Elevating green CSR through green banking: the mediating role of green financing activities

This study aims to investigate how green banking (GB) practices influence green finance activities (GFA) and green corporate social responsibility (GCSR) within private commercial banks in China, with a particular focus on the mediating role of GFA. By surveying 302 bank employees through snowball sampling and employing structural equation modelling (SEM), it explores the relationships among daily operations (BDOP), customer interaction practices (BPRCI), employee practices (BPRE), policy-related practices (BPRP), GFA, and GCSR (GCSR). The findings reveal that BDOP, BPRCI, and BPRP significantly impact GFA and GCSR, while employee practices do not. GFA has a substantial impact on GCSR and serves as a mediator in the connections between other practices and GCSR. This study provides novel insights into the connections between these practices and their collective influence on GCSR. It emphasizes the essential yet often overlooked role of green financing activities as a mediator, providing practical suggestions for advancing green financing and aligning banking operations with sustainability objectives, ultimately promoting a more environmentally conscious banking industry.