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What Is the Relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility and Financial Performance in the UK Banking Sector?

Author

Listed:
  • George Giannopoulos

    (Kingston Business School, Kingston University, Kingston Hill, Kingston Upon Thames, London KT2 7LB, UK
    Department of Business Administration, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece)

  • Nicholas Pilcher

    (Kingston Business School, Kingston University, Kingston Hill, Kingston Upon Thames, London KT2 7LB, UK)

  • Ioannis Salmon

    (Department of Business Administration, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece)

Abstract

This study rigorously investigates the intricate dynamics between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), quantified through Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) scores, and financial performance (FP), measured via the return on assets (ROA) and return on equity (ROE), within the UK banking sector. Our analysis is based on a comprehensive dataset from Bloomberg. This research encapsulates data from 32 banks publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange over a six-year span from 2017 to 2022. Employing panel data regression models while controlling leverage and bank size, we delve into the relationship between banks’ CSR engagements, as reflected in their ESG scores, and their financial outcomes. Our findings indicate a negative correlation between the ESG score and both the ROA and ROE, suggesting that elevated CSR commitments may inversely impact short-term financial returns. This finding not only challenges prevailing narratives within the sector but also fosters a crucial discourse on the balance between ethical banking practices and profitability. The implications of this research study are manifold, extending to policymakers, banking executives, and investors, suggesting a revaluation of CSR strategies in alignment with long-term value creation and sustainable banking. This study not only enriches academic discourse on CSR within the financial sector but also serves as a beacon for future inquiries into the evolving landscape of responsible banking, advocating for a nuanced understanding of CSR’s role in shaping the financial and ethical contours of the banking industry.

Suggested Citation

  • George Giannopoulos & Nicholas Pilcher & Ioannis Salmon, 2024. "What Is the Relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility and Financial Performance in the UK Banking Sector?," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-21, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jjrfmx:v:17:y:2024:i:5:p:187-:d:1387472
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Stephen Brammer & Chris Brooks & Stephen Pavelin, 2006. "Corporate Social Performance and Stock Returns: UK Evidence from Disaggregate Measures," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 35(3), pages 97-116, September.
    2. Lin, Woon Leong & Law, Siong Hook & Ho, Jo Ann & Sambasivan, Murali, 2019. "The causality direction of the corporate social responsibility – Corporate financial performance Nexus: Application of Panel Vector Autoregression approach," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 401-418.
    3. Rim Makni & Claude Francoeur & François Bellavance, 2009. "Causality Between Corporate Social Performance and Financial Performance: Evidence from Canadian Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 89(3), pages 409-422, October.
    4. Jae-Joon Han & Hyun Jeong Kim & Jeongmin Yu, 2016. "Empirical study on relationship between corporate social responsibility and financial performance in Korea," Asian Journal of Sustainability and Social Responsibility, Springer, vol. 1(1), pages 61-76, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Angela Boateng & Byron Lew & Yi Liu, 2025. "Corporate Social Responsibility Expenditures and Bank Performance: Role of Size Among Listed Banks in Ghana," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-25, February.

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