From demand to impact: can sustainable banking services advance UN Sustainable Development Goals?

In response to growing climate change debate and sustainability concerns, business organizations must adopt relevant sustainable strategies aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs). Extant research examines integration of sustainability in banking and finance, but demand-side mechanisms influencing sustainable banking remain underresearched. With a mixed-method approach, we analyse how consumers' adoption of sustainable banking services can be augmented in order to contribute to the SDG attainment. We develop a model that integrates theory of planned behaviour (TPB), value-belief-norm, and goal framing theory. Using focus group discussions and structural equation modelling, the results indicate that TPB variables, environment-specific factors and altruistic values significantly influence adoption behaviour, with interesting mediating effects. We highlight the moderating role of biospheric, altruistic and hedonic values on linkage between intentions and behaviour. The study provides a comprehensive framework to assess demand-side perspective of sustainable banking and offers insights to managers and policymakers on strategies for promoting these services for sustainable development.