As markets wade through geopolitical tension, economic volatility and shifting regulatory sands, one thing is clear: resilience is no longer a passive trait, it’s a strategy.That’s the central message from the Schroders 2025 Global Investor Insights Survey, which canvassed nearly 1,000 institutional investors and wealth gatekeepers managing over US$67 trillion in assets.
The results offer a sharp lens into how asset owners are adjusting their priorities in an age where ‘the rising tide no longer lifts all boats’.
The Resilience Mandate:
A striking 55% of respondents now rank portfolio resilience as their top investment priority over 12 to 18 months, superseding pure return maximisation. In parallel, 80% plan to ramp up their use of active management, indicating a shift away from passive, benchmark-hugging strategies.
This pivot isn’t just philosophical, it’s structural. With 63% of investors citing tariffs and protectionism as the top macro threat, geopolitical risk is becoming a boardroom constant. What investors want now isn’t just growth, it’s control, adaptability, and insight.
And that’s where technology must step in.
What This Means for Stewardship and ESG Strategy:
Maanch has long argued that effective stewardship is a critical lever for resilience. The emphasis on active engagement, visibility across ESG risks, and targeted action aligns perfectly with this year’s findings.
As Andy Howard, Global Head of Sustainable Investment as Schroders, notes:
“We’re entering a new phase in the evolution of sustainable investing – one defined not by expressions of intent, but by thoughtful investment of capital to align sustainability priorities with performance goals.”
Asset owners, in particular, are waking up to their catalytic role, not just as allocators of capital, but as systemic stewards. Active ownership is no longer a “nice to have”, it’s a necessity. But with increased activity comes increased complexity.
Technology bridges that gap. Platforms like the Maanch Engagement Tracker empower investment teams to:
- Seamlessly track interactions across portfolios
- Escalate material ESG issues with clarity
- Create robust audit trails for regulatory and internal reporting
- Benchmark impact using integrated data from sources like Sustainalytics
The result? Investors gain both strategic foresight and operational resilience, critical qualities in a fragmented world.
From Risk Avoidance to Value Creation:
Rather than just shielding against downside, today’s investors are proactively seeking opportunities through:
- Thematic engagement (e.g. biodiversity, living wage, board accountability)
- Deeper data analysis to prioritise materiality
- Cross-sector collaboration to amplify impact and share insights
As Johanna Kyrklund, Group CIO at Schroders, notes:
“Active strategies provide the control investors need to manage complexity, create portfolio resilience, and seize opportunities.”
This aligns with Maanch’s commitment to moving stewardship from compliance to transformation. Our work with clients has shown that those who embed impact intelligence into their processes are better equipped to anticipate market shifts, uphold fiduciary duties, and deliver long-term value.
Key Takeaways for Asset Owners and Managers:
- Reposition resilience as an active strategy – it’s more than diversification.
- Double down on active stewardship – investors who engage, influence.
- Invest in systems that enable insight and integration – technology is the enabler, not the afterthought.
- View regulatory pressure as a catalyst – a better reporting ecosystem leads to better decisions.
Conclusion
In a world marked by uncertainty, investors are choosing intentionality over inertia. The 2025 Global Investor Insights Survey signals a renewed focus on resilience, but not the passive kind. This is resilience as design, as strategy, as stewardship and with the right tools and frameworks, it’s within reach.
If you’re rethinking your approach to stewardship, ESG, or reporting frameworks, we’d love to help. Get in touch to explore how Maanch can support you in unlocking meaningful value from your reporting and engagement strategies.
