Press Release

The Standard Expands Pooled Employer Plan Capabilities with New 403(b) PEP for Nonprofit Organizations

Issued by The Standard

July 30, 2026

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Standard Insurance Company (The Standard) today announced the expansion of its pooled employer plan (PEP) capabilities with the introduction of an ERISA 403(b) PEP for nonprofit organizations.

With the launch of the new PEP, The Standard extends its 401(k) PEP leadership and expertise into the 403(b) market, giving nonprofit employers a pooled plan option that can help expand retirement plan access to this underserved sector.

“Nonprofit employers often face greater time, staffing and resource constraints than private-sector organizations, and the pressure to manage benefits costs continues to grow,” said Steve Chappell, assistant vice president of Retirement Plan sales at The Standard. “The Standard’s 403(b) PEP is designed to help ease these pressures by outsourcing key plan responsibilities. Advisors rely on our fully integrated PEP solution to help clients focus on their priorities while receiving the fiduciary management and administrative support needed to manage their retirement plans.”

The Standard is at the Forefront of PEPs

As one of the first providers of PEPs, The Standard has nearly $5 billion in PEP assets under management.¹ Through a fully integrated approach, The Standard, as the pooled plan provider (PPP), is designated as the 402(a) named fiduciary and 3(16) administrative fiduciary and serves as the plan’s recordkeeper.

Structured this way, the PPP assumes most fiduciary oversight as well as handles administration and participant services in-house, which means key responsibilities are coordinated by one accountable organization.

Established under the SECURE Act, a PEP allows multiple unrelated employers to participate in a single retirement plan while delegating most administrative and fiduciary responsibilities to a pooled plan provider, and investment selection and monitoring to an investment manager. Research from The Standard shows that 83% of employers with a PEP are satisfied with the experience, citing simplified and streamlined plan management as the top benefit.²

Learn more about PEPs.

About The Standard

Established in 1906, The Standard is a family of companies dedicated to helping customers achieve financial well-being and peace of mind. We are a leading provider of financial protection products and services for employers and individual customers. Our products include group and individual disability insurance, group life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance, group dental and group vision insurance, voluntary and supplemental benefits, absence management and paid family leave services, retirement plans products and services and annuities for employers and individual customers. For more information about The Standard, visit standard.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.

The Standard is the marketing name for StanCorp Financial Group, Inc., and its subsidiaries. Third-party administrative services are provided by Standard Retirement Services, Inc. Insurance products are offered by Standard Insurance Company of Portland, Oregon, in all states except New York. Product features and availability vary by state and are solely the responsibility of Standard Insurance Company. Standard Retirement Services, Inc. and Standard Insurance Company are subsidiaries of StanCorp Financial Group, Inc.

¹ As of July 28, 2026

² This research was based on the results of a survey of 300 employee benefits decision-makers at midsized U.S. companies. Survey responses were collected by Burke, Inc Jan. 3-26, 2025, on behalf of The Standard. All employers who responded were offered compensation from the third party to complete the survey.

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