Balancing Finance and Impact: ESG implementation as a catalyst for scaling Corporate Social Innovation in the banking sector
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2025-06-26
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en
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This qualitative single-case study investigates how ABN AMRO implements Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles within its investment policies to grow its Corporate Social Innovation (CSI) initiative, the Sustainable Impact Fund (SIF), towards systemic change. Through interviews and document analysis, this research explores how the bank uses its inclusive (ESG) strategy and the SIF’s role in growing for more impact, encountering critical stakeholder trade-offs, managed by stakeholder theory. The findings reveal that ABN AMRO uses a structured approach to ESG implementation, enclosing proactive and bounded policies with strong governance and accountability mechanisms. The SIF is identified as a key enabler for CSI, in particular for companies requiring tailor-made equity, as they are not bankable in the conventional manner. Furthermore, the pursuit of systemic change is shaped by internal factors, such as profit and risk aversion, and external stakeholder demands like regulatory pressures and societal expectations. These lead to various trade-offs, often resulting in more incremental progress. Therefore, this research contributes to academic insights by showing how large financial institutions balance financial objectives with their ESG ambition, while managing conflicting stakeholder demands in their pursuit of impactful CSI.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen