A Systematic Review of Socially Responsible Banking and the Identification of Its Human Resource Requirements in the Iraqi Banking Sector
Keywords:
Systematic review, socially responsible banking, human resource management, green banking, ESG, corporate social responsibility, IraqAbstract
The present study aimed to identify, classify, and integrate the antecedents, components, consequences, and requirements of socially responsible banking, with particular emphasis on the role of human resources in the Iraqi banking sector. The study adopted a systematic review approach and was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The study population comprised scholarly works related to socially responsible banking, sustainable banking, green banking, corporate social responsibility, environmental, social, and governance criteria, and the role of human resource management in the banking industry. A systematic search was conducted in the Scopus and Web of Science databases, supplemented by searches of open-access scholarly sources and the reference lists of relevant studies. After duplicate, irrelevant, and methodologically inadequate studies had been excluded, 23 articles—16 identified through the primary search pathway and seven through the supplementary pathway—were included in the final analysis. Study quality was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist, and the data were analyzed through systematic content analysis, conceptual categorization, narrative synthesis, and final model development. The results indicated that institutional pressures, stakeholder expectations, legal requirements, competitive pressures, and environmental crises were the most important antecedents of socially responsible banking. Green banking, corporate social responsibility, ESG criteria, human capital, transparency, accountability, and green finance were also identified as its principal components. The consequences were identified at the organizational, human, and societal levels and included risk reduction, improved sustainable performance, strengthened legitimacy and trust, increased employee commitment, and support for sustainable development. Furthermore, managerial commitment, systematic training, the development of green competencies, reform of performance appraisal systems, aligned incentive systems, organizational culture development, and employee empowerment were identified as the central human resource requirements. Human resources constitute the principal mechanism through which institutional pressures and sustainability policies are translated into responsible banking behaviors. Therefore, the institutionalization of socially responsible banking in Iraq requires the strategic alignment of human resource policies and practices with social, environmental, and governance objectives.
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