The Policy Model of The Banking System in Line with Sustainable Development

Introduction
Banks play a crucial role in promoting sustainability, extending their influence beyond mere internal procedures. They can contribute to sustainability in two primary ways: by offering financial options, loans, and investment plans for green projects, and by supporting individuals and companies in their sustainable development efforts. A significant portion of the banking system's challenges stem from unrealistic and ineffective policies. Recently, the inefficiency of the banking sector in supporting the productive economy has gained increasing attention. Thus, reforming the banking system becomes a key focus in economic reforms aligned with the general policies of a resistance economy. There is a clear need for a comprehensive model to guide these reforms toward achieving sustainable development. This research aims to identify foundational factors, obstacles, strategies, and consequences related to banking system reform.
 
Materials and Methods
This study falls under developmental research. It employs an inductive approach to derive a general pattern from data collected through interviews and questionnaires. Qualitative data analysis utilized a grounded theory method, while quantitative analysis followed a descriptive-survey research design, using questionnaires for data collection. The qualitative sample comprised economic and banking policy experts, including university professors, consultants, and bank managers, selected through purposive snowball sampling until theoretical saturation was reached. A total of 20 experts participated in the qualitative phase. The quantitative phase focused on all employees of Tejarat Bank in Tehran province (N=1650). Cochran's formula was applied to determine the sample size, resulting in 312 participants. Data collection in the qualitative phase involved semi-structured in-depth interviews, while a researcher-made questionnaire with 64 items was used in the quantitative phase. The questionnaire's reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, and validity was checked through content validity (CVR-CVI) and construct validity (convergent and divergent). For interviews, retesting and coder agreement methods were utilized to ensure validity and reliability. Qualitative data were analyzed using Maxqda software, and inferential statistics with partial least squares (PLS) techniques were employed for hypothesis testing.
 
Findings
Qualitative analysis identified six main categories: background factors (upstream documents), causal factors (organizational, human resources, and management factors), the central phenomenon (banking system reform), intervening factors (politicization of the administrative system and resistance to change), strategies (sustainability policy), and consequences (improved social, environmental, and financial performance). The quantitative results confirmed the proposed model's validity. This research enriches the domestic literature on the banking system's role in achieving sustainability and offers practical guidelines for reforming the banking system in alignment with sustainable development.
 
Discussion and Conclusion
The findings highlight organizational, human resources, and management factors as critical conditions in the banking system's policy model for sustainable development. Effective management is essential for achieving sustainability goals. Successful integration of sustainability within an organization requires committed leadership, strategic direction, and strong governance structures. These findings align with previous research, emphasizing the importance of organizational flexibility and human resource development for implementing sustainability policies. The study identified key indicators from various laws and documents that frame the banking system's policy model in line with sustainable development. This underscores the significant role of banks in the macroeconomic context and the need for alignment with these foundational documents in policy formulation. The research also points out that banks are vital to financing construction projects in national development programs. Moreover, the politicization of the administrative system and resistance to change were noted as intervening conditions affecting the banking system's policy model. This reflects a flawed economic strategy in Iran, where ideological considerations overshadow sustainable development principles. Reforming the banking system emerged as a central theme, given the numerous challenges it faces, including financial imbalances and losses. The necessity of reform is echoed in various studies highlighting the banking sector's critical issues in developing countries. Sustainability policy was recognized as a primary strategy within the banking system's policy model. The findings stress the importance of adapting policies to contemporary socio-economic conditions, as traditional command-and-control mechanisms are increasingly ineffective. In conclusion, this research provides valuable insights and practical recommendations for reforming the banking system to foster sustainable development.