Employee Perceptions of ESG Policy Implementation in Urban and Rural Financial Institutions

Jelena Vapa Tankosić (), Nemanja Lekić, Miroslav Čavlin, Vinko Burnać, Milovan Mirkov, Radivoj Prodanović, Gordana Bejatović, Nedeljko Prdić and Borjana Mirjanić
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Jelena Vapa Tankosić: Faculty of Economics and Engineering Management, University of Business Academy, Cvećarska 2, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Nemanja Lekić: Department of Business and Information Studies, Belgrade Business and Arts Academy of Applied Studies, Kraljice Marije 73, 11050 Belgrade, Serbia
Miroslav Čavlin: Faculty of Economics and Engineering Management, University of Business Academy, Cvećarska 2, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Vinko Burnać: Provincial Secretariat, Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Milovan Mirkov: Municipal Public Library “Veljko Petrović” Žabalj, Nikole Tesle 40, 21230 Žabalj, Serbia
Radivoj Prodanović: Faculty of Economics and Engineering Management, University of Business Academy, Cvećarska 2, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Gordana Bejatović: Faculty for Economy and Finance, University UNION Nikola Tesla, 11120 Belgrade, Serbia
Nedeljko Prdić: JKP Tržnica Novi Sad, Žike Popovića 4, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Borjana Mirjanić: Department of Business and Information Studies, Belgrade Business and Arts Academy of Applied Studies, Kraljice Marije 73, 11050 Belgrade, Serbia

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 15, 1-23

Abstract: The purpose of this research is to examine employee perceptions regarding the implementation of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) practices in financial institutions, with a comparative focus on urban and rural banks in the Republic of Serbia. The study investigates how employees assess environmental, social, and governance aspects of ESG, as well as their own role in applying these principles in everyday work. The results reveal statistically significant differences between the two groups; employees in urban banks report greater engagement, more access to training, and stronger involvement in ESG decision-making. These findings suggest the existence of more developed institutional support, infrastructure, and organisational culture in urban banks. In contrast, employees in rural banks highlight the need for enhanced training, clearer ESG guidance, and improved oversight mechanisms. The study underlines the importance of investing in employee development and internal communication, particularly in rural contexts, to improve ESG outcomes. By focusing on employee-level perceptions, this research contributes to the understanding of how organisational and geographic factors influence the implementation of ESG-related practices in financial institutions.

Keywords: ESG implementation; employee perceptions; urban and rural banks; sustainable banking; organisational culture (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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