivative transactions, which permit sale or re-pledging of
underlying collateral. The Group has not sold any collateral held or re-pledged any collateral.
All over-the-counter derivative transactions are conducted under standardised International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) master
agreements. The collateral management for these transactions is conducted under the usual and customary terms and conditions set out in the
Credit Support Annex to the ISDA master agreement.
Other collateral
At 31 December 2021, the Group had no pledged collateral (31 December 2020: $2,614 million from discontinued operations) in respect of other
transactions. The 2020 amount principally arose from Jackson’s membership of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis (FHLBI) that required
Jackson to purchase and hold a minimum amount of FHLBI capital stock, plus additional stock based on outstanding advances in the form of either
short-term or long-term notes or funding agreements issued to FHLBI.
Offsetting assets and liabilities
The Group’s derivative instruments, repurchase agreements and securities lending agreements are subject to master netting arrangements and
collateral arrangements. A master netting arrangement with a counterparty creates a right of offset for amounts due to and due from that same
counterparty that is enforceable in the event of a default or bankruptcy. The Group recognises amounts subject to master netting arrangements on
a gross basis within the consolidated balance sheets.
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C2.3 Additional information on financial instruments continued
The following tables present the gross and net information about the Group’s financial instruments subject to master netting arrangements:
Financial assets:
Derivative assets
Reverse repurchase agreements
Total financial assets
Financial liabilities:
Derivative liabilities
Securities lending and repurchase agreements
Total financial liabilities
Financial assets:
Derivative assets
Reverse repurchase agreements
Continuing operations
Discontinued US operations
Total financial assets
Financial liabilities:
Derivative liabilities
Securities lending and repurchase agreements
Continuing operations
Discontinued US operations
Total financial liabilities
31 Dec 2021 $m
Related amounts not offset in the balance sheet
Gross amount
included in the
balance sheet
note (i)
Financial
instruments
note (ii)
Cash
collateral
Securities
collateral
note (iii)
Net
amount
note (iv)
170
2,135
2,305
(165)
(222)
(387)
(94)
–
(94)
94
–
94
(31)
–
(31)
63
153
216
(1)
(2,134)
(2,135)
–
69
69
44
1
45
(8)
–
(8)
31 Dec 2020 $m
Related amounts not offset in the balance sheet
Gross amount
included in the
balance sheet
note (i)
Financial
instruments
note (ii)
Cash
collateral
Securities
collateral
note (iii)
Net
amount
note (iv)
304
587
891
2,220
3,111
(160)
(271)
(431)
(1,156)
(1,587)
(87)
–
(87)
(35)
(122)
87
–
87
35
122
(151)
–
(151)
(1,098)
(1,249)
69
231
300
13
313
–
(587)
(587)
(891)
(1,478)
–
40
40
1,100
1,140
66
–
66
196
262
(4)
–
(4)
(8)
(12)
Notes
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
The Group has not offset any of the amounts included in the balance sheet.
Represents the amount that could be offset under master netting or similar arrangements where the Group does not satisfy the full criteria to offset in the balance sheet.
Excludes initial margin amounts for exchange-traded derivatives.
In the tables above, the amounts of assets or liabilities included in the balance sheet would be offset first by financial instruments that have the right of offset under master netting or similar
arrangements with any remaining amount reduced by the amount of cash and securities collateral. The actual amount of collateral may be greater than amounts presented in the tables.
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C Financial position / continued C3 Policyholder liabilities and unallocated surplus
C3.1 Policyholder liabilities and unallocated surplus by business type from continuing operations
(a) Movement in policyholder liabilities and unallocated surplus of with-profits funds
The items below represent the amount attributable to changes in policyholder liabilities and unallocated surplus of with-profits funds as a result of
each of the components listed for the continuing operations of the Group. The policyholder liabilities shown include investment contracts without
discretionary participation features (as defined in IFRS 4) and their full movement in the year. The items are shown gross of external reinsurance.
At 1 Jan 2020
Comprising:
– Policyholder liabilities on the balance sheet
(excludes $269,549 million from discontinued US operations)
– Unallocated surplus of with-profits funds on the balance sheet notes (viii)
– Group’s share of policyholder liabilities relating to joint ventures and associates note (i)
Premiums: note (ii)
New business
In-force
Surrenders notes (ii)(iii)
Maturities/deaths/other claim events
Net flows
Shareholders’ transfers post-tax
Investment-related items and other movements notes (iv)(vii)
Foreign exchange translation differences note (v)
At 31 Dec 2020/1 Jan 2021
Comprising:
– Policyholder liabilities on the balance sheet
(excludes $296,513 million from discontinued US operations)
– Unallocated surplus of with-profits funds on the balance sheet notes (viii)
– Group’s share of policyholder liabilities relating to joint ventures and associates note (i)
Premiums: note (ii)
New business
In-force
Surrenders notes (ii)(iii)
Maturities/deaths/other claim events
Net flows
Shareholders’ transfers post tax
Investment-related items and other movements note (iv)
Foreign exchange translation differences note (v)
At 31 Dec 2021
Comprising:
– Policyholder liabilities on the balance sheet
– Unallocated surplus of with-profits funds on the balance sheet notes (viii)
– Group’s share of policyholder liabilities relating to joint ventures and associates note (i)
Average policyholder liability balances note (vi)
2021
2020
With-
profits
business
$m
70,308
65,558
4,750
–
1,338
8,393
9,731
(797)
(1,595)
7,339
(116)
8,127
752
Shareholder-backed business
Unit-linked
liabilities
$m
28,850
23,571
–
5,279
1,851
2,358
4,209
(2,982)
(196)
1,031
–
2,107
518
Other
business
$m
33,598
27,000
–
6,598
2,063
4,757
6,820
(951)
(774)
5,095
–
7,108
838
Total
continuing
operations
$m
132,756
116,129
4,750
11,877
5,252
15,508
20,760
(4,730)
(2,565)
13,465
(116)
17,342
2,108
86,410
32,506
46,639
165,555
81,193
5,217
–
1,990
7,096
9,086
(844)
(2,116)
6,126
(134)
2,499
(899)
94,002
88,618
5,384
–
25,433
–
7,073
3,038
2,406
5,444
(3,326)
(215)
1,903
–
897
(550)
34,756
25,651
–
9,105
38,107
–
8,532
2,172
5,286
7,458
(734)
(1,123)
5,601
–
(3,505)
(239)
48,496
37,646
–
10,850
144,733
5,217
15,605
7,200
14,788
21,988
(4,904)
(3,454)
13,630
(134)
(109)
(1,688)
177,254
151,915
5,384
19,955
84,905
73,375
33,631
30,678
47,568
40,119
166,104
144,172
Notes
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
The Group’s investments in joint ventures and associates are accounted for on an equity method and the Group’s share of the policyholder liabilities as shown above relate to the life business
of CPL, India and the Takaful business in Malaysia.
The analysis includes the impact of premiums, claims and investment movements on policyholders’ liabilities. The impact does not represent premiums, claims and investment movements
as reported in the income statement. For example, premiums shown above exclude any deductions for fees/charges; claims (surrenders, maturities, deaths and other claim events) shown
above represent the policyholder liabilities provision released rather than the claims amount paid to the policyholder. The analysis also includes net flows of the Group’s insurance joint
ventures and associate.
The rate of surrenders for shareholder-backed business (expressed as a percentage of opening policyholder liabilities) is 5.1 per cent in 2021 (2020: 6.3 per cent).
Investment-related items and other movements in 2021 primarily represents the effect of higher interest rates on the discount rates applied in the measurement of the policyholder
liabilities for other shareholder-backed business and unrealised losses on fixed income assets, partially offset by a higher level of investment return from equities mainly within with-profits
and unit-linked funds.
(v) Movements in the year have been translated at the average exchange rates for the year. The closing balance has been translated at the closing spot rates as at 31 December. Differences
upon retranslation are included in foreign exchange translation differences.
(vi) Average policyholder liabilities have been based on opening and closing balances, adjusted for any acquisitions, disposals and other relevant corporate transactions arising in the year, and
exclude unallocated surplus of with-profits funds.
(vii) The total movement on Africa policyholder liabilities in 2020 included within other business, apart from foreign exchange movements, was included within investment-related items and
other movements.
(viii) Unallocated surplus of with-profits funds represents the excess of assets over policyholder liabilities, determined in accordance with the Group’s accounting policies, that have yet to be
appropriated between policyholders and shareholders for the Group’s with-profits funds in Hong Kong and Malaysia. In Hong Kong, the unallocated surplus includes the shareholders’ share
of expected future bonuses, with the expected policyholder share being included in policyholder liabilities. Any excess of assets over liabilities and amounts expected to be paid out by the
fund on future bonuses is also included in the unallocated surplus.
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C3 Policyholder liabilities and unallocated surplus continued
C3.1 Policyholder liabilities and unallocated surplus by business type from continuing operations continued
(b) Duration of policyholder liabilities
The table below shows the carrying value of policyholder liabilities from continuing operations and the maturity profile of the cash flows on a
discounted basis, taking account of expected future premiums and investment returns:
Policyholder liabilities
Expected maturity:
0 to 5 years
5 to 10 years
10 to 15 years
15 to 20 years
20 to 25 years
Over 25 years
31 Dec 2021
$m
31 Dec 2020
$m
151,915
144,733
31 Dec 2021
%
31 Dec 2020
%
20
18
15
12
10
25
20
19
15
12
10
24
(c) Policyholder liabilities and unallocated surplus by operating segment
The table below shows the policyholder liabilities and unallocated surplus from continuing operations, excluding joint ventures and associates and
net of external reinsurance, by segment:
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Malaysia
Singapore
Growth markets and other
Total segment
31 Dec 2021
$m
31 Dec 2020
$m
79,363
4,257
8,660
34,361
20,905
73,338
4,617
8,756
32,264
19,612
147,546
138,587
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C Financial position / continued C3.2 Reconciliation of gross and reinsurers’ share of policyholder liabilities and unallocated surplus
Claims paid include maturities, annuities, surrenders, deaths and other claim events. Maturity claims are recorded as charges on the policy maturity
date. Annuity claims are recorded when each annuity instalment becomes due for payment. Surrenders are charged to the income statement when
paid. Death and other claims are generally recorded when notified with additional contract liabilities held, where appropriate, for ‘incurred but not
reported’ (IBNR) claims.
Further analysis of the movement in the year of the Group’s gross contract liabilities, reinsurers’ share of insurance contract liabilities and
unallocated surplus of with-profits funds (excluding those held by joint ventures and associates) is provided below:
At 1 Jan 2020
Income and expense included in the income statement note (i)
From continuing operations
From discontinued US operations
Other movements note (ii)
From continuing operations
From discontinued US operations
Foreign exchange translation differences
Balance at 31 Dec 2020/1 Jan 2021
Removal of discontinued US operations
Income and expense included in the income statement notes (i)(iii)
Other movements note (ii)
Foreign exchange translation differences
At 31 Dec 2021
Gross
insurance
contract
liabilities
$m
Reinsurers’
share of
insurance
contract
liabilities
$m
Investment
contract
liabilities
$m
Unallocated
surplus of
with-profits
funds
$m
(380,143)
13,856
(5,535)
(4,750)
(27,367)
(27,667)
(55,034)
–
–
–
(1,610)
(436,787)
293,325
(9,082)
–
1,789
(150,755)
5,885
26,838
32,723
–
–
–
16
46,595
(35,232)
(1,552)
–
(58)
9,753
135
214
349
276
489
765
(38)
(4,459)
3,188
189
(75)
(3)
(1,160)
(438)
–
(438)
–
–
–
(29)
(5,217)
–
(202)
–
35
(5,384)
Notes
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
The total charge for benefits and claims from continuing operations shown in the income statement comprises the amounts shown as ‘income and expense included in the income
statement’ in the table above together with claims paid of $(8,845) million in the year (2020: $(7,231) million) and claim amounts attributable to reinsurers of $581 million (2020:
$428 million).
Other movements include premiums received and claims paid on investment contracts without discretionary participating features, which are taken directly to the statement of financial
position in accordance with IAS 39.
The movement in the gross contract liabilities included the impact of a change in 2021 to allow for illiquidity premium in the calculation of the valuation interest rate (VIR) used to value
long-term insurance liabilities in Thailand. The VIR, after allowing for the illiquidity premium, is more reflective of the product characteristics and the effect of the change was such that the
accounting mismatch between the valuation of the assets and insurance liabilities is reduced. The change reduced policyholder liabilities of Thailand’s shareholder-backed business by
$160 million at 31 December 2021 and is included within short-term fluctuations in investment returns in the Group’s supplementary analysis of profit. It also includes the impact of
refinement to the run-off of the allowance for prudence within technical provisions to better reflect the current expectations of the run-off of insurance risk.
The segmental analysis of the total charge for benefit and claims and movement in unallocated surplus, net of reinsurance in the income statement is shown below. The CPL segment is a
joint venture accounted for using the equity method under IFRS, with the Group’s share of its results net of related tax presented in a single line within the Group’s profit before tax, and
therefore not shown in the analysis of benefit and claims items below.
Claims incurred, net of reinsurance
(Increase) decrease in policyholder liabilities,
net of reinsurance
Movement in unallocated surplus of with-profits funds
Benefits and claims and movement in unallocated surplus,
net of reinsurance
Claims incurred, net of reinsurance
(Increase) decrease in policyholder liabilities,
net of reinsurance
Movement in unallocated surplus of with-profits funds
Benefits and claims and movement in unallocated surplus,
2021 $m
Hong
Kong
Indonesia
Malaysia
Singapore
Growth
markets
and other
Total
segment
(1,687)
(1,184)
(1,015)
(3,037)
(1,590)
(8,513)
(6,088)
(250)
167
–
(260)
48
(2,856)
–
(1,159)
–
(10,196)
(202)
(8,025)
(1,017)
(1,227)
(5,893)
(2,749)
(18,911)
2020 $m
Hong
Kong
(1,735)
(14,168)
(338)
Indonesia
Malaysia
Singapore
Growth
markets
and other
(942)
260
–
(867)
(773)
(100)
(2,334)
(1,199)
(4,284)
–
(2,108)
–
Total
segment
(7,077)
(21,073)
(438)
net of reinsurance
(16,241)
(682)
(1,740)
(6,618)
(3,307)
(28,588)
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Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information C3 Policyholder liabilities and unallocated surplus continued
C3.3 Reinsurers’ share of insurance contract liabilities
The measurement of reinsurance assets is consistent with the measurement of the underlying direct insurance contracts. The treatment of any
gains or losses arising on the purchase of reinsurance contracts is dependent on the underlying accounting basis of the entity concerned.
Insurance contract liabilities
Claims outstanding
Total operations
31 Dec 2021 $m
31 Dec 2020 $m
Group
total
9,550
203
9,753
Asia and
Africa
11,187
176
11,363
Discontinued
US
operations
33,881
1,351
35,232
Group
total
45,068
1,527
46,595
The Group cedes certain business to other insurance companies. Although the ceding of insurance does not relieve the Group from its liability to its
policyholders, the Group participates in such agreements largely for the purpose of managing its loss exposure. The Group evaluates the financial
condition of its reinsurers and monitors concentration of credit risk from similar geographic regions, activities or economic characteristics of the
reinsurers to minimise its exposure from reinsurer insolvencies.
Of the reinsurers’ share of insurance contract liabilities balance of $9,753 million at 31 December 2021 (31 December 2020: $46,595 million),
99 per cent (31 December 2020: 99 per cent) was from reinsurers with rating A- and above by Standard & Poor’s or other external rating agencies.
The reinsurers’ share of insurance contract liabilities for Asia primarily relates to protection business written in Hong Kong. The Group’s Hong Kong
business cedes insurance risk to limit exposure to underwriting losses under various agreements that cover individual risks, group risks or defined
blocks of business, on a co-insurance, surplus, quota share, or catastrophe excess of loss basis. The amount of each risk retained depends on the
evaluation of the specific risk, subject to certain circumstances, to maximum limits based on characteristics of coverage.
For the continuing operations, net commissions received during 2021 on ceded business totalled $285 million (2020: $1,005 million) and claims
incurred ceded to external reinsurers totalled $604 million (2020: $432 million). There was $3 million (2020: $1 million) of deferred gains in the year.
C3.4 Products and determining contract liabilities
IFRS 4 requires contracts written by insurers to be classified as either ‘insurance’ contracts or ‘investment’ contracts. The classification of the contract
determines its accounting.
Contracts that transfer significant insurance risk to the Group are classified as insurance contracts. This judgement is applied in considering
whether the material features of a contract gives rise to the transfer of significant insurance risk, which is made at the point of contract inception
and not revisited. For the majority of the Group’s contracts, classification is based on a readily identifiable scenario that demonstrates a significant
difference in cash flows if the covered event occurs (as opposed to does not occur) reducing the level of judgement involved.
Contracts that transfer financial risk to the Group but not significant insurance risk are classified as investment contracts. Insurance contracts and
investment contracts with discretionary participation features are accounted for under IFRS 4. Investment contracts without such discretionary
participation features are accounted for as financial instruments under IAS 39.
Investment contracts without discretionary participation features are measured in accordance with IAS 39 to reflect the deposit nature of the
arrangement, with premiums and claims reflected as deposits and withdrawals, and taken directly to the statement of financial position as
movements in the financial liability balance.
Investment contracts without fixed and guaranteed terms are classified as financial instruments and designated as fair value through profit or
loss because the resulting liabilities are managed and their performance is evaluated on a fair value basis. Where the contract includes a surrender
option, its carrying value is subject to a minimum carrying value equal to its surrender value.
Other investment contracts are measured at amortised cost.
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C Financial position / continued In the Group’s continuing insurance business operations, the table below gives a list of products that fall into each category:
Insurance contracts and investment
contracts with discretionary
participation features
– With-profits contracts
– Unit-linked policies
– Health and protection policies
– Non-participating term contracts
– Whole life contracts
Investment contracts without discretionary participation features
– Minor amounts for a number of small categories of business
The table below provides description of material feature of each of the products listed above for continuing operations, together with how their
contract liabilities are determined.
Contract type
Description and material features
Determination of liabilities
With-profits and
participating
contracts
Unit-linked
Provides savings and/or protection where the basic sum
assured can be enhanced by a profit share (or bonus)
from the underlying fund as determined at the
discretion of the local business unit.
Participating products often offer a guaranteed
maturity or surrender value. Declared regular bonuses
are guaranteed once vested. Future bonus rates and
cash dividends are not guaranteed. Market value
adjustments and surrender penalties are used for
certain products where the law permits such
adjustments. Guarantees are predominantly supported
by the segregated funds and their estates.
Combines savings with protection, the cash value of the
policy primarily depends on the value of the underlying
unitised funds.
As explained in note A3.1, with-profits contracts are
predominantly sold in Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore.
The total value of the with-profits funds is driven by the
underlying asset valuation with movements reflected
principally in the accounting value of policyholder liabilities
and unallocated surplus.
In Hong Kong, the unallocated surplus includes the
shareholders’ share of expected future bonuses, with the
expected policyholder share being included in policyholder
liabilities. Any excess of assets over liabilities and amounts
expected to be paid out by the fund on future bonuses is
also included in the unallocated surplus.
The attaching liabilities largely reflect the unit value
obligation driven by the value of the investments of the unit
fund. Additional contract liabilities are held for guaranteed
benefits beyond the unit fund value, generally using a gross
premium valuation method, as discussed below for health
and protection business. These additional provisions are
recognised as a component of other business liabilities.
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Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information C3 Policyholder liabilities and unallocated surplus continued
C3.4 Products and determining contract liabilities continued
Contract type
Description and material features
Determination of liabilities
Health and
protection
Health and protection features are offered as
supplements to the products listed above or sold as
standalone products. Protection covers mortality and/or
morbidity benefits including health, disability, critical
illness and accident coverage.
Non-
participating
term contracts,
whole life and
endowment
assurance
Non-participating savings and/or protection where the
benefits are guaranteed, determined by a set of defined
market-related parameters, or determined at the
discretion of the local business unit. These products
often offer a guaranteed maturity and/or surrender
value. It is common in Asia for regulations or market-
driven demand and competition to provide some form
of capital value protection and minimum crediting
interest rate guarantees. This is reflected within the
guaranteed maturity and surrender values. Guarantees
are supported by shareholders.
The approach to determine the contract liabilities is
generally driven by the local solvency basis. The discount
rates used to determine the contract liabilities are derived in
line with the measurement basis applied in each local
business unit and are generally based on the risk-free rates
applicable to the underlying contacts, including
appropriate margins.
A gross premium valuation (GPV) method is typically used
in those local businesses where a risk-based capital
framework is adopted for local solvency. Under the GPV
method, all cash flows are valued explicitly using best
estimate assumptions with a suitable margin for prudence.
This is achieved either through adding an explicit allowance
above best estimate to the assumptions, or by applying an
overlay constraint such that on day one no negative
reserves (ie where future premium inflows are expected to
exceed future claims and outflows) are derived at an
individual policyholder level, or at a product/fund level, or a
combination of both. The margin for prudence is released
to profit over the life of the contract. Best estimate
assumptions are reviewed annually with reference to
experience and expectations around the short-term nature
of any change (for example increases or decreases in claims
levels as a result of Covid-19). Any changes made to best
estimate impact the prudence mechanisms described
above and, as a consequence, IFRS profit tends to be
relatively insensitive to assumption changes made in any
given year.
The Hong Kong business unit applies a net premium
valuation method (NPV) to determine the future
policyholder benefit provisions, subject to minimum floors
at the policyholder’s asset share or guaranteed cash
surrender value as appropriate.
For India and Taiwan, US GAAP is applied for measuring
insurance liabilities. For these businesses, the future
policyholder benefit provisions for non-linked business are
determined using the net level premium method, with an
allowance for surrenders, maintenance and claims
expenses.
In Vietnam, an estimation basis to determine the contract
liabilities is aligned substantially to that used by the local
business units applying the GPV method.
The approach to determining the contract liabilities is
generally driven by the local solvency basis, as discussed for
health and protection business above.
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C Financial position / continued C4 Intangible assets
C4.1 Goodwill
Business combination
Business acquisitions are accounted for by applying the purchase method of accounting, which adjusts the net assets of the acquired company to
fair value at the date of purchase. The excess of the acquisition consideration over the fair value of the assets and liabilities of the acquired business
is recorded as goodwill. The Group chooses the full goodwill method or the partial goodwill method to calculate goodwill on an acquisition by
acquisition basis. Expenses related to acquiring new subsidiaries are charged to the income statement in the period in which they are incurred and
not included in goodwill. Income and expenses of acquired businesses are included in the income statement from the date of acquisition.
Where the Group writes a put option, which if exercised triggers the purchase of non-controlling interests as part of its business acquisition, the put
option is recognised as a financial liability at the acquisition date. Where risks and rewards remain with the non-controlling interests, a corresponding
amount is deducted from equity. Any subsequent changes to the carrying amount of the put option liability are also recognised within equity.
Goodwill
Goodwill is capitalised and carried on the Group consolidated statement of financial position as an intangible asset at initial value less any
accumulated impairment losses. Goodwill impairment testing is conducted annually and when there is an indication of impairment.
Goodwill shown on the consolidated statement of financial position at 31 December 2021 represents amounts allocated to businesses in Asia
and Africa in respect of both acquired asset management and life businesses. There has been no impairment as at 31 December 2021 and 2020.
Carrying value at 1 Jan
Exchange differences
Carrying value at 31 Dec
2021 $m
2020 $m
961
(54)
907
969
(8)
961
Impairment testing
Goodwill does not generate cash flows independently of other groups of assets and thus is assigned to cash-generating units for the purposes of
impairment testing. These cash-generating units (CGUs) are based upon how management monitors the business and represent the lowest level to
which goodwill can be allocated on a reasonable basis. Of the carrying value at 31 December 2021, $465 million (31 December 2020: $513 million)
relates to asset management business in Thailand and $233 million (31 December 2020: $238 million) relates to the acquisition of UOB Life in
Singapore. Other goodwill amounts are allocated across CGUs in Asia and Africa operations, which are not individually material.
Goodwill is tested for impairment by comparing the CGU’s carrying amount, including any goodwill, with its recoverable amount. The Group’s
methodology of assessing whether goodwill may be impaired for acquired life and asset management operations is discussed below.
For acquired life businesses, the Group routinely compares the aggregate of net asset value and acquired goodwill on an IFRS basis of the
acquired life business with the value of the current in-force business as determined using the EEV methodology. Any excess of IFRS value over EEV
carrying value is then compared with EEV basis value of current and projected future new business to determine whether there is any indication that
the goodwill in the IFRS statement of financial position may be impaired. The methodology and assumptions underpinning the Group’s EEV basis
of reporting are included in the EEV basis supplementary information in this Annual Report.
The goodwill in respect of asset management businesses comprises mainly the goodwill arising from the acquisition of Thanachart Fund
Management Co., Ltd in 2019 and TMB Asset Management Co., Ltd in Thailand in 2018. The goodwill impairment testing for these businesses is
prepared as a single CGU reflecting that these businesses are managed together. The recoverable amount of these businesses has been
determined by calculating the value in use of combined business calculated using a discounted cash flow valuation.
For the combined Thailand asset management business, the valuation is based on a number of key assumptions as follows:
> Cash flow projections based on the latest five-year business plan/forecast;
> A constant growth rate of 2.3 per cent on forecast cash flows beyond the terminal year of the cash flow projection period (31 December 2020:
2.3 per cent);
> The risk discount rate applied in accordance with the nature of the businesses. The pre-tax discount rate applied is 9.0 per cent (31 December
2020: 9.0 per cent); and
> The continuation of asset management contracts on similar terms.
Management believes that any reasonable change in the key assumptions would not cause the recoverable amount of the asset management
businesses acquired to fall below its carrying amount.
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Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information C4 Intangible assets continued
C4.2 Deferred acquisition costs and other intangible assets
Intangible assets acquired on the purchase of a subsidiary or portfolio of contracts are measured at fair value on acquisition. DAC are accounted for
as described in note A3.1(c). Other intangible assets, such as distribution rights and software, are valued initially at the price paid to acquire them
and are subsequently carried at cost less amortisation and any accumulated impairment losses. For intangibles other than DAC, amortisation
follows the pattern in which the future economic benefits are expected to be consumed. If the pattern cannot be determined reliably, a straight-line
method is applied. For software, the amortisation generally represents the licence period of the software acquired. Amortisation of intangible assets
is charged to the ‘acquisition costs and other expenditure’ line in the consolidated income statement. Impairment testing is conducted when there is
an indication of impairment.
Deferred acquisition costs and other intangible assets attributable to shareholders note (a)
Other intangible assets, including computer software, attributable to with-profits funds
Total of deferred acquisition costs and other intangible assets
Analysed as:
Deferred acquisition costs and other intangible assets from continuing operations
Attributable to shareholder-backed business note
Attributable to with-profits business
Deferred acquisition costs and other intangible assets from discontinued US operations
Total of deferred acquisition costs and other intangible assets
Note
The deferred acquisition costs (DAC) and other intangible assets attributable to shareholders from continuing operations comprise:
DAC related to insurance contracts as classified under IFRS 4
DAC related to investment management contracts, including life assurance contracts classified as
financial instruments and investment management contracts under IFRS 4
DAC related to insurance and investment contracts
Distribution rights
Present value of acquired in-force policies for insurance contracts as classified under IFRS 4
Other intangibles
Present value of acquired in-force policies (PVIF) and other intangibles attributable to shareholders
Total of DAC and other intangible assets
(a) Movement in DAC and other intangible assets attributable to shareholders
Balance at 1 Jan
Removal of discontinued US operations
Additions
Amortisation to the income statement:
From continuing operations
From discontinued US operations
Amortisation of DAC related to the discontinued US operations recognised within other
comprehensive income
Disposals and transfers
Exchange differences and other movements
Balance at 31 Dec
31 Dec 2021
$m
31 Dec 2020
$m
6,809
49
6,858
6,809
49
–
6,858
20,275
70
20,345
6,394
70
13,881
20,345
31 Dec 2021
$m
31 Dec 2020
$m
2,776
39
2,815
3,782
28
184
3,994
6,809
2,319
34
2,353
3,851
34
156
4,041
6,394
2020 $m
Total
Total
20,275
(13,881)
1,185
17,409
–
2,471
(651)
–
(651)
–
(7)
(112)
(518)
374
(144)
494
(12)
57
2021 $m
PVIF and
other
intangibles
note (c)
4,059
(18)
337
(308)
–
(308)
–
(7)
(69)
DAC
note (b)
16,216
(13,863)
848
(343)
–
(343)
–
–
(43)
2,815
3,994
6,809
20,275
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C Financial position / continued (b) Movement in DAC related to insurance and investment contracts
Balance at 1 Jan
Removal of discontinued US operations
Additions
Amortisation
Exchange differences and other movements
Change in shadow DAC related to the discontinued US operations
Balance at 31 Dec
2021 $m
2020 $m
Insurance
contracts
Investment
contracts
note
Insurance
contracts
Investment
contracts
note
16,182
(13,863)
841
(339)
(45)
–
2,776
34
–
7
(4)
2
–
39
14,206
–
1,354
85
43
494
16,182
33
–
3
(4)
2
–
34
Note
The carrying amount of the DAC balance relating to investment contracts comprises the following gross and accumulated amortisation amounts:
Gross amount
Accumulated amortisation
Carrying amount
31 Dec 2021
$m
31 Dec 2020
$m
55
(16)
39
39
(5)
34
(c) Movement in PVIF and other intangibles attributable to shareholders
2021 $m
2020 $m
Balance at 1 Jan
Cost
Accumulated amortisation
Removal of discontinued US operations
Additions
Amortisation charge
Disposals and transfers
Exchange differences and other movements
Balance at 31 Dec
Comprising:
Cost
Accumulated amortisation
PVIF
note (i)
Distribution
rights
note (ii)
Other
intangibles
(including
software)
note (iii)
4,845
(994)
3,851
–
260
(268)
–
(61)
424
(250)
174
(18)
77
(35)
(7)
(7)
177
(143)
34
–
–
(5)
–
(1)
28
Total
5,446
(1,387)
4,059
(18)
337
(308)
(7)
(69)
3,782
184
3,994
140
(112)
5,037
(1,255)
28
3,782
313
(129)
184
5,490
(1,496)
3,994
PVIF
note (i)
Distribution
rights
note (ii)
Other
intangibles
(including
software)
note (iii)
175
(137)
38
–
–
(5)
–
1
34
177
(143)
34
3,783
(812)
2,971
–
1,047
(180)
–
13
3,851
4,845
(994)
3,851
379
(218)
161
–
67
(45)
(12)
3
174
424
(250)
174
Total
4,337
(1,167)
3,170
–
1,114
(230)
(12)
17
4,059
5,446
(1,387)
4,059
Notes
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
All of the net PVIF balances relate to insurance contracts. The PVIF attaching to investment contracts have been fully amortised.
Distribution rights relate to amounts that have been paid or have become unconditionally due for payment as a result of past events in respect of the bancassurance partnership
arrangements for the bank distribution of Prudential’s insurance products for a fixed period of time. The distribution rights amounts are amortised on a basis to reflect the pattern in which
the future economic benefits are expected to be consumed by reference to new business production levels.
Software rights from continuing operations include additions of $61 million, amortisation of $(24) million, disposals of $(2) million, foreign exchange of $(5) million and closing balance at
31 December 2021 of $114 million (31 December 2020: $84 million).
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Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information C5 Borrowings
Although initially recognised at fair value (net of transaction costs), borrowings are subsequently accounted for on an amortised cost basis using the
effective interest method. Under the effective interest method, the difference between the redemption value of the borrowing and the initial
proceeds (net of related issue costs) is amortised through the income statement to the date of maturity or for hybrid debt, over the expected life of
the instrument.
C5.1 Core structural borrowings of shareholder-financed businesses
Continuing operations:
Subordinated debt:
US$250m 6.75% Notes note (i)
US$300m 6.5% Notes note (i)
US$700m 5.25% Notes note (i)
US$1,000m 5.25% Notes note (i)
US$725m 4.375% Notes note (iii)
US$750m 4.875% Notes
€20m Medium Term Notes 2023
£435m 6.125% Notes 2031
US$1,000m 2.95% Notes 2033 note (ii)
Senior debt: note (iv)
£300m 6.875% Notes 2023
£250m 5.875% Notes 2029
$1,000m 3.125% Notes 2030
Bank loans:
$350m Loan 2024
Total continuing operations
Discontinued US operations: Jackson US$250m 8.15% Surplus Notes 2027
Total core structural borrowings of shareholder-financed businesses
31 Dec 2021
$m
31 Dec 2020
$m
–
–
–
1,000
725
748
23
584
995
404
313
985
350
6,127
250
300
700
999
723
746
24
590
–
406
312
983
350
6,383
250
6,633
Notes
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
The US$250 million, US$300 million, US$700 million notes were redeemed on 23 December 2021 and the US$1,000 million notes were redeemed on 20 January 2022 using the proceeds
from the issuance of ordinary shares during the year as discussed in note C8.
In November 2021, the Company issued US$1,000 million 2.95 per cent subordinated debt maturing on 3 November 2033 with proceeds, net of costs, of $995 million.
The US$725 million note was redeemed on 20 January 2022 using the proceeds from the US$1,000 million subordinated debt issued in November 2021.
The senior debt ranks above subordinated debt in the event of liquidation.
C5.2 Operational borrowings
Shareholder-financed business:
Borrowings in respect of short-term fixed income securities programmes – commercial paper
Lease liabilities under IFRS 16
Other borrowings
Operational borrowings from continuing operations
Discontinued US operations note
Group total operational borrowings attributable to shareholder-financed businesses
With-profits business:
Lease liabilities under IFRS 16
Other borrowings
Group total operational borrowings
Note
Operational borrowings from discontinued US operations can be analysed as follows:
Non-recourse borrowings of consolidated investment funds
Lease liabilities under IFRS 16
Senior debt issued through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis (FHLB)
Operational borrowings from discontinued US operations
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31 Dec 2021
$m
31 Dec 2020
$m
500
209
10
719
138
4
861
501
251
–
752
1,498
2,250
194
–
2,444
31 Dec 2020
$m
994
51
453
1,498
prudentialplc.com
C Financial position / continued C6 Risk and sensitivity analysis
Group overview
The Group’s risk framework and the management of risks attaching to the Group’s financial statements including financial assets, financial liabilities
and insurance liabilities, together with the inter-relationship with the management of capital, have been included in the audited sections of the Risk
review report.
The financial and insurance assets and liabilities on the Group’s statement of financial position are, to varying degrees, subject to market and
insurance risk and other changes of experience assumptions that may have a material effect on IFRS basis profit or loss and shareholders’ equity.
The market and insurance risks and also ESG-related risks, including how they affect Group’s operations and how these are managed are discussed
in the Risk review report referred to above. The ESG-related risks discussed in the Risk review report include in particular the potential long-term
impact of environmental risks associated with climate change (including physical and transition risks) on the Group’s investments and liabilities. The
ESG Report included in this Annual Report sets out three commonly used scenarios of plausible global responses to climate change. Each scenario is
translated into potential sensitivities to economic factors, using third party calibrated inputs, which have then been applied during the year to the
Group’s starting assets and liabilities to quantify possible future impacts thereon. Though the Group remains exposed to financial impact from
plausible global responses addressing climate change, the results for each scenario are not outside observed market volatility experienced and
therefore do not indicate the need for explicit allowance for climate change within the current valuations. In addition, given the nature of the
business, the impact of climate change does not directly alter the Group’s assumptions for claims and lapses for its insurance business based on the
annual review of experience. If experience or exposure changes, for example due to a step change in long-term morbidity and/or mortality
expectations in a particular region due to climate events, the financial impacts from climate-related risks on our insurance liabilities could be more
significant and would be allowed for as part of the regular review.
The most significant items that the IFRS shareholders’ profit or loss and shareholders’ equity for the Group’s life assurance business are
sensitive to, are shown in the following tables. The distinction between direct and indirect exposure is not intended to indicate the relative size
of the sensitivity.
Insurance and lapse risk
Mortality and/or
morbidity risk
Persistency risk
Type of business
Market and credit risk
All insurance business
With-profits business
Unit-linked business
Non-participating business
Net neutral direct exposure (indirect exposure to investment performance,
which is subject to smoothing through declared bonuses)
Net neutral direct exposure (indirect exposure to investment performance,
through asset management fees)
Asset/liability mismatch risk which results in sensitivity to interest rates and
credit spreads, particularly for operations where the insurance liability basis is
sensitive to current market movements
Profit and shareholders’ equity are also sensitive to the impact of current
market movements on assets held in excess of non-participating policyholder
liabilities
Indirect exposure to investment performance through policyholder charges
and guarantees in some cases
Sensitivity analyses of IFRS shareholders’ equity to key market and other risks for the continuing insurance operations are provided in section C6.1
below. The sensitivity analyses provided show the effect on shareholders’ equity to changes in the relevant risk variables, all of which are considered
to be reasonably possible at the relevant balance sheet date.
The sensitivities reflect all consequential impacts from market movements at the valuation date.
The sensitivity of the Group’s Eastspring and central operations to market risks is discussed in section C6.2.
The Group benefits from diversification benefits achieved through the geographical spread of the Group’s operations and, within those
operations, through a broad mix of product types. These benefits are not reflected in the simplified sensitivities below.
Relevant correlation factors include:
> Correlation across geographic regions for both financial and non-financial risk factors; and
> Correlation across risk factors for mortality and morbidity, expenses, persistency and other risks.
The geographical diversity of the Group’s business means that it has some exposure to the risk of foreign exchange rate fluctuations. The Group has
no exposure to currency fluctuation from business units that operate in USD, or currencies pegged to the USD (such as HKD), and reduced exposure
to currencies partially managed to the USD within a basket of currencies (such as SGD). Sensitivities to exchange rate movements in the Group’s key
markets are therefore expected to be limited.
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C6.1 Continuing insurance operations
(a) Sensitivity to key market risks
The table below shows the sensitivity of shareholders’ equity as at 31 December 2021 and 2020 for continuing insurance operations to the
following market risks:
> 1 per cent increase and 0.5 per cent decrease in interest rates (based on local government bond yields at the valuation date) in isolation and
subject to a floor of zero; and
> Instantaneous 10 per cent rise and 20 per cent fall in the market value of equity and property assets. The equity risk sensitivity analysis assumes
that all equity indices fall by the same percentage.
The sensitivities below only allow for limited management actions such as changes to policyholder bonuses, where applicable. If the economic
conditions set out in the sensitivities persisted, the financial impacts may differ to the instantaneous impacts shown below. Given the continuous
risk management processes in place, management could take additional actions to help mitigate the impact of these stresses, including (but not
limited to) rebalancing investment portfolios, increased use of reinsurance, repricing of in-force benefits, changes to new business pricing and the
mix of new business being sold. The sensitivities reflect all consequential impacts from market movements at the valuation date. Where liabilities
are directly valued using short-term historic average rates, the average interest rates in the sensitivities are adjusted accordingly and reflected in the
impact on these liabilities. These sensitivities do not include credit risk sensitivities, such as movements in credit spreads, and hence the valuation of
debt securities and policyholder liabilities. A one-letter credit downgrade in isolation (ie ignoring any consequential change in valuation) would not
have a material impact on IFRS profit or shareholders’ equity.
Net effect on shareholders’ equity from continuing insurance operations
Shareholders’ equity from continuing insurance operations
Sensitivity to key market risks*:
Interest rates and consequential effects – 1% increase
Interest rates and consequential effects – 0.5% decrease
Equity/property market values – 10% rise
Equity/property market values – 20% fall
31 Dec 2021
$m
31 Dec 2020
$m
14,289
12,861
(796)
137
372
(787)
(318)
(1,274)
410
(848)
* The effect from the changes in interest rates or equity and property prices above, if they arose, would impact profit after tax for the continuing insurance operations and would mostly be recorded
within short-term fluctuations in investment returns. The impact on profit after tax would be the same as the net effect on shareholders’ equity. In the context of the Group, the results of the Africa
insurance operations are not materially impacted by interest rate or equity rate changes.
The degree of sensitivity of the results of the non-linked shareholder-backed business of the continuing insurance operations to movements in
interest rates depends upon the degree to which the liabilities under the ‘grandfathered’ IFRS 4 measurement basis reflects market interest rates
from period to period. This varies by business unit.
For example:
> Certain businesses (Taiwan and India) apply US GAAP, for which the results can be more sensitive as the effect of interest rate movements on the
backing investments may not be offset by liability movements;
> The level of options and guarantees in the products written in a particular business unit will affect the degree of sensitivity to interest rate
movements; and
> The degree of sensitivity of the results is dependent on the interest rate level at that point of time.
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C Financial position / continued The sensitivity of the insurance operations presented as a whole at a given point in time will also be affected by a change in the relative size of the
individual businesses.
The ‘increase of 1%’ sensitivities reflects that, at the current level of interest rates, for many operations the impact of interest rate movements on
the value of government and corporate bond investments dominates, namely bonds are expected to decrease in value as interest rates increase to
a greater extent than the offsetting decrease in liabilities from a corresponding change in discount rates. This arises because the discount rate in
some operations does not fluctuate in line with interest rate movements together with the fact that, for operations where the discount rate does
fluctuate in line with interest rate movements, at higher levels of interest rates, liabilities of these operations become less sensitive to interest rate
movements and the effects on assets becomes more dominant. While interest rates have been rising steadily and may rise further in response to
increasing inflationary pressures, the Group believes the ‘increase of 1%’ sensitivities continues to reflect the effect of a reasonably possible change
at 31 December 2021 based on the latest market expectation of interest rate changes.
The ‘decrease of 0.5%’ sensitivities at 31 December 2020, when rates were historically low reflected that some business units’ liabilities become
more sensitive at a further decrease in interest rates and the increase in liabilities as rates decrease begin to exceed asset gains. The prudent nature
of some of the regulatory regimes of the Group’s markets can lead to duration of liabilities that are longer than would be expected on a more
economic basis and hence results in a mismatch with the assets that are managed on a more realistic basis. As noted above, the results only allow
for limited management actions, and if a lower interest scenario persisted for a longer period management could take additional actions to
manage the impact of these stresses, including (but not limited to) rebalancing investment portfolios, increased use of reinsurance, changes to new
business pricing and the mix of new business being sold.
Following increases in interest rates over 2021, under a 0.5% decrease of interest rate scenario for most operations asset gains exceed the
increases in liabilities resulting in an overall small positive impact of an instantaneous decrease of rates.
Generally, changes in equity and property investment values are not directly offset by movements in non-linked policyholder liabilities.
Movements in equities backing with-profits and unit-linked business have been excluded as they are generally matched by an equal movement in
insurance liabilities (including unallocated surplus of with-profits funds). The impact on changes to future profitability as a result of changes to the
asset values within unit-linked or with-profits funds have not been included in the instantaneous sensitivity above. The estimated sensitivities shown
above include equity and property investments held by the Group’s joint venture and associate businesses.
(b) Sensitivity to insurance risk
For insurance operations, adverse persistency experience can impact the IFRS profitability of certain types of business written in the region. This risk
is managed at a local business unit level through regular monitoring of experience and the implementation of management actions as necessary.
These actions could include product enhancements, increased management focus on premium collection, as well as other customer retention
efforts. The potential financial impact of lapses is often mitigated through the specific features of the products, eg surrender charges, or through
the availability of premium holiday or partial withdrawal policy features. The reserving basis, as discussed in note A3.1(a) and C3.4, is generally such
that a change in lapse assumptions has an immaterial effect on immediate profitability.
Many of the business units are exposed to mortality and morbidity risk and a provision is made within policyholder liabilities to cover the potential
exposure. If all these assumptions were strengthened by 5 per cent then it is estimated that post-tax profit and shareholders’ equity would decrease
by approximately $108 million (2020: $77 million). Weakening these assumptions by 5 per cent would have a similar opposite impact.
C6. 2 Eastspring and central operations
The profit for the year of Eastspring is sensitive to the level of assets under management, as this significantly affects the value of management fees
earned by the business in the current and future periods. Assets under management will rise and fall as market conditions change, with a
consequential impact on profitability.
Eastspring and central operations do not hold significant financial investments. At 31 December 2020, the financial investments of the central
operations were principally short-term treasury bills and money market funds held by the Group’s treasury function for liquidity purposes and so
there is limited sensitivity to interest rate movements. At 31 December 2021, in addition to these financial investments, the central operations also
held the 18.4 per cent economic interest in the equity securities of Jackson. These equity securities are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and
classified as ‘available-for-sale’ with a fair value of $683 million at 31 December 2021. If the value of these securities decreased by 20 per cent, the
change in valuation would be $(137) million, which would reduce shareholders’ equity by this amount before tax, all of which would pass through
other comprehensive income outside of the profit or loss.
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Accounting policies on deferred tax are included in note B3.
C7.1 Current tax
At 31 December 2021, of the $20 million (31 December 2020: $11 million) current tax recoverable from continuing operations, the majority is
expected to be recovered more than 12 months after the reporting period.
At 31 December 2021, the current tax liability from continuing operations of $185 million (31 December 2020: $270 million) includes $42 million
(31 December 2020: $110 million) of provisions for uncertain tax matters. Further detail is provided in note B3.2.
C7.2 Deferred tax
The statement of financial position contains the following deferred tax assets and liabilities in relation to:
Deferred tax assets
Unrealised losses or gains on investments
Balances relating to investment and insurance contracts
Short-term temporary differences
Unused tax losses
Total
Deferred tax liabilities
Unrealised losses or gains on investments
Balances relating to investment and insurance contracts
Short-term temporary differences
Total
Deferred tax assets
Unrealised losses or gains on investments
Balances relating to investment and insurance contracts
Short-term temporary differences
Unused tax losses
Total continuing operations
Discontinued US operations
Group total
Deferred tax liabilities
Unrealised losses or gains on investments
Balances relating to investment and insurance contracts
Short-term temporary differences
Total continuing operations
Discontinued US operations
Group total
2021 $m
Balance
at 1 Jan
Removal of
discontinued
US operations
Movement
in income
statement
Other
movements
including foreign
exchange
movements
–
87
4,662
109
4,858
(1,063)
(1,765)
(3,247)
(6,075)
–
–
(4,513)
(29)
(4,542)
691
–
2,832
3,523
3
(16)
15
(14)
(12)
127
(433)
(87)
(393)
–
(37)
(2)
1
(38)
3
73
7
83
2020 $m
Movement
through
other
comprehensive
income
Other
movements
including foreign
exchange
movements
Balance
at 1 Jan
Movement
in income
statement
–
32
133
106
271
3,804
4,075
(289)
(1,507)
(350)
(2,146)
(3,091)
(5,237)
–
55
14
(31)
38
732
770
(78)
(235)
(53)
(366)
(324)
(690)
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
(102)
(102)
–
–
2
5
7
6
13
(5)
(23)
(12)
(40)
(6)
(46)
Balance
at 31 Dec
3
34
162
67
266
(242)
(2,125)
(495)
(2,862)
Balance
at 31 Dec
–
87
149
80
316
4,542
4,858
(372)
(1,765)
(415)
(2,552)
(3,523)
(6,075)
At 31 December 2021, no deferred tax asset has been recognised in respect of unused tax losses and temporary deductible differences of
$1,382 million (31 December 2020: $991 million from continuing operations) which have a potential tax benefit of $264 million (31 December
2020: $191 million). Of the potential tax benefit, $23 million relates to unused tax losses that will expire within the next ten years, and the remainder
($241 million) has no expiry date.
Some of the Group’s businesses are located in jurisdictions in which a withholding tax charge is incurred upon the distribution of earnings. At
31 December 2021, deferred tax liabilities from continuing operations of $330 million (31 December 2020: $323 million) have not been recognised
in respect of such withholding taxes as the Group is able to control the timing of the distributions and it is probable that the timing differences will
not reverse in the foreseeable future.
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C Financial position / continued C8 Share capital, share premium and own shares
Shares are classified as equity when their terms do not create an obligation to transfer assets. Amounts recorded in share capital represent the
nominal value of the shares issued. The difference between the proceeds received on issue of the shares, net of share issue costs, and the nominal
value of the shares issued, is credited to share premium. Where the Company purchases shares for the purposes of employee incentive plans, the
consideration paid, net of issue costs, is deducted from retained earnings. Upon issue or sale any consideration received is credited to retained
earnings net of related costs.
Issued shares of 5p each fully paid
Balance at 1 Jan
Shares issued under share-based schemes
Shares issued under Hong Kong public offer and
international placing in 2021 (see below)
Balance at 31 Dec
2021
2020
Number of
ordinary
shares
2,609,489,702
6,142,213
130,780,350
2,746,412,265
Share
capital
$m
Share
premium
$m
173
–
9
182
2,637
8
2,365
5,010
Number of
ordinary
shares
2,601,159,949
8,329,753
–
2,609,489,702
Share
capital
$m
Share
premium
$m
172
1
–
173
2,625
12
–
2,637
Options outstanding under save as you earn schemes to subscribe for shares at each year end shown below are as follows:
31 Dec 2021
31 Dec 2020
Number
of shares to
subscribe for
2,022,535
2,320,320
Share price range
from
964p
964p
to
1,455p
1,455p
Exercisable
by year
2027
2026
Transactions by Prudential plc and its subsidiaries in Prudential plc shares
The Group buys and sells Prudential plc shares (‘own shares’) in relation to its employee share schemes. The cost of own shares of $267 million at
31 December 2021 (31 December 2020: $243 million) is deducted from retained earnings. The Company has established trusts to facilitate the
delivery of shares under employee incentive plans. At 31 December 2021, 11.7 million (31 December 2020: 11.2 million) Prudential plc shares with a
market value of $201 million (31 December 2020: $205 million) were held in such trusts, all of which are for employee incentive plans. The
maximum number of shares held during the year was 15.1 million which was in March 2021.
Within the trusts, shares are notionally allocated by business unit reflecting the employees to which the awards were made.
The Company purchased the following number of shares in respect of employee incentive plans:
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Total
Number
of shares
74,817
69,865
55,545
2,438,884
52,989
121,472
60,473
57,004
312,226
436,771
53,867
76,926
3,810,839
2021
Share price
Low
£
14.12
12.42
14.91
15.45
15.82
14.62
13.62
14.20
14.89
14.48
14.77
13.20
High
£
14.48
12.96
15.49
15.55
15.96
14.89
13.78
14.37
15.24
14.99
14.83
13.24
Cost
$
1,443,158
1,251,067
1,189,784
52,512,098
1,183,836
2,508,974
1,145,078
1,128,450
7,961,098
8,410,274
1,072,374
1,355,942
Number
of shares
62,395
62,680
79,057
5,363,563
81,377
167,724
87,239
72,287
75,368
116,802
74,178
70,814
81,162,133
6,313,484
2020
Share price
Low
£
14.42
14.57
11.18
10.21
11.16
11.86
12.30
12.21
11.61
11.49
10.62
12.78
High
£
14.68
14.60
11.40
10.48
11.30
12.67
12.51
12.33
11.68
11.71
12.76
12.83
Cost
$
1,195,275
1,183,717
1,110,374
68,010,967
1,117,783
2,540,749
1,365,109
1,167,008
1,138,447
1,764,694
1,233,127
1,217,842
83,045,092
The cost in USD shown has been calculated from the share prices in pounds sterling using the monthly average exchange rate for the month in
which those shares were purchased.
The share transactions in respect of employee incentive plans as shown in the table above were made on an exchange other than the Stock
Exchange of Hong Kong. In the future, the Company intends to make share purchases on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong for the purpose of the
employee incentive plans.
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On 4 October 2021, Prudential completed the issuance of 130.8 million new ordinary shares on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange through a
concurrent public offer to Hong Kong retail investors (including eligible employees and agents of Prudential) and international placing to global
investors (together, the ‘Share Offer’). Approximately 6.5 million shares were allocated to the public offer and approximately 124.2 million shares
were allocated to the international placing. The final offer price was set at HK$143.80 per share and the net proceeds from the Share Offer, after
deduction of the underwriting fees and other estimated expenses payable in connection with the Share Offer of US$41 million, was approximately
HK$18.5 billion or US$2.4 billion (equating to US$18.34 per share). On 25 September 2021, the day the final offer price was announced, the latest
available market price of the issued shares was HK$147.70 per share. The final offer price of HK$143.80 per share, equivalent to £13.51, represented
a 2.9 per cent discount to the last London closing price of £13.92 on 24 September 2021. This discount does not take into account the US$41 million
of underwriting fees and estimated expenses payable in connection with the Share Offer.
The new shares have also been listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange. In the three-year period preceding the
Share Offer, the percentage increase in issued share capital due to non pre-emptive issuances (excluding employee and agency share schemes) for
cash was 5 per cent. The majority of the net proceeds (approximately HK$17.5 billion or US$2.3 billion) from the Share Offer have been utilised to
redeem four existing high coupon debt in December 2021 and January 2022 as shown in note C5.1, with the remaining net proceeds expected to
contribute to Prudential’s central stock of liquidity, in order to further increase Prudential’s financial flexibility. The above use of proceeds is
consistent with the intended use of proceeds previously disclosed in Prudential’s prospectus for this Share Offer.
C9 Provisions
Staff benefits provisions note (i)
Other provisions
Total provisions note (ii)
Notes
(i)
(ii)
Provisions for staff benefits are generally expected to be paid out within the next three years.
Analysis of movement in total provisions is shown below:
Balance at 1 Jan
Removal of discontinued US operations
Charged (credited) to income statement:
Additional provisions
Unused amounts released
Utilisation during the year
Exchange differences
Balance at 31 Dec
C10 Capital
31 Dec 2021
$m
31 Dec 2020
$m
355
17
372
328
22
350
2021 $m
2020 $m
350
(14)
263
(15)
(204)
(8)
372
466
–
128
(13)
(241)
10
350
C10.1 Group objectives, policies and processes for managing capital
(a) Capital measure
The Group manages its Group GWS capital resources as its measure of capital. At 31 December 2021, estimated Group shareholder GWS capital
resources from continuing operations is $16.9 billion (31 December 2020: $12.8 billion). The 31 December 2020 capital resources have been
restated from those previously disclosed on a LCSM basis to reflect the treatment of grandfathered debt instruments under the GWS Framework,
which increased eligible group capital resources by $1.6 billion compared to the LCSM basis. The 31 December 2020 Group GWS capital results are
presented on a Group excluding Jackson basis before including the value of the Group’s retained interest in Jackson Financial Inc.
(b) External capital requirements
Prudential plc is subject to the Group-wide Supervision (GWS) Framework issued by the Hong Kong Insurance Authority (IA). The GWS Framework
became effective for Prudential upon designation by the Hong Kong IA on 14 May 2021 and replaced the local capital summation method (LCSM)
which was used for determination of the 31 December 2020 Group capital position as agreed with the Hong Kong IA.
The GWS methodology is largely consistent with that previously applied under LCSM with the exception of the treatment of debt instruments
which are subject to transitional arrangements under the GWS Framework. Under the GWS Framework, all debt instruments (senior and
subordinated) issued by Prudential plc at the 31 December 2021 are included as GWS eligible group capital resources. This includes debt issued at the
date of designation which met the transitional conditions set by the Hong Kong IA and have not since been redeemed and debt issued since the date
of designation which met the qualifying conditions as set out in the Insurance (Group Capital) Rules. Under the LCSM, only specific bonds (being
those subordinated debt instruments issued by Prudential plc at the date of demerger of M&G plc) were included as eligible group capital resources.
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C Financial position / continued Prudential applies the Insurance (Group Capital) Rules set out in the GWS Framework to determine group regulatory capital requirements (both
minimum and prescribed levels). The summation of local statutory capital requirements across the Group is used to determine group regulatory
capital requirements, with no allowance for diversification between business operations. The GWS eligible group capital resources are determined
by the summation of capital resources across local solvency regimes for regulated entities and IFRS shareholders’ equity, with adjustments where
applicable, for non-regulated entities.
More details on Group capital are given in section I(i) in the Additional unaudited financial information section.
(c) Meeting of capital management objectives
The GWS group capital adequacy requirements have been met since the GWS Framework became effective for Prudential upon designation. This
includes maintaining total eligible group capital resources in excess of the group prescribed capital requirement of the supervised group and
maintaining Tier 1 group capital resources in excess of the group minimum capital requirement of the supervised group.
As well as holding sufficient capital to meet GWS requirements at Group level, the Group also closely manages the cash it holds within its central
holding companies so that it can:
> Fund new opportunities;
> Maintain flexibility and absorb shock events;
> Cover central costs; and
> Fund dividends.
More details on holding company cash flows and balances are given in section I(v) in the Additional unaudited financial information section.
Reserve adequacy testing under a range of scenarios and dynamic solvency testing is carried out, including under certain scenarios mandated by
the local regulators.
The Group monitors regulatory capital, economic capital and rating agency capital metrics and manages the business within its risk appetite by
remaining within its economic and regulatory capital limits.
The Group’s capital management framework focuses on achieving sustainable, profitable growth and retaining a resilient balance sheet, with a
disciplined approach to active capital allocation.
The sensitivity of liabilities and other components of total capital vary depending upon the type of business concerned and this conditions the
approach to asset/liability management.
C10.2 Local capital regulations
(a) Insurance operations
The local valuation basis for the assets, liabilities and capital requirements of significant insurance operations are:
CPL
A risk-based capital, risk management and governance framework, known as the China Risk Oriented Solvency System (C-ROSS), applies in China.
Under C-ROSS, insurers are required to maintain a core solvency ratio (core capital over minimum capital) and a comprehensive solvency ratio
(capital resources over minimum capital) of not lower than 50 per cent and 100 per cent, respectively.
The actual capital is the difference between the admitted assets and admitted liabilities with trading and available-for-sale assets marked-to-
market and other assets at book value. Policyholder liabilities are based on a gross premium valuation method using best estimate assumptions
with a separate risk margin.
The CBIRC has released the final regulations of C-ROSS Phase II which becomes effective in the first quarter of 2022. The main updates to the
local regulation are to introduce explicit tiering and admissibility rule of negative reserves in the capital resources and further updates to the risk
calibrations used in calculating capital requirements.
Hong Kong
The capital requirements set out in the regulations vary by underlying risk type and duration of liabilities but are generally determined as a
percentage of mathematical reserves and capital at risk.
Mathematical reserves are based on a net premium valuation method using assumptions which include a suitable margin for prudence. The
valuation interest rate used to value long-term liabilities reflects a blend between the prudent assessment of the portfolio yield and the
reinvestment yield subject to a maximum of the prudent portfolio yield. The approach used to determine the reinvestment yield for reserving allows
for average yields thus the impact of movements in interest rates are reflected in the valuation interest rate over time. The basis of calculation was
updated in 2020 in line with a circular issued by the Hong Kong IA. The capital resources are based on assets that are marked-to-market. The nature
of the current regulatory regime means that the duration of statutory liabilities is longer than would be expected on an economic basis and hence
there is an inherent mismatch with the assets that are managed on a more realistic basis.
The Hong Kong IA has developed a risk-based capital framework which values technical provisions on a best estimate basis together with a
margin over current estimates and the capital requirements are risk-based. In February 2022 Prudential Hong Kong Limited submitted an
application to the Hong Kong IA to early adopt this new risk-based capital framework for local statutory reporting.
Indonesia
Solvency capital is determined using a risk-based capital approach. The capital resources are based on assets that are marked-to-market, with
policyholder liabilities based on a gross premium valuation method using best estimate assumptions with a suitable margin for prudence. Liabilities
are zeroised at a policy level (ie negative liabilities are not permitted at a policy level). For unit-linked policies an unearned premium reserve is
established.
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C10.2 Local capital regulations continued
(a) Insurance operations continued
Malaysia
A risk-based capital framework applies in Malaysia. The local regulator, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), has set a Supervisory Target Capital Level of
130 per cent below which supervisory actions of increasing intensity will be taken. Each insurer is also required to set its own Individual Target
Capital Level to reflect its own risk profile and this is expected to be higher than the Supervisory Target Capital Level.
The capital resources are based on assets that are marked-to-market, with policyholder liabilities based on a gross premium valuation method
using best estimate assumptions with a suitable margin for prudence. Liabilities are zeroised at a fund level (ie negative liabilities are not permitted
at a fund level). The BNM has initiated a review of its RBC framework. A discussion paper on the design of the updated RBC framework was issued
on 30 June 2021 with industry feedback provided by 30 September 2021. The BNM have yet to issue their final technical specification and the exact
timing of implementation of potential revisions remains uncertain, these would need to be subject to quantitative impact studies and parallel run
prior to introduction.
Market liberalisation measures were introduced by BNM in April 2009, which increases the limit from 49 per cent to 70 per cent on foreign equity
ownership for insurance companies and Takaful operators in Malaysia. A higher foreign equity limit beyond 70 per cent for insurance companies will
be considered by BNM on a case by case basis, for example, for companies who support expansion of providing insurance coverage to the most
vulnerable in Malaysian society.
Singapore
A risk-based capital framework applies in Singapore. The regulator also has the authority to direct that the insurer satisfies additional capital
adequacy requirements in addition to those set forth under the Singapore Insurance Act if it considers such additional requirements appropriate.
The capital resources are based on assets that are marked-to-market, with policyholder liabilities based on a gross premium valuation method using
best estimate assumptions with a suitable margin for prudence. The updated risk-based capital framework (RBC2) came into effect on 31 March
2020 and this permits the recognition of a prudent allowance for negative reserves in the capital resources.
(b) Asset management operations – regulatory and other surplus
Certain asset management subsidiaries of the Group are subject to local regulatory requirements. The movement in the year of the estimated
surplus regulatory capital position of those subsidiaries, combined with the movement in the IFRS basis shareholders’ equity for unregulated asset
management operations from continuing operations, is as follows:
Balance at 1 Jan
Gains during the year
Movement in capital requirement
Capital injection
Distributions made to the parent company
Exchange and other movements
Balance at 31 Dec
2021 $m
2020 $m
459
266
3
6
(201)
(5)
528
376
223
48
65
(204)
(49)
459
C10.3 Transferability of capital resources
The amounts retained within the insurance companies are at levels that provide an appropriate level of capital strength in excess of the local
regulatory minimum. The businesses may, in general, remit dividends to parent entities, provided the statutory insurance fund meets the local
regulatory solvency requirements and there are sufficient statutory accounting profits. For with-profits funds, the excess of assets over liabilities is
retained within the funds, with distribution to shareholders tied to the shareholders’ share of declared bonuses.
Capital resources of the non-insurance business units is transferable after taking account of an appropriate level of operating capital, based on
local regulatory solvency requirements, where relevant.
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C Financial position / continued C11 Property, plant and equipment
Property, plant and equipment comprise Group occupied properties and tangible assets. Property, plant and equipment also includes right-of-use
assets for operating leases of properties occupied by the Group and leases of equipment and other tangible assets. All property, plant and
equipment, including the right-of-use assets under operating leases, are held at cost less cumulative depreciation, calculated using the straight-line
method, and impairment charge.
A reconciliation of the carrying amount of the Group’s property, plant and equipment from the beginning to the end of the years shown is
as follows:
Balance at 1 Jan
Cost
Accumulated depreciation
Opening net book amount
Removal of discontinued US operations
Additions
Depreciation and impairment charge
Disposals, transfers and lease modifications
Effect of movements in exchange rates
Balance at 31 Dec
Representing:
Cost
Accumulated depreciation
Closing net book amount
2021 $m
2020 $m
Group
occupied
property
Tangible
assets
Right-of-use
assets
355
(88)
267
(242)
–
(1)
–
(1)
23
33
(10)
23
707
(523)
184
(32)
36
(45)
–
(3)
140
489
(349)
140
710
(268)
442
(35)
59
(123)
(22)
(6)
315
678
(363)
315
Group
occupied
property
Tangible
assets
Right-of-use
assets
351
(76)
275
–
3
(9)
(3)
1
267
355
(88)
267
687
(490)
197
–
56
(64)
(13)
8
184
707
(523)
184
734
(141)
593
–
21
(145)
(25)
(2)
442
710
(268)
442
Total
1,772
(879)
893
(309)
95
(169)
(22)
(10)
478
1,200
(722)
478
Total
1,772
(707)
1,065
–
80
(218)
(41)
7
893
1,772
(879)
893
The Group does not have any right-of-use assets that would meet the definition of investment property. As at 31 December 2021, total right-of-use
assets comprised $311 million (31 December 2020: $402 million from continuing operations; $27 million from discontinued operations) of property
and $4 million (31 December 2020: $5 million from continuing operations; $8 million from discontinued operations) of non-property assets. Of the
$315 million (31 December 2020: $407 million from continuing operations; $35 million from discontinued operations) total right-of-use assets,
$128 million (31 December 2020: $182 million from continuing operations) were held by the Group’s with-profits businesses.
Extension and termination options are included in a number of property and equipment leases across the Group. These are used to maximise
operational flexibility in terms of managing the assets used in the Group’s operations. The majority of extension and termination options held are
exercisable only by the Group and not by the respective lessor. The Group assesses at lease commencement whether it is reasonably certain to
exercise the option. This assertion is revisited if there is a material change in circumstances. As at 31 December 2021, the undiscounted value of
lease payments beyond the break period not recognised in the lease liabilities from continuing operations is $201 million (31 December 2020:
$179 million).
The Group has non-cancellable property subleases which have been classified as operating leases under IFRS 16. The sublease rental income
received in 2021 for the leases is $6 million (2020: $6 million from continuing operations).
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Tangible assets
At 31 December 2021, of the $140 million (31 December 2020: $152 million from continuing operations; $32 million from discontinued operations)
tangible assets, $63 million (31 December 2020: $72 million from continuing operations) were held by the Group’s with-profits businesses.
Capital expenditure: property, plant and equipment by segment
The capital expenditure on property, plant and equipment from continuing operations in 2021 of $36 million (2020: $57 million) arose as follows:
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Malaysia
Singapore
Growth markets and other
Eastspring
Total segment
Unallocated to a segment (central operations)
Total capital expenditure on property, plant and equipment from continuing operations
2021 $m
2020 $m
9
1
2
1
19
3
35
1
36
10
1
3
5
14
2
35
22
57
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C Financial position / continued D Other information
D1 Corporate transactions
D1.1 (Loss) gain attaching to corporate transactions
Where there is a disposal, income and expenses of entities sold during the year are included in the income statement up to the date of disposal.
The gain or loss on disposal is calculated as the difference between sale proceeds net of selling costs, less the net assets of the entity at the date
of disposal, adjusted for foreign exchange movements attaching to the sold entity that are required to be recycled to the income statement under
IAS 21.
Loss attaching to corporate transactions as shown separately on the consolidated income statement note
(Loss) gain arising on reinsurance transaction undertaken by the Hong Kong business
Total (loss) gain attaching to corporate transactions from continuing operations note B1.1
2021 $m
2020 $m
(35)
(59)
(94)
(30)
765
735
Note
The loss attaching to corporate transactions includes $(30) million incurred by Prudential plc during the year (2020: $(20) million) of costs associated with the separation of Jackson. Additionally,
the 2021 amount includes $(28) million of payment for the termination of loss of office made to the former chief executive of Jackson as discussed further in note D4. These charges are partially
offset by a gain of $23 million on the repurchase by Jackson of a portion of the Group’s retained interest in the company in December 2021, as described further in note D1.2.
D1.2 Discontinued US operations
On 13 September 2021, the Group completed the separation of its US operations (Jackson) through a demerger, whereby shares in Jackson,
representing 70.1 per cent voting interest (69.2 per cent economic interest) were distributed to Prudential shareholders. In accordance with IFRS 5
‘Non-current assets held for sale and discontinued operations’, the US operations have been classified as discontinued within these consolidated
financial statements. The 2021 income statement includes the results of Jackson up to 13 September 2021, the date of demerger.
At the point of demerger, Prudential plc retained a 19.9 per cent non-controlling voting interest (19.7 per cent economic interest) in Jackson, which
is reported within the consolidated financial position as a financial investment at fair value and is included in ‘Unallocated to a segment (central
operations)’ for segmental analysis. This investment has been classified as available-for-sale under IAS 39. On 13 December 2021, Jackson
announced, as part of its previously disclosed $300 million share repurchase program, the repurchase of 2,242,516 shares of its Class A common
stock from Prudential. With this repurchase activity, Prudential’s remaining economic interest in Jackson was 18.4 per cent as of 31 December 2021
(18.5 per cent voting interest). Subject to market conditions, the Group intends to monetise a further portion of this investment to support its
investment in Asia within 12 months of the demerger, such that the Group will own less than 10 per cent at the end of such period.
In accordance with IFRIC 17, ‘Distribution of non-cash assets to owners’, at the point of demerger, Jackson was remeasured to fair value and a loss
on remeasurement to fair value has been recognised of $(8,259) million within the results of discontinued operations. $(7,341) million of this
remeasurement relates to the Group’s 88.9 per cent economic interest in Jackson, with the remaining $(918) million attributable to non-controlling
interests. The fair value has been determined with reference to the opening quoted price of Jackson shares on the New York Stock Exchange as at
the date of demerger on 13 September 2021.
Accordingly, the value of the dividend in specie representing a 70.1 per cent voting interest (69.2 per cent economic interest) of Jackson
distributed to shareholders was $(1,735) million. At the point of demerger, Athene Life Re Ltd. retained its existing 9.9 per cent voting interest
(11.1 per cent economic interest) in Jackson.
The results for the discontinued US operations presented in the consolidated financial statements for the period up to the demerger
in September 2021 are analysed below.
Critical accounting policies applied for the discontinued US operations
The policyholder liabilities for Jackson’s conventional protection-type policies were determined under US GAAP principles with locked in assumptions
for mortality, interest, policy lapses and expenses along with provisions for adverse deviations. For other policies, the policyholder liabilities included
the policyholder account balance. For those investment contracts with fixed and guaranteed terms, Jackson used the amortised cost model to
measure the liability.
Jackson applied FASB ASU 2010-26 on ‘Accounting for Costs Associated with Acquiring or Renewing Insurance Contracts’ and capitalised only
those incremental costs directly relating to successfully acquiring a contract. Under US GAAP, most of Jackson’s products were accounted for under
Accounting Standards Codification Topic 944, Financial Services – Insurance of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (ASC 944) whereby
deferred acquisition costs are amortised in line with expected gross profits. The majority of Jackson’s DAC relates to its variable annuities business.
For variable annuity business, a key assumption is the long-term investment return from the separate accounts. Jackson made certain adjustments
to the DAC assets which were recognised directly in other comprehensive income (‘shadow accounting’) to match the recognition of unrealised gains
or losses on available-for-sale securities causing the adjustments.
Debt securities of Jackson were designated as available-for-sale with value movements, unless impaired, being recorded as movements within
other comprehensive income. Impairments were recorded in the income statement. For these securities, the consideration of evidence of
impairment requires management’s judgement. In making this determination, a range of market and industry indicators were considered including
the severity and duration of the decline in fair value and the financial condition and prospects of the issuer. The factors reviewed include economic
conditions, credit loss experience, other issuer-specific developments and future cash flows.
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D1.2 Discontinued US operations continued
(a) Income statement
Gross premiums earned
Outward reinsurance premiums note (i)
Earned premiums, net of reinsurance
Investment return and other income
Total revenue, net of reinsurance
Benefits and claims, net of reinsurance
Acquisition costs and other expenditure
Total charge, net of reinsurance
Profit (loss) before tax
Tax (charge) credit
Profit (loss) after tax
Remeasurement to fair value on demerger note (iii)
Cumulative valuation movements on available-for-sale debt securities, net of related tax and change in DAC, and net
investment hedges recycled from other comprehensive income note (ii)
Loss for the year
Attributable to:
Equity holders of the Company
Non-controlling interests
Loss for the year
2021 $m
2020 $m
14,047
(274)
13,773
32,199
45,972
(41,350)
(2,305)
(43,655)
2,317
(363)
1,954
(8,259)
1,278
(5,027)
(4,234)
(793)
(5,027)
19,026
(30,584)
(11,558)
31,321
19,763
(19,617)
(906)
(20,523)
(760)
477
(283)
–
–
(283)
(340)
57
(283)
Notes
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
In 2020, outward reinsurance premiums included $(30.2) billion paid during the period in respect of the reinsurance of substantially all of Jackson’s in-force fixed and fixed indexed annuity
liabilities to Athene Life Re Ltd.
In accordance with IFRS, as a result of the demerger of Jackson, accumulated balances previously recognised through other comprehensive income relating to financial instruments held by
Jackson classified as available-for-sale and historical net investment hedges have been recycled from other comprehensive income to the results of discontinued operations in the
consolidated income statement. Total shareholders’ equity is unchanged as a result of this recycling.
The loss on remeasurement to fair value on demerger is recognised in accordance with IFRIC 17, ‘Distribution of non-cash assets to owners’ as described above.
(b) Total comprehensive income
Loss for the year
Other comprehensive (loss) income
Valuation movements in the year on available-for-sale debt securities
Related change in amortisation of DAC
Related tax
Cumulative valuation movements on available-for-sale debt securities, net of related tax and change in DAC, and net
investment hedges recycled through profit or loss at the point of demerger
Other comprehensive (loss) income for the year
Total comprehensive (loss) income for the year
Attributable to:
Equity holders of the Company
Non-controlling interests
Total comprehensive (loss) income for the year
2021 $m
2020 $m
(5,027)
(1,053)
80
210
(763)
(1,278)
(2,041)
(7,068)
(6,283)
(785)
(7,068)
(283)
(100)
494
(102)
292
–
292
9
(40)
49
9
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D Other information / continued
(c) Cash flows
Net cash flows from operating activities
Net cash flows from investing activities
Net cash flows from financing activities note
Cash divested upon demerger
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at 1 Jan
Cash and cash equivalents at 31 Dec
2021 $m
2020 $m
(423)
–
2,329
(3,527)
(1,621)
1,621
–
(807)
(2)
470
–
(339)
1,960
1,621
Note
Financing activities largely reflect issuance of debt of $2,350 million in 2021 and the investment by Athene in 2020. No dividends were paid by Jackson during 2020 or in 2021 prior to demerger.
Effect on the Group statement of financial position
Deferred acquisition costs and other intangible assets
Reinsurers' share of insurance contract liabilities
Financial investments
Cash and cash equivalents
Policyholder liabilities
Net other assets and liabilities
Net assets and liabilities of discontinued US operations at demerger before remeasurement to fair value
Adjustment for remeasurement of the carrying value of the business to fair value on demerger
Net assets and liabilities of discontinued US operations at demerger after remeasurement to fair value
Attributable to:
Equity holders of the Company
Non-controlling interests
13 September
2021 $m
14,018
34,014
293,562
3,527
(316,495)
(17,861)
10,765
(8,259)
2,506
2,228
278
2,506
D2 Contingencies and related obligations
Litigation and regulatory matters
The Group is involved in various litigation and regulatory proceedings. While the outcome of such litigation and regulatory issues cannot be
predicted with certainty, the Group believes that their ultimate outcome will not have a material adverse effect on the Group’s financial condition,
results of operations, or cash flows.
Guarantees
The Group has provided guarantees to third-parties entered into in the normal course of business but the Group does not consider that the amounts
involved are significant.
Intra-group capital support arrangements
Prudential has put in place intra-group arrangements to formalise undertakings by Prudential to the regulators of the Hong Kong subsidiaries
regarding their solvency levels. Other intra-group transactions are discussed in note D4 below.
D3 Post balance sheet events
Dividends
The 2021 second interim ordinary dividend approved by the Board of Directors after 31 December 2021 is as described in note B5.
Debt redemption
On 20 January 2022 the Company redeemed subordinated debt instruments of $1,725 million, as described in note C5.1.
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Transactions between the Company and its subsidiaries or intra-group transactions are eliminated on consolidation. Intra-group transactions of
the Group mainly related to a limited number of loans, guarantees or services provided by the Company to or from other business units, or between
local business units, including investment management services provided by the Group’s asset managers to the insurance operations businesses
as shown in note B1.3. All intra-group transactions are subject to the same internal approval framework as external transactions. As the Group’s
business units operate independently, overall there is limited interconnectedness across the Group. The Group reviews its recovery plan (that also
covers intra-group transactions and the level of the Group’s interconnectivity risk) on an annual basis and details the remedial actions that could be
used to restore financial strength and viability if the Group were to come under severe stress.
The Company has transactions and outstanding balances with collective investment schemes and similar entities that are not consolidated and
where a Group company acts as manager, which are regarded as related parties for the purposes of IAS 24. The balances are included in the
Group’s statement of financial position at fair value or amortised cost in accordance with IAS 39 classifications with the corresponding amounts
included in the income statement. The transactions include amounts paid on issue of shares or units, amounts received on cancellation of shares or
units and amounts paid in respect of the periodic charge and administration fee.
In addition, there are no material transactions between the Group’s joint ventures and associates, which are accounted for on an equity method
basis, and other Group companies.
Key management personnel of the Company, as described in note B2.3, may from time to time purchase insurance, asset management or
annuity products marketed by Group companies in the ordinary course of business on substantially the same terms as those prevailing at the time
for comparable transactions with other persons.
On 5 April 2021, pursuant to a separation agreement, Jackson National Life agreed to pay circa $23.5 million to Michael Falcon, the former chief
executive officer of Jackson, as a series of cash lump sum payments for termination of loss of office, and agreed that Mr Falcon will retain 98,311
Prudential ADRs that had been previously deferred under the Deferred Annual Incentive Plan. Prudential agreed to reimburse Jackson National Life
for such payments and settled this obligation prior to the demerger. On completion of the demerger, the Prudential ADRs were translated into
Jackson Shares with an equivalent value. They will be released on the original timeline, ie in 2022 and 2023, and will remain subject to the original
malus and clawback provisions.
In 2021 and 2020, other transactions with key management personnel were not deemed to be significant both by virtue of their size and in the
context of the individuals’ financial positions. All of these transactions were on terms broadly equivalent to those that prevailed in arm’s-length
transactions.
Additional details on the Directors’ interests in shares, transactions or arrangements are given in the Directors’ remuneration report. Key
management remuneration is disclosed in note B2.3.
D5 Commitments
The Group has provided, from time to time, certain commitments to third parties.
At 31 December 2021, the Group had $2,878 million unfunded commitments (31 December 2020: $1,913 million from continuing operations)
primarily related to investments in infrastructure funds and alternative investment funds in Asia. At 31 December 2020, the discontinued US
operations had unfunded commitments of $1,016 million related to investments in limited partnerships, commercial mortgage loans and other
fixed income securities. These commitments were entered into in the normal course of business and a material adverse impact on the operations is
not expected to arise from them.
D6 Investments in subsidiary undertakings, joint ventures and associates
D6.1 Basis of consolidation
The Group consolidates those investees it is deemed to control. The Group has control over an investee if all three of the following are met: (1) it has
power over an investee; (2) it is exposed to, or has rights to, variable returns from its involvement with the investee; and (3) it has ability to use its
power over the investee to affect its own returns.
(a) Subsidiaries
Subsidiaries are those investees that the Group controls. The majority of the Group’s subsidiaries are corporate entities.
The Group performs a re-assessment of consolidation whenever there is a change in the substance of the relationship between the Group and an
investee. Where the Group is deemed to control an entity it is treated as a subsidiary and its results, assets and liabilities are consolidated. Where the
Group holds a minority share in an entity, with no control over the entity, the investments are carried at fair value within financial investments in the
consolidated statement of financial position.
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D Other information / continued (b) Joint ventures and associates
Joint ventures are joint arrangements arising from a contractual agreement whereby the Group and other investors have joint control of the net
assets of the arrangement. In a number of these arrangements, the Group’s share of the underlying net assets may be less than 50 per cent but the
terms of the relevant agreement make it clear that control is jointly exercised between the Group and the third party. Associates are entities over
which the Group has significant influence, but it does not control. Generally it is presumed that the Group has significant influence if it holds between
20 per cent and 50 per cent voting rights of the entity.
With the exception of those referred to below, the Group accounts for its investments in joint ventures and associates by using the equity method
of accounting. The Group’s share of profit or loss of its joint ventures and associates is recognised in the income statement and its share of
movements in other comprehensive income is recognised in other comprehensive income. The equity method of accounting does not apply to
investments in associates and joint ventures held by the Group’s insurance or investment funds. This includes collective investment schemes and
which, as allowed by IAS 28 ‘Investments in Associates and Joint Ventures’, are carried at fair value through profit or loss.
(c) Structured entities
Structured entities are those that have been designed so that voting or similar rights are not the dominant factor in deciding who controls the entity.
Voting rights relate to administrative tasks. Relevant activities are directed by means of contractual arrangements. The Group invests in both
consolidated and unconsolidated structured entities including investment vehicles such as:
> Collective investment schemes;
> Collateralised debt obligations;
> Mortgage-backed securities; and
> Similar asset-backed securities.
Up until the demerger of Jackson in September 2021, structured entities of the Group also include the investment vehicles within separate accounts
offered through variable annuities written by Jackson.
Collective investment schemes
The Group invests in collective investment schemes, which invest mainly in equities, bonds, cash and cash equivalents, and properties. In assessing
control under IFRS 10 ‘Consolidated Financial Statements’, the Group determines whether it is acting as principal or agent and the variable returns
from its involvement with these entities. The Group’s percentage ownership in these entities can fluctuate on a daily basis according to the
participation of the Group and other investors in them.
> Where the entity is managed by a Group asset manager, and the Group’s ownership holding in the entity exceeds 50 per cent, the Group is judged
to have control over the entity;
> Where the entity is managed by a Group asset manager, and the Group’s ownership holding in the entity is between 20 per cent and 50 per cent,
the facts and circumstances of the Group’s involvement in the entity are considered, including the rights to any fees earned by the asset manager
from the entity, in forming a judgement as to whether the Group has control over the entity;
> Where the entity is managed by a Group asset manager, and the Group’s ownership holding in the entity is less than 20 per cent, the Group is
judged to not have control over the entity; and
> Where the entity is managed by an asset manager outside the Group, an assessment is made of whether the Group has existing rights that gives
it the ability to direct the current activities of the entity and therefore control the entity. In assessing the Group’s ability to direct an entity, the
Group considers its ability relative to other investors.
Where the Group is deemed to control these entities, they are treated as a subsidiary and are consolidated, with the interests of investors other than
the Group being classified as liabilities, and presented within ‘Net asset value attributable to unit holders of consolidated investment funds’.
Where the Group does not control these entities (as it is deemed to be acting as an agent under IFRS 10) and they do not meet the definition of
associates, they are carried at fair value through profit or loss within financial investments in the consolidated statement of financial position.
Where the Group’s asset manager sets up investment funds as part of its asset management operations, unless the Group also participates in the
ownership holding of the entities, the Group’s interest is limited to the fees charged to manage the assets of such entities. With no participation in
ownership holding of these entities, the Group does not retain risks associated with investment funds. For these investment funds, the Group is not
deemed to control the entities but to be acting as an agent.
The Group generates returns and retains the ownership risks in these investment vehicles commensurate to its participation and does not have
any further exposure to the residual risks of these investment vehicles.
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D6.1 Basis of consolidation continued
Other structured entities
The Group holds investments in mortgage-backed securities, collateralised debt obligations and similar asset-backed securities, the majority of
which are actively traded in a liquid market.
The Group consolidates the vehicles that hold the investments where the Group is deemed to control the vehicles. When assessing control over
the vehicles, the factors considered include the purpose and design of the vehicle, the Group’s exposure to the variability of returns and the scope of
the Group’s ability to direct the relevant activities of the vehicle including any kick-out or removal rights that are held by third parties. The outcome
of the control assessment is dependent on the terms and conditions of the respective individual arrangements.
The majority of such vehicles are not consolidated. In these cases, the Group is not the sponsor of the vehicles in which it holds investments and
has no administrative rights over the vehicles’ activities. The Group generates returns and retains the ownership risks commensurate to its holding
and its exposure to the investments and does not have any further exposure to the residual risks or losses of the investments or the vehicles in which
it holds investments. Accordingly, the Group does not have power over the relevant activities of such vehicles and all are carried at fair value through
profit or loss within financial investments in the consolidated statement of financial position.
The table below provides aggregate carrying amounts of the investments in unconsolidated structured entities for continuing operations
reported in the Group’s statement of financial position:
Statement of financial position line items
Equity securities and holdings in collective investment schemes
Debt securities
Total continuing operations
31 Dec 2021 $m
31 Dec 2020 $m
Investment
funds
35,446
–
35,446
Other
structured
entities
–
251
251
Investment
funds
27,167
–
27,167
Other
structured
entities
–
181
181
The Group’s maximum exposure to loss related to the interest in unconsolidated structured entities is limited to the carrying value in the statement
of financial position and the unfunded investment commitments provided by the Group (see note D5).
During the reporting period, the Group receives dividend and interest income from its investments in these unconsolidated structured entities.
Where the Group’s asset manager manages these entities such as the collective investment schemes, the Group also receives asset management
fees from these entities.
As at 31 December 2021 and 2020, the Group does not have an agreement, contractual or otherwise, or intention to provide financial support to
structured entities (both consolidated and unconsolidated) that could expose the Group to a loss.
D6.2 Dividend restrictions and minimum capital requirements
Certain Group subsidiaries and joint ventures are subject to restrictions on the amount of funds they may transfer in the form of cash dividends or
otherwise to the parent company.
Under UK company law, UK companies can only declare dividends if they have sufficient distributable reserves.
The Group’s subsidiaries, joint ventures and associates may remit dividends to the Group, in general, provided the statutory insurance fund meets
the capital adequacy standard required under local statutory regulations and has sufficient distributable reserves. Further details on local capital
regulations in certain Asia operations please refer to note C10.2.
D6.3 Investments in joint ventures and associates
Joint ventures represent arrangements where the controlling parties through contractual or other agreement have the rights to the net assets of the
arrangements. The Group has shareholder-backed joint venture insurance and asset management businesses in China with CITIC Group and a
joint venture asset management business in India with ICICI Bank. In addition, there is an asset management joint venture in Hong Kong with Bank
of China International Holdings Limited (BOCI) and Takaful insurance joint venture in Malaysia. For the Group’s joint ventures that are accounted
for by using the equity method, the net of tax results of these operations are included in the Group’s profit before tax.
The Group’s associates, which are also accounted for under the equity method, include the Indian insurance entity (with the majority shareholder
being ICICI Bank).
In addition, the Group has investments in collective investment schemes, funds holding collateralised debt obligations and property funds where
the Group has significant influence. As allowed under IAS 28, these investments are accounted for on a fair value through profit or loss basis. The
aggregate fair value of associates accounted for at fair value through profit or loss, where there are published price quotations, is approximately
$0.6 billion at 31 December 2021 (31 December 2020: $0.7 billion).
For joint ventures and associates accounted for using the equity method, the 12 months financial information of these investments for the years
ended 31 December 2021 and 2020 (covering the same period as that of the Group) has been used in these consolidated financial statements.
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D Other information / continued The Group’s share of the profits for shareholder-backed business (including short-term fluctuations in investment returns), net of related tax, in joint
ventures and associates, which are equity accounted as shown in the consolidated income statement, is allocated across segments as follows:
CPL
Hong Kong
Malaysia
Growth markets and other note
Insurance operations
Eastspring
Total segment and Group total
2021 $m
2020 $m
278
9
28
(110)
205
147
352
394
3
30
(27)
400
117
517
Note
For growth markets and other, as well as the segment results for associates and joint ventures within the segment, the amount shown includes other items of $(38) million (2020: $(103) million)
which primarily comprise of taxes for all life joint ventures and associates together with other non-recurring items.
There is no other comprehensive income in the joint ventures and associates other than the foreign exchange differences that arise from translating
the associates and joint ventures into the Group’s presentational currency. There has been no unrecognised share of losses of a joint venture or
associate that the Group has stopped recognising in total comprehensive income.
The Group’s interest in joint ventures and associates gives rise to no contingent liabilities or capital commitments that are material to the Group.
CITIC-Prudential Life Insurance Company is the Group’s joint venture with the CITIC Group in which the Group owns a 50 per cent interest. The
joint venture is incorporated in China and is principally engaged in underwriting insurance and investment contracts. The summarised financial
information for CITIC-Prudential Life Insurance Company, which is considered to be a material joint venture to the Group, is set out below. The
financial information represents the entity’s financial statements prepared in accordance with Group’s IFRS accounting policies, on a 100 per cent
basis, for the years shown:
Statement of financial position:
Total assets
Total liabilities (including non-controlling interest)
Shareholders’ equity
The above amounts of assets and liabilities include the following:
Cash and cash equivalents
Financial liabilities (excluding trade and other payables and provisions)
Income statement:
Revenue
Profit for the year after tax
The above profit for the year includes the following:
Depreciation and amortisation
Interest income
Interest expense
Income tax expense
31 Dec 2021 $m 31 Dec 2020 $m
29,237
26,523
2,714
422
938
21,602
19,336
2,266
316
714
2021 $m
2020 $m
7,374
453
(86)
465
(2)
(84)
5,492
599
(81)
378
(2)
(166)
The summarised financial information above is reconciled to the carrying amount of the Group’s interest in the joint venture recognised in the
consolidated financial statements as follows:
Net assets of CITIC-Prudential Life as shown above
Proportion owned by the joint venture partner (50%)
Carrying amount of the Group’s interest in the joint venture (50%)
31 Dec 2021 $m 31 Dec 2020 $m
2,714
1,357
1,357
2,266
1,133
1,133
The Group has received dividends of $57 million (2020: $38 million) from CITIC-Prudential Life Insurance Company.
307
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information D6 Investments in subsidiary undertakings, joint ventures and associates continued
D6.4 Related undertakings
In accordance with Section 409 of the Companies Act 2006, a list of Prudential Group’s subsidiaries, joint ventures, associates and significant
holdings (being holdings of more than 20 per cent) is disclosed below, along with the classes of shares held, the registered office address and the
effective percentage of equity owned at 31 December 2021.
The definitions of a subsidiary undertaking, joint venture and associate in accordance with the Companies Act 2006 are different from the
definition under IFRS Standards. As a result, the related undertakings included within the list below may not be the same as the undertakings
consolidated in the Group IFRS financial statements. The Group’s consolidation policy is described in note D6.1. The Group also operates through
branches, none of which are significant.
Simplified corporate structure as at 31 December 2021
Prudential plc
Prudential Corporation Asia Limited
Prudential Group Holdings Limited
and subsidiaries
CITIC-
Prudential
Life Insurance
Company
Limited† (CPL)*
Prudential
Hong Kong
Limited
Prudential
General
Insurance Hong
Kong Limited
PT. Prudential
Life Assurance
(Indonesia)†
Prudential
Assurance
Malaysia
Berhad†
Prudential
Assurance
Company
Singapore (Pte)
Limited†
Eastspring
Investments
Group Pte. Ltd.†
and subsidiaries
Growth markets
and other
entities†
(including Africa,
Cambodia, India,
Laos, Myanmaar,
Philippines,
Taiwan, Thailand,
Vietnam)
Prudential
International
Treasury
Limited
* CPL is a 50/50 joint venture with CITIC, a leading state owned conglomerate.
† Indirectly held by Prudential Corporation Asia Limited.
Direct subsidiary undertakings of the parent company, Prudential plc (shares held directly or via nominees)
Name of entity
Prudential Corporation Asia Limited
Prudential Group Holdings Limited
Classes of
shares held
Proportion
held
Registered office address
OS
OS
100.00%
13th Floor, One International Finance Centre, 1 Harbour View Street, Central, Hong Kong
100.00%
1 Angel Court, London, EC2R 7AG, United Kingdom
Other subsidiaries, joint ventures, associates and significant holdings of the Group – no shares held directly by the parent company (Prudential plc)
or its nominees
Name of entity
Aberdeen Standard Cash Creation Fund
Aberdeen Standard Global Opportunities Fund
Aberdeen Standard Singapore Equity - SGD class
AC Financial Partners Limited Partnership
Allianz Global Investors Greater China Fund
Alternatives North America Ltd.
BOCHK Aggressive Growth Fund
BOCHK Balanced Growth Fund
BOCHK China Equity Fund
BOCHK Conservative Growth Fund
BOCHK US Dollar Money Market Fund
BOCI-Prudential Asset Management Limited
BOCI-Prudential Trustee Limited
Capital Asian Bond Fund
308
Prudential plc
Annual Report 2021
Classes of
shares held
Proportion
held
Registered office address
U
U
U
28.74%
28th Floor Bangkok City Tower, 179 South Sathorn Road, Thungmahamek, Sathorn,
Bangkok 10120, Thailand
33.13%
21 Church Street, #01-01, Capital Square Two, Singapore 049480
60.26%
OS
100.00%
65 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh, EH12 5HD
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
OS
OS
U
21.67%
5th Floor, No.378, Fu Xing N. Rd. Taipei, Taiwan
100.00%
PO Box 1093, Queensgate House, Grand Cayman, KY1-1102, Cayman Islands
43.21%
27th Floor, Bank of China Tower, 1 Garden Road, Hong Kong
38.14%
55.78%
41.65%
23.54%
36.00%
36.00%
Suites 1501-1507 & 1513-1516, 15th Floor, 1111 King’s Road, Taikoo Shing, Hong Kong
39.57%
15th Floor, No.69, Sec. 2, Dunhua South. Rd. Da-an District, Taiwan
prudentialplc.com
D Other information / continued
Key to share classes:
LBG
MI
OS
PI
PS
U
Limited by Guarantee
Membership Interest
Ordinary Shares
Partnership Interest
Preference Shares
Units
Name of entity
Cathay High Yield ex China Cash pay 1-5 Year 2% Issuer Capped
ETF
CITIC-CP Asset Management Co., Ltd.
CITIC-Prudential Fund Management Company Limited
CITIC-Prudential Life Insurance Company Limited
Eastspring Al-Wara’ Investments Berhad
Eastspring Asset Management Korea Co. Ltd.
Eastspring Infrastructure Debt Fund L.P.
Eastspring Investment K-Short Term Bond Alpha Securities
Investment Trust(Bond Balanced)
Classes of
shares held
Proportion
held
Registered office address
U
MI
MI
MI
OS
OS
PI
U
47.10%
Cathay Securities Inv Trust Co Ltd, 8F, No. 296, Sec. 4, Ren Ai Road, Taipei 10633, Taiwan
26.95%
Room 101-2, No.128 North Zhangjiabang Road, Pudong District, Shanghai, China
49.00%
Level 9, HSBC Building, Shanghai IFC, 8 Century Avenue, Pudong, Shanghai, China
50.00%
100.00%
100.00%
0507-0510, 1601-1616, East Tower, World Financial Centre, No.1 East Third Ring Middle Road,
Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100020, China
Level 25, Menara Hong Leong, No. 6 Jalan Damanlela, Bukit Damansara, 50490 Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia
22nd Floor (Seoul International Finance Center, Yeouido dong), 10 Gukjegeumyung-ro,
Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea 07326
90.55%
PO Box 309, Ugland House, Grand Cayman, KY1-1104, Cayman Islands
21.57%
22nd Floor One IFC, 10 Gukjegeumyung-ro, Youngdungpo-gu, Seoul 07326, Korea
Eastspring Investment Management (Shanghai) Company
Limited
MI
100.00%
Unit 306-308, 3rd Floor, Azia Center, 1233 Lujiazui Ring Road, China (Shanghai) Pilot Free
Trade Zone, China
Eastspring Investments - Asia Opportunities Equity Fund
Eastspring Investments - European Investment Grade Bond Fund
Eastspring Investments - Global Growth Equity Fund
Eastspring Investments - Global Low Volatility Equity Fund
Eastspring Investments - Global Technology Fund
Eastspring Investments - Greater China Equity Fund
Eastspring Investments - Pan European Fund
Eastspring Investments - US High Investment Grade Bond Fund
Eastspring Investments - US High Yield Bond Fund
Eastspring Investments - US Investment Grade Bond Fund
Eastspring Investments - World Value Equity Fund
Eastspring Investments (Hong Kong) Limited
Eastspring Investments (Luxembourg) S.A.
Eastspring Investments (Singapore) Limited
Eastspring Investments Asia Oceania U&I Bond Fund
Eastspring Investments Asia Pacific Equity Fund
Eastspring Investments Asia Real Estate Multi Asset Income Fund
Eastspring Investments Asia Sustainable Bond Fund
Eastspring Investments Asian Bond Fund
Eastspring Investments Asian Dynamic Fund
Eastspring Investments Asian Equity Fund
Eastspring Investments Asian Equity Income Fund
Eastspring Investments Asian High Yield Bond Fund
Eastspring Investments Asian High Yield Bond MY Fund
Eastspring Investments Asian Infrastructure Equity Fund
Eastspring Investments Asian Investment Grade Bond Fund
Eastspring Investments Asian Low Volatility Equity Fund
Eastspring Investments Asian Multi Factor Equity Fund
Eastspring Investments Asian Property Securities Fund
Eastspring Investments Berhad
Eastspring Investments China A Shares Growth Fund
Eastspring Investments Dragon Peacock Fund
Eastspring Investments Emerging Markets Star Players
Eastspring Investments Equity Income Fund
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
OS
OS
OS
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
100.00%
26, Boulevard Royal, L-2449, Luxembourg
99.29%
66.74%
99.32%
81.53%
93.60%
60.47%
92.67%
46.24%
65.18%
95.30%
100.00%
13th Floor, One International Finance Centre, 1 Harbour View Street, Central, Hong Kong
100.00%
26, Boulevard Royal, L-2449, Luxembourg
100.00%
10 Marina Boulevard, #32-01, Marina Bay Financial Centre, Singapore 018983
69.74%
Eastspring Investments Limited, Marunouchi Park Bldg., 2-6-1 Marunochi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo,
Japan 100-6905
99.99%
26, Boulevard Royal, L-2449, Luxembourg
63.78%
99.06%
46.83%
94.59%
99.37%
84.85%
33.17%
42.33%
Eastspring Investments Berhad, Level 22, Menara Prudential, Persiaran TRX Barat, 55188 Tun
Razak Exchange, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
71.86%
26, Boulevard Royal, L-2449, Luxembourg
89.95%
99.50%
67.61%
98.74%
OS
100.00%
Level 25, Menara Hong Leong, No. 6 Jalan Damanlela, Bukit Damansara, 50490 Kuala
Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
U
U
U
U
71.38%
26, Boulevard Royal, L-2449, Luxembourg
94.37%
33.14%
33.22%
Eastspring Investments Limited, Marunouchi Park Bldg., 2-6-1 Marunochi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo,
Japan 100-6905
Eastspring Investments Berhad, Level 22, Menara Prudential, Persiaran TRX Barat, 55188 Tun
Razak Exchange, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Eastspring Investments Fund Management Limited Liability
Company
MI
100.00%
23rd Floor, Saigon Trade Center, 37 Ton Duc Thang Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City,
Vietnam
Eastspring Investments Funds - Monthly Income Plan
Eastspring Investments Global Emerging Markets Bond Fund
Eastspring Investments Global Emerging Markets ex-China
Dynamic Fund
Eastspring Investments Global Equity Fund
Eastspring Investments Global Equity Navigator Fund
U
U
U
U
U
31.62%
26, Boulevard Royal, L-2449, Luxembourg
99.35%
100.00%
96.64%
Eastspring Investments Berhad, Level 22, Menara Prudential, Persiaran TRX Barat, 55188 Tun
Razak Exchange, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
95.74%
26, Boulevard Royal, L-2449, Luxembourg
309
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information D6 Investments in subsidiary undertakings, joint ventures and associates continued
D6.4 Related undertakings continued
Direct subsidiary undertakings of the parent company, Prudential plc (shares held directly or via nominees) continued
Name of entity
Eastspring Investments Global Growth Fund
Eastspring Investments Global Market Navigator Fund
Eastspring Investments Global Multi Asset Income Plus Growth
Fund
Eastspring Investments Group Pte. Ltd.
Eastspring Investments Incorporated
Eastspring Investments India Consumer Equity Open Limited
Eastspring Investments India Equity Fund
Eastspring Investments India Equity Open Limited
Eastspring Investments India Infrastructure Equity Open Limited
Eastspring Investments Japan Dynamic MY Fund
Eastspring Investments Limited
Eastspring Investments MY Focus Fund
Eastspring Investments Services Pte. Ltd.
Eastspring Investments SICAV-FIS - Alternative Investments Fund
Eastspring Investments SICAV-FIS - Asia Pacific Loan Fund
Eastspring Investments Unit Trusts - Asian Balanced Fund
Eastspring Investments Unit Trusts - Asian Infrastructure Equity
Fund
Eastspring Investments Unit Trusts - Dragon Peacock Fund
Eastspring Investments Unit Trusts - Global Technology Fund
Eastspring Investments Unit Trusts - Pan European Fund
Eastspring Investments Unit Trusts - Singapore ASEAN Equity
Fund
Eastspring Investments Unit Trusts - Singapore Select Bond Fund
Eastspring Investments US Corporate Bond Fund
Eastspring Investments Vietnam Navigator Fund
Eastspring Overseas Investment Fund Management (Shanghai)
Company Limited
Eastspring Real Assets Partners
Eastspring Securities Investment Trust Co., Ltd.
First Sentier Global Property Securities Fund
First State China Focus Fund
Fubon 1-5 Years US High Yield Bond Ex China
Fubon Global Investment Grade Bond Fund
Fuh Hwa 1-5 Yr High Yield ETF
Fuh Hwa Emerging Market RMB Fixed Income Fund
Furnival Insurance Company PCC Limited
GIS Total Return Bond Fund
GS Twenty Two Limited
HSBC Senior Global Infrastructure Debt Fund
ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company Limited
ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company Limited
ICICI Prudential Pension Funds Management Company Limited
ICICI Prudential Trust Limited
India Innovation High Growth EQ QII
Invesco Fixed Maturity Selective Emerging Market Bonds 2024
Invesco Select 6 Year Maturity Global Bond Fund
iShares Australian Equity ETFs
iShares Core MSCI Asia
iShares Core MSCI Europe UCITS ETF EUR (Acc)
Classes of
shares held
Proportion
held
Registered office address
U
U
U
OS
OS
OS
U
OS
OS
U
OS
U
OS
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
MI
OS
OS
U
U
U
U
U
U
OS
U
OS
U
OS
OS
OS
OS
U
U
U
U
U
U
24.78%
Eastspring Investments Berhad, Level 22, Menara Prudential, Persiaran TRX Barat, 55188 Tun
Razak Exchange, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
99.81%
26, Boulevard Royal, L-2449, Luxembourg
99.99%
100.00%
10 Marina Boulevard, #32-01, Marina Bay Financial Centre, Singapore 018983
100.00%
874 Walker Road, Suite C, City of Dover, County of Kent, State of Delaware, 19904, USA
100.00%
3rd Floor, 355 NEX, Rue du Savoir, Cybercity Ebene, 72201, Mauritius
80.90%
26, Boulevard Royal, L-2449, Luxembourg
100.00%
3rd Floor, 355 NEX, Rue du Savoir, Cybercity Ebene, 72201, Mauritius
100.00%
33.87%
Eastspring Investments Berhad, Level 22, Menara Prudential, Persiaran TRX Barat, 55188 Tun
Razak Exchange, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
100.00%
Marunouchi Park Building, 6-1 Marunouchi 2-chome, Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo, Japan
28.48%
Eastspring Investments Berhad, Level 22, Menara Prudential, Persiaran TRX Barat, 55188 Tun
Razak Exchange, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
100.00%
10 Marina Boulevard, #32-01, Marina Bay Financial Centre, Singapore 018983
100.00%
26, Boulevard Royal, L-2449, Luxembourg
74.23%
95.36%
98.42%
97.67%
10 Marina Boulevard, #32-01, Marina Bay Financial Centre, Singapore 018983
86.75%
26, Boulevard Royal, L-2449, Luxembourg
64.86%
99.33%
10 Marina Boulevard, #32-01, Marina Bay Financial Centre, Singapore 018983
66.03%
51.25%
26, Boulevard Royal, L-2449, Luxembourg
77.02%
100.00%
23rd Floor, Saigon Trade Center Building, 37 Ton Duc Thang Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1,
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Unit 306-308, 3rd Floor, 1233 Lujiazui Ring Road, China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone,
China
100.00%
PO Box 309, Ugland House, Grand Cayman, KY1-1104, Cayman Islands
99.54%
4th Floor, No.1 Songzhi Road, Taipei 110, Taiwan
55.74%
38 Beach Road, #06-11 South Beach Tower, Singapore 189767
70.17%
70 Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Dublin 2, D02 R296, Ireland
51.79%
Fubon Securities Investment Trust Co, 8F, Sec 1, Tun Hwa South Road, Taipei, Taiwan
46.17%
8th Floor, No.108, Sec.1, Dunhua South. Rd. Taipei, Taiwan
41.17%
Fuh-Hwa Securities Invt Trust Co Ltd , 8F, Section 2, 308 Ba De Road, Taipei, Taiwan
32.17%
8-9th Floor., No.308, Sec. 2, Bade Rd., Da-an District
100.00%
PO Box 155, Mill Court, La Charroterie, St Peter Port, GY1 4ET, Guernsey
26.15%
78 Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Dublin, D02 HD32, Ireland
100.00%
1 Angel Court, London, EC2R 7AG, United Kingdom
100.00%
8 Canada Square, London, E14 5HQ, United Kingdom
49.00%
12th Floor, Narain Manzil, 23, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi 110001, India
22.09%
ICICI PruLife Towers, 1089 Appasaheb Marathe Marg, Prabhadevi, Mumbai 400025, India
22.09%
49.00%
12th Floor, Narain Manzil, 23, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi 110001, India
100.00%
Eastspring Investments Limited, Marunouchi Park Bldg., 2-6-1 Marunochi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo,
Japan 100-6905
99.49%
8th Floor, No 122, Tung Hua N. Rd. Taipei, Taiwan
99.43%
21.52%
Yarra Falls, 452 Johnston Street, Abbotsford VIC 3067
78.02%
16th Floor Champion Tower, 3 Garden Road, Central, Hong Kong
27.70%
1 North Wall Quay, Dublin 1
310
Prudential plc
Annual Report 2021
prudentialplc.com
D Other information / continued Key to share classes:
LBG
MI
OS
PI
PS
U
Limited by Guarantee
Membership Interest
Ordinary Shares
Partnership Interest
Preference Shares
Units
Name of entity
iShares Edge MSCI USA Minimum volatility ESG UCITS ETF
iShares Fallen Angels High Yield Corporate Bond UCITS ETF Wing
iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ESG UCITS ETF USD (Acc)
iShares STOXX Europe 600 Telecommunications UCITS ETF
iShares US Value ESG USD A
KKP Active Equity Fund
Krungsri Greater China Equity Hedged Dividend Fund
Lasalle Property Securities SICAV-FIS
M&G Asia Property TS Trust
M&G Luxembourg European Strategic Value Fund
Classes of
shares held
Proportion
held
Registered office address
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
86.82%
J.P. Morgan 200 Capital 79 Sir John Rogerson’s Quay Dublin 2 D02 RK57 Ireland
54.90%
79 Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Dublin 2, D02 RK 57, Ireland
99.33%
26.50%
Unter den Linden 42, 10117 Berlin
98.90%
J.P. Morgan 200 Capital 79 Sir John Rogerson’s Quay Dublin 2 D02 RK57 Ireland
30.10%
29.29%
19th Floor Muang Thai-Phatra Complex, Building Tower, A, 252/25 Ratchadapisek Road,
Huaykwang, Bangkok 10310, Thailand
12th, 18th Zone B Floor, Ploenchit Tower 898 Ploenchit Road, Lumpini Pathumwan, Bangkok
10330, Thailand
99.61%
11-13 Bouldevard de la Foire, L-1528 Luxembourg
99.94%
8 Marina Boulevard, #05-02 Marina Bay, Financial Centre Tower 1, Singapore, 018981
29.27%
49 Avenue J.F. Kennedy, L-1855, Luxembourg
M&G Real Estate Asia Holding Company Pte. Ltd.
OS
33.00%
138 Market Street, #35-01 CapitaGreen, Singapore 048946
Manulife Asia Pacific Bond Fund
Manulife Asia Pacific Mid and Small Capital Fund
Manulife China Dim Sum High Yield Bond Fund
Manulife China Offshore Bond Fund
Manulife Taiwan Dynamic Fund-I
Manulife USD High Yield Bond Fund
Nomura Six Years Fixed Maturity Asia Pacific Emerging Market
Bond Fund
Nomura Six Years Fixed Maturity Emerging Market Bond Fund
Nomura Six Years Ladder Maturity Asia Pacific Emerging Market
Bond Fund
North Sathorn Holdings Company Limited
PCA IP Services Limited
PCA Life Assurance Co. Ltd.
PCA Reinsurance Co. Ltd.
Prenetics Group Limited
Pru Life Insurance Corporation of U.K.
Pru Life UK Asset Management and Trust Corporation
Prudence Foundation
Prudential (Cambodia) Life Assurance Plc
Prudential (US Holdco 1) Limited
Prudential Africa Holdings Limited
Prudential Africa Services Limited
Prudential Assurance Company Singapore (Pte) Limited
Prudential Assurance Malaysia Berhad*
Prudential Assurance Uganda Limited
Prudential BeGeneral Insurance S.A.
Prudential Belife Insurance S.A.
Prudential Beneficial General Insurance Cameroon S.A.
Prudential Beneficial Life Insurance Cameroon S.A.
Prudential Beneficial Life Insurance Togo S.A.
Prudential BSN Takaful Berhad†
Prudential Corporation Asia Limited
Prudential Corporation Holdings Limited
Prudential Financial Partners (Asia) Limited
Prudential Financial Partners HK Limited
Prudential General Insurance Hong Kong Limited
Prudential Group Holdings Limited
Prudential Group Secretarial Services HK Limited
Prudential Group Secretarial Services Limited
Prudential Holdings Limited
Prudential Hong Kong Limited
Prudential International Treasury Limited
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
OS
OS
OS
OS
PS
OS
OS
LBG
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
56.16%
9th Floor, No 89 Son Ren Road, Taipei, Taiwan
31.40%
59.75%
73.13%
24.36%
35.95%
99.75%
101 Tower, 30th Floor, No. 7 Sec. 5, Xinyi Rd., Xinyi Dist., Taipei, Taiwan
40.58%
99.90%
100.00%
No. 63, Athenee Tower, 34th Floor, Wireless Road, Lumpini Subdistrict Pathumwan District,
Bangkok Metropolis, Thailand
100.00%
13th Floor, One International Finance Centre, 1 Harbour View Street, Central, Hong Kong
99.79%
8th Floor, No.1 Songzhi Road, Taipei City, 11047, Taiwan
100.00%
11.18%
100.00%
100.00%
Unit Level 13(A), Main Office Tower, Financial Park Labuan, Jalan Merdeka, 87000 Federal
Territory of Labuan, Malaysia
P.O. Box 902, Second Floor, Century Yard, Cricket Square, Grand Cayman, KY1-1001,
Cayman Islands
9th Floor, Uptown Place Tower 1, 1 East 11th Drive, Uptown Bonifacio, 1634 Taguig City, Metro
Manila, Philippines
100.00%
13th Floor, One International Finance Centre, 1 Harbour View Street, Central, Hong Kong
100.00%
Phnom Penh Tower, 20F, #445, Monivong Blvd., Boeung, Prolit, 7 Makara, Phnom Penh,
Cambodia
100.00%
1 Angel Court, London, EC2R 7AG, United Kingdom
100.00%
100.00%
3rd Floor One Africa Place LR. No. 1870/X/45 , P.O. Box 25093-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
100.00%
30 Cecil Street, #30-01 Prudential Tower, Singapore 049712
51.00%
Level 20, Menara Prudential, Persiaran TRX Barat, 55188 Tun Razak Exchange, Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia
100.00%
Zebra Plaza, Plot 23, Kampala Road, P.O. Box 2660, Kampala, Uganda
51.00%
Immeuble Woodin Center 1st Floor, Avenue Nogues, Plateaux, Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire
50.93%
50.04%
1944 Blvd de la République, BP 2328, Douala, Cameroon
51.00%
50.99%
2963 Rue De La Chance Agbalepedogan, P.B. 1115, Lome, Togo
49.00%
Level 13, Menara Prudential, Persiaran TRX Barat, 55188 Tun Razak Exchange, Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia
100.00%
13th Floor, One International Finance Centre, 1 Harbour View Street, Central, Hong Kong
100.00%
1 Angel Court, London, EC2R 7AG, United Kingdom
100.00%
100.00%
13th Floor, One International Finance Centre, 1 Harbour View Street, Central, Hong Kong
100.00%
59th Floor, One Island East, 18 Westlands Road, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong
100.00%
1 Angel Court, London, EC2R 7AG, United Kingdom
100.00%
13th Floor, One International Finance Centre, 1 Harbour View Street, Central, Hong Kong
100.00%
1 Angel Court, London, EC2R 7AG, United Kingdom
100.00%
4th Floor, Saltire Court, 20, Castle Terrace, Edinburgh, EH1 2EN, United Kingdom
100.00%
59th Floor, One Island East, 18 Westlands Road, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong
100.00%
13th Floor, One International Finance Centre, 1 Harbour View Street, Central, Hong Kong
311
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information D6 Investments in subsidiary undertakings, joint ventures and associates continued
D6.4 Related undertakings continued
Direct subsidiary undertakings of the parent company, Prudential plc (shares held directly or via nominees) continued
Name of entity
Prudential IP Services Limited
Prudential Life Assurance (Lao) Company Limited
Prudential Life Assurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited
Prudential Life Assurance Kenya Limited
Prudential Life Assurance Zambia Limited
Prudential Life Insurance Ghana Limited
Prudential Life Vault Limited
Prudential Mauritius Holdings Limited
Prudential Myanmar Life Insurance Limited
Prudential Pensions Management Zambia Limited
Prudential Services Asia Sdn. Bhd.
Prudential Services Limited
Prudential Services Singapore Pte. Ltd.
Prudential Singapore Holdings Pte. Limited
Prudential Technology and Services India Private Limited
Prudential Vietnam Assurance Private Limited
Prudential Zenith Life Insurance Limited
PRUInvest PH Equity Index Tracker Fund
PT Prudential Sharia Life Assurance
PT. Eastspring Investments Indonesia
PT. Prudential Life Assurance
Pulse Ecosystems Pte. Ltd.
Pulse Wealth Limited
PVFC Financial Limited (in liquidation)
Reksa Dana Eastspring IDR Fixed Income Fund
Reksa Dana Eastspring Investments Alpha Navigator Fund
Reksa Dana Eastspring Investments Cash Reserve
Reksa Dana Eastspring Investments IDR High Grade
Reksa Dana Eastspring Investments Value Discovery
Reksa Dana Syariah Eastspring Syariah Equity Islamic Asia Pacific
USD
Reksa Dana Syariah Eastspring Syariah Fixed Income Amanah
Reksa Dana Syariah Eastspring Syariah Money Market Khazanah
Reksa Dana Syariah Penyertaan Terbatas Bahana Syariah BUMN
Fund
Rhodium Investment Fund
SCB Global Income Fund
SCB Set Banking Sector Fund
Schroder Asian Investment Grade Credit
Schroder Emerging Markets Fund
Schroder Multi-Asset Revolution
Schroder US Dollar Money Fund
Scotts Spazio Pte. Ltd.
Shenzhen Prudential Technology Limited
Sinopac RMB Money Market Fund
Sri Han Suria Sdn. Bhd.
Classes of
shares held
Proportion
held
Registered office address
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
PS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
U
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
OS
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
OS
MI
U
OS
100.00%
1 Angel Court, London, EC2R 7AG, United Kingdom
100.00%
99.93%
100.00%
5th Floor, Lao international Business and Tourist Center Project (Vientiane Center), Khouvieng
Road, Nongchan Village, Sisattanak District, Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR
944 Mitrtown Office Tower, 10th, 29th-31st Floor, Rama 4 Road, Wangmai, Pathumwan,
Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
Vienna Court, Ground Floor, State House Road-Crescent Road, P.O. Box 25093-00100, Nairobi,
Kenya
100.00%
Prudential House, Plot No. 32256, Thabo Mbeki Road, P.O. Box 31357, Lusaka, Zambia
100.00%
35 North Street, Tesano, Accra, Accra - North, PO Box AN11549, Ghana
100.00%
98 Awolowo Road, South-West Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria
100.00%
3rd Floor, 355 NEX, Rue du Savoir, Cybercity Ebene, 72201, Mauritius
100.00%
#15-01, 15th Floor, Sule Square, 221 Sule Pagoda Road, Kyauktada Township, Yangon,
Myanmar
49.00%
Prudential House, Plot No. 32256, Thabo Mbeki Road, P.O. Box 31357, Lusaka, Zambia
100.00%
100.00%
Suite 1005, 10th Floor, Wisma Hamzah-Kwong Hing, No. 1 Leboh Ampang, 50100 Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia
100.00%
1 Angel Court, London, EC2R 7AG, United Kingdom
100.00%
1 Wallich Street, #19-01 Guoco Tower, Singapore 078881
100.00%
30 Cecil Street, #30-01 Prudential Tower, Singapore 049712
100.00%
100.00%
CoWrks NXT, EPIP Industrial Area, Whitefield Road, K.R Puram, Near SAP Labs, Hubli,
Bangalore, Karnataka, 560066, India
25th Floor, Saigon Trade Centre, 37 Ton Duc Thang Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City,
Vietnam
51.00%
13th Floor, Civic Towers, Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria
99.23%
9th Floor Uptown Place Tower 1, 1 East 11th Drive, Uptown Bonifacio, 1634 Taguig City, Metro
Manila, Philippines
94.62%
Prudential Tower, 2nd Floor, Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav. 79, Jakarta 12910, Indonesia
100.00%
Prudential Tower, 23rd Floor, Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav.79, Jakarta 12910, Indonesia
94.62%
Prudential Tower, JI. Jend. Sudirman Kav. 79, Jakarta 12910, Indonesia
100.00%
1 Wallich Street, #19-01 Guoco Tower, Singapore 078881
100.00%
59th Floor One Island East, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong
100.00%
Suite 509, 5th Floor, One International Finance Centre, 1 Harbour View Street, Central,
Hong Kong
98.86%
Prudential Tower, 23rd Floor, Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav.79, Jakarta 12910, Indonesia
79.24%
98.25%
35.51%
81.12%
81.64%
48.79%
96.38%
99.01%
Graha CIMB Niaga 21st Floor. Jl Jend Sudirman Kav 58, Jakarta – 12190, Indonesia
99.90%
10 Marina Boulevard, #32-01, Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 2, Singapore 018983
22.59%
7-8th Floor, SCB Park Plaza 1, 18 Ratchadapisek Road, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
21.65%
33.32%
138 Market Street, #23-01 CapitaGreen, Singapore 048946
63.00%
52.22%
37.00%
45.00%
316 Tanglin Road, #01-01,Singapore, 247978
100.00%
Unit 5, 8th Floor, China Resources Tower, No.2666 Keyuan South Road, Yuehai Street,
Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518054, China
29.62%
14th Floor, No.17,Po Ai Rd., Taipei, Taiwan
51.00%
Suite 1005, 10th Floor, Wisma Hamzah-Kwong Hing, No. 1 Leboh Ampang, 50100 Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia
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D Other information / continued Key to share classes:
LBG
MI
OS
PI
PS
U
Limited by Guarantee
Membership Interest
Ordinary Shares
Partnership Interest
Preference Shares
Units
Name of entity
Staple Limited
Templeton Asian Growth Fund
Thanachart Fund Management Co., Ltd.
TMB Asset Management Co., Ltd.
UOB Smart Global Healthcare
UOB Smart Japan Small and Mid Cap Fund
UOB Smart Millennium Growth Fund
USD Investment Grade Infrastructure Debt Fund SCSp
Classes of
shares held
Proportion
held
Registered office address
OS
U
OS
OS
U
U
U
U
100.00%
No. 63, Athenee Tower, 34th Floor, Wireless Road, Lumpini Subdistrict Pathumwan District,
Bangkok Metropolis, Thailand
30.35%
8A, Rue Albert Borschette, L-1246 Luxembourg
Units 902-908, 9th Floor, Mitrtown Office Tower 944, Rama 4 Road, Wangmai, Patumwan,
Bangkok 10330, Thailand
9th Floor, Mitrtown Office Tower, 944 Rama 4 Road, Wangmai,Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330,
Thailand
23A, 25th Floor, Asia Centre Building, 173/27-30, 32-33 South Sathorn Road, Thungmahamek,
Sathorn, Bangkok 10120, Thailand
50.10%
65.00%
37.96%
24.21%
34.13%
21.78%
35a, Avenue J.F. Kennedy, L-1855, Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
* Prudential Assurance Malaysia Berhad is consolidated at 100 per cent in the Group’s financial statements reflecting the economic interest to the Group.
† Prudential BSN Takaful Berhad is a joint venture that is accounted for using the equity method, for which the Group has an economic interest of 70 per cent for all business sold up to 23 December
2016 and of 49 per cent for new business sold subsequent to this date.
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Non-current assets
Investments in subsidiary undertakings
Current assets
Amounts owed by subsidiary undertakings
Equity securities - fair value through other comprehensive income
Other debtors
Cash at bank and in hand
Liabilities: amounts falling due within one year
Subordinated liabilities
Commercial paper
Amounts owed to subsidiary undertakings
Tax payable
Accruals and deferred income
Net current assets
Total assets less current liabilities
Liabilities: amounts falling due after more than one year
Subordinated liabilities
Debenture loans
Other borrowings
Total net assets
Capital and reserves
Share capital
Share premium
Profit and loss account
Shareholders’ funds
Profit/(loss) for the year
Note
31 Dec 2021
$m
31 Dec 2020
$m
5
6
7
7
8
13,114
12,682
7,013
683
9
1,711
9,416
(1,725)
(500)
(161)
(7)
(85)
(2,478)
6,938
20,052
(2,350)
(1,702)
(350)
(4,402)
6,722
–
5
5
6,732
–
(501)
(149)
(16)
(79)
(745)
5,987
18,669
(4,332)
(1,701)
(350)
(6,383)
15,650
12,286
182
5,010
10,458
15,650
173
2,637
9,476
12,286
2021 $m
2020 $m
2,648
(85)
The financial statements of the parent company on pages 314 to 320 were approved by the Board of Directors on
8 March 2022 and signed on its behalf.
Shriti Vadera
Chair
Mike Wells
Group Chief Executive
Mark FitzPatrick
Group Chief Financial Officer
and Chief Operating Officer
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Statement of changes in equity of the parent company
Balance at 1 Jan 2020
Total comprehensive loss for the year
Transactions with owners, recorded directly in equity
New share capital subscribed
Share based payment transactions
Dividends
Total contributions by and distributions to owners
Share capital
$m
Share
premium
$m
Profit and
loss account
$m
Total
shareholders’
funds
$m
172
2,625
10,376
13,173
–
1
–
–
1
–
12
–
–
12
(85)
(85)
–
(1)
(814)
(815)
13
(1)
(814)
(802)
Balance at 31 Dec 2020 / 1 Jan 2021
173
2,637
9,476
12,286
Profit for the year
Valuation movements on retained interest in Jackson measured at fair value through other
comprehensive income
Total comprehensive income for the year
Transactions with owners, recorded directly in equity
New share capital subscribed
Demerger dividend in specie of Jackson
Share based payment transactions
Other dividends
Total contributions by and distributions to owners
–
–
–
9
–
–
–
9
–
–
–
2,373
–
–
–
2,373
2,648
273
2,921
–
(1,735)
217
(421)
(1,939)
2,648
273
2,921
2,382
(1,735)
217
(421)
443
Balance at 31 Dec 2021
182
5,010
10,458
15,650
315
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Notes to the parent company financial statements
1 Nature of operations
Prudential plc (‘the Company’) together with its subsidiaries (collectively, ‘the Group’ or ‘Prudential’) is an international financial services group.
Prudential provides life and health insurance and asset management services in Asia and Africa. The Group helps individuals to get the most out of
life by making healthcare accessible and affordable by promoting financial inclusion. The Group is joint-headquartered in London and Hong Kong.
On 28 January 2021, the Company announced its intention to demerge its subsidiary Jackson Financial Inc. (Jackson), which following approval of
the demerger by shareholder vote on 27 August 2021, took effect on 13 September 2021.
2 Basis of preparation
The financial statements of the Company, which comprise the statement of financial position, statement of changes in equity and related notes,
are prepared in accordance with UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice, including Financial Reporting Standard 101 Reduced Disclosure
Framework (‘FRS 101’) and Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006.
In preparing these financial statements, the Company applies the recognition, measurement and disclosure requirements in accordance
with IFRS Standards as issued by the IASB and the UK-adopted international accounting standards but makes amendments where necessary
in order to comply with the Companies Act 2006 and has set out below where advantage of the FRS 101 disclosure exemptions has been taken.
The Company has also taken advantage of the exemption under Section 408 of the Companies Act 2006 from presenting its own profit and
loss account.
In these financial statements, the Company has applied the exemptions available under FRS 101 in respect of the following disclosures:
> A cash flow statement and related notes;
> Disclosures in respect of transactions with wholly-owned subsidiaries within the Prudential Group;
> Disclosure in respect of capital management; and
> The effects of new but not yet effective IFRS.
As the consolidated financial statements of the Group include the equivalent disclosures, the Company has also applied the exemptions available
under FRS 101 in respect of the following disclosures:
> IFRS 2 ‘Share Based Payments’ in respect of Group-settled share-based payments;
> Disclosure required by IFRS 7 ‘Financial Instrument Disclosures’ and IFRS 13 ‘Fair Value Measurement’, except for the consequential amendments
to IFRS 7 related to IFRS 9 which have not been adopted by the Group; and
> IFRS 15, ‘Revenue from Contracts with Customers’ in respect of revenue recognition.
The accounting policies set out in note 3 below have, unless otherwise stated, been applied consistently to both years presented in these financial
statements.
The Company and Group manages its cash resources, remittances and financing primarily in US dollars. Accordingly, the functional currency of
the Company is US dollars.
3 Significant accounting policies
Investments in subsidiary undertakings
Investments in subsidiary undertakings are shown at cost, less impairment. Investments are assessed for impairment by comparing the net assets
of the subsidiary undertakings with the carrying value of the investment.
Amounts owed by subsidiary undertakings
Amounts owed by subsidiary undertakings are shown at cost, less provisions. Provisions are determined using the expected credit loss approach
under IFRS 9.
Financial Instruments
Under IFRS 9, except for derivative instruments (where applicable) that are mandatorily classified as fair value through profit or loss and the
Company’s financial investment in Jackson’s equity securities, which are classified as fair value through other comprehensive income (as discussed
below), all of the financial assets and liabilities of the Company are held at amortised cost. The Company assesses impairment on its loans and
receivables using the expected credit loss approach. The expected credit loss on the Company’s loans and receivables, the majority of which
represent loans to its subsidiaries, have been assessed by taking into account the probability of default on those loans. In all cases, the subsidiaries
are expected to have sufficient resources to repay the loan either now or over time based on projected earnings. For loans recallable on demand, the
expected credit loss has been limited to the impact of discounting the value of the loan between the balance sheet date and the anticipated
recovery date. For loans with a fixed maturity date the expected credit loss has been determined with reference to the historic experience of loans
with equivalent credit characteristics.
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Upon the demerger of Jackson, the Company has made the election under IFRS 9 to measure its retained interest in Jackson’s equity securities at
‘fair value through other comprehensive income’. Under this designation, only dividend income from this retained interest is recognised in the profit
or loss of the Company. Unrealised gains and losses are recognised in other comprehensive income and there is no recycling to the profit or loss on
derecognition.
Borrowings
Borrowings are initially recognised at fair value, net of transaction costs, and subsequently accounted for on an amortised cost basis using the
effective interest method. Under the effective interest method, the difference between the redemption value of the borrowing and the initial
proceeds, net of transaction costs, is amortised through the profit and loss account to the date of maturity or, for subordinated debt, over the
expected life of the instrument. Where modifications to borrowings do not result in a substantial difference to the terms of the instrument, any costs
or fees incurred adjust the carrying amount of the liability and are amortised over the remaining expected life of the modified instrument. Where
modifications to borrowings do result in a substantial difference to the terms of the instrument, the instrument is treated as if it had been
extinguished and replaced by a new instrument which is initially recognised at fair value and subsequently accounted for on an amortised cost basis
using the effective interest method. Any costs or fees arising from such a modification are recognised as an expense when incurred.
Dividends
Interim dividends are recorded in the period in which they are paid.
Share premium
The difference between the proceeds received on issue of shares and the nominal value of the shares issued is credited to the share
premium account.
Foreign currency translation
Transactions not denominated in the Company’s functional currency, US dollars, are initially recorded at the functional rate of currency prevailing
on the date of the transaction. Monetary assets and liabilities not denominated in the Company’s functional currency are translated to the
Company’s functional currency at year end spot rates. The impact of these currency translations is recorded within the profit and loss account for
the year.
Tax
Current tax expense is charged or credited to operations based upon amounts estimated to be payable or recoverable as a result of taxable
amounts for the current year. To the extent that losses of an individual UK company are not offset, they can be carried back for one year or carried
forward indefinitely to be offset, subject to restrictions based on future taxable profits, against profits arising from the same company or other
companies in the same UK tax group.
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognised in accordance with the provisions of IAS 12 ‘Income Taxes’. Deferred tax assets are recognised to
the extent that it is regarded as more likely than not that future taxable profits will be available against which these losses can be utilised. Deferred
tax is measured at the tax rates that are expected to be applied to temporary differences when they reverse, using tax rates enacted or
substantively enacted at the reporting date.
Share-based payments
The Group offers share award and option plans for certain key employees and a Save As You Earn (‘SAYE’) plan for all UK and certain overseas
employees. The share-based payment plans operated by the Group are mainly equity-settled.
Under IFRS 2 ‘Share-based payment’, where the Company, as the parent company, has the obligation to settle the options or awards of its equity
instruments to employees of its subsidiary undertakings, and such share-based payments are accounted for as equity-settled in the Group financial
statements, the Company records an increase in the investment in subsidiary undertakings for the value of the share options and awards granted
with a corresponding credit entry recognised directly in equity. The value of the share options and awards granted is based upon the fair value of the
options and awards at the grant date, the vesting period and the vesting conditions. Cash receipts from business units in respect of newly issued
share schemes are treated as returns of capital within investments in subsidiaries.
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4 Reconciliation from the FRS 101 parent company results to the IFRS Group results
The parent company financial statements are prepared in accordance with FRS 101 and the Group financial statements are prepared in accordance
with IFRS Standards as issued by the IASB and international financial reporting standards adopted for use in the UK.
The tables below provide a reconciliation between the FRS 101 parent company results and the IFRS Group results.
Profit after tax
Profit (loss) for the financial year of the Company in accordance with FRS 101 note (i)
Accounting policy difference note (ii)
Share in the IFRS result of the Group, net of distributions to the Company note (iii)
(Loss) profit after tax of the Group attributable to equity holders in accordance with IFRS
Shareholders’ equity
Shareholders’ funds of the Company in accordance with FRS 101
Accounting policy difference note (ii)
Share in the IFRS net equity of the Group note (iii)
Shareholders’ equity of the Group in accordance with IFRS
2021 $m
2020 $m
2,648
28
(4,718)
(2,042)
(85)
(18)
2,221
2,118
31 Dec 2021
$m
31 Dec 2020
$m
15,650
19
1,419
17,088
12,286
15
8,577
20,878
Notes
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
The Company’s profit (loss) for the financial year includes distributions to the Company from subsidiaries.
Accounting policy difference represents the difference in accounting policy for expected credit losses on loan assets, and the difference in treatment of realised gains and losses on
investments classified as fair value through other comprehensive income, as the Company has adopted IFRS 9 while the Group applies IAS 39.
The ‘share in the IFRS result and net equity of the Group’ lines represent the parent company’s equity in the earnings and net assets of its subsidiaries and associates.
The profit for the year of the Company in accordance with IFRS includes dividends received from subsidiary undertakings of $3,597 million for the
year ended 31 December 2021 (2020: $406 million).
5 Investments in subsidiary undertakings
At 1 Jan
Capital injections note (i)
Exchange of non-current debt instruments for equity shares note (ii)
Equity shares issued in exchange for assuming bank loan liability note (iii)
Other note (iv)
At 31 Dec
2021 $m
2020 $m
12,682
430
–
–
2
13,114
10,444
–
2,000
350
(112)
12,682
Notes
(i)
(ii)
On 15 December 2021, an intercompany loan of $430 million owed to the Company was settled in exchange for the issue of equity instruments from Prudential Group Holdings Limited, an
immediate subsidiary of the Company.
On 16 June 2020, the non-current debt instrument of $2,000 million received by the Company was settled in exchange for the issue of equity instruments from Prudential Corporation Asia
Limited, an immediate subsidiary of the Company.
(iii) On 20 June 2020, Prudential Corporation Asia Limited issued equity shares to the Company, in exchange for the Company assuming a bank loan liability of $350 million (see note 7).
(iv) Other includes net amounts in respect of share-based payments settled by the Company for employees of its subsidiary undertakings.
See note 6 below for details of the transfer and distribution of shares in Jackson Financial Inc. during the year.
Investments in subsidiaries held at 31 December 2021 have been assessed for impairment and no impairment was identified.
Subsidiary undertakings of the Company at 31 December 2021 are listed in note D6 of the Group IFRS financial statements.
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6 Equity securities – fair value through other comprehensive income
On 8 September 2021, Prudential Corporation Asia Limited, a subsidiary of the Company, transferred the Group’s holding in Jackson to the
Company as a dividend in specie. This holding was classified as an asset held for distribution and was measured at fair value less costs to distribute
at date of transfer. On 13 September 2021, the Company distributed shares in Jackson with value of $1,735 million to its shareholders (further
details are provided in note D1.2 of the Group IFRS financial statements). In accordance with IFRIC 17 the value of dividend in-specie recognised as
distribution within the statement of changes in equity was the fair value of Jackson Financial Inc. at the date of distribution. As also required by
IFRIC 17, the difference between the fair value of Jackson Financial Inc. on distribution and the previous carrying value of the Company’s
investment in Jackson Financial Inc. of $439 million is recognised as a loss within profit for the year. Immediately after the distribution, the
Company retained a 19.7 per cent economic interest (19.9 per cent voting interest) in Jackson’s equity securities, which was recognised as a financial
investment at ‘fair value through other comprehensive income’. On 13 December 2021, Jackson announced, as part of previously disclosed
$300 million share repurchase program, the repurchase of 2,242,516 shares of its Class A common stock from the Company. With this repurchase
activity, the Company’s remaining economic interest in Jackson was 18.4 per cent as of 31 December 2021 (18.5 per cent voting interest).
The fair value of the Company’s holding in the equity securities of Jackson is determined by the use of current market bid prices, and is
categorised as Level 1: Quoted prices (unadjusted in active markets) of the IFRS 13 ‘Fair Value Measurement’ defined fair value hierarchy.
Following initial recognition on 13 September 2021, a gain of $273 million has been recognised in other comprehensive income for the year
in respect of these instruments.
7 Borrowings
Core structural borrowings note (i)
Subordinated liabilities note (ii)
Debenture loans
Bank loan
Commercial paper note (iii)
Total borrowings
Borrowings are repayable as follows:
Within 1 year
Between 1 and 5 years
After 5 years
Core structural borrowings
Other borrowings
Total
31 Dec 2021
$m
31 Dec 2020
$m
31 Dec 2021
$m
31 Dec 2020
$m
31 Dec 2021
$m
31 Dec 2020
$m
4,075
1,702
350
6,127
–
6,127
1,725
778
3,624
6,127
4,332
1,701
350
6,383
–
6,383
–
780
5,603
6,383
–
–
–
–
500
500
500
–
–
500
–
–
–
–
501
501
501
–
–
501
4,075
1,702
350
6,127
500
6,627
2,225
778
3,624
6,627
4,332
1,701
350
6,383
501
6,884
501
780
5,603
6,884
Notes
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv) Borrowings are classified in line with contractual maturity dates unless the Company has established its intention to redeem at an earlier date.
Further details on the core structural borrowings of the Company are provided in note C5.1 of the Group IFRS financial statements.
The interests of the holders of the subordinated liabilities are subordinate to the entitlements of other creditors of the Company.
These borrowings support a short-term fixed income securities programme.
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Share capital and share premium
On 4 October 2021, the Company completed the issuance of 130,780,350 new ordinary shares on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong through a
concurrent Hong Kong public offer and international placing. Further details on this issuance together with a summary of the ordinary shares in
issue and the options outstanding to subscribe for the Company’s shares at 31 December 2021 is set out in note C8 of the Group IFRS financial
statements.
Retained profit of the Company
Retained profit at 31 December 2021 amounted to $10,458 million (31 December 2020: $9,476 million). The retained profit includes distributable
reserves of $4,734 million (31 December 2020: $3,838 million) and non-distributable reserves of $5,724 million (31 December 2020:
$5,638 million). The non-distributable reserves of the Company relate to gains on intra-group transactions, in which qualifying consideration was
not received, and share-based payment reserves.
Under UK company law, Prudential may pay dividends only if sufficient distributable reserves of the Company are available for the purpose and if
the amount of its net assets is greater than the aggregate of its called up share capital and non-distributable reserves (such as the share premium
account) and the payment of the dividend does not reduce the amount of its net assets to less than that aggregate.
The retained profit of the Company is substantially generated from dividend income received from subsidiaries. The Group segmental analysis
illustrates the generation of profit across the Group (see note B1 of the Group IFRS financial statements). The Group and its subsidiaries are subject
to local regulatory minimum capital requirements, as set out in note C10 of the Group IFRS financial statements. A number of the principal risks set
out in the Risk Report could impact the generation of profit in the Group’s subsidiaries in the future and hence impact their ability to pay dividends in
the future.
In determining the dividend payment in any year, the directors follow the Group dividend policy described in the Financial Review section of this
Annual Report. The directors consider the Company’s ability to pay current and future dividends twice a year by reference to the Company’s
business plan and certain stressed scenarios.
9 Other information
a
b
c
d
e
Information on key management remuneration is given in note B2.3 of the Group IFRS financial statements. Additional information on
directors’ remuneration is given in the directors’ remuneration report section of this Annual Report.
Information on transactions of the directors with the Group is given in note D4 of the Group IFRS financial statements.
The Company employs no staff.
Fees payable to the Company’s auditor for the audit of the Company’s annual accounts were $0.1 million (2020: $0.1 million) and for other
services were $0.1 million (2020: $0.1 million).
In certain instances, the Company has guaranteed that its subsidiaries will meet their obligations when they fall due for payment.
10 Post balance sheet events
Dividends
The second interim ordinary dividend for the year ended 31 December 2021, which was approved by the Board of Directors after 31 December
2021, is described in note B5 of the Group IFRS financial statements.
Debt redemption
On 20 January 2022 the Company redeemed subordinated debt instruments of $1,725 million, as described in note C5.1 of the Group IFRS financial
statements.
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Notes to the parent company financial statements / continued Statement of Directors’ responsibilities in respect
of the Annual Report and the financial statements
Responsibility statement of the directors in respect of the
annual financial report
The directors of Prudential plc, whose names and positions are set out
on pages 150 to 155 confirm that to the best of their knowledge:
> the financial statements, prepared in accordance with the applicable
set of accounting standards, give a true and fair view of the assets,
liabilities, financial position and profit or loss of the company and the
undertakings included in the consolidation taken as a whole;
> the strategic report includes a fair review of the development and
performance of the business and the position of the Group and the
undertakings included in the consolidation taken as a whole, together
with a description of the principal risks and uncertainties that they
face; and
> the annual report and financial statements, taken as a whole, is fair,
balanced and understandable and provides the information
necessary for shareholders to assess the Group’s position and
performance, business model and strategy.
The directors are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and the
Group and parent Company financial statements in accordance with
applicable law and regulations.
Company law requires the directors to prepare Group and parent
company financial statements for each financial year. Under that
law they are required to prepare the Group financial statements in
accordance with UK-adopted international accounting standards
and applicable law and have elected to prepare the parent company
financial statements in accordance with UK accounting standards
and applicable law, including FRS 101 Reduced Disclosure Framework.
Under company law the directors must not approve the financial
statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view
of the state of affairs of the Group and parent company and of their
profit or loss for that period. In preparing each of the Group and parent
company financial statements, the directors are required to:
> select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
> make judgements and estimates that are reasonable, relevant,
reliable and prudent;
> for the Group financial statements, state whether they have been
prepared in accordance with UK-adopted international accounting
standards;
> for the parent company financial statements, state whether
applicable UK accounting standards have been followed, subject to
any material departures disclosed and explained in the parent
company financial statements;
> assess the Group and parent company’s ability to continue as a going
concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern;
and
> use the going concern basis of accounting unless they either intend
to liquidate the Group or the parent company or to cease operations,
or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records
that are sufficient to show and explain the parent Company’s
transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the
financial position of the parent Company and enable them to ensure
that its financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006.
They have general responsibility for taking such steps as are reasonably
open to them to safeguard the assets of the Group and to prevent and
detect fraud and other irregularities.
Under applicable law and regulations, the directors are also responsible
for preparing a Strategic Report, Directors’ Report, Directors’
Remuneration Report and Corporate Governance Statement that
comply with that law and those regulations.
The directors are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the
corporate and financial information included on the company’s website.
Legislation in the UK governing the preparation and dissemination of
financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
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1. Our opinion is unmodified
We have audited the financial statements of Prudential plc (“the
Company”) for the year ended 31 December 2021 which comprise;
> the consolidated income statement, consolidated statement of
comprehensive income, consolidated statement of changes in equity,
consolidated statement of financial position and consolidated
statement of cash flows, and the related notes, including accounting
policies in note 3.1; and
> the parent company statements of financial position and of changes
in equity, and the related notes, including the significant accounting
policies in note 3.
In our opinion:
> The financial statements give a true and fair view of the state of the
Group’s and of the parent company’s affairs as at 31 December 2021
and of the Group’s loss for the year then ended;
> The Group financial statements have been properly prepared in
accordance with UK-adopted international accounting standards;
> The parent company financial statements have been properly
prepared in accordance with UK Accounting Standards including
FRS 101 Reduced Disclosure Framework; and
> The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with
the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.
Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on
Auditing (UK) (“ISAs (UK)”) and applicable law. Our responsibilities are
described below. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained
is a sufficient and appropriate basis for our opinion. Our audit opinion is
consistent with our report to the audit committee.
We were appointed as auditor by the shareholders in October 1999. The
period of total uninterrupted engagement is for the 23 financial years
ended 31 December 2021. We have fulfilled our ethical responsibilities
under, and we remain independent of the Group in accordance with,
UK ethical requirements including the Financial Reporting Council
(‘FRC’) Ethical Standard as applied to listed public interest entities.
No non-audit services prohibited by that standard were provided.
2. Key audit matters:
our assessment of risks of material misstatement
Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional
judgement, were of most significance in the audit of the financial
statements and include the most significant assessed risks of material
misstatement (whether or not due to fraud) identified by us, including
those which had the greatest effect on: the overall audit strategy;
the allocation of resources in the audit; and directing the efforts of
the engagement team. We summarise below the key audit matters in
decreasing order of audit significance, in arriving at our audit opinion
above, together with our key audit procedures to address those matters
and, as required for public interest entities, our results from those
procedures. These matters were addressed, and our results are based on
procedures undertaken, in the context of, and solely for the purpose of,
our audit of the financial statements as a whole, and in forming our
opinion thereon, and consequently are incidental to that opinion,
and we do not provide a separate opinion on these matters.
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Valuation of insurance contract liabilities and investment contract liabilities with discretionary participation features
(2021: $151,101 million, 2020: $437,266 million).
The risk compared to the prior year has remained unchanged.
Refer to page 175 (Audit Committee report), page 242 (accounting policy) and pages 281 to 286 (financial disclosures)
The risk
Our response
The Group has significant insurance contract liabilities
and investment contract liabilities with discretionary
participation features (policyholder liabilities)
representing 83 per cent (2020: 88 per cent) of the
Group’s total liabilities.
Subjective valuation
This is an area that involves significant judgement over
uncertain future outcomes, mainly the ultimate total
settlement value of these long term policyholder
liabilities, and we consider the risk to have remained
unchanged in the current year in light of the continued
business and economic disruption caused by the
Coronavirus pandemic’s (COVID-19) potential impact
on policyholder behaviour in respect of decisions such
as lapses, making historical experience less reliable in
setting operating assumptions.
Significant judgement is required to assess whether
the directors’ overall estimate, taking into account key
economic assumptions, including investment return and
associated discount rates, and operating assumptions
including mortality, morbidity, expenses and
persistency, which are the key inputs used to estimate
these long term liabilities, falls within an acceptable
range, in addition to the appropriate design and
calibration of complex reserving models.
The effect of these matters is that, as part of our risk
assessment, we determined that the valuation of
policyholder liabilities has a high degree of estimation
uncertainty, with a potential range of reasonable
outcomes greater than our materiality for the financial
statements as a whole and possibly many times that
amount. The financial statements note C6 discloses the
sensitivities estimated by the Group.
We used our own actuarial specialists to assist us in performing our procedures
in this area.
Our procedures included:
Methodology choice
We assessed the methodology for selecting assumptions and calculating the
policyholder liabilities. This included:
> Assessing the methodology adopted for selecting assumptions by applying our
industry knowledge and experience and comparing the methodology used
against industry standard actuarial practice;
> Assessing the methodology adopted for calculating the policyholder liabilities by
reference to the requirements of the accounting standard and actuarial market
practice, and assessing the impact of current year changes in methodology on the
calculation of policyholder liabilities;
> Comparing changes in methodology to our expectations derived from market
experience; and
> Evaluating the analysis of the movements in policyholder liabilities during the
year, including consideration of whether the movements were in line with the
methodology and assumptions adopted.
Control operation
We used our own IT specialists to assist us in performing our procedures in this area
which included testing of the design, implementation and operating effectiveness
of key controls over the valuation process. Controls testing in respect of the valuation
process included assessment and approval of the methods and assumptions
adopted over the calculation of policyholder liabilities as well as appropriate access
and change management controls over the actuarial models.
Our procedures also included:
Historical comparison
> Evaluating the experience analysis in respect of the mortality, morbidity,
persistency, and expense assumptions by reference to actual experience, taking
into account the potential impact of COVID-19 on reported claims, in order to
assess whether this supported the year-end assumptions adopted.
Benchmarking assumptions and sector experience
> Using our sector experience and market knowledge to inform our challenge of the
assumptions in the areas noted above.
Model evaluation
> Assessing the reserving models by considering the accuracy of the cash flow
projections including by reference to the inclusion of relevant product features.
We have also assessed the impact of modelling and assumption changes by
inspecting pre and post change model runs and comparing the outcomes of the
changes to our expectations.
Assessing transparency
We assessed whether the disclosures in relation to the assumptions used in the
valuation of policyholder liabilities are compliant with the relevant accounting
requirements.
Our result
We found the valuation and disclosures of policyholder liabilities to be acceptable
(2020: acceptable).
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The risk compared to the prior year has remained unchanged.
Refer to page 175 (Audit Committee report), page 242 (accounting policy) and pages 272 to 280 (financial disclosures)
The risk
Our response
The Group’s investments portfolio represents
85 per cent (2020: 83 per cent) of the Group’s
total assets.
Subjective valuation
The area that involved significant audit effort and
judgement in 2021 was the valuation of certain level
2 and level 3 positions within the portfolio of financial
investments held at fair value. This is comprised
of unlisted debt securities and unlisted funds that
are valued by reference to their Net Asset Value
(‘NAV funds’). For these positions a reliable third-party
price was not readily available and therefore
involved the application of expert judgement
in the valuations adopted.
Auditor judgement is required in determining the
appropriate valuation methodology where external
pricing sources are either not readily available or are
unreliable. Further judgement is required to assess
whether the directors’ overall estimate, based on
their judgement depending on the observability and
significance of the inputs into the valuation and the
consequent impact on the classification of those
investments, falls within an acceptable range.
The effect of these matters is that, as part of our risk
assessment, we determined that the valuation of
certain level 2 and 3 investments held at fair value has a
high degree of estimation uncertainty, with a potential
range of reasonable outcomes greater than our
materiality for the financial statements as a whole
and possibly many times that amount.
The financial statements note C6 disclose the
sensitivities estimated by the Group.
We used our own valuation specialists in order to assist us in performing our
procedures in this area.
Our procedures included:
Methodology choice
We assessed the appropriateness of the pricing methodologies with reference
to relevant accounting standards as well as industry practice.
Control operation
We tested the design, implementation and operating effectiveness of key controls
over the valuation process, including the Group’s review and approval of the
estimates and assumptions used for the valuation including key authorisation
and data input controls.
Tests of details
For a sample of securities, we used our valuation specialists to assess the Group’s
classification of assets within Level 2 or Level 3 by evaluating the observability of the
inputs used in valuing these securities.
For a sample of unlisted debt securities we compared the price adopted to our
independently derived price, using our valuation specialists. For a sample of unlisted
funds, we agreed the valuations for the NAV funds to the most recent NAV
statements. To assess reliability of these statements we compared to audited
financial statements of the funds, where available, or performed a retrospective test
over the NAV valuations for each fund to assess if the fund valuations reported in the
audited financial statements in the prior year were materially consistent with the
most recent NAV valuation statements available at the time.
Assessing transparency
We assessed whether the disclosures in relation to the valuation of level 2 and 3
investments held at fair value are compliant with the relevant accounting
requirements.
Our result
We found the valuation and disclosures of level 2 and 3 investments held at fair
value to be acceptable (2020: acceptable).
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Independent auditor’s report to the members of Prudential plc / continued Recoverability of parent company’s investment in subsidiaries – (2021: $13,114 million, 2020: $12,682 million)
The risk compared to the prior year is unchanged. The risk relates to the parent company financial statements.
Refer to page 175 (Audit Committee report), Refer to page 242 (accounting policy) and page 318 (financial disclosures)
The risk
Our response
Low risk, high value
The carrying amount of the parent company’s
investments in subsidiaries represents 58 per cent
(2020: 65 per cent) of the company’s total assets.
Their recoverability is not at a high risk of significant
misstatement or subject to significant judgement.
However, due to their materiality in the context of the
parent company financial statements, this is considered
to be the area that had the greatest effect on our overall
parent company audit.
Our procedures included:
Tests of details
Comparing the carrying amount of 100% of the investments in subsidiaries with the
relevant subsidiaries’ draft balance sheet to identify whether their net assets, being
an approximation of their minimum recoverable amount, were in excess of their
carrying amount and assessing whether those subsidiaries have historically been
profit-making. We performed the test above rather than seeking to rely on the parent
company’s controls because the nature of the balance is such that we would expect
to obtain audit evidence primarily through the detailed procedure described.
Assessing subsidiary audits
Assessing the work performed by the subsidiary audit teams on all of those
subsidiaries and considering the results of that work on those subsidiaries’ profits
and net assets.
Our result
We found the Group’s assessment of the recoverability of the investment
in subsidiaries to be acceptable (2020: acceptable).
Following the demerger of the US business from the Group on 13 September 2021, we no longer consider the following to be a key audit matter
for 2021:
> Amortisation of US deferred acquisition costs, valuation of policyholder liabilities (US) and valuation of certain level 2 and level 3 investments
(US): As a result of the demerger, the US business has been classed as discontinued operations in the group financial statements and the
consolidated balance sheet does not include any deferred acquisition costs, policyholder liabilities or level 2 and 3 investments in respect of
the US business.
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of our audit
Materiality for the Group financial statements as a whole was set
at $190 million (2020: $250 million) determined with reference to
a benchmark of IFRS shareholders’ equity (of which it represents
1.1 per cent (2020: 1.2 per cent)); the reduction in materiality from
2020 reflects the lower IFRS shareholders’ equity due to the impact
of the demerger of the US operations from the Group. We consider
IFRS shareholders’ equity to be the most appropriate benchmark
as it represents the residual interest that can be ascribed to shareholders
after policyholder assets and corresponding liabilities have been
accounted for; we consider that this is the most appropriate measure
for the size of the business and that it provides a stable measure year
on year. We compared our materiality against other relevant
benchmarks (total assets, total revenue and profit before tax from
continuing operations) to ensure the materiality selected was
appropriate for our audit. We set out below the materiality thresholds
that are key to the audit.
IFRS Shareholders’ Equity
$17,088m (2020: $20,878m)
Group Materiality
$190m (2020: $250m)
$190m
Whole financial statements materiality
(2020: $250m)
$140m
Whole financial statements performance materiality
(2020: $187m)
$110m
Range of materiality at 13 components ($20m–$110m)
(2020: $13m to $120m)
$9m
Misstatements reported to the audit committee
(2020: $12.5m)
Shareholders’ Equity
Group materiality
Materiality for the parent company financial statements as a whole
was set at $53 million (2020: $60 million), determined with reference
to a benchmark of parent company’s net assets, of which it represents
0.4 per cent (2020: 0.5 per cent). The component materiality, as
determined by the Group audit team, applied to the audit of the parent
company financial statements as a whole is lower than the materiality
we would otherwise have determined by reference to its net assets.
In line with our audit methodology, our procedures on individual
account balances and disclosures were performed to a lower threshold,
performance materiality, so as to reduce to an acceptable level the risk
that detected and undetected immaterial misstatements in individual
account balances aggregate up to a material amount across the
financial statements as a whole.
Performance materiality for both the group and parent company was
set at 75 per cent (2020: 75 per cent) of materiality for the financial
statements as a whole, which equates to $140 million (2020:
$187 million) and $33.75 million (2020: $45 million), respectively.
We applied this percentage in our determination of performance
materiality because we did not identify any factors indicating an
elevated level of risk across the financial statements as a whole.
We agreed to report to the Group audit committee any corrected or
uncorrected identified misstatements exceeding $9 million (2020:
$12.5 million) in addition to other identified misstatements that warrant
reporting on qualitative grounds.
We subjected the Group’s operations to audits for group reporting
purposes as follows:
Of the 13 (2020: 14) reporting components scoped in for the Group
audit, we subjected 7 (2020: 8) to full scope audits for group reporting
purposes, 5 (2020: 4) to an audit of account balances, 1 to specified
risk-focused audit procedures over cash and debt securities (2020: 1 to
specified risk-focused audit procedures over cash and debt securities
and 1 to specified risk-focused audit procedures over operational and
other borrowings). The components for which we performed work other
than full scope audits for group reporting purposes were not individually
significant but were included in the scope of our group reporting work
as they did present specific individual audit risks that needed to be
addressed or in order to provide further coverage over the Group’s results.
The components subjected to full scope audits consisted of the parent
company and the insurance operations in the US, Hong Kong,
Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and China.
The components subjected to an audit of account balances included the
insurance operations in Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan and the Philippines,
and the fund management operations of Eastspring Singapore. The
account balances audited for Vietnam and Taiwan were policyholder
liabilities, investments, deferred acquisition costs, cash, premiums and
claims; the account balances audited for Thailand were policyholder
liabilities, investments, intangible assets, cash, premiums and claims;
the account balances audited for Eastspring Singapore were other
income and expenses; the account balances audited for the Philippines
were policyholder liabilities, investments and cash. The component for
which we performed specified audit risk-focused procedures over cash
and debt securities was the Group’s treasury operations.
For the remaining operations, we performed analysis at an aggregated
Group level to re-examine our assessment that there were no significant
risks of material misstatement within these operations.
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These components accounted for the following percentages of the Group’s results:
Group revenue from continuing operations
Group profit before tax1
91%
(2020: 97%)
78
92
5
13
Group total assets
95%
(2020: 99%)
82
4
95
13
90%
(2020: 87%)
4
8
Group shareholders’ equity
95%
(2020: 93%)
7
16
86
79
79
86
Full scope for Group audit
purposes 2021
Audit of account balances
and specified risk focused
audit procedures 2021
Full scope for Group audit
purposes 2020
Audit of account balances
and specified risk focused
audit procedures 2020
Residual components
Note
1 These percentages represent the total profits and losses that made up group profit before tax
The Group audit team held a global planning conference with
component auditors to identify audit risks and decide how each
component team should address the identified audit risks. The Group
audit team instructed component auditors as to the significant areas
to be covered, including the relevant risks detailed above and the
information to be reported. The Group audit team approved the
component materialities, which ranged from $20 million to $110 million
(2020: $13 million to $120 million) across the components, having
regard to the size and risk profile of the Group across the components.
The work on 11 components (2020: 12 components) was performed
by component auditors and work on the remaining two components,
which included the parent company, was performed by the Group
audit team.
Whilst it would be conventional practice to visit component teams,
the impact of the Coronavirus restrictions on travel has required an
alternative approach similar to last year, which required more extensive
use of video and telephone conference meetings with all component
auditors. During these video and telephone conference meetings,
an assessment was made of audit risk and strategy, the findings
reported to the Group audit team were discussed in more detail,
key working papers were inspected and any further work required by
the Group audit team was then performed by the component auditor.
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all component audits. Except as noted below, the Group audit team
conducted remote file reviews, performed, by experienced members of
the audit team, to evaluate whether work performed by all component
audit teams over significant risk and other relevant audit areas was
sufficient. In addition, the Group audit team maintained clear oversight
of the work of component auditors and attended local final audit
closing meetings via conference/video call.
Due to regulatory restrictions, a remote file review was not possible
for the Chinese component, as such a review needs to be performed
from within Mainland China and due to movement restrictions and
quarantine requirements relating to the COVID-19 pandemic we were
not able to travel to perform this review. To compensate for this
situation the Group audit team held increased and more detailed
planning and progress calls, obtained extended reporting and held an
expanded closing meeting with the Chinese component audit team
to understand, assess and challenge the audit approach and findings.
The Senior Statutory Auditor, in conjunction with other senior staff
in the Group and component audit teams, also regularly attended
Business Unit audit committee meetings and participated in meetings
with local components to obtain additional understanding, first hand,
of the key risks and audit issues at a component level which may affect
the Group financial statements.
We were able to rely upon the Group’s internal control over financial
reporting in several areas of our audit, where our controls testing
supported this approach, which enabled us to reduce the scope of our
substantive audit work; in the other areas the scope of the audit work
performed was fully substantive.
4. The impact of climate change on our audit
In planning our audit, we have considered the potential impact of
climate change on the Group’s business and its financial statements.
The Group has set out its commitments to decarbonise its portfolio of
assets held on behalf of its insurance companies with a new goal of
becoming “net zero” by 2050. Further information is provided in the
Group’s Environment, Social and Governance report.
Climate change risk could have a significant impact on the Group’s
business as the operations and strategy of the Group are adapted to
address the potential financial and non-financial risks which could arise
from both the physical and transition risks associated with climate
change. Climate change initiatives and commitments could impact the
financial statements of the Group in a variety of ways including in the
determination of fair value for assets and potential for increased claims
experience which could impact the valuation of liabilities. Greater
narrative and disclosure of the impact of climate change risk is also
incorporated into the annual report.
As a part of our audit we have made enquiries of management to
understand the extent of the potential impact of climate change risk on
the Group’s financial statements and the Group’s preparedness for this.
We have performed a risk assessment of how the impact of the scenario
analysis performed by the Group in respect of climate change may
affect the financial statements and our audit, this involved a discussion
with our own climate risk subject matter professionals to challenge our
risk assessment. There was no impact of this on our key audit matters.
We have assessed how the Group considers the impact of climate
change risk on the valuation of the policyholder liabilities taking into
account the nature of the insurance contracts that the group enters
into and the associated valuation methodology. This has not had a
significant impact on the related key audit matter. We have also
incorporated a consideration of the climate change impact on the
audit of the valuation of certain level 2 and level 3 positions within the
portfolio of financial investments held at fair value, taking into account
the nature of the investments and the associated valuation approach.
This has not had a significant impact on the related key audit matter.
We have read the disclosure of climate related information in the front
half of the annual report and considered consistency with the financial
statements and our audit knowledge.
We have not been engaged to provide assurance over the accuracy of
the climate risk disclosures set out on pages 82 to 95 in the Annual Report.
5. We have nothing to report on going concern
The Directors have prepared the financial statements on the going
concern basis as they do not intend to liquidate the Company or the
Group or to cease their operations, and as they have concluded that the
Company’s and the Group’s financial position means that this is realistic.
They have also concluded that there are no material uncertainties that
could have cast significant doubt over their ability to continue as a going
concern for at least a year from the date of approval of the financial
statements (“the going concern period”).
We used our knowledge of the Group and Company, its industry, and
the general economic environment in which it operates to identify the
inherent risks to its business model and analysed how those risks might
affect the Group and Company’s financial resources or ability to
continue operations over the going concern period. The risks that were
considered most likely to adversely affect the Group’s and Company’s
available financial resources over this period were:
> Adverse impacts arising from fluctuations or negative trends in the
economic environment which affect the valuations of the Group’s
investments, wider credit spreads and defaults and valuation of
policyholder liabilities due to the impact of these market movements;
> The impact on regulatory capital solvency margins from movements
in interest rates; and
> Severely adverse policyholder lapse or claims experience.
We also considered less predictable but realistic second order impacts,
such as failure of some of the Group’s counterparties (such as banks and
reinsurers) to meet commitments, which could give rise to a negative
impact on the Group’s financial position and liquidity, and wider
economic factors such as the Coronavirus pandemic’s impact on
economic volatility and market uncertainty in the period, and other
such macroeconomic events.
We considered whether these risks could plausibly affect the liquidity
or solvency in the going concern period by assessing the Directors’
sensitivities over the level of available financial resources indicated by
the Group’s and Company’s cash flow forecasts taking account of severe
but plausible adverse effects that could arise from these risks
individually and collectively.
We considered whether the going concern disclosure in note A1 to
the financial statements gives a full and accurate description of the
directors’ assessment of going concern, including the identified risks
and related sensitivities.
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Independent auditor’s report to the members of Prudential plc / continued Our conclusions based on this work:
> we consider that the directors’ use of the going concern basis
of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements
is appropriate;
> we have not identified, and concur with the directors’ assessment
that there is not, a material uncertainty related to events or conditions
that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the
Group and Company’s ability to continue as a going concern for the
going concern period.
> we have nothing material to add or draw attention to in relation to
the Directors’ statement in note A1 to the financial statements on
the use of the going concern basis of accounting with no material
uncertainties that may cast significant doubt over the Group and
Company’s use of that basis for the going concern period, and we
found the going concern disclosure in note A1 to be acceptable; and
> the related statement under the Listing Rules set out on page 191
is materially consistent with the financial statements and our
audit knowledge.
However, as we cannot predict future events or conditions and as
subsequent events may result in outcomes that are inconsistent
with judgements that were reasonable at the time they were made,
the above conclusions are not a guarantee that the Group and the
Company will continue in operation.
6. Fraud and breaches of laws and regulations – ability to detect
Identifying and responding to risks of material misstatement due
to fraud
To identify risks of material misstatement due to fraud (“fraud risks”)
we assessed events or conditions that could indicate an incentive or
pressure to commit fraud or provide an opportunity to commit fraud.
Our risk assessment procedures included:
> Enquiring of directors, the audit committee, internal audit, group
security, and inspecting key papers provided to those charged with
governance as to the high-level policies and procedures to prevent
and detect fraud, including the Group’s channel for “whistleblowing”
and process for engaging local management to identify fraud risks
specific to their business units, as well as whether they have
knowledge of any actual, suspected, or alleged fraud.
> Reading board and audit committee minutes.
> Considering remuneration incentive schemes and performance
targets for directors.
> Consulting with our own professionals with forensic knowledge
to assist us in identifying fraud risks based on discussions of the
circumstances of the Group and Company.
We communicated identified fraud risks throughout the audit team
and remained alert to any indications of fraud throughout the audit.
This included communication from the group team to all component
audit teams in scope of relevant fraud risks identified at the Group level
and requests to these audit teams to report to the Group audit team
any instances of fraud that could give rise to a material misstatement
at group.
As required by auditing standards, and taking into account possible
pressures to meet profit targets, we perform procedures to address
the risks of management override of controls, in particular the risk that
group and component management may be in a position to make
inappropriate accounting entries and the risk of bias in accounting
estimates and judgements. Accordingly, we identified fraud risks related
to the valuation of insurance contract liabilities given the direct impact
on the Group’s profit, the opportunity for management to manipulate
assumptions due to the subjectivity involved and given the long-term
nature of these assumptions which are more difficult to corroborate, and
potential incentives for the group to manipulate the profitability of the
Asia businesses given the separation of the US business.
On this audit we do not consider there is a fraud risk related to revenue
recognition as there is limited management judgement involved in the
determination of all material revenue streams as the amounts are
contractually derived.
In determining the audit procedures to address the identified fraud risks,
we took into account the results of our evaluation and testing of the
operating effectiveness of the group-wide anti-fraud risk controls. In
order to address the risk of fraud specifically as it relates to the valuation
of insurance contract liabilities, we involved actuarial specialists to assist
in our challenge of management. We challenged management in
relation to the selection of assumptions and the appropriateness of the
rationale for any changes, the consistency of the selected assumptions
across different aspects of the financial reporting process and
comparison to our understanding of the product portfolio, trends in
experience, policyholder behaviour and economic conditions and also
by reference to market practice. Further detail in respect of these is set
out in the audit response to the risks associated with this key audit
matter in section 2 of this report.
To address the pervasive risk as it relates to management override,
we also performed procedures including:
> Identifying journal entries to test for all in-scope components, other
than those only in scope for specified risk-based audit procedures,
based on risk criteria and comparing the identified entries to
supporting documentation. These include unusual journal entries
posted to either cash or borrowings.
> Evaluating the business purpose of non-recurring transactions.
> Assessing significant accounting estimates and judgements for bias.
We discussed with the audit committee matters related to actual or
suspected fraud, for which disclosure is not necessary, and considered
any implications for our audit.
Identifying and responding to risks of material misstatement
due to non-compliance with laws and regulations
We identified areas of laws and regulations that could reasonably
be expected to have a material effect on the financial statements
from our general commercial and sector experience, through discussion
with the directors, and from inspection of the Group’s regulatory
and legal correspondence. We discussed with the directors and other
management the policies and procedures regarding compliance with
laws and regulation.
329
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information As the Group is regulated, our assessment of risks involved gaining
an understanding of the control environment including the entity’s
procedures for complying with regulatory requirements.
We communicated identified laws and regulations throughout our team
and remained alert to any indications of non-compliance throughout
the audit. This included communication from the group to all in-scope
component audit teams, with the exception of those scoped in only for
specified risk-based audit procedures, of relevant laws and regulations
identified at the group level, and a request for these teams to report
to the group any instances of non-compliance with said laws and
regulations, or any identified local laws and regulations, that could
give rise to a material misstatement at group.
7. We have nothing to report on the other information in the
Annual Report
The directors are responsible for the other information presented in
the Annual Report together with the financial statements. Our opinion
on the financial statements does not cover the other information and,
accordingly, we do not express an audit opinion or, except as explicitly
stated below, any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so,
consider whether, based on our financial statements audit work, the
information therein is materially misstated or inconsistent with the
financial statements or our audit knowledge. Based solely on that work
we have not identified material misstatements in the other information.
The potential effect of these laws and regulations on the financial
statements varies considerably.
Strategic report and directors’ report
Based solely on our work on the other information:
Firstly, the Group is subject to laws and regulations that directly affect
the financial statements including financial reporting legislation
(including related companies legislation), distributable profits legislation
and taxation legislation and we assessed the extent of compliance with
these laws and regulations as part of our procedures on the related
financial statement items.
> we have not identified material misstatements in the strategic report
and the directors’ report;
> in our opinion the information given in those reports for the financial
year is consistent with the financial statements; and
> in our opinion those reports have been prepared in accordance with
the Companies Act 2006.
Secondly, the Group is subject to many other laws and regulations
where the consequences of non-compliance could have a material
effect on amounts or disclosures in the financial statements, for
instance through the imposition of fines or litigation or the loss of the
Group’s licence to operate. We identified the regulations governing
capital requirements most likely to have such an effect recognising
the financial and regulated nature of the Group’s activities. Auditing
standards limit the required audit procedures to identify non-
compliance with these laws and regulations to enquiry of the directors
and other management and inspection of regulatory and legal
correspondence, if any. Therefore, if a breach of operational regulations
is not disclosed to us or evident from relevant correspondence, an audit
will not detect that breach.
We discussed with the audit committee matters related to actual or
suspected breaches of laws or regulations, for which disclosure is not
necessary, and considered any implications for our audit.
Context of the ability of the audit to detect fraud or breaches of
law or regulation
Owing to the inherent limitations of an audit, there is an unavoidable
risk that we may not have detected some material misstatements
in the financial statements, even though we have properly planned
and performed our audit in accordance with auditing standards.
For example, the further removed non-compliance with laws and
regulations (irregularities) is from the events and transactions reflected
in the financial statements, the less likely the inherently limited
procedures required by auditing standards would identify it.
In addition, as with any audit, there remained a higher risk of non-
detection of fraud, as these may involve collusion, forgery, intentional
omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal controls. We
are not responsible for preventing non-compliance or fraud and cannot
be expected to detect non-compliance with all laws and regulations.
Directors’ remuneration report
In our opinion the part of the Directors’ Remuneration Report to be
audited has been properly prepared in accordance with the Companies
Act 2006.
Disclosures of emerging and principal risks and longer-term
viability
We are required to perform procedures to identify whether there is
a material inconsistency between the directors’ disclosures in respect
of emerging and principal risks and the viability statement, and the
financial statements and our audit knowledge. Based on those
procedures, we have nothing material to add or draw attention to
in relation to:
> The directors’ confirmation within the viability statement on page 64,
that they have carried out a robust assessment of the emerging and
principal risks facing the Group, including those that would threaten
its business model, future performance, solvency and liquidity;
> The emerging and principal risks disclosures on pages 52 to 63
describing these risks and explaining how they are being managed
and mitigated; and
> The directors’ explanation in the viability statement of how they have
assessed the prospects of the Group, over what period they have
done so and why they considered that period to be appropriate, and
their statement as to whether they have a reasonable expectation
that the Group will be able to continue in operation and meet its
liabilities as they fall due over the period of their assessment,
including any related disclosures drawing attention to any necessary
qualifications or assumptions.
330
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Independent auditor’s report to the members of Prudential plc / continued We are also required to review the viability statement, set out on page
64, under the Listing Rules. Based on the above procedures, we have
concluded that the above disclosures are materially consistent with the
financial statements and our audit knowledge.
Our work is limited to assessing these matters in the context of only
the knowledge acquired during our financial statements audit. As we
cannot predict all future events or conditions and as subsequent events
may result in outcomes that are inconsistent with judgements that
were reasonable at the time they were made, the absence of anything
to report on these statements is not a guarantee as to the Group’s and
Company’s longer-term viability.
Corporate governance disclosures
We are required to perform procedures to identify whether there is a
material inconsistency between the directors’ corporate governance
disclosures and the financial statements and our audit knowledge.
Based on those procedures, we have concluded that each of the
following is materially consistent with the financial statements and
our audit knowledge:
> the directors’ statement that they consider that the annual report
and financial statements taken as a whole is fair, balanced and
understandable and provides the information necessary for
shareholders to assess the Group’s position and performance,
business model and strategy;
> the section of the annual report describing the work of the Audit
Committee, including the significant issues that the audit committee
considered in relation to the financial statements, and how those
issues were addressed; and
> the section of the annual report that describes the review of
the effectiveness of the Group’s risk management and internal
control systems.
We are required to review the part of the Corporate Governance
Statement relating to the Group’s compliance with the provisions of
the UK Corporate Governance Code specified by the Listing Rules for
our review. We have nothing to report in this respect.
8. We have nothing to report on the other matters on which we
are required to report by exception
Under the Companies Act 2006 we are required to report to you if,
in our opinion:
> Adequate accounting records have not been kept by the parent
company, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received
from branches not visited by us; or
> The parent company financial statements and the part of the
Directors’ Remuneration Report to be audited are not in agreement
with the accounting records and returns; or
> Certain disclosures of directors’ remuneration specified by law are
not made; or
> We have not received all the information and explanations we require
for our audit.
We have nothing to report in these respects.
9. Respective responsibilities
Directors’ responsibilities
As explained more fully in their statement set out on page 321, the
directors are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements
including being satisfied that they give a true and fair view. They are
also responsible for: such internal control as they determine is necessary
to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from
material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error; assessing the
Group and parent company’s ability to continue as a going concern,
disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern; and using
the going concern basis of accounting unless they either intend to
liquidate the Group or the parent company or to cease operations,
or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
Auditor’s responsibilities
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the
financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement,
whether due to fraud or other irregularities (see below), or error, and to
issue our opinion in an auditor’s report. Reasonable assurance is a high
level of assurance, but does not guarantee that an audit conducted in
accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement
when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud, other irregularities
or error and are considered material if, individually or in aggregate, they
could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of
users taken on the basis of the financial statements.
A fuller description of our responsibilities is provided on the FRC’s
website at www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities.
10. The purpose of our audit work and to whom we owe our
responsibilities
This report is made solely to the Company’s members, as a body,
in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006.
Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the
Company’s members those matters we are required to state to them
in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent
permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone
other than the Company and the Company’s members, as a body,
for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
Philip Smart (Senior Statutory Auditor)
For and on behalf of KPMG LLP, Statutory Auditor
Public Interest Entity Auditor recognised in accordance with
the Hong Kong Financial Reporting Council Ordinance
Chartered Accountants
London
8 March 2022
331
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information European
Embedded
Value (EEV)
basis results
332
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 prudentialplc.com Contents
334
Index to EEV basis results
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333
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021
Index to European Embedded Value (EEV) basis results
Basis of preparation
EEV results highlights for continuing operations
Movement in Group EEV shareholders’ equity
Movement in Group free surplus
Notes on the EEV basis results
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Analysis of new business profit and EEV for long-term business operations
Analysis of movement in net worth and value of in-force business for long-term business operations
Sensitivity of results for long-term business operations to alternative economic assumptions
Expected transfer of value of in-force business and required capital to free surplus for long-term business operations
on a discounted basis
EEV basis results for other operations
Net core structural borrowings of shareholder-financed businesses
Comparison of EEV basis shareholders’ equity with IFRS basis shareholders’ equity
Methodology and accounting presentation
Assumptions
Insurance new business
Post balance sheet events
Statement of Directors’ responsibilities
Auditor’s report
Page
335
336
337
339
341
342
343
345
346
347
348
349
353
355
355
356
357
Description of EEV basis reporting
The EEV basis results have been prepared in accordance with the EEV Principles issued by the European Insurance CFO Forum in 2016. All results are
stated net of tax and converted using actual exchange rates (AER) unless otherwise stated. AER are actual historical exchange rates for the relevant
accounting period. Constant exchange rate (CER) results are calculated by translating prior period results using current period foreign currency
exchange rates, ie current period average rates for the income statement and current period closing rates for the balance sheet. Where appropriate,
the EEV basis results include the effects of adoption of IFRS Standards.
The Directors are responsible for the preparation of the supplementary information in accordance with the EEV Principles. In preparing the EEV
basis supplementary information, the Directors have satisfied themselves that the Group remains a going concern. Further information is provided
in note A1 of the IFRS financial statements.
334
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European Embedded Value (EEV) basis results
Basis of preparation
IFRS profit for long-term business broadly reflects the aggregate of results on a traditional accounting basis. By contrast, EEV is a way of measuring
the value of the in-force life insurance business. The value of future new business is excluded from the embedded value. The EEV Principles provide
consistent definitions of the components of EEV, a framework for setting assumptions and an approach to the underlying methodology and
disclosures. The EEV principles were designed to provide guidance and common principles that could be understood by both users and preparers
alongside prescribing a minimum level of disclosures to enable users to understand an entity’s methodology, assumptions and key judgments as
well as the sensitivity of an entity’s EEV to key assumptions. Results prepared under the EEV Principles represent the present value of the
shareholders’ interest in the post-tax future profits (on a local statutory basis) expected to arise from the current book of long-term business, after
sufficient allowance has been made for the aggregate risks in the business. The shareholders’ interest in the Group’s long-term business is the sum of
the shareholders’ total net worth and the value of in-force business. The Group’s EEV has been prepared in accordance with the relevant regulatory
regimes in place at 31 December 2021. It does not anticipate proposed future changes to these regimes.
For the purposes of preparing EEV basis results, insurance joint ventures and associates are included at the Group’s proportionate share of their
embedded value and not at their market value. Asset management and other non-insurance subsidiaries, joint ventures and associates are included
in the EEV basis results at the Group’s proportionate share of IFRS basis shareholders’ equity, with central Group debt shown on a market value basis.
Key features of the Group’s EEV methodology include:
> Economic assumptions: The projected post-tax profits assume a level of future investment return and are discounted using a risk discount rate.
Both the risk discount rate and the investment return assumptions are updated at each valuation date to reflect current market risk-free rates,
such that changes in market risk-free rates impact all projected future cash flows. Risk-free rates, and hence investment return assumptions, are
based on observable market data, with current market risk-free rates assumed to remain constant throughout the projection, with no trending
or mean reversion to longer-term assumptions. Different products will be sensitive to different assumptions, for example, participating products
or products with guarantees are likely to benefit disproportionately from higher assumed investment returns.
> Time value of financial options and guarantees: Explicit quantified allowances are made for the time value of financial options and guarantees
(TVOG). The TVOG is determined by weighting the probability of outcomes across a large number of different economic scenarios and is typically
less applicable to health and protection business that generally contains more limited financial options or guarantees. At 31 December 2021, the
TVOG for continuing operations is $(784) million (31 December 2020: $(1,912) million). The magnitude of the TVOG at 31 December 2021 would
be approximately equivalent to a 10 basis point (2020: 30 basis point) increase in the weighted average risk discount rate which has increased
70 basis points since 31 December 2020.
> Allowance for risk in the risk discount rates: Risk discount rates are set equal to the risk-free rate at the valuation date plus product-specific
allowances for market and non-market risks. Risks that are explicitly captured elsewhere, such as via the TVOG, are not included in the risk
discount rates. The allowance for market risk is based on a product-by-product assessment of the sensitivity of shareholder cash flows to varying
market returns. This approach reflects the inherent market risk in each product group and results in lower risk discount rates for products where
the majority of shareholder profit is uncorrelated to market risk and appropriately higher risk discount rates for products where there is greater
market exposure for shareholders. For example, for health and protection products, which represent about 61 per cent of the value of in-force
business and 54 per cent of new business profit, the major sources of shareholder profits are underwriting profits or fixed shareholder charges
which have very low market risk sensitivity. The construct of UK-style with-profits funds in some business units (representing 19 per cent of the
value of in-force and 15 per cent of new business profit) reduce the market volatility of both policyholder and shareholder cash flows due to
smoothed bonus declarations and for some markets the presence of an estate. Accordingly, 80 per cent of the value of in-force is products with
low market risk sensitivity and this is reflected in the overall risk discount rate. For unit-linked products where fund management charges fluctuate
with the investment return a portion of the profits will typically be more sensitive to market risk due to the higher proportion of equity-type assets
in the investment portfolio resulting in a higher risk discount rate, this business represents 17 per cent of the value of in-force and 15 per cent of
the value of new business profit which limits the impact on the overall risk discount rate. The remaining parts of the business (3 per cent of the
value in-force and 16 per cent of the value of new business) relate to non-participating products not covered by the above. The allowance for
non-market risk comprises a base Group-wide allowance of 50 basis points plus additional allowances for emerging market risk where
appropriate. At 31 December 2021, the total allowance for non-market risk is equivalent to a $(3.7) billion (2020: $(3.2) billion) reduction, or
around (8) per cent (2020: (7) per cent) of the embedded value.
Post the demerger of the Group’s US operations, Jackson Financial Inc. (Jackson), in September 2021, the Group’s retained interest in Jackson
has been included at its fair value within other (central) operations. This is equivalent to its value within the Group’s IFRS financial statements.
Further information is contained in note 5.
335
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information EEV results highlights for continuing operations
New business profit note (v)
Annual premium equivalent (APE) note (v)
New business margin (APE) (%)
Present value of new business premiums (PVNBP)
Operating free surplus generated notes (iii)(v)
EEV operating profit notes (iv)(v)
EEV operating profit, net of non-controlling interests
Operating return on average EEV shareholders’ equity,
net of non-controlling interests (%)
Closing EEV shareholders’ equity, net of non-controlling interests
Closing EEV shareholders’ equity, net of non-controlling interests per share
(in cents)
* Re-presented to include amounts relating to Africa.
2021
$m
note (ii)
2,526
4,194
60%
24,153
2,071
3,543
3,515
8%
47,355
1,725¢
2020
AER
CER
$m
note (i)
2,201
3,808*
58%
21,587
1,888*
3,401
3,391
8%
41,926
1,607¢
% change
15%
10%
+2pp
12%
10%
4%
4%
13%
7%
$m
note (i)
2,240
3,890*
58%
22,041
1,928*
3,444
3,434
41,350
1,585¢
% change
13%
8%
+2pp
10%
7%
3%
2%
15%
9%
Notes
(i)
(ii)
The results above are for the Group’s continuing operations only, excluding results from the discontinued US operations which were demerged in September 2021.
The Group has changed its operating segments from 2021, as discussed in note B1.3 of the IFRS financial statements, with Africa operations included in long-term business. New business
profit for full year 2020 exclude contributions from Africa.
(iii) Operating free surplus generated is for long-term and asset management businesses only, before restructuring and IFRS 17 implementation costs, centrally incurred costs and eliminations.
(iv) Group EEV operating profit is stated after restructuring and IFRS 17 implementation costs, centrally incurred costs and eliminations.
(v)
Presented before deducting the amounts attributable to non-controlling interests. This presentation is applied consistently throughout this document, unless stated otherwise.
The supplementary information on pages 335 to 355 were approved by the Board of Directors on 8 March 2022. They were signed on its behalf by:
Shriti Vadera
Chair
Mike Wells
Group Chief Executive
Mark FitzPatrick
Group Chief Financial Officer
and Chief Operating Officer
336
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Annual Report 2021
prudentialplc.com
European Embedded Value (EEV) basis results / continued Movement in Group EEV shareholders’ equity
2021 $m
2020 $m
Insurance
and asset
management
operations
Other
(central)
operations
Note
Discontinued
US operations
note (i)
Continuing operations:
New business profit
Profit from in-force long-term business
Long-term business
Asset management
Operating profit from long-term and asset management businesses
Other income and expenditure
Operating profit (loss) before restructuring and IFRS 17 implementation costs
Restructuring and IFRS 17 implementation costs
Operating profit (loss) for the year
Short-term fluctuations in investment returns
Effect of changes in economic assumptions
Loss attaching to corporate transactions
Mark-to-market value movements on core structural borrowings
Non-operating profit (loss)
Profit (loss) for the year from continuing operations
Loss for the year from discontinued US operations note (i)
(Loss) profit for the year
Non-controlling interests share of profit from continuing operations
Non-controlling interests share of loss from discontinued US operations
(Loss) profit for the year attributable to equity holders of the Company
Equity items from continuing operations:
Foreign exchange movements on operations
Intra-group dividends and investment in operations note (ii)
Demerger dividend in specie from Jackson
Other external dividends
New share capital subscribed note (iii)
Other movements note (iv)
Equity items from discontinued US operations net of non-controlling interest note (v)
Net (decrease) increase in shareholders’ equity
Shareholders’ equity at beginning of year
Shareholders’ equity at end of year
Contribution to Group EEV:
At end of year:
Continuing operations:
Long-term business
Asset management and other
Shareholders’ equity, excluding goodwill attributable to equity holders
Goodwill attributable to equity holders
Total continuing operations
Discontinued US operations
Shareholders’ equity at end of year
At beginning of year:
Continuing operations:
Long-term business
Asset management and other
Shareholders’ equity, excluding goodwill attributable to equity holders
Goodwill attributable to equity holders
Total continuing operations
Discontinued US operations
Shareholders’ equity at beginning of year
1
2
5
2
2
6
5
2
5
7
2
5
7
2,526
1,630
4,156
284
4,440
–
4,440
(90)
4,350
(1,015)
412
–
–
(603)
3,747
–
3,747
(40)
–
3,707
(513)
(1,312)
–
–
–
(85)
–
1,797
44,317
46,114
44,646
690
45,336
778
46,114
–
46,114
42,861
635
43,496
821
44,317
–
44,317
–
–
–
–
–
(723)
(723)
(84)
(807)
(25)
–
(35)
357
297
(510)
–
(510)
–
–
(510)
53
1,312
493
(421)
2,382
323
–
3,632
(2,391)
1,241
–
1,241
1,241
–
1,241
–
1,241
–
(2,391)
(2,391)
–
(2,391)
–
(2,391)
Group
total
2,526
1,630
4,156
284
4,440
(723)
3,717
(174)
3,543
(1,040)
412
(35)
357
(306)
3,237
(10,852)
(7,615)
(40)
1,205
(6,450)
(460)
–
(1,735)
(421)
2,382
238
(206)
Group
total
note (i)
2,201
1,926
4,127
253
4,380
(826)
3,554
(153)
3,401
1,937
(996)
(121)
(247)
573
3,974
(3,941)
33
(10)
130
153
563
–
–
(814)
13
(169)
(450)
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
(10,852)
(10,852)
–
1,205
(9,647)
–
–
(2,228)
–
–
–
(206)
(12,081)
12,081
(6,652)
54,007
–
47,355
(704)
54,711
54,007
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
12,081
12,081
44,646
1,931
46,577
778
47,355
–
47,355
42,861
(1,756)
41,105
821
41,926
12,081
54,007
42,861
(1,756)
41,105
821
41,926
12,081
54,007
37,902
(355)
37,547
822
38,369
16,342
54,711
337
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Movement in Group EEV shareholders’ equity continued
EEV shareholders’ equity per share (in cents) note (vi)
2021
Insurance
and asset
management
operations
Other
(central)
operations
Discontinued
US operations
note (i)
Group
total
2020
Group
total
note (i)
At end of year:
Continuing operations:
Based on shareholders’ equity, net of goodwill attributable to equity holders
Based on shareholders’ equity at end of year
Discontinued US operations
Group total
At beginning of year:
Continuing operations:
Based on shareholders’ equity, net of goodwill attributable to equity holders
Based on shareholders’ equity at beginning of year
Discontinued US operations
Group total
1,651¢
1,680¢
–
1,680¢
45¢
45¢
–
45¢
1,668¢
(92)¢
1,699¢
–
1,699¢
(92)¢
–
(92)¢
–
–
–
–
–
1,696¢
1,576¢
1,725¢
–
1,725¢
1,607¢
463¢
2,070¢
1,576¢
1,444¢
–
463¢
463¢
1,607¢
463¢
2,070¢
EEV basis basic earnings per share in cents note (vii)
Based on operating profit from continuing operations after non-controlling interests
Based on profit for the year attributable to equity holders of the Company:
From continuing operations
From discontinued US operations
Group total
2021
Before
non-
controlling
interests
$m
After non-
controlling
interests
$m
Basic
earnings
per share
cents
3,543
3,515
133.8¢
3,237
(10,852)
3,197
(9,647)
121.7¢
(367.1)¢
(7,615)
(6,450)
(245.4)¢
Notes
(i)
Discontinued operations represent the Group’s US business, Jackson, which was demerged in September 2021. The 2020 comparative results have been re-presented to show these
operations as discontinued accordingly. The retained interest in Jackson is measured for EEV purposes at fair value, consistent with IFRS, and is included in other (central) operations post the
demerger. Further information is provided in note 5.
Intra-group dividends represent dividends that have been declared in the year. Investment in operations reflects movements in share capital.
(ii)
(iii) New share capital subscribed primarily represents the issuance of new ordinary shares on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in October 2021 as described in note C8 of the IFRS financial
statements.
(iv) Other movements include reserve movements in respect of valuation movements on the retained interest in Jackson, share-based payments, treasury shares and intra-group transfers
(v)
between operations that have no overall effect on the Group’s shareholders’ equity.
Equity items from discontinued US operations include mark-to-market value movements on assets backing net worth of $(206) million for 2021 (2020: $552 million). In addition,
2020 included a charge of $(1,112) million relating to the day one impact of the equity investment by Athene into the US business in July 2020.
Based on the number of issued shares at 31 December 2021 of 2,746 million shares (31 December 2020: 2,609 million shares).
(vi)
(vii) Based on weighted average number of issued shares of 2,628 million shares in 2021 (2020: 2,597 million shares).
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1,475¢
628¢
2,103¢
2020
Basic
earnings
per share
cents
130.6¢
152.6¢
(146.7)¢
5.9¢
European Embedded Value (EEV) basis results / continued Movement in Group free surplus
Operating free surplus generation is the financial metric we use to measure the internal cash generation of our business operations and for our life
operations is generally based on (with adjustments) the capital regimes that apply locally in the various jurisdictions in which the Group operates. It
represents amounts emerging from the in-force business during the year, net of amounts reinvested in writing new business. For asset management
businesses, it equates to post-tax adjusted operating profit for the year.
For long-term business, free surplus is generally based on (with adjustments) the excess of the regulatory basis net assets for EEV reporting
purposes (total net worth) over the capital required to support the covered business. In general, assets deemed to be inadmissible on a local
regulatory basis are included in total net worth where considered recognisable on an EEV basis. For asset management and other non-insurance
operations (including the Group’s central operations), free surplus is taken to be IFRS basis shareholders’ equity, net of goodwill attributable to
shareholders, with central Group debt recorded as free surplus to the extent that it is classified as capital resources under the Group’s capital regime.
Following the application of the Group-wide Supervision (GWS) Framework, both subordinated and senior debt are treated as capital for the
purposes of free surplus at 31 December 2021.
A reconciliation of EEV free surplus to the GWS shareholder capital surplus over group minimum capital requirements is set out in note I(i) of the
additional financial information. Further information is provided in note 5 and note 6.
2021 $m
2020 $m
Continuing operations:
Expected transfer from in-force business
Expected return on existing free surplus
Changes in operating assumptions and experience variances
Operating free surplus generated from in-force long-term business
Investment in new business note (ii)
Long-term business
Asset management
Operating free surplus generated from long-term and asset
management businesses
Other income and expenditure
Operating free surplus generated before restructuring and IFRS 17
implementation costs
Restructuring and IFRS 17 implementation costs
Operating free surplus generated
Non-operating free surplus generated note (iii)
Free surplus generated from continuing operations
Free surplus generated from discontinued US operations note (i)
Free surplus generated for the year
Equity items from continuing operations:
Net cash flows paid to parent company note (iv)
Demerger dividend in specie from Jackson
Other external dividends
Foreign exchange movements on operations
New share capital subscribed note (v)
Other movements and timing differences
Treatment of grandfathered debt instruments under the GWS Framework
Net subordinated debt issuance/redemption
Equity items from discontinued US operations note (vi)
Net movement in free surplus before amounts attributable
to non-controlling interests
Change in amounts attributable to non-controlling interests
Balance at beginning of year
Balance at end of year note (vii)
Representing:
Free surplus excluding distribution rights and other intangibles
Distribution rights and other intangibles
Balance at end of year
Insurance
and asset
management
operations
Other
(central)
operations
Note
Discontinued
US operations
note (i)
2
2
5
5
5
5
2,340
157
(173)
2,324
(537)
1,787
284
2,071
–
2,071
(85)
1,986
142
2,128
–
2,128
(1,451)
–
–
(43)
–
54
–
–
–
688
(21)
5,983
6,650
5,651
999
6,650
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
(723)
(723)
(84)
(807)
(60)
(867)
–
(867)
1,451
493
(421)
53
2,382
184
1,995
(232)
–
5,038
–
2,361
7,399
4,432
2,967
7,399
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
770
770
–
(2,228)
–
–
–
–
–
–
(206)
(1,664)
(85)
1,749
–
–
–
–
Group
total
2,340
157
(173)
2,324
(537)
1,787
284
2,071
(723)
1,348
(169)
1,179
82
1,261
770
2,031
–
(1,735)
(421)
10
2,382
238
1,995
(232)
(206)
4,062
(106)
10,093
14,049
10,083
3,966
14,049
Group
total
note (i)
1,878
101
215
2,194
(559)
1,635
253
1,888
(826)
1,062
(147)
915
316
1,231
(998)
233
–
–
(814)
136
13
(171)
–
–
751
148
209
9,736
10,093
6,068
4,025
10,093
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Contribution to Group free surplus:
At end of year:
Continuing operations:
Long-term business
Asset management and other
Total continuing operations
Discontinued US operations
Free surplus at end of year
At beginning of year:
Long-term business
Asset management and other
Total continuing operations
Discontinued US operations
Free surplus at beginning of year
2021 $m
2020 $m
Insurance
and asset
management
operations
Other
(central)
operations
Note
Discontinued
US operations
note (i)
Group
total
Group
total
note (i)
2
5
2
5
5,960
690
6,650
–
6,650
5,348
635
5,983
–
5,983
–
7,399
7,399
–
7,399
–
2,361
2,361
–
2,361
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
1,749
1,749
5,960
8,089
14,049
–
14,049
5,348
2,996
8,344
1,749
10,093
5,348
2,996
8,344
1,749
10,093
3,683
4,276
7,959
1,777
9,736
Notes
(i)
Discontinued operations represent the Group’s US business, Jackson, which was demerged in September 2021. The free surplus generated of $770 million in 2021 represents the net effect of
the result for the year up to demerger and the adjustment to reflect the fair value at the demerger date. It is not representative of the capital generation in the period for the US operations.
The 2020 comparative results have been re-presented to show these operations as discontinued accordingly. The retained interest in Jackson is measured for EEV purposes at fair value,
consistent with IFRS, and is included in other (central) operations post the demerger. Further information is provided in note 5.
Free surplus invested in new business primarily represents acquisition costs and amounts set aside for required capital.
(ii)
(iii) Non-operating free surplus generation in 2020 included a reinsurance commission of $770 million received as part of a reinsurance transaction undertaken by our business in Hong Kong.
During 2021, the treaty resulted in $(59) million being due to the reinsurer under the contract, which is included within non-operating free surplus generation. The surplus generated from the
underlying in-force reinsured policies continued to be recognised as operating free surplus generated. Non-operating free surplus generated for other operations represents the post-tax
IFRS basis short-term fluctuations in investment returns and gain or loss on corporate transactions for other entities.
(iv) Net cash flows to parent company reflect the cash remittances as included in the holding company cash flow at transaction rates. The difference to the intra-group dividends and investment
(v)
(vi)
in operations in the movement in EEV shareholders’ equity primarily relates to intra-group loans, foreign exchange and other non-cash items.
New share capital subscribed primarily represents the issuance of new ordinary shares on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in October 2021 as described in note C8 of the IFRS financial
statements.
Equity items from discontinued US operations include the mark-to-market value movements on assets backing net worth of $(206) million for 2021 (2020: $552 million). In addition,
2020 included a credit of $63 million relating to the day-one impact of the equity investment by Athene into the US business in July 2020.
(vii) Free surplus at 31 December 2021 was utilised to redeem $1,725 million of debt in January 2022 as planned.
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European Embedded Value (EEV) basis results / continued Notes on the EEV basis results
1 Analysis of new business profit and EEV for long-term business operations
CPL
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Malaysia
Singapore
Growth markets and other
Total continuing long-term operations
CPL
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Malaysia
Singapore
Growth markets and other
Total continuing long-term operations
* Re-presented to include amounts relating to Africa.
CPL
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Malaysia
Singapore
Growth markets and other
Total continuing long-term operations
* Re-presented to include amounts relating to Africa.
New
business
profit
(NBP)
note
$m
352
736
125
232
523
558
2,526
New
business
profit
(NBP)
note
$m
269
787
155
209
341
440
2,201
New
business
profit
(NBP)
note
$m
288
786
158
212
350
446
2,240
Note
The movement in new business profit from continuing long-term operations is analysed as follows:
2020 new business profit
Foreign exchange movement
Sales volume
Effect of changes in interest rates and other economic assumptions
Business mix, product mix and other items
2021 new business profit
2021
Annual
premium
equivalent
(APE)
$m
Present
value of new
business
premiums
(PVNBP)
$m
776
550
252
461
743
1,412
4,194
3,761
4,847
1,067
2,137
6,214
6,127
24,153
New
business
margin
(APE)
%
45%
134%
50%
50%
70%
40%
60%
New
business
margin
(PVNBP)
%
Closing EEV
shareholders’
equity,
excluding
goodwill
$m
9%
15%
12%
11%
8%
9%
10%
3,114
21,460
2,237
3,841
7,732
6,262
44,646
2020 (AER)
Annual
premium
equivalent
(APE)
$m
Present
value of new
business
premiums
(PVNBP)
$m
582
758
267
346
610
1,245*
3,808
2,705
5,095
1,154
2,023
5,354
5,256
21,587
New business
margin
(APE)
%
New business
margin
(PVNBP)
%
46%
104%
58%
60%
56%
35%
58%
10%
15%
13%
10%
6%
8%
10%
Closing EEV
shareholders’
equity,
excluding
goodwill
$m
2,798
20,156
2,630
4,142
8,160
4,975*
42,861
2020 (CER)
Annual
premium
equivalent
(APE)
$m
Present
value of new
business
premiums
(PVNBP)
$m
623
757
271
351
626
1,262*
3,890
2,894
5,083
1,174
2,051
5,495
5,344
22,041
New business
margin
(APE)
%
New business
margin
(PVNBP)
%
Closing EEV
shareholders’
equity,
excluding
goodwill
$m
46%
104%
58%
60%
56%
35%
58%
10%
15%
13%
10%
6%
8%
10%
2,871
20,046
2,592
3,999
8,000
4,852*
42,360
$m
2,201
39
175
(59)
170
2,526
EEV new business profit reflects the value of expected future profits from the new business sold in the year, and demonstrates the business written
in the year is expected to be profitable. Information on the Group’s operating experience variances on the in-force business is shown in note 2.
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2 Analysis of movement in net worth and value of in-force business for long-term
business operations
Continuing operations:
Balance at beginning of year
New business contribution
Existing business – transfer to net worth
Expected return on existing business note (ii)
Changes in operating assumptions, experience variances and other items note (iii)
Operating profit before restructuring and IFRS 17 implementation costs
Restructuring and IFRS 17 implementation costs
Operating profit
Non-operating profit (loss) note (iv)
Profit (loss) for the year
Non-controlling interests share of (profit) loss
Profit (loss) for the year attributable to equity holders of the Company
Foreign exchange movements
Intra-group dividends and investment in operations
Other movements note (v)
2021 $m
2020 $m
Free
surplus
Required
capital
Net
worth
5,348
(537)
2,340
157
(173)
1,787
(77)
1,710
142
1,852
(11)
1,841
(30)
(1,115)
(84)
3,445
163
(224)
79
(6)
12
–
12
(179)
(167)
–
(167)
(48)
–
–
8,793
(374)
2,116
236
(179)
1,799
(77)
1,722
(37)
1,685
(11)
1,674
(78)
(1,115)
(84)
Value of
in-force
business
34,068
2,900
(2,116)
1,525
48
2,357
(5)
2,352
(566)
1,786
(19)
1,767
(379)
–
–
Embedded
value
note (i)
Embedded
value
note (i)
42,861
2,526
–
1,761
(131)
4,156
(82)
4,074
(603)
3,471
(30)
3,441
(457)
(1,115)
(84)
37,902
2,201
–
1,401
525
4,127
(69)
4,058
822
4,880
1
4,881
542
(567)
103
Balance at end of year note (i)
5,960
3,230
9,190
35,456
44,646
42,861
Notes
(i)
The total embedded value for continuing long-term business operations at the end of each year show below, excluding goodwill attributable to equity holders, can be analysed further
as follows:
31 Dec 2021 $m 31 Dec 2020 $m
Value of in-force business before deduction of cost of capital and time value of options and guarantees
Cost of capital
Time value of options and guarantees*
Net value of in-force business
Free surplus
Required capital
Net worth
Embedded value from continuing operations
36,965
(725)
(784)
35,456
5,960
3,230
9,190
36,729
(749)
(1,912)
34,068
5,348
3,445
8,793
44,646
42,861
* The time value of options and guarantees (TVOG) arises from the variability of economic outcomes in the future and is, where appropriate, calculated as the difference between an average
outcome across a range of economic scenarios, calibrated around a central scenario, and the outcome from the central economic scenario, as described in note 8(i)(d). At 31 December 2021,
the TVOG for continuing operations is $(784) million, with the substantial majority arising in Hong Kong. The TVOG has decreased since 31 December 2020 reflecting the generally higher
government bond yields at 31 December 2021 which mean guarantees are less likely to be in-the-money. The TVOG reflects the variability of guaranteed benefit pay-outs across the range
of economic scenarios around interest rates at the valuation date and represents some of the market risk for the key products in Hong Kong. As this market risk is explicitly allowed for via the
TVOG, no further adjustment is made for this within the EEV risk discount rate, as described in note 8(i)(h). The magnitude of the TVOG at 31 December 2021 would be approximately
equivalent to a 10 basis point (2020: 30 basis point) increase in the weighted average risk discount rate which has increased 70 basis points since 31 December 2020.
(ii)
The expected return on existing business reflects the effect of changes in economic and operating assumptions in the current year, as described in note 8(ii)(c). The movement in this amount
compared to the prior year is analysed as follows:
$m
2020 expected return on existing business
Foreign exchange movement
Effect of changes in interest rates and other economic assumptions
Growth in opening value of in-force business and other items
2021 expected return on existing business
1,401
22
253
85
1,761
(iii)
The effect of changes in operating assumptions of $118 million in 2021 (2020: $390 million) principally reflects the outcome of the regular review of persistency, claims and expenses.
Experience variances and other items of $(249) million (2020: $135 million) has been driven primarily by short-term persistency and claims impacts linked to Covid-19. There have been
higher Covid-19-related claims in Indonesia and India, with high Covid-19 cases recorded in mid to late 2021. 2021 also began to see a more normalised level of medical reimbursement
claims compared to 2020, when claims were more significantly reduced by customers either not seeking or deferring insured treatments.
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(iv)
The EEV non-operating profit (loss) from continuing long-term operations can be summarised as follows:
Short-term fluctuations in investment returns note (a)
Effect of change in economic assumptions note (b)
Loss attaching to corporate transactions note (c)
Non-operating profit (loss) from continuing operations
2021 $m
2020 $m
(1,015)
412
–
(603)
1,909
(996)
(91)
822
(a)
(b)
(c)
The charge of $(1,015) million in short-term fluctuations in investment returns mainly reflects lower than expected bond returns, following the rise in interest rates in many markets
in the year, partially offset by better than expected equity returns.
The credit of $412 million for the effect of change in economic assumptions primarily arises from increases in long-term interest rates, resulting in higher assumed fund earned rates
that impact projected future cash flows, partially offset by the effect of higher risk discount rates.
In 2020, the loss attaching to corporate transactions of $(91) million arose on the reinsurance transaction undertaken by the Hong Kong business as described in movement in Group
free surplus.
(v)
Other movements include reserve movements in respect of share-based payments, treasury shares, intra-group loans and other intra-group transfers between operations that have no
overall effect on the Group’s shareholders’ equity.
3 Sensitivity of results for long-term business operations to alternative economic assumptions
(i) Sensitivity analysis – economic assumptions
The tables below show the sensitivity of the embedded value and the new business profit for continuing long-term business operations to:
> 1 per cent and 2 per cent increases in interest rates and 0.5 per cent decrease in interest rates. This allows for consequential changes in the
assumed investment returns for all asset classes, market values of fixed interest assets, local statutory reserves, capital requirements and risk
discount rates (but excludes changes in the allowance for market risk);
> 1 per cent rise in equity and property yields;
> 1 per cent and 2 per cent increases in the risk discount rates. The main driver for changes in the risk discount rates from period to period is changes
in interest rates, the impact of which is expected to be partially offset by a corresponding change in assumed investment returns, the effect of
which is not included in the risk discount rate sensitivities. The impact of higher investment returns can be approximated as the difference
between the sensitivity to increases in interest rates and the sensitivity to increases in risk discount rates;
> 20 per cent fall in the market value of equity and property assets (embedded value only); and
> Holding the group minimum capital requirements under the GWS Framework in contrast to EEV basis required capital (embedded value only).
This reduces the level of capital and therefore the level of charge deducted from the embedded value for the cost of locked-in required capital.
This has the effect of increasing EEV.
The sensitivities shown below are for the impact of instantaneous and permanent changes (with no trending or mean reversion) on the embedded
value of long-term business operations and include the combined effect on the value of in-force business and net assets (including derivatives)
held at the valuation dates indicated. The results only allow for limited management actions, such as changes to future policyholder bonuses,
where applicable. If such economic conditions persisted, the financial impacts may differ to the instantaneous impacts shown below. In this case,
management could also take additional actions to help mitigate the impact of these stresses. No change in the mix of the asset portfolio held
at the valuation date is assumed when calculating sensitivities, while changes in the market value of those assets are recognised. The sensitivity
impacts are expected to be non-linear. To aid understanding of this non-linearity, impacts of both a 1 per cent and 2 per cent increase to interest
rates and risk discount rates are shown.
If the changes in assumptions shown in the sensitivities were to occur, the effects shown below would be recorded within two components of the
profit analysis for the following period, namely the effect of changes in economic assumptions and short-term fluctuations in investment returns.
In addition to the sensitivity effects shown below, the other components of the profit for the following period would be calculated by reference to
the altered assumptions, for example new business profit and expected return on existing business.
New business profit from continuing long-term business
New business profit
Interest rates and consequential effects – 2% increase
Interest rates and consequential effects – 1% increase
Interest rates and consequential effects – 0.5% decrease
Equity/property yields – 1% rise
Risk discount rates – 2% increase
Risk discount rates – 1% increase
2021* $m
2,526
2020 $m
2,201
88
70
(64)
155
(653)
(380)
107
78
(98)
140
(626)
(372)
* 2021 new business profit includes Africa operations following the change in the Group’s operating segments in 2021. In the context of the Group, Africa’s results are not materially impacted
by the above sensitivities.
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3 Sensitivity of results for long-term business operations to alternative economic assumptions
continued
Embedded value of continuing long-term business
Embedded value
Interest rates and consequential effects – 2% increase
Interest rates and consequential effects – 1% increase
Interest rates and consequential effects – 0.5% decrease
Equity/property yields – 1% rise
Equity/property market values – 20% fall
Risk discount rates – 2% increase
Risk discount rates – 1% increase
Group minimum capital requirements
31 Dec 2021* $m 31 Dec 2020 $m
44,646
(4,782)
(2,228)
223
1,909
(1,959)
(9,717)
(5,443)
136
42,861
(3,589)
(1,429)
177
1,949
(1,912)
(9,225)
(5,286)
150
* Embedded value includes Africa operations following the change in the Group’s operating segments in 2021. In the context of the Group, Africa’s results are not materially impacted by the
above sensitivities.
Overall, the new business profit sensitivities at 31 December 2021 are in line with those at 31 December 2020.
For a 1 per cent increase in assumed interest rates, the $(2,228) million negative effect comprises a $(5,443) million negative impact of
increasing the risk discount rate by 1 per cent, partially offset by a $3,215 million benefit from assuming 1 per cent higher investment returns.
Similarly, for a 2 per cent increase in assumed interest rates the $(4,782) million negative effect comprises a $(9,717) million negative impact of
increasing the risk discount rates by 2 per cent, partially offset by a $4,935 million benefit from higher assumed investment returns. Finally, for a
0.5 per cent decrease in assumed interest rates, there would be a $223 million positive effect reflecting the benefit of a 0.5 per cent reduction in risk
discount rates being partially offset by lower assumed investment returns. These offsetting impacts are sensitive to economics and the net impact
can therefore change from period to period depending on the current level of interest rates. At the current and higher interest rates at 31 December
2021, there is a reduced benefit from further increases in investment returns compared to 31 December 2020, as guarantees written to
policyholders are less likely to be in-the-money at current levels. This contrasts with the adverse effect of higher risk discount rates which tends to be
more stable from period to period, all other things being equal.
In order to illustrate the impact of varying specific economic assumptions, all other assumptions are held constant in the sensitivities above and
therefore, the actual changes in embedded value were these economic effects to materialise may differ from the sensitivities shown. For example,
market risk allowances would likely be increased within the risk discount rate if interest rates increased by 1 per cent, leading to a reduction of
$(2,583) million (compared with the $(2,228) million impact shown above). However, if interest rates actually decreased by 0.5 per cent, it would
lead to a $409 million increase (compared with the $223 million increase shown above).
(ii) Sensitivity analysis – non-economic assumptions
The tables below show the sensitivity of the embedded value and the new business profit for continuing long-term business operations to:
> 10 per cent proportionate decrease in maintenance expenses (for example, a 10 per cent sensitivity on a base assumption of $10 per annum
would represent an expense assumption of $9 per annum);
> 10 per cent proportionate decrease in lapse rates (for example, a 10 per cent sensitivity on a base assumption of 5.0 per cent would represent
a lapse rate of 4.5 per cent per annum); and
> 5 per cent proportionate decrease in base mortality (ie increased longevity) and morbidity rates.
New business profit from long-term business
New business profit
Maintenance expenses – 10% decrease
Lapse rates – 10% decrease
Mortality and morbidity – 5% decrease
2021* $m
2,526
60
190
143
2020 $m
2,201
47
156
106
* 2021 new business profit includes Africa operations following the change in the Group’s operating segments in 2021. In the context of the Group, Africa’s results are not materially impacted
by the above sensitivities.
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Embedded value of long-term business
Embedded value
Maintenance expenses – 10% decrease
Lapse rates – 10% decrease
Mortality and morbidity – 5% decrease
31 Dec 2021* $m 31 Dec 2020 $m
44,646
42,861
455
1,901
1,596
476
1,774
1,689
* Embedded value includes Africa operations following the change in the Group’s operating segments in 2021. In the context of the Group, Africa’s results are not materially impacted by the
above sensitivities.
4 Expected transfer of value of in-force business and required capital to free surplus
for long-term business operations on a discounted basis
The table below shows how the value of in-force business (VIF) and the associated required capital for long-term business operations are projected
as emerging into free surplus over future years. Cash flows are projected on a deterministic basis and are discounted at the appropriate risk discount
rate. The modelled cash flows use the same methodology underpinning the Group’s EEV reporting and so are subject to the same assumptions
and sensitivities. The projected emergence of VIF and required capital into free surplus in 2021 will be the starting point for expected free surplus
generation next year, after updating for operating and economic assumption changes. See note I(vi) of the additional financial information for
further detail.
2021 ($m)
(%)
2020 ($m)
(%)
Total
expected
emergence
38,922
100%
38,594
100%
Expected period of conversion of future post-tax distributable earnings
and required capital flows to free surplus at 31 Dec
1-5 years
6-10 years
11-15 years
16-20 years
21-40 years
40+ years
9,520
24%
9,112
24%
6,824
18%
6,932
18%
5,160
13%
5,511
14%
4,190
11%
4,234
11%
9,588
25%
9,193
24%
3,640
9%
3,612
9%
The required capital and value of in-force business for long-term business operations can be reconciled to the total discounted emergence of future
free surplus shown above as follows:
Required capital note 2
Value of in-force business (VIF) note 2
Other items**
Continuing long-term business operations
31 Dec 2021* $m 31 Dec 2020 $m
3,230
35,456
236
38,922
3,445
34,068
1,081
38,594
* 2021 amounts include Africa operations following the change in the Group’s operating segments in 2021.
** ‘Other items’ represent the impact of the TVOG and amounts incorporated into VIF where there is no definitive time frame for when the payments will be made or receipts received.
These items are excluded from the expected free surplus generation profile above.
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5 EEV basis results for other operations
EEV basis other income and expenditure represents the post-tax IFRS basis results for other operations (before restructuring and IFRS 17
implementation costs), together with an adjustment to deduct the unwind of expected margins on the internal management of the assets of the
continuing covered business, as shown in the table below. It mainly includes interest costs on core structural borrowings and corporate expenditure
for head office functions in London and Hong Kong that are not recharged/allocated to the insurance operations.
In line with the EEV Principles, the allowance for the future costs of internal asset management services within the EEV basis results for long-term
insurance operations excludes the projected future profits or losses generated by any non-insurance entities within the Group in providing those
services (ie the EEV for long-term insurance operations assumes that the cost of internal asset management services will be that incurred by the
Group as a whole, not the cost that will be borne by the insurance business). The results of the Group’s asset management operations include the
current period profit from the management of both internal and external funds, consistent with their presentation within the Group’s IFRS basis
reporting. An adjustment is accordingly made to Group EEV operating profit, within the EEV basis results for other operations, to deduct the
expected profit anticipated to arise in the current period in the opening value of in-force business from internal asset management services,
such that Group EEV operating profit includes the actual profit earned in respect of the management of these assets.
Any costs incurred within the head office functions in London and Hong Kong that are deemed attributable to the long-term insurance (covered)
business are recharged/allocated to the insurance operations and recorded within the results for those operations. The assumed future expenses
within the value of in-force business for long-term insurance operations allow for amounts expected to be recharged/allocated by the head office
functions. Other costs that are not recharged/allocated to the insurance operations are shown as part of other income and expenditure for the
current period, and are not included within the projection of future expenses for in-force insurance business.
IFRS basis other income and expenditure (as recorded in note B1.1 of the IFRS financial statements)
Tax effects on IFRS basis results
Less: unwind of expected profit on internal management of the assets of continuing long-term business
EEV basis other income and expenditure
2021 $m
2020 $m
(605)
(37)
(81)
(723)
(743)
(15)
(68)
(826)
The EEV basis shareholders’ equity for other operations is taken to be IFRS basis shareholders’ equity, with central Group debt shown on a market
value basis. Free surplus for other operations is taken to be IFRS basis shareholders’ equity, net of goodwill attributable to equity holders, with central
Group debt recorded as free surplus to the extent that it is classified as capital resources under the Group’s capital regime. Under the GWS
Framework, all debt instruments issued by Prudential plc at the 31 December 2021 are included as capital resources.
Shareholders’ equity for other operations can be compared across metrics as shown in the table below.
IFRS basis shareholders’ equity (as recorded in note C1 of the IFRS financial statements)
Mark-to-market value adjustment on central borrowings note 6
EEV basis shareholders’ equity
Debt instruments treated as capital resources
Free surplus of other (central) operations
2021 $m
2020 $m
1,679
(438)
1,241
6,158
7,399
(1,596)
(795)
(2,391)
4,752
2,361
Treatment of discontinued US operations following the demerger
On completion of the demerger of the Group’s US operations (Jackson) in September 2021, the Group’s pre-demerger interest in Jackson was
remeasured to its observable fair value at that date, with any remeasurement gain or loss recognised in the results of discontinued operations.
At the same time, the fair value of the interest in Jackson distributed to the Group’s shareholders was recognised directly as a reduction in Group
equity. The Group retained a 19.7 per cent economic interest (19.9 per cent voting interest) of Jackson immediately following the demerger, which
was valued at $493 million at that time. In December 2021, Jackson repurchased 2,242,516 shares of its Class A common stock from Prudential
which reduced Prudential’s economic interest to 18.4 per cent as at 31 December 2021 (18.5 per cent voting interest) and realised a gain of
$23 million which is included in corporate transactions. The remaining 18.4 per cent economic interest is measured at fair value within the EEV
results at 31 December 2021. Unrealised changes in fair value since the date of demerger have been included in other movements in equity items
from continuing operations as part of the EEV basis results for other operations. This treatment is consistent with the approach adopted for IFRS
as discussed in note D1.2 of the IFRS financial statements.
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6 Net core structural borrowings of shareholder-financed businesses
Holding company cash and short-term investments note (i)
Central borrowings:
Subordinated debt
Senior debt
Bank loan
Total central borrowings
Total net central funds from continuing operations
Discontinued US operations (Jackson Surplus Notes)
Net core structural borrowings of shareholder-financed businesses
31 Dec 2021 $m
31 Dec 2020 $m
IFRS
basis
note (ii)
(3,572)
4,075
1,702
350
6,127
2,555
Mark-to-
market
value
adjustment
note (iii)
EEV
basis at
market
value
Mark-to-
market
value
adjustment
note (iii)
IFRS
basis
note (ii)
EEV
basis at
market
value
–
(3,572)
(1,463)
–
(1,463)
196
242
–
438
438
4,271
1,944
350
6,565
2,993
4,332
1,701
350
6,383
4,920
250
5,170
420
375
–
795
795
90
885
4,752
2,076
350
7,178
5,715
340
6,055
Notes
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
Holding company includes centrally managed group holding companies. $1,725 million of the cash held at the year-end was used in January 2022 to complete the planned debt redemptions.
As recorded in note C5.1 of the IFRS financial statements.
The movement in the value of core structural borrowings includes foreign exchange effects for pounds sterling denominated debts. The movement in the mark-to-market value adjustment
from continuing operations can be analysed as follows:
2021 $m
2020 $m
Balance at beginning of year
(Credit) charge included in the income statement from continuing operations
Balance at end of year
795
(357)
438
548
247
795
The movement in the value of the Jackson Surplus Notes is included in the results of the discontinued US operations.
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Notes on the EEV basis results / continued
7 Comparison of EEV basis shareholders’ equity with IFRS basis shareholders’ equity
Assets less liabilities before deduction of insurance funds
Less insurance funds (including liabilities in respect of insurance products classified as investment contracts under IFRS 4):
Policyholder liabilities (net of reinsurers’ share) and unallocated surplus of with-profits funds note (i)
Shareholders’ accrued interest in the long-term business
Less non-controlling interests
Total net assets attributable to equity holders of the Company
Share capital
Share premium
IFRS basis shareholders’ reserves
IFRS basis shareholders’ equity, net of non-controlling interests
Shareholders’ accrued interest in the long-term business
EEV basis shareholders’ equity, net of non-controlling interests note (ii)
Analysed as:
Continuing operations
Discontinued US operations
EEV basis shareholders’ equity, net of non-controlling interests
31 Dec 2021 $m 31 Dec 2020 $m
164,810
421,987
(147,546)
30,267
(117,279)
(176)
47,355
182
5,010
11,896
17,088
30,267
47,355
(399,868)
33,129
(366,739)
(1,241)
54,007
173
2,637
18,068
20,878
33,129
54,007
41,926
12,081
54,007
Notes
(i)
(ii)
The 2020 “policyholder liabilities (net of reinsurers’ share) and unallocated surplus of with-profits funds” included amounts relating to the discontinued US operations.
The 31 December 2021 amount includes the Group’s retained 18.4 per cent economic interest (18.5 per cent voting interest) in Jackson post demerger at fair value.
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8 Methodology and accounting presentation
The methodology and accounting presentation below are stated for the Group’s continuing business operations only. Following Jackson’s
demerger, the Group’s US operations are no longer included in covered business with comparatives being re-presented. Methodology applied
for the discontinued US operations in the comparative results is provided in note 8 of the Group’s EEV financial statements for the year ended
31 December 2020.
(i) Methodology
(a) Covered business
The EEV basis results for the Group’s continuing operations are prepared for ‘covered business’ as defined by the EEV Principles. Covered business
represents the Group’s long-term insurance business (including the Group’s investments in joint venture and associate insurance operations), for
which the value of new and in-force contracts is attributable to shareholders. The definition of long-term insurance business comprises those
contracts falling under the definition for regulatory purposes. Africa operations are included within the covered business from 2021 following the
change in the Group’s operating segments. Further details on the Group’s segments are provided in note B1.2 of the IFRS basis results. The amounts
are shown within the continuing insurance segment for all periods.
The EEV basis results for the Group’s covered business are then combined with the post-tax IFRS basis results of the Group’s asset management
and other operations (including interest costs on core structural borrowings and corporate expenditure for head office functions in London and
Hong Kong that is not recharged/allocated to the insurance operations), with an adjustment to deduct the unwind of expected margins on the
internal management of the assets of the covered business. Under the EEV Principles, the results for covered business incorporate the projected
margins of attaching internal asset management, as described in note (g) below.
(b) Valuation of in-force and new business
The EEV basis results are prepared incorporating best estimate assumptions about all relevant factors including levels of future investment returns,
persistency, mortality, morbidity and expenses, as described in note 9(iii). These assumptions are used to project future cash flows. The present
value of the projected future cash flows is then calculated using a discount rate, as shown in note 9(i), which reflects both the time value of money
and all other non-diversifiable risks associated with the cash flows that are not otherwise allowed for.
The total profit that emerges over the lifetime of an individual contract as calculated under the EEV basis is the same as that calculated under
the IFRS basis. Since the EEV basis reflects discounted future cash flows, under the EEV methodology the profit emergence is advanced, thus more
closely aligning the timing of the recognition of profit with the efforts and risks of current management actions, particularly with regard to business
sold during the period.
New business
In determining the EEV basis value of new business, premiums are included in projected cash flows on the same basis of distinguishing regular and
single premium business as set out in the Group’s new business sales reporting.
New business premiums reflect those premiums attaching to the covered business, including premiums for contracts classified as investment
contracts under IFRS 4. New business premiums for regular premium products are shown on an annualised basis.
New business profit represents profit determined by applying operating and economic assumptions as at the end of the period. New business
profitability is a key metric for the Group’s management of the development of the business. In addition, new business margins are shown by
reference to annual premium equivalent (APE) and the present value of new business premiums (PVNBP). These margins are calculated as the
percentage of the value of new business profit to APE and PVNBP. APE is calculated as the aggregate of regular premiums on new business written
in the period and one-tenth of single premiums. PVNBP is calculated as the aggregate of single premiums and the present value of expected future
premiums from regular premium new business, allowing for lapses and the other assumptions made in determining the EEV new business profit.
Valuation movements on investments
Investment gains and losses during the period (to the extent that changes in capital values do not directly match changes in liabilities) are included
directly in the profit or loss for the period and shareholders’ equity as they arise.
The results for the covered business conceptually reflect the aggregate of the post-tax IFRS basis results and the movements in the additional
shareholders’ interest recognised on an EEV basis. Therefore, the starting point for the calculation of the EEV basis results reflects the market value
movements recognised on an IFRS basis.
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8 Methodology and accounting presentation continued
(i) Methodology continued
(c) Cost of capital
A charge is deducted from the embedded value for the cost of locked-in required capital supporting the Group’s long-term business. The cost is the
difference between the nominal value of the capital held and the discounted value of the projected releases of this capital, allowing for post-tax
investment earnings on the capital.
The EEV results are affected by the movement in this cost from period to period, which comprises a charge against new business profit and
generally a release in respect of the reduction in capital requirements for business in force as this runs off.
Where required capital is held within a with-profits long-term fund, the value placed on surplus assets within the fund is already adjusted to reflect
its expected release over time and so no further adjustment to the shareholder position is necessary.
(d) Financial options and guarantees
Nature of financial options and guarantees
Participating products, principally written in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, have both guaranteed and non-guaranteed elements. These
products provide returns to policyholders through bonuses that are smoothed. There are two types of bonuses: regular and final. Regular bonuses
are declared once a year and, once credited, are guaranteed in accordance with the terms of the particular products. Final bonuses are guaranteed
only until the next bonus declaration.
There are also various non-participating long-term products with guarantees. The principal guarantees are those for whole-of-life contracts with
floor levels of policyholder benefits that typically accrue at rates set at inception and do not vary subsequently with market conditions. Similar to
participating products, the policyholder charges incorporate an allowance for the cost of providing these guarantees, which, for certain whole-of-
life products in Hong Kong, remains constant throughout varying economic conditions, rather than reducing as the economic environment
improves and vice versa.
Time value
The value of financial options and guarantees comprises the intrinsic value (arising from a deterministic valuation on best estimate assumptions)
and the time value (arising from the variability of economic outcomes in the future).
Where appropriate, a full stochastic valuation has been undertaken to determine the time value of financial options and guarantees. The
economic assumptions used for the stochastic calculations are consistent with those used for the deterministic calculations. Assumptions specific
to the stochastic calculations reflect local market conditions and are based on a combination of actual market data, historic market data and an
assessment of long-term economic conditions. Common principles have been adopted across the Group for the stochastic asset models, such as
separate modelling of individual asset classes with an allowance for correlations between various asset classes. Details of the key characteristics
of each model are given in note 9(ii).
In deriving the time value of financial options and guarantees, management actions in response to emerging investment and fund solvency
conditions have been modelled. Management actions encompass, but are not confined to, investment allocation decisions, levels of regular and
final bonuses and credited rates. Bonus rates are projected from current levels and varied in accordance with assumed management actions
applying in the emerging investment and fund solvency conditions. In all instances, the modelled actions are in accordance with approved local
practice and therefore reflect the options available to management.
(e) Level of required capital
In adopting the EEV Principles, Prudential has based required capital on the applicable local statutory regulations, including any amounts
considered to be required above the local statutory minimum requirements to satisfy regulatory constraints.
For shareholder-backed businesses, the level of required capital has generally been set to an amount at least equal to local statutory notification
requirements.
For CPL life operations, the level of required capital follows the approach for embedded value reporting issued by the China Association of
Actuaries (CAA) reflecting the C-ROSS regime. For Singapore life operations, the level of net worth and required capital is based on the Tier 1 Capital
position under the risk-based capital framework (RBC2), which removes certain negative reserves permitted to be recognised in the full RBC2
regulatory position applicable to the Group’s GWS capital position, in order to better reflect free surplus and its generation.
(f) With-profits business and the treatment of the estate
For the Group’s relevant operations, the proportion of surplus allocated to shareholders from the with-profits funds has been based on the
applicable profit distribution between shareholders and policyholders. The EEV methodology includes the value attributed to the shareholders’
interest in the residual estate of the in-force with-profits business. In any scenarios where the total assets of the life fund are insufficient to meet
policyholder claims in full, the excess cost is fully attributed to shareholders. As required, adjustments are also made to reflect any capital
requirements for with-profits business in excess of the capital resources of the with-profits funds.
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(g) Internal asset management
In line with the EEV Principles, the in-force and new business results from long-term business include the projected future profit or loss from asset
management and service companies that support the Group’s covered insurance businesses. The results of the Group’s asset management
operations include the current period profit from the management of both internal and external funds. EEV basis shareholders’ other income and
expenditure is adjusted to deduct the expected profit anticipated to arise in the current period in the opening VIF from internal asset management
and other services. This deduction is on a basis consistent with that used for projecting the results for covered insurance business. Accordingly, Group
operating profit includes the actual profit earned in respect of the management of these assets.
(h) Allowance for risk and risk discount rates
Overview
Under the EEV Principles, discount rates used to determine the present value of expected future cash flows are set by reference to risk-free rates plus
a risk margin.
The risk-free rates are largely based on local government bond yields at the valuation date and are assumed to remain constant throughout the
projection, with no trending or mean reversion to longer-term assumptions that cannot be observed in the current market.
The risk margin reflects any non-diversifiable risk associated with the emergence of distributable earnings that is not allowed for elsewhere in the
valuation. In order to better reflect differences in relative market risk volatility inherent in each product group, Prudential sets the risk discount rates
to reflect the expected volatility associated with the expected future shareholder cash flows for each product group in the embedded value model,
rather than at a Group level.
Since financial options and guarantees are explicitly valued under the EEV methodology, risk discount rates exclude the effect of these product
features.
The risk margin represents the aggregate of the allowance for market risk and allowance for non-diversifiable non-market risk. No allowance is
required for non-market risks where these are assumed to be fully diversifiable.
Market risk allowance
The allowance for market risk represents the beta multiplied by the equity risk premium.
The beta of a portfolio or product measures its relative market risk. The risk discount rates reflect the market risk inherent in each product group
and hence the volatility of product-specific cash flows. These are determined by considering how the profit from each product is affected by
changes in expected returns across asset classes. By converting this into a relative rate of return, it is possible to derive a product-specific beta. This
approach contrasts with a top-down approach to market risk where the risks associated with each product are not directly reflected in the valuation
basis.
The Group’s methodology allows for credit risk in determining the best estimate returns and through the market risk allowance, which covers
expected long-term defaults, a credit risk premium (to reflect the volatility in downgrade and default levels) and short-term downgrades and
defaults.
Allowance for non-diversifiable non-market risks
The majority of non-market and non-credit risks are considered to be diversifiable. An allowance for non-diversifiable non-market risks is estimated
as set out below.
A base level allowance of 50 basis points is applied to cover the non-diversifiable non-market risks associated with the Group’s covered business.
For the Group’s businesses in less mature markets (such as the Philippines, Thailand and Africa) additional allowances of 250 basis points are
applied. The level and application of these allowances are reviewed and updated based on an assessment of the Group’s exposure and experience
in the markets. For the Group’s business in more mature markets, no additional allowance is necessary. At 31 December 2021, the total allowance
for non-diversifiable non-market risk is equivalent to a $(3.7) billion (or (8) per cent) reduction to the embedded value of continuing long-term
business operations.
(i) Foreign currency translation
Foreign currency profits and losses have been translated at average exchange rates for the period. Foreign currency transactions are translated
at the spot rate prevailing at the date of the transactions. Foreign currency assets and liabilities have been translated at closing exchange rates.
The principal exchange rates are shown in note A1 of the Group IFRS financial statements.
(j) Taxation
In determining the post-tax profit for the period for covered business, the overall tax rate includes the impact of tax effects determined on a local
regulatory basis. Tax payments and receipts included in the projected future cash flows to determine the value of in-force business are calculated
using tax rates that have been announced and substantively enacted by the end of the reporting period.
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8 Methodology and accounting presentation continued
(ii) Accounting presentation
(a) Analysis of post-tax profit
To the extent applicable, the presentation of the EEV basis profit or loss for the period from continuing operations is consistent with the classification
between operating and non-operating results that the Group applies for the analysis of IFRS basis results. Operating results are determined as
described in note (b) below and incorporate the following:
> New business profit, as defined in note (i)(b) above;
> Expected return on existing business, as described in note (c) below;
> The impact of routine changes of estimates relating to operating assumptions, as described in note (d) below; and
> Operating experience variances, as described in note (e) below.
In addition, operating results include the effect of changes in tax legislation, unless these changes are one-off and structural in nature, or primarily
affect the level of projected investment returns, in which case they are reflected as a non-operating result.
Non-operating results comprise:
> Short-term fluctuations in investment returns;
> Mark-to-market value movements on core structural borrowings;
> Effect of changes in economic assumptions; and
> The impact of corporate transactions, if any, undertaken in the year.
Total profit or loss in the period attributable to shareholders and basic earnings per share include these items, together with actual investment
returns. The Group believes that operating profit, as adjusted for these items, better reflects underlying performance.
(b) Investment returns included in operating profit
For the investment element of the assets covering the total net worth of long-term insurance business, investment returns are recognised in
operating results at the expected long-term rates of return. These expected returns are calculated by reference to the asset mix of the portfolio.
(c) Expected return on existing business
Expected return on existing business comprises the expected unwind of discounting effects on the opening value of in-force business and required
capital and the expected return on existing free surplus. The unwind of discount and the expected return on existing free surplus are determined
after adjusting for the effect of changes in economic and operating assumptions in the current period on the embedded value at the beginning of
the period, for example the unwind of discount on the value of in-force business and required capital is determined after adjusting both the opening
value and the risk discount rates for the effect of changes in economic and operating assumptions in the current period.
(d) Effect of changes in operating assumptions
Operating profit includes the effect of changes to operating assumptions on the value of in-force business at the end of the reporting period. For
presentational purposes the effect of changes is delineated to show the effect on the opening value of in-force business as operating assumption
changes, with the experience variances subsequently being determined by reference to the assumptions at the end of the reporting period,
as discussed below.
(e) Operating experience variances
Operating profit includes the effect of experience variances on operating assumptions, such as persistency, mortality, morbidity, expenses and other
factors, which are calculated with reference to the assumptions at the end of the reporting period.
(f) Effect of changes in economic assumptions
Movements in the value of in-force business at the beginning of the period caused by changes in economic assumptions, net of the related changes
in the time value of financial options and guarantees, are recorded in non-operating results.
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9 Assumptions
(i) Principal economic assumptions
The EEV basis results for the Group’s covered business are determined using economic assumptions where both the risk discount rates and
long-term expected rates of return on investments are set with reference to risk-free rates of return at the end of the reporting period. Both the risk
discount rate and expected rates of return are updated at each valuation date to reflect current market risk-free rates, with the effect that changes
in market risk-free rates impact all projected future cash flows. The risk-free rates of return are largely based on local government bond yields and
are assumed to remain constant throughout the projection, with no trending or mean reversion to longer-term assumptions that cannot be
observed in the current market. The risk-free rates of return are shown below for each of the Group’s insurance operations. Expected returns on
equity and property assets and corporate bonds are derived by adding a risk premium to the risk-free rate based on the Group’s long-term view.
As described in note 8(i)(h), risk discount rates are set equal to the risk-free rate at the valuation date plus allowances for market risk and
non-diversifiable non-market risks appropriate to the features and risks of the underlying products and markets. Risks that are explicitly allowed
for elsewhere in the EEV basis, such as via the cost of capital and the time value of options and guarantees, as set out in note 2(i), are not included
in the risk discount rates.
CPL
Hong Kong note (a)
Indonesia
Malaysia
Philippines
Singapore
Taiwan
Thailand
Vietnam
Total weighted average (new business) note (b)
Total weighted average (in-force business) note (b)
Risk discount rate %
New business
In-force business
10-year government
bond yield %
Equity return
(geometric) %
31 Dec
2021
31 Dec
2020
31 Dec
2021
31 Dec
2020
31 Dec
2021
31 Dec
2020
31 Dec
2021
31 Dec
2020
7.3
2.5
9.9
5.7
12.0
3.4
3.5
9.3
4.0
5.0
n/a
7.7
2.0
8.9
4.4
10.3
2.3
3.0
8.5
4.3
4.1
n/a
7.3
2.8
10.5
6.1
12.0
3.8
3.1
9.3
4.1
n/a
4.3
7.7
2.1
10.0
4.9
10.3
2.9
2.5
8.5
4.5
n/a
3.6
2.8
1.5
7.0
3.7
4.8
1.7
0.7
2.0
2.2
2.7
2.3
3.2
0.9
6.5
2.6
3.1
0.9
0.3
1.3
2.6
2.1
1.7
6.8
5.0
11.3
7.2
9.0
5.2
4.7
6.3
6.4
6.1
5.8
7.2
4.4
10.8
6.1
7.3
4.4
4.3
5.5
6.8
5.8
5.3
Notes
(a)
(b)
(c)
For Hong Kong, the assumptions shown are for US dollar denominated business. For other businesses, the assumptions shown are for local currency denominated business.
Total weighted average assumptions have been determined by weighting each business’s assumptions by reference to the EEV basis new business profit and the closing net value of in-force
business. The 2021 weighted average assumptions include Africa operations following the change in the Group’s operating segments in 2021. The changes in the risk discount rates for
individual businesses reflect the movements in the local government bond yields, changes in the allowance for market risk (including as a result of changes in asset mix) and changes in
product mix.
Expected long-term inflation assumptions range from 1.5 per cent to 5.5 per cent (31 December 2020: 1.5 per cent to 5.5 per cent).
(ii) Stochastic assumptions
Details are given below of the key characteristics of the models used to determine the time value of financial options and guarantees as referred
to in note 8(i)(d).
> The stochastic cost of guarantees is primarily of significance for the Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam businesses;
> The principal asset classes are government bonds, corporate bonds and equity;
> Interest rates are projected using a stochastic interest rate model calibrated to the current market yields;
> Equity returns are assumed to follow a log-normal distribution;
> The corporate bond return is calculated based on a risk-free return plus a mean-reverting spread;
> The volatility of equity returns ranges from 18 per cent to 35 per cent for both years; and
> The volatility of government bond yields ranges from 1.1 per cent to 2.0 per cent for both years.
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Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Notes on the EEV basis results / continued
9 Assumptions continued
(iii) Operating assumptions
Best estimate assumptions are used for projecting future cash flows, where best estimate is defined as the mean of the distribution of future
possible outcomes. The assumptions are reviewed actively and changes are made when evidence exists that material changes in future experience
are reasonably certain.
Assumptions required in the calculation of the time value of financial options and guarantees, for example relating to volatilities and correlations,
or dynamic algorithms linking liabilities to assets, have been set equal to the best estimates and, wherever material and practical, reflect any
dynamic relationships between the assumptions and the stochastic variables.
Demographic assumptions
Persistency, mortality and morbidity assumptions are based on an analysis of recent experience, and reflect expected future experience. When
projecting future cash flows for medical reimbursement business that is repriced annually, explicit allowance is made for expected future premium
inflation and separately for future medical claims inflation.
Expense assumptions
Expense levels, including those of the service companies that support the Group’s long-term business, are based on internal expense analysis and
are appropriately allocated to acquisition of new business and renewal of in-force business. For mature business, it is Prudential’s policy not to take
credit for future cost reduction programmes until the actions to achieve the savings have been delivered. Expense overruns are reported where
these are expected to be short-lived, including businesses that are growing rapidly or are sub-scale.
Expenses comprise costs borne directly and costs recharged/allocated from the Group head office functions in London and Hong Kong that are
attributable to the long-term insurance (covered) business. The assumed future expenses for the long-term insurance business allow for amounts
expected to be recharged/allocated by the head office functions. Development expenses are allocated to covered business and are charged as
incurred.
Corporate expenditure, which is included in other income and expenditure, comprises expenditure of the Group head office functions in London
and Hong Kong that is not recharged/allocated to the long-term insurance or asset management operations, primarily for corporate related
activities that are charged as incurred, together with restructuring and IFRS 17 implementation costs incurred across the Group.
Tax rates
The assumed long-term effective tax rates for operations reflect the expected incidence of taxable profit or loss in the projected future cash flows
as explained in note 8(i)(j). The local standard corporate tax rates applicable are as follows:
CPL
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Malaysia
Philippines
Singapore
Taiwan
Thailand
Vietnam
%
25.0
16.5 per cent on 5 per cent of premium income
22.0
24.0
Up to 30 June 2020: 30.0; from 1 July 2020: 25.0
17.0
20.0
20.0
20.0
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10 Insurance new business
CPL note (a)
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Malaysia
Singapore
Growth markets:
Africa note (b)
Cambodia
India note (c)
Laos
Myanmar
Philippines
Taiwan
Thailand
Vietnam
Single premiums
Regular premiums
Annual premium
equivalents (APE)
Present value of new
business premiums (PVNBP)
2021 $m
2020 $m
2021 $m
2020 $m
2021 $m
2020 $m
2021 $m
2020 $m
1,760
808
258
74
2,412
15
–
285
–
–
89
172
142
55
1,068
184
226
90
1,496
17
–
225
–
–
49
201
122
21
600
469
226
453
502
133
14
200
1
1
168
379
204
237
475
741
244
337
460
110
10
154
1
–
134
367
171
234
776
550
252
461
743
134
14
228
1
1
177
397
218
242
582
758
267
346
610
112
10
177
1
–
139
387
183
236
3,761
4,847
1,067
2,137
6,214
288
59
1,172
2
3
655
1,417
882
1,649
2,705
5,095
1,154
2,023
5,354
–
45
902
3
1
528
1,445
768
1,564
Total continuing operations note (d)
6,070
3,699
3,587
3,438
4,194
3,808
24,153
21,587
Notes
(a) New business in CPL is included at Prudential’s 50 per cent interest in the joint venture.
(b)
(c)
(d)
2021 new business includes Africa operations following the change in the Group’s operating segments in 2021.
New business in India is included at Prudential’s 22 per cent interest in the associate.
The table above is provided as an indicative volume measure of transactions undertaken in the reporting period that have the potential to generate profit for shareholders. The amounts
shown are not, and not intended to be, reflective of premium income recorded in the Group IFRS income statement.
11 Post balance sheet events
Dividends
The 2021 second interim ordinary dividend approved by the Board of Directors after 31 December 2021 is as described in note B5 of the IFRS
financial statements.
Debt redemption
On 20 January 2022, US$1,725 million of notes in core structural borrowings of shareholder-financed businesses, as shown in note C5.1 of the IFRS
financial statements, were redeemed.
355
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information Statement of Directors’ responsibilities in respect of the
European Embedded Value (EEV) basis supplementary information
The directors have chosen to prepare supplementary information in
accordance with the European Embedded Value Principles issued by
the European Insurance CFO Forum in 2016 (‘the EEV Principles’) using
the methodology and assumptions set out in the Notes on the EEV
basis results.
When compliance with the EEV Principles is stated, those principles
require the directors to prepare supplementary information in
accordance with the Embedded Value Methodology (EVM) contained
in the EEV Principles and to disclose and explain any non-compliance
with the EEV guidance included in the EEV Principles.
In preparing the EEV supplementary information, the directors have:
> Prepared the supplementary information in accordance with the
EEV Principles;
> Identified and described the business covered by the EVM;
> Applied the EVM consistently to the covered business;
> Determined assumptions on a realistic basis, having regard to past,
current and expected future experience and to any relevant
external data, and then applied them consistently;
> Made estimates that are reasonable and consistent; and
> Described the basis on which business that is not covered business
has been included in the supplementary information, including any
material departures from the accounting framework applicable to
the Group’s financial statements.
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Independent auditor’s report to Prudential plc on the
European Embedded Value (EEV) basis supplementary information
Opinion
We have audited the EEV basis supplementary information of
Prudential plc (‘the Company’) for the year ended 31 December 2021
which comprise the EEV results highlights, movement in Group EEV
shareholders’ equity, movement in Group free surplus and related
notes, including the basis of preparation on page 335. The EEV basis
supplementary information should be read in conjunction with the
Group financial statements.
In our opinion, the EEV basis supplementary information of the
Company for the year ended 31 December 2021 has been properly
prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with the European
Embedded Value Principles issued by the European Insurance CFO
Forum in 2016 (‘the EEV Principles’) using the methodology and
assumptions set out in the Notes on the EEV basis results.
Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards
on Auditing (UK) (“ISAs (UK)”), including ISA (UK) 800, and the terms
of our engagement. Our responsibilities are described below. We have
fulfilled our ethical responsibilities under, and are independent of the
Company in accordance with, UK ethical requirements including the
FRC Ethical Standard. We believe that the audit evidence we have
obtained is a sufficient and appropriate basis for our opinion.
Emphasis of matter – special purpose basis of preparation
We draw attention to page 335 of the EEV basis supplementary
information. As explained on that page, the EEV basis supplementary
information is prepared to provide additional information to users of
the Group financial statements. As a result, the EEV basis
supplementary information may not be suitable for another purpose.
Our opinion is not modified in respect of this matter.
Going Concern
The Directors have prepared the EEV basis supplementary
information on the going concern basis as they do not intend to
liquidate the Group or to cease their operations, and as they have
concluded that the Group’s financial position means that this is
realistic. They have also concluded that there are no material
uncertainties that could have cast significant doubt over their ability to
continue as a going concern for at least a year from the date of
approval of the EEV basis supplementary information (“the going
concern period”).
We used our knowledge of the Group, its industry, and the general
economic environment in which it operates to identify the inherent
risks to its business model and analysed how those risks might affect
the Group’s financial resources or ability to continue operations over
the going concern period. The risks that were considered most likely
to adversely affect the Group’s available financial resources over this
period were:
> Adverse impacts arising from fluctuations or negative trends in the
economic environment which affect the valuations of the Group’s
investments, wider credit spreads and defaults and valuation of EEV
shareholders’ equity due to the impact of these market movements;
> The impact on regulatory capital solvency margins from
movements in interest rates; and
> Severely adverse policyholder lapse or claims experience.
We also considered less predictable but realistic second order impacts,
such as failure of some of the Group’s counterparties (such as banks
and reinsurers) to meet commitments, which could give rise to a
negative impact on the Group’s financial position and liquidity, and
wider economic factors such as the Coronavirus pandemic’s impact on
economic volatility and market uncertainty in the period, and other
such macroeconomic events.
We considered whether these risks could plausibly affect the liquidity
or solvency in the going concern period by assessing the Directors’
sensitivities over the level of available financial resources indicated by
the Group’s cash flow forecasts taking account of severe but plausible
adverse effects that could arise from these risks individually and
collectively.
We assessed the completeness of the going concern disclosure.
Our conclusions based on this work:
> we consider that the directors’ use of the going concern basis of
accounting in the preparation of the EEV basis supplementary
information is appropriate;
> we have not identified, and concur with the directors’ assessment
that there is not, a material uncertainty related to events or
conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant
doubt on the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern for the
going concern period; and
> we found the going concern disclosure to be acceptable.
However, as we cannot predict future events or conditions and as
subsequent events may result in outcomes that are inconsistent with
judgements that were reasonable at the time they were made, the
above conclusions are not a guarantee that the Group will continue in
operation.
Fraud and breaches of laws and regulations – ability to detect
Identifying and responding to risks of material misstatement
due to fraud
To identify risks of material misstatement due to fraud (“fraud risks”)
we assessed events or conditions that could indicate an incentive or
pressure to commit fraud or provide an opportunity to commit fraud.
Our risk assessment procedures included:
> Enquiring of directors, the audit committee, internal audit, group
security, and inspecting key papers provided to those charged with
governance as to the high-level policies and procedures to prevent
and detect fraud, including the Group’s channel for “whistleblowing”
and process for engaging local management to identify fraud risks
specific to their business units, as well as whether they have
knowledge of any actual, suspected, or alleged fraud.
> Reading board and audit committee minutes.
> Considering remuneration incentive schemes and performance
targets for directors.
> Consulted with professionals with forensic knowledge to assist us in
identifying fraud risks based on discussions of the circumstances of
the Group.
We communicated identified fraud risks throughout the audit team
and remained alert to any indications of fraud throughout the audit.
This included communication from the group team to all component
audit teams in scope of relevant fraud risks identified at the Group
level and requests to these audit teams to report to the Group audit
team any instances of fraud that could give rise to a material
misstatement at group.
357
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As required by auditing standards, and taking into account possible
pressures to meet profit targets, we perform procedures to address
the risks of management override of controls, in particular the risk that
group and component management may be in a position to make
inappropriate accounting entries and the risk of bias in accounting
estimates and judgements. Accordingly, we identified a fraud risk
related to the selection of EEV operating assumptions given their
direct impact on the Group’s embedded value, the opportunity for
management to manipulate assumptions due to the subjectivity
involved and given the long-term nature of these assumptions which
are more difficult to corroborate.
On this audit we do not consider there is a fraud risk related to revenue
recognition as there is limited management judgement involved in the
determination of all material revenue streams as the amounts are
contractually derived.
In determining the audit procedures to address the identified fraud
risks, we took into account the results of our evaluation and testing of
the operating effectiveness of the group-wide anti-fraud risk controls.
In order to address the risk of fraud specifically as it relates to the EEV
operating assumptions, we involved actuarial specialists to assist in
our challenge of management. We challenged management in
relation to the selection of assumptions and the appropriateness
of the rationale for any changes, the consistency of the selected
assumptions across different aspects of the financial reporting process
and comparison to our understanding of the product portfolio, trends
in experience, policyholder behaviour and economic conditions and
also by reference to market practice.
To address the pervasive risk as it relates to management override,
we also performed procedures including:
> Identifying journal entries based on risk criteria and comparing
the identified entries to supporting documentation. These include
journal entries related to non-recurring transactions.
> Evaluating the business purpose of non-recurring transactions.
> Assessing significant accounting estimates for bias.
Identifying and responding to risks of material misstatement
due to non-compliance with laws and regulations
We identified areas of laws and regulations that could reasonably be
expected to have a material effect on the EEV basis supplementary
information from our general commercial and sector experience,
through discussion with the directors, and from inspection of the
Group’s regulatory and legal correspondence. We discussed with
the directors and other management the policies and procedures
regarding compliance with laws and regulation.
As the Group is regulated, our assessment of risks involved gaining
an understanding of the control environment including the entity’s
procedures for complying with regulatory requirements.
We communicated identified laws and regulations throughout our
team and remained alert to any indications of non-compliance
throughout the audit. This included communication from the group to
all in-scope component audit teams of relevant laws and regulations
identified at the group level, and a request for these teams to report
to the group any instances of non-compliance with said laws and
regulations, or any identified local laws and regulations, that could
give rise to a material misstatement at group.
The potential effect of these laws and regulations on the EEV basis
supplementary information varies considerably.
Firstly, the Group is subject to laws and regulations that directly affect
the EEV basis supplementary information including taxation
legislation and we assessed the extent of compliance with these laws
and regulations as part of our procedures on the related EEV basis
supplementary information items.
Secondly, the Group is subject to many other laws and regulations
where the consequences of non-compliance could have a material
effect on amounts or disclosures in the EEV basis supplementary
information, for instance through the imposition of fines or litigation
or the loss of the Group’s licence to operate. We identified the area
of regulatory capital as that most likely to have such an effect
recognising the financial and regulated nature of the Group’s
activities. Auditing standards limit the required audit procedures to
identify non-compliance with these laws and regulations to enquiry
of the directors and other management and inspection of regulatory
and legal correspondence, if any. Therefore, if a breach of operational
regulations is not disclosed to us or evident from relevant
correspondence, an audit will not detect that breach.
Context of the ability of the audit to detect fraud or breaches
of law or regulation
Owing to the inherent limitations of an audit, there is an unavoidable
risk that we may not have detected some material misstatements
in the EEV basis supplementary information, even though we have
properly planned and performed our audit in accordance with
auditing standards. For example, the further removed non-compliance
with laws and regulations (irregularities) is from the events and
transactions reflected in the EEV basis supplementary information,
the less likely the inherently limited procedures required by auditing
standards would identify it.
In addition, as with any audit, there remained a higher risk of
non-detection of fraud, as these may involve collusion, forgery,
intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal
controls. We are not responsible for preventing non-compliance or
fraud and cannot be expected to detect non-compliance with all laws
and regulations.
Other information
The directors are responsible for the other information presented
in the Annual Report together with the EEV basis supplementary
information. Our opinion on the EEV basis supplementary information
does not cover the other information and, accordingly, we do not
express an audit opinion or any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so,
consider whether, based on our EEV basis supplementary information
audit work, the information therein is materially misstated or
inconsistent with the EEV basis supplementary information or our
audit knowledge. Based solely on that work, we have not identified
material misstatements in the other information.
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Directors’ responsibilities
As explained more fully in their statement set out on page 356,
the directors are responsible for the preparation of the EEV basis
supplementary information in accordance with the with the European
Embedded Value Principles issued by the European Insurance CFO
Forum in 2016 (‘the EEV Principles’) using the methodology and
assumptions set out in the Notes on the EEV basis results. They are
also responsible for: such internal control as they determine is
necessary to enable the preparation of EEV basis supplementary
information that is free from material misstatement, whether due to
fraud or error; determining that the basis of preparation is acceptable
in the circumstances; assessing the Group’s ability to continue as a
going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going
concern; and using the going concern basis of accounting unless they
either intend to liquidate the Group or to cease operations, or have no
realistic alternative but to do so.
Auditor’s responsibilities
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the
EEV basis supplementary information as a whole is free from material
misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue our opinion
in an auditor’s report. Reasonable assurance is a high level of
assurance, but does not guarantee that an audit conducted in
accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement
when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are
considered material if, individually or in aggregate, they could
reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users
taken on the basis of the EEV basis supplementary information.
A fuller description of our responsibilities is provided on the FRC’s
website at www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities.
The purpose of our audit work and to whom we
owe our responsibilities
This report is made solely to the Company in accordance with the
terms of our engagement. Our audit work has been undertaken so
that we might state to the Company those matters we have been
engaged to state to it in this report and for no other purpose. To the
fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume
responsibility to anyone other than the Company for our audit work,
for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
Philip Smart
for and on behalf of KPMG LLP
Chartered Accountants
London
8 March 2022
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information
360
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021 prudentialplc.com Contents
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362
Index to the additional unaudited
financial information
382 Risk factors
396 Glossary
400 Shareholder information
403 How to contact us
361
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021
Index to the additional unaudited financial information
I
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
(vi)
Additional financial information
Group capital position
Analysis of adjusted operating profit by driver
Analysis of adjusted operating profit by business unit
Group funds under management
Holding company cash flow
Reconciliation of EEV expected transfer of value of in-force business and required capital to free surplus
(vii)
Option schemes
(viii)
Selected historical financial information of Prudential
II
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
(vi)
Calculation of alternative performance measures
Reconciliation of adjusted operating profit to profit before tax
Calculation of IFRS gearing ratio from continuing operations
Return on IFRS shareholders’ equity from continuing operations
Calculation of IFRS shareholders’ equity per share
Calculation of Eastspring cost/income ratio
Reconciliation of gross premiums earned to renewal insurance premiums
(vii)
Gross premiums earned including joint ventures and associates
(viii)
Reconciliation of gross premiums earned to APE new business sales
(ix)
(x)
Reconciliation between IFRS and EEV shareholders’ equity
Calculation of return on embedded value
Page
363
368
369
371
371
372
374
376
378
378
378
378
379
379
379
380
380
381
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Additional unaudited financial information
I Additional financial information
I(i) Group capital position
Overview
Prudential applies the Insurance (Group Capital) Rules set out in the Group-wide Supervision (GWS) Framework issued by the Hong Kong Insurance
Authority (IA) to determine group regulatory capital requirements (both minimum and prescribed levels). The GWS Framework became effective
for Prudential upon designation by the Hong Kong IA on 14 May 2021 and replaced the local capital summation method (LCSM) which was used
for determination of the 31 December 2020 Group capital position as agreed with the Hong Kong IA.
The GWS methodology is largely consistent with that previously applied under LCSM with the exception of the treatment of debt instruments
which are subject to transitional arrangements under the GWS Framework. Under the GWS Framework, all debt instruments (senior and
subordinated) issued by Prudential plc at the 31 December 2021 are included as GWS eligible group capital resources. This includes debt issued at
the date of designation which met the transitional conditions set by the Hong Kong IA and have not since been redeemed and debt issued since the
date of designation which met the qualifying conditions as set out in the Insurance (Group Capital) Rules. Under the LCSM, only specific bonds
(being those subordinated debt instruments issued by Prudential plc at the date of demerger of M&G plc) were included as eligible group capital
resources.
For regulated insurance entities, the capital resources and required capital included in the GWS capital measure for Hong Kong IA Group
regulatory purposes are based on the local solvency regime applicable in each jurisdiction. The Group holds material participating business in Hong
Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. Alongside the total company GWS capital basis, a shareholder GWS capital basis is also presented, being eligible
group capital resources over the GMCR and which excludes the capital resources and minimum capital requirements of these participating funds.
The table below sets out the Group capital position on these two bases before allowing for the second interim dividend. The GWS group capital
adequacy requirements have been met since the GWS Framework became effective for Prudential upon designation, this includes maintaining
Tier 1 group capital resources in excess of the group minimum capital requirement of the supervised group.
Estimated GWS capital position based on Group Minimum Capital Requirement (GMCR)notes (1)(2)(3)
Amounts attributable to Prudential plc
Eligible group capital resources ($bn)
Group Minimum Capital Requirement ($bn)
GWS capital surplus (over GMCR) ($bn)
GWS coverage ratio (over GMCR) (%)
Allow for January 2022 debt redemption
GWS capital surplus (over GMCR) after January 2022
debt redemption ($bn)
GWS coverage ratio (over GMCR) after January 2022
debt redemption (%)
31 Dec 2021
Less
policyholder
Shareholder
(27.5)
(7.0)
(20.5)
–
(20.5)
16.9
3.7
13.2
454%
(1.7)
11.5
408%
Total
44.4
10.7
33.7
414%
(1.7)
32.0
398%
31 Dec 2020
Less
policyholder
Shareholder
(22.1)
(6.7)
(15.4)
n/a
n/a
n/a
12.8
3.4
9.4
370%
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total
34.9
10.1
24.8
344%
n/a
n/a
n/a
Further detail on the Group shareholder GWS capital position is presented below at 31 December 2021 and 31 December 2020 for comparison:
31 Dec 2021 $bn
Eligible group capital resources
Group Minimum Capital Requirement
GWS capital surplus (over GMCR)
31 Dec 2020 $bn
Eligible group capital resources
Group Minimum Capital Requirement
GWS capital surplus (over GMCR)
Shareholder
Total Asia
and Africa
Less
policyholder
Asia
and Africa
Unallocated
to a segment
40.3
10.7
29.6
(27.5)
(7.0)
(20.5)
12.8
3.7
9.1
4.1
–
4.1
Shareholder
Total Asia
and Africa
Less
policyholder
Asia
and Africa
Unallocated
to a segment
33.7
10.1
23.6
(22.1)
(6.7)
(15.4)
11.6
3.4
8.2
1.2
–
1.2
Group
16.9
3.7
13.2
Group
12.8
3.4
9.4
Notes
(1)
(2)
(3)
The total eligible group capital resources and total GMCR presented in the tables above reflect the Insurance (Group Capital) Rules as set out in the GWS Framework. In particular, the
31 December 2020 capital results have been restated from those previously disclosed on a LCSM basis to reflect the treatment of grandfathered debt instruments under the GWS
Framework, which increased eligible group capital resources by $1.6 billion compared to the LCSM basis. This had the effect of increasing capital surplus over the GMCR from $7.8 billion
(equivalent to a coverage ratio of 323 per cent) to $9.4 billion (equivalent to a coverage ratio of 370 per cent) on a shareholder GWS basis. The 31 December 2020 GWS capital results are
presented on a Group excluding Jackson basis and are before including the value of the Group’s retained interest in Jackson.
The 31 December 2021 GWS capital results include the value of the Group’s 18.4 per cent retained economic interest in Jackson. As agreed with the Hong Kong IA this retained interest is
included within the GWS eligible group capital resources valued at 60 per cent of the listed market value. At 31 December 2021 this is included within “unallocated to a segment” and
contributes $0.4 billion to the GWS capital surplus (over GMCR) and 11 percentage points to the shareholder GWS coverage ratio (over GMCR).
The 31 December 2021 GWS capital results do not reflect the impact of the redemption of $1.7 billion of sub-ordinated debt in January 2022 unless otherwise specified.
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I(i) Group capital position continued
Regulatory developments in 2022
The recent trend to more risk-based capital regimes being adopted in many of the Group’s markets is continuing and this impacts on the
Group’s GWS capital measure, which is underpinned by the local regulatory regimes of the Group’s subsidiaries, joint ventures and associates. In
mainland China C-ROSS Phase II becomes effective in the first quarter of 2022, the impact of which is not included in the 31 December 2021 GWS
results above.
Further, in February 2022 Prudential Hong Kong Limited, the Group’s insurance business in Hong Kong, made an application to the Hong Kong IA
to early-adopt the new risk-based capital regime. The impact is not reflected in the 31 December 2021 GWS capital position shown above and the
Group currently expects to include this change in the GWS capital position as at 30 June 2022, which remains subject to Hong Kong IA approval.
We intend to disclose the impacts of both these regulatory changes within our 2022 half year financial report as they become effective.
Sensitivity analysis
The estimated sensitivity of the shareholder GWS capital position (based on GMCR) to changes in market conditions at 31 December 2021 is shown
below.
Impact of market sensitivities
Base position
Impact of:
10% increase in equity markets
20% fall in equity markets
40% fall in equity markets
50 basis points reduction in interest rates
100 basis points increase in interest rates
100 basis points increase in credit spreads
31 Dec 2021
Surplus
$bn
13.2
0.3
(0.6)
(1.1)
0.1
(0.8)
(0.5)
Ratio
%
454%
5%
(2)%
(1)%
(10)%
(12)%
(6)%
The sensitivity results above reflect the impact on continuing long-term business operations and therefore the Group’s retained economic interest in
Jackson, which contributed $0.4 billion to the GWS capital surplus at 31 December 2021, is assumed to be unchanged under stress. The sensitivity
results assume instantaneous market movements and reflect all consequential impacts as at the valuation date. These results also allow for limited
management actions such as changes to future policyholder bonuses and rebalancing investment portfolios where relevant. If such economic
conditions persisted, the financial impacts may differ to the instantaneous impacts shown above. In this case management could also take
additional actions to help mitigate the impact of these stresses. These actions include, but are not limited to, market risk hedging, further
rebalancing of investment portfolios, increased use of reinsurance, repricing of in-force benefits, changes to new business pricing and the mix of
new business being sold.
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Additional unaudited financial information / continued Analysis of movement in shareholder GWS capital surplus over GMCR
A summary of the estimated movement in the shareholder LCSM capital surplus (over GMCR) excluding Jackson of $7.8 billion at 31 December
2020 to the shareholder GWS capital surplus (over GMCR) of $13.2 billion at 31 December 2021 on a GWS basis is set out in the table below.
Balance at beginning of period on a LCSM basis
Treatment of grandfathered debt instruments under the GWS Framework
Restated balance at beginning of period on a GWS basis
Operating:
Operating capital generation from the in force business
Investment in new business
Operating capital generation
Non-operating experience (including market movements)
Other capital movements:
Equity raise
Subordinated debt issuance / redemption
Contribution from Prudential’s retained economic interest in Jackson
Other Corporate activities
Other capital movements
External dividends
Net movement in shareholder capital surplus
Balance at end of period
2021 $bn
7.8
1.6
9.4
1.3
(0.3)
1.0
0.3
2.4
0.1
0.5
(0.1)
2.9
(0.4)
3.8
13.2
The estimated movement in the shareholder GWS capital surplus (over GMCR) over 2021 is driven by:
> Operating capital generation of $1.0 billion: generated by the return on in-force business, after deducting $0.3 billion from the strain on new
business written in the period and $0.8 billion of central and restructuring costs;
> Non-operating experience of $0.3 billion: this includes the beneficial impact on shareholder GWS capital surplus (over GMCR) from higher equity
markets and increasing interest rates over the year;
> Equity raise of $2.4 billion: generated from the public offer in Hong Kong in October 2021;
> Subordinated debt issuance / redemption of $0.1 billion: the net impact of debt redeemed offset by debt raised during 2021, this includes the
issuance of subordinated debt in China in June 2021 which contributed $0.3 billion to the shareholder GWS capital surplus (over GMCR) offset by
the $(0.2) billion net effect of debt raises and redemptions undertaken by Prudential plc;
> Contribution from Prudential’s retained economic interest in Jackson of $0.5 billion: comprising of $0.3 billion from the impact of including the
retained 19.7 per cent non-controlling economic interest in Jackson at the date of the demerger of Jackson from Prudential plc and $0.2 billion
from the movement in the value of the retained interest since the date of demerger along with gains realised from the share repurchase by
Jackson in November 2021. As agreed with the Hong Kong IA the retained interest is included within the GWS eligible group capital resources
valued at 60 per cent of market value;
> Other Corporate activities of $(0.1) billion: this is the effect on shareholder GWS capital surplus (over GMCR) of corporate transactions in the year,
which in 2021 comprised of the extension of the strategic bancassurance partnership with MSB in Vietnam; and
> External dividends of $(0.4) billion: this is the payment of external cash dividends during 2021.
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I(i) Group capital position continued
Reconciliation of GWS capital surplus (over GMCR) to EEV free surplus (excluding intangibles)
Estimated total company GWS capital surplus (over GMCR)*
Less policyholder contribution
Estimated shareholder GWS capital surplus (over GMCR)*
Increase required capital for EEV free surplus note (a)
Deductions applied to EEV free surplus arising from China C-ROSS note (b)
Deductions applied to EEV free surplus arising from Singapore RBC note (c)
Other, including recognition of inadmissible assets and inclusion of surplus assets at market value note (d)
EEV free surplus excluding intangibles†
31 Dec 2021 $bn
Unallocated
to a segment
Asia and Africa
Group total
29.6
(20.5)
9.1
(0.9)
(0.5)
(2.1)
0.1
5.7
4.1
–
4.1
–
–
–
0.3
4.4
33.7
(20.5)
13.2
(0.9)
(0.5)
(2.1)
0.4
10.1
* Before allowing for the redemption of debt in January 2022.
† As per the “Free surplus excluding distribution rights and other intangibles” shown in the statement of Movement in Group free surplus of the Group’s EEV basis results.
Notes
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
Required capital under EEV is set at least equal to local statutory notification requirements and so can differ from the minimum capital requirement.
EEV free surplus applies the embedded value reporting approach issued by the China Association of Actuaries (CAA) as compared to the C-ROSS surplus reported for local regulatory
purposes (predominantly arising from the requirement under the CAA embedded value methodology to establish a deferred profit liability within EEV net worth). This includes differences in
the treatment of China subordinated debt which contributes to C-ROSS surplus for local regulatory reporting but is not included within EEV free surplus.
EEV free surplus for Singapore is based on the Tier 1 requirements under the RBC2 framework, which removes certain negative reserves permitted to be recognised in the full RBC 2
regulatory position used when calculating the shareholder GWS capital surplus (over GMCR).
The shareholder GWS capital surplus (over GMCR) restricts the valuation of certain sundry non-intangible assets. In most cases these assets are considered fully recognisable in free surplus,
in addition the EEV Principles require surplus assets to be included at fair value. Within the shareholder GWS capital surplus (over GMCR), some local regulatory regimes value certain assets
at cost, this also includes the difference in the valuation of the Group’s retained interest in Jackson which is valued at the listed market value under EEV free surplus as compared to being
valued at 60 per cent of the listed market value under GWS capital.
Reconciliation of Group IFRS shareholders’ equity to shareholder GWS eligible group capital resources position
Group IFRS shareholders’ equity
Remove DAC, goodwill and intangibles recognised on the IFRS statement of financial position
Add debt treated as capital under GWS note (a)
Asset valuation differences note (b)
Liability valuation differences note (c)
Differences in associated net deferred tax liabilities note (d)
Other note (e)
Estimated shareholder GWS eligible group capital resources
31 Dec 2021 $bn
17.1
(7.6)
5.7
(2.0)
2.7
1.1
(0.1)
16.9
Notes
(a)
(b)
(c)
As per the GWS Framework, debt in issuance at the date of designation that satisfy the criteria for transitional arrangements and qualifying debt issued since the date of designation
are included as Group capital resources but are treated as liabilities under IFRS.
Asset valuation differences reflect differences in the basis of valuing assets between IFRS and local statutory valuation rules, including deductions for inadmissible assets. Differences
include for some markets where government and corporate bonds are valued at book value under local regulations but are valued at market value under IFRS. This also includes the
difference in the valuation of the Group’s retained interest in Jackson which is valued at the listed market value (equal to its fair value) under IFRS as compared to being valued at 60 per cent
of the listed market value for GWS capital.
Liability valuation differences reflect differences in the basis of valuing liabilities between IFRS and local statutory valuation rules. Material differences include in Singapore where the local
capital resources under RBC2 permits the recognition of certain negative reserves in the local statutory position that are not fully recognised under IFRS.
(d) Differences in associated net deferred tax liabilities mainly results from the tax impact of changes in the valuation of assets and liabilities.
(e) Other differences include the consequential impact on non-controlling interests arising from the other reconciling items and in China a difference from the inclusion of subordinated debt
as local capital resources on a C-ROSS basis as compared to being held as a liability under IFRS.
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Additional unaudited financial information / continued Basis of preparation for the Group GWS capital position
Prudential applies the Insurance (Group Capital) Rules set out in the GWS Framework to determine group regulatory capital requirements (both
minimum and prescribed levels). The summation of local statutory capital requirements across the Group is used to determine group regulatory
capital requirements, with no allowance for diversification between business operations. The GWS eligible group capital resources is determined by
the summation of capital resources across local solvency regimes for regulated entities and IFRS shareholders’ equity (with adjustments described
below) for non-regulated entities.
In determining the GWS eligible group capital resources and required capital the following principles have been applied:
> For regulated insurance entities, capital resources and required capital are based on the local solvency regime applicable in each jurisdiction, with
minimum required capital set at the solo legal entity statutory minimum capital requirements;
> For asset management operations and other regulated entities, the capital position is derived based on the sectoral basis applicable in each
jurisdiction, with minimum required capital based on the solo legal entity statutory minimum capital requirement;
> For non-regulated entities, the capital resources are based on IFRS shareholder equity after deducting intangible assets. No required capital is
held in respect of unregulated entities;
> For entities where the Group’s shareholding is less than 100 per cent, the contribution of the entity to the GWS eligible group capital resources
and required capital represents the Group’s share of these amounts and excludes any amounts attributable to non-controlling interests. This does
not apply to investment holdings which are not part of the Group;
> Following the demerger of Jackson from Prudential plc, the Group retains a 18.4 per cent non-controlling economic interest in Jackson. As agreed
with the Hong Kong IA this retained interest is included within the GWS eligible group capital resources valued at 60 per cent of the listed market
value;
> Investments in subsidiaries, joint ventures and associates (including, if any, loans that are recognised as capital on the receiving entity’s balance
sheet) are eliminated from the relevant holding company to prevent the double counting of capital resources; and
> Under the GWS Framework, all debt instruments (senior and subordinated) issued by Prudential plc at the 31 December 2021 are included as
GWS eligible group capital resources. This includes debt issued at the date of designation which met the transitional conditions set by the Hong
Kong IA and have not since been redeemed and debt issued since the date of designation which met the qualifying conditions as set out in the
Insurance (Group Capital) Rules. The eligible amount permitted to be included as Group capital resources for transitional debt is based on the net
proceeds amount translated using 31 December 2020 exchange rates for debt not denominated in US dollars.
> The total company GWS capital basis is the capital measure for Hong Kong IA Group regulatory purposes. In addition Prudential also presents a
shareholder GWS capital basis which excludes the capital resources and minimum capital requirements of participating business in Hong Kong,
Singapore and Malaysia.
I(ii) Analysis of adjusted operating profit by driver
This schedule classifies the Group’s adjusted operating profit from continuing operations into the underlying drivers using the following categories:
> Spread income represents the difference between net investment income and amounts credited to certain policyholder accounts. It excludes
the operating investment return on shareholder net assets, which has been separately disclosed as expected return on shareholder assets.
> Fee income represents profit driven by net investment performance, being fees that vary with the size of the underlying policyholder funds, net
of investment management expenses.
> With-profits represents the pre-tax shareholders’ transfer from the with-profits business for the period.
> Insurance margin primarily represents profit derived from the insurance risks of mortality and morbidity.
> Margin on revenues primarily represents amounts deducted from premiums to cover acquisition costs and administration expenses (see below).
> Acquisition costs and administration expenses represent expenses incurred in the period attributable to shareholders. These exclude items
such as restructuring and IFRS 17 implementation costs, which are not included in the segment profit, as well as items that are more
appropriately included in other categories (eg investment expenses are netted against investment income as part of spread income or fee
income as appropriate).
> DAC adjustments comprise DAC amortisation for the period, excluding amounts related to short-term fluctuations in investment returns, net of
costs deferred in respect of new business written in the period.
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I(ii) Analysis of adjusted operating profit by driver continued
The following analysis expresses certain of the Group’s sources of adjusted operating profit from continuing operations as a margin of policyholder
liabilities or other relevant drivers. The 2020 comparative information has been presented at both AER and CER to eliminate the impact of
exchange translation.
2021
Average
liability
$m
note (a)
47,270
33,401
84,905
Margin
bps
note (b)
66
103
16
4,194
80,968
(50)%
(205)
Profit
$m
312
345
135
2,897
3,008
(2,085)
(1,656)
566
231
3,753
(44)
3,709
314
4,023
2020 CER
Average
liability
$m
note (a)
40,113
28,425
73,248
Margin
bps
note (b)
76
101
16
3,890
68,758
(50)%
(234)
2020 AER
Average
liability
$m
note (a)
39,895
28,014
73,375
Margin
bps
note (b)
74
101
16
3,808
68,133
(51)%
(234)
Profit
$m
296
282
117
2,648
3,007
(1,928)
(1,591)
382
212
3,425
(46)
3,379
283
3,662
Profit
$m
304
287
118
2,689
3,048
(1,964)
(1,609)
392
214
3,479
(49)
3,430
286
3,716
Spread income
Fee income
With-profits
Insurance margin
Margin on revenues*
Expenses:*
Acquisition costs note (c)
Administration expenses
DAC adjustments
Expected return on shareholder assets*
Share of related tax charges from joint ventures and
associates note (d)
Long-term business
Eastspring
Adjusted operating profit
*Including amounts related to Africa operations.
Notes
(a)
The calculation of average liabilities is generally derived from opening and closing balances, with average liabilities used to derive the margin for fee income calculated using quarter-end
balances to provide a more meaningful analysis. Other than the average liabilities used to calculate the administration expense margin, the average liabilities in the analysis above exclude
the liabilities for the Africa operations.
(b) Margin represents the operating return earned in the year as a proportion of the relevant class of policyholder liabilities excluding unallocated surplus.
(c)
The ratio of acquisition costs is calculated as a percentage of APE sales in the year, including with-profits sales. Acquisition costs include only those relating to shareholder-backed business.
The ratio of shareholder acquisition costs to shareholder APE sales (excluding with-profits) in 2021 is 61 per cent (2020: 66 per cent on both AER and CER basis).
(d) Under IFRS, the Group’s share of results from its investments in joint ventures and associates accounted for using the equity method is included as a single line in the Group’s profit before tax
on a net of related tax basis. In the table above, the results of the joint ventures and associates are analysed by adjusted operating profit drivers and on a pre-tax basis, with related tax
charges shown separately in order for the contribution from the joint ventures and associates to be included in the profit driver and margin analysis on a consistent basis with the rest of the
business operations.
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Additional unaudited financial information / continued
I(iii) Analysis of adjusted operating profit by business unit
The table below presents the 2020 results on both AER and CER bases to eliminate the impact of exchange translation.
CPL
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Malaysia
Singapore
Growth markets and other
Philippines
Taiwan
Thailand
Vietnam
Other*
Share of related tax charges from joint ventures and associate
Long-term business
Eastspring
Adjusted operating profit
* Includes other growth markets and a number of small items that are not expected to reoccur.
(a) Eastspring adjusted operating profit
Operating income before performance-related fees note (1)
Performance-related fees
Operating income (net of commission) note (2)
Operating expense note (2)
Group’s share of tax on joint ventures’ operating profit
Adjusted operating profit
Average funds managed by Eastspring Investments
Margin based on operating income note (3)
Cost/income ratio note II(v)
2021 $m
2020 $m
2021 vs 2020 %
343
975
446
350
663
110
94
236
317
219
(44)
3,709
314
4,023
AER
251
891
519
309
574
95
85
210
270
221
(46)
3,379
283
3,662
CER
269
889
529
313
589
96
89
205
274
226
(49)
3,430
286
3,716
AER
37%
9%
(14)%
13%
16%
16%
11%
12%
17%
(1)%
(4)%
10%
11%
10%
CER
28%
10%
(16)%
12%
13%
15%
6%
15%
16%
(3)%
(10)%
8%
10%
8%
2021 $m
2020 $m
747
15
762
(403)
(45)
646
7
653
(336)
(34)
314
$251.7bn
30bps
54%
283
$227.1bn
28bps
52%
Notes
(1) Operating income before performance-related fees for Eastspring can be further analysed as follows:
2021
2020
* Institutional includes internal funds.
Retail
$m
449
390
Margin
bps
Institutional*
$m
Margin*
bps
56
52
298
256
17
17
Total
$m
747
646
Margin*
bps
30
28
(2) Operating income and expense include the Group’s share of contribution from joint ventures. In the condensed consolidated income statement of the Group IFRS basis results, the net
income after tax of the joint ventures and associates is shown as a single line item.
(3) Margin represents operating income before performance-related fees as a proportion of the related funds under management (FUM). Monthly closing internal and external funds managed
by Eastspring have been used to derive the average. Any funds held by the Group’s insurance operations that are managed by third parties outside the Prudential Group are excluded from
these amounts.
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I(iii) Analysis of adjusted operating profit by business unit continued
(b) Eastspring total funds under management
Eastspring manages funds from external parties and also funds for the Group’s insurance operations. The table below analyses the total funds
managed by Eastspring.
External funds under management, excluding funds managed on behalf of M&G plc note (1)
Retail
Institutional
Money market funds (MMF)
Funds managed on behalf of M&G plc note (2)
External funds under management
Internal funds under management
Total funds under management note (3)
Notes
(1) Movements in external funds under management, excluding those managed on behalf of M&G plc, are analysed below:
At 1 Jan
Market gross inflows
Redemptions
Market and other movements
At 31 Dec*
31 Dec 2021 $bn 31 Dec 2020 $bn
68.5
13.2
12.3
94.0
11.5
105.5
153.0
258.5
66.9
13.8
13.2
93.9
15.7
109.6
138.2
247.8
2021 $m
2020 $m
93,863
98,963
(99,862)
992
93,956
98,005
116,743
(126,668)
5,783
93,863
* The analysis of movements above includes $12,248 million relating to Asia Money Market Funds at 31 December 2021 (31 December 2020: $13,198 million). Investment flows for 2021 include
Eastspring Money Market Funds gross inflows of $61,949 million (2020: $76,317 million) and net outflows of $1,512 million (2020: net inflows of $48 million).
(2) Movements in funds managed on behalf of M&G plc are analysed below:
At 1 Jan
Net flows
Market and other movements
At 31 Dec
(3)
Total funds under management are analysed by asset class below:
Equity
Fixed income
Alternatives
Money Market Funds
Total funds under management
2021 $m
2020 $m
15,737
(4,040)
(168)
11,529
26,717
(10,033)
(947)
15,737
31 Dec 2021
31 Dec 2020
$bn
% of total
107.1
133.6
2.7
15.1
258.5
41%
52%
1%
6%
100%
$bn
103.9
125.7
2.7
15.5
247.8
% of total
42%
51%
1%
6%
100%
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Additional unaudited financial information / continued I(iv) Group funds under management
For Prudential’s asset management businesses, funds managed on behalf of third parties are not recorded on the balance sheet. They are, however,
a driver of profitability. Prudential therefore analyses the movement in the funds under management each year, focusing on those which are
external to the Group and those primarily held by the Group’s continuing insurance businesses. The table below analyses the funds of the Group
held in the balance sheet and the external funds that are managed by Prudential’s asset management businesses from continuing operations.
Continuing operations:
Internal funds
Eastspring external funds, including M&G plc (as analysed in note I(iii) above)
Total Group funds under management note
Note
Total Group funds under management from continuing operations comprise:
Total investments and cash and cash equivalents held by the continuing operations on the balance sheet
External funds of Eastspring including M&G plc
Internally managed funds held in joint ventures and associates, excluding assets attributable to external unit holders
of the consolidated collective investment schemes and other adjustments
Total Group funds under management
31 Dec 2021 $bn 31 Dec 2020 $bn
193.9
105.5
299.4
175.0
109.6
284.6
31 Dec 2021 $bn 31 Dec 2020 $bn
177.9
105.5
16.0
299.4
164.0
109.6
11.0
284.6
I(v) Holding company cash flow
The holding company cash flow describes the movement in the cash and short-term investments of the centrally managed group holding
companies and differs from the IFRS cash flow statement, which includes all cash flows in the year including those relating to both policyholder and
shareholder funds. The holding company cash flow is therefore a more meaningful indication of the Group’s central liquidity.
Net cash remitted by continuing operations:
Insurance and asset management business
Other operations
Net cash remitted by business units note (a)
Net interest paid
Tax received
Corporate activities note (b)
Centrally funded recurring bancassurance fees note (c)
Total central outflows
Holding company cash flow before dividends and other movements
Dividends paid
Operating holding company cash flow after dividends but before other movements
Other movements
Issuance and redemption of debt for continuing operations
Hong Kong public offer and international placing
Other corporate activities relating to continuing operations note (c)
UK and Europe demerger costs
US demerger costs
Total other movements
Total holding company cash flow
Cash and short-term investments at 1 Jan
Foreign exchange movements
Cash and short-term investments at 31 Dec note (d)
2021 $m
2020 $m
1,451
–
1,451
(314)
–
(322)
(176)
(812)
639
(421)
218
(255)
2,374
(199)
–
(30)
1,890
2,108
1,463
1
3,572
877
55
932
(294)
94
(432)
(220)
(852)
80
(814)
(734)
983
–
(954)
(17)
(20)
(8)
(742)
2,207
(2)
1,463
Notes
(a) Net cash remitted by business units comprise dividends and other transfers, net of capital injections, that are reflective of earnings and capital generation.
(b)
Including IFRS 17 implementation and restructuring costs paid in the year. In 2021, the Group changed its basis of presenting business unit remittances to reflect net cash remittances
before costs attributable to the head office functions based in Hong Kong, and to present all head office costs together within ‘corporate activities’. Accordingly, the 2020 amounts have been
re-presented from those previously published to reflect the change.
Other corporate activities relating to continuing operations of $(199) million (2020: $(954) million) include central contributions to the funding of Asia and Africa strategic growth initiatives,
principally non-recurring payments for bancassurance distribution agreements including UOB and MSB banks. In 2020, this also included one-off payments relating to the establishment of
the Group’s strategic bancassurance partnership with TMB Bank. Central payments for existing bancassurance distribution agreements are within the central outflows section of the holding
company cash flow, reflecting the recurring nature of these amounts. Other corporate activities also include sale proceeds of $83 million received in December 2021, following Jackson’s
announcement, as part of its previously disclosed $300 million share repurchase programme, of the repurchase of 2,242,516 shares of its Class A common stock from Prudential as discussed
in the Jackson section above.
Proceeds from the Group’s commercial paper programme are not included in the holding company cash and short-term investment balance.
(c)
(d)
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I(vi) Reconciliation of EEV expected transfer of value of in-force business and required capital to free surplus
The table below shows how the EEV value of in-force business (VIF) and the associated required capital for continuing long-term business
operations are projected as emerging into free surplus over the next 40 years. Although circa 8 per cent of the embedded value emerges after this
date, analysis of cash flows emerging in the years shown is considered most meaningful. The modelled cash flows use the same methodology
underpinning the Group’s embedded value reporting and so are subject to the same assumptions and sensitivities used to prepare our 2021 results.
In addition to showing the amounts, on both a discounted and undiscounted basis, expected to be generated from all in-force business at
31 December 2021, the table also presents the future free surplus expected to be generated from the investment made in new business during
2021 over the same 40-year period.
Expected period of emergence
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
2028
2029
2030
2031
2032
2033
2034
2035
2036
2037
2038
2039
2040
2041
2042-2046
2047-2051
2052-2056
2057-2061
31 Dec 2021 $m
Continuing long-term business operations
Expected generation from
all in-force business*
Expected generation from
new business written in 2021*
Undiscounted
Discounted
Undiscounted
Discounted
2,343
2,267
2,155
2,014
2,034
1,978
2,109
1,706
1,977
1,904
1,845
1,807
1,744
1,746
1,722
1,702
1,716
1,715
1,724
1,688
8,150
7,592
6,759
5,998
2,264
2,079
1,877
1,679
1,621
1,507
1,565
1,167
1,346
1,239
1,154
1,088
1,008
976
934
895
869
838
816
772
3,388
2,675
2,025
1,500
294
219
196
176
173
179
164
155
144
153
162
139
126
126
135
116
117
118
117
125
591
591
554
536
283
197
168
143
132
130
116
104
93
94
92
77
68
64
66
56
54
52
50
51
221
182
143
118
Total free surplus expected to emerge in the next 40 years
66,395
35,282
5,406
2,754
* The analysis excludes amounts incorporated into VIF and required capital at 31 December 2021 where there is no definitive time frame for when the payments will be made or receipts received. It
also excludes any free surplus projected to emerge after 2061.
The expected free surplus generation from new business written in 2021 can be reconciled to the new business profit as follows:
Undiscounted expected free surplus generation for years 2022 to 2061
Less: discount effect
Discounted expected free surplus generation for years 2022 to 2061
Discounted expected free surplus generation for years after 2061
Discounted expected free surplus generation from new business written in 2021
Free surplus investment in new business
Other items*
New business profit
2021 $m
5,406
(2,652)
2,754
299
3,053
(537)
10
2,526
* Other items represent the impact of the time value of options and guarantees on new business, foreign exchange effects and other non-modelled items. Foreign exchange effects arise as EEV new
business profit amounts are translated at average exchange rates and the expected free surplus generation is translated at closing rates.
372
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Additional unaudited financial information / continued The discounted expected free surplus generation from in-force business can be reconciled to the embedded value for long-term business operations
as follows:
Discounted expected generation from all in-force business for years 2022 to 2061
Discounted expected generation from all in-force business for years after 2061
Discounted expected generation from all in-force business at 31 December 2021
Free surplus of long-term business operations at 31 December 2021
Other items*
EEV for long-term business operations
* Other items represent the impact of the time value of options and guarantees and other non-modelled items.
31 Dec 2021 $m
35,282
3,640
38,922
5,960
(236)
44,646
The undiscounted expected free surplus generation from all in-force business at 31 December 2021 can be reconciled to the amount that was
expected to be generated at 31 December 2020 as follows:
2020 expected free surplus generation for years
2021 to 2060
Less: Amounts expected to be realised in the current
2021
$m
2022
$m
2023
$m
2024
$m
2025
$m
2026
$m
Other
$m
Total
$m
2,156
2,084
2,085
1,978
1,928
1,895
46,950
59,076
year
(2,156)
Add: Expected free surplus to be generated in year
2061 (excluding 2021 new business)
Foreign exchange differences
New business
Operating movements
Non-operating and other movements
2021 expected free surplus generation for years
2022 to 2061*
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
(26)
294
16
(25)
–
–
(26)
219
–
(11)
–
–
(24)
196
20
(15)
–
–
(25)
176
(20)
(45)
–
–
(24)
173
(18)
8
–
(2,156)
816
(467)
4,348
816
(592)
5,406
3,935
3,845
2,343
2,267
2,155
2,014
2,034
55,582
66,395
* Future expected free surplus generation includes Africa operations following the change in the Group’s operating segments in 2021.
At 31 December 2021, the total free surplus expected to be generated over the next five years (2022 to 2026 inclusive) for long-term business
operations, using the same assumptions and methodology as those underpinning 2021 embedded value reporting, was $10.8 billion (31 December
2020: $10.2 billion).
At 31 December 2021, the total free surplus expected to be generated on an undiscounted basis over the next 40 years for long-term business
operations is $66.4 billion, $7.3 billion higher than the $59.1 billion expected at the end of 2020. The increase is driven by new business and the
effect of generally higher interest rates across the region increasing projected returns, partially offset by unfavourable foreign exchange
movements.
Actual underlying free surplus generated in 2021 from long-term business in force at the end of 2020, before restructuring and IFRS 17
implementation costs, was $2.3 billion, including $(0.2) billion of changes in operating assumptions and experience variances. This compares with
the expected 2021 realisation at the end of 2020 of $2.2 billion and can be analysed further as follows:
Expected transfer from in-force business to free surplus in 2021
Expected return on existing free surplus
Changes in operating assumptions and experience variances
Underlying free surplus generated from long-term business in force before restructuring and IFRS 17 implementation costs
2021 free surplus expected to be generated at 31 December 2020
2021 $m
2,340
157
(173)
2,324
2,156
373
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information
I Additional financial information continued
I(vii) Option schemes
The Group presently grants share options through two schemes and exercises of the options are satisfied by the issue of new shares. Executive
Directors and eligible employees based in the UK may participate in the Prudential Savings-Related Share Option Scheme. Agents based in certain
regions of Asia can participate in the Prudential International Savings-Related Share Option Scheme for Non-Employees. Further details of the
schemes and accounting policies are detailed in note B2.2 of the IFRS basis consolidated financial statements.
All options were granted at nil consideration. No options have been granted to substantial shareholders, suppliers of goods or services (excluding
options granted to agents under the Prudential International Savings-Related Share Option Scheme for Non-Employees) or in excess of the
individual limit for the relevant scheme. The maximum share entitlement of each participant under the relevant scheme for each option granted is
limited to the total savings and any bonus or interest accumulated under that participant’s savings contract, divided by the exercise price. At
31 December 2021, the maximum number of shares issued or issuable under the schemes, which were approved by shareholders, to all participants
would not exceed 1 per cent of the issued share capital of the Company in the preceding 12-month period.
The option schemes will terminate as follows, unless the Directors resolve to terminate the plans at an earlier date:
> Prudential Savings-Related Share Option Scheme: 16 May 2023; and
> Prudential International Savings-Related Share Option Scheme for Non-Employees 2012: 12 May 2022.
The weighted average share price of Prudential plc for the year ended 31 December 2021 was £14.31 (2020: £11.64).
Particulars of options granted to Directors are included in the Directors’ remuneration report on page 216.
The closing prices of the shares immediately before the date on which the options were granted during the year were £13.29 for the Prudential
Savings-Related Share Option Scheme.
The following analysis shows the movement in options for each of the option schemes for the year ended 31 December 2021.
Prudential Savings-Related Share Option Scheme
Date of grant
22 Sep 15
21 Sep 16
21 Sep 17
21 Sep 17
29 Nov 19
29 Nov 19
22 Sep 20
22 Sep 20
08 Dec 21
08 Dec 21
Exercise period
Number of options
Exercise
price £
11.11
11.04
14.55
14.55
11.18
11.18
9.64
9.64
12.02
12.02
Beginning
01 Dec 20
01 Dec 21
01 Dec 20
01 Dec 22
01 Jan 23
01 Jan 25
01 Dec 23
01 Dec 25
01 Jan 25
01 Jan 27
End
Beginning
of year
Granted
Exercised
Cancelled
Forfeited
Lapsed
End of year
31 May 21
31 May 22
31 May 21
31 May 23
30 Jun 23
30 Jun 25
31 May 24
31 May 26
30 Jun 25
30 Jun 27
8,046
5,378
23,908
6,347
67,203
8,049
74,308
6,286
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
14,664
2,544
(3,996)
(2,046)
(9,816)
(1,202)
(4,511)
(536)
(414)
–
–
–
–
–
–
(164)
(3,413)
–
(4,318)
–
–
–
–
–
(1,237)
–
(4,719)
–
(4,851)
–
–
–
(4,050)
(615)
(12,855)
(859)
(6,032)
–
(1,453)
–
–
–
–
2,717
–
4,122
48,528
7,513
63,272
6,286
14,664
2,544
199,525
17,208
(22,521)
(7,895)
(10,807)
(25,864)
149,646
The total number of securities available for issue under the scheme is 149,646 which represents 0.005 per cent of the issued share capital at
31 December 2021.
The weighted average closing price of the shares immediately before the dates on which the options were exercised during the current period was
£12.78.
The weighted average fair value of options granted under the plan in the period was £3.12.
374
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Additional unaudited financial information / continued Prudential International Savings-Related Share Option Scheme for Non-Employees
Exercise period
Number of options
Date of grant
Exercise
price £
22 Sep 15
21 Sep 16
21 Sep 17
21 Sep 17
18 Sep 18
18 Sep 18
02 Oct 19
02 Oct 19
22 Sep 20
22 Sep 20
02 Nov 21
02 Nov 21
9.62
9.56
12.59
12.59
12.07
12.07
9.62
9.62
9.64
9.64
11.89
11.89
Beginning
End
01 Dec 20 31 May 21
01 Dec 21 31 May 22
01 Dec 20 31 May 21
01 Dec 22 31 May 23
01 Dec 21 31 May 22
01 Dec 23 31 May 24
01 Dec 22 31 May 23
01 Dec 24 31 May 25
01 Dec 23 31 May 24
01 Dec 25 31 May 26
01 Dec 24 31 May 25
01 Dec 26 31 May 27
Beginning
of year
280,079
214,845
205,980
190,274
193,405
129,527
330,931
223,165
198,799
153,790
–
–
Granted Modification
Exercised
Cancelled
Forfeited
Lapsed
End of year
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
207,910
189,431
–
7,215
–
6,541
6,887
4,349
11,496
7,792
6,503
5,085
–
–
(280,079)
(87,358)
(204,861)
–
(101,492)
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
(1,568)
(966)
(4,691)
(728)
(1,242)
(3,608)
(7,011)
(3,203)
(1,556)
(1,360)
–
–
–
–
(582)
(48)
(139)
–
(470)
–
–
–
–
–
–
(153)
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
133,134
–
191,542
98,024
132,495
338,819
223,476
202,099
157,319
206,550
189,431
2,120,795
397,341
55,868
(673,790)
(25,933)
(1,239)
(153) 1,872,889
The total number of securities available for issue under the scheme is 1,872,889 which represents 0.068 per cent of the issued share capital at
31 December 2021.
The weighted average closing price of the shares immediately before the dates on which the options were exercised during the current period was
£10.79.
The weighted average fair value of options granted under the plan in the period was £4.17.
375
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information I Additional financial information continued
I(viii) Selected historical financial information of Prudential
The following table sets forth Prudential’s selected consolidated financial data for the years indicated, which is derived from Prudential’s audited
consolidated financial statements. This table is only a summary and should be read in conjunction with Prudential’s consolidated financial
statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this document.
In the table below, continuing operations reflect the Group’s insurance and asset management businesses in Asia and Africa and central
operations. Discontinued operations represent the Group’s US business (Jackson) demerged in September 2021 and the Group’s UK and Europe
business (M&G) demerged in November 2019.
IFRS basis results
Income statement note (i)
Continuing operations:
Gross premiums earned
Outward reinsurance premiums
Earned premiums, net of reinsurance
Investment return
Other income
Total revenue, net of reinsurance
Benefits and claims and movement in unallocated surplus of with-profits funds,
net of reinsurance
Acquisition costs and other expenditure
Finance costs: interest on core structural borrowings of shareholder-financed
businesses
(Loss) gain attaching to corporate transactions
Total charges, net of reinsurance
2021 $m
2020 $m
2019 $m
2018 $m
2017 $m
24,217
(1,844)
22,373
3,486
641
26,500
23,495
(1,625)
21,870
13,762
615
36,247
23,855
(1,116)
22,739
14,961
639
38,339
22,039
(771)
21,268
(2,723)
465
19,010
20,255
(850)
19,405
11,687
457
31,549
(18,911)
(4,560)
(28,588)
(4,651)
(29,171)
(5,908)
(11,690)
(5,793)
(23,588)
(5,823)
(328)
(35)
(316)
(30)
(496)
(142)
(525)
(57)
(527)
83
(23,834)
(33,585)
(35,717)
(18,065)
(29,855)
Share of profits from joint ventures and associates net of related tax
352
517
397
319
233
Profit before tax (being tax attributable to shareholders’ and policyholders’
returns) note (ii)
Tax charges attributable to policyholders’ returns
Profit before tax attributable to shareholders’ returns
Tax credit (charges) attributable to shareholders’ returns
Profit from continuing operations
(Loss) profit from discontinued US operations
(Loss) profit from discontinued UK and Europe operations
(Loss) profit for the year
3,018
(342)
2,676
(462)
2,214
(5,027)
–
(2,813)
3,179
(271)
2,908
(440)
2,468
(283)
–
2,185
3,019
(365)
2,654
(316)
2,338
(385)
(1,161)
792
1,264
(107)
1,157
(235)
922
1,959
1,142
4,023
1,927
(321)
1,606
(186)
1,420
328
1,333
3,081
Basic earnings per share (in cents) note (i)
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
Based on (loss) profit for the year attributable to the equity holders
of the Company:
Continuing operations
Discontinued US operations
Discontinued UK and Europe operations
Total
Dividend per share (in cents) excluding demerger dividend
Dividends paid in reporting period
83.4¢
(161.1)¢
–
(77.7)¢
2021
16.10¢
94.6¢
(13.0)¢
–
81.6¢
2020
31.34¢
90.0¢
(14.9)¢
(44.8)¢
30.3¢
2019
63.18¢
35.6¢
76.1¢
44.3¢
55.3¢
12.7¢
52.0¢
156.0¢
120.0¢
2018
64.34¢
2017
59.32¢
Statement of financial position at 31 Dec note (iii)
2021 $m
2020 $m
2019 $m
2018 $m
2017 $m
Total assets
Total policyholder liabilities and unallocated surplus of with-profits funds
Core structural borrowings of shareholder-financed businesses
Total liabilities
Total equity
199,102
157,299
6,127
181,838
17,264
516,097
446,463
6,633
493,978
22,119
454,214
390,428
5,594
434,545
19,669
647,810
541,466
9,761
625,819
21,991
668,203
579,261
8,496
646,432
21,771
376
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Annual Report 2021
prudentialplc.com
Additional unaudited financial information / continued Supplementary IFRS basis results
Continuing operations note (i)
Adjusted operating profit note (iv)
Non-operating items
Profit before tax attributable to shareholders
Operating earnings per share after tax and non-controlling interest (in cents)
Supplementary EEV basis results – continuing operations
2021 $m
2020 $m
2019 $m
2018 $m
2017 $m
3,233
(557)
2,676
101.5¢
2,757
151
2,908
86.6¢
2,247
407
2,654
73.4¢
1,875
(718)
1,157
62.1¢
1,512
94
1,606
50.4¢
Income statement note (i)
EEV operating profit note (iv)
Non-operating items
Profit attributable to shareholders
2021 $m
2020 $m
2019 $m
2018 $m
2017 $m
3,543
(306)
3,237
3,401
573
3,974
5,151
1,058
6,209
5,088
(533)
4,555
3,987
626
4,613
Operating earnings per share after non-controlling interest (in cents)
133.8¢
130.6¢
198.8¢
197.4¢
155.3¢
New business contribution note (i)
Annual premium equivalent (APE) sales
EEV new business profit (NBP) (post-tax)*
2021 $m
2020 $m
2019 $m
2018 $m
2017 $m
4,194*
2,526*
3,808*
2,201
5,243
3,522
5,050
3,477
4,934
3,052
* Africa operations are included within the covered business from 2021 following the change in the Group’s operating segments. Africa is excluded from all other years.
Embedded value at 31 Dec
2021 $bn
2020 $bn
2019 $bn
2018 $bn
2017 $bn
EEV shareholders’ equity, excluding non-controlling interests –
continuing operations
Discontinued operations (US, and UK and Europe)
EEV shareholders’ equity
Other financial information
47.4
–
47.4
41.9
12.1
54.0
38.4
16.3
54.7
27.4
36.0
63.4
23.8
36.7
60.5
Operating free surplus generated note (i)
2021 $m
2020 $m
2019 $m
2018 $m
2017 $m
Total operating free surplus generated from continuing operations
1,179
890
762
554
397
At 31 Dec note (i)
Eastspring funds under management note (v)
Group shareholder GWS capital surplus (over GMCR) note (vi)
2021 $bn
2020 $bn
2019 $bn
2018 $bn
2017 $bn
258.5
13.2
247.8
9.4
241.1
–
192.7
–
187.9
–
Notes
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
The comparative income statements for 2017 to 2020 have been re-presented from those previously published, to reflect the demerger of the Group’s US operations (Jackson) in September
2021, which have been reclassified as discontinued operations.
This measure is the formal profit (loss) before tax measure under IFRS. It is not the result attributable to shareholders.
The comparative statements of financial position for 2017 to 2020 include the discontinued US operations as originally published. Furthermore, the 2018 and 2017 comparatives also
include the Group’s discontinued UK and Europe operations as originally published. The total assets and total equity as of 31 December 2021 include $683 million in respect of the Group’s
18.4 per cent retained economic interest in Jackson.
(iv) Adjusted operating profit and EEV operating profit are determined on the basis of including longer-term investment returns, which are stated after excluding the effect of short-term
fluctuations in investment returns on shareholder-backed business and gain or loss attaching to corporate transactions. Separately, for IFRS basis results, adjusted operating profit also
excludes amortisation of acquisition accounting adjustments arising on the purchase of business. For EEV basis results, operating profit also excludes the effect of changes in economic
assumptions and the mark-to-market value movements on core structural borrowings for shareholder-financed operations.
Eastspring total funds under management comprise funds from external parties, including funds managed on behalf of M&G plc as well as funds for the Group’s insurance operations.
The 2021 Group shareholder GWS capital surplus (over GMCR) reflects the Insurance (Group Capital) Rules as set out in the GWS Framework which became effective for Prudential in May
2021, 2020 comparative information has been re-presented on a GWS basis. The 2020 shareholder GWS capital surplus (over GMCR) is presented on a Group excluding Jackson basis and
before including the value of the Group’s retained interest in Jackson.
(v)
(vi)
377
Prudential plc Annual Report 2021Group overviewStrategic reportGovernanceDirectors’ remuneration reportFinancial statementsEuropean Embedded Value (EEV) basis resultsAdditional information
II Calculation of alternative performance measures
Prudential uses alternative performance measures (APMs) to provide more relevant explanations of the Group’s financial position and performance.
This section sets out explanations for each APM and reconciliations to relevant IFRS balances.
II(i) Reconciliation of adjusted operating profit to profit before tax
Adjusted operating profit presents the operating performance of the business. This measurement basis adjusts for the following items within total
IFRS profit before tax:
> Short-term fluctuations in investment returns on shareholder-backed business;
> Amortisation of acquisition accounting adjustments arising on the purchase of business; and
> Gain or loss on corporate transactions, as discussed in note D1.1 to the IFRS basis results.
More details on how adjusted operating profit is determined are included in note B1.2 of the Group IFRS basis results. A full reconciliation to profit
after tax is given in note B1.1.
II(ii) Calculation of IFRS gearing ratio from continuing operations
IFRS gearing ratio is calculated as net core structural borrowings of shareholder-financed businesses divided by closing IFRS shareholders’ equity
plus net core structural borrowings, all in respect of continuing operations.
Continuing operations:
Core structural borrowings of shareholder-financed businesses
Less holding company cash and short-term investments
Net core structural borrowings of shareholder-financed businesses
Closing shareholders’ equity
Closing shareholders’ equity plus net core structural borrowings
IFRS gearing ratio
31 Dec 2021 $m 31 Dec 2020 $m
6,127
(3,572)
2,555
17,088
19,643
13%
6,383
(1,463)
4,920
12,367
17,287
28%
II(iii) Return on IFRS shareholders’ equity from continuing operations
This measure is calculated as adjusted operating profit from continuing operations, after tax and non-controlling interests, divided by average
shareholders’ equity in respect of continuing operations.
Detailed reconciliation of adjusted operating profit from continuing operations to IFRS profit before tax for the Group is shown in note B1.1 to the
Group IFRS basis results.
Adjusted operating profit
Tax on adjusted operating profit
Adjusted operating profit attributable to non-controlling interests
Adjusted operating profit, net of tax and non-controlling interests
Shareholders’ equity at beginning of year
Shareholders’ equity at end of year
Average shareholders’ equity
Operating return on average shareholders’ equity (%)
2021 $m
2020 $m
3,233
(548)
(17)
2,668
12,367
17,088
14,728
18%
2,757
(497)
(10)
2,250
10,548
12,367
11,458
20%
II(iv) Calculation of IFRS shareholders’ equity per share
IFRS shareholders’ equity per share is calculated as closing IFRS shareholders’ equity divided by the number of issued shares at the end of the year.
Number of issued shares at the end of the year
Closing IFRS shareholders’ equity for continuing operations ($ million)
Shareholders’ equity per share (cents) for continuing operations
Closing IFRS shareholders’ equity for discontinuing operations ($ million)
Shareholders’ equity per share (cents) for discontinued US operations
Group shareholders’ equity per share (cents)
378
Prudential plc
Annual Report 2021
2021
2,746
17,088
622¢
–
–
622¢
2020
2,609
12,367
474¢
8,511
326¢
800¢
prudentialplc.com
Additional unaudited financial information / continued II(v) Calculation of Eastspring cost/income ratio
The cost/income ratio is calculated as operating expenses, adjusted for commissions and share of contribution from joint ventures and associates,
divided by operating income, adjusted for commission, share of contribution from joint ventures and associates and performance-related fees.
IFRS revenue
Share of revenue from joint ventures and associates
Commissions
Performance-related fees
Operating income before performance-related fees note
IFRS charges
Share of expenses from joint ventures and associates
Commissions
Operating expense
Cost/income ratio (operating expense/operating income before performance-related fees)
2021 $m
2020 $m
665
314
(217)
(15)
747
498
122
(217)
403
54%
612
235
(194)
(7)
646
446
84
(194)
336
52%
Note
IFRS revenue and charges for Eastspring are included within the IFRS Income statement in ‘other income’ and ‘acquisition costs and other expenditure’ respectively. Operating income and expense
include the Group’s share of contribution from joint ventures and associates. In the condensed consolidated income statement of the Group IFRS basis results, the net income after tax from the
joint ventures and associates is shown as a single line item.
II(vi) Reconciliation of gross premiums earned to renewal insurance premiums
IFRS gross premiums earned
Less: General insurance premium
Less: IFRS gross earned premium from new regular and single premium business
Add: Renewal premiums from joint ventures and associates note
Renewal insurance premiums
Annual premium equivalent (APE)
Life weighted premium income
2021 $m
2020 $m
24,217
(124)
(6,500)
2,295
19,888
4,194
24,082
AER
23,495
(130)
(5,112)
1,957
20,210
3,808
24,018
CER
23,722
(130)
(5,225)
2,036
20,403
3,890
24,293
Note
For the purpose of the definition of renewal premiums from joint ventures and associates in the table above, premiums for the deposit component of insurance contracts from our CPL business
are excluded.
II(vii) Gross premiums earned including joint ventures and associates
IFRS gross premiums earned
Gross premiums earned from joint ventures and associates
Total Group (continuing operations)
2021 $m
2020 $m
24,217
4,579
28,796
23,495
3,233
26,728
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II(viii) Reconciliation of gross premiums earned to APE new business sales
The Group reports APE new business sales as a measure of the new policies sold in the year. APE is calculated as the aggregate of regular premiums
and one-tenth of single premiums on new business written during the year for all insurance products, including premiums for contracts designated
as investment contracts under IFRS 4. The use of the one-tenth of single premiums is to normalise policy premiums into the equivalent of regular
annual payments. This measure is commonly used in the insurance industry to allow comparisons of the amount of new business written in a period
by life insurance companies, particularly when the sales contain both single premium and regular premium business. This differs from the IFRS
measure of gross premiums earned as shown below from continuing operations:
Gross premiums earned
Less: premiums from in-force renewal business note (a)
Less: 90% of single premiums on new business sold in the year note (b)
Add: APE sales from joint ventures and associates on equity accounting method note (c)
Other adjustments note (d)
Annual premium equivalent (APE)
2021 $m
2020 $m
24,217
(17,593)
(3,602)
1,104
68
4,194
23,495
(18,253)
(2,147)
820
(107)
3,808
Notes
(a) Gross premiums earned include premiums from existing in-force business as well as new business given the Group’s focus on recurring premium business.
(b)
(c)
APE new business sales only include one-tenth of single premiums, recorded on policies sold in the year. Gross premiums earned include 100 per cent of such premiums.
For the purpose of reporting APE new business sales, the Group’s share of amounts sold by the Group’s insurance joint ventures and associates are included. Under IFRS, joint ventures and
associates are equity accounted and so no amounts are included within gross premiums earned.
APE new business sales are annualised while gross premiums earned are recorded only when revenues are due. Other adjustments also reflect the inclusion of policies written in the year
which are classified as investment contracts without discretionary participation features under IFRS 4, which are recorded as deposits and therefore not in gross premiums earned, and the
exclusion of general insurance earned on an IFRS basis.
(d)
II(ix) Reconciliation between IFRS and EEV shareholders’ equity
The table below shows the reconciliation of EEV shareholders’ equity and IFRS shareholders’ equity from continuing operations at the end of the
year:
IFRS shareholders’ equity from continuing operations
Less: DAC assigned zero value for EEV purposes
Add: Value of in-force business of long-term business note (a)
Other note (b)
EEV shareholders’ equity from continuing operations
31 Dec 2021 $m 31 Dec 2020 $m
17,088
(2,815)
35,456
(2,374)
47,355
12,367
(2,353)
34,068
(2,156)
41,926
Notes
(a)
EEV shareholders’ equity comprises the present value of the shareholders’ interest in the value of in-force business, total net worth of long-term business operations and IFRS shareholders’
equity of asset management and other operations. The value of in-force business reflects the present value of expected future shareholder cash flows from long-term in-force business which
are not captured as shareholders’ interest on an IFRS basis. Total net worth represents the regulatory basis net assets for EEV reporting purposes, with adjustments as appropriate.
(b) Other adjustments represent asset and liability valuation differences between IFRS and the local regulatory reporting basis used to value total net worth for long-term insurance operations.
These also include the mark-to-market value movements of the Group’s core structural borrowings which are fair valued under EEV but are held at amortised cost under IFRS. One of the
most significant valuation differences relate to changes in the valuation of insurance liabilities.
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Additional unaudited financial information / continued II(x) Calculation of return on embedded value
Operating return on embedded value is calculated as the EEV operating profit for the year as a percentage of average EEV basis shareholders’
equity for continuing operations.
Continuing operations
EEV operating profit for the year
Operating profit attributable to non-controlling interests
EEV operating profit, net of non-controlling interest ($ million)
Shareholders’ equity at beginning of year
Shareholders’ equity at end of year
Average shareholders’ equity ($ million)
Operating return on average shareholders’ equity (%)
2021
3,543
(28)
3,515
41,926
47,355
44,641
8%
New business profit over embedded value is calculated as the EEV new business profit for the year as a percentage of average EEV basis
shareholders’ equity for continuing long-term business operations, excluding goodwill attributable to equity holders.
New business profit ($ million)*
Average EEV basis shareholders’ equity for continuing long-term business operations, excluding goodwill attributable
to equity holders ($ million)
New business profit on embedded value (%)
2021
2,526
43,754
6%
2020
3,401
(10)
3,391
38,369
41,926
40,148
8%
2020
2,201
40,382
5%
* New business profit is attributed to the shareholders of the Group before deducting the amount attributable to non-controlling interests. 2021 new business profit includes amounts related to
Africa operations.
Average embedded value has been based on opening and closing EEV basis shareholders’ equity for continuing long-term business operations,
excluding goodwill attributable to equity holders, as follows:
Shareholders’ equity at beginning of year
Shareholders’ equity at end of year
Average shareholders’ equity for continuing long-term business operations, excluding goodwill attributable
to equity holders
2021 $m
2020 $m
42,861
44,646
37,902
42,861
43,754
40,382
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Risk factors
A number of risk factors may affect the financial condition, results of
operations and/or prospects of Prudential and its wholly and jointly
owned businesses, as a whole, and, accordingly, the trading price of
Prudential’s shares. The risk factors mentioned below should not be
regarded as a complete and comprehensive statement of all potential
risks and uncertainties. The information given is as of the date of this
document, and any forward-looking statements are made subject
to the factors specified under ‘Forward-looking statements’.
Prudential’s approaches to managing risks are explained in the
‘Risk review’ section of this document.
1. Risks relating to Prudential’s financial situation
1.1 The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly impacted financial
market volatility and global economic activity, increased
operational disruption risks for businesses and has adversely
impacted Prudential’s sales in affected markets and its financial
condition, results of operations and prospects. The full extent of
the longer-term impacts from the pandemic remains uncertain.
The Covid-19 pandemic has added significant uncertainty to the
stability and outlook of equity markets, interest rates and credit
spreads, and has affected market liquidity and reduced global
economic activity. The potential adverse impacts to the Group of
these effects are detailed in risk factor 1.2 below. However, while
global growth has broadly recovered, the full extent of the long-term
impact of the pandemic on financial markets and economic growth
remains highly uncertain and unpredictable and will be influenced by
the actions of governments, policymakers and the public. These
actions, and their effectiveness, vary between markets, and may drive
an uneven economic recovery, and include the extent and timing of
continued measures to restrict movement and the effectiveness of
vaccination programme deployment and uptake in response to
current, emerging and future variants of the coronavirus. Where
actions and impacts are prolonged, they may affect the solvency
position of the Group’s subsidiaries and prevent or limit their ability
to make remittances, adversely impacting the financial condition
and prospects of the Group.
The regulatory and supervisory responses to the Covid-19 pandemic
have been broad and have included increased scrutiny of the
operational resilience, liquidity and capital strength (including the
impact of making dividend payments) of financial services companies.
As some countries begin to adopt strategies to manage Covid-19 as
an endemic disease, variations in the speed of economic recovery
between markets, and the subsequent impact on their respective
interest rates, inflation expectations and the relative strength of their
currencies (and the associated impact on their foreign currency debt
obligations, which may disproportionately impact emerging
economies) may have broader long-term adverse economic and
financial consequences for the markets in which the Group operates
and the full extent of this currently remains uncertain. Various
governments have effected, or may effect, the postponement of
elections and other constitutional or legislative processes in response
to the pandemic, and this may result in an increase in constitutional
and political uncertainty in some of the markets in which the Group
operates. Many governments are implementing Covid-19
vaccination and booster programmes, and variable accessibility
to supplies of vaccines that are effective against current, emerging
and future variants of the coronavirus has the potential to
contribute to an increase in geopolitical and political tensions.
The longer term political, regulatory and supervisory developments
resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic remain highly uncertain.
These may include changes to government fiscal policies, laws and
regulations aimed at increasing financial stability and/or measures on
businesses or specific industries to contribute to, lessen or otherwise
support, the financial cost to governments in addressing the
pandemic. This may extend to requirements on private insurance
companies and healthcare providers to cover the costs associated
with the treatment of Covid-19 beyond contractual or policy terms.
The Covid-19 pandemic, and measures to contain it, have slowed
economic and social activity in the Group’s geographical markets.
While these conditions persist, the level of sales activity in affected
markets has been, and will continue to be, adversely impacted
through a reduction in travel and agency and bancassurance activity.
In particular, sales in the Group’s Hong Kong business continue to be
adversely impacted by the border restrictions in place with Mainland
China. In FY 2020, during which the border closure occurred in Q1,
the APE sales of the Group’s Hong Kong business reduced by
$1,258 million (or 62 per cent) compared to 2019. In FY 2021, during
which the border remained closed for the entire year, the APE sales
of the Hong Kong business reduced by $208 million (or 27 per cent)
compared to 2020. These impacts to the APE sales of the Group’s
Hong Kong business were largely as a result of the border closure.
Recovery in sales levels will be dependent on the timing and extent of
the easing of these restrictions, with the emergence of the Covid-19
Omicron variant further increasing uncertainty to the return of
Mainland China customers as well as the resumption of their demand
for the Group’s products in Hong Kong. These impacts may be
prolonged in markets which continue to rely on containment measures
based on restrictions of movement. The impact on economic activity
and employment levels may result in an elevated incidence of claims,
lapses, or surrenders of policies, and some policyholders may choose
to defer or stop paying insurance premiums or reduce deposits into
retirement plans. The pandemic may also indirectly result in elevated
claims and policy lapses or surrenders, with some delay in time before
being felt by the Group, due to factors such as policyholders deferring
medical treatment during the pandemic, or policyholders lapsing or
surrendering their policies on the expiry of grace periods for premium
payments provided by the Group’s businesses. The Group’s
assessment to date is that elevated mortality claims in some markets
can be attributed to Covid-19. The full extent of the impact of the
Covid-19 pandemic is currently uncertain and the Group’s claims and
persistency experience to date and its current insurance assumptions
cannot be taken as an indicator of future potential experience from
the Covid-19 pandemic which may deteriorate significantly and have
a material adverse effect on Prudential’s business, financial condition,
results of operations and prospects. The potential longer-term
impacts of the pandemic may include latent morbidity impacts
from the deferral of medical treatment by policyholders. It may be a
factor in increasing morbidity claims and there may be implications
from other factors such as long-term post-Covid-19 symptoms
(although there is currently no consensus on the longer term impact
on morbidity).
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Disruption to Prudential’s operations may result where its employees,
or those of its service partners and counterparties, contract Covid-19
or are affected by restrictions on movement; where office closures and
other measures impacting working practices are effected, such as the
imposition of remote working arrangements; and where quarantine
requirements and isolation measures under local laws apply, and as a
result of social distancing and/or other psychosocial impacts. While
such measures are in place, there may also be an increase in attempts
to compromise the resilience of IT systems through phishing, social
engineering tactics and ransomware. Such measures, and the cycles
of their relaxation and re-imposition, may also adversely impact the
physical and mental health of the Group’s staff, increasing the
risk of operational disruption resulting from performance
impairment, an increase in absenteeism, or increased levels of
staff turnover, which may affect operational capacity with the potential
to be exacerbated by challenges in recruitment. The operations of
Prudential’s service partners (which subject the Group to the risks
detailed in risk factor 3.7, resulting in certain risks that Prudential does
not face with respect to its wholly-owned subsidiaries) may be disrupted
in different ways and to a more severe extent than the Group’s
operations and may impact service delivery to the Group.
In response to pandemic-related restrictions, Prudential implemented
changes to its sales and distribution processes in specific markets.
These include virtual face-to-face sales of its products and the online
recruitment, training and, where possible, licensing of agents. Such
changes may increase or introduce new operational and regulatory
risks, in particular those focused on customer outcomes and conduct.
A failure to implement appropriate governance and management of
these new or incremental risks may adversely impact Prudential’s
reputation and brand and the results of its operations. In markets where
the level of sales under these new processes is material or where such
processes become permanent distribution channels, the commercial
value of the Group’s existing sale and distribution arrangements, such
as bancassurance arrangements, may be adversely impacted.
1.2 Prudential’s businesses are inherently subject to market
fluctuations and general economic conditions, each of which may
adversely affect the Group’s business, financial condition, results
of operations and prospects.
Uncertainty, fluctuations or negative trends in global and national
macro-economic conditions and investment climates could have
a material adverse effect on Prudential’s business and profitability.
Prudential operates in a macroeconomic and global financial market
environment that presents significant uncertainties and potential
challenges. For example, following a prolonged period of relatively low
interest rates in countries relevant to Prudential, the reopening and
recovery of some economies during 2021 has resulted in inflationary
pressures, which if sustained or increased may drive interest rates
higher, impacting the valuation of fixed income assets. Uncertainties
also include the impact of factors such as the actions of central banks
and governments to mitigate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and
in response to inflationary pressures. The transition to a lower carbon
economy, the timing and speed of which is uncertain, may also result in
greater uncertainty, fluctuations or negative trends in asset valuations,
particularly for carbon intensive sectors, and will have a bearing on
inflation levels.
Global financial markets are subject to uncertainty and volatility
created by a variety of factors. These factors include actual or expected
slowdowns or reversals in world economic growth (particularly where
this is abrupt, as has been the case with the early impact of the Covid-19
pandemic), sector specific slowdowns or deteriorations which have
the potential to have contagion impacts (such as the negative
developments in the China property sector), fluctuations in global
energy prices, changes in monetary policy in China, the US and other
jurisdictions together with their impact on the valuation of all asset
classes and effect on interest rates and inflation expectations, and
concerns over sovereign debt. Other factors include the increased level
of geopolitical and political risk and policy-related uncertainty
(including those resulting from the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the
potential impact on business sentiment and the broader market
resulting from regulatory tightening across sectors in China) and
socio-political, climate-driven and pandemic events. The extent of the
financial market and economic impact of these factors may be highly
uncertain and unpredictable and influenced by the actions, including
the duration and effectiveness of mitigating measures of governments,
policymakers and the public.
The adverse effects of such factors could be felt principally through
the following items:
> Lower interest rates and reduced investment returns arising on the
Group’s portfolios including impairment of debt securities and loans,
which could reduce Prudential’s capital and impair its ability to write
significant volumes of new business, increase the potential adverse
impact of product guarantees included in non-unit-linked products
with a savings component, increase reinvestment risk for some of the
Group’s investments from accelerated prepayments and increased
redemptions and/or have a negative impact on its assets under
management and profit.
> A reduction in the financial strength and flexibility of corporate
entities, as recently experienced by a number of issuers within the
China property sector, which may deteriorate the credit rating profile
and valuation of the Group’s invested credit portfolio (and which may
result in an increase in regulatory capital requirements for the Group
or its businesses), increased credit defaults and debt restructurings
and wider credit and liquidity spreads resulting in realised and
unrealised credit losses. Regulations imposing or increasing
restrictions on the amount of company debt financing, such as those
placing limits on debt or liability ratios, may also reduce the financial
flexibility of corporate entities. Similarly, securitised assets in the
Group’s investment portfolio are subject to default risk and may
be adversely impacted by delays or failures of borrowers to make
payments of principal and interest when due. Where a widespread
deterioration in the financial strength of corporate entities occurs,
any assumptions on the ability and willingness of governments to
provide financial support may need to be revised.
> Failure of counterparties who have transactions with Prudential
(such as banks, reinsurers and counterparties to cash management
and risk transfer or hedging transactions) to meet commitments that
could give rise to a negative impact on Prudential’s financial position
and on the accessibility or recoverability of amounts due or the
adequacy of collateral. Geographic or sector concentrations of
counterparty credit risk could exacerbate the impact of these events
where they materialise.
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difficult because in certain illiquid or closed markets, determining
the value at which financial instruments can be realised is highly
subjective. Processes to ascertain such values require substantial
elements of judgement, assumptions and estimates (which may
change over time). Where the Group is required to sell its investments
within a defined timeframe, such market conditions may result in
the sale of these investments at below expected or recorded prices.
> The Group holds certain investments that may, by their nature,
lack liquidity or have the potential to lose liquidity rapidly, such as
investment funds (including money market funds), privately placed
fixed maturity securities, mortgage loans, complex structured
securities and alternative investments. If these investments were
required to be liquidated on short notice, the Group may experience
difficulty in doing so and may be forced to sell them at a lower price
than it otherwise would have been able to realise.
> A reduction in revenue from the Group’s products where fee income
is linked to account values or the market value of the funds under
management. In particular, decreases in equity prices impact the
amount of revenue derived from fees from the unit-linked products.
Sustained inflationary pressures which may drive higher interest rates
may also impact the valuation of fixed income investments and
reduce fee income.
> Increased illiquidity, which includes the risk that expected cash
inflows from investments and operations will not be adequate to
meet the Group’s anticipated short-term and long-term policyholder
benefits and expense payment obligations. Increased illiquidity also
adds to uncertainty over the accessibility of financial resources which
in extreme conditions can impact the functioning of markets and
may reduce capital resources as valuations decline. This could occur
where external capital is unavailable at sustainable cost, increased
liquid assets are required to be held as collateral under derivative
transactions or redemption restrictions are placed on Prudential’s
investments in illiquid funds. In addition, significant redemption
requests could also be made on Prudential’s issued funds and while
this may not have a direct impact on the Group’s liquidity, it could
result in reputational damage to Prudential. The potential impact
of increased illiquidity is more uncertain than for other risks such as
interest rate or credit risk.
In general, upheavals in the financial markets may affect general levels
of economic activity, employment and customer behaviour. As a result,
insurers may experience an elevated incidence of claims, lapses, or
surrenders of policies, and some policyholders may choose to defer or
stop paying insurance premiums or reduce deposits into retirement
plans. The demand for insurance products may also be adversely
affected. In addition, there may be a higher incidence of counterparty
failures. If sustained, this environment is likely to have a negative impact
on the insurance sector over time and may consequently have a
negative impact on Prudential’s business and its balance sheet and
profitability. For example, this could occur if the recoverable value of
intangible assets for bancassurance agreements and deferred
acquisition costs are reduced. New challenges related to market
fluctuations and general economic conditions may continue to emerge.
For example, inflationary pressures driving higher interest rates may
lead to increased lapses for some guaranteed savings products where
higher levels of guarantees are offered by products of the Group’s
competitors, reflecting consumer demand for returns at the level of,
or exceeding, inflation. Increased inflation may also adversely impact
the ability of consumers to purchase insurance products, particularly
in lower income customer segments.
For some non-unit-linked products with a savings component it may
not be possible to hold assets which will provide cash flows to match
those relating to policyholder liabilities. This is particularly true in those
countries where bond markets are less developed or where the duration
of policyholder liabilities is longer than the duration of bonds issued and
available in the market, and in certain markets where regulated
premium and claim values are set with reference to the interest rate
environment prevailing at the time of policy issue. This results in a
mismatch due to the duration and uncertainty of the liability cash flows
and the lack of sufficient assets of a suitable duration. While this residual
asset/liability mismatch risk can be managed, it cannot be eliminated.
If interest rates in these markets are lower than those used to calculate
premium and claim values over a sustained period, this could have a
material adverse effect on Prudential’s reported profit and the solvency
of its business units. In addition, part of the profit from the Group’s
operations is related to bonuses for policyholders declared on with-
profits products, which are impacted by the difference between actual
investment returns of the with-profits fund (which are broadly based
on historical and current rates of return on equity, real estate and
fixed income securities) and minimum guarantee rates offered to
policyholders. This profit could be lower in particular in a sustained
low interest rate environment.
Any of the foregoing factors and events, individually or together,
could have a material adverse effect on Prudential’s business,
financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
1.3 Geopolitical and political risks and uncertainty may adversely
impact economic conditions, increase market volatility, cause
operational disruption to the Group and impact its strategic plans,
which could have adverse effects on Prudential’s business,
financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
The Group is exposed to geopolitical and political risks and uncertainty
in the markets in which it operates. Such risks may include:
> The application of government regulations, executive powers,
protectionist or restrictive economic and trade policies or measures
adopted by businesses or industries which increase trade barriers or
restrict trade, sales, financial transactions, or the transfer of capital,
investment, data or other intellectual property, with respect to
specific territories, markets, companies or individuals;
> An increase in the volume and pace of domestic regulatory changes,
including those applying to specific sectors;
> The increased adoption or implementation of laws and regulations
which may purport to have extra-territorial application;
> International trade disputes such as the implementation of
trade tariffs;
> Withdrawals or expulsions from existing trading blocs or agreements
or financial transaction systems, including those which facilitate
cross-border payments;
> The domestic application of measures restricting national airspace
with respect to aircraft of specific territories, markets, companies
or individuals;
> Measures favouring local enterprises, such as changes to the
maximum level of non-domestic ownership by foreign companies or
differing treatment of foreign-owned businesses under regulations
and tax rules; and
> Measures which require businesses of overseas companies to operate
through locally incorporated entities or with requirements on
minimum local representation on executive or management
committees.
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Risk factors / continued The above measures may have an adverse impact on Prudential
through their effects on the macroeconomic outlook and the
environment for global financial markets. They may also increase
regulatory compliance and reputational risks, or adversely impact
Prudential where they apply to, and impact, the economic, business and
legal and regulatory environment in specific markets or territories in
which the Group, its joint venture or jointly owned businesses, sales and
distribution networks, or third party service providers have operations.
For internationally active groups such as Prudential, operating across
multiple jurisdictions, such measures may also add to the complexity
of legal and regulatory compliance and increase the risk of conflicts
between the requirements of one jurisdiction and another. See risk
factor 4.1 below.
Geopolitical and political risks and uncertainty may also adversely
impact the Group’s operations and its operational resilience. Increased
geopolitical tensions may increase domestic and cross-border cyber
intrusion activity and therefore increase cyber security risks. Geopolitical
and political tensions may also lead to conflict, civil unrest and/or acts
of civil disobedience. Such events could impact operational resilience
by disrupting Prudential’s systems, operations, new business sales and
renewals, distribution channels and services to customers, which may
result in a reduction in contributions from business units to the central
cash balances and profit of the Group, decreased profitability, financial
loss, adverse customer impacts and reputational damage and may
impact Prudential’s business, financial condition, results of operations
and prospects.
Legislative or regulatory changes which adversely impact Hong Kong’s
economy or its international trading and economic relationships,
may also result in adverse sales, operational and product distribution
impacts to the Group due to the territory being a key market which also
hosts Group head office functions.
1.4 As a holding company, Prudential is dependent upon its
subsidiaries to cover operating expenses and dividend payments.
The Group’s insurance and investment management operations are
generally conducted through direct and indirect subsidiaries, which are
subject to the risks discussed elsewhere in this ‘Risk Factors’ section.
As a holding company, Prudential’s principal sources of funds are
remittances from subsidiaries, shareholder-backed funds, the
shareholder transfer from long-term funds and any amounts that may
be raised through the issuance of equity, debt and commercial paper.
Certain of Prudential’s subsidiaries are subject to insurance, foreign
exchange and tax laws, rules and regulations (including in relation to
distributable profits that can limit their ability to make remittances).
In some circumstances, including where there are changes to general
market conditions, this could limit Prudential’s ability to pay dividends
to shareholders or to make available funds held in certain subsidiaries
to cover operating expenses of other members of the Group.
A material change in the financial condition of any of Prudential’s
subsidiaries may have a material effect on its business, financial
condition, results of operations and prospects.
1.5 Prudential is subject to the risk of potential sovereign debt
credit deterioration owing to the amounts of sovereign debt
obligations held in its investment portfolio.
Investing in sovereign debt creates exposure to the direct or indirect
consequences of political, social or economic changes (including
changes in governments, heads of state or monarchs) in the countries
in which the issuers of such debt are located and to the creditworthiness
of the sovereign. Investment in sovereign debt obligations involves risks
not present in debt obligations of corporate issuers. In addition, the
issuer of the debt or the governmental authorities that control the
repayment of the debt may be unable or unwilling to repay principal or
pay interest when due in accordance with the terms of such debt, and
Prudential may have limited recourse to compel payment in the event
of a default. A sovereign debtor’s willingness or ability to repay principal
and to pay interest in a timely manner may be affected by, among other
factors, its cash flow situation, its relations with its central bank, the
extent of its foreign currency reserves, the availability of sufficient
foreign exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative size of the
debt service burden to the economy as a whole, the sovereign debtor’s
policy toward local and international lenders, and the political
constraints to which the sovereign debtor may be subject.
Moreover, governments may use a variety of techniques, such as
intervention by their central banks or imposition of regulatory controls
or taxes, to devalue their currencies’ exchange rates, or may adopt
monetary and other policies (including to manage their debt burdens)
that have a similar effect, all of which could adversely impact the value
of an investment in sovereign debt even in the absence of a technical
default. Periods of economic uncertainty may affect the volatility of
market prices of sovereign debt to a greater extent than the volatility
inherent in debt obligations of other types of issuers.
In addition, if a sovereign default or other such events described above
were to occur, as has happened on occasion in the past, other financial
institutions may also suffer losses or experience solvency or other
concerns, which may result in Prudential facing additional risks relating
to investments in such financial institutions that are held in the Group’s
investment portfolio. There is also risk that public perceptions about the
stability and creditworthiness of financial institutions and the financial
sector generally might be adversely affected as might counterparty
relationships between financial institutions.
If a sovereign were to default on its obligations, or adopt policies that
devalued or otherwise altered the currencies in which its obligations
were denominated, this could have a material adverse effect on
Prudential’s business, financial condition, results of operations
and prospects.
1.6 Downgrades in Prudential’s financial strength and credit
ratings could significantly impact its competitive position and
damage its relationships with creditors or trading counterparties.
Prudential’s financial strength and credit ratings, which are used by the
market to measure its ability to meet policyholder obligations, are an
important factor affecting public confidence in Prudential’s products,
and as a result its competitiveness. Downgrades in Prudential’s ratings
as a result of, for example, decreased profitability, increased costs,
increased indebtedness or other concerns could have an adverse
effect on its ability to market products and retain current policyholders,
and the Group’s ability to compete for acquisition and strategic
opportunities. Downgrades may also impact the Group’s financial
flexibility, including its ability to issue commercial paper at current
levels and pricing. The interest rates at which Prudential is able to
borrow funds are affected by its credit ratings, which are in place to
measure the Group’s ability to meet its contractual obligations.
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agencies could result in downgrades that do not reflect changes in
the general economic conditions or Prudential’s financial condition.
In addition, any such downgrades could have a material adverse effect
on Prudential’s business, financial condition, results of operations and
prospects. Prudential cannot predict what actions rating agencies may
take, or what actions Prudential may therefore take in response to the
actions of rating agencies, which could adversely affect its business.
Any such downgrade of the Group could have an adverse effect on
Prudential’s financial flexibility, requirements to post collateral under or
in connection with transactions to which they are a party and ability to
manage market risk exposures. In addition, the interest rates or other
costs that the Group incurs in respect of its financing activities may
increase as a result. A credit rating downgrade may also affect public
confidence in the Group’s products and may adversely impact on
its ability to market products, retain current policyholders or attract
new policyholders.
1.7 Prudential is subject to the risk of exchange rate fluctuations
owing to the geographical diversity of its businesses.
Due to the geographical diversity of Prudential’s businesses, Prudential
is subject to the risk of exchange rate fluctuations. Prudential’s
operations generally write policies and invest in assets denominated
in local currencies. Although this practice limits the effect of exchange
rate fluctuations on local operating results, it can lead to fluctuations
in Prudential’s consolidated financial statements upon the translation
of results into the Group’s presentation currency. This exposure is not
currently separately managed. The Group presents its consolidated
financial statements in US dollars. The results of some entities within
the Group are not denominated in or linked to the US dollar and some
enter into transactions which are conducted in non-US dollar currencies.
Prudential is subject to the risk of exchange rate fluctuations from the
translation of the results of these entities and transactions and the risks
from the maintenance of the HK dollar peg to the US dollar.
2. Risks relating to sustainability and environmental, social and
governance (‘ESG’) matters
2.1 The failure to understand and respond effectively to the risks
associated with ESG factors could adversely affect Prudential’s
achievement of its long-term strategy.
A failure to manage the material risks associated with key ESG themes
detailed below may undermine the sustainability of Prudential by
adversely impacting the Group’s reputation and brand, ability to attract
and retain customers and employees, and therefore the results of its
operations and delivery of its strategy and long-term financial success.
(a) Environmental risks
Environmental concerns, notably those associated with climate change
and their social and economic impacts, present long-term risks to the
sustainability of Prudential and may impact its customers and other
shareholders.
Prudential’s investment horizons are long term and it is therefore
exposed to the potential long-term impact of climate change risks,
which include the financial and non-financial impact of transition to
a lower carbon economy and physical and litigation risks. The global
transition to a lower carbon economy may have an adverse impact
on investment valuations as the financial assets of carbon intensive
companies re-price, and this could result in some asset sectors facing
significantly higher costs and a reduction in demand for their products
and services. The speed of this transition, and the extent to which it is
orderly and managed, will be influenced by factors such as public policy,
technology and changes in market or investor sentiment. The potential
impact of these factors on the valuation of investments may also have
a broader economic impact that may adversely affect customers and
their demand for the Group’s products. The transition to a lower carbon
economy has the potential to disproportionately impact the Asia and
Africa markets in which Prudential operates and invests, and the Group’s
stakeholders increasingly expect and/or rely on the Group to support an
orderly, inclusive and sustainable transition based on an understanding
of relevant country and company-level transition plans taking into
consideration the impact on the economies, businesses, communities
and customers in these markets.
The pace and volume of new climate-related regulation emerging
across the markets in which the Group operates, the need to deliver on
existing and new voluntary exclusions on investments in certain sectors,
engagement and reporting commitments and the demand for
externally assured reporting may give rise to compliance, operational
and disclosure risks which may be increased by the multi-jurisdictional
coordination required in adopting a consistent risk management
approach.
The Group’s ability to sufficiently understand and appropriately react
to transition risk and its ability to deliver on its external carbon reduction
commitments may be limited by insufficient or unreliable data on
carbon exposure and transition plans for the assets in which it invests.
The direct physical impacts of climate change, driven by both specific
short-term climate-related events such as natural disasters and
longer-term changes to climate and the natural environment,
are likely to become increasingly significant factors in the mortality
and morbidity risk assessments for the Group’s insurance product
underwriting and offerings and their associated claims profiles.
Climate-driven events in countries in which Prudential or its key third
parties operate could adversely impact the Group’s operational
resilience and its customers, which may potentially occur through
migration or displacement both within and across borders.
A failure to understand, manage and provide greater transparency of its
exposure to these climate-related risks may have increasingly adverse
implications for Prudential and its stakeholders.
(b) Social risks
Social risks that could impact Prudential may arise from a failure to
consider the rights, diversity, well-being, needs, and interests of its
customers and employees and the communities in which the Group or
its third parties operate. Perceived inequalities and income disparities,
intensified by the pandemic, have the potential to further erode social
cohesion across the Group’s markets which may increase operational
and disruption risks for Prudential. These risks are increased as
Prudential operates in multiple jurisdictions with distinct local cultures
and considerations.
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Risk factors / continued Evolving social norms and emerging population risks associated
with public health trends (such as an increase in obesity and mental
health deterioration) and demographic changes (such as population
urbanisation and ageing) may affect customer lifestyles and therefore
may impact the level of claims under the Group’s insurance product
offerings. As a provider of insurance and investment services, the Group
is increasingly focused on making its products more accessible through
digital innovation, technologies and distribution methods for a
broadening range of products and services. As a result, Prudential has
access to extensive amounts of customer personal data, including data
related to personal health, and an increasing ability to analyse and
interpret this data through the use of complex tools, machine learning
and artificial intelligence technologies. The Group is therefore exposed
to the regulatory, ethical and reputational risks associated with
customer data misuse or security breaches. These risks are explained
in risk factor 3.5. The increasing digitalisation of products, services
and processes may also result in new and unforeseen regulatory
requirements and stakeholder expectations, including those relating
to how the Group supports its customers through this transformation.
As an employer, the Group is also exposed to the risk of being unable to
attract, retain and develop a diverse group of highly-skilled employees
to meet the changing need of a transformative organisation. This may
increase if Prudential does not implement responsible working practices
or fails to recognise the benefits of diversity, ensure psychological safety
for employees, or promote a culture of inclusion and sense of belonging.
The potential for reputational risk extends to the Group’s supply chains
and its investee companies, which may be exposed to factors such as
poor labour standards and abuses of human rights by third parties.
(c) Governance
A failure to maintain high standards of corporate governance
may adversely impact the Group and its customers and employees
and increase the risk of poor decision-making and a lack of oversight
and management of its key risks. Poor governance may arise where
key governance committees have insufficient independence,
a lack of diversity, skills or experience in their members, or unclear
(or insufficient) oversight responsibilities and mandates. Inadequate
oversight over remuneration also increases the risk of poor senior
management behaviours.
Prudential operates across multiple jurisdictions and has a group and
subsidiary governance structure which may add further complexity to
these considerations. Participation in joint ventures or partnerships
where Prudential does not have direct overall control and the use of
third party service providers increase the potential for reputational risks
arising from poor governance.
Sustainability and ESG-related risks may directly or indirectly impact
Prudential’s business and the achievement of its strategic focus on
providing greater and more inclusive access to good health and financial
security, responsible stewardship in managing the human impact of
climate change and building human and social capital with its broad
range of stakeholders, which range from customers, institutional
investors, employees and suppliers, to policymakers, regulators, industry
organisations and local communities. A failure to transparently and
consistently implement the Group’s ESG strategy across operational,
underwriting and investment activities, may adversely impact the
financial condition and reputation of the Group and may negatively
impact the Group’s stakeholders, who all have expectations, concerns
and aims related to ESG and sustainability matters, which may differ,
both within and across the markets in which the Group operates.
In its investment activities, Prudential’s stakeholders increasingly have
expectations of, and place reliance on, an approach to responsible
investment that demonstrates how ESG and sustainability
considerations are effectively integrated into investment decisions
and responsible supply chain management and the performance
of fiduciary and stewardship duties. These duties include effective
implementation of exclusions, voting and active engagement decisions
with respect to investee companies, as both an asset owner and an
asset manager, in line with internally defined procedures and external
commitments.
3. Risks relating to prudential’s business activities and industry
3.1 The implementation of large-scale transformation, including
complex strategic initiatives, gives rise to significant design and
execution risks and may affect Prudential’s operational capability
and capacity. Any failure of these initiatives to meet their
objectives may adversely impact the Group and the delivery
of its strategy.
Where required in order to implement its business strategies for growth,
meet customer needs, improve customer experiences, strengthen
operational resilience, meet regulatory and industry requirements
and maintain market competitiveness, Prudential from time to time
undertakes Group restructuring, transformation programmes and
acquisitions and disposals across its business. Many of these change
initiatives are complex, interconnected and/or of large scale, and
include improvement of business efficiencies through operating model
changes, advancing the Group’s digital capability, expanding strategic
partnerships and industry and regulatory-driven change. There may be
a material adverse effect on Prudential’s business, customers, financial
condition, results of operations and prospects if these initiatives incur
unplanned costs, are subject to implementation delays, or fail to fully
meet their objectives. Large scale restructuring of Prudential, such as
the recent Jackson Demerger and changes to the Group’s management
and operational model have increased uncertainty for the Group’s
employees, which may affect operational capacity and the ability of
the Group to deliver its strategy.
Additionally, there may be adverse non-financial (including operational,
regulatory, conduct and reputational) implications for the Group in
undertaking such initiatives, which inherently give rise to design and
execution risks, and may increase existing business risks, such as placing
additional strain on the operational capacity, or weakening the control
environment, of the Group.
Implementing further initiatives related to significant regulatory
changes, such as IFRS 17, may amplify these risks. Risks relating to
these regulatory changes are explained in risk factor 4.1 below.
The speed of technological change in the business could outpace
the Group’s ability to anticipate all the unintended consequences that
may arise from such change. Innovative technologies, such as artificial
intelligence, expose Prudential to potential additional regulatory,
information security, operational, ethical and conduct risks which,
if inadequately managed, could result in customer detriment and
reputational damage.
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Jackson Demerger, which, if they materialise, could adversely
affect Prudential’s business.
(a) The Group continues to hold shares in Jackson but no longer
has any control
On 13 September 2021, Prudential completed the Jackson Demerger
(the ‘Demerger’). As at 31 December 2021, the Group retains an
18.4 per cent. economic interest (and an 18.5 per cent. voting interest)
in the total common stock of Jackson. The Group intends to reduce this
investment to less than 10 per cent. within 12 months of the completion
of the Jackson Demerger. As a result of the Demerger, Prudential no
longer has the ability to control Jackson’s strategic, financial and
operational decisions. Jackson may fail to develop its business, meet
the expectations of investors, may be subject to adverse publicity and
increased legal or regulatory scrutiny, or its reported financial position
may be adversely impacted by errors or limitations in its modelling and
other assumptions related to its business, including the calculation of
regulatory or internal capital requirements, the valuation of assets and
liabilities, and determining hedging requirements. These factors may
have an adverse impact on the market price of Jackson shares, which
may be volatile and can go down as well as up. It is therefore possible
that the value of Prudential’s shareholding may be lower than
anticipated, and the gross proceeds due to Prudential from any future
sale may be lower than Prudential might otherwise achieve.
(b) Indemnities have been given under a Demerger Agreement
by Prudential in favour of the Jackson Group
At the time of the Demerger, Prudential and Jackson entered into
the Demerger Agreement. This governs the post-Jackson Demerger
obligations of the Group and the Jackson Group and contains, among
other provisions, indemnities under which Prudential indemnifies the
Jackson Group against liabilities that may arise in connection with the
business carried on by the Group (other than Jackson’s business) prior
to the Jackson Demerger. Prudential has the right to defend any
such claim.
Although it is not anticipated that Prudential will be required to pay
any substantial amount pursuant to such indemnity obligations,
if any amounts payable under the indemnities are substantial, this could
have a material adverse effect on the financial condition and/or results
of Prudential.
(c) Prudential may incur liabilities in connection with the
Jackson Demerger
In addition, in connection with the Jackson Demerger, Prudential may
be subject to claims by Jackson’s shareholders and other third parties
for any material misstatements or omissions of material facts contained
within Jackson’s Form 10 registration document, or for any fraudulent,
intentional or reckless misleading disclosure in connection with the
Jackson Shares under the US Securities and Exchange Act of 1934.
If those claims are not successfully defended, Prudential may have to
pay compensation, and where this is substantial may adversely affect
Prudential’s business, financial condition, cash flows, results of
operations and prospects.
3.3 Prudential’s businesses are conducted in highly competitive
environments with developing demographic trends. The
profitability of the Group’s businesses depend on management’s
ability to respond to these pressures and trends.
The markets for financial services are highly competitive, with a
number of factors affecting Prudential’s ability to sell its products and
profitability, including price and yields offered, financial strength and
ratings, range of product lines and product quality, brand strength and
name recognition, investment management performance and fund
management trends, historical bonus levels, the ability to respond to
developing demographic trends, customer appetite for certain savings
products and technological advances. In some of its markets, Prudential
faces competitors that are larger, have greater financial resources or a
greater market share, offer a broader range of products or have higher
bonus rates. Further, heightened competition for talented and skilled
employees, agents and independent financial advisers may limit
Prudential’s potential to grow its business as quickly as planned.
Technological advances, including those enabling increased capability
for gathering large volumes of customer health data and developments
in capabilities and tools in analysing and interpreting such data (such
as artificial intelligence and machine learning), may result in increased
competition to the Group, both from within and outside the insurance
industry, and may increase the competition risks resulting from a failure
to be able to attract sufficient numbers of skilled staff.
The Group’s principal competitors include global life insurers together
with regional insurers and multinational asset managers. In most
markets, there are also local companies that have a material market
presence.
Prudential believes that competition will intensify across all regions
in response to consumer demand, digital and other technological
advances (including the emergence and maturing of new distribution
channels), the need for economies of scale and the consequential
impact of consolidation, regulatory actions and other factors.
Prudential’s ability to generate an appropriate return depends
significantly upon its capacity to anticipate and respond appropriately
to these competitive pressures. This includes managing the potential
adverse impacts to the commercial value of the Group’s existing sale
and distribution arrangements, such as bancassurance arrangements,
in markets where new distribution channels develop.
Failure to do so may adversely impact Prudential’s ability to attract and
retain customers and, importantly, may limit Prudential’s ability to take
advantage of new business arising in the markets in which it operates,
which may have an adverse impact on the Group’s business, financial
condition, results of operations and prospects.
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Risk factors / continued 3.4 Adverse experience in the operational risks inherent in
Prudential’s business, and those of its material outsourcing
partners, could disrupt its business functions and have a negative
impact on its business, financial condition, results of operations
and prospects.
Operational risks are present in all of Prudential’s businesses, including
the risk of direct or indirect loss resulting from inadequate or failed
internal and external processes, systems or human error, fraud, the
effects of natural or man-made catastrophic events (such as natural
disasters, pandemics, cyber-attacks, acts of terrorism, civil unrest and
other catastrophes) or other external events. These risks may also
adversely impact Prudential through its partners. Prudential relies
on the performance and operations of a number of bancassurance,
product distribution, outsourcing (including external technology and
data hosting) and service partners. These include back office support
functions, such as those relating to IT infrastructure, development
and support and customer facing operations and services, such as
product distribution and services (including through digital channels)
and investment operations. This creates reliance upon the resilient
operational performance of these partners and exposes Prudential to
the risk that the operations and services provided by these partners are
disrupted or fail. Further, Prudential operates in extensive and evolving
legal and regulatory environments (including in relation to tax) which
adds to the complexity of the governance and operation of its business
processes and controls.
Exposure to such risks could impact Prudential’s operational resilience
and ability to perform necessary business functions by disrupting its
systems, operations, new business sales and renewals, distribution
channels and services to customers, or result in the loss of confidential or
proprietary data. Such risks, as well as any weaknesses in administration
systems (such as those relating to policyholder records) or actuarial
reserving processes, may also result in increased expenses, as well as
legal and regulatory sanctions, decreased profitability, financial loss
and customer conduct risk impacts, and may damage Prudential’s
reputation and relationship with its customers and business partners.
A failure to adequately oversee service partners (or their IT and
operational systems and processes) could result in significant service
degradation or disruption to Prudential’s business operations and
customers, which may have reputational or conduct risk implications
and could have a material adverse effect on the Group’s business,
financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Prudential’s business requires the processing of a large number of
transactions for a diverse range of products. It also employs complex
and interconnected IT and finance systems, models, and user
developed applications in its processes to perform a range of
operational functions. These functions include the calculation of
regulatory or internal capital requirements, the valuation of assets and
liabilities and the acquisition of new business using artificial intelligence
and digital applications. Many of these tools form an integral part of
the information and decision-making frameworks used by Prudential
and the risk of adverse consequences arising from erroneous or
misinterpreted tools used in core business activities, decision-making
and reporting exists. Errors or limitations in these tools, or their
inappropriate usage, may lead to regulatory breaches, inappropriate
decision-making, financial loss, customer detriment, inaccurate external
reporting or reputational damage. The long-term nature of much of
the Group’s business also means that accurate records have to be
maintained securely for significant time periods.
The performance of the Group’s core business activities and the
uninterrupted availability of services to customers rely significantly on,
and require significant investment in, resilient IT applications,
infrastructure and security architectural design, data governance and
management and other operational systems, personnel, controls and
processes. During large-scale disruptive events or times of significant
change, the resilience and operational effectiveness of these systems
and processes at Prudential and/or its third party service providers
may be adversely impacted. In particular, Prudential and its business
partners are making increasing use of emerging technological tools
and digital services, or forming strategic partnerships with third parties
to provide these capabilities. Automated distribution channels to
customers increase the criticality of providing uninterrupted services.
A failure to implement appropriate governance and management of
the incremental operational risks from emerging technologies may
adversely impact Prudential’s reputation and brand, the results of its
operations, its ability to attract and retain customers and its ability to
deliver on its long-term strategy and therefore its competitiveness and
long-term financial success.
Although Prudential’s IT, compliance and other operational systems,
models and processes incorporate governance and controls designed to
manage and mitigate the operational and model risks associated with
its activities, there can be no complete assurance as to the resilience of
these systems and processes to disruption or that governance and
controls will always be effective. Due to human error, among other
reasons, operational and model risk incidents do occur from time to
time and no system or process can entirely prevent them. Prudential’s
legacy and other IT systems, data and processes, as with operational
systems and processes generally, may also be susceptible to failure or
security/data breaches.
3.5 Attempts to access or disrupt Prudential’s IT systems, and loss
or misuse of personal data, could result in loss of trust from
Prudential’s customers and employees and reputational damage,
which could have material adverse effects on the Group’s business,
financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Prudential and its business partners are increasingly exposed to the risk
that individuals (which includes connected persons such as employees,
contractors or representatives of Prudential or its third party service
providers, and unconnected persons) or groups may intentionally or
unintentionally disrupt the availability, confidentiality and integrity
of its IT systems or compromise the integrity and security of data
(both corporate and customer), including disruption from ransomware,
malicious software designed to restrict Prudential’s access to data until
the payment of a sum of money. Where these risks materialise, this
could result in disruption to key operations, make it difficult to recover
critical data or services or damage assets, any of which could result in
loss of trust from Prudential’s customers and employees, reputational
damage and direct or indirect financial loss. Cyber-security threats
continue to evolve globally in sophistication and potential significance.
Prudential’s increasing profile in its current markets and those in which it
is entering, growing customer interest in interacting with their insurance
providers and asset managers through the internet and social media,
improved brand awareness, increasing adoption of the Group’s Pulse
platform and the 2020 designation of Prudential as an Internationally
Active Insurance Group (‘IAIG’) could also increase the likelihood of
Prudential being considered a target by cyber criminals. Ransomware
campaigns have increased in frequency and represent an increasing
threat to the financial services sector, with recent highly publicised
attacks on financial services companies. The risk from untargeted but
sophisticated and automated attacks remains present.
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and its business partners not only to hold the data of customers,
shareholders and employees securely, but also to ensure its ongoing
accuracy and that it is being used in a transparent, appropriate and
ethical way, including in decision-making where automated processes
are employed. A failure to do so may result in regulatory scrutiny and
sanctions and detriment to customers and third party partners, and
may adversely impact the reputation and brand of the Group, its ability
to attract and retain customers and deliver on its long-term strategy
and therefore the results of its operations.
The risk to the Group of not meeting these requirements and
expectations may be increased by the development of cloud-based
infrastructure and the usage of digital distribution and service channels,
which can collect a broader range of personal and health-related data
from individuals at increased scale and speed, and the use of complex
tools, machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies to
process, analyse and interpret this data. New and currently
unforeseeable regulatory issues may also arise from the increased
use of emerging technology. Regulatory developments in cybersecurity
and data protection (such as the ongoing development of a holistic
data governance regime in China, including the Data Security Law,
the Personal Information Protection Law, which came into effect in
November 2021, the revised Measures for Cybersecurity Review and
recently released draft rules on the provision of internet healthcare
services) continue to progress worldwide. Such developments may
increase the complexity of requirements and obligations in this area,
in particular where they include national security restrictions or
impose differing and/or conflicting requirements with those of
other jurisdictions. These risks may also increase the financial and
reputational implications for Prudential of regulatory non-compliance
or a significant breach of IT systems or data, including at its joint venture
or third party service providers. The international transfer of data may,
as a global organisation, increase regulatory risks for the Group.
Although Prudential has experienced or has been affected by cyber and
data breaches, to date, it has not identified a failure or breach, or an
incident of data misuse in relation to its legacy and other IT systems
and processes which has had a material impact on its operations.
However, Prudential has been, and likely will continue to be, subject to
potential damage from computer viruses, unauthorised access and
cyber-security attacks such as ‘denial of service’ attacks (which, for
example, can cause temporary disruption to websites and IT networks),
phishing and disruptive software campaigns, and there can be no
assurance that such events will not take place which may have material
adverse consequential effects on Prudential’s business, financial
condition, results of operations and prospects.
3.6 Prudential’s Pulse platform may increase existing business
risks to the Group or introduce new risks as the markets in
which it operates and its features, partnerships and product
offerings develop.
Prudential’s digital platform, Pulse, is subject to a number of the risks
discussed within this ‘Risk Factors’ section. In particular, these include
risks related to legal and regulatory compliance and the conduct of
business; the execution of complex change initiatives; information
security and data privacy; the use of models (including those using
artificial intelligence) and the handling of personal data; the resilience
and integrity of IT infrastructure and operations; and those relating
to the management of third parties. These existing risks for the Group
may be increased due to a number of factors:
> The number of current and planned markets in which Pulse operates,
each with their own laws and regulations, regulatory and supervisory
authorities, the scope of application of which may be uncertain or
change at pace, may increase regulatory compliance risks;
> The implementation of planned platform features and offerings may
require the delivery of complex, inter-connected change initiatives
across current and planned markets. This may give rise to design
and execution risks, which could be amplified where these change
initiatives are delivered concurrently;
> The platform includes functionality relating to user generated
content, which may expose Prudential to legal liability or reputational
risk in the hosting of that content;
> The increased volume, breadth and sensitivity of data on which the
business model of Pulse is dependent and to which the Group has
access, holds, analyses and processes through its models, which
increases data security, privacy and usage risks. The use of complex
models, including where they use artificial intelligence for critical
decision-making, in the application’s features and offerings may give
rise to operational, conduct, litigation and reputational risks where
they do not function as intended;
> The platform and its services rely on a number of third party partners
and providers, which may vary according to the market. This may
increase operational disruption risks to the uninterrupted provision
of services to customers, regulatory compliance and conduct risks,
and the potential for reputational risks; and
> Support for, and development of, the platform may be provided
outside of the individual markets in which the platform operates,
which may increase the complexity of local legal and regulatory
compliance.
New product offerings and functionality may be developed and
provided through the platform, which may introduce new regulatory,
operational, conduct and strategic risks for the Group. Any slowdown
in digitalisation may reduce user adoption rates, the current size of
the user base of Pulse and/or the development of product and service
offerings, which may impact the ability of the Group to deliver its digital
strategy. Regulations may be introduced which limit the permitted
scope of online or digitally distributed insurance, asset management
or medical services, which may restrict current or planned offerings
provided by the Pulse platform. Markets may also introduce regulations
with specific licensing requirements or requiring the provision of current
or planned services via locally incorporated entities, which increases
the regulatory and compliance risks associated with operating the
Pulse platform.
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Risk factors / continued A failure to implement appropriate governance and management
of the incremental and new risks detailed above may adversely
impact Prudential’s reputation and brand, its ability to attract and
retain customers, its competitiveness and its ability to deliver on its
long-term strategy.
3.7 Prudential operates in certain markets with joint venture
partners, minority shareholders and other third parties. These
businesses face the same risks as the rest of the Group and also
give rise to certain risks to Prudential that the Group does not
face with respect to its wholly-owned subsidiaries.
Prudential operates, and in certain markets is required by local
regulation to operate, through joint ventures and other joint ownership
or third-party arrangements. The financial condition, operations and
reputation of Group may be adversely impacted, or the Group may face
regulatory censure, in the event that any of its partners fails or is unable
to meet its obligations under the arrangements, encounters financial
difficulty, or fails to comply with local or international regulation and
standards such as those pertaining to the prevention of financial crime.
Reputational risks to the Group are amplified where any joint venture
or jointly owned businesses carry the Prudential name.
A material proportion of the Group’s business comes from its joint
ventures in China and India. For such operations the level of control
exercisable by the Group depends on the terms of the contractual
agreements, in particular, those terms providing for the allocation of
control among, and continued cooperation between, the participants.
As a result, the level of oversight, control and access to management
information the Group is able to exercise over the extent of the exposure
to material risks at these operations may be lower compared to the
Group’s wholly owned businesses. This may increase the uncertainty
for the Group over the financial condition of these operations, including
the credit risk profile and valuation of their investment portfolios and
the extent of their invested credit and counterparty credit risk exposure,
resulting in heightened risks to the Group as whole. This may particularly
be the case where the countries in which these operations are located
experience market or sector-specific slowdowns, volatility or
deterioration (such as the recent negative developments in the China
property sector). In addition, the level of control exercisable by the
Group could be affected by changes in the maximum level of non-
domestic ownership imposed on foreign companies in certain
jurisdictions. The exposure of the Group to the risks detailed in risk factor
3.1 above may also increase should the Group’s strategic initiatives
include the expansion of the Group’s operations through joint ventures
or jointly owned businesses.
In addition, a significant proportion of the Group’s product distribution
is carried out through agency arrangements and contractual
arrangements with third party service providers not controlled by
Prudential, such as bancassurance arrangements, and the Group is
therefore dependent upon the continuation of these relationships. A
temporary or permanent disruption to these distribution arrangements,
such as through significant deterioration in the reputation, financial
position or other circumstances of the third party service providers,
material failure in controls (such as those pertaining to the third party
service provider system failure or the prevention of financial crime)
or failure to meet any regulatory requirements could adversely affect
Prudential’s reputation and its business, financial condition, results of
operations and prospects.
3.8 Adverse experience relative to the assumptions used in pricing
products and reporting business results could significantly affect
Prudential’s business, financial condition, results of operations
and prospects.
In common with other life insurers, the profitability of the Group’s
businesses depends on a mix of factors including mortality and
morbidity levels and trends, policy surrenders and take-up rates
on guarantee features of products, investment performance and
impairments, unit cost of administration and new business acquisition
expenses. The Group’s businesses are subject to inflation risk.
In particular, the Group’s medical insurance businesses are also exposed
to medical inflation risk.
Prudential needs to make assumptions about a number of factors in
determining the pricing of its products, for setting reserves, and for
reporting its capital levels and the results of its long-term business
operations.
A further factor is the assumption that Prudential makes about future
expected levels of the rates of early termination of products by its
customers (known as persistency). This is relevant to a number of lines
of business in the Group. Prudential’s persistency assumptions reflect a
combination of recent past experience for each relevant line of business
and expert judgement, especially where a lack of relevant and credible
experience data exists. Any expected change in future persistency is
also reflected in the assumption. If actual levels of persistency are
significantly different than assumed, the Group’s results of operations
could be adversely affected.
In addition, Prudential’s business may be adversely affected by
epidemics, pandemics and other effects that give rise to a large number
of deaths or additional sickness claims, as well as increases to the cost
of medical claims. Pandemics, significant influenza and other epidemics
have occurred a number of times historically but the likelihood, timing,
or the severity of future events cannot be predicted. The effectiveness
of external parties, including governmental and non-governmental
organisations, in combating the spread and severity of any epidemics,
as well as pharmaceutical treatments and vaccines (and their roll-outs)
and non-pharmaceutical interventions, could have a material impact
on the Group’s claims experience. The risks to the Group resulting from
the Covid-19 pandemic are included in risk factor 1.1 above.
Prudential uses reinsurance to selectively transfer mortality, morbidity
and other risks. This exposes the Group to the counterparty risk of a
reinsurer being unable to pay reinsurance claims or otherwise meet their
commitments; the risk that a reinsurer changes reinsurance terms and
conditions of coverage, or increases the price of reinsurance which
Prudential is unable to pass on to its customers; the risk of ambiguity
in the reinsurance terms and conditions leading to uncertainty whether
an event is covered under a reinsurance contract; and the risk of being
unable to replace an existing reinsurer, or find a new reinsurer, for the
risk transfer being sought.
Any of the foregoing, individually or together, could have a material
adverse effect on Prudential’s business, financial condition, results
of operations and prospects.
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4.1 Prudential conducts its businesses subject to regulation and
associated regulatory risks, including a change to the basis in the
regulatory supervision of the Group, the effects of changes in
the laws, regulations, policies and their interpretations and any
accounting standards in the markets in which it operates.
Changes in government policy and legislation (including in relation
to tax and data security), capital control measures on companies and
individuals, regulation or regulatory interpretation applying to
companies in the financial services and insurance industries in any of
the markets in which Prudential operates (including those related to
the conduct of business by Prudential or its third party distributors),
or decisions taken by regulators in connection with their supervision of
members of the Group, which in some circumstances may be applied
retrospectively, may adversely affect Prudential. The impact from any
regulatory changes may be material to Prudential, for example changes
may be required to its product range, distribution channels, handling
and usage of data, competitiveness, profitability, capital requirements,
risk management approaches, corporate or governance structure and,
consequently, reported results and financing requirements. Also,
regulators in jurisdictions in which Prudential operates may impose
requirements affecting the allocation of capital and liquidity between
different business units in the Group, whether on a geographic, legal
entity, product line or other basis. Regulators may also change solvency
requirements, methodologies for determining components of the
regulatory or statutory balance sheet including the reserves and the
level of capital required to be held by individual businesses (with
implications to the Group capital position), the regulation and
expectations of customer facing processes including selling practices,
and could introduce changes that impact products sold or that may be
sold. Furthermore, as a result of interventions by governments in light
of financial and global economic conditions, there may continue to be
changes in government regulation and supervision of the financial
services industry, including the possibility of higher capital requirements,
restrictions on certain types of transactions and enhancement of
supervisory powers.
In the markets in which it operates, Prudential is subject to regulatory
requirements and obligations with respect to financial crime, including
anti-money laundering, and sanctions compliance, which may either
impose obligations on the Group to act in a certain manner or restrict
the way that it can act in respect of specified individuals, organisations,
businesses and/or governments. A failure to do so may adversely impact
the reputation of Prudential and/or result in the imposition of legal or
regulatory sanctions or restrictions on the Group. For internationally
active groups such as Prudential, operating across multiple jurisdictions
increases the complexity of legal and regulatory compliance.
Compliance with Prudential’s legal or regulatory obligations, including
those in respect of international sanctions, in one jurisdiction may
conflict with the law or policy objectives of another jurisdiction, or may
be seen as supporting the law or policy objectives of that jurisdiction
over another, creating additional legal, regulatory compliance and
reputational risks for the Group. These risks may be increased where
uncertainty exists on the scope of regulatory requirements and
obligations, and where the complexity of specific cases applicable
to the Group is high.
Further information on specific areas of regulatory and supervisory
requirements and changes are included below.
(a) Group-wide Supervision
The Hong Kong IA has been the Group-wide supervisor of Prudential
since 21 October 2019. To align Hong Kong’s regulatory regime with
international standards and practices, the Hong Kong IA has developed
a GWS Framework for multinational insurance groups under its
supervision. The GWS Framework is based on a principle-based and
outcome-focused approach, and allows the Hong Kong IA to exercise
direct regulatory powers over the designated holding companies of
multinational insurance groups. The GWS Framework became effective
for Prudential upon designation by the Hong Kong IA on 14 May 2021,
subject to transitional arrangements allowed in legislation which have
been agreed with the Hong Kong IA.
Under the GWS Framework, all debt instruments, both senior and
subordinated, issued by Prudential as at the date of designation meet
the transitional conditions set by the Hong Kong IA and are included
as eligible Group capital resources. Whilst the regulatory requirements
have been finalised and are in effect, given the early nature of the
regime, there is a risk that the interpretations of the principle-based
regulatory requirements made by the Group in complying with the
regulatory requirements may differ in some aspects from the
interpretations made by the Hong Kong IA in their supervision of these
principle-based regulatory requirements or as a result of the potential
for further regulatory guidance to be issued.
(b) Global regulatory requirements and systemic risk regulation
Currently there are also a number of ongoing global regulatory
developments which could impact Prudential’s businesses in the many
jurisdictions in which they operate. These include the work of the
Financial Stability Board (the ‘FSB’) in the area of systemic risk including
the reassessment of the designation of G-SIIs, and the Insurance
Capital Standard (the ‘ICS’) being developed by the International
Association of Insurance Supervisors (the ‘IAIS’). In addition, regulators
in a number of jurisdictions in which the Group operates are further
developing their local capital regimes. There remains a high degree of
uncertainty over the potential impact of such changes on the Group.
Efforts to curb systemic risk and promote financial stability are also
under way. At the international level, the FSB continues to develop
recommendations for the asset management and insurance sectors,
including ongoing assessment of systemic risk measures. The IAIS
has continued to focus on the following key developments.
In November 2019 the IAIS adopted the Common Framework
(‘ComFrame’) which establishes supervisory standards and guidance
focusing on the effective group-wide supervision of Internationally
Active Insurance Groups (‘IAIGs’). Prudential was included in the
first register of IAIGs released by the IAIS on 1 July 2020 and was
designated an IAIG by the Hong Kong IA following an assessment
against the established criteria in ComFrame.
The IAIS has also been developing the ICS (‘Insurance Capital
Standard’) as part of ComFrame. The implementation of ICS will be
conducted in two phases: a five-year monitoring phase followed by
an implementation phase. The Aggregation Method is one of the
alternatives being considered to the default approach undertaken
for the ICS during the monitoring period and the related proposals
are being led by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners
(‘NAIC’).
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Risk factors / continued In November 2019 the FSB endorsed a new Holistic Framework (‘HF’),
intended for the assessment and mitigation of systemic risk in the
insurance sector, for implementation by the IAIS in 2020 and has
suspended G-SII designations until completion of a review to be
undertaken in 2022. Many of the previous G-SII measures have already
been adopted into the Insurance Core Principles (‘ICPs’) and ComFrame,
as well as under the Hong Kong IA’s GWS Framework. As an IAIG,
Prudential is expected to be subject to these measures. The HF also
includes a monitoring element for the identification of a build-up of
systemic risk and to enable supervisors to take action where appropriate.
There continues to be material change in the regulatory guidance in this
area, including several areas still in development as part of the IAIS’ HF
implementation and any new or changing regulations could have a
further impact on Prudential. Recent developments include:
> On 18 January 2022, the IAIS released its 2022-23 roadmap.
In addition to those related to the HF and ICS, key areas of focus will
include activities and initiatives focusing on operational and cyber
resilience in the insurance sector including IT third-party outsourcing,
climate change risk, financial inclusion, culture and conduct, diversity,
equity and inclusion, fintech and policyholder protection schemes
and their role in insurer resolution;
> The IAIS is proposing to introduce liquidity metrics to be used
as ancillary indicators, with the phase 2 consultation completed
in January 2022;
> A consultation on an application paper on macroprudential
supervision was also launched by the IAIS in March 2021;
> Following the publication of its 2020 Resolution Report in November
2020, the FSB released practice papers for consultation on intra-
group connectedness and resolution funding for insurers, with input
requested by 12 March 2022. Resolution regimes will continue to be
a near term focus in the FSB’s financial stability work, potentially
being a key tool in informing decisions around the reformed G-SII
designation. These consultations constitute the last of the FSB’s
systemic risk work for insurers, prior to the designation assessment
planned at year end 2022; and
> The IMF released a Financial System Stability Assessment for Hong
Kong in June 2021. One of the conclusions of the report was that
there is room to further strengthen the macroprudential framework
by enhancing systemic risk assessment and communication.
(c) Regional regulatory regime developments, including
climate-related regulatory changes
In the Group’s key markets, regulatory changes and reforms are in
progress, with some uncertainty on the full impact to Prudential:
> In China, regulatory tightening across a number of industries in 2021,
which may continue across other industries, has driven market
volatility, heightened credit risk, adversely impacted business
sentiment, with the potential for broader financial contagion. Other
recent regulatory developments in China which may potentially
increase compliance risk to the Group include the following:
– Development of a holistic data governance regime in China,
which have recently included the Data Security Law, the Personal
Information Protection Law, and the revised Measures for
Cybersecurity Review;
– The CBIRC recently released new regulations on internet life
insurance sales in China which include restrictions on the selling of
certain long-term products online, effective 31 December 2021;
and
– On 26 October 2021 the National Health Commission released
for public comment draft rules on the internet healthcare services,
which include restrictions on online AI-driven diagnosis and
treatments as well as requirements including real-time supervision
by provincial internet supervision platforms and meeting financial
and operational criteria, including certain risk management and
corporate governance ratings. These rules may have implications
for the Group’s plans for its Pulse platform in China.
> In Hong Kong, the Hong Kong IA is seeking to align the territory’s
insurance regime with international standards and has been
developing a risk-based capital (‘RBC’) framework. The RBC
framework will comprise three pillars: quantitative requirements,
including assessment of capital adequacy and valuation; qualitative
requirements, including corporate governance, Enterprise Risk
Management as well as Own Risk and Solvency Assessment; and
public disclosures and transparency of information. The Hong Kong
IA is permitting applications for early adoption of the framework.
> In Malaysia, Bank Negara Malaysia (‘BNM’), the central bank of
Malaysia, has initiated a multi-phase review of its current RBC
frameworks for insurers and takaful operators which has been
conducted since 2018. The review aims to ensure that the
frameworks remain effective under changing market conditions,
facilitate consistent and comparable capital adequacy measurement
across the insurance and takaful industry, where appropriate, and
achieve greater alignment with key elements of the global capital
standards such as ICS, where appropriate. The timing of the effective
date of the updated rules currently remains uncertain but certain
changes, such as the applicable discount rate on liabilities, are
expected to come into effect in 2022.
> In China, the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission
(‘CBIRC’) announced plans for its China Risk Oriented Solvency
System (‘C-ROSS’) Phase II in 2017. Quantitative impact studies have
been performed in 2020 and 2021. On 30 December 2021, the CBIRC
released the official regulation for C-ROSS II, which is effective for
Q1 2022 solvency reporting.
> In Indonesia, regulatory and supervisory focus on the insurance
industry remains high. The Financial Services Authority of Indonesia,
the Otoritas Jasa Keuangan (‘OJK’) has been revising investment
linked products (‘ILP’) regulations with the aim of increasing
insurance penetration and better protecting customer interests
and improving market conduct. The final regulations are expected
to be issued during 2022 and will have implications for the product
strategies and insurance and compliance risks for insurers. General
supervisory focus on insurer governance has increased, in particular
on the autonomy of decision-making of local insurers. The OJK has
also focused on consumer protection regulations more broadly
and has recently enhanced regulatory requirements on IT risk
management. Since the 2014 Insurance Law, the industry has been
subject to regulatory expectations on the separation of conventional
and Sharia business.
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Various jurisdictions in which Prudential operates have created investor
compensation schemes that require mandatory contributions from
market participants in some instances in the event of a failure of a
market participant. As a major participant in the majority of its chosen
markets, circumstances could arise in which Prudential, along with
other companies, may be required to make such contributions.
4.2 The conduct of business in a way that adversely impacts the
fair treatment of customers could have a negative impact on
Prudential’s business, financial condition, results of operations and
prospects or on its relations with current and potential customers.
In the course of its operations and at any stage of the product lifecycle, the
Group or its intermediaries may conduct business in a way that adversely
impacts customer outcomes and the fair treatment of customers
(‘conduct risk’). This may arise through a failure to: design, provide and
promote suitable products and services to customers that meet their
needs, are clearly explained or deliver real value, provide and promote
a high standard of customer service, appropriately manage customer
information, or appropriately handle and assess complaints. A failure
to identify or implement appropriate governance and management of
conduct risk may result in harm to customers and regulatory sanctions
and restrictions, and may adversely impact Prudential’s reputation and
brand, its ability to attract and retain customers, its competitiveness
and its ability to deliver on its long-term strategy.
Prudential is, and in the future may continue to be, subject to legal
and regulatory actions in the ordinary course of its business on matters
relevant to the delivery of customer outcomes. Such actions relate,
and could in the future relate, to the application of current regulations
or the failure to implement new regulations (including those relating
to the conduct of business), regulatory reviews of broader industry
practices and products sold (including in relation to lines of business
already closed) in the past under acceptable industry or market
practices at the time and changes to the tax regime affecting products.
Regulators may also focus on the approach that product providers use
to select third-party distributors and to monitor the appropriateness
of sales made by them. In some cases, product providers can be held
responsible for the deficiencies of third-party distributors.
There is a risk that new regulations introduced may have a material
adverse effect on the sales of the products by Prudential and increase
Prudential’s exposure to legal risks. Any regulatory action arising out of
the Group’s position as a product provider could have an adverse impact
on the Group’s business, financial condition, results of operations and
prospects, or otherwise harm its reputation.
> In Malaysia, BNM issued a circular letter in Q1 2021 specifying
requirements for the design and disclosure of ILPs which provide
extension of coverage beyond the initial coverage term. These
changes aim to improve the appropriateness of product design and
the customer disclosures provided on ILP policy documents. The new
requirements for ILP products sold since March 2021 came into effect
on 22 September 2021, while for all in-force products sold prior to
March 2021 the proposed effective date has been extended to
1 April 2022. The changes are expected to materially impact insurer
systems, disclosures, customer communications, sales conduct
and post-sale processes.
The pace and volume of climate-related regulatory changes is also
increasing. Regulators including the Hong Kong Monetary Authority,
the Monetary Authority of Singapore, BNM in Malaysia and the
Financial Supervisory Commission in Taiwan are in the process of
developing supervisory and disclosure requirements or guidelines
related to the environment and climate change. It is expected that
other regulators will develop similar requirements. These changes
may give rise to compliance, operational and disclosure risks requiring
Prudential to coordinate across multiple jurisdictions in order to apply
a consistent risk management approach.
(d) IFRS 17
Prudential’s consolidated accounts are prepared in accordance with
current IFRS applicable to the insurance industry. In May 2017, the IASB
published its standard on insurance accounting (IFRS 17, ‘Insurance
Contracts’) which replaces the current IFRS 4 standard. Some targeted
amendments to this standard, including to the effective date, were
issued in June 2020 and December 2021. IFRS 17, ‘Insurance Contracts’,
as amended, will have the effect of introducing fundamental changes
to the statutory reporting of insurance entities that prepare accounts
according to IFRS from 2023. The standard is subject to endorsement
in the UK via the UK Endorsement Board. Prudential has a Group-wide
implementation programme underway to implement this new
standard. A reliable estimate of the effect of changes required to the
Group’s accounting policies as a result of implementing this standard,
which is expected to alter the timing of IFRS profit recognition, is not yet
available as implementation is underway. The implementation of this
standard involves significant enhancements to the IT, actuarial and
finance systems of the Group.
Apart from IFRS 17, any other changes or modification of IFRS
accounting policies may also require a change in the way in which future
results will be determined and/or a retrospective adjustment of reported
results to ensure consistency.
(e) Inter-bank offered rate (‘IBOR’) reforms
In July 2014, the FSB announced widespread reforms to address the
integrity and reliability of IBORs. The discontinuation of IBORs in their
current form and their replacement with alternative risk-free reference
rates such as the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (‘SOFR’) in the US
and the Singapore Swap Offer Rate (‘SOR’) could, among other things,
impact the Group through an adverse effect on the value of Prudential’s
assets and liabilities which are linked to or which reference IBORs,
a reduction in market liquidity during any period of transition and
increased legal and conduct risks to the Group arising from changes
required to documentation and its related obligations to
its stakeholders.
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Risk factors / continued On 20 December 2021 the OECD published detailed model rules for
the second pillar, with implementation of the rules envisaged by 2023.
These rules will apply to Prudential where implemented into the
national law of jurisdictions where it has entities within the scope of
the rules. On 11 January 2022, the UK government issued a consultation
on the UK implementation of these rules, with the intention of including
required legislation in Finance Bill 2022-23 and for the rules to be
effective from 1 April 2023. Detailed guidance from the OECD is
awaited to assist with interpreting the model rules. The early indications
are that some jurisdictions may also introduce a domestic minimum tax
for in-scope multinationals alongside introducing the global rules. As
Prudential operates in a number of jurisdictions where the effective tax
rate can be less than 15 per cent, the implementation of the model rules
and/or equivalent domestic minimum tax rules may have an adverse
impact on the Group. Until further clarity is provided on how the OECD
model rules are to be interpreted, how relevant jurisdictions will
implement them and any domestic minimum tax regimes, the full
extent of the long-term impact on Prudential’s business, tax liabilities
and profits remain uncertain.
4.3 Litigation, disputes and regulatory investigations may
adversely affect Prudential’s business, financial condition,
cash flows, results of operations and prospects.
Prudential is, and may in the future be, subject to legal actions, disputes
and regulatory investigations in various contexts, including in the
ordinary course of its insurance, investment management and other
business operations. These legal actions, disputes and investigations
may relate to aspects of Prudential’s businesses and operations that are
specific to Prudential, or that are common to companies that operate
in Prudential’s markets. Legal actions and disputes may arise under
contracts, regulations (including tax) or from a course of conduct taken
by Prudential, and may be class actions. Although Prudential believes
that it has adequately provided in all material respects for the costs of
litigation and regulatory matters, no assurance can be provided that
such provisions are sufficient. Given the large or indeterminate amounts
of damages sometimes sought, other sanctions that might be imposed
and the inherent unpredictability of litigation and disputes, it is possible
that an adverse outcome could have an adverse effect on Prudential’s
business, financial condition, cash flows, results of operations
and prospects.
4.4 Changes in tax legislation may result in adverse tax
consequences for the Group’s business, financial condition,
results of operations and prospects.
Tax rules, including those relating to the insurance industry, and their
interpretation may change, possibly with retrospective effect in any of
the jurisdictions in which Prudential operates. Significant tax disputes
with tax authorities, and any change in the tax status of any member
of the Group or in taxation legislation or its scope or interpretation could
affect Prudential’s business, financial condition, results of operations
and prospects.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
(‘OECD’) is currently undertaking a project intended to modernise the
global international tax system, commonly referred to as Base Erosion
and Profit-Shifting 2.0 (‘BEPS 2.0’). The project has two pillars. The first
pillar is focused on the allocation of taxing rights between jurisdictions
for in-scope multinational enterprises that sell cross-border goods
and services into countries with little or no local physical presence.
The second pillar is focused on developing a global minimum tax rate
of 15 per cent applicable to in-scope multinational enterprises.
On 8 October 2021 the OECD issued a statement setting out the
high level principles which have been agreed by over 130 jurisdictions
involved in the project. Based on the 8 October 2021 OECD statement,
Prudential does not expect to be affected by proposals under the
first pillar given they include an exemption for regulated financial
services companies.
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A
Acquisition costs or expenses
Acquisition costs or expenses include the
initial expenses and commissions incurred
in writing new business. Typically, under IFRS,
an element of acquisition costs is deferred ie
not expensed in the year incurred, and instead
amortised in the income statement in line
with the emergence of surpluses on the
related contracts.
Actual exchange rates (AER)
Actual historical exchange rates for the specific
accounting period, being the average rates
over the period for the income statement and
the closing rates at the balance sheet date for
the balance sheet.
Administration expenses
Administration expenses are expenses and
renewal commissions incurred in managing
existing business.
Alternative performance measures (APMs)
Alternative performance measures (APMs) are
non-GAAP measures used by the Prudential
Group within its annual reports to supplement
disclosures prepared in accordance with widely
accepted guideline and principles established
by accounting standard setters, such as
International Financial Reporting Standards
(IFRS). These measures provide useful
information to enhance the understanding
of the Group’s financial performance.
A reconciliation of these APMs to IFRS metrics
is provided in the additional unaudited financial
information section of the annual report.
American Depositary Receipts (ADRs)
The stocks of most foreign companies that
trade in the US markets are traded as
American Depositary Receipts (ADRs). US
depositary banks issue these stocks. Each ADR
represents one or more shares of foreign stock
or a fraction of a share. The price of an ADR
corresponds to the price of the foreign stock
in its home market, adjusted to the ratio of
the ADRs to foreign company shares.
Annual premium equivalent (APE)
A measure of new business sales, which is a
key metric for the Group’s management of
the development and growth of the business.
APE is calculated as the aggregate of
annualised regular premiums from new
business and one-tenth of single premiums
on new business written during the period
for all insurance products, including premiums
for contracts designated as investment
contracts under IFRS 4.
Assets under management (AUM)
Assets under management represent all assets
managed or administered by or on behalf of
the Group, including those assets managed
by third parties. Assets under management
include managed assets that are included
within the Group’s statement of financial
position and those assets belonging to external
clients outside the Prudential Group, which are
therefore not included in the Group’s statement
of financial position. These are also referred to
as ‘funds under management (FUM)’.
Available for sale (AFS)
Securities that have been acquired neither
for short-term sale nor to be held to maturity.
AFS securities are measured at fair value
on the statement of financial position with
unrealised gains and losses being booked
in Other Comprehensive Income instead
of the income statement.
B
Bancassurance
An agreement with a bank to offer insurance
and investment products to the bank’s
customers.
Bonuses
Bonuses refer to the non-guaranteed benefit
added to participating life insurance policies
and are the way in which policyholders receive
their share of the profits of the policies. These
include regular bonus and final bonus and
the rates may vary from period to period.
C
Cash remittances
Amounts paid by our business units to
the Group comprising dividends and other
transfers net of capital injections, which
are reflective of emerging earnings and
capital generation.
Cash surrender value
The amount of cash available to a policy
holder on the surrender of or withdrawal from
a life insurance policy or annuity contract.
Ceding commission
In a reinsurance arrangement, an allowance
(usually a percentage of the reinsurance
premium) can be made by the reinsurer for
part or all of a ceding company’s acquisition
and other costs.
China Risk-Oriented Solvency System
(C-ROSS)
A regulatory framework that governs the
insurance industry in China effective from
1 March 2021. The second phase of the
C-ROSS was completed on 30 December 2021
to be effective in the first quarter of 2022.
Collective investment schemes (CIS)
CIS is an open-ended investment fund of
pooled assets in which an investor can buy and
sell units that are issued in the form of shares.
Constant exchange rates (CER)
Prudential plc reports its results at both
actual exchange rates (AER) to reflect actual
results and also constant exchange rates
(CER) to eliminate the impact from exchange
translation. CER results are calculated by
translating prior year results using current
period foreign currency exchange rates, ie
current period average rates for the income
statements and current period closing rate
for the balance sheet.
Core structural borrowings
Borrowings which Prudential considers forming
part of its core capital structure and excludes
operational borrowings.
Credit risk
The risk of loss if another party fails to meet its
obligations, or fails to do so in a timely fashion.
Currency risk
The risk that asset or liability values, cash flows,
income or expenses will be affected by
changes in exchange rates. Also referred to
as foreign exchange risk.
D
Discretionary participation features (DPF)
A contractual right to receive, as a supplement
to guaranteed benefits, additional benefits that
are likely to be a significant portion of the total
contractual benefits; whose amount or timing
is contractually at the discretion of the issuer;
and that are contractually based on asset,
fund, company or other entity performance.
Dividend cover
Dividend cover is calculated as operating
profit after tax on an IFRS basis, divided by
the current year interim dividend plus the
proposed final dividend.
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E
Endowment product
An ordinary individual life insurance product
that provides the insured party with various
guaranteed benefits if it survives specific
maturity dates or periods stated in the policy.
Upon the death of the insured party within
the coverage period, a designated beneficiary
receives the face value of the policy.
Environmental, Social and Governance
(ESG)
ESG refers to the three central factors in
measuring the sustainability and societal
impact of an investment in a company or
business, which is qualitative and non-financial
and not readily quantifiable in monetary
terms. The key features of Prudential ESG
framework are its three strategic pillars:
1) making health and financial security
accessible; 2) stewarding the human
impacts of climate change; and 3) building
social capital.
European Embedded Value (EEV)
Financial results that are prepared on
a supplementary basis to the Group’s
consolidated IFRS results and which are
prepared in accordance with a set of Principles
issued by the CFO Forum of European
Insurance Companies in 2016. Embedded
value is a way of measuring the current value
to shareholders of the future profits from life
business written based on a set of assumptions.
F
Funds under management (FUM)
See ‘assets under management (AUM)’ above.
G
Group free surplus
Group free surplus at the end of the period
comprises free surplus for the insurance
businesses, representing the excess of the net
worth over the required capital included in the
EEV results and IFRS net assets for the asset
management and other businesses, excluding
goodwill. The free surplus generated during
the period comprises the movement in this
balance excluding foreign exchange, capital
and other reserve movements. Specifically,
it includes amounts emerging from the
in-force operations during the year, net
of amounts reinvested in writing new business,
the effect of market movements and other
one-off items.
Group-wide Supervision (GWS) Framework
Regulatory framework developed by the
Hong Kong Insurance Authority (see below)
for multinational insurance groups under its
supervision. The GWS Framework is based
on a principle-based and outcome-focused
approach, and allows the Hong Kong
Insurance Authority to exercise direct
regulatory powers over the designated holding
companies of multinational insurance groups.
H
Health and protection (H&P) products
(also referred to as accident and health
(A&H) products)
These comprise health and personal accident
insurance products, which provide morbidity or
sickness benefits and include health, disability,
critical illness and accident coverage. Health
and protection products are sold both as
standalone policies and as riders that can be
attached to life insurance products. Health
and protection riders are presented together
with ordinary individual life insurance products
for the purposes of disclosure of financial
information.
Hong Kong Insurance Authority (IA)
The Hong Kong IA is an insurance regulatory
body responsible for the regulation and
supervision of the Hong Kong insurance
industry.
I
In-force
An insurance policy or contract reflected
on records that has not expired, matured or
otherwise been surrendered or terminated.
International Association of Insurance
Supervisors (IAIS)
The IAIS is a voluntary membership
organisation of insurance supervisors and
regulators. It is the international standard-
setting body responsible for developing and
assisting in the implementation of principles,
standards and other supporting material
for the supervision of the insurance sector.
International Financial Reporting
Standards (IFRS Standards)
Accounting standards and practices that are
developed and issued by the IFRS Foundation
and the International Accounting Standards
Board (IASB).
Investment grade
Investments rated BBB- or above for S&P and
Baa3 or above for Moody’s. Generally, they are
bonds that are judged by the rating agency
as likely enough to meet payment obligations
that banks are allowed to invest in them.
Investment-linked products or contracts
Insurance products where the surrender value
of the policy is linked to the value of underlying
investments (such as collective investment
schemes, internal investment pools or other
property) or fluctuations in the value of
underlying investment or indices. Investment
risk associated with the product is usually
borne by the policyholder. Insurance coverage,
investment and administration services are
provided for which the charges are deducted
from the investment fund assets. Benefits
payable will depend on the price of the units
prevailing at the time of surrender, death
or the maturity of the product, subject to
surrender charges. These are also referred to
as unit-linked products or unit-linked contracts.
K
Key performance indicators (KPIs)
These are measures by which the
development, performance or position of
the business can be measured effectively.
The Group Board reviews the KPIs annually
and updates them where appropriate.
L
Liquidity coverage ratio (LCR)
Prudential calculates this as assets and
resources available to us that are readily
convertible to cash to cover corporate
obligations in a prescribed stress scenario.
We calculate this ratio over a range of time
horizons extending to twelve months.
Liquidity premium
This comprises the premium that is required
to compensate for the lower liquidity of
corporate bonds relative to swaps and the
mark-to-market risk premium that is required
to compensate for the potential volatility in
corporate bond spreads (and hence market
values) at the time of sale.
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Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT)
MDRT is a global, independent association
of life insurance and financial services
professionals that recognises professional
knowledge, strict ethical conduct and
outstanding client service. MDRT membership
is recognised internationally as the standard
of excellence in the life insurance and financial
services business.
Money Market Fund (MMF)
An MMF is a type of mutual fund that has
relatively low risks compared to other mutual
funds and most other investments and
historically has had lower returns. MMF invests
in high quality, short-term debt securities and
pay dividends that generally reflect short-term
interest rates. The purpose of an MMF is to
provide investors with a safe place to store
cash or as an alternative to investing in the
stock market.
Morbidity rate
Rate of sickness, varying by such parameters
as age, gender and health, used in pricing and
computing liabilities for future policyholders of
health products, which contain morbidity risks.
Mortality rate
Rate of death, varying by such parameters as
age, gender and health, used in pricing and
computing liabilities for future policyholders
of life and annuity products, which contain
mortality risks.
N
Net premiums
Life insurance premiums, net of reinsurance
ceded to third-party reinsurers.
Net worth
Net assets for EEV reporting purposes that
reflect the regulatory basis position,
sometimes with adjustments to achieve
consistency with the IFRS treatment of
certain items.
New business margin
New business margin is expressed as the
value of new business profit as a percentage
of annual premium equivalent (APE) and
the present value of new business premiums
(PVNBP) expected to be received on an
EEV basis.
New business profit
The profits, calculated in accordance with
European Embedded Value Principles, from
business sold in the financial reporting period
under consideration.
Non-participating business
A life insurance policy where the policyholder is
not entitled to a share of the company’s profits
and surplus, but receives certain guaranteed
benefits. Examples include pure risk policies
(eg fixed annuities, term insurance, critical
illness) and unit-linked insurance contracts.
O
Operational borrowings
Borrowings which arise in the normal course of
the business, including all lease liabilities under
IFRS 16.
P
Participating funds
Distinct portfolios where the policyholders
have a contractual right to receive, at the
discretion of the insurer, additional benefits
based on factors such as the performance
of a pool of assets held within the fund,
as a supplement to any guaranteed benefits.
The insurer may either have discretion as to
the timing of the allocation of those benefits
to participating policyholders or may have
discretion as to the timing and the amount
of the additional benefits. For Prudential the
most significant participating funds are for
business written in Hong Kong, Malaysia
and Singapore.
Participating policies or participating
business
Contracts of insurance where the policyholders
have a contractual right to receive, at the
discretion of the insurer, additional benefits
based on factors such as investment
performance, as a supplement to any
guaranteed benefits. This is also referred
to as with-profits business.
Persistency
The percentage of policies remaining in force
from period to period.
Present value of new business premiums
(PVNBP)
The present value of new business premiums
is calculated as the aggregate of single
premiums and the present value of expected
future premiums from regular premium
new business, allowing for lapses and other
assumptions made in determining the EEV
new business contribution.
R
Regular premium product
A life insurance product with regular periodic
premium payments.
Renewal or recurring premiums
Renewal or recurring premiums are the
subsequent premiums that are paid on regular
premium products.
Rider
A supplemental plan that can be attached to a
basic insurance policy, typically with payment
of additional premiums.
Risk-based capital (RBC) framework
RBC is a method of measuring the minimum
amount of capital set by regulators as
appropriate for a reporting entity to support its
overall business operations in consideration of
its size and the level of risk it is faced. RBC limits
the amount of risk a company can take and
act as a cushion to protect a company from
insolvency. RBC is intended to be a minimum
regulatory capital standard and not
necessarily the full amount of capital that an
insurer would want to hold to meet its safety
and competitive objectives. In addition, RBC
is not designed to be used as a stand-alone
tool in determining financial solvency of an
insurance company; rather it is one of the tools
that give regulators legal authority to take
control of an insurance company.
S
Single premiums
Single premium policies of insurance are those
that require only a single lump sum payment
from the policyholder.
Stochastic techniques
Stochastic techniques incorporate results
from repeated simulations using key financial
parameters which are subject to random
variations and are projected into the future.
Subordinated debt
A fixed interest issue or debt that ranks below
other debt in order of priority for repayment
if the issuer is liquidated. Holders are
compensated for the added risk through
higher rates of interest.
Surrender
The termination of a life insurance policy
or annuity contract at the request of the
policyholder after which the policyholder
receives the cash surrender value, if any,
of the contract.
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Glossary / continued Surrender charge or surrender fee
The fee charged to a policyholder when a
life insurance policy or annuity contract is
surrendered for its cash surrender value prior
to the end of the surrender charge period.
T
Takaful
Insurance that is compliant with Islamic
principles of mutual assistance and
risk sharing.
Term life contracts
These contracts provide protection for a
defined period and a benefit that is payable
to a designated beneficiary upon death of
the insured.
Time value of options and guarantees
(TVOG)
The value of financial options and guarantees
comprises two parts, the intrinsic value and
the time value. The intrinsic value is given by
a deterministic valuation on best estimate
assumptions. The time value is the additional
value arising from the variability of economic
outcomes in the future.
Total shareholder return (TSR)
TSR represents the growth in the value of
a share plus the value of dividends paid,
assuming that the dividends are reinvested in
the Company’s shares on the ex-dividend date.
U
Unallocated surplus
Unallocated surplus is recorded wholly as a
liability and represents the excess of assets
over policyholder liabilities for Prudential’s
with-profits funds. The balance retained in
the unallocated surplus represents cumulative
income arising on the with-profits business
that has not been allocated to policyholders
or shareholders.
Unit-linked products or unit-linked
contracts
See ‘investment-linked products or contracts’
above.
Universal life
An insurance product where the customer pays
flexible premiums, subject to specified limits,
which are accumulated in an account and are
credited with interest (at a rate either set by
the insurer or reflecting returns on a pool of
matching assets). The customer may vary the
death benefit and the contract may permit the
customer to withdraw the account balance,
typically subject to a surrender charge.
V
Value of in-force business (VIF)
The present value of future shareholder cash
flows projected to emerge from the assets
backing liabilities of the in-force covered
business.
W
Whole life contracts
A type of life insurance policy that provides
lifetime protection; premiums must usually
be paid for life. The sum assured is paid out
whenever death occurs. Commonly used for
estate planning purposes.
With-profits contracts
For Prudential, the most significant with-profits
contracts are written in Hong Kong, Malaysia
and Singapore. See ‘participating policies or
participating business’ above.
With-profits funds
See ‘participating funds’ above.
Y
Yield
A measure of the rate of return received from
an investment in percentage terms by
comparing annual income (and any change
in capital) to the price paid for the investment.
Yield curve
A line graph that shows the relative yields on
debt over a range of maturities typically from
three months to 30 years. Investors, analysts
and economists use yield curves to evaluate
bond markets and interest rate expectations.
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Communication with shareholders
The Group maintains a corporate website containing a wide range of
information relevant for private and institutional investors, including
the Group’s financial calendar: www.prudentialplc.com
In accordance with relevant legislation, shareholders holding 5 per cent
or more of the fully paid up issued share capital are able to require the
Directors to hold a general meeting. Written shareholder requests
should be addressed to the Company Secretary at the registered office.
Shareholder Meetings
The 2022 Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Thursday
26 May 2022 at 10.00am. Arrangements for attendance remain
under review given the ongoing restrictions arising from the Covid-19
pandemic. To ensure shareholders are able to participate fully in the
AGM this year, we will provide an option to link digitally to the Meeting
and would encourage shareholders to make use of this option. The 2022
AGM notice will provide more details on arrangements and how to
participate. Shareholders are encouraged to watch the Company’s
website, regulatory news and other published notifications for any
further updates in relation to the 2022 AGM arrangements.
Prudential will continue its practice of calling a poll on all resolutions
and the voting results, including all proxies lodged prior to the meeting,
will be displayed during the meeting and subsequently published on
the Company’s website.
The 2021 AGM was open to shareholders through electronic
attendance, where they were able to view a live video feed of the 2021
AGM, submit voting instructions and ask direct questions to the Board.
Details of the 2021 AGM, including the major items discussed at
the meeting and the results of the voting, can be found on the
Company’s website.
Company constitution
Prudential is governed by the Companies Act 2006, other applicable
legislation and regulations, and provisions in its Articles of Association
(Articles). Any change to the Articles must be approved by special
resolution of the shareholders. There were no changes to the
constitutional documents during 2021. The current Memorandum
and Articles are available on the Company’s website.
Issued share capital
The issued share capital as at 31 December 2021 consisted of
2,746,412,265 (2020: 2,609,489,702) ordinary shares of 5 pence each,
all fully paid up and listed on the London Stock Exchange and the
Hong Kong Stock Exchange. As at 31 December 2021, there were
41,532 (2020: 45,176) accounts on the register. Further information
can be found in note C8 on pages 295 and 296.
Prudential also maintains secondary listings on the New York Stock
Exchange (in the form of American Depositary Receipts which are
referenced to ordinary shares on the main UK register) and the
Singapore Stock Exchange. Prudential has maintained a sufficiency
of public float throughout the reporting period as required by the
Hong Kong Listing Rules.
Analysis of shareholder accounts as at 31 December 2021
Balance ranges
1–1,000
1,001 –5,000
5,001–10,000
10,001–100,000
100,001–500,000
500,001–1,000,000
1,000,001 upwards
Totals
Total number
of holdings
Percentage
of holders
Total number
of shares
Percentage of
issued capital
29,170
8,803
1,375
1,291
463
128
302
41,532
7,357,872
70.23%
19,282,368
21.20%
9,560,501
3.31%
3.11%
38,182,493
1.11% 108,899,235
0.31%
89,991,739
0.73% 2,473,138,057
0.27%
0.70%
0.35%
1.39%
3.96%
3.28%
90.05%
100.00% 2,746,412,265
100.00%
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Major shareholders
The table below shows the holdings of major shareholders in the
Company’s issued ordinary share capital, as at 31 December 2021,
as notified and disclosed to the Company in accordance with the
Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.
As at 31 December 2021
BlackRock, Inc
Third Point LLC
% of total
voting rights
5.08
5.04
No notifications have been received from year end to 8 March 2022.
Rights and obligations
The rights and obligations attaching to the Company’s shares are set
out in full in the Articles. There are currently no voting restrictions on the
ordinary shares, all of which are fully paid, and each share carries one
vote on a poll. If votes are cast on a show of hands, each shareholder
present in person or by proxy, or in the case of a corporation, each of its
duly authorised corporate representatives, has one vote except that if
a proxy is appointed by more than one member, the proxy has one vote
for and one vote against if instructed by one or more members to vote
for the resolution and by one or more members to vote against the
resolution. Where, under an employee share plan, participants are the
beneficial owners of the shares but not the registered owners, the voting
rights are normally exercisable by the trustee on behalf of the registered
owner in accordance with the relevant plan rules. The trustees would not
usually vote on any unallocated shares held in trust but they may do so
at their discretion provided it would be considered to be in the best
interests of the beneficiaries of the trust and permitted under the
relevant trust deed.
As at 8 March 2022, the trustees held 0.39 per cent of the issued share
capital under the various plans in operation. Rights to dividends under
the various schemes are set out on pages 194 to 233.
Restrictions on transfer
In accordance with English company law, shares may be transferred
by an instrument of transfer or through an electronic system (currently
CREST) and any transfer is not restricted except that the Directors may,
in certain circumstances, refuse to register transfers of shares but only
if such refusal does not prevent dealings in the shares from taking place
on an open and proper basis. If the Directors make use of that power,
they must send the transferee notice of the refusal within two months.
Certain restrictions may be imposed from time to time by applicable
laws and regulations (for example, insider trading laws) and pursuant
to the Listing Rules of both the Financial Conduct Authority and the
Hong Kong Stock Exchange, as well as under the rules of some of the
Group’s employee share plans.
All Directors are required to hold a minimum number of shares under
guidelines approved by the Board, which they would also be expected
to retain as described on page 223 of the Directors’ remuneration report.
Authority to issue shares
The Directors require authority from shareholders in relation to the issue
of shares. Whenever shares are issued, these must be offered to existing
shareholders pro rata to their holdings unless the Directors have been
given authority by shareholders to issue shares without offering them
first to existing shareholders. Prudential seeks authority from its
shareholders on an annual basis to issue shares up to a maximum
amount, of which a defined number may be issued without pre-emption.
Disapplication of statutory pre-emption procedures is also sought
for rights issues. The existing authorities to issue shares, and to do
so without observing pre-emption rights, are due to expire at the end
of this year’s AGM. Relevant resolutions to authorise share capital
issuances will be put to shareholders at the AGM on 26 May 2022.
Details of shares issued during 2021 and 2020 are given in note C8
on pages 295 and 296. In accordance with the terms of a waiver
granted by the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Prudential confirms that
it complies with the applicable law and regulation in the UK in relation
to the holding of shares in treasury and with the conditions of the waiver
in connection with the purchase of own shares and any treasury shares
it may hold.
Authority to purchase own shares
The Directors also require authority from shareholders in relation to the
purchase of the Company’s own shares. Prudential seeks authority by
special resolution on an annual basis for the buy-back of its own shares
in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Companies Act 2006
and other related guidance. This authority has not been used since it
was last granted at the AGM in 2021. This existing authority is due to
expire at the end of this year’s AGM and a special resolution to renew
the authority will be put to shareholders at the AGM on 26 May 2022.
Dividend information
2021 second interim dividend
Ex-dividend date
Record date
Payment date
Shareholders
registered on the
UK register and
Hong Kong
branch register
24 March 2022
25 March 2022
Holders
of American
Depositary
Receipts
Shareholders
with ordinary shares
standing to the
credit of their CDP
securities accounts
–
25 March 2022
24 March 2022
25 March 2022
On or around
20 May 2022
13 May 2022
13 May 2022
A number of dividend waivers are in place in respect of shares issued but not allocated under the Group’s employee share plans. These shares are
held by the trustees and will, in due course, be used to satisfy requirements under the Group’s employee share plans. The dividends waived represent
less than 1 per cent of the value of dividends paid during the year.
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Dividends are paid directly into UK based shareholder’s bank or
building society accounts. UK based shareholders should contact
EQ should they have any questions concerning the payment of
dividends, or to provide their bank or building society account details.
Alternatively, UK based shareholders may download the form from
www.prudentialplc.com/investors/shareholder-information/forms
Shareholders on the UK and Hong Kong registers have the option to
elect to receive their dividend in US dollars instead of pounds sterling or
Hong Kong dollars respectively. More information may be found on our
website www.prudentialplc.com/investors/shareholder-information/
dividend/dividend-currency-election
Cash dividend alternative
The Company operates a Dividend Re-investment Plan (DRIP). UK
based shareholders who have elected for the DRIP will automatically
receive shares for all future dividends in respect of which a DRIP
alternative is offered. The election may be cancelled at any time by
the shareholder. Further details of the DRIP and the timetable are
available at www.shareview.co.uk/4/Info/Portfolio/default/en/home/
shareholders/Pages/ReinvestDividends.aspx
Electronic communications
Shareholders located in the UK are encouraged to elect to receive
shareholder documents electronically by registering with Shareview at
www.shareview.co.uk This will save on printing and distribution costs,
and create environmental benefits. Shareholders who have registered
will be sent an email notification whenever shareholder documents are
available on the Company’s website and a link will be provided to that
information. When registering, shareholders will need their shareholder
reference number which can be found on their share certificate or
proxy form. The option to receive shareholder documents electronically
is not available to shareholders holding shares through The Central
Depository (Pte) Limited (CDP). Please contact EQ if you require any
assistance or further information.
Share dealing services
The Company’s UK registrars, EQ, offer a postal dealing facility for
buying and selling Prudential plc ordinary shares; please see the EQ
address or telephone 0371 384 2248. They also offer a telephone and
internet dealing service, Shareview, which provides a simple and
convenient way of selling Prudential shares. For telephone sales, call
0345 603 7037 between 8.00am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, and for
internet sales log on to www.shareview.co.uk/dealing
ShareGift
Shareholders who have only a small number of shares, the value
of which makes them uneconomic to sell, may wish to consider
donating them to ShareGift (Registered Charity 1052686). The
relevant share transfer form may be downloaded from our website
www.prudentialplc.com/investors/shareholder-information/forms
or from EQ. Further information about ShareGift may be obtained
on +44 (0)20 7930 3737 or from www.ShareGift.org
Shareholder enquiries
For enquiries about shareholdings, including dividends and lost share certificates, please contact the Company’s registrars:
Register
By post
UK register
Equiniti Limited, Aspect House, Spencer Road, Lancing,
West Sussex BN99 6DA, UK.
Hong Kong register
Computershare Hong Kong Investor Services Limited, 17M Floor,
Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong.
Singapore register
Shareholders who have shares standing to the credit of their securities accounts
with CDP in Singapore may refer queries to the CDP at 11 North Buona Vista
Drive, #01-19/20 The Metropolis Tower 2, Singapore 138589. Enquiries regarding
shares held in Depository Agent Sub-accounts should be directed to your
Depository Agent or broker.
ADRs
JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A, P.O. Box 64504, St. Paul, MN 55164-0504, USA.
By telephone
Tel 0371 384 2035*
Textel 0371 384 2255 (for hard of
hearing). Lines are open from 8.30am
to 5pm (UK), Monday to Friday.
* Please use the country code when calling from
outside the UK
Tel +852 2862 8555
Tel +65 6535 7511
Tel +1 800 990 1135, or from outside
the USA +1 651 453 2128 or log on to
www.adr.com
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Shareholder information / continued How to contact us
Prudential plc
1 Angel Court
London
EC2R 7AG
UK
Tel +44 (0)20 7220 7588
www.prudentialplc.com
Prudential Asia and Africa
13th Floor
One International Finance Centre
1 Harbour View Street
Central
Hong Kong
Tel +852 2918 6300
Media enquiries
Tel +44 (0)7581 023260
Email: media.relations@prudentialplc.com
Media enquiries
Tel +65 9845 8904
Email: tan.ping.ping@prudential.com.sg
Board
Shriti Vadera
Chair
Independent Non-executive Directors
Philip Remnant
Senior Independent Director
Jeremy Anderson
Chua Sock Koong
David Law
Ming Lu
Anthony Nightingale
Alice Schroeder
George Sartorel
Tom Watjen
Jeanette Wong
Amy Yip
Group Executive Committee
Executive Directors
Mike Wells
Group Chief Executive
Mark FitzPatrick
Group Chief Financial Officer
and Chief Operating Officer
James Turner
Group Chief Risk and
Compliance Officer
Jolene Chen
Group Human Resources Director
Nic Nicandrou
Chief Executive, Asia and Africa
Shareholder contacts
Institutional analyst and investor
enquiries
Tel +44 (0)20 3977 9720
Email: investor.relations@prudentialplc.com
UK Register private shareholder enquiries
Tel 0371 384 2035
International shareholders:
Tel +44 (0)121 415 7026
Hong Kong Branch Register private
shareholder enquiries
Tel +852 2862 8555
US American Depositary Receipts
holder enquiries
Tel +1 800 990 1135
From outside the US:
Tel +1 651 453 2128
The Central Depository (Pte) Limited
shareholder enquiries
Tel +65 6535 7511
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This document may contain ‘forward-looking statements’ with respect
to certain of Prudential’s (and its wholly and jointly owned businesses’)
plans and its goals and expectations relating to its future financial
condition, performance, results, strategy and objectives. Statements
that are not historical facts, including statements about Prudential’s
(and its wholly and jointly owned businesses’) beliefs and expectations
and including, without limitation, statements containing the words
‘may’, ‘will’, ‘should’, ‘continue’, ‘aims’, ‘estimates’, ‘projects’, ‘believes’,
‘intends’, ‘expects’, ‘plans’, ‘seeks’ and ‘anticipates’, and words of similar
meaning, are forward-looking statements. These statements are based
on plans, estimates and projections as at the time they are made, and
therefore undue reliance should not be placed on them. By their nature,
all forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty.
A number of important factors could cause Prudential’s actual future
financial condition or performance or other indicated results of the
entity referred to in any forward-looking statement to differ materially
from those indicated in such forward-looking statement. Such factors
include, but are not limited to, the impact of the ongoing Covid-19
pandemic, including adverse financial market and liquidity impacts,
responses and actions taken by governments, regulators and
supervisors, the impact on sales, claims and assumptions and increased
product lapses, disruption to Prudential’s operations (and those of its
suppliers and partners), risks associated with new sales processes and
technological and information security risks; future market conditions
(including fluctuations in interest rates and exchange rates, inflation
(including interest rate rises as a response) and deflation, the potential
for a return to a sustained low-interest rate environment, the
performance of financial markets generally and the impact of economic
uncertainty (including as a result of geopolitical tensions and conflicts),
asset valuation impacts from the transition to a lower carbon economy
and derivative instruments not effectively hedging exposures arising
from product guarantees); global political uncertainties, including the
potential for increased friction in cross-border trade and the exercise
of executive powers to restrict trade, financial transactions, capital
movements and/or investment; the policies and actions of regulatory
authorities, including, in particular, the policies and actions of the Hong
Kong Insurance Authority, as Prudential’s Group-wide supervisor, as well
as the degree and pace of regulatory changes and new government
initiatives generally; given its designation as an Internationally Active
Insurance Group (“IAIG”), the impact on Prudential of systemic risk and
other group supervision policy standards adopted by the International
Association of Insurance Supervisors; the physical, social and financial
impacts of climate change and global health crises on Prudential’s
business and operations; the impact of not adequately responding to
environmental, social and governance issues (including not properly
considering the interests of Prudential’s stakeholders or failing to
maintain high standards of corporate governance); the impact of
competition and fast-paced technological change; the effect on
Prudential’s business and results from, in particular, mortality and
morbidity trends, lapse rates and policy renewal rates; the timing,
impact and other uncertainties of future acquisitions or combinations
within relevant industries; the impact of internal transformation
projects and other strategic actions failing to meet their objectives;
the availability and effectiveness of reinsurance for Prudential’s
businesses; the risk that Prudential’s operational resilience (or that of
its suppliers and partners) may prove to be inadequate, including in
relation to operational disruption due to external events; disruption to
the availability, confidentiality or integrity of Prudential’s information
technology, digital systems and data (or those of its suppliers and
partners) including the Pulse platform; any ongoing impact on
Prudential of the demerger of M&G plc and the demerger of Jackson
Financial Inc.; the increased operational and financial risks and
uncertainties associated with operating joint ventures with independent
partners, particularly where joint ventures are not controlled by
Prudential; the impact of changes in capital, solvency standards,
accounting standards or relevant regulatory frameworks, and tax and
other legislation and regulations in the jurisdictions in which Prudential
and its affiliates operate; and the impact of legal and regulatory
actions, investigations and disputes. These and other important
factors may, for example, result in changes to assumptions used for
determining results of operations or re-estimations of reserves for future
policy benefits. Further discussion of these and other important factors
that could cause actual future financial condition or performance
to differ, possibly materially, from those anticipated in Prudential’s
forward-looking statements can be found under the ‘Risk factors’
heading of this document. These factors are not exhaustive as
Prudential operates in a continually changing business environment
with new risks emerging from time to time that it may be unable to
predict or that it currently does not expect to have a material adverse
effect on its business.
Any forward-looking statements contained in this document speak only
as of the date on which they are made. Prudential expressly disclaims
any obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements
contained in this document or any other forward-looking statements
it may make, whether as a result of future events, new information or
otherwise except as required pursuant to the UK Prospectus Rules, the
UK Listing Rules, the UK Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules,
the Hong Kong Listing Rules, the SGX-ST Listing Rules or other applicable
laws and regulations.
Cautionary statements
This document does not constitute or form part of any offer or invitation
to purchase, acquire, subscribe for, sell, dispose of or issue, or any
solicitation of any offer to purchase, acquire, subscribe for, sell or dispose
of, any securities in any jurisdiction nor shall it (or any part of it) or the
fact of its distribution, form the basis of, or be relied on in connection
with, any contract therefor.
404
Prudential plc
Annual Report 2021
prudentialplc.com
Prudential plc is a holding company, some of whose subsidiaries are
authorised and regulated, as applicable, by the Hong Kong Insurance
Authority and other regulatory authorities. The Group is subject
to a group-wide supervisory framework which is regulated by the
Hong Kong Insurance Authority.
Prudential plc is not affiliated in any manner with Prudential Financial,
Inc., a company whose principal place of business is in the United
States of America, nor with The Prudential Assurance Company
Limited, a subsidiary of M&G plc, a company incorporated in the
United Kingdom.
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Prudential public limited company
Incorporated and registered
in England and Wales
Registered office
1 Angel Court
London
EC2R 7AG
Registered number 1397169
www.prudentialplc.com
Principal place of business
in Hong Kong
13th Floor
One International Finance Centre
1 Harbour View Street
Central
Hong Kong