Sustainability and accountability in Turkish banking sector

Abstract

Sustainable development is an issue that attracts worldwide attention since 1970s. Banking industry takes the question of sustainable development and sustainability into serious consideration as well. Many a global organization including most particularly IFC, GRI, UNEP FI, BEI, European Commission, and UN Global Compact Network have conducted various studies relating to the consideration of environmental and social effects and reporting thereof within banking sector. There is a correspondingly rising emphasis placed on sustainability in Turkish banking sector. Sustainability reports are voluntarily published by banks operating in Turkish banking sector. In addition, there are three commercial banks listed in the ISE Corporate Sustainability Index. In this study, the contribution of the banking sector to sustainable development and sustainability did analyzed with a view to the sustainability practices in Turkish banking sector, and the sustainability reports of a specified group of commercial banks and a private equity development bank operating in Turkish banking sector did analyzed.