The policy-led sustainability and financial performance linkage in the banking sector: case of Bangladesh
-
DOIhttp://dx.doi.org/10.21511/bbs.14(4).2019.09
-
Article InfoVolume 14 2019, Issue #4, pp. 89-103
- Cited by
- 1204 Views
-
170 Downloads
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Researchers in developed countries argue that banks should be free to decide about their sustainability initiatives without the interference from regulators. However, researchers in developing countries tend to think differently. This study aimed to focus on this argument by examining the linkage between sustainability and financial performance (SFP) aided through regulatory policy guidelines. In doing so, a comparative study was conducted between 2012 and 2018 to compare the pre- and post-status of SFP due to implementation of policy measures. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) scores were calculated and related with financial performance (return on assets) through regression analysis. The sample data includes 30 private commercial banks (PCBs) in Bangladesh. The analysis of the data shows that during these years, the overall sustainability performance, i.e., environmental, social and governance scores of the banks increased by 33 percent. However, the transformation of this performance into better financial performance could not been established even when age and size were taken into account. The current turbulent state of the banking sector due to growing non-performing loan has been identified as the single most influential factor for this neutral result. Research findings suggest that policy guideline initiatives do have a positive impact on bank sustainability. However, exogenous factors, such as political interference, may appease, deviate and prolong its impact on financial performance. This work will enhance the understanding of academics and policy-makers about the feasibility and impact of the policy-led sustainability model in the banking sector, particularly in developing countries.
- Keywords
-
JEL Classification (Paper profile tab)G20, G21, Q56
-
References52
-
Tables8
-
Figures2
-
- Figure 1. Conceptual framework
- Figure 2. Scatter plotting of ESG scores with ROA and Age
-
- Table 1. History of development of CSR guidelines/regulations in Bangladesh
- Table 2. ESG score calculations
- Table 3. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlations (2012) (reproduced with permission from Specify the source)
- Table 4. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlations (2018)
- Table 5. Results of regression analysis for ESG as an independent variable (2012)
- Table 6. Results of regression analysis for ESG as an independent variable (2018)
- Table 7. Results of regression analysis for environmental, social, and governance scores as independent variables controlled for size (2012)
- Table 8. Results of regression analysis for environmental, social, and governance scores as independent variables controlled for size (2018)
-
- Ahmed, S. U. (2012). Green Banking: Advancement and Opportunities. Keiei to Keizai, 92(1-2), 1-13.
- Ahmed, S. U., Islam, M. Z., Mahtab, H., & Hasan, I. (2014). Institutional Investment and Corporate Social Performance: Linkage towards Sustainable Development. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 21(1), 1-13.
- Ahmed, S. U., Sultana, E., Mahtab, H. Islam, M. Z., Hasan, I., Wali Ullah, G. M. and Ahmed, S. P. (2017). Does It Pay To Be Socially Responsible? Comparative Evidence from a Developing Country”. Global Business Review, 18(5), pp. 1-21.
- Aupperle, K. E., Carroll, A. B., & Hatfield, J. D. (1985). An empirical examination of the relation-ship between corporate social responsibility and profitability. Academy of Management Journal, 28(2), 446-463.
- Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC). (2012). Securities and Exchange Ordinance (Amendment Notification).
- Barua, S., & Ahamed, H. (2016). Role of Financial Sector to support SDGS in Bangladesh. Research and Innovation Lab, Royal Capital Limited.
- Bangladesh Bank. (1997). Environmental Compliance of Banks (BRPD Circular No. 12, 1997). Dhaka: Bangladesh Bank.
- Bangladesh Bank. (2005). Credit Risk Grading Manual. Dhaka: Bangladesh Bank.
- Bangladesh Bank. (2008). Mainstreaming Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in banks and financial institutions in Bangladesh (DOS Circular No. 1, 2008). Dhaka: Bangladesh Bank.
- Bangladesh Bank. (2010). Review of CSR Initiative in Banks (2008 & 2009). Dhaka: Bangladesh Bank.
- Bangladesh Bank. (2011a). Environmental Risk Management (ERM). Guidelines for Financial Institutions in Bangladesh. Dhaka: Bangladesh Bank.
- Bangladesh Bank. (2011b). Policy Guidelines for Green Banking (BRPD Circular No. 2, February 2011). Dhaka: Bangladesh Bank.
- Bangladesh Bank. (2011c). Review of CSR Initiative in Banks (2010). Dhaka: Bangladesh Bank.
- Bangladesh Bank. (2012). Mainstreaming Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Financial Institutions (DFIM Circular Letter No. 02). Dhaka: Bangladesh Bank.
- Bangladesh Bank. (2017). Guidelines on Environmental & Social Risk Management (ESRM) for Banks and Financial Institutions in Bangladesh. Dhaka: Bangladesh Bank.
- Benabou, R., & Tirole, J. (2010). Individual and Corporate Social Responsibility. Economica, 77(305), 1-19.
- Byron, R. K. (2011). BANGLADESH BANK draws green banking roadmap. The Daily Star, February 28, 2011.
- Cochran, P. L., & Wood, R. A. (1984). Corporate Social Responsibility and Financial Performance. Academy of Management Journal, 27(1), 42-56.
- Coffey, B., & Frywell, G. (1991). Institutional ownership of stock and dimensions of corporate social performance: An empirical examination. Journal of Business Ethics, 10(6), 437-444.
- EP. (2014). Guidance to EPFIs on Incorporating Environmental and Social Considerations into Loan Documentation. Equator Principles.
- Friedman, M. (1962). Capitalism and Freedom. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
- Gillan, S., Hartzell, J., Koch, A., & Starks, L. (2010). Firms’ Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Choices, Performance and Managerial Motivation.
- Gompers, A., Ishii, J., & Metrick, A. (2003). Corporate Governance and Equity Prices. Quarterly Journal of Economics, 118(1), 107-55.
- Graves, B., & Waddock, S. A. (1994). Institutional Owners and Corporate Social Performance. Academy of Management, 37(4), 1034-1046.
- Hull, C. E., & Rothenberg, A. (2008). Firm performance: the interactions of corporate social performance with innovation and industry differentiation. Strategic Management Journal, 29(7), 781-789.
- Jeucken, M., & Bouma, J. J. (2001). The changing environment of banks. In J. J. Bouma, M. Jeucken, & L. Klinkers (Eds.), Sustainable Banking – The Greening of Finance, (pp. 24-37). Sheffield: Greenleaf Publishing Limited.
- Johnson, R. D., & Greening, D. W. (1999). The Effects of Corporate Governance and Institutional Ownership Types on Corporate Social Performance. Academy of Management Journal, 42(5), 564-576.
- Khatun, F. (2018, January 2). Bangladesh economy in 2017 and the way forward. Macro Mirror.
- McGuire, J. B., Schneeweis, T., & Branch, B. (1990). Perceptions of firm quality: A cause or result of firm performance. Journal of Management, 16(1), 167-180.
- McGuire, J. B., Sundgren, A., & Schneeweis, T. (1988). Corporate Social Responsibility and Firm Financial Performance. Academy of Management Journal, 31(4), 854-872.
- McWilliams, A., & Siegel, D. (2001). Corporate social responsibility: A theory of the firm perspective. Academy of Management Review, 26(1), 117-127.
- Moskowitz, M. (1972). Choosing Socially Responsible Stocks. Business and Society, 1, 71-75.
- Posner, B., & Schmidt, W. (1984). Values and the American Manager: An Update Updated. California Management Review, 26(3), 202-216.
- Preston, L. E., & O’Bannon, D. P. (1997). The Corporate Social-Financial Performance Relationship: A Typology and Analysis. Business & Society, 36(4), 419-430.
- Rashid, M. (2018, January). It’s business: Problems in our banking sector. Dhaka Tribune.
- Revelli, C., & Viviani, J.-L. (2015). Financial performance of socially responsible investing (SRI): what have we learned? A meta-analysis. Business Ethics: A European Review, 24(2), 158-185.
- Ruf, B. M., Muralidhar, K., Brown, R. M., Janney, J. J., & Paul, K. (2001). An Empirical Investigation of the Relationship between Change in Corporate Social Performance and Financial Performance: A Stakeholder Theory Perspective. Journal of Business Ethics, 32(2), 143-156.
- Salzmann, O., Ionescu-somers, A., & Steger, U. (2005). The Business Case for Corporate Sustainability. European Management Journal, 23(1), 27-36.
- Shane, P. B., & Spicer, B. H. (1983). Market response to environmental information produced outside the firm. Accounting Review, 58(3), 521-536.
- Simpson, W. G., & Kohers, T. (2002). The link between corporate social and financial performance: Evidence from the banking industry. Journal of Business Ethics, 35(2), 97-109.
- Smith, D. R. (1993). Environmental Risk: Credit Approaches and Opportunities (An Interim Report). United Nations Environment Programme, Geneva.
- The Daily Star (TDS). (2019) State banks breed default loans in all sectors. The Daily Star, May 29, 2019.
- Thompson, P., & Cowton, C. J. (2004). Bringing the Environment into Bank Lending: Implications for Environmental Reporting. The British Accounting Review, 36(2), 197-218.
- Turban, D. B., & Greening, D. W. (1997). Corporate Social Performance and Organizational Attractiveness to Prospective Employees. Academy of Management Journal, 40(3), 658-672.
- Uchida, S., Ahmed, S. U., & Aabed, A. A. (2011). Corporate governance and Firm Performance in the Financial Sector. Annual Review of East Asian Studies, 52, 107-115.
- Ullmann, A. A. (1985). Data in Search of a Theory: A Critical Examination of the Relationships among Social Performance, Social Disclosure, and Economic Performance of U.S. Firms. Academy of Management Journal, 10(3), 540-557.
- UNEP. (2007). Banking on Value: A New Approach to Credit Risk in Africa (A report of the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) African Task Force (ATF)).
- Volz, U. (2018). Fostering Green Finance for Sustainable Development in Asia (ADBI Working Paper No. 814). Tokyo: Asian Development Bank Institute.
- Volz, U., Böhnke, J., Eidt, V., Knierim, L., Richert, K., & Roeber, G.-M. (2015). Financing the Green Transformation. How to Make Green Finance Work in Indonesia. Houndmills, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
- Waddock, S. A., & Graves, S. B. (1997). The Corporate Social Performance-Financial Performance Link. Strategic Management Journal, 18(4), 303-319.
- Weber, O., Hoque, A., & Islam, M. A. (2015). Incorporating environmental criteria into credit risk management in Bangladeshi banks. Journal of Sustainable Finance and Investment, 5(1-2), 1-15.
- Weidenbaum, M., & Vogt, S. (1987). Takeovers and Stockholders: Winners and Losers. California Management Review, 29(4), 57-168.