Sustainable finance? The environmental impact of the 'equator principles' and the credit industry

More than a decade after its inception, the environmental impact of the equator principles (EP) program remains unclear. While research in the field of sustainable finance usually addresses the business case of sustainability, this paper explores the sustainability case of the financial sector. This study investigates the environmental performance of EP members and non-members, in terms of financing projects with extreme adverse environmental impact. Based on literature about voluntary programs, I suggest that the institutional design of the EP lacks some important elements that are associated with better performance. Therefore it is hypothesised that EP membership will not lead to improvements in environmental performance. The results show that EP members are not involved in fewer hazardous projects than non-EP members. Also, a comparison between the activities of EP members before and after their adoption of the EP shows that they financed more hazardous projects after they adopted the EP.