GABV launches academic network to promote values-based banking
The Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV) has launched the GABV Academic Network at the Values-Based Finance Conference 2025, held at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. This new initiative aims to create a collaborative platform between academia and the values-based banking sector, promoting research, education, and advocacy surrounding inclusive financial practices.
The GABV is a network of progressive banks focused on operational models that prioritise social and environmental considerations alongside profitability. By establishing the academic network, the GABV seeks to engage scholars and institutions in advancing knowledge and research on values-based banking, an approach seen as sustainable and equitable in a rapidly changing financial environment.
Tytti Kaasinen, Head of Impact and Research at the GABV, highlighted the significance of this initiative, stating that it marks "a significant step in deepening the knowledge of values-based banking." She further explained the goal of the network, which is to bring together diverse stakeholders to "foster critical research, drive innovation, and shape the future of finance towards a more sustainable and inclusive approach."
The GABV Academic Network will be accessible to doctoral-level scholars, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty members globally, focusing on ethical and sustainable finance. Benefits of membership include opportunities to connect with values-based banks, access aggregate data for research, collaborate with leading scholars, and engage with financial practitioners and policymakers.
The network’s formation is complemented by the GABV's ongoing research initiatives, which aim to substantiate the benefits of values-based banking. Recent publications include the "Finance for War. Finance for Peace" report, which investigates the financial industry’s links to arms production and contrasts it with the exclusion policies of values-oriented banks. Another significant report examines best practices within the financial sector, comparing conventional banks with values-driven institutions alongside findings from the UPF Barcelona School of Management on how Spanish banks adhere to principles of responsible banking.
Support for the academic network comes from a Steering Committee comprising prominent scholars from various universities, including Dr. Marcos Eguiguren Huerta from UPF Barcelona School of Management and Dr. Brigitte Bernard-Rau from the University of Hamburg. These academics bring expertise in sustainable finance and responsible banking to the initiative, further establishing its academic credibility.
The inception of the GABV Academic Network underscores a growing recognition of the necessity for ethical banking solutions that address the broader societal and environmental issues of our time. With financial institutions increasingly scrutinised for their ethical implications, the GABV aims to advocate for and strengthen the values-based banking model through comprehensive research and education.
The GABV, founded in 2009, now comprises 70 institutions across more than 45 countries, collectively serving over 50 million customers and managing approximately USD 265 billion in assets. The establishment of the academic network represents a strategic effort to intertwine scholarly inquiry with practical banking solutions, ultimately contributing to a transformed financial landscape that prioritises people and planet alongside profit.