Enhancing Sustainable Banking Practices: Implementing the Besgi Framework to Indonesian Bank

Abstract

Climate change, a global issue largely caused by human activities, is now beginning to be addressed by the G20, including financial institutions. Indonesia, as part of the G20, is implementing a sustainable finance program to improve the financing, durability, and competitiveness of financial services institutions. This study evaluates the adoption of sustainable banking practices in Indonesia within the context of global climate change initiatives. Using the Banks’ Environmental, Social, Governance, and Indirect Impact (BESGI) framework, which provides a comprehensive assessment of banks’ ESG performance using the Multidimensional Synthesis of Indicators (MSI) aggregation method. The BESGI performance of 14 Indonesian banks from 2020-2022 was assessed, revealing varying results of fluctuating data with Mandiri scoring the highest in year 2021 and BTN the lowest in year 2020. The findings indicate a growing emphasis on sustainable finance within the Indonesian banking sector in terms of financing and investment. The BESGI Score has insignificant results on banks’ performance and stability. However, further research is essential to comprehend the implications of these practices on the performance and stability of banks.