ABSTRACT
Globally, the financial services industry leads the world in terms of earnings and equity market capitalisation, and there is a broad consensus that it has a vital role to play in promoting sustainable development. The sector includes banks, credit card companies, insurance companies, accountancy companies, consumer finance companies, stock brokerages, investment funds and finance managers. The industry has seen enormous change in the past decade as new technologies have radically altered the structure and operation of the markets and the competitive environment in which finance companies function. Companies and institutions are adjusting their business models to take advantage of these new opportunities in the face of ever-increasing customer expectations, heightened competition and regulatory change. Against this backdrop, there have been concerns that the industry has been slow to take up the challenges underpinning the SDGs, but as the pace of technology change increases, there is the potential for innovative and creative collaborations that could have a positive impact in support of the SDGs.
