Participation of Financial Institutions in the Processes of Financial Stabilisation and Sustainable Development
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15678/krem.18679Keywords:
financial institutions, financial stability, ESG, legal regulations, disclosures, GARAbstract
Objective: The aim of the article is to present the most important legal regulations in the field of ESG and their impact on the conditions of financial stability and the implementation processes of sustainable development in financial institutions.
Research Design & Methods: The research methods focus on presenting and assessing changes in ESG and climate disclosure scores for institutions in the global economy and green asset ratio (GAR) indicators for EU/eurozone countries. Empirical data come from online reports and databases from the Working Group on Climate-related Financial Disclosure (TCFD), Financial Stability Board (FSB), European Board Authority (EBA) and European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA), and Sustainalytics. The main period of analysis covers the years 2022–2024.
Findings: Data from the TCFD and FSB show that banks and insurance companies demonstrate the highest level of ESG disclosure, including in the area of strategy. Institutions from Europe, Asia-Pacific, and North America are leading the disclosure curve. Among EU/EEA countries, Slovakia, Iceland, and Luxembourg demonstrated the highest level of transformation activity in terms of the share of GAR in assets in 2023–2024.
Implications / Recommendations: Financial institutions actively shape the conditions for financial stability and sustainable development because they are subject to legal regulations in these areas. Financial and economic outcomes depend on the efficiency of financial institutions’ management boards and the effectiveness of mitigating systemic risks (ESG, climate) in these areas. According to the Fit-for-55 report, financial institutions would incur the lowest costs under the baseline scenario.
Contribution: The analysis fills a gap in the research on the role of financial institutions in the global economy, including in the EU/EEA, in shaping the conditions for financial stability when implementing ESG transformation processes revealed, among others, in reporting and changes to GAR indicators.
Downloads
References
Altavilla, C., Boucinha, M., Pagano, M., & Polo, A. (2023). Climate Risk, Bank Lending and Monetary Policy (Working Paper No. 687). Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (CSEF).
Ayadi, R., Challita, S., & Cucinelli, D. (2023). Cooperative Banks, Business Models and Efficiency: A Stochastic Frontier Approach Analysis. Annals of Operations Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-023-05526-9
Borio, C. (2012). The Financial Cycle and Macroeconomics: What Have We Learned? (BIS Working Papers No. 395). Bank for International Settlements. Retrieved from: https://www.bis.org/publ/work395.htm (accessed: 11.11.2025).
Ceglar, A., Boldrini, S., Lelli, C., Parisi, L., & Heemskerk, I. (2023). The Impact of the Euro Area Economy and Banks on Biodiversity (Occasional Paper Series No. 335). European Central Bank. Retrieved from: https://www.ecb.europa.eu/pub/pdf/scpops/ecb.op335~79fbc42228.en.pdf (accessed: 11.11.2025).
Chiaramonte, L., Dreassi, A., Girardone, C., & Piserà, S. (2022). Do ESG Strategies Enhance Bank Stability during Financial Turmoil? Evidence from Europe. The European Journal of Finance, 28(12), 1173–1211. https://doi.org/10.1080/1351847X.2021.1964556
Coleton, A., Brucart, M. F., Gutierrez, P., Le Tennier, F., & Moor, C. (2020). Sustainable Finance: Market Practices (EBA Staff Paper Series No. 6). European Banking Authority. Retrieved from: https://eba.europa.eu/sites/default/files/document_library/Sustainable%20finance%20Market%20practices.pdf (accessed: 11.11.2025).
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772 of 31 July 2023 supplementing Directive 2013/34/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards sustainability reporting standards. Official Journal of the European Union, Series L. Retrieved from: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2023/2772/oj/eng (accessed: 11.11.2025).
Dąbrowski, I. (2016). Mechanizmy sprzężeń zwrotnych a równowaga i dynamika systemu gospodarczego. Oficyna Wydawnicza SGH.
Di Tommaso, C., & Thorton, J. (2020). Do ESG Scores Effect Bank Risk Taking and Value? Evidence from European Banks. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 27(5), 2286–2298. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.1964
Directive 2014/95/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 amending Directive 2013/34/EU as regards disclosure of non-financial and diversity information by certain large undertakings and groups. Text with EEA relevance. Official Journal of the European Union, L 330/1. Retrieved from: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2014/95/oj/eng (accessed: 11.11.2025).
Directive (EU) 2022/2464 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2022 amending Regulation (EU) No 537/2014, Directive 2004/109/EC, Directive 2006/43/EC and Directive 2013/34/EU, as regards corporate sustainability reporting. Official Journal of the European Union, L 322/15. Retrieved from: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32022L2464 (accessed: 12.01.2024).
Directive (EU) 2024/1760 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 on corporate sustainability due diligence and amending Directive (EU) 2019/1937 and Regulation (EU) 2023/2859. Official Journal of the European Union, L Series. Retrieved from: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/1760/oj/eng (accessed: 11.11.2025).
EBA. (2021a). EBA Report on Management and Supervision of ESG Risks for Credit Institutions and Investment Firms. EBA/REP/2021/18.
EBA. (2021b). EBA Roadmap on Strengthening the Prudential Framework. Implementation Timeline of EBA Mandates under EU Banking Package (CRD – CRR). Retrieved from: https://www.eba.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2023-12/9dc534e8-8a3d-438f-88e3bc86e623d99e/EBA%20Roadmap%20on%20strengthening%20the%20prudential%20framework_1.pdf (accessed: 27.01.2024).
EBA. (2022). Implementing Technical Standards (ITS) on Prudential Disclosures on ESG Risks in Accordance with Article 449a CRR. EBA/ITS/2022/01. Retrieved from: https://www.eba.europa.eu/activities/single-rulebook/regulatory-activities/transparency-and-pillar-3/implementing-technical-standards-its-prudential-disclosures-esg-risks-accordance-article-449a-crr (accessed: 11.11.2025).
EBA. (2023). One-off Fit-for-55 Climate Risk Scenario Analysis. Template Guidance, 15 November. Retrieved from: https://eba.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2023-11/39f91f76-23b5-4a69-a50d-b3154022e62e/FF55%20-%20Template%20guidance_0.pdf (accessed: 11.11.2025).
EBA. (2025a). ESG Dashboard. Retrieved from: https://ebprstaewspublic01.blob.core.windows.net/public/tools-prod/documents/Big_Files/books/interactive-tools/2025/powerbi/ESG_dashboard_page.html (accessed: 11.11.2025).
EBA. (2025b). Final Report. Guidelines on the Management of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Risks. EBA/GL/2025/01. Retrieved from: https://www.eba.europa.eu/publications-and-media/press-releases/eba-publishes-its-final-guidelines-management-esg-risks (accessed: 11.11.2025).
EC. (2018). Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Central Bank, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. Action Plan: Financing Sustainable Growth. COM(2018) 97 final. Retrieved from: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:52018DC0097 (accessed: 27.01.2024).
EC. (2024a). Overview of Sustainable Finance. What Is Sustainable Finance? Retrieved from: https://finance.ec.europa.eu/sustainable-finance/overview-sustainable-finance_en (accessed: 11.11.2025).
EC. (2024b). What Is the European Green Deal? Retrieved from: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/green-deal/?ref=blog.energyelephant.com (accessed: 27.01.2024).
ECB. (2023a). Climate Change and the ECB. Retrieved from: https://www.ecb.europa.eu/ecb/climate/html/index.en.html (accessed: 31.01.2024).
ECB. (2023b). Climate-related Financial Disclosures of the Eurosystem’s Corporate Sector Holdings for Monetary Policy Purposes. Retrieved from: https://www.ecb.europa.eu/pub/pdf/other/ecb.climate_related_financial_disclosures_eurosystem_corporate_sector_holdings_monetary_policy_purposes2023~9eae8df8d9.en.pdf (accessed: 31.01.2024).
ECB/ESRB Project Team. (2021). Climate-related Risk and Financial Stability. Retrieved from: https://www.esrb.europa.eu/pub/pdf/reports/esrb.climateriskfinancialstability202107~79c10eba1a.en.pdf?71a273dc36a85ef05c8bed530466f900 (accessed: 31.01.2024).
ECB/ESRB Project Team. (2023). Towards Macroprudential Frameworks for Managing Climate Risk. December 2023. Retrieved from: https://www.esrb.europa.eu/pub/pdf/reports/esrb.report202312~d7881028b8.en.pdf (accessed: 11.11.2025).
EIOPA. (2025). Stress Test: One-off Fit-for-55 Climate Risk Scenario Analysis. Retrieved from: https://www.eiopa.europa.eu/browse/financial-stability/insurance-stress-test/stress-test-one-fit-55-climate-risk-scenario-analysis_en#results (accessed: 11.11.2025).
Elderson, F. (2023). Powers, Ability and Willingness to Act – the Mainstay of Effective Banking Supervision. European Central Bank. Retrieved from: https://www.bankingsupervision.europa.eu/press/speeches/date/2023/html/ssm.sp231207~10204b8b70.en.html (accessed: 31.01.2024).
ESMA. (2023). Sustainable Finance – Implementation Timeline. ESMA34-45-1580. Retrieved from: https://www.esma.europa.eu/document/sustainable-finance-implementation-timeline (accessed: 31.01.2024).
ESRB. (2016). Too Late, Too Sudden: Transition to a Low-carbon Economy and Systemic Risk (Reports of the Advisory Scientific Committee No. 6). European Systemic Risk Board.
Ferdinandusse, M., Kuik, F., Lis, E., & Sun, Y. (2023). Climate-related Policies in the Eurosystem / ECB Staff Macroeconomic Projections for the Euro Area and the Macroeconomic Impact of Green Fiscal Measures. ECB Economic Bulletin, 1.
FSB. (2023). Progress Report on Climate-related Disclosures: 2023 Report. Retrieved from: https://www.fsb.org/2023/10/progress-report-on-climate-related-disclosures-2023-report/ (accessed: 5.02.2024).
Fu, C., Lu, L., & Pirabi, M. (2023). Advancing Green Finance: A Review of Sustainable Development. Digital Economy and Sustainable Development, 1, 20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44265-023-00020-3
Germann, M., Kusmierczyk, P., & Puyo, C. (2023). Results of the 2022 Climate Risk Stress Test of the Eurosystem Balance Sheet. European Central Bank. Retrieved from: https://www.ecb.europa.eu/pub/economic-bulletin/focus/2023/html/ecb.ebbox202302_06~0e721fa2e8.en.html (accessed: 31.01.2024).
GRI Sustainability Taxonomy. (2025). Retrieved from: https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/gri-sustainability-taxonomy/ (accessed: 11.11.2025).
IIRC. (2025). Integrated Reporting. Retrieved from: https://www.ifrs.org/issued-standards/integrated-reporting/ (accessed: 11.11.2025).
Kong, Y., Ntarmah, A. H., Combinah, J., & Meynah, M. V. (2020). The Impacts of Banking System Stability on Sustainable Development: Conditional Mean-based and Parameter Heterogeneity Approaches. The International Journal of Management, Accounting and Economics, 7(9), 482–505. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17217212
Kosztowniak, A. (2023). Climate Policy Relevant Sectors in the Polish Commercial Banks. Central European Review of Economics & Finance, 42(1), 50–70. https://doi.org/10.24136/ceref.2023.004
Kosztowniak, A. (2025). Ryzyko ESG w instytucjach finansowych w gospodarce światowej. Ekonomista. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.52335/ekon/204852
Mobiquity. (2021). A Benchmark for Sustainable Banking. Research Report. May 2021. Retrieved from: https://f.hubspotusercontent10.net/hubfs/1868764/EU%20Whitepapers_cases_reports/sustainable-banking-report.pdf?hsCtaTracking=6b8a7dfc-535d-4212-b845-c231c29136ef%7C2c9d576e-4b54-4847-b935-30b7bf4c9724 (accessed: 31.01.2024).
Mobiquity. (2023). Global Benchmark for Sustainable Banking 2023. Retrieved from: www.mobiquity.com/insights/global-benchmark-for-sustainable-banking-2023 (accessed: 31.01.2024).
Moldovan, I. A. (2015). Does the Financial System Promote Sustainable Development? Evidence from Eastern European Countries. Central European Business Review, 4(2), 40–47. https://doi.org/10.18267/j.cebr.125
NBP. (2025). Raport o stabilności systemu finansowego. Czerwiec 2025 r. Retrieved from: https://nbp.pl/system-finansowy/raporty-o-stabilnosci-systemu-finansowego/ (accessed: 11.11.2025).
NGFS. (2020). Guide to Climate Scenario Analysis for Central Banks and Supervisors. Network for Greening the Financial System. Retrieved from: https://www.ngfs.net/en/guide-climate-scenario-analysis-central-banks-and-supervisors (accessed: 12.01.2024).
Ozili, P. K., & Iorember, P. T. (2023). Financial Stability and Sustainable Development. International Journal of Finance & Economics, 29(3), 2620–2646. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijfe.2803
Regulation (EU) 2019/2088 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2019 on sustainability-related disclosures in the financial services sector. Retrieved from: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/2088/oj/eng (accessed: 11.11.2025).
Regulation 2020/852/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2020 on establishing a framework to facilitate sustainable investment, amending Regulation (EU) 2019/2088. Retrieved from: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/TodayOJ/ (accessed: 11.11.2025).
Saïdane, D., & Abdallah, S. B. (2020). Sustainability and Financial Stability: Evidence from European Banks. Economics Bulletin, 40(2), 1769–1780.
TCFD. (2017). Recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures. Final Report. Retrieved from: https://www.fsb.org/uploads/P290617-5.pdf (accessed: 11.11.2025).
TCFD. (2023). Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures 2023 Status Report. Retrieved from: https://www.fsb.org/uploads/P121023-2.pdf (accessed: 11.11.2025).
UN. (2015). Paris Agreement. Retrieved from: https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement (accessed: 27.01.2024).
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Krakow University of Economics

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.