2020 Director Sentiment Survey

What directors told us in 2020

The 2020 Director Sentiment Survey captured input from 914 directors across Aotearoa New Zealand during a year defined by the onset of COVID‑19, making it one of the most turbulent periods in recent memory. The results provide a lasting snapshot of board-level thinking as organisations responded rapidly to pandemic disruption while preparing for a post-lockdown reality.

Despite the broader economic strain, with 63% of directors anticipating a decline in national economic performance and only 24% expecting improvement, the majority remained cautiously optimistic about their own organisations, with 50% forecasting performance gains over the next twelve months.

Key insights:

• • Governance under pressure: 60% said COVID‑19 negatively affected their organisation, yet 83% felt their boards became more adaptive and flexible
  • Risk and resilience: 75% reported increased time spent on risk oversight; however, only half felt their boards had the right capabilities for complexity and emerging digital challenges
  • Cyber readiness: Boards were more alert: 54% regularly discussed cyber-risk, and 47% received comprehensive reporting on data breaches—a notable improvement from 2019
  • Liability concerns: Heightened personal liability awareness remained high, with 47% of directors believing that increased responsibilities made them more cautious
  • Climate and ESG: While 67% considered environmental and social issues important, only around a third of boards actively engaged with climate-change considerations

These findings offer enduring insights into how New Zealand directors responded to immediate crisis, strengthened board agility, managed risk, and began adapting to long‑term governance responsibilities in a dramatically shifted environment.

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We hope you find this Director Sentiment Survey report insightful. We would love to hear your thoughts. Please get in touch if you have any questions or would like to discuss the report. 

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The Director Sentiment Survey is brought to you by the Institute of Directors and ASB.