The German electricity group E.On, which auto-enrolled almost a third of its 12,000 staff into a pension for the first time at the start of April, won Financial News’ Award for Best Defined-Contribution Scheme Design 2013 thanks to its generous contribution rates and innovative workforce communications and benefits strategy.

The panel of 55 judges awarded the energy firm 3.9 out of five, beating Whitbread, which scored 3.74, and The Pensions Trust's new SmarterPensions scheme's 3.6.