Uncertain times call for steady super — that is CSC’s focus

“I have been consistent about our investment value proposition… It has not drifted as the world has changed, nor reacted to follow popular industry practices. It has been purposely designed around well founded principles that recognise and plan for uncertainty, as perhaps the only permanent feature of the world we live in.”

– Alison Tarditi, CSC Chief Investment Officer. AMM, November 2025

Geopolitical tensions and major global events can create big headlines and short-term market noise. Recently, the situation in the Middle East has heightened global uncertainty.

When events like this occur, it’s natural to wonder what they might mean for your super. The good news is that your super is invested through a long-term approach designed to help portfolios stay resilient by aiming for fewer or smaller losses through periods of volatility and unexpected developments.

Behind the scenes: how your super is managed during global uncertainty 

CSC’s investments team maintain their usual disciplined oversight, taking the following approach to help ensure that the portfolio remains well positioned as global events unfold:

• Daily monitoring: closely tracking markets, liquidity, and key risk indicators.

• Scenario analysis: rather than guessing the next headline, testing how portfolios might behave under a range of plausible scenarios in order to remain positioned for long term outcomes.
• Measured decisions: if conditions warrant, adjusting within a disciplined framework not because of short term noise, but because we believe it helps protect and grow your savings over time.

We keep an eye on it for you  

There’s a lot we can’t control: headlines, geopolitics, and day-to-day market moves.

But we do endeavour to control the following on your behalf:

• Diversification: your super is invested across different asset types, sectors and regions. 

• Multiple sources of return: we aim for long term growth, balanced with defensive, liquid assets that help cushion periods of uncertainty.
• Risk management: resilience, liquidity and disciplined decision making sit at the heart of CSC’s investment approach.
• Clear governance: we follow a robust process designed for stability and member outcomes, not short term bets.

What you don’t need to worry about: headlines or change options because of short term news.  Super is designed to work over decades, and your portfolio is managed with that horizon in mind.

Preparing for many futures not just one

No one can reliably predict the path of global events. In our view, an investment team’s job isn’t to call the next event; it’s to build portfolios that aim to handle many possible futures from economic ups and downs to geopolitical shocks and rapid technological change. 

This preparation means your savings are less likely to be reliant on any single storyline and more focused on keeping you on track over time.

Why we believe staying long term matters

Superannuation is a long-term investment. While short-term market movements often accompany global tensions, long term, diversified investors are generally better served by staying the course rather than reacting to daily news.

CIO, Alison Tarditi, puts it this way:

“The greatest risk investors face isn’t uncertainty – it’s letting that uncertainty paralyse us into settling for a lazy investment portfolio that foregoes returns, because it doesn’t take enough risk; or provoke us into a reactive investment portfolio that foregoes returns, because it chases risks that will never pay off, incurring under compensated transaction costs and impairing principal capital.”

The long game in practice 

Because negative returns can have a lasting impact on retirement savings, CSC’s investment philosophy is designed to help portfolios remain resilient during challenging market periods, by aiming for fewer or smaller losses while still participating meaningfully when markets rise.

Over the last 10 years to 31 December 2025, the Balanced option has captured 91% of the market’s upside, while experiencing 21% less of the downside than peers.¹  This reflects CSC’s focus on managing downside risk and aiming for greater stability in falling markets, while maintaining exposure to long term growth opportunities.

The chart below shows how the Balanced option has performed relative to the peer median over this period.

‘Upside’ refers to positive annualised returns, and ‘downside’ refers to negative annualised returns. Your portfolio is built with this in mind. It’s structured to help your portfolio remain resilient and adaptable, including during conflicts that may affect global trade or energy markets.

What you can expect from us

• Active oversight: continuous monitoring of global conditions and market signals.

• Discipline: avoiding reactive moves and acting within a clear, long term framework.
• Communication: keeping you informed in plain English when conditions change meaningfully.  

Explore more insights on how we invest. 

FOOTNOTE

¹ Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future performance. SuperRatings SR50 universe.