Interconnected Sustainable Futures, Strategy and Governance

Centre scholars engage in academic research and policy-relevant work on issues relating to governance, stewardship, sustainability and accountability, focusing on how organisations, financial institutions and strategic actors anticipate, interpret and shape the future in contexts characterised by uncertainty, complexity, long time horizons and competing stakeholder interests.

A central focus is understanding the governance arrangements, institutional mechanisms and technological capabilities that enable organisations to make more informed, accountable and future-oriented strategic decisions. The theme encompasses research on tensions between short- and long-term objectives and long-term and systemic risks, responsible stewardship across asset classes, fiduciary responsibility and technology-enabled accountability, as well as the design and evolution of multi-stakeholder regulatory systems.

By connecting organisational strategy with institutional and societal futures, the theme seeks to advance understanding of how organisations can move beyond short-term responses towards more anticipatory, adaptive and sustainable approaches to strategic leadership, governance and value creation.

Theme lead

Professor Anna Tilba, https://www.durham.ac.uk/business/our-people/anna-tilba/

Associated members

Prof. Maria Kakarika, Professor of Organizational Behaviour & Leadership, Durham University Business School, https://www.durham.ac.uk/business/our-people/maria-kakarika/

Prof. John Wilson. Professor of Business History, Newcastle Business School, https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/about-us/our-staff/w/john-wilson/

Prof. Konstantinos Sergakis, Professor and Personal Chair in Law at the University of Exeter, https://experts.exeter.ac.uk/45708-konstantinos-sergakis

David Fairs, Char of Pensions Administration Standards Association, https://www.pasa-uk.com/about/board/david-fairs-biography/

Nathalie Sims, Partner and Head of Strategic Pensions Relationships, Lane Clark and Peacock, https://www.lcp.com/en/our-experts/nathalie-sims

Associated research (selection)

Karamatzanis, G., Tilba, A., & Nikolopoulos, K. (2026). Corporate Governance Reporting, Disclosures, Monitoring, and Decision‐Making: The Role of Big Data Analytics and Technological Tools. Corporate Governance: An International Review, 34(1), 2-17. https://doi.org/10.1111/corg.12646

Jones, I. G., Wilson, J. F., Tilba, A., & Larson, M. J. (2025). Board Composition in the ‘Big Four’ British Clearing Banks, 1970-2005: A Prosopographic and Theoretical Analysis. Business History. https://doi.org/10.1080/00076791.2025.2550738

Tilba, A. (2022). Appearance or Substance of Stewardship and ESG Reporting: The Challenges of Translating ‘Commitment’ into Tangible Outcomes. Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, 13(5), 1015-1032. https://doi.org/10.1108/sampj-03-2021-0091

Tilba, A., & Reisberg, A. (2019). Fiduciary Duty Under the Microscope: Stewardship and the Spectrum of Pension Fund Engagement. Modern Law Review, 82(3), 456--487. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-2230.12413

Tilba, A., & Wilson, J. F. (2017). Vocabularies of Motive and Temporal Perspectives: Examples of Pension Fund Engagement and Disengagement. British Journal of Management, 28(3), 502-518. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8551.12225

Policy reports and engagement

Agunsoye, A. & Tilba, A. (2026). Trustee Diversity, Fiduciary Duty, and Pension Fund Outcomes. Research Report. Report accepted by Pensions Administration Standards Association (PASA). Forthcoming.

Tilba, A. Hodge, C., McNamara, P. Green, J. (2023). The Influence of Proxy Advisors and ESG Rating Agencies on the Actions and Reporting of FTSE350 Companies and Investor Voting. Analytical Report. Financial Reporting Council. https://www.frc.org.uk/getattachment/bdf7032b-ece1-436b-8429-fbe4ad704efc/Analytical-Report_2023.pdf   

Tilba, A., Wilson, S. Katelouzou, D, Hannigan, R. (FRC, 2022) The Influence of the UK Stewardship Code 2020 on Stewardship Practices of Asset Managers and Owners. https://www.frc.org.uk/getattachment/de8c91f5-c2cb-4b8b-9a98-34c31f382924/FRC-Influence-of-the-Stewardship-Code_July-2022.pdf

The Pensions Regulator. (2023). Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy. https://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/en/document-library/corporate-information/equality-diversity-and-inclusion-strategy

Tilba, A. (2019). Parliamentary Inquiry into Pension Costs and Transparency: Written Evidence from Dr Anna Tilba (PCT0027). Available at: http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/work-and-pensions-committee/pension-costs-and-transparency/written/88415.pdf      

Tilba, A., Baddeley, M. and Yixi, L. (2016). FCA Report for the Financial Conduct Authority. ‘The Effectiveness of Oversight Committees: Decision-Making, Governance, Costs and Charges'. UK Financial Conduct Authority, https://www.fca.org.uk/publications/market-studies/asset-management-market-study

Tilba, A. (2014) Stewardship and Fiduciary Duties: The Spectrum of Pension Fund Engagement. In: Fiduciary Duties of Investment Intermediaries. The Law Commission Final Report. No. 307. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7ec5bee5274a2e87db1cfd/41342_HC_368_LC350_accessible.pdf

Current impact case studies

Tilba, A. (2022 - ongoing). Building a Regulatory Framework for Effective Investor Stewardship and ESG Practices. https://durham-research.worktribe.com/record.jx?recordid=5713803

Tilba, A. (2022 – ongoing). Improving Governance and Transparency Within Global Proxy Voting Service Provision Industry. https://durham-research.worktribe.com/record.jx?recordid=3324691

Tilba, A. (2021). Shaping a Regulatory Framework for Effective Governance of Pension Funds and their Investment Intermediaries. Impact Case Study, REF 2021. https://results2021.ref.ac.uk/impact/25ad8e47-6155-4953-8de8-ed9cee2e1d93?page=1