@article {27989, title = {Strategies for nature conservation and their practicability: An evaluation by regional participants}, year = {Submitted}, author = {Weber, O. and Frischknecht, P.} } @article {27970, title = {Impact investments: a call for (re)orientation}, journal = {SN Business \& EconomicsSN Business \& Economics}, volume = {1}, number = {2}, year = {2021}, month = {2021/01/11}, pages = {33}, abstract = {Practitioners and academics have been using different terms to describe investments in the sustainability context. The latest inflationary term is impact investments{\textemdash}investments that focus on real-world changes in terms of solving social challenges and/or mitigating ecological degradation. At the core of this definition is an emphasis on transformational changes. However, the term impact investment is often used interchangeably for any investment that incorporates environmental, social, and governance (ESG) aspects. In the latter instance, achieving transformational change is not the main purpose of such investments, which therefore carries the risk of impact washing (akin to {\textquotedblleft}green washing{\textquotedblright}). To offer (re-)orientation from an academic perspective, we derive a new typology of sustainable investments. This typology delivers a precise definition of what impact investments are and what they should cover. As one central contribution, we propose distinguishing between impact-aligned investments and impact-generating investments. Based on these insights, we hope to lay the foundation for future research and debates in the field of impact investing by practitioners, policymakers, and academics alike.}, isbn = {2662-9399}, author = {Busch, Timo and Bruce-Clark, Peter and Derwall, Jeroen and Eccles, Robert and Hebb, Tessa and Hoepner, Andreas and Klein, Christian and Krueger, Philipp and Paetzold, Falko and Scholtens, Bert and Weber, Olaf} } @article {27975, title = {The Nature of Global Green Finance Standards{\textemdash}Evolution, Differences, and Three Models}, journal = {SustainabilitySustainability}, volume = {13}, number = {7}, year = {2021}, pages = {3723}, isbn = {2071-1050}, author = {Nedopil, Christoph and Dordi, Truzaar and Weber, Olaf} } @article {27974, title = {The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): a rising tide lifts all boats? Global reporting implications in a post SDGs world}, journal = {Journal of Applied Accounting ResearchJournal of Applied Accounting Research}, year = {2021}, isbn = {0967-5426}, author = {ElAlfy, Amr and Weber, Olaf and Geobey, Sean} } @inbook {27981, title = {Bulk Water Pricing Policies and Strategies for Sustainable Water Management}, booktitle = {Environmental Policy}, year = {2020}, pages = {71-88}, publisher = {John Wiley \& Sons Ltd.}, organization = {John Wiley \& Sons Ltd.}, address = {Hoboken, NJ}, abstract = {Summary With projected impacts of climate change, population, and economic growth, episodes of water scarcity are expected to rise across the globe. The objective of sustainable water management is to ensure that all social, economic, and environmental water demands are fulfilled while sustaining the quality and quantity of water resources. Even though measures for sustainable water management using regulatory and economic instruments are gaining momentum in many countries, there is a need for reform in water management policies in the province of Ontario, Canada. Over the years, water policies in Ontario have come under public and academic scrutiny for being insufficient in addressing competing water demands of different sectors, incentivizing sustainable use as well as proactively signaling water risks at the sub-watershed scale. Bulk water pricing is an effective economic instrument to manage demand and incentivize use-efficiency and conservation by signaling the economic value of water as a resource to users. While the efficacy of volumetric extraction charges has been theoretically established for sustainable water management by existing studies, a comprehensive pricing framework based on sound theoretical principles and best practices has not been methodologically designed. To overcome this deficiency, this chapter investigates and synthesizes key global and provincial best practices to arrive at a conceptual bulk water pricing framework regionally tailored for the case of Ontario. It provides a tangible framework and recommendations to arrive at water extraction charges that can foster sustainable water management and trigger the transition of Ontario into a more water-efficient economy.}, author = {Sandhu, Guneet and Wood, Michael O. and Rus, Horatiu A. and Weber, Olaf}, editor = {Thomas Walker, and Northrop Sprung-Much and Sherif Goubran} } @article {24566, title = {Corporate social responsibility, water management, and financial performance in the food and beverage industry}, journal = {Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental ManagementCorporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management}, volume = {n/a}, number = {n/a}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Abstract Water management is an important issue for the food and beverage sector. Global media reports about conflicts between industries and stakeholders about water resources that hurt the food and beverage industry. This study addresses the gap in the knowledge about the connection between water management performance and the financial performance of companies in the food and beverage industry that exists because of a lack of empirical studies in the field of corporate water management and financial performance. Using structural equation modeling to analyze secondary corporate social performance data from KLD-MSCI, secondary financial data from Compustat, and primary water management data, the results suggest that corporate social performance has a positive impact on water management performance and that water management performance influences the financial performance of the firms in the sample positively. We conclude that an inside-out approach of corporate social responsibility addressing material issues, such as water in the food and beverage industry, helps to increase the financial performance in this industry. Academically, we contribute to the knowledge about the connection between water management and financial performance in the food and beverage industry. Furthermore, our results can be used by policymakers to implement standardized water indicators for the food and beverage industry. Finally, businesses can use the results of the study to improve their water-related environmental performance.}, isbn = {1535-3958}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Saunders-Hogberg, Grace} } @article {27992, title = {Corporate social responsibility, water management, and financial performance in the food and beverage industry}, journal = {Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental ManagementCorporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management}, volume = {27}, number = {4}, year = {2020}, pages = {1937-1946}, abstract = {Abstract Water management is an important issue for the food and beverage sector. Global media reports about conflicts between industries and stakeholders about water resources that hurt the food and beverage industry. This study addresses the gap in the knowledge about the connection between water management performance and the financial performance of companies in the food and beverage industry that exists because of a lack of empirical studies in the field of corporate water management and financial performance. Using structural equation modeling to analyze secondary corporate social performance data from KLD-MSCI, secondary financial data from Compustat, and primary water management data, the results suggest that corporate social performance has a positive impact on water management performance and that water management performance influences the financial performance of the firms in the sample positively. We conclude that an inside-out approach of corporate social responsibility addressing material issues, such as water in the food and beverage industry, helps to increase the financial performance in this industry. Academically, we contribute to the knowledge about the connection between water management and financial performance in the food and beverage industry. Furthermore, our results can be used by policymakers to implement standardized water indicators for the food and beverage industry. Finally, businesses can use the results of the study to improve their water-related environmental performance.}, isbn = {1535-3958}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Saunders-Hogberg, Grace} } @article {27977, title = {Corporate Sustainability in Bangladeshi Banks: Proactive or Reactive Ethical Behavior?}, journal = {SustainabilitySustainability}, volume = {12}, number = {19}, year = {2020}, pages = {7999}, isbn = {2071-1050}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Chowdury, Rezaul Karim} } @article {27972, title = {Corporations and sustainable development goals communication on social media: Corporate social responsibility or just another buzzword?}, journal = {Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable Development}, volume = {28}, number = {5}, year = {2020}, pages = {1418-1430}, abstract = {Abstract The sustainable development goals (SDGs) introduced by the United Nations in 2015 are a framework for a sustainable world. Corporations also use the SDGs as a guideline for corporate sustainability. Based on corporate sustainability theory and legitimacy theory, the paper analyzes whether and how firms communicate about the SDGs on social media to increase their legitimacy or because they are linked to the firms{\textquoteright} core business. The study analyzed more than 24,000 SDG-related tweets from Standard and Poor 500 companies. The results show that firms post tweets about the SDGs that are related to their core businesses and impacts. Hence, the SDGs are communicated in a way that addresses strategic corporate sustainability and social responsibility. These results contribute to the research by clarifying the role of the SDGs in regard to corporate strategy and legitimacy.}, isbn = {0968-0802}, author = {ElAlfy, Amr and Darwish, Kareem M. and Weber, Olaf} } @conference {27971, title = {Delineating the Motivations and Processes of Impact Investing: A Bibliometric Review}, booktitle = {ASAC 2020 Virtual}, year = {2020}, month = {June 12-15}, publisher = {ASAC}, organization = {ASAC}, address = {St Johns, NL}, author = {Dordi, Truzaar and Stephens, Phoebe and Geabey, Sean and Weber, Olaf} } @newspaperarticle {24419, title = {The financial markets are the key to Canada meeting its climate change targets}, journal = {Toronto Star}, year = {2020}, month = {February 3}, publisher = {Toronto Star}, address = {Toronto}, author = {Ellmen, Eugene and Weber, Olaf} } @article {27976, title = {An Institutional Pressure and Adaptive Capacity Framework for Green Bonds: Insights from India{\textquoteright}s Emerging Green Bond Market}, journal = {WorldWorld}, volume = {1}, number = {3}, year = {2020}, pages = {239-263}, isbn = {2673-4060}, author = {Saravade, Vasundhara and Weber, Olaf} } @inbook {27969, title = {Making money work for green goals}, booktitle = {Our future on Earth}, year = {2020}, pages = {68-73}, publisher = {Future Earth}, organization = {Future Earth}, author = {Alnes, Kristina and Shrivastava, Paul and Sillmann, Jana, and Weber, Olaf and Zsolnai, Laszlo}, editor = {Future Earth,.} } @inbook {24411, title = {Making money work for green goals}, booktitle = {Our future on Earth}, year = {2020}, publisher = {Future Earth}, organization = {Future Earth}, author = {Alnes, Kristina and Shrivastava, Paul and Sillmann, Jana, and Weber, Olaf and Zsolnai, Laszlo}, editor = {Future Earth,.} } @article {27973, title = {Scoping the Evolution of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Research in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Era}, journal = {SustainabilitySustainability}, volume = {12}, year = {2020}, pages = {5544}, author = {ElAlfy, Amr and Palaschuk, N. and El-Bassiouny, Dina and Wilson, Jeffrey and Weber, Olaf} } @inbook {27987, title = {Stranded Assets and the Transition to Low-Carbon Economy}, booktitle = {Sustainability and Financial Risks}, year = {2020}, pages = {63-92}, publisher = {Palgrave Macmillan}, organization = {Palgrave Macmillan}, address = {Cham, Switzerland}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Dordi, Truzaar and Oyegunle, Adeboye}, editor = {Migliorelli, M. and Dessertine, P.} } @article {24437, title = {Urban infrastructure finance and its relationship to land markets, land development, and sustainability: a case study of the city of Islamabad, Pakistan}, journal = {Environment, Development and SustainabilityEnvironment, Development and Sustainability}, year = {2020}, month = {2020/06/07}, abstract = {This study addresses the connection between financialization of real-estate, individual investment objectives, and urban sustainability. It uses a survey approach to explore the relationship between the financialization of urban development and its influence on urban sustainability in a developing country. We found that the respondents prefer to invest in real-estate to achieve a return on investment, rather than to build a house to live in. This behavior increases urban sprawl resulting in a slower occupancy growth rate and causes a delay in the provision of basic amenities, hence affecting urban sustainability. We conclude that it is necessary to create a balance between urban land development requirements for housing needs, investment requirements for revenue generation, and individual savings requirements. The study contributes to the literature on financialization by adding the view of individual private investors to the research that mainly addresses institutional investors.}, isbn = {1573-2975}, author = {Rauf, Muhammad Adil and Weber, Olaf} } @article {24438, title = {Bulk water extraction charge calculator: a tool for sustainable water management in Ontario}, journal = {Canadian Water Resources Journal / Revue canadienne des ressources hydriquesCanadian Water Resources Journal / Revue canadienne des ressources hydriques}, year = {2019}, pages = {1-18}, publisher = {Taylor \& Francis}, abstract = {AbstractGiven growing anthropogenic pressures on water resources and uncertain climatic conditions, sustainable water management using effective demand management strategies will be crucial to tread the path towards sustainable development. This paper makes a contribution to the interdisciplinary realm of water management by designing a flexible tool that overcomes the weaknesses of current extraction charges and reliance on general taxes to finance water management initiatives. These dynamic water extraction charges are envisioned to be important policy instruments to increase water security in Ontario. To ensure sustainable use of provincial water resources, the province of Ontario not only extended the moratorium imposed in 2016 on new groundwater extraction permits for water bottling until 1 January 2020, but is also reviewing its water taking policies. While the moratorium and the extraction charge hike of $500/Million liters is focused on water bottlers, the need for more long-term comprehensive policy approaches to sustainable management is apparent. Economic theory suggests that pricing a resource by reflecting its economic value and scarcity can incentivize optimal consumption. While economic instruments like extraction charges exist in Ontario, a methodological calculation linking the level of these charges to the actual costs and hydrological water risks is largely lacking. Addressing this gap, this paper designs a calculator that operationalizes the conceptual pricing framework for Ontario to transparently arrive at water extraction charges. The public cost data for water resource management initiatives are considered along with extreme water contamination events as contingency environmental costs. Using data from Statistics Canada for annual volume of water withdrawn, the base provincial water extraction charge for all permit liable sectors is calculated to be $23.08/Million liters. Moreover, price multipliers reflecting the sub-watershed scale water quantity risks (identified in sub-watershed source protection assessment reports) along with sector and source specific risks were embedded in the calculator.}, isbn = {0701-1784}, author = {Sandhu, Guneet and Wood, Michael O. and Rus, Horatiu A. and Weber, Olaf} } @book {27991, title = {Climate Scenarios for the Canadian Lending and Investment Industry}, number = {218}, year = {2019}, month = {June 7}, pages = {32}, publisher = {Centre for International Governance Innovation}, organization = {Centre for International Governance Innovation}, type = {Cigi Paper}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Oyegunle, Adeboye} } @booklet {24559, title = {Climate Scenarios for the Canadian Lending and Investment Industry}, number = {218}, year = {2019}, month = {June 7}, pages = {32}, publisher = {Centre for International Governance Innovation}, type = {Cigi Paper}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Oyegunle, Adeboye} } @article {24570, title = {Conceptualizing business as social actors: A framework for understanding sustainability actions in small- and medium-sized enterprises}, journal = {Business Strategy and EnvironmentBusiness Strategy and Environment}, volume = {28}, year = {2019}, pages = {388-402}, abstract = {Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can play a crucial role in advancing environmental
and social well-being. Yet various{\textemdash}often conflicting{\textemdash}explanations have
been offered to clarify why SMEs pursue sustainability. Some arguments foreground
possibilities of profit maximization, whereas others emphasize individual values and
convictions. Research supporting such contradicting explanations is often biased
towards large enterprises or small, innovative frontrunners. In this article, we examine
the underlying drivers of social and environmental interventions of SMEs by exploring
empirical data from a survey of over 1,600 Canadian SMEs and complementary indepth
interviews. We argue that sustainability actions of SMEs can be understood
by viewing these firms as social actors{\textemdash}organizations that are shaped by individual
values, internal and external interpersonal relationships, and are embedded in a social
environment. This conceptualization directs attention to the full range of factors that
shape sustainability engagement of SMEs and highlights frequently overlooked forms
of sustainability-oriented actions.}, author = {Westman, Linda and Luederitz, Christopher and Kundurpi , Aravind and Alexander , Mercado and Weber, Olaf and Burch, Sarah} } @booklet {24418, title = {Corporate Sustainability Reporting - The Case of the Banking Industry}, number = {212}, year = {2019}, month = {February 21}, pages = {32}, publisher = {Centre for International Governance Innovation}, type = {Cigi Paper}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, author = {ElAlfy, Amr and Weber, Olaf} } @inbook {24543, title = {The Development of Green Finance by Sector}, booktitle = {The Rise of Green Finance in Europe: Opportunities and Challenges for Issuers, Investors and Marketplaces}, year = {2019}, pages = {53-78}, publisher = {Springer International Publishing}, organization = {Springer International Publishing}, address = {Cham}, abstract = {This chapter analyzes the development of green finance by sector. To this extent, it first examines the role of multilateral development banks in launching and fostering green finance and sustainable finance. Hence, it assesses the approaches adopted by industrial companies to embrace sustainable finance, in particular as concerns the implementation of sustainability and environmental reporting. Finally, it deals with the greening of private financial institutions (in particular, banks), underlying their crucial role in facilitating the development of green finance.}, isbn = {978-3-030-22510-0}, author = {Weber, Olaf and ElAlfy, Amr}, editor = {Migliorelli, Marco and Dessertine, Philippe} } @inbook {24417, title = {Ethical and Financial Aspects of Divesting}, booktitle = {Encyclopedia of Business and Professional Ethics}, year = {2019}, pages = {1-8}, publisher = {Springer International Publishing}, organization = {Springer International Publishing}, address = {Cham}, isbn = {978-3-319-23514-1}, author = {Dordi, Truzaar and Weber, Olaf}, editor = {Poff, Deborah C. and Michalos, Alex C.} } @article {24441, title = {Finance and Management for the Anthropocene}, journal = {Organization \& EnvironmentOrganization \& Environment}, volume = {32}, number = {1}, year = {2019}, pages = {26-40}, abstract = {The Anthropocene era is characterized by a pronounced negative impact of human and social activities on natural ecosystems. To the extent finance, economics and management underlie human social activities, we need to reassess these fields and their role in achieving global sustainability. This article briefly presents the scientific evidence on accelerating impacts of human activities on nature, which have resulted in breach of planetary boundaries and onset of global climate change. It offers some potential leverage points for change toward sustainability stewardship by highlighting the important role of finance and economics in addressing climate change. We examine the role of financial stakeholders in addressing planetary boundaries and offer a modified stakeholder theory, from which we propose future directions for finance in the Anthropocene.}, keywords = {Anthropocene,planetary boundaries,stakeholder theory,sustainability,theory of the firm}, author = {Shrivastava, Paul and Zsolnai, Laszlo and Wasieleski, David and Stafford-Smith, Mark and Walker, Thomas and Weber, Olaf and Krosinsky, Cary and Oram, David} } @article {24426, title = {Fossil fuel divestment strategies: Financial and carbon related consequences}, journal = {Organization \& EnvironmentOrganization \& Environment}, volume = {32}, number = {1}, year = {2019}, pages = {41{\textendash}61}, author = {Hunt, Chelsie and Weber, Olaf} } @booklet {24564, title = {Green Bonds - Current Development and Their Future}, number = {210}, year = {2019}, month = {January 30}, pages = {32}, publisher = {Centre for International Governance Innovation}, type = {Cigi Paper}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Saravade, Vasundhara} } @book {24529, title = {Green Bonds Current Development and Their Future}, volume = {210}, year = {2019}, month = {January 29}, publisher = {Centre for International Governance Innovation}, organization = {Centre for International Governance Innovation}, chapter = {22}, address = {Waterloo., ON}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @article {24410, title = {The Impact of Divestment Announcements on the Share Price of Fossil Fuel Stocks}, journal = {SustainabilitySustainability}, volume = {11}, number = {11}, year = {2019}, pages = {3122}, isbn = {2071-1050}, author = {Dordi, Truzaar and Weber, Olaf} } @inbook {24530, title = {Sustainable Finance and the SDGs: The Role of the Banking Sector}, booktitle = {Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals}, year = {2019}, pages = {226-239}, publisher = {Routledge}, organization = {Routledge}, address = {Milton Park, UK}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {Dalby, Simon and Horton, Susan and Mahon, Rihanne and Thomaz, Diana} } @book {24420, title = {Climate Change Disclosure of the Financial Sector}, year = {2018}, month = {September 19}, pages = {17}, publisher = {Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI)}, organization = {Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI)}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, author = {Folger-Laronde, Zachary and Weber, Olaf} } @inbook {24428, title = {A comparative analysis of the anti-Apartheid and fossil fuel divestment campaigns}, booktitle = {Stranded Assets - Developments in Finance and Investment}, year = {2018}, publisher = {Routledge}, organization = {Routledge}, address = {London}, author = {Hunt, Chelsie and Weber, Olaf and Dordi, Truzaar}, editor = {Caldecott, Ben} } @webarticle {24525, title = {Divestment Moves into the Mainstream}, volume = {2018}, number = {January 25, 2018}, year = {2018}, publisher = {Centre for International Governance Innovation}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @conference {24416, title = {An Event Study Analysis of the Fossil-Fuel Divestment Movement}, booktitle = {ASAC 2018}, year = {2018}, month = {May 27}, publisher = {ASA}, organization = {ASA}, address = {Toronto, ON}, author = {Dordi, Truzaar and Weber, Olaf} } @book {24528, title = {The Financial Sector and the SDGs: Interconnections and Future Directions}, year = {2018}, month = {November 23}, publisher = {Centre for International Governance Innovation}, organization = {Centre for International Governance Innovation}, chapter = {32}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @inbook {24527, title = {Financial Sector Sustainability Regulations and Guidelines}, booktitle = {Encyclopedia of Business and Professional Ethics}, year = {2018}, pages = {1-5}, publisher = {Springer International Publishing}, organization = {Springer International Publishing}, address = {Cham}, isbn = {978-3-319-23514-1}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {Poff, Deborah C. and Michalos, Alex C.} } @inbook {24526, title = {Financial Sector Sustainability Regulations and Voluntary Codes of Conduct: Do They Help to Create a More Sustainable Financial System?}, booktitle = {Designing a Sustainable Financial System: Development Goals and Socio-Ecological Responsibility}, year = {2018}, pages = {383-404}, publisher = {Springer International Publishing}, organization = {Springer International Publishing}, address = {Cham}, abstract = {This contribution discusses the role of voluntary sustainabilitysustainability codes of conduct and sustainability regulationregulation in helping to create a more sustainable financial system. The analyzed voluntary codes of conducts are UNEPFI, UNPRIUNPRI, the Equator PrinciplesEquator Principles, GABVGABV, and IRISIRIS. Furthermore, financial sector sustainability regulations, such as the Chinese Green Credit Policy, the Nigerian SustainableSustainable Banking Principles, and the Environmental RiskRisk Management Guidelines for Banks and Financial Institutions in BangladeshBangladesh, will be discussed. Additionally, newer developments, such as the FSB Task Force on Climate-Related Disclosures and climateclimate risk-related reporting regulations for institutional investorsinvestors, will be presented. We conclude that both voluntary codes of conduct and regulations can help to create a more sustainable financial system, particularly if they work in tandem.}, isbn = {978-3-319-66387-6}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {Walker, Thomas and Kibsey, St{\'e}fanie D. and Crichton, Rohan} } @article {24429, title = {Financing micro-entrepreneurs for poverty alleviation: a performance analysis of microfinance services offered by BRAC, ASA, and Proshika from Bangladesh}, journal = {Journal of Global Entrepreneurship ResearchJournal of Global Entrepreneurship Research}, volume = {8}, number = {27}, year = {2018}, pages = {1-17}, author = {Khanam, Dilruba and Mohiuddin, Muhammad and Hoque, Asadul and Weber, Olaf} } @magazinearticle {24563, title = {Green bonds are taking off -- and could help save the planet}, journal = {The Conversation and National Post}, year = {2018}, month = {January 5}, publisher = {The Conversation, National Post}, address = {Ottawa, ON}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Saravade, Vasundhara} } @article {24415, title = {The Impact of Green Lending on Credit Risk in China}, journal = {SustainabilitySustainability}, volume = {10}, number = {6}, year = {2018}, pages = {2008}, author = {Cui, Yujun and Geobey, Sean and Weber, Olaf and Lin, Haiying} } @article {24413, title = {The market efficiency of socially responsible investment in Korea}, journal = {Journal of Global ResponsibilityJournal of Global Responsibility}, volume = {9}, number = {1}, year = {2018}, pages = {96-110}, abstract = {Purpose This paper aims to analyze the market efficiency of socially responsible investment in Korea. The authors used the daily price of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index Korea between January 2006 and December 2015. Design/methodology/approach To analyze the unpredictability of the returns, the authors conducted runs tests, such as the Dickey{\textendash}Fuller test, the Philip{\textendash}Perron test, the variance ratio test and autocorrelation tests. These tests investigate whether the future price of socially responsible investment in Korea is dependent on its previous price. If the relationship is dependent, this will violate the theory of weak form of efficient market hypothesis which explains that the past price movements and data do not affect stock prices. Therefore, investors cannot gain any abnormal return by extrapolating the historical data. Findings The results suggest that the weak form of the efficient market hypothesis is not valid for the Dow Jones Sustainability Index Korea. This implies that the future price of the index is correlated with past prices. Hence, the future movement of socially responsible investment in Korea can be predicted and enables socially responsible investors to gain abnormal returns. Originality/value This is the first study to investigate the market efficiency of socially responsible investment in Korea.}, keywords = {Korea,Market efficiency,Socially responsible investment,Random walk}, author = {Ang, Wei Rong and Weber, Olaf} } @inbook {24414, title = {The performance, volatility, downside risk and persistence of socially responsible investments in Korea and the impact of the Korean New Green Deal}, booktitle = {Investing in the Triple Bottom Line}, year = {2018}, pages = {396-413}, publisher = {Edward Elgar}, organization = {Edward Elgar}, address = {Cheltenham, UK}, author = {Ang, Wei Rong and Weber, Olaf}, editor = {Boubaker, Sabri and Cumming, Douglas and Nguyen, Duc Khuong} } @book {24565, title = {Strategies and Policies for Integrating the Canadian Financial Sector into Financing the Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy}, year = {2018}, month = {April 12}, publisher = {School of Environment, Enterprise and Development}, organization = {School of Environment, Enterprise and Development}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Saravade, Vasundhara and Dordi, Truzaar} } @magazinearticle {24550, title = {Want a richer pension? Divest from fossil fuels}, journal = {The Conversation}, year = {2018}, month = {April 3}, publisher = {The Conversation}, address = {Ottawa, ON}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Hunt, Chelsie} } @article {24547, title = {Water management and corporate social performance in the food and beverage industry}, journal = {Journal of Cleaner ProductionJournal of Cleaner Production}, volume = {195}, year = {2018}, pages = {963-977}, abstract = {The food and beverage industry is one of the most water intensive industries. Therefore, an effective and efficient water management, based on eco-system related indicators, is crucial. This study analyzes the connection between indicators that address sustainable water management as a subgroup of ecosystem management and the general corporate social performance of firms. The study explores which water eco-system indicators are used in the food and beverage industry to assess corporate water risk management. Secondly, we analyzed the relationship between corporate water risk management and overall corporate social performance. Based on an analysis of 61 firms in the food and beverage sector, our results suggest that the most used indicators were Operations{\textquoteright} Dependency on Freshwater, Change in Water Supply, Use of Water in the Facilities, Collaboration with Communities, and Water Risks for Agricultural Inputs. Indicators addressing an insideout perspective, such as Impacts on Communities were less often used. Furthermore, we found that the firms{\textquoteright} general corporate social performance, measured by MSCI KLD-ESG indicators, is a good predictor for their use of water indicators. We conclude that the firms in the sample follow an outside-in approach for their water management activities and that water management is a significant part of corporate social responsibility activities in the sector because the business performance of food and beverage firms is interwoven with their water management activities.}, keywords = {corporate social responsibility, Ecosystem, Food and beverage industry, indicators, Management, Water}, isbn = {0959-6526}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Hogberg-Saunders, Grace} } @booklet {24434, title = {Advancing Sustainable Energy in Ontario The Case of Regional Renewable Energy Cooperatives}, number = {133}, year = {2017}, month = {June 21}, pages = {24}, publisher = {Centre for International Governance Innovation}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, author = {Oji, Chijioke and Weber, Olaf} } @booklet {24551, title = {Climate Change and the Canadian Financial Sector}, number = {134}, year = {2017}, month = {June 14}, pages = {20}, publisher = {Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI)}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Kholodova, Olena} } @article {24427, title = {A comparative analysis of the anti-Apartheid and fossil fuel divestment campaigns}, journal = {Journal of Sustainable Finance \& InvestmentJournal of Sustainable Finance \& Investment}, volume = {7}, number = {1}, year = {2017}, month = {2017/01/02}, pages = {64-81}, publisher = {Taylor \& Francis}, abstract = {Divestment from the fossil fuel industry is campaigned as a means to address carbon-induced anthropogenic climate change, much like the anti-Apartheid divestment movement that was campaigned as a mean to address the country?s human rights violations. However, there is a gap in current literature that objectively compares the similarities and differences between the two campaigns. Discrepancies may arise from an evolving understanding of what constitutes a socially responsible investment or the underlying strategy and intended outcomes of the campaigns themselves. Through a comparative content analysis this paper identifies differences and similarities of both campaigns.}, isbn = {2043-0795}, author = {Hunt, Chelsie and Weber, Olaf and Dordi, Truzaar} } @article {24524, title = {Corporate sustainability and financial performance of Chinese banks}, journal = {Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy JournalSustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal}, volume = {8}, number = {3}, year = {2017}, pages = {358-385}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @article {24436, title = {Do green buildings capture higher market valuations and lower vacancy rates? A Canadian case study of LEED and BOMA-BEST properties}, journal = {Smart and Sustainable Built EnvironmentSmart and Sustainable Built Environment}, volume = {6}, number = {4}, year = {2017}, pages = {102-115}, abstract = {Purpose It is becoming increasingly clear that as the pressures of climate change increase around the world, all nations must strive to lower their carbon footprint through conservation. If the growth trend of green building and infrastructure construction is to be continued and improved upon, then evidence must be collected as to the benefits they bring about, and the level of support they enjoy in the market. The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the economic performance of green buildings by evaluating whether LEED for Homes and BOMA-BEST properties capture higher market valuations and lower vacancy rates. These types of research questions have not been investigated to a great deal in the Canadian context. The primary analysis concerning municipal market valuation of green buildings was conducted using robust ordinary least squares and logistic regression models. Commercial vacancy rates were compared through the use of χ2 tests. Our analysis did not lead to conclusive evidence that there exists a {\textquotedblleft}green{\textquotedblright} premium in the real estate market with respect to municipal market valuations. The authors argue that this may largely be due to municipal appraisal methods that currently do not incorporate sustainability factors. As such, they may not adequately reflect market tastes and trends. Furthermore, while the vacancy rates of green commercial buildings were, on the whole, lower than their non-green counterparts, the differences were not statistically significant. Given these results, the authors propose a set of research activities that the academic community should pursue. Design/methodology/approach Statistical techniques are utilized test whether green certification (LEED/BOMA-BEST) leads to higher municipal valuation for both commercial and residential green properties, using regression analysis. Furthermore, χ2 tests are conducted to evaluate whether certification leads to lower vacancy rates for commercial properties. Findings In terms of valuation, certification does not exert (on average) a positive role in terms of higher valuations for both commercial and residential properties. However, with respect to vacancy rates, there is a tendency towards lower vacancy rates for green properties, but the relationship is not statistically significant. Research limitations/implications The next set of research needs to gather greater amount of data with respect to how municipal evaluations are performed since the results are counter-intuitive. Greater tracking of the financial performance of green buildings should be conducted and made available for both public and private bodies. Particularly, rental and sale prices of green buildings need to be tracked in an organized manner. Practical implications The valuation techniques utilized by the municipal authorities need revision as green properties are being assessed without appropriate guidance from educational institutions. Furthermore, the limited amount of {\textquotedblleft}green{\textquotedblright} valuation techniques in existence may not be applied. Originality/value This is the first Canadian-based research looking into the valuation of green certification using rigorous quantitative statistical techniques and original and publicly available data. Furthermore, it holds important lessons for municipal authorities with respect to green building valuation beyond Canada as the limitations of current practice go mostly likely beyond the North American context.}, keywords = {Canada,Certification,Green buildings,LEED/BOMA-BEST,Market valuations,Municipal valuations}, author = {Rahman, Farhan and Rowlands, Ian and Weber, Olaf} } @article {24412, title = {Is gold a hedge, a safe haven, or a diversifier in Korea? Empirical Analysis of Gold, Socially Responsible Investment and Conventional Investment}, journal = {ACRN Oxford Journal of Finance and Risk Perspectives for ManagersACRN Oxford Journal of Finance and Risk Perspectives for Managers}, volume = {6}, number = {1}, year = {2017}, pages = {55-69}, author = {Ang, Wei Rong and Weber, Olaf} } @magazinearticle {24541, title = {How divesting of fossil fuels could help save the planet}, journal = {The Conversation / National Post}, year = {2017}, month = {December 10}, publisher = {The Conversation / National Post}, address = {Ottawa}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Dordi, Truzaar} } @article {27985, title = {A HYBRID MEASURE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY BASED ON FUZZY DEA WITH UNDESIRABLE CONSTRAINTS: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS FOR G20 COUNTRIES}, journal = {ICIC express letters. Part B, Applications: an international journal of research and surveysICIC express letters. Part B, Applications: an international journal of research and surveys}, volume = {8}, number = {4}, year = {2017}, pages = {735-742}, isbn = {2185-2766}, author = {Wang, Xiaoling and HE, FENG and RUAN, JUNHU and Weber, Olaf} } @booklet {24557, title = {Renewable Energy Projects for Sustainable Development: Financing Options and Policy Alternatives}, number = {122}, year = {2017}, month = {March 23}, pages = {24}, publisher = {Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI)}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Oji, Chijioke} } @webarticle {24518, title = {Digging into the Eco-Fund Ratings}, journal = {Corporate KnightsCorporate Knights}, year = {2016}, month = {January 20}, publisher = {Corporate Knights}, address = {Toronto, ON}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @article {24442, title = {Does Adoption of Management Standards Deliver Efficiency Gain in Firms{\textquoteright} Pursuit of Sustainability Performance? An Empirical Investigation of Chinese Manufacturing Firms}, journal = {SustainabilitySustainability}, volume = {8, 694}, number = {694}, year = {2016}, pages = {1-18}, abstract = {Building on longitudinal data from 73 Chinese manufacturing firms during 2009{\textendash}2012,
we assess whether and how firms gain higher efficiency in achieving their sustainability goals by
adopting management practice standards (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and/or OHSAS 18001). We propose
four pathways for firms to gain sustainability efficiency in their certification journey: participation,
qualitative integration, quantitative expansion, and temporal accumulation. Our results confirm that
firms certifying management standards gain higher efficiency in pursuing their sustainability goals
than firms without these standards. We also find some support for increased efficiency effect in firms
with diverse management systems over firms with only a single certificate in 2011. Finally, our results
highlight the experiential and temporal accumulation effect of such efficiency gains, that is, firms with
prior certification experience or having a longer certification history demonstrate higher efficiency
gains in pursuing their sustainability goals.}, author = {Wang, Xiaoling and Lin, Haiying and Weber, Olaf} } @article {24520, title = {Equator Principles reporting: Factors influencing the quality of reports}, journal = {International Journal of Corporate Strategy and Social ResponsibilityInternational Journal of Corporate Strategy and Social Responsibility}, volume = {1}, number = {2}, year = {2016}, pages = {141-160}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @inbook {24517, title = {Impact Investing}, booktitle = {Routledge Handbook on Social and Sustainable Finance}, year = {2016}, pages = {85-101}, publisher = {Routledge}, organization = {Routledge}, address = {London}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {Lehner, Othmar M.} } @booklet {24521, title = {The Impact of Green Banking Guidelines on the Sustainability Performance of Banks: The Chinese Case}, number = {79}, year = {2016}, month = {June 1}, pages = {8}, publisher = {Centre for International Governance Innovation}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @booklet {24533, title = {The Impact of Sustainability Codes of Conduct in the Financial Sector}, volume = {92}, year = {2016}, month = {February 1}, pages = {18}, publisher = {Centre for International Governance Innovation}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Acheta, Emmanuel and Adeniyi, Ifedayo} } @article {24536, title = {The Performance, Volatility, Persistence and Downside Risk Characteristics of Sustainable Investments in Emerging Market}, journal = {ACRN Oxford Journal of Finance and Risk PerspectivesACRN Oxford Journal of Finance and Risk Perspectives}, volume = {5}, number = {2}, year = {2016}, pages = {1-13}, abstract = {We analyzed the performance of an emerging market SRI index, the MSCI SRI Emerging Market Index, with regard to its financial performance compared to conventional indexes between June 2011 and December 2014 based on daily returns. Our analysis suggests that the SRI index is ranked higher in terms of mean return than most of the conventional emerging market portfolios. Generally, we found relative stability in the performance and persistence for the SRI index whereby its performance is indifferent from the market benchmark and no persistence can be found. Furthermore, the results suggest that negative shocks have greater impact on the volatility of the index than positive shocks. In general, it can be concluded that the emerging markets SRI index has lower sensitivity to market return during bearish condition.}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Ang, Wei Rong} } @inbook {24516, title = {Social Banks{\textquoteright} Mission and Finance}, booktitle = {Routledge Handbook on Social and Sustainable Finance}, year = {2016}, pages = {467-479}, publisher = {Routledge}, organization = {Routledge}, address = {London}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {Lehner, Othmar M.} } @proceedings {24522, title = {Sustainability of Chinese Banks}, journal = {ASAC 2016}, year = {2016}, month = {June 4-6}, address = {Edmonton, AB}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @booklet {24519, title = {The Sustainability Performance of Chinese Banks: Institutional Impact}, year = {2016}, month = {March 21}, pages = {29}, publisher = {SSRN.com}, type = {Working Paper}, address = {SSRN.com}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @book {24544, title = {Sustainable Banking and Finance: Managing the Social and Environmental Impact of Financial Institutions}, series = {Business \& Sustainability Series}, year = {2016}, publisher = {University of Toronto Press}, organization = {University of Toronto Press}, address = {Toronto, ON}, isbn = {9781442645028}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Feltmate, Blair} } @conference {24523, title = {Sustainable Banking: From the Business Case of Sustainability to the Sustainability Case of Banking}, booktitle = {Sustainable Finance Moving Center Stage SFI Annual Meeting 2016}, year = {2016}, month = {October 4}, publisher = {Swiss Finance Institute}, organization = {Swiss Finance Institute}, address = {Zurich, Switzerland}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @book {27988, title = {Sustainable Banking: Managing the Social and Environmental Impact of Financial Institutions}, series = {Business \& Sustainability Series}, year = {2016}, publisher = {University of Toronto Press}, organization = {University of Toronto Press}, address = {Toronto, ON}, isbn = {9781442645028}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Feltmate, Blair} } @conference {24514, title = {The banking sector{\textquoteright}s contribution to sustainable growth {\textendash} risk assessment, sustainable finance, voluntary initiatives and regulations}, booktitle = {Third joint conference of the European Central Bank and the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey}, year = {2015}, month = {August 27-28}, publisher = {European Central Bank}, organization = {European Central Bank}, address = {Frankfurt, Germany}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {European Central Bank} } @article {24511, title = {The Banking Sector{\textquoteright}s Contribution to Sustainable Growth {\textendash} Risk Assessment, Sustainable Finance, Voluntary Initiatives and Regulations}, journal = {Social Science Research Network Working Paper SeriesSocial Science Research Network Working Paper Series}, year = {2015}, month = {September 9}, abstract = {A report by the Stockholm Environment Institute estimates that between US$363 billion to US$2.4 trillion have to be invested only to mitigate climate change (Tempest \& Lazarus, 2014). This estimation demonstrates that the financial sector plays a central role in influencing sustainable development, our society, and the environment because of its capital provision function. As an intermediary the sector is able to channel financial capital into businesses and projects with different {\textendash} positive and negative {\textendash} impacts on sustainable development. Therefore, the connection between the financial industry and sustainable development is mainly indirect. Impacts are rather resulting from financed businesses and projects than from the financial sector itself.}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @booklet {24435, title = {Development of Sustainability and Green Banking Regulations - Existing Codes and Practices}, number = {65}, year = {2015}, month = {April 22}, pages = {24}, publisher = {Center for International Governance Innovation (CIGI)}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, isbn = {65}, author = {Oyegunle, Adeboye and Weber, Olaf} } @article {24421, title = {Efficiency performance of the world{\textquoteright}s leading corporations in phosphate rock mining}, journal = {Resources, Conservation and RecyclingResources, Conservation and Recycling}, volume = {105, Part B}, year = {2015}, pages = {246-258}, abstract = {The prominence of phosphorus (P) is represented by three major aspects: first and most important, P is essential for all life on Earth; second, no other element or substance can act as a substitute for P; and third, P is considered a non-renewable resource and thus finite. In regard to global food security and P as one of the three major macronutrients, the world faces an extensive challenge to utilize this finite and unsubstitutable commodity in the most effective as well as the most efficient way. Efficiency in general has increasingly become of major importance over the last several decades, especially within competitive commodities. Practically all PR used for chemical fertilizers originates from exploitable deposits that are concentrated in a rather small number of countries and mined vastly by only a limited number of global enterprises. Whereas these enterprises differ in factors such as size, vertical and horizontal integration, legal form, or type of ownership, their overall goal as corporations remains the same-the optimization of their operations. Consequently, firms can strive to (a) minimize their inputs at constant output levels; (b) maximize their outputs at constant input levels; or (c) increase their efficiency ratio by adjusting inputs and outputs at the same time. In contrast to the oil industry, the PR market is demand driven, which means that not everything that could be produced is immediately consumed. This study attempts to measure, compare, and analyze the technical efficiency performance of the major global corporations involved in PR mining by using the BCC (Banker, Charnes, and Cooper) and CCR (Charnes, Cooper, and Rhodes) models of data envelopment analysis. The analysis includes total technical efficiency as well as the disaggregated pure technical and scale efficiency and a breakdown of the factors accounting for inefficiency. The 24 firms included in the analysis account for 67.3\% of the global phosphate rock ore capacity and 61.4\% of phosphate rock concentrate capacity. Based on the BCC and CCR modeling a higher percentage (36\% vs. 20\% {\textendash} Model 1; 36\% vs. 10\% {\textendash} Model 2) of publicly quoted companies (such as PotashCorp) are classified as efficient compared to state-owned companies (such as OCP). However, the frequencies of efficiency performance do not differ in such a way that a Fisher Exact Test would suggest statistical significance for these data. This indicates that general assumptions regarding the different strategies of state-owned and publicly quoted firms are not necessarily valid.}, keywords = {Data envelopment analysis (DEA), Efficiency, Phosphate industry, Phosphate rock market, Phosphate rock mining, Resource efficiency, Sustainable resource management}, isbn = {0921-3449}, author = {Geissler, Bernhard and Mew, Michael C. and Weber, Olaf and Steiner, Gerald} } @conference {24510, title = {Equator Principles Reporting: Factors Influencing the Quality of Reports}, booktitle = {ASAC Conference 2015}, year = {2015}, month = {June 13-16}, address = {Halifax, NS}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @report {24425, title = {Global Sustainability, Climate Change and Finance Policy: A South African Perspective}, number = {65}, year = {2015}, month = {September 16}, pages = {8}, institution = {Centre for International Governance Innovation}, type = {Policy Brief}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, abstract = {One of the most important and topical discussions within the global multilateral arena is the challenge of meeting the world{\textquoteright}s climate finance needs in order to reduce carbon emissions to sustainable levels and support adaptation strategies. The mobilization of finance is key in supporting the transition away from traditional high-carbon or business-as-usual economic pathways toward low-carbon, climate-resilient economic systems. A conference, Global Sustainability, Climate Change and Finance Policy, organized by the Centre for International Governance Innovation and the South African Institute for International Affairs and held in Johannesburg from July 1 to July 3, considered three aspects of the debate: the role of international organizations and climate finance; the integration of climate and sustainability issues into the financial sector; and, finally, the impact of climate finance at the national level, particularly in African countries. This policy brief presents conclusions from the discussion and suggests areas for further research.}, author = {Hawkins, Penelope and Weber, Olaf} } @proceedings {24513, title = {Green Banking and Green Lending in China}, journal = {International Workshop on the Theories and Practices of Green Growth}, year = {2015}, month = {April 10-12}, address = {Dalian, China}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @booklet {24512, title = {How to align the financial sector with the fight against climate change?}, year = {2015}, publisher = {OpenCanada.org}, chapter = {November 13}, address = {OpenCanada.org}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @conference {24509, title = {Impact Investing}, booktitle = {ACRN SSFII - Social and Sustainable Finance and Impact Investing Conference}, year = {2015}, month = {April 23 - 24}, publisher = {ACRN, Said Business School}, organization = {ACRN, Said Business School}, type = {Keynote}, address = {Oxford, UK}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {Lehner, Othmar M.} } @booklet {24558, title = {The Impact of Financial Sector Sustainability Regulations on Banks}, number = {77}, year = {2015}, month = {October 1}, pages = {24}, publisher = {CIGI}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, isbn = {65}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Oni, Olawuwo} } @article {24548, title = {Incorporating environmental criteria into credit risk management in Bangladeshi banks}, journal = {Journal of Sustainable Finance \& InvestmentJournal of Sustainable Finance \& Investment}, volume = {5}, number = {1-2}, year = {2015}, pages = {1-15}, publisher = {Taylor \& Francis}, abstract = {Does the integration of environmental, social and sustainability criteria in commercial credit risk assessment processes create a benefit for lenders and does it improve the prognostic validity of the credit risk prediction? Some analyses have reported that a correlation exists between commercial borrowers? sustainability performance and credit risks. We analyzed the role that criteria pertaining to sustainability and environmental orientation play in the commercial credit risk management process in Bangladeshi banks. Our results suggest that sustainability criteria improve the prognostic validity of the credit rating process. We conclude that the sustainability a firm demonstrates influences its creditworthiness as part of its financial performance. Consequently, lenders will benefit from implementing credit risk assessment models that integrate sustainability risks. By taking sustainability issues into account, banks will be able to avoid credit defaults on the one hand and to channel commercial loans to sustainability leaders on the other hand.}, isbn = {2043-0795}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Hoque, Asadul and Islam, Ayub Mohammad} } @inbook {24507, title = {Responsible Investment in Canada}, booktitle = {The Routledge Handbook of Responsible Investment}, year = {2015}, pages = {70-80}, publisher = {Routledge}, organization = {Routledge}, address = {London, New York}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {Beinisch, Natalie and Hawley, James P. and Hebb, Tessa and Hoepner, Andreas G. F. and Wood, David} } @conference {24508, title = {Social Finance and Impact Investing - On their way out of the niche into mainstream?}, booktitle = {ACRN SSFII - Social and Sustainable Finance and Impact Investing Conference}, year = {2015}, month = {April 23 - 24}, publisher = {ACRN, Said Business School}, organization = {ACRN, Said Business School}, type = {Keynote}, address = {Oxford, UK}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {Lehner, Othmar M.} } @inbook {24515, title = {Sustainable Finance}, booktitle = {Sustainability Science Handbook}, year = {2015}, pages = {119-127}, publisher = {Springer}, organization = {Springer}, chapter = {X}, address = {Heidelberg}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {Heinrichs, Harald and Martens, Pim and Michelsen, Gerd and Wiek, Arnim} } @booklet {24534, title = {Voluntary sustainability codes of conduct in the financial sector}, number = {78}, year = {2015}, month = {November 3}, pages = {20}, publisher = {Centre for International Governance Innovation}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, abstract = {Financial institutions are pivotal in addressing arguably
the biggest challenge the world faces today {\textemdash} sustainable
development. Several pioneering financial institutions,
some with the collaboration of non-governmental
organizations (NGOs), have developed key initiatives to act
as a road map toward ensuring intra- and intergenerational
equity. These initiatives are referred to as codes of conduct,
and take on the name {\textquotedblleft}voluntary,{\textquotedblright} because organizations
are not mandated to adopt them. Nonetheless, these selfregulatory
codes sometimes act as {\textquotedblleft}soft{\textquotedblright} laws that are
quasi-legal documents, but without any binding force
other than benefits for the signatory. Codes that fall within
the purview of this research include the United Nations
Environment Programme Financial Initiative (UNEP FI),
the Equator Principles (EP), the United Nations Principles
for Responsible Investment (UNPRI), the Global Alliance
on Banking Values (GABV) and the Impact Reporting and
Investment Standards (IRIS). Despite being formulated as
tools to combat sustainability challenges, research suggests
that adoption of these codes can be largely attributed to
financial risk management and enhancing reputation.
This paper discusses the strengths and weaknesses of
the financial sector voluntary sustainability codes of
conduct. It concludes that enforcement of the codes of
conduct is a major issue, that they mainly focus on the
business case of sustainability, rather than the impact on
sustainable development, and that the codes of conduct
are compromises that each financial institution can agree
to without changing their business to move in a more
sustainable direction.}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Adeniyi, Ifedayo} } @article {24540, title = {Corporate Social Responsibility of the Financial Sector {\textendash} Strengths, Weaknesses and the Impact on Sustainable Development}, journal = {Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable Development}, volume = {22}, year = {2014}, pages = {321{\textendash}335}, publisher = {John Wiley \& Sons, Ltd}, abstract = {This study analyses the performance of the financial sector with respect to corporate social responsibility and sustainability. Because this sector has a strong influence economically and on sustainable development, both risk management issues and stakeholder pressure drive the financial sector into a more sustainable direction. In contrast to polluting sectors, the financial sector does not affect the environment and society by direct emissions or the use of resources like other industries. To compare the financial sector with other sectors regarding their sustainability performance, we analyzed the performance in the fields of sustainability reporting, business ethics and product responsibility, labor issues, environmental performance, community issues, and corporate governance. The study is based on more than 1800 firms including 400 organizations from the financial sector. We link CSR to sustainability and define it as corporate self-regulation in order to manage sustainability risks and opportunities. The results suggest that financial sector performance is relatively low regarding corporate social responsibility (CSR) in general. Weaknesses of the financial sector with regard to CSR are reporting, business ethics and product responsibility, and labor issues. Strengths of the financial sector regarding CSR can be located with respect to community relations. Further research is needed with respect to the factors influencing CSR performance. It is still not clear what influences regulations, stakeholder pressure or potential financial benefits have on sustainability performance in the financial sector. Copyright {\textcopyright} 2012 John Wiley \& Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.}, keywords = {corporate social responsibility, financial sector, multinomial regression, regional differences, sustainability}, isbn = {1099-1719}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Diaz, Michael and Schwegler, Regina} } @inbook {24554, title = {CSR reporting and its implication for socially responsible investment in China}, booktitle = {Responsible Investment Banking}, year = {2014}, pages = {417-426}, publisher = {Springer}, organization = {Springer}, address = {Berlin, Germany}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Lin, Haiying}, editor = {Wendt, Karin} } @article {24535, title = {Empowerment Through Microfinance: The Relation Between Loan Cycle and Level of Empowerment}, journal = {World DevelopmentWorld Development}, volume = {62}, year = {2014}, pages = {75-87}, abstract = {Summary Does microfinance support the empowerment of female borrowers? Results of studies analyzing microfinance and empowerment delivered mixed results. In order to explore whether microfinance influences empowerment, the paper compares women in higher loan cycles of a Pakistani microfinance institution with those in the first loan cycle regarding their empowerment. Using a survey and multivariate statistical methods, such as propensity score matching, the study found that women in higher loan cycles were on a higher level of empowerment. We conclude that microfinance has an impact on the empowerment of female borrowers.}, keywords = {Bangladesh, empowerment, microfinance, multivariate analysis, propensity score matching, women}, isbn = {0305-750X}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Ahmad, Adnan} } @article {24499, title = {Environmental, Social and Governance Reporting in China}, journal = {Business Strategy and the EnvironmentBusiness Strategy and the Environment}, volume = {23}, number = {5}, year = {2014}, pages = {303{\textendash}317}, abstract = {What is the current state of environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting and what is the relation between ESG reporting and the financial performance of Chinese companies? This study analyses corporate ESG disclosure in China between 2005 and 2012 by analysing the members of the main indexes of the biggest Chinese stock exchanges. After discussing theories that explain the ESG performance of firms such as institutional theory, accountability and stakeholder theory we present uni- and multivariate statistical analyses of ESG reporting and its relation to environmental and financial performance. Our results suggest that ownership status and membership of certain stock exchanges influence the frequency of ESG disclosure. In turn, ESG reporting influences both environmental and financial performance. We conclude that the main driver for ESG disclosure is accountability and that Chinese corporations are catching up with respect to the frequency of ESG reporting as well as with respect to the quality. Copyright {\textcopyright} 2013 John Wiley \& Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment}, keywords = {China, corporate social responsibility, environmental disclosure, ESG reporting, financial performance, sustainability}, isbn = {1099-0836}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @booklet {24532, title = {The Equator Principles - A Tool for a Sustainable Financial Sector?}, year = {2014}, month = {December 18}, pages = {2}, publisher = {Centre for International Gorvernance Innovation}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Acheta, Emmanuel}, editor = {Centre for International Governance Innovation} } @report {24505, title = {Equator Principles Reporting: Do Financial Institutions meet their Goals?}, number = {38}, year = {2014}, month = {August 2014}, pages = {18}, institution = {CIGI}, type = {CIGI Paper}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, isbn = {38}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @booklet {24531, title = {The Equator Principles: Ten Teenage Years of Implementation and a Search for Outcome}, journal = {CIGI Papers Series}, number = {24}, year = {2014}, month = {January 30}, pages = {20}, publisher = {CIGI}, type = {CIGI Paper}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, isbn = {24}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Acheta, Emmanuel} } @article {24502, title = {The financial sector{\textquoteright}s impact on sustainable development}, journal = {Journal of Sustainable Finance \& InvestmentJournal of Sustainable Finance \& Investment}, volume = {4}, number = {1}, year = {2014}, pages = {1-8}, publisher = {Taylor \& Francis}, isbn = {2043-0795}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @conference {24549, title = {Incorporating Environmental Criteria into Credit Risk Management in Bangladeshi Banks}, booktitle = {ASAC Conference 2014}, year = {2014}, month = {May 10-14}, address = {Huntsville, Ontario}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Hoque, Asadul and Islam, Md Ayub} } @conference {24423, title = {Measuring the Social and Environmental Impact of Finance: Lessons from Environmental and Health Impact Assessment}, booktitle = {ASAC Conference 2014}, year = {2014}, month = {May 10-14}, address = {Huntsville, Ontario}, author = {Geobey, Sean and Weber, Olaf} } @article {24504, title = {Social banking: Concept, definitions and practice}, journal = {Global Social PolicyGlobal Social Policy}, volume = {14}, number = {2}, year = {2014}, month = {August 1, 2014}, pages = {265-267}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @inbook {24501, title = {Social Banking: Investments mit positivem sozialem Impact}, booktitle = {CSR und Investment-Management}, year = {2014}, publisher = {Springer}, organization = {Springer}, address = {Berlin, Germany}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {Wendt, Karin} } @article {24506, title = {Social banks and their development}, journal = {European Financial ReviewEuropean Financial Review}, volume = {October - November 2014}, year = {2014}, pages = {5-8}, abstract = {Dr. Olaf Weber introduces social
banking as described in the book Social
Banks and the Future of Sustainable
Finance, published in 2011. He argues
that social banking {\textendash} though providing
a small ratio of banking business {\textendash} is a
successful business model with a positive
impact on sustainable development.}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @conference {24503, title = {Social Banks and their profitability: Is social banking in line with business success?}, booktitle = {Social Innovations within markets workshop}, year = {2014}, month = {May 21, 2014}, publisher = {School for Environment, Enterprise and Development}, organization = {School for Environment, Enterprise and Development}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @article {24571, title = {Sustainability challenges and the ambivalent role of the financial sector}, journal = {Journal of Sustainable Finance \& InvestmentJournal of Sustainable Finance \& Investment}, volume = {4}, number = {1}, year = {2014}, pages = {9-20}, publisher = {Taylor \& Francis}, abstract = {Over the past few decades, the financial sector has sought to positively contributing to sustainable development through innovative products and services. However, in its business-as-usual the financial sector continues to contribute to military interventions, environmental degradation, growing disparity of incomes, de-coupling of finance and real economy, and global economic crises. This article presents a framework of how to appraise the positive and negative contributions of the financial sector to sustainable development, from a systems perspective. On this base, the article proposes an approach for designing effective finance interventions to complex sustainability problems. Based on similar experiences from studies on water governance and technology development, the approach proposes a participatory procedure, first, to identify the role of the financial sector in complex sustainability problem constellations and, second, to develop intervention strategies for financial intermediaries interested in shifting their role and mitigating the identified problems. We discuss challenges of establishing causal links within the problem constellation, which is a prerequisite for successful intervention design, as well as in the cause?effect structure of the interventions themselves. The article concludes with outlining future research needs.}, isbn = {2043-0795}, author = {Wiek, Arnim and Weber, Olaf} } @inbook {24500, title = {Sustainable Finance}, booktitle = {Sustainability Science Handbook}, year = {2014}, publisher = {Springer}, organization = {Springer}, address = {Berlin}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {Heinrichs, Harald and Michelsen, Gerd and Martens, Pim and Wiek, Arnim} } @inbook {24539, title = {Trade and Finance as Cross-Cutting Issues in the Global Phosphate and Fertilizer Market}, booktitle = {Sustainable Phosphorus Management - A Global Transdisciplinary Roadmap}, year = {2014}, pages = {275-294}, publisher = {Springer}, organization = {Springer}, address = {New York}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Delince, Jacques and Duan, Yayun and Maene, Luc and McDaniels, Timothy and Mew, Michael and Schneidewind, Uwe and Steiner, Gerald}, editor = {Scholz, Roland W. and Roy, Amit H. and Brand, Fridolin S. and Hellums, Deborah T. and Ulrich, Andrea E.} } @article {24493, title = {Impact Measurement in Microfinance: Is the measurement of the Social Return on Investment an Innovation in Microfinance?}, journal = {Journal of Innovation Economics (Cairn)Journal of Innovation Economics (Cairn)}, volume = {11}, year = {2013}, pages = {149-171}, abstract = {What indicators can be used to measure the impact of microfinance?
Microcredit and its umbrella term microfinance significantly increased their
popularity over the last years. Though some negative issues especially with
respect to overindebtedness and high interest rates are discussed as well,
microfinance is seen as an effective and innovative measure for alleviating
poverty. But what is the outcome of microfinance? Does it really alleviate
poverty? Does it outplay other measures of development aid? Which impact
is most important (Hermes, Lensink, 2007b)?
This paper describes concepts and studies that intend to measure the
impact of microfinance. We will describe and exemplarily use methods of
outreach measurement on the basis of mixmarket.org data. Outreach measurement
is used in many studies on the impact of microfinance. In addition
to this we will describe social cost-benefit analysis and we will introduce and
discuss the social return on investment (SROI) concept as an alternative concept for measuring the impact of microfinance.
The concepts will be applied to an imaginary microfinance institution, MicroImpact, to test
whether and how they are applicable and what advantages and drawback of
the concepts are. Let us start with a short description of microfinance and
microcredit and its intended impacts. We will use the term microfinance for
a group of products and services such as micro-loans, microcredit, or microsavings.
Microcredit is used as a synonym for micro-loans.}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @article {24422, title = {Lessons in operationalizing social finance: the case of Vancouver City Savings Credit Union}, journal = {Journal of Sustainable Finance \& InvestmentJournal of Sustainable Finance \& Investment}, volume = {3}, number = {2}, year = {2013}, pages = {124-137}, publisher = {Taylor \& Francis}, abstract = {With $16.2 billion of assets the Vancouver City Savings Credit Union (Vancity) has the largest asset base of any member of the Global Alliance on Banking and Values, a global association of ethical banks, and also has the largest asset base of Canada{\textquoteright}s credit unions. This article analyses the social financing Vancity conducts and the disclosure of the social impact of the products and services they offer. The results suggest that they are on the path to realizing a 100\% social finance portfolio but that they have not arrived there yet. In particular, their personal retail products and services still offer room for improvement. Furthermore, their reporting lacks an indicator based on comparative figures that would allow stakeholders to compare the impact of Vancity{\textquoteright}s products and services ~with those of other financial institutions.}, isbn = {2043-0795}, author = {Geobey, Sean and Weber, Olaf} } @booklet {24494, title = {Measuring the Impact of Socially Responsible Investing}, year = {2013}, chapter = {February 14, 2013}, author = {Weber, Olaf,} } @proceedings {24495, title = {Mission and Profitability of Social Banks}, journal = {ASAC Conference 2013}, year = {2013}, month = {June 9 -11}, address = {Calgary, AB}, keywords = {Social finance, ethical banking, blended return, shared value, credit union, impact finance, financial return, capital ratio}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @report {24552, title = {Smart Energy Networks: Establishing a Framework for a Value Proposition}, volume = {2}, number = {White Paper 2}, year = {2013}, month = {55}, institution = {Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy}, type = {White Paper}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Khorrami, Siamak and Rahman, Farhan and Sewraz, Yannish} } @inbook {24498, title = {Social Banks and their Profitability: Is Social Banking in line with Business Success?}, booktitle = {Prospective Innovation at Ethical Banking and Finance}, series = {Studies in Philosophy, Law and Economics}, year = {2013}, pages = {2-19}, publisher = {Vinnychenko M.D.}, organization = {Vinnychenko M.D.}, address = {Sumy}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {San-Jose, Leire and Retolaza, Jose Luis} } @proceedings {24497, title = {Social Finance Organizations (SFI): Institutions for Financing Social Change?}, journal = {Social Finance, the Path of Capital to Sustainable Society}, year = {2013}, month = {June 26}, publisher = {Korea Social Investment}, address = {Seoul, Korea}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {Korea Social Investment} } @proceedings {24496, title = {Sustainable Banking {\textendash} History and Current Developments}, journal = {4th EMES International Research Conference on Social Enterprise}, year = {2013}, month = {July 1-3}, address = {Liege, Belgium}, keywords = {sustainable banking,}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @proceedings {24569, title = {What Influences Global P and Fertilizer Prices?}, journal = {1st Global TraPs World Conference}, year = {2013}, month = {June 18-20}, address = {Beijing}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Steiner, Gerald} } @article {24537, title = {Corporate sustainability assessment in financing the extractive sector}, journal = {Journal of Sustainable Finance \& InvestmentJournal of Sustainable Finance \& Investment}, volume = {2}, number = {1}, year = {2012}, pages = {64-81}, publisher = {Taylor \& Francis}, abstract = {The role of the extractive sector with regard to sustainable development is discussed controversially. On the one hand, it is argued that the sector{\textquoteright}s adverse sustainability impacts outweigh its social and economic benefits and therefore the concept of socially responsible investment (SRI) is not applicable to the extractive sector. On the other hand, it is argued that the products from the extractive industries are essential for the world{\textquoteright}s economy, that the sector contributes to poverty reduction and to economic development, and creates revenues for governments. Based on this discussion, we analysed whether there is a relation between sustainability performance and financial performance in the extractive industry sector, whether Canadian companies from the extractive sector perform differently than companies from other regions, and how a sustainability assessment can be integrated into project finance. Our results suggest that Canadian companies from the extractive sector perform well with respect to their financial return, but that they do not outperform their global peers regarding sustainability. Furthermore, we did not find a strong correlation between sustainability performance and financial performance. Thus, we conclude that socially responsible investors have to pick those companies that perform well regarding both sustainability and financial returns.}, isbn = {2043-0795}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Banks, Yolanda} } @article {24424, title = {Enabling Social Innovation through Developmental Social Finance}, journal = {Journal of Social EntrepreneurshipJournal of Social Entrepreneurship}, volume = {3}, number = {2}, year = {2012}, month = {2012/10/01}, pages = {151-165}, publisher = {Routledge}, abstract = {Abstract This paper explores social finance as a strategy for generating social innovations and, at the same time, financial returns. It explores why risk assessment for social finance is so challenging and suggests three sources of difficulty: setting boundaries, integrating heterogeneous values, and responding with sufficient speed and flexibility to support innovation. It suggests links between the seemingly distinct challenges of social finance being able to maximize its impact at different stages of the innovation process in a complex socio-ecological system, whilst also acting as a reframing agent in terms of the understanding of the system itself at other stages. Finally, this paper develops a new concept ?developmental impact investing? as a modified version of a portfolio strategy that uses a range of projects both to manage risk and to generate new knowledge about the complex systems in which the social finance attempts to create impact and innovation.}, isbn = {1942-0676}, author = {Geobey, Sean and Westley, Frances R. and Weber, Olaf} } @article {24484, title = {Environmental Credit Risk Management in Banks and Financial Service Institutions}, journal = {Business Strategy and the EnvironmentBusiness Strategy and the Environment}, volume = {21}, number = {4}, year = {2012}, pages = {248-263}, publisher = {John Wiley \& Sons, Ltd}, abstract = {How do Canadian banks integrate environmental risks into corporate lending and where are they located compared with their global peers? In this paper we report a mixed method analysis of the integration of environmental risks into the credit management. The qualitative and quantitative analyses suggest that all analyzed Canadian commercial banks, credit unions and Export Development Canada manage environmental risks in credit management to avoid financial risks. Some of the institutions even connect environmental and sustainability issues with their general business strategies. Compared with other countries, Canadian banks are best in class, as all six Canadian commercial banks, comprising over 90 percent of Canadian assets, systematically examine environmental risks for credits, loans and mortgages. We conclude that Canadian banks are proactive regarding environmental examinations of loans and that there is a need for a more accountancy related reporting on environmental risk management in financial institutions. Further research is needed to be able to calculate costs and benefits of integrating environmental and sustainability issues into the credit risk management. Copyright {\textcopyright} 2011 John Wiley \& Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.}, keywords = {Canada, commercial banks, corporate social responsibility, environmental credit risk, risk management, sustainability}, isbn = {1099-0836}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @conference {24486, title = {ESG Reporting of Chinese Companies and Responsible Investment}, booktitle = {PRI-CBERN Academic Network Conference 2012 - Evolution of Responsible Investment: Navigating Complexity}, year = {2012}, month = {October 1-3 2012}, address = {Toronto, ON}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {PRI-CBERN Academic Network} } @conference {24488, title = {Financing Nonprofits and Social Enterprises: Risks and Opportunities}, booktitle = {Fifth Annual ANSER Conference}, year = {2012}, month = {May 30 - June 1}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @inbook {24542, title = {Social Finance and Banking}, booktitle = {Socially Responsible Finance and Investing}, series = {Kolb Series in Finance}, year = {2012}, pages = {161-180}, publisher = {John Wiley \& Sons}, organization = {John Wiley \& Sons}, address = {Hoboken, NJ}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Duan, Yayun}, editor = {Nofsinger, John Rolland and Baker, Kent} } @booklet {24490, title = {Social Finance and Impact Investing}, journal = {SSRN eLibrarySSRN eLibrary}, year = {2012}, type = {Working Paper}, chapter = {October 11}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @report {24546, title = {Social Finance and Nonprofits: the Contribution of Social Finance to the Sustainability of Nonprofit Organizations and Social Enterprises}, year = {2012}, month = {June 28}, pages = {44}, institution = {School for Environment, Enterprise and Development, University of Waterloo}, type = {Final Project Report}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Geobey, Sean} } @booklet {24487, title = {Summer School: The Impact of Sustainable Banking}, journal = {Blog SocialFinance}, volume = {2012}, number = {August 16}, year = {2012}, publisher = {socialfinance.ca}, address = {Toronto}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {SocialFinance.ca} } @booklet {24492, title = {Survey on Financing Social Enterprises and Nonprofits}, volume = {2012}, number = {January 4}, year = {2012}, publisher = {socialfinance.ca}, address = {Toronto}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {socialfnance.ca} } @conference {24485, title = {Sustainability performance of the financial sector {\textendash} a global comparative study}, booktitle = {ASAC 2012 Conference}, year = {2012}, month = {9-12 June 2012}, address = {St, John{\textquoteright}s}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @booklet {24489, title = {Sustainable Banking {\textendash} History and Current Developments}, journal = {SSRN eLibrarySSRN eLibrary}, year = {2012}, type = {Working Paper}, chapter = {10 October}, keywords = {sustainable banking,}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @booklet {24491, title = {The Waterloo Banking Project}, volume = {2012}, number = {October 18}, year = {2012}, publisher = {socialfinance.ca}, address = {Toronto}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {socialfnance.ca} } @proceedings {24480, title = {Climate Change Impact on Financial Service Providers}, journal = {Council on Climate Change Adaptation}, year = {2011}, month = {February 28}, address = {Toronto}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {The Conference Board of Canada} } @inbook {24556, title = {The Financial Performance of RI Funds After 2000}, booktitle = {Responsible Investment in Times of Turmoil}, year = {2011}, pages = {75-91}, publisher = {Springer}, organization = {Springer}, address = {Berlin, Germany}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Mansfeld, Marco and Schirrmann, Eric}, editor = {Vandekerckhove, Wim and Leys, Jos and Alm, Kristian and Scholtens, Bert and Signori, Silvana and Schaefer, Henry} } @inbook {24467, title = {The Future of Social Banking}, booktitle = {Social Banks and the Future of Sustainable Finance}, series = {Routledge International Studies in Money and Banking}, year = {2011}, pages = {196-211}, publisher = {Routledge}, organization = {Routledge}, address = {London}, keywords = {socially responsible investment, microfinance, social banking, sustainable finance, environmental finance, loan, project finance}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {Weber, Olaf and Remer, Sven} } @proceedings {24473, title = {How to Measure the Impact of Social Banking and Social Finance?}, journal = {Money rules the world - who rules the money?}, year = {2011}, month = {July 3-8, 2011}, address = {Canterbury, UK}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {Institute for Social Banking} } @proceedings {24477, title = {Impact Investment}, journal = {Alanus University Talk}, year = {2011}, month = {June 6, 2011}, address = {Alfter, Germany}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {Alanus University} } @proceedings {24478, title = {Impact Investment: Beispiele aus Nordamerika und M{\"o}glichkeiten der Messung des Impacts}, year = {2011}, month = {March, 31}, address = {Olten, Switzerland}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {Alternative Bank Schweiz} } @proceedings {24479, title = {Impact Investment {\textendash} zukunftweisend oder viel L{\"a}rm um nichts?}, year = {2011}, month = {June 8}, address = {Olten, Switzerland}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {Alternative Banks Schweiz} } @proceedings {24475, title = {The Influence of the Financial Sector on Sustainable Development}, journal = {SORREE 2011}, year = {2011}, month = {May 4, 2011}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @conference {24469, title = {The Integration of Sustainability Risks into the Credit Risk Rating Process of Canadian Banks}, booktitle = {ASAC 2011}, year = {2011}, month = {July, 2 - 5, 2011}, address = {Montreal, QC}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @article {24472, title = {Mission and Profitability of Social Banks}, journal = {SSRN eLibrarySSRN eLibrary}, year = {2011}, keywords = {Social finance, ethical banking, blended return, shared value, credit union, impact finance, financial return, capital ratio}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @proceedings {24482, title = {The Relation Between Sustainability Performance and Financial Performance}, year = {2011}, month = {February 16}, address = {Toronto}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {Ontario Power Generation} } @proceedings {24483, title = {The Relationship between Sustainability Performance and Financial Performance}, journal = {Canadian Responsible Investment Conference}, year = {2011}, month = {June 20-22}, publisher = {The Social Investment Organizations}, address = {Victoria, BC}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @proceedings {24481, title = {Social Banking and the Future of Sustainable Finance}, journal = {Net Impact}, year = {2011}, month = {March, 16}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @inbook {24561, title = {Social Banking - Introduction}, booktitle = {Social Banks and the Future of Sustainable Finance}, year = {2011}, publisher = {Routledge}, organization = {Routledge}, address = {London, UK}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Remer, Sven}, editor = {Weber, Olaf and Remer, Sven} } @inbook {24466, title = {Social Banking: Products and Services}, booktitle = {Social Banks and the Future of Sustainable Finance}, series = {Routledge International Studies in Money and Banking}, year = {2011}, pages = {96-121}, publisher = {Routledge}, organization = {Routledge}, address = {London}, keywords = {socially responsible investment, microfinance, social banking, sustainable finance, environmental finance, loan, project finance}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {Weber, Olaf and Remer, Sven} } @booklet {24471, title = {Social Banks and the Future (and Past) of Sustainable Finance}, journal = {www.socialfinance.ca}, volume = {2011}, number = {April, 8}, year = {2011}, publisher = {www.socialfinance.ca}, address = {Toronto}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {www.socialfinance.ca} } @article {24562, title = {Social Banks and the Future of Sustainable Finance}, journal = {The World Financial ReviewThe World Financial Review}, volume = {May-June}, year = {2011}, pages = {4-7}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Remer, Sven} } @booklet {24560, title = {Social Banks and the Future of Sustainable Finance}, journal = {Routledge International Studies in Money and Banking}, year = {2011}, publisher = {Routledge}, address = {London}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Remer, Sven} } @booklet {24470, title = {Social Finance and Global Sustainable Development}, journal = {www.socialfinance.ca}, volume = {2011}, number = {June, 21}, year = {2011}, publisher = {www.socialfinance.ca}, address = {Toronto}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {www.socialfinance.ca} } @booklet {24476, title = {Socially Responsible Investment and Impact Investment}, volume = {2011}, number = {June 28}, year = {2011}, publisher = {SocialFinance.ca}, address = {Toronto}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {SocialFinance.ca} } @conference {24468, title = {Sustainable Banking And Incorporating Sustainability Risks Into Lending Decisions: A Global Comparative Study}, booktitle = {ISDRC 17}, year = {2011}, month = {May 8 - 10, 2011}, address = {New York, NY}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @proceedings {24474, title = {Sustainable Finance}, journal = {Sustainable Finance}, year = {2011}, address = {Stratford, ON}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {University of Waterloo Stratford Campus} } @booklet {24555, title = {The Financial Performance of SRI Funds Between 2002 and 2009}, year = {2010}, edition = {June 25, 2010}, author = {Weber, Olaf, and Mansfeld, Marco and Schirrmann, Eric} } @article {24568, title = {Incorporating sustainability criteria into credit risk management}, journal = {Business Strategy and the EnvironmentBusiness Strategy and the Environment}, volume = {19}, number = {1}, year = {2010}, pages = {39-50}, abstract = {Does a commercial debtor{\textquoteright}s economic, environmental and social performance in terms of
sustainability affect its credit risk rating? Does adding criteria aimed at assessing a lender{\textquoteright}s
environmental, social or sustainability practices provide added value to traditional fi nancial
rating criteria? Many analyses have reported that a correlation exists between companies{\textquoteright}
environmental and their financial performance. We checked out the assertion that it {\textquoteleft}pays
to be sustainable{\textquoteright} by analyzing the role that criteria pertaining to sustainability and environmental
orientation play in the commercial credit risk management process. Our results
show that sustainability criteria can be used to predict the financial performance of a debtor
and improve the predictive validity of the credit rating process. We conclude that the
sustainability a firm demonstrates influences its creditworthiness as part of its financial
performance.}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Scholz, Roland W. and Michalik, Georg} } @conference {24462, title = {Measuring the non-monetary impact of banks: The value of {\textquoteleft}Labels{\textquoteright} and {\textquoteleft}Ratings{\textquoteright}}, booktitle = {International Sumer School 2010 on Social Banking}, year = {2010}, month = {18 - 23 July 2010}, address = {Florence, Italy}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @article {24459, title = {Microfinance}, journal = {Management EthicsManagement Ethics}, volume = {Summer 2010}, year = {2010}, pages = {4-6}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @inbook {24463, title = {Social Banking: Products and Services}, booktitle = {Social Banks and the Future of Sustainable Finance}, year = {2010}, pages = {96-122}, publisher = {Routledge}, organization = {Routledge}, address = {London, UK}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {Weber, Olaf and Remer, Sven} } @article {24458, title = {Social Banking: Products and Services}, journal = {SSRN eLibrarySSRN eLibrary}, volume = {http://ssrn.com/paper=1621822}, year = {2010}, keywords = {socially responsible investment, microfinance, social banking, sustainable finance, environmental finance, loan, project finance}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @booklet {24460, title = {Sustainability and Environmental Risk Management in Canadian Banks and Financial Service Institutions - A Global Comparative Study}, journal = {SSRN eLibrarySSRN eLibrary}, year = {2010}, publisher = {SSRN eLibrary}, chapter = {November, 19, 2010}, keywords = {sustainable finance, sustainable banking, sustainability, credit risk, Canadian banks}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @proceedings {24461, title = {Sustainable Banking and Finance}, journal = {Schulich School of Business, York University, Responsible Business Dialogue Series}, year = {2010}, month = {October, 12, 2010}, address = {Toronto, Canada}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @conference {24464, title = {Sustainable Development Translated into Financial Value}, booktitle = {Sustainability Practice}, year = {2010}, month = {July 15}, address = {Toronto}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @conference {24465, title = {Sustainable Development: Value Creation and Due Diligence Protection}, booktitle = {Sustainability Practice}, year = {2010}, month = {October 14}, address = {Toronto}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @inbook {24455, title = {Globale Trends in der wissenschaftlichen Diskussion [Global Academic Trends]}, booktitle = {Corporate Social Responsibility}, year = {2009}, pages = {253-266}, publisher = {Huber}, organization = {Huber}, address = {Frauenfeld, Switzerland}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {Christen-Jakob, M. and von Passavant, Ch.} } @inbook {24454, title = {Kriterienkataloge und Ratingsysteme [Criteria and Rating-Systems]}, booktitle = {Corporate Social Responsibility}, year = {2009}, pages = {239-252}, publisher = {Huber}, organization = {Huber}, address = {Frauenfeld, Switzerland}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {Christen-Jakob, M. and von Passavant, Ch.} } @report {24457, title = {Synopsis and Outlook: Workshop Business Relevance of ESG Criteria (transl.)}, number = {April 2009}, year = {2009}, month = {April 2009}, pages = {33}, institution = {GOE m.b.H.}, type = {Project report}, address = {Thalwil, Switzerland}, isbn = {April 2009}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @report {24456, title = {Validation of the Credit Rating System RasyEA}, number = {RBA 2009}, year = {2009}, month = {October 2009}, pages = {92}, institution = {GOE m.b.H.}, type = {Project Report}, address = {Thalwil, Switzerland}, isbn = {October 2009}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @article {24545, title = {Empirical analysis of the integration of environmental risks into the credit risk management process of European banks}, journal = {Business Strategy and the EnvironmentBusiness Strategy and the Environment}, volume = {17}, year = {2008}, pages = {149-159}, abstract = {About 15 years ago, banks started to integrate environmental risks into their credit
risk management procedures. In this article, a survey of the European banking sector
focusing on the analysis of the integration of environmental risks into all phases of
the credit risk management, rating, costing, pricing, monitoring and work-out, is presented.
The integration of environmental risks into the whole credit risk management
process is important because only then is an adequate risk management guaranteed.
The results show that banks integrate environmental risks especially into the rating
phase, but not in all phases of the credit management process, though this is
recommendable because these risks influence all phases of the credit management
process. Furthermore, significant differences in integrating environmental risks
between banks that are signatories of the UNEP statement by banks on the environment
and sustainable development and banks that had not signed this agreement so
far could be found. Copyright {\textcopyright} 2006 John Wiley \& Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Fenchel, Marcus and Scholz, Roland W.} } @article {24553, title = {The relation between sustainability performance and financial performance of firms}, journal = {Progress in Industrial EcologyProgress in Industrial Ecology}, volume = {5}, number = {3}, year = {2008}, pages = {236-254}, chapter = {236}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Koellner, Thomas and Habegger, Dominique and Steffensen, Henrik and Ohnemus, Peter} } @conference {24453, title = {Der Einfluss von ESG Faktoren auf den finanziellen Erfolg von Unternehmen [The influence of ESG factors on the financial success of firms]}, booktitle = {UNEP FI / VfU Roundtable}, year = {2007}, month = {13.-14.November 2007}, address = {M{\"u}nchen, Germany}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @article {27983, title = {Ecosystem services from tropical forestry projects - The choice of international market actors}, journal = {Forest Policy and EconomicsForest Policy and Economics}, volume = {9}, year = {2007}, pages = {496-515}, abstract = {Ecosystem services from tropical forestry draw increasing attention from the public and private sectors. However, the
decision making of market actors involved in transactions concerning ecosystem services is not well known and described. The
goal of this paper is to describe preferences of market actors for tropical forestry projects that provide ecosystem services.
Preferences were elicited within an explorative questionnaire survey directed to market actors from Europe, Japan, Latin
America, South East Asia and the USA. Participants represent 71 companies and organisations including banks, certifiers,
consultants, governmental organizations, industrial companies and associations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and
re-insurance companies. Preferences were elicited based on a set of 12 criteria that were established in a previous survey with
the same market actor groups. In one approach for preference elicitation, we applied discriminant analysis based on the
assessments of criteria performances and attractiveness of two hypothetical forestry projects. According to their criteria
performance, we labelled the projects bbusiness opportunityQ and bsustainabilityQ. The other approach was to let the participants
weight the criteria directly without a given project context. The project bbusiness opportunityQ was significantly more attractive
to participants than the project bsustainabilityQ. This contradicted strongly the results of the direct weighting procedure, where
criteria associated with the project bsustainabilityQ received higher weights. We discuss this matter with regard to the
phenomenon of framing effects. The discriminant model proved to be a useful method that allows the integration of a relatively
large number of criteria that are necessary to cope with the complexity of decision problems related to tropical forestry. We
critically compare our approach to choice experiments. In addition, we discuss implications of differences found between
participants from tropical and non-tropical countries for the planning of market transactions for ecosystem services.}, author = {Sell, J. and Koellner, T. and Weber, O. and Pedroni, L. and Proctor, W. and Scholz, R. W.} } @article {24430, title = {Environmental Impacts of Conventional and Sustainable Investment Funds Compared Using Input-Output Life-Cycle Assessment}, journal = {Journal of Industrial EcologyJournal of Industrial Ecology}, volume = {11}, number = {3}, year = {2007}, pages = {41-60}, author = {Koellner, Thomas and Suh, Sangwon and Weber, Olaf and Moser, Corinne and Scholz, Roland W.} } @inbook {24452, title = {Factors Influencing the Implementation of Environmental Management Systems, Practices and Performance}, booktitle = {Strategic Sustainability: the State of the Art in Corporate Environmental Management Systems}, year = {2007}, pages = {190-204}, publisher = {Greenleaf}, organization = {Greenleaf}, address = {Sheffield, UK}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {Sroufe, R. and Sarkis, J.} } @report {24451, title = {Analysis and Recommendations for the Development of the Credit Risk Management System RasyEA (transl.)}, number = {November 2006}, year = {2006}, month = {November 2006}, pages = {82}, institution = {GOE m.b.H.}, type = {Report}, address = {Thalwil, Switzerland}, isbn = {November 2006}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @article {24450, title = {Bringt CSR finanziellen Erfolg? [Does CSR performance positively influence the financial performance?]}, journal = {UmweltperspektivenUmweltperspektiven}, volume = {December}, year = {2006}, pages = {13-15}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @article {27984, title = {Decision criteria of European and Latin American market actors for tropical forestry projects providing environmental services}, journal = {Ecological EconomicsEcological Economics}, volume = {58}, year = {2006}, pages = {17-36}, abstract = {Converting the environmental services of tropical forests from public goods to tradable services is a promising approach
to sustaining tropical forests{\textquoteright} ecosystem functions and services. We hypothesize that the development of markets for these
environmental services will substantially depend on compliance with requirements of key market actors representing supply
and demand sides. This paper analyzes market actors{\textquoteright} decision criteria related to engagement in tropical forestry projects
that provide environmental services. In a questionnaire survey, 45 experts from Latin America and Europe representing key
market actor groups, i.e., certifiers, consulting companies, financial institutions, governmental organizations, industrial
companies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), were asked to name and weight criteria that tropical forestry
projects should meet in order to attract their institution{\textquoteright}s engagement. Many of these 45 institutions are already involved in
several market activities related to tropical forestry projects and environmental services, including asset management,
certification, consultancy, credit business, investments, project ownership and trade/brokerage. The collected criteria cover a
variety of topics that clearly go beyond frequently applied sustainability dimensions in forestry related multi-criteria based
decision making, i.e., social, environmental and economic dimensions. For example, relatively many criteria involve topics
such as project management, risk management or marketing. While differences in criteria weighting among market actor
groups are not significant, we found a significant interaction between criteria weights and the provenance of participants,
indicating that Latin American and European market actors nominate and weight single decision criteria differently. The
five criteria with highest mean weights in the European sample are social benefits, legal compliance, sustainability,
environmental benefits and stakeholder participation. The Latin American market actors weighted highest expertise and
capacity building, financial resources, political aspects, information management and markets. Generally, Latin American
market actors emphasize criteria related to markets and information/knowledge management, whereas European participants
tend to assign importance to social and environmental benefits and sustainability. The survey provides preliminary insights
into bottom-up defined decision criteria relevant for key-actors in the market of tropical forestry-based environmental services, and compiles information for further multi-criteria based assessments of tropical forestry projects providing
environmental services.}, author = {Sell, J. and Koellner, T. and Weber, O. and Pedroni, L. and Scholz, R. W.} } @article {24449, title = {Investment and environmental management: The interaction between environmentally responsible investment and environmental management practices}, journal = {International Journal of Sustainable DevelopmentInternational Journal of Sustainable Development}, volume = {9}, number = {4}, year = {2006}, note = {environmental management, environmentally responsible funds, corporate social responsibility, CSR, investment funds, sustainable development, sustainability}, pages = {336-354}, abstract = {Do investors, such as environmentally responsible funds, influence firms{\textquoteright} decisions to implement environmental management practices? We present the results of a survey analysing the implementation standards of environmental management practices subject to the influence of environmentally responsible investment funds. Results indicate that firms listed in environmentally responsible funds perform better in their environmental management practices. However, this good performance does not seem to be influenced by the desire of a firm to be listed in an environmentally responsible fund but by other reasons, i.e. a certified environmental management system.}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @article {24433, title = {Life cycle management on Swiss fruit farms: Relating environmental and income indicators for apple-growing}, journal = {Ecological EconomicsEcological Economics}, volume = {58}, year = {2006}, pages = {561-578}, author = {Mouron, Patrik and Scholz, Roland W. and Nemecek, T. and Weber, Olaf} } @article {24432, title = {Management influence on environmental impacts in an apple production system on Swiss fruit farms: Combining life cycle assessment with statistical risk assessment}, journal = {Agriculture, Ecosystems \& EnvironmentAgriculture, Ecosystems \& Environment}, volume = {114}, number = {2{\textendash}4}, year = {2006}, pages = {311-322}, abstract = {In this study we assessed to what extent management of apple-growing within a well defined farming system affects environmental impacts. A four-year data set of 12 fruit farms from eastern Switzerland was analyzed using the life cycle assessment (LCA) method to evaluate the variability of different environmental impacts. For the total of 445 annual data sets of apple orchards eight impact categories were assessed. A principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to group the eight impact categories according to their correlation. A three component solution turned out to be adequate. It indicated that the three impact categories energy use, aquatic ecotoxicity and aquatic eutrophication were influenced independently of each other to a high degree. These three key impacts can be managed by keeping the inputs of machinery, pesticides and fertilizers low. Production constraints were highly homogeneous within the sample. Because of this, we were able to define the management influence on environmental impacts as the ratio of the maximum and minimum observed. On a per hectare basis, the effect of management for energy use was factor 2, for aquatic ecotoxicity factor 4 and for aquatic eutrophication factor 1.1. In contrast, when measured per receipts, the management influence was greater than per hectare, indicated by a range of factor 6 for each of the three key impact categories. Further insight into the effect of management was attained by statistical risk assessment. A positive and significant correlation between mean value (M) and the coefficient of variance (CV) indicated that the expected risk could be reduced by a low level of variability. Such a M{\textendash}CV correlation was found for the two key impact categories energy use and aquatic eutrophication if calculated per receipts. No M{\textendash}CV correlation was found for aquatic ecotoxicity. It was on the other hand observed that farms with low aquatic ecotoxicity also practiced low energy use and low eutrophication on a per receipt basis. We conclude that the promotion of environmentally sound apple-growing is not only a question of choosing one or the other farming system (e.g. organic versus integrated farming) but that an understanding of the system specific management influence is crucial.}, keywords = {Environmental impact assessment, Environmental management, Farm management, Integrated apple-growing, Life cycle assessment (LCA), Principal component analysis (PCA), Statistical risk assessment}, isbn = {0167-8809}, author = {Mouron, Patrik and Nemecek, Thomas and Scholz, Roland W. and Weber, Olaf} } @conference {24448, title = {Integration von Umweltrisiken und Nachhaltigkeit in den Risikomanagementprozess des Kreditgesch{\"a}fts}, booktitle = {VfU Roundtable}, year = {2005}, month = {22./23. November 2005}, address = {Bonn, Germany}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @article {24447, title = {Sustainability Benchmarking of European Banks and Financial Service Organizations}, journal = {Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental ManagementCorporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management}, volume = {12}, year = {2005}, pages = {73{\textendash}87}, isbn = {DOI: 10.1002/csr.077}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @article {27980, title = {Expert Views on Sustainability and Technology Implementation}, journal = {International Journal of Sustainable Development and World EcologyInternational Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology}, volume = {11}, number = {3}, year = {2004}, pages = {247-261}, author = {Laws, D. and Scholz, R.W. and Shiroyama, H. and Susskind, L. and Suzuki, T. and Weber, O.} } @proceedings {24446, title = {The influence of SRI Funds on the Environmental Performance of Firms}, journal = {EMAN 2004}, year = {2004}, month = {04.-05. M{\"a}rz 2004}, publisher = {Center for Sustainability Management}, address = {Universit{\"a}t L{\"u}neburg}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @article {24431, title = {Principles for Sustainability Rating of Investment Funds}, journal = {Business Strategy and the EnvironmentBusiness Strategy and the Environment}, volume = {14}, number = {1}, year = {2004}, pages = {54-70}, abstract = {During the last decade, the idea of sustainable investments hit the market. Investors both private and institutional started to supplement financial considerations with social and ecological ones. Meanwhile the supply of mutual funds in the green investment sector increased enormously. Currently in Europe about 300 mutual funds are available that are managed according to sustainability and social responsibility. Potential investors face the difficulty of keeping track of the various funds and choosing among them based on a reliable comparative assessment. This paper outlines the basic principles and methods on which such a comparative sustainability rating is based. The method was designed to be analogous to rating of the funds financially. The sustainability rating is based on assessment of the research processes in the fund management as well as investigation of the fund portfolio in terms of composition and sustainability performance. It should support investors in their investment choices by offering them a third party view. Copyright {\textcopyright} 2005 John Wiley \& Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.}, author = {Koellner, Thomas and Weber, Olaf and Fenchel, Marcus and Scholz, Roland W.} } @article {27993, title = {Valuation of Contaminated Sites as Collateral}, journal = {Local Land and Soil NewsLocal Land and Soil News}, volume = {4/02}, year = {2002}, pages = {21}, author = {Weber, O. and Sell, J.} } @article {24445, title = {Assessment of enterprises environmental risks: Using photographs as perceptual stimuli}, journal = {Journal of Environmental PsychologyJournal of Environmental Psychology}, volume = {21}, year = {2001}, pages = {165-178}, abstract = {What are the stimulus properties that affect risk? Is it possible to assess the environmental risk of an industrial site by analysing the company{\textquoteright}s site or a photograph of the site? Often banks do this kind of inspection in case of a credit application or for new insurance contracts to judge environmentally caused credit risks. Both from the scientific and from the practical point of view it would be useful if a valid assessment of environmental risks of company sites done by visual perception could be done, including which environmental stimuli are affecting risk cognition in this field. To analyse this kind of perception of the manmade environment by visual stimuli, we tested the influence of the stimuli order, brightness, big structures, Gestalt, modernity, borders and newness in a quasi-experimental design with 54 participants, half of them bankers and half of them students. As control variables we used some personal and societal variables often linked to risk cognition. We presented 21 photographs of company sites to each participant for a fixed amount of time. Each participant had to judge the environmental risk of the sites. In addition, we assessed the perception of different stimuli and personality variables connected with risk perception. We found that bankers and students differ in their risk estimations and that stimulus characteristics were unstable, varying in their salience by site but not by persons. We identified objects and stimuli, which also increased or decreased environmental risk perception. Personality characteristics were inconsequential. The findings are usable for training measures for persons who have to judge environmental risks of sites. More research has to be done to identify stimuli affecting risk perception and cognition of manmade environments and to analyse the connection between stimuli and site characteristics.}, author = {Weber, Olaf} } @inbook {27979, title = {Responsibility and ecological behavior: a meta-analysis of the strength and the extent of a causal link}, booktitle = {Responsibility: The many faces of a social phenomenon}, series = {Routledge International Series in Social Psychology}, volume = {3}, year = {2001}, pages = {109-126}, publisher = {Routledge}, organization = {Routledge}, address = {London, New York}, author = {Kaiser, F.G. and Fuhrer, U. and Weber, O. and Ofner, Th. and B{\"u}hler-Ilieva, E.}, editor = {A.E. Auhagen and H.-W. Bierhoff} } @article {24567, title = {Risk Perception of Heavy Metal Soil Contamination and Attitudes toward Decontamination Strategies}, journal = {Risk AnalysisRisk Analysis}, volume = {21}, number = {5}, year = {2001}, pages = {967-975}, abstract = {Contaminated soils are a common environmental risk all over the world. One major source of risk is heavy metal soil contamination caused by industrial emissions. This quasiexperimental study investigated the perception of these risks by exposed and nonexposed people, their attitudes toward bioremediation methods using hyperaccumulating plants, and the influence of long-term aspects of sustainability on the acceptance of bioremediation methods. Major findings were that people living in a contaminated area perceived the risk of the heavy metal soil contamination as higher than the general risk of contamination. Second, a factor analysis showed that the factors dread, control, and catastrophic potential were relevant for the perception and valuation of low-dose environmental risks such as the contamination of the investigated area. In addition, a cluster analysis showed that the risk of heavy metal soil contamination was perceived as similar to that of oil contamination, ozone layer, preservatives and genetic technology. It was perceived indifferently with regard to dread. The uncontrollability of heavy metal soil contamination was estimated as medium, and its catastrophic potential as low. Third, exposed and nonexposed participants preferred bioremediation methods to classical methods (e.g., excavation and chemical treatment of the soil), because they perceived the environmental and esthetical performance of the bioremediation as important criteria. Sustainability or precautionary issues, such as the prevention of harm for future generations, were highly correlated with the acceptance of the use of bioremediation methods in people{\textquoteright}s residential areas.}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Scholz, Roland W. and B{\"u}hlmann, Renate and Grasm{\"u}ck, Dirk} } @article {27990, title = {Umweltmanagement bei der Alternativen Bank Schweiz: Handlungsalternativen}, journal = {UmweltfocusUmweltfocus}, volume = {6/01}, year = {2001}, author = {Weber, O. and Keller, M. and Keller-M{\"u}ller, K} } @proceedings {24444, title = {Sustainable Banking - Relationship between Banks, companies, society, and environment}, journal = {Transdisciplinarity: Joint Problem-Solving among Science, Technology and Society}, volume = {II}, year = {2000}, month = {27.2.-1.3.2000}, pages = {56-59}, publisher = {Haffmanns Sachbuch Verlag}, address = {Zurich}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {Scholz, R.W. and H{\"a}berli, R. and Bill, A. and Welti, M.} } @article {27986, title = {Incorporating Sustainability Aspects in Structured Trade and Commodity Finance}, journal = {Journal of Applied Accounting ResearchJournal of Applied Accounting Research}, volume = {5}, number = {1}, year = {1999}, pages = {97-111}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Beeler, Rene} } @article {24538, title = {Incorporating Sustainability Aspects in Structured Trade and Commodity Finance}, journal = {Journal of Applied Accounting ResearchJournal of Applied Accounting Research}, volume = {5}, number = {1}, year = {1999}, pages = {98-112}, author = {Weber, Olaf and Beeler, Rene} } @article {27978, title = {Umwelteinstellung und {\"o}kologisches Verhalten - Wie gro{\ss} ist der Einflu{\ss} wirklich?}, journal = {GAIAGAIA}, volume = {3/99}, year = {1999}, pages = {197-202}, author = {Kaiser, F. and Weber, O.} } @article {27982, title = {Sozio-psychologische Determinanten nachhaltigen Handelns}, journal = {DISPDISP}, volume = {133}, year = {1998}, pages = {14-21}, author = {Scholz, R.W. and Mieg, H.A. and Weber, O. and Stauffacher, M.} } @book {24443, title = {Integration von Wissensmodulen bei der Kreditvergabe [Integration of knowledge modules into the credit decision process]}, series = {Psychologie des Entscheidungsverhaltens und des Konfliktes}, volume = {7}, year = {1997}, publisher = {Peter Lang}, organization = {Peter Lang}, address = {Frankfurt a.M., Berlin, Bern, New York, Paris, Wien}, author = {Weber, Olaf}, editor = {H.W. Crott and R.W. Scholz} } @article {24439, title = {Mastering the complexity of environmental problem solving by the case study approach}, journal = {Psychologische Beitr{\"a}gePsychologische Beitr{\"a}ge}, volume = {No. 1/2, Volume 39}, year = {1997}, pages = {169-186}, author = {Scholz, Roland W. and Mieg, Alard H. and Weber, Olaf} } @article {24440, title = {Umweltrisiken systematisch erfassen. Kreditausf{\"a}lle aufgrund {\"o}kologischer Risiken - Fazit erster empirischer Untersuchungen [The systematic measuring of environmental risk. Credit defaults caused by environmental risk - results of a first Study]}, journal = {Schweizer BankSchweizer Bank}, volume = {4}, year = {1995}, note = {Kopie}, pages = {45-47}, keywords = {201 umweltrisiken systematisch erfassen kreditausfaelle aufgrund oekologischer risiken - fazit erster empirischer untersuchungen@}, author = {Scholz, Roland W. and Weber, Olaf and Stuenzi, Juerg and Ohlenroth, Wilfried and Reuter, Arnold} }