B. Braun Medical Inc.

Medical technology company B. Braun strengthened its 401(k) plan through automatically enrolling participants at a 6% deferral rate, including on their bonuses; raising the plan’s automatic escalation cap to 15%; and annually re-enrolling under-savers. Employees hired before April 1, 2013, retain accounts in an employer-funded cash balance plan. The company reduced costs by adopting collective investment trust target-date funds and lowering recordkeeping fees. A companywide financial planning program gives participants access to a free, personalized financial plan from a Certified Financial Planner. One-on-one support and a benefits optimization team provide guidance.

To get to know them better, PLANSPONSOR sent the 2026 Plan Sponsor of the Year winners a list of questions from which to choose four to answer. Below are responses from Dylan Saldutti on behalf of B. Braun Medical Inc.

PLANSPONSOR: How does your organization’s leadership approach its commitment to employee retirement readiness and financial well-being?

B. Braun Medical: Our leadership team views retirement readiness and financial well-being as fundamental components of our employee value proposition. We recognize that financial security affects not only retirement outcomes but also overall well-being, engagement and productivity throughout an employee’s career.

Our commitment is reflected in the investment we make in our retirement program, the governance processes we maintain, and our focus on removing barriers to participation. Leadership supports a proactive approach that combines strong plan design, participant education and automatic features that help employees build saving habits over time. We strive to make the path to retirement readiness as simple and accessible as possible for every employee.

PLANSPONSOR: What do you foresee as the most significant opportunity—or challenge—for plan sponsors in helping employees achieve long-term financial security?

B. Braun Medical: One of the greatest opportunities for plan sponsors is leveraging plan design and technology to make positive financial behaviors easier and more automatic. Features such as auto-enrollment, auto-escalation, personalized communications and targeted education can significantly improve outcomes without requiring employees to become retirement experts.

At the same time, the biggest challenge is that employees face increasingly complex financial pressures. Rising living costs, competing financial priorities and varying levels of financial literacy can make long-term saving difficult. The plan sponsor will need to balance [helping them address their] immediate financial concerns with [helping them reach their] long-term retirement goals, while it delivers solutions that are relevant to a diverse workforce.

PLANSPONSOR: What aspect of your retirement plan offering are you most proud of?

B. Braun Medical: We are especially proud of our focus on driving participation and helping employees take action, as we know they have different levels of familiarity and engagement with retirement planning.

Our use of auto-enrollment, auto-escalation and annual sweeps of nonparticipants has helped create a culture where saving for retirement becomes the default rather than the exception. We are also proud of the collaboration between our leadership, human resources and benefits teams to continually evaluate and improve the program, so it meets employees where they are and supports their long-term financial goals.

PLANSPONSOR: How are changing workforce needs—such as demographics, financial stressors or career paths—shaping your approach to plan design or communication?

B. Braun Medical: Today’s workforce is more diverse than ever in terms of age, financial circumstances, career journeys and retirement expectations. As a result, a one-size-fits-all approach is no longer sufficient.

We are increasingly focused on delivering communications that are relevant, understandable and actionable for different employee populations. We also recognize that employees may be balancing retirement saving with other financial priorities. Our goal is to provide support throughout employees’ careers while maintaining plan features that encourage consistent long-term saving regardless of where [people] are in their financial journey.