Benchmarking
Strategic Planning Benchmarks 2026 report – digital strategy
Benchmarks reveal widespread data use, AI as a growing focus and ongoing digital transformation
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
Dark corners: the renewed push for risk-based monetary policy
Central banks are still struggling to perfect models, scenario analysis and risk communication
Disclosure and supervision are top ESG strategy objectives
Emissions monitoring broadly in focus for central banks with narrower plans
Strategic planning frameworks widely draw on Swot analysis
European central banks’ strategies tend to favour Pestel analysis
Narrower strategic planners use more pillars than broader planners
Secondary objectives average 15 in central banks’ strategic plans
Third of central banks set strategic plans on five-year horizons
Just one respondent implements planning on ad hoc basis
AI surges as focus for strategic planning
But digital transformation is still the most widespread goal of planners
Governance Benchmarks 2026 – model banks analysis
Data reveals differences between groups in board composition, legal protections and more
Working group minutes: cyber and quantum strategies
Central banks are upgrading their own systems and pushing financial firms to think strategically
Governance Benchmarks 2026 – executive summary
Benchmarks data explores many legal issues, including scope of central bank law, independence and legal protections for governor
Independence lower where central banks face legal issues
Financial independence a bigger problem where central banks say law is inappropriately worded
Pensions and staff morale least likely to constitute staffing challenge
Degree of concern varies by size of central bank
Majority of central banks posted profit in last year
Largest share of profit-makers have no dividend sharing-contract with government
Half of central banks prohibit senior officials’ shareholdings
Minority of respondents working to adopt other internal policies
Non-executive directors earn five times less than governors
NEDs work an average of 14 hours weekly, Governance Benchmarks 2026 find
Boards with salary-setting duties have largest membership
Greatest number of non-execs appointed by government