LONDON, November 27, 2025 – Board Directors in Europe currently spend most of their time on financial performance monitoring and reporting. However, given the complex risk landscape and the degree of transformation ahead, they have reported a need to spend more time focusing on topics such as strategy, purpose and innovation, AI and human capital. That’s according to WTW’s (NASDAQ:WTW) Board Stewardship and Human Capital Governance Survey.
In the face of uncertainty, boards are placing emphasis on building long-term resilience, stress-testing strategies, risk management and human capital governance in different geopolitical, cyber-security, climate change, and technology disruption scenarios.
In this era of rapid change, boards are placing more importance on strategic people discussions, with leadership succession and development emerging as the top people priority. However, more than half (57%) of boards feel more time should be spent on this topic in the boardroom.
Talent attraction/retention and skills for the future follow as other key boardroom priorities, with around half of respondents reporting that more time needs to be allocated to these topics. This highlights the increasing recognition on the importance of people issues, and tackling these in the boardroom as a key aspect of strategy. However, it also highlights a disconnect between board priorities and time allocation.
While two-thirds (60%) of boards in Europe feel confident they have sufficient expertise in human capital, only one third are confident in their human capital risk oversight and the effectiveness of their board reporting and discussions on strategic workforce-related issues.
“We’re seeing an evolution around where Boards believe they should be spending their time and their directors’ duties with long-term stewardship role in mind.”
Hannah Summers | Director of Executive Compensation and Board Advisory at WTW
The survey also found that 77% of boards agree that it is part of their stewardship role, and in their company’s interest, to influence system-wide change on risks such as climate change, resource depletion and biodiversity loss. Boards are most influenced by business strategy alignment and long-term value creation when setting sustainability priorities. This reflects a shift from a compliance mindset towards more strategically integrated and commercial ESG decision-making.
Hannah Summers, Director of Executive Compensation and Board Advisory at WTW said: “We’re seeing an evolution around where Boards believe they should be spending their time and their directors’ duties with long-term stewardship role in mind, which is led mainly by long-term systemic changes, such as technology transformation and depleting planetary resources.
“Striking a balance between shorter-term business pressures and long-term resilience and innovation is key and will be an ongoing juggling act for boards across Europe as they navigate multiple external and interconnected factors.”
At WTW (NASDAQ: WTW), we provide data-driven, insight-led solutions in the areas of people, risk and capital. Leveraging the global view and local expertise of our colleagues serving 140 countries and markets, we help organizations sharpen their strategy, enhance organizational resilience, motivate their workforce and maximize performance.
Working shoulder to shoulder with our clients, we uncover opportunities for sustainable success—and provide perspective that moves you.
