Strategic Planning Benchmarks 2026 report – digital strategy
Benchmarks reveal widespread data use, AI as a growing focus and ongoing digital transformationBenchmarks reveal widespread data use, AI as a growing focus, and ongoing digital transformation
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This year marks the second iteration of the Strategic Planning Benchmarks. The 2026 dataset reveals more details about the ways strategic planning teams are using data and digital platforms, as well as their continued focus on organisation-wide digital transformation, payments reform and – increasingly – the use of artificial intelligence.
In both 2025 and 2026, digital transformation was the most important focus area for strategic planners
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Three-fifths of central banks use strategic progress monitoring tools
Respondents with wider set of objectives report highest usage of tools
Central banks increasingly use KPIs for strategic planning
Practice more widespread in jurisdictions that link annual reviews to all staff
Strategic control processes often data driven
Processing is implemented quarterly or bi-annually across jurisdictions
Annual reviews usually linked to strategic plans for some staff only
Remuneration commonly not linked with progress on strategic goals
Team leaders increasingly involved in strategic plan implementation
Respondents commonly review plans and re-align objectives after strategic cycles
Number of dedicated strategic planning units rises
Larger central banks more likely to have dedicated units
Intranet and events are main strategy comms tools
Central banks widely use dedicated web page for external communications
Few central banks involve third parties in strategic plan development
Standard operational budgets remain leading source of funding