MONTREAL, Sept. 13 2006 – Standard Life is pleased to announce that Plan Sponsors and Plan Members can now reap the benefits of Standard Life’s enhanced approach to investment information. Standard Life provides this innovative and unique tool to investment reporting through its new collaboration with Morningstar Canada, a leading Canadian investment fund research firm.
Because Plan Sponsors need to rely on the accuracy and completeness of investment information they provide to Plan Members, Standard Life offers them timely investment information, while ensuring the continued accuracy of data they can count on. Through Standard Life and Morningstar Canada’s collaborative approach, both Plan Sponsors and Plan Members can benefit from the new format that not only provides more comprehensive information that meets CAP Guidelines such as Risk Factor and Portfolio Analysis, but that is also more user-friendly.
“The custom designed information sheets are unique to Standard Life, and are designed to meet members’ needs,” said Anthony Cardone, Senior Vice-President Group Savings & Retirement, Standard Life. “By understanding our clients’ needs, we have been able to achieve the right balance – information that is comprehensive without being overwhelming. This of course was the driving force behind this initiative. And, with the more visual approach to the presentation of more complete information such as Fund Operating Expenses and Performance Charts, members will be able to make sound and better informed investment decisions with greater ease.”
Standard Life has been able to tap into Morningstar’s sophistication in data gathering capabilities and use this expertise to its greatest advantage. “What a great opportunity to be able to incorporate Standard Life’s vision into the Morningstar product – with the ultimate winner being clients – Standard Life Plan Sponsors and Plan Members” says Scott Mackenzie, President and C.E.O, Morningstar Canada. “A winning solution all around.”
About Standard Life
The Standard Life Assurance Company of Canada and its affiliated companies in Canada have $40.5 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2005 and offer a wide range of financial products and services to over 1.28 million individuals, including group insurance and pension plan members. Products and services include group savings and retirement, group insurance, individual life insurance, savings and retirement, mutual funds and portfolio management. Total premium income and deposits reached $5.2 billion in 2005. (www.standardlife.ca)
The Standard Life group is a leading provider of financial products and services, with approximately 7 million customers worldwide. As of December 31, 2005, its investment management business has $239 billion in assets under management. Founded in Edinburgh (Scotland) in 1825, The Standard Life Assurance Company became a mutual life insurance company in 1925. Following overwhelming support by voting members and subsequent approval from the Court of Session in Scotland, the Company demutualized and a new public company – Standard Life plc – was born. Standard Life plc was listed on the London Stock Exchange (FTSE), under the ticker symbol or code SL., on July 10, 2006. (www.standardlife.com)
About Morningstar
Morningstar Canada is the Canadian subsidiary of Chicago-based Morningstar, Inc. Morningstar Canada produces the popular PALTrak(R) and Morningstar Advisor Workstation(SM) investment-fund research tools, and is a major source of Canadian investment fund information through Morningstar.ca and MorningstarAdvisor.ca. Morningstar also produces Principia(R) for Pooled Funds, a desktop research tool covering the Canadian institutional pooled funds universe. Morningstar Canada also is a leading provider of web-based solutions for fund industry websites, and provides consulting services based on its data and related analysis. Morningstar, Inc. provides data on approximately 145,000 investment offerings, including stocks, mutual funds, and similar vehicles. The company has operations in 13 countries and minority ownership interests in companies in three other countries.
