The Systems-Informed Stewardship series, initiated in 2025 by the University of Melbourne, examines investment stewardship through a systems lens. It positions stewardship as an interconnected system shaped by policies, practices, resource flows, relationships, power dynamics and mental models across the finance sector.
The purpose of the series is to support more effective stewardship by improving understanding of how system-level and organisational factors influence outcomes. It aims to help finance professionals reflect on both visible activities, such as engagement and voting, and less visible dynamics that shape long-term sustainability performance.
The methodology combines cross-disciplinary academic research, practitioner insights and over two decades of applied experience in sustainable development and systems change. The framework is informed by literature reviews, analysis of stewardship practices, and engagement with investment industry practitioners. Two background papers provide conceptual foundations and contextual analysis to support the main framework paper.
Finance professionals can use the series to assess and strengthen their stewardship approach. It provides conceptual tools to map system dynamics, clarify organisational roles, identify constraints, and design adaptive strategies. It is relevant for asset owners, asset managers, service providers, regulators, educators and industry bodies seeking to enhance stewardship effectiveness across asset classes and investment processes.
