Employers who sponsor employee benefit plans face growing challenges in keeping up with a dynamic regulatory environment. Frequent updates from federal agencies like the Department of Labor and the IRS require employers to continuously adapt their plans operations to remain compliant. Mergers by insurance carriers, third-party administrators, and technology vendors drive disruptions in service, alter technology platforms, and further complicate cybersecurity management.
In addition to regulatory and market pressures, employers are expected to manage their benefit plans in a way that is both sustainable and inclusive. That includes monitoring vendors, certifying that their fees are reasonable, using metrics to analyze plan performance, identifying disparities in access or outcomes, and ensuring that governance practices meet fiduciary standards. Strong oversight is essential to mitigate legal and financial risks while maintaining the integrity of the benefit plan.
How We Help Our Clients
Authentic statutory relief
In the capacity of the supreme named fiduciary under ERISA Section 402(a), we assume primary responsibility for the plan’s compliance and risk management, including all vendors’ performance and dynamically tracking their cybersecurity capabilities. The 402(a) designation allows us to centralize fiduciary accountability, ensure procedural prudence, and maintain compliance through ongoing performance reviews, risk assessments, and adherence to regulatory expectations.
In the capacity of the supreme named fiduciary under ERISA Section 402(a), we assume primary responsibility for the plan’s compliance and risk management, including all vendors’ performance and dynamically tracking their cybersecurity capabilities. The 402(a) designation allows us to centralize fiduciary accountability, ensure procedural prudence, and maintain compliance through ongoing performance reviews, risk assessments, and adherence to regulatory expectations.
Fiduciary reviews
Our process assessments help clients pinpoint strengths and uncover opportunities to enhance their fiduciary management. By analyzing governance structures, investment decision-making, risk oversight, and compliance protocols, we deliver actionable insights that enhance operational efficiency and align practices with industry best standards. This comprehensive approach empowers clients to make informed, strategic adjustments that strengthen fiduciary responsibility and drive long-term success.
Our process assessments help clients pinpoint strengths and uncover opportunities to enhance their fiduciary management. By analyzing governance structures, investment decision-making, risk oversight, and compliance protocols, we deliver actionable insights that enhance operational efficiency and align practices with industry best standards. This comprehensive approach empowers clients to make informed, strategic adjustments that strengthen fiduciary responsibility and drive long-term success.
Strategic management system
We implement a workflow that integrates all four key disciplines of fiduciary duty—governance, administration, investments, and controls—into a unified, streamlined process. It helps ensure that retirement and healthcare plans consistently meet fiduciary standards of care, reducing risk and promoting long-term plan integrity and compliance. By centralizing oversight and simplifying decision-making, the workflow significantly lightens the burden on plan committee members, allowing them to focus on strategic priorities with greater confidence and clarity.
We implement a workflow that integrates all four key disciplines of fiduciary duty—governance, administration, investments, and controls—into a unified, streamlined process. It helps ensure that retirement and healthcare plans consistently meet fiduciary standards of care, reducing risk and promoting long-term plan integrity and compliance. By centralizing oversight and simplifying decision-making, the workflow significantly lightens the burden on plan committee members, allowing them to focus on strategic priorities with greater confidence and clarity.
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Imagine the transformation of a structured process
Roland|Criss guides organizations from initial fiduciary assessments through tailored workflow design and seamless execution, enabling rapid ramp-ups and building sustainable capabilities that strengthen long-term governance and operational excellence.
Together with our clients, we transform strategic vision into
real-world impact.
Asessment methodology
By applying ISO 19011 in our process assessments, we provide clients with a structured, transparent, and internationally recognized approach that enhances audit effectiveness and drives continuous improvement.
By applying ISO 19011 in our process assessments, we provide clients with a structured, transparent, and internationally recognized approach that enhances audit effectiveness and drives continuous improvement.
Vendors’ fees
Our firm’s expertise in evaluating and interpreting ERISA 408(b)(2) fee disclosures empowers clients to make informed, compliant decisions about service provider arrangements by ensuring transparency, reasonableness of fees, and identification of potential conflicts of interest.
Our firm’s expertise in evaluating and interpreting ERISA 408(b)(2) fee disclosures empowers clients to make informed, compliant decisions about service provider arrangements by ensuring transparency, reasonableness of fees, and identification of potential conflicts of interest.
Framework
Our process assessment framework, built on 70+ fiduciary criteria, helps clients ensure their employee benefit plans meet rigorous standards of appropriateness, compliance, and operational excellence.
Our process assessment framework, built on 70+ fiduciary criteria, helps clients ensure their employee benefit plans meet rigorous standards of appropriateness, compliance, and operational excellence.
Service council
Through our Service Council program, we strengthen the duty to monitor by elevating service provider accountability, giving clients greater confidence in performance, transparency, and fiduciary compliance.
Through our Service Council program, we strengthen the duty to monitor by elevating service provider accountability, giving clients greater confidence in performance, transparency, and fiduciary compliance.
Monitoring
Our firm’s continuous monitoring drives ongoing improvements in fiduciary effectiveness, helping clients maintain compliance, reduce risk, and enhance the long-term performance of their employee benefit plans.
Our firm’s continuous monitoring drives ongoing improvements in fiduciary effectiveness, helping clients maintain compliance, reduce risk, and enhance the long-term performance of their employee benefit plans.
Committee practices
Our structured workflow ensures fiduciary committees consistently meet regulatory and legal best practices, providing clients with confidence in governance, compliance, and defensible decision-making.
Our structured workflow ensures fiduciary committees consistently meet regulatory and legal best practices, providing clients with confidence in governance, compliance, and defensible decision-making.
Talk with Our Implementation Team
We make employee benefit plan operations easier.
Efficient operations enhance strategic planning by optimizing resources, improving data insights, boosting agility, engaging employees, saving costs, and managing risks.
By focusing on those elements inherent in employee benefit plans, we help our clients create a strong foundation for strategic planning that drives long-term success.
