IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/reveco/v99y2025ics1059056025002163.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Cybersecurity policy, ESG and operational risk: A Virtuous relationship to improve banks’ performance

Author

Listed:
  • Bruno, Elena
  • Pistolesi, Francesco
  • Teti, Emanuele

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between cybersecurity policies (CSP), Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance, operational risk, and bank profitability. While operational risk and ESG have been extensively studied, limited research addresses their intersection with CSP in banking. Using a dataset of 1673 bank-year observations across multiple economic regions (2009–2023), we employ an interrupted time series (ITS) regression approach to assess the impact of CSP adoption on bank performance. Our findings reveal that banks implementing CSP experience improved financial resilience, with CSP having a statistically significant positive effect on return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), and return in tangible equity (ROTE). ESG scores positively correlate with bank profitability, while operational risk plays a nuanced role.

Suggested Citation

  • Bruno, Elena & Pistolesi, Francesco & Teti, Emanuele, 2025. "Cybersecurity policy, ESG and operational risk: A Virtuous relationship to improve banks’ performance," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:reveco:v:99:y:2025:i:c:s1059056025002163
    DOI: 10.1016/j.iref.2025.104053
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1059056025002163
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.iref.2025.104053?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Simona Galletta & Sebastiano Mazzù, 2023. "ESG controversies and bank risk taking," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 274-288, January.
    2. Anginer, Deniz & Demirgüç-Kunt, Asli & Mare, Davide S., 2018. "Bank capital, institutional environment and systemic stability," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 97-106.
    3. Jiménez, Gabriel & Ongena, Steven & Peydró, José-Luis & Saurina, Jesús, 2012. "Credit Supply and Monetary Policy: Identifying the Bank Balance-Sheet Channel with Loan Applications," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 102(5), pages 2301-2326.
    4. David Adeabah & Charles Andoh & Simplice Asongu & Albert Gemegah, 2023. "Reputational risks in banks: A review of research themes, frameworks, methods, and future research directions," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(2), pages 321-350, April.
    5. Mertzanis, Charilaos, 2023. "FinTech finance and social-environmental performance around the world," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    6. Viral V. Acharya & Iftekhar Hasan & Anthony Saunders, 2006. "Should Banks Be Diversified? Evidence from Individual Bank Loan Portfolios," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 79(3), pages 1355-1412, May.
    7. Hanhua Shao & Jixin Cheng & Yuansheng Wang & Xiaoming Li, 2022. "Can Digital Finance Promote Comprehensive Carbon Emission Performance? Evidence from Chinese Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-18, August.
    8. Gillet, Roland & Hübner, Georges & Plunus, Séverine, 2010. "Operational risk and reputation in the financial industry," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 224-235, January.
    9. Zhang, Wei & Liu, Xuemeng & Wang, Die & Zhou, Jianping, 2022. "Digital economy and carbon emission performance: Evidence at China's city level," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    10. Mr. Dong He & Mr. Ross B Leckow & Mr. V. Haksar & Mr. Tommaso Mancini-Griffoli & Nigel Jenkinson & Ms. Mikari Kashima & Mr. Tanai Khiaonarong & Ms. Celine Rochon & Hervé Tourpe, 2017. "Fintech and Financial Services: Initial Considerations," IMF Staff Discussion Notes 2017/005, International Monetary Fund.
    11. de Haan, Jakob & Poghosyan, Tigran, 2012. "Size and earnings volatility of US bank holding companies," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 36(11), pages 3008-3016.
    12. Barakat, Ahmed & Ashby, Simon & Fenn, Paul & Bryce, Cormac, 2019. "Operational risk and reputation in financial institutions: Does media tone make a difference?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 1-24.
    13. Jin, Justin & Li, Na & Liu, Suyi & Khalid Nainar, S.M., 2023. "Cyber attacks, discretionary loan loss provisions, and banks’ earnings management," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    14. Fiordelisi, Franco & Soana, Maria-Gaia & Schwizer, Paola, 2013. "The determinants of reputational risk in the banking sector," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(5), pages 1359-1371.
    15. Khakan Najaf & Md Imtiaz Mostafiz & Rabia Najaf, 2021. "Fintech firms and banks sustainability: Why cybersecurity risk matters?," International Journal of Financial Engineering (IJFE), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 8(02), pages 1-14, June.
    16. Dong He & Ross B Leckow & Vikram Haksar & Tommaso Mancini Griffoli & Nigel Jenkinson & Mikari Kashima & Tanai Khiaonarong & Celine Rochon & Hervé Tourpe, 2017. "Fintech and Financial Services; Initial Considerations," IMF Staff Discussion Notes 17/05, International Monetary Fund.
    17. Klaus Schaeck & Martin Cihák, 2014. "Competition, Efficiency, and Stability in Banking," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 43(1), pages 215-241, March.
    18. Md. Hamid Uddin & Md. Hakim Ali & Mohammad Kabir Hassan, 2020. "Cybersecurity hazards and financial system vulnerability: a synthesis of literature," Risk Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(4), pages 239-309, December.
    19. Yi, Ming & Liu, Yafen & Sheng, Mingyue Selena & Wen, Le, 2022. "Effects of digital economy on carbon emission reduction: New evidence from China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    20. Ingo Walter, 2016. "Reputational Risks and Large International Banks," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Asli Demirgüç-Kunt & Douglas D Evanoff & George G Kaufman (ed.), The Future of Large, Internationally Active Banks, chapter 3, pages 29-52, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    21. Franco Fiordelisi & Maria-Gaia Soana & Paola Schwizer, 2014. "Reputational losses and operational risk in banking," The European Journal of Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(2), pages 105-124, February.
    22. Ingo Walter, 2016. "Reputational risks and large international banks," Financial Markets and Portfolio Management, Springer;Swiss Society for Financial Market Research, vol. 30(1), pages 1-17, February.
    23. Jun Xu, 2024. "AI in ESG for Financial Institutions: An Industrial Survey," Papers 2403.05541, arXiv.org.
    24. Sturm, Philipp, 2013. "Operational and reputational risk in the European banking industry: The market reaction to operational risk events," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 191-206.
    25. De Haan, Jakob & Poghosyan, Tigran, 2012. "Bank size, market concentration, and bank earnings volatility in the US," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 35-54.
    26. Uddin, Md Hamid & Mollah, Sabur & Islam, Nazrul & Ali, Md Hakim, 2023. "Does digital transformation matter for operational risk exposure?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    27. Laura Chiaramonte & Alberto Dreassi & Claudia Girardone & Stefano Piserà, 2022. "Do ESG strategies enhance bank stability during financial turmoil? Evidence from Europe," The European Journal of Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(12), pages 1173-1211, August.
    28. Vusani Moyo & Ayodeji Michael Obadire, 2024. "A Case Study of Bank Equity Valuation Methods Employed by South African, Nigerian and Kenyan Equity Researchers," Risks, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-23, May.
    29. Cristina Chueca Vergara & Luis Ferruz Agudo, 2021. "Fintech and Sustainability: Do They Affect Each Other?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-19, June.
    30. Ahmed Mohamed Habib, 2024. "Does real earnings management affect a firm's environmental, social, and governance (ESG), financial performance, and total value? A moderated mediation analysis," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(11), pages 28239-28268, November.
    31. Galletta, Simona & Goodell, John W. & Mazzù, Sebastiano & Paltrinieri, Andrea, 2023. "Bank reputation and operational risk: The impact of ESG," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    32. Andrea Caputo & Elisa Schiocchet & Ciro Troise, 2022. "Sustainable business models as successful drivers in equity crowdfunding," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(7), pages 3509-3522, November.
    33. Shakil, Mohammad Hassan, 2021. "Environmental, social and governance performance and financial risk: Moderating role of ESG controversies and board gender diversity," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    34. Giuliana Birindelli & Stefano Dell’Atti & Antonia Patrizia Iannuzzi & Marco Savioli, 2018. "Composition and Activity of the Board of Directors: Impact on ESG Performance in the Banking System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-20, December.
    35. Ingo Walter, 2016. "Reputational risks and large international banks," Financial Markets and Portfolio Management, Springer;Swiss Society for Financial Market Research, vol. 30(1), pages 1-17, February.
    36. Barakat, Ahmed & Chernobai, Anna & Wahrenburg, Mark, 2014. "Information asymmetry around operational risk announcements," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 152-179.
    37. Ingo Walter, 2013. "The value of reputational capital and risk in banking and finance," International Journal of Banking, Accounting and Finance, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 5(1/2), pages 205-219.
    38. Mariusz Karwowski & Monika Raulinajtys‐Grzybek, 2021. "The application of corporate social responsibility (CSR) actions for mitigation of environmental, social, corporate governance (ESG) and reputational risk in integrated reports," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(4), pages 1270-1284, July.
    39. Xu, Si & Zhang, You & Chen, Lan & Leong, Lin Woon & Muda, Iskandar & Ali, Anis, 2023. "How Fintech and effective governance derive the greener energy transition: Evidence from panel-corrected standard errors approach," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    40. Zhichuan Zhu & Bo Liu & Zhuoxi Yu & Jianhong Cao, 2022. "Effects of the Digital Economy on Carbon Emissions: Evidence from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-21, August.
    41. Mandas, Marco & Lahmar, Oumaima & Piras, Luca & De Lisa, Riccardo, 2024. "ESG reputational risk and market valuation: Evidence from the European banking industry," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    42. Simone Rossi & Alberto Dreassi & Mariarosa Borroni & Andrea Paltrinieri, 2020. "Does Revenue Diversification Still Matter In Banking? Evidence From A Cross-Country Analysis," Journal of Financial Management, Markets and Institutions (JFMMI), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 8(02), pages 1-30, December.
    43. Caterina Di Tommaso & John Thornton, 2020. "Do ESG scores effect bank risk taking and value? Evidence from European banks," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(5), pages 2286-2298, September.
    44. Azmi, Wajahat & Hassan, M. Kabir & Houston, Reza & Karim, Mohammad Sydul, 2021. "ESG activities and banking performance: International evidence from emerging economies," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    45. Joseph Opuni-Frimpong & Modupeola Adefunso Dzorka & Isaac Boadi, 2024. "Governance’s role in bank performance: cybersecurity committee assessment," Journal of Financial Reporting and Accounting, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 23(2), pages 788-810, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. David Adeabah & Charles Andoh & Simplice Asongu & Albert Gemegah, 2023. "Reputational risks in banks: A review of research themes, frameworks, methods, and future research directions," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(2), pages 321-350, April.
    2. Uddin, Md Hamid & Mollah, Sabur & Islam, Nazrul & Ali, Md Hakim, 2023. "Does digital transformation matter for operational risk exposure?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    3. Galletta, Simona & Goodell, John W. & Mazzù, Sebastiano & Paltrinieri, Andrea, 2023. "Bank reputation and operational risk: The impact of ESG," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    4. repec:osf:osfxxx:753gf_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Arnone, Massimo & Leogrande, Angelo, 2024. "The Sustainability Of The Factoring Chain In Europe In The Light Of The Integration Of Esg Factors," OSF Preprints 753gf, Center for Open Science.
    6. Gaia Soana, Maria, 2024. "Does ESG contracting align or compete with stakeholder interests?," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    7. Lu Wei & Jianping Li & Xiaoqian Zhu, 2018. "Operational Loss Data Collection: A Literature Review," Annals of Data Science, Springer, vol. 5(3), pages 313-337, September.
    8. Gatzert, Nadine, 2015. "The impact of corporate reputation and reputation damaging events on financial performance: Empirical evidence from the literature," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 485-499.
    9. Eckert, Christian & Gatzert, Nadine, 2017. "Modeling operational risk incorporating reputation risk: An integrated analysis for financial firms," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 122-137.
    10. Paraskevi Katsiampa & Paul B. McGuinness & Jean-Philippe Serbera & Kun Zhao, 2022. "The financial and prudential performance of Chinese banks and Fintech lenders in the era of digitalization," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 58(4), pages 1451-1503, May.
    11. Barakat, Ahmed & Ashby, Simon & Fenn, Paul, 2018. "The reputational effects of analysts' stock recommendations and credit ratings: Evidence from operational risk announcements in the financial industry," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 1-22.
    12. Uddin, Md Hamid & Mollah, Sabur & Ali, Md Hakim, 2020. "Does cyber tech spending matter for bank stability?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    13. Xiaoqian Zhu & Yinghui Wang & Jianping Li, 2022. "What drives reputational risk? Evidence from textual risk disclosures in financial statements," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-15, December.
    14. Nadine Gatzert & Joan T. Schmit & Andreas Kolb, 2016. "Assessing the Risks of Insuring Reputation Risk," Journal of Risk & Insurance, The American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 83(3), pages 641-679, September.
    15. Heidinger, Dinah & Gatzert, Nadine, 2018. "Awareness, determinants and value of reputation risk management: Empirical evidence from the banking and insurance industry," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 106-118.
    16. Liang, Yingying & Qin, Jindong & Ishizaka, Alessio, 2025. "Assessment of digital economy development with the new multicriteria sorting method: DCMSort," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    17. Agnese, Paolo & Cerciello, Massimiliano & Oriani, Raffaele & Taddeo, Simone, 2024. "ESG controversies and profitability in the European banking sector," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    18. Eckert, Christian & Gatzert, Nadine & Heidinger, Dinah, 2020. "Empirically assessing and modeling spillover effects from operational risk events in the insurance industry," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 72-83.
    19. Simon Zaby & Michael Pohl, 2019. "The Management of Reputational Risks in Banks: Findings From Germany and Switzerland," SAGE Open, , vol. 9(3), pages 21582440198, July.
    20. Baek, Seungho & Kang, Moonsoo, 2025. "Does ESG enhance asset quality and funding cost management in banking diversification?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    21. Yukun Ma & Shaojian Wang & Chunshan Zhou, 2023. "Can the Development of the Digital Economy Reduce Urban Carbon Emissions? Case Study of Guangdong Province," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-13, March.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:reveco:v:99:y:2025:i:c:s1059056025002163. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/620165 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.