Kapitaalregelgeving en duurzaam bankieren in de praktijk: een kwalitatieve studie naar de reguleringservaringen van Europese banken

Banks play a crucial role in financing the European transition towards a more sustainable economy. Alongside conventional banks, sustainable and values-based banks aim to support long-term economic, environmental, and social goals. However, both types of banks are subject to the same EU capital regulation, which is primarily designed to address financial risks and does not explicitly account for sustainability-related characteristics of banking business models.
This project explores how sustainable banks in Europe experience EU capital regulation in practice. Professionals in the field have raised concerns that current regulatory frameworks do not sufficiently reflect the long-term orientation, relationship-based lending, and environmental and social focus of values-based banks. These concerns have been acknowledged by sector organisations and supervisory institutions, yet there is limited empirical evidence on how such regulation is experienced and applied within sustainable banks themselves.
The project addresses this area by collecting and analysing qualitative data from professionals working in sustainable banks across Europe. Through interviews and surveys, the research examines how capital regulation is interpreted, implemented, and perceived in day-to-day banking practice. The aim is not to assess compliance or propose immediate regulatory change, but to provide empirically grounded insight into how existing regulation interacts with sustainable banking models. There is limited empirical evidence on how capital regulation is interpreted within sustainable banks and whether it may unintentionally constrain their activities.
The results of the project will contribute to academic research, professional dialogue, and education. Findings will be shared through an academic publication, presentations at practitioner-oriented events, and integration into finance education. By strengthening the evidence base on sustainable banking and regulation, the project supports informed discussion among banks, regulators, educators, and policymakers on how the financial sector can effectively contribute to the sustainability transition.