Objective: The paper presents a comparative qualitative analysis about the adoption by banks of sustainability policies. The aim is to show the change level in management strategies, including innovative functional choices for future developments. Methodology: A qualitative approach is adopted by analyzing case studies referred to small, medium and large banks. Banks' selection is based on a dimensional measure constituted by assets. The analysis considers how banks adhere to projects based on Sustainable Development Goals. For each case it is presented by the relationship between the adoption of sustainability projects within the banks and 64 towards stakeholders, and the innovation impact as driver for an improvement of the internal sustainable goals. Results: The analysis shows that in all banks there is an increasing consideration of ESG and sustainability principles. This adoption is confirmed by the destination of financial resources to support the projects implementation. Another aspect is the link between sustainability projects and innovation in banks. In fact innovation becomes a driver of banks's sustainability. Theoretical and managerial implications: The paper shows that banking business improvement is strictly based on innovation and digital transformation to gain higher efficiency levels and new revenues. This condition is widely due to the so called post Covid "new normal". The second aspect is the new vision of a "sustainability bank" which recovers its new "social function". This is reinforced by the amount of financial assets devoted to specific projects. A further practical implication is a kind of business model re-orientation which is based on the customers selection criteria focused on ESG factors: financial supports are directed to all those enterprises engaged in ESG investments. Originality: Even if the literary contribution about banks and ESG principles is wide and complete enough, there are no evidence of the analysis afforded in the paper, which examines the validity of innovative and sustainable management policies. The paper contributes to the research area of sustainability strategies adopted by banks according to an innovative vision.
Obiettivo: Il presente contributo propone un’analisi qualitativa di tipo comparativo delle scelte di adesione alle politiche di sostenibilità da parte delle banche al fine di evidenziare il grado di mutamento nelle strategie di gestione, inclusa l’adozione di scelte operative innovative delineando gli sviluppi futuri. Metodologia: Viene adottato un approccio di tipo qualitativo con l’analisi di case study riferiti a banche di grandi, medie e piccole dimensioni. Le scelte delle banche sono fatte sulla base di un criterio dimensionale espresso in termini di attivo e l’analisi si fonda sulla valutazione delle politiche di adozione dei principi ESG e sostenibilità come espresse dall’adesione a progetti fondati sui Sustainable Development Goals. Per ogni caso viene considerata la relazione intercorrente tra l’adesione a progetti di sostenibilità interna alla banca e verso gli stakeholders e l’impatto dell’innovazione come driver per un miglior trasferimento dei principi di sostenibilità. Risultati: L’analisi condotta permette di evidenziare i seguenti aspetti: nelle banche è evidente il ricorso a principi di ESG e sostenibilità viste anche le risorse finanziarie stanziate per la realizzazione di specifici progetti. Un ulteriore aspetto che è emerge, è legato al fatto che si riscontra un elevato livello di innovazione nelle strategie delle banche; infine, si evidenzia che proprio grazie all’innovazione la banca riesce a risultare sostenibile. Implicazioni teorico-pratiche: L’articolo evidenzia che ci può essere un rafforzamento del business puntato sull’innovazione e sulla trasformazione digitale diretto a raggiungere maggiori livelli di efficienza e nuove fonti di reddito, condizione sostenuta dal “new normal” del post Covid. Il secondo aspetto è relativo alla dimensione della sostenibilità che porta al modello di “banca sostenibile” connessa alla diffusione di una nuova “funzione sociale” delle banche, espressa in termini di asset destinati a progetti specifici. Un ultimo aspetto pratico è relativo ad un vero e proprio ri-orientamento del business model in cui si rafforza il supporto finanziario ad imprese che intendono effettuare investimenti in base ai criteri ESG. Originalità: Sebbene la letteratura in materia di banche e principi ESG al momento, sia piuttosto affermata e consolidata, non vi sono evidenze di un’analisi presentata nell’articolo, orientata a valutare la validità di politiche di gestione innovative e sostenibili. In pratica il presente lavoro fornisce un contributo nell’area di analisi delle nuove strategie sulla sostenibilità adottate dalle banche in ottica di unitarietà con gli sviluppi dell’innovazione.
Progetti di sostenibilità e innovazione nelle banche: un binomio possibile
Cerrone R.
2021-01-01
Abstract
Objective: The paper presents a comparative qualitative analysis about the adoption by banks of sustainability policies. The aim is to show the change level in management strategies, including innovative functional choices for future developments. Methodology: A qualitative approach is adopted by analyzing case studies referred to small, medium and large banks. Banks' selection is based on a dimensional measure constituted by assets. The analysis considers how banks adhere to projects based on Sustainable Development Goals. For each case it is presented by the relationship between the adoption of sustainability projects within the banks and 64 towards stakeholders, and the innovation impact as driver for an improvement of the internal sustainable goals. Results: The analysis shows that in all banks there is an increasing consideration of ESG and sustainability principles. This adoption is confirmed by the destination of financial resources to support the projects implementation. Another aspect is the link between sustainability projects and innovation in banks. In fact innovation becomes a driver of banks's sustainability. Theoretical and managerial implications: The paper shows that banking business improvement is strictly based on innovation and digital transformation to gain higher efficiency levels and new revenues. This condition is widely due to the so called post Covid "new normal". The second aspect is the new vision of a "sustainability bank" which recovers its new "social function". This is reinforced by the amount of financial assets devoted to specific projects. A further practical implication is a kind of business model re-orientation which is based on the customers selection criteria focused on ESG factors: financial supports are directed to all those enterprises engaged in ESG investments. Originality: Even if the literary contribution about banks and ESG principles is wide and complete enough, there are no evidence of the analysis afforded in the paper, which examines the validity of innovative and sustainable management policies. The paper contributes to the research area of sustainability strategies adopted by banks according to an innovative vision.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.