Corporate social responsibility disclosures and reputation risk management post the banking royal commission: a study of the big four banks

Purpose This study aims to explore the use of corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosures by the “Big Four” Australian banks post the banking royal commission (BRC) to manage their reputational risk. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses a case study approach through a thematic analysis of the Big Four banks’ annual and sustainability reports and uses reputation risk management (RRM) as a conceptual lens to explore the image restoration strategies used by these banks. Findings The study finds that a corrective action strategy was disclosed extensively by all four banks whereby each bank outlined the actions that they were undertaking to correct the deficiencies identified by the BRC. However, the impact of these proposed actions was tampered by the fact that each bank sought to use strategies to reduce the offensiveness of their misdemeanours. It is argued that while disclosure on corrective actions and compensation is useful, an emphasis on reducing offensiveness of actions impacts the effectiveness of banks’ responses and their acceptance of full responsibility for their actions. Research limitations/implications This paper applies the RRM perspective to a recent reputation damaging event, thereby expanding the literature on image restoration strategies used by companies during major incidents. Practical implications This study provides useful insights in relation to the approaches used to manage the reputational risk arising from the BRC. It provides insights into the credibility of information disclosed post an incident and has potential implications for the assurance of such information. Social implications Given the critical importance of the banking industry to modern society, misconduct in this sector needs a closer examination, requiring a greater need for responsibility from its key players. Originality/value This study extends the applicability of the RRM perspective to a social incident and highlights that it is reputation, rather than legitimacy, that is critical when organisations in an industry face extensive public scrutiny. A thematic analysis approach adds value to the methods used for analysing CSR disclosures.

Behind the Online Course

Higher education institutions' success in providing online courses at the beginning of the pandemic depends not only on their infrastructure and organizational units for virtual education but also on diverse teams composed of professors specialized in pedagogy, researchers, and professionals in digital technologies for education. The authors describe their experiences in the bargaining process, tensions, ways to solve controversies, the management of time and resources, pitfalls, problems, correct guess, and hits to create new knowledge-based products for the Colombian National Ministry of Education (MEN in Spanish acronyms) platform's “Colombia Aprende” within a high pressure against time and the reputational risk of failing in the pandemic chaos. Results show that the psychological contract theory explains the capacity to compromise to overcome several difficulties such as an extra load of work, and the knowledge creation theory provides a helpful model to understand how the team innovated.

External Shariah Audit Services from Practitioners’ Views: The Case of Malaysian Islamic Banks

Objective – This paper investigates the possibility and feasibility of Malaysia's Islamic banking industry hiring external Shariah audit (ESA) services in the audit fraternity as one of the Shariah governance mechanisms. Some of the scholars argued that ESA is more independent and is able to strengthen the existing Shariah compliance in the industry. Methodology – This study employs a qualitative method by utilising semi-structured interviews with nine key industry players: Shariah auditors, Heads of Shariah audit, Shariah Committee (SC) Member, and Chief Shariah Officer. Data gathered from the interviews was transcribed and analysed using Atlas.ti software. Findings– A series of interviews reveal that given the current practices by the Islamic banking industry, it could be inferred that the Malaysian Islamic banking industry is not ready to exercise the ESA practices. This unreadiness is due to several factors, such as ESA costs outweighing its benefits, the fear of reputational risk, and anxiety of leaking confidential information to rivals. Novelty – The Shariah audit research especially relates to external Shariah audit is considered limited. Type of Paper: Empirical JEL Classification: E44, G10, G20. Keywords: External Shariah audit; Islamic Banks; qualitative method; Shariah governance; Malaysia

The digitalization-reputation link: a multiple case-study on Italian banking groups

Purpose This paper aims to focus on the relation between digital transformation and banks’ reputation, as examined through the information disclosed by the five largest Italian banking groups’ efforts to extend and enhance their digital resources. Considering digitalization as a key strategy for managing reputation, which, in turn, can leverage financial and value performance management, the paper investigates whether and how digital activities might affect banks’ reputation. Therefore, this paper proposes the relationship between digitalization and reputation as a lever for performance management and for increasing efficiency. Design/methodology/approach The authors use content analysis to generate a digital disclosure index, categorizing activities human, structural and relational. For banks’ reputations, the proxies are a measure of corporate reputation and a reputational risk index. Methodologically the study used multiple case studies, considered as particularly suitable to gain an in-depth understanding of the topic in the case of the five banks. A collection of secondary data and semi-structured interviews are included. Findings Overall, the digitalization-reputation link shows that banks’ reputation is variously affected, not only by exposure to risk (including reputational risk) but also by strategic issues such as digitalization and the effectiveness of the corresponding communication. Consequently, banks should view digitalization as a key driver to be considered not in a stand-alone perspective, but in a combined approach. Research limitations/implications Continued research should include the Covid-19 implications. Additionally, it would be important to compare a larger number of banks, with different characteristics, also including variables indicating the corporate governance mechanisms. Practical implications The analysis contributes to fostering scholars’ and practitioners’ management of the digital transformation challenge that is a current key-factor, capable of increasing banks’ value. It considers not only the drivers directly affecting monetary value but also the institutions’ social and relational value, as well as their reputation. Originality/value This paper extends prior research on the digitalization-reputation relation by investigating digital transformation through disclosure of activities in this area within the Italian banking sector. It allows to leverage the key-factors that can contribute to increasing banks’ value, considering not only the drivers directly affecting monetary value but also the institutions’ social and relational value, as well as their reputation.

Money laundering and financial stability: does adverse publicity matter?

Purpose Already suffering reputational damage from the global financial crisis, banks face a further loss of trust due to their poor money laundering (ML) compliance practices. As confidence-driven institutions, the loss of reputation stemming from inadequate compliance with regulations and policies labels banks as facilitators of crime and destroys public trust both in the bank itself, peer banks and the wider banking system. Considering the links between financial stability and adverse publicity about banks, this paper aims to critically examine the implications of ML-specific bank information on financial stability. Design/methodology/approach This paper adopts a content analysis and a theoretical discussion by critically evaluating the role of bank compliance information on stability with references to recent case studies. Findings This paper establishes that availability of information regarding a bank involved in or facilitating ML might pose a threat to financial stability if bank counterparties cut their ties with the bank in question and when bank stakeholders show a strong and sudden negative reaction to adverse publicity. Though recent ML scandals have not caused immediate instability, general loss of confidence associated with reputational risk have had a destabilising effect on affected banks’ capital and liquidity. Originality/value There has been surprisingly little discussion to date on the impact of publicly available bank information on financial stability and public confidence within the ML compliance framework. This paper approaches the issue of publicly available banking compliance information solely through the prism of public confidence and reputational risk and its impact on macro-stability by examining recent ML scandals.

Road to recovery

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings Commitment to sustainability initiatives can help banks slowly rebuild societal trust and reputation tarnished by high-profile scandals and the global financial crash. Key principles function as important frameworks to identify appropriate behaviors that additionally help enhance reputational risk management. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Tax Evasion, Corporate Social Responsibility and National Governance: A Country-Level Study

This study uses a sample of 25 OECD countries to examine the association between CSR, national governance and tax evasion at the country level. The interaction between country-level governance and CSR relative to tax avoidance is also explored. The findings suggest that neither the ESG dimensions nor the overall CSR measure are significant determinants of tax evasion at the country level. In contrast, national governance quality is significantly and negatively related to tax evasion. Significant support is also found for the mediating effect of national governance on the association between CSR and tax evasion: in countries with weak national governance, CSR and country-level governance are substitutes; in countries with strong national governance, CSR reporting (in particular, environmental disclosures) seems to be used as a cosmetic and compensatory tool for firms to mitigate the reputational risk and public concern arising from tax evasion activities. The findings are theoretically and practically relevant as they underscore not only the importance of national governance in mitigating tax evasion but also the relevance of the mediating effect of national governance on the relationship between CSR and tax evasion. The evidence highlights the need for policymakers in countries with strong national governance to design new/strong anti-tax avoidance regulations.

Image is Indeed Everything: An Analysis of How Americans View Leading Companies Today on the Seven Dimensions of Corporate Reputation

In today’s economy, a substantial part of the value of a consumer-facing company is tied-up in the value of its corporate image and its brand. As such, major companies today have both a great opportunity and a significant challenge at hand in managing their corporate reputations. In recent years, we have seen numerous instances of how the public perception of companies - and their brands - can be either positively or negatively impacted almost overnight by a wide range of events, social media, and more. As such, “reputational risk” is - and will continue to be - a significant managerial concern. In this study, we explore recent survey data on how the American public regards leading companies today in regard to their reputations. Using data from a major national consumer survey, we examine the seven dimensions of corporate reputation and assess how the public views the “best” and “worst” companies today on each reputational aspect. The article concludes with a look at the managerial implications of the present research and a look ahead to how further research could both deepen our understanding of consumer perceptions of corporate reputation and connect the reputation construct to actual corporate performance.

Interpreting banks’ sustainability initiatives as reputational risk management and mechanisms for coping, re-embedding and rebuilding societal trust

Purpose This paper aims to contribute to a growing literature in sustainable and green banking by exploring the views of senior banking representatives towards the implementation of sustainability initiatives through extensive interview research. The authors explore the extent to which such initiatives are embedded within the banking industry, whether they represent risk management mechanisms and whether they are imbued with reputational risk management rather than a genuine response to ethical societal concerns. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with UK bank managers. The interviewees’ utterances are interpreted through a sociological theoretical lens derived from the study of Giddens and Beck, allowing us to conclude that external initiatives such as the Equator Principles seem to be adopted as re-embedding mechanisms that can rebuild societal trust, as well as representing mechanisms of reputational risk management. Findings The analysis suggested that internal sustainability initiatives were interpreted as coping mechanisms whereby bank employees can recreate their protective cocoon, reinstating their ontological security in response to the high consequence risks of climate change and other related systemic factors that create overwhelming feelings of engulfment. Originality/value Using Beck’s risk society theory as a theoretical lens through which to interpret the interview data allows a number of concluding comments and suggestions to be made. The findings resonate with earlier research into institutional investors’ attitudes towards climate change that found their engagement and dialogue with companies around climate change issues to be imbued with a risk discourse: their initiatives and actions were dominated by risk management motivations.

Reputational Risk for financial institutions: a proposal of quantitative approach

The reputation of an institution refers to its public image in terms of competence, integrity and trustworthiness, which results from the awareness of its stakeholders. The related risk, i.e. “Reputational Risk”, is defined as the current or prospective risk of a decline in profits or capital resulting from a negative perception of the financial institution image by clients, counterparties, shareholders, investors or supervisory authorities. In this scenario, the reputation and the assessment of the associated risk component represent a decisive factor for ensuring long-lasting profitability. In recent years, the importance of managing and monitoring Reputational Risk is growing in importance with supervisory authorities, but nevertheless, there are no specific guidelines yet that the institutions can follow. The lack of a precise orientation means that the risk component is still considered discretionary, subjective and highly prone to interpretation. Considering that in the economic literature there is not a universally accepted approach, the aim of the paper is to provide a quantitative and objective methodology, a Quantitative Model, to assess the Reputational Risk in order to overcome the limits of a qualitative approach, by using exclusively numerical and objective analysis drivers, and to meet the increasing attention of the supervisory authorities on the issue. The Quantitative Model structure allows firms to study and to monitor the phenomenon from a managerial point of view. This approach provides financial institutions, in particular the Risk Management Department, a model to evaluate the reputational risk arising from economic magnitudes that characterise the business model of the financial institution. This means that the quantitative Model enables financial institutions to steering possible negative situations and promptly intervening with any corrective measures or actions deemed appropriate.