Track Description
In recent years, the debate on sustainable finance has increasingly emphasised the importance of diversity, inclusion, and socially responsible behaviours within financial institutions. Within this framework, gender diversity has emerged as a key factor potentially influencing governance quality, transparency, and the commitment of organisations to sustainability.
A growing body of literature examines how the presence of women in top-echelon positions – such as boards of directors, top management teams, CEOs, and key committees – influences firms’ sustainability orientation (Bannò et al., 2021; Brunninge et al., 2007). Many studies show that female participation at the highest organisational levels is associated with stronger engagement in social and environmental initiatives and with enhanced ESG performance. Female directors often play a key role in promoting sustainability-oriented policies (Gulzar et al., 2019) and improving overall sustainability outcomes (Elmagrhi et al., 2019; Hafsi & Turgut, 2013; Provasi & Harasheh, 2020).

However, the evidence is not unanimous. Some authors find no significant effect of board gender diversity on sustainability (Ajaz et al., 2020), while others even report negative effects on participation in sustainable development projects (Loukil et al., 2019). There are also studies showing mixed impacts, with improvements in economic performance but not in environmental or social dimensions (Reyes Bastidas & Briano-Turrent, 2018). These inconsistencies highlight the need for further investigation into the mechanisms linking gender diversity and sustainability.

In line with this literature, the track welcomes contributions on gender equality in banking and finance, with a focus on gender diversity in the corporate governance of financial intermediaries, financial education initiatives for women’s empowerment, measures to counteract economic violence, and financial instruments supporting social projects aimed at improving women’s social and economic conditions.

The track particularly encourages studies exploring how the presence of women in governance bodies influences financial intermediaries’ commitment to ESG practices, including the transparency of integrated financial reports and the adoption and implementation of ethical codes. Contributions addressing gender diversity in managerial and upper-echelon positions – as part of a broader organisational shift toward sustainability – and studies examining the gender pay gap and its implications for organisational equity and performance are also welcome.