Socially Responsible Financial Markets

Abstract

Financial markets have started to take into account aspects of sustainable development. They mobilise capital in order to provide economic, social and environmental benefits. The aim of this chapter is to present socially responsible financial markets. A socially responsible financial market should influence business, the market and the economy to take into account sustainability issues in order to deliver economic, social and environmental benefits. The consequence of this decision is that financial markets have changed their structure, established new laws and regulations, introduced innovative instruments, and obtained supervision and transparency. Even though financial markets introduce financial innovations and regulations and engage in sustainability issues, there is still room for development of those markets in the direction of fully socially responsible practice.