The bank-firm relationship in the perspective of corporate social responsibility

Over the last few years, the bank’s engagement in corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become a relevant and timely topic. Academics and practitioners have been paying growing attention to how banks integrate socially responsible issues in their business models. By its nature, the banking system provides products and services that assume a specific relevance for social and economic development. More than other industries, banks need to build positive relationships with stakeholders in order to effectively carry out their business. This appears even more important in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. The latter has challenged the reputation of the banks, questioning the true ethicality of banks’ business choices. Against this backdrop, the engagement in CSR may represent for banks the opportunity to demonstrate that they are operating in line with societal expectations. The current volume intends to extend the knowledge on CSR in the banking industry, providing empirical evidence on determinants and effects of banks’ engagement in socially responsible initiatives. In particular, the volume shows that banks with favorable financial performance tend to be more engaged in CSR. Moreover, the study demonstrates that some board of directors’ characteristics are critical in predicting the bank’s engagement in CSR. The volume also indicates that stakeholders favorably perceive the bank’s undertaking of socially responsible initiatives. Indeed, the analysis shows that customers of large banks appear particularly sensitive to the integration of socially responsible issues in bank’s products.