Title: Financial and environmental efficiency evaluation of the Greek banking sector

Authors: Paraskevas Perlegkas; Stella Sofianopoulou; Dimitris Psychoyios

Addresses: Department of Industrial Management and Technology, University of Piraeus, 80, Karaoli & Dimitriou St., 185 34 Piraeus, Greece ' Department of Industrial Management and Technology, University of Piraeus, 80, Karaoli & Dimitriou St., 185 34 Piraeus, Greece ' Department of Industrial Management and Technology, University of Piraeus, 80, Karaoli & Dimitriou St., 185 34 Piraeus, Greece

Abstract: This paper aims to evaluate banks that operate within the Greek banking sector on the basis of both financial and environmental criteria. More specifically, the main target is to identify the most socially responsible banks, without of course excluding financial indices criteria that are of catalytic importance. To accomplish our goal, data envelopment analysis (DEA) is employed which will provide us with results and conclusions on the banks' performance, but more important, will depict which commercial banks implement policies and procedures of corporate social responsibility (CSR) more effectively. The findings of this study not only point in the right direction for the strengthening of the backbone of the Greek banking sector, but also enlighten the importance of implementing sustainability practices and at the same time constitute a major challenge for other banks to implement such policies.

Keywords: benchmarking; corporate social responsibility; CSR; sustainable development; sustainability; data envelopment analysis; DEA; environmental performance; financial performance; Greece; banking industry; financial efficiency; environmental efficiency; commercial banks.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPMB.2014.065521

International Journal of Process Management and Benchmarking, 2014 Vol.4 No.4, pp.424 - 436

Published online: 31 Oct 2014 *

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