In 2005 HSBC published the results of its first global survey, The Future of Retirement in a World of Rising Life Expectancies. That survey covered 11,000 adults (aged 18 and over) in ten countries and territories across four continents. This showed that people want more flexibility and freedom in the way they retire than employers and laws often allow. The OIA was invited in 2005 to collaborate on the 2nd Survey, which was already in the field. Members of the OIA led by Leeson analysed the data and authored the subsequent report. HSBC interviewed more than 21,000 adults in 20 countries and territories across five continents, which comprise 62% of the world’s population. 6,000 private-sector employers across the same 20 countries and territories, were surveyed to address their attitudes to older workers and the issues presented by global ageing and changing models of retirement.

The 2006/2007 wave of the survey will be redesigned by the OIA in order to allow comparative analysis with other international and national survey on ageing and later life.

To read complete findings