2022 Director Sentiment Survey

What directors told us in 2022

The 2022 Director Sentiment Survey captured insights from 1,021 directors across Aotearoa New Zealand, offering a detailed view into boardroom thinking during a year marked by economic transition and evolving governance demands.

Although the economy was showing tentative signs of recovery, directors remained cautious, highlighting ongoing concerns about inflation, workforce stability, and regional policy inconsistency.

Key findings include:

• • 62% of directors expected economic conditions to remain challenging over the next 12 months
  • Workforce and talent management were top organisational priorities
  • 71% of directors reported their board had assessed digital transformation or technology risk
  • Cybersecurity and data privacy emerged as key enterprise-level issues
  • 82% of boards had refreshed their risk frameworks in response to emerging global risks
  • ESG considerations, particularly climate-related governance, were increasingly embedded in board discussions

These results offer governance leaders a worthwhile benchmark for understanding how boardrooms are strengthening capability, responding to risk, and preparing their organisations for future challenges.

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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. 

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