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Main Factors for Understanding High Impacts on CSR Dimensions in the Finance Industry

Author

Listed:
  • Belen Lopez

    (Communication Department, ESIC, Business & Marketing School, 28223 Madrid, Spain)

  • Alfonso Torres

    (Finance and Economics Department, ESIC, Business & Marketing School, 28223 Madrid, Spain)

  • Alberto Ruozzi

    (Business Organization and Marketing Department, Complutense University of Madrid, 28223 Madrid, Spain)

  • Jose Antonio Vicente

    (Market Research and Quantitative Methods Department, ESIC, Business & Marketing School, 28223 Madrid, Spain)

Abstract

The objective of this study is to explore empirically the dimensions that generate high impact in the finance industry to better understand its contribution from a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) perspective. We analyze data concerning impacts of finance sector firms certified by B Corp in order to identify the combinations that are necessary and/or sufficient to obtain a recognition of their high impact generation. The methodology followed to identify the impact dimensions is fsQCA, (fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis), a qualitative comparative analysis method applied to a sample of finance firms (n-181). The results indicate that financial sector firms exhibited four combinations focusing on different impact dimensions. Specifically, the first route indicates that a high degree of focus on customers and communities is sufficient to obtain a high impact score. The second path signals that the combination of the impacts on customers and corporate governance could lead to the same result, while in the third pathway the focus would be on the employees. Finally, the fourth route indicates that some financial firms focus strongly on their communities, corporate governance and their employees, but very weakly on the environmental dimension. Consequently, diverse combinations of CSR dimensions characterize financial sector contributions to impact generation and sustainable development.

Suggested Citation

  • Belen Lopez & Alfonso Torres & Alberto Ruozzi & Jose Antonio Vicente, 2020. "Main Factors for Understanding High Impacts on CSR Dimensions in the Finance Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-17, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:6:p:2395-:d:334276
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    2. Pornanong Budsaratragoon & Boonlert Jitmaneeroj, 2021. "Corporate Sustainability and Stock Value in Asian–Pacific Emerging Markets: Synergies or Tradeoffs among ESG Factors?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-25, June.
    3. Nikolas Höhnke, 2020. "Doing Good or Avoiding Evil? An Explorative Study of Depositors’ Reasons for Choosing Social Banks in the Pre and Post Crisis Eras," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-26, December.
    4. Luis E. Villegas & Andrés A. Acuña-Duarte & César A. Salazar, 2023. "Corporate Social Responsibility and the Willingness to Eco-Innovate among Chilean Firms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-19, June.
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    6. Ronald Weber Kirst & Miriam Borchardt & Maurício Nunes Macedo de Carvalho & Giancarlo Medeiros Pereira, 2021. "Best of the world or better for the world? A systematic literature review on benefit corporations and certified B corporations contribution to sustainable development," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(6), pages 1822-1839, November.

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