SERG Presents an online seminar with Sophie Kline from Utrecht University; discussing their recent paper.
Register Now: SERG seminar : Sophie Klein | UWE-Web team (geckoform.com)
Abstract:
The transition towards sustainability necessitates significant financial resources. While investor behaviour for green investment products has received some attention, the consumer adoption of such products remains poorly understood. This study investigates the behavioural reasoning of adopting sustainable current accounts on a household level through a quantitative study with a national representative sample of 1,501 consumers in the Germany. The most prioritized factors for adoption of these accounts were sustainable self-efficacy and values. Trust in the bank provider, and financial literacy were found to be less potent factors. Further, the study identified five distinct clusters, to derive deeper insights on the diverse market segments to establish more targeted industry and policy responses due to yet limited uptake. The results highlight the need for measures by product providers and policymakers to increase self-efficacy and raise awareness of the impact of private finances on sustainability to accelerate the adoption of sustainable banking products.
About the Author:
Sophie Klein is a PhD Candidate in Sustainable Business and Finance with a diverse background spanning research institutes, the corporate sector, and international organizations. Her primary research interest revolves around financing the sustainable transition of incumbent business models. This encompasses the mapping of corporate financial structures in transforming business models, financing the phase-out of ‘unsustainable’ business models, and investigating the role of financial intermediaries and the effectiveness of financial instruments in sustainability transitions. Her commitment extends to teaching activities, such as the master course “Strategy, Economics, and Societal Impact” and “Social Impact Consulting Challenge” module.
Furthermore, Sophie actively engages in facilitating collaborations between Utrecht University and external stakeholders, fostering shared research projects with broad impact. Within the Pathways to Sustainability community, she leads and orchestrates the interdisciplinary program “Scaling up nature-positive investments and biodiversity finance“. Additionally, Sophie serves as a board member of the UN Global Compact Young Sustainable Finance initiative.