The Responsibility of Brands in the Face of the Climate Crisis: Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability Strategies
Chapter from the book:
Villi,
B.
(ed.)
2026.
Marketing in the Era of the Climate Crisis: Sustainability, Consumption, and Corporate Responsibility.
Synopsis
Today, the climate crisis is reshaping the scope of corporate responsibility as a global issue with environmental, economic, and social implications. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become a key tool for businesses to contribute to the fight against climate change. This study evaluates the climate crisis-related initiatives implemented by banks operating in the Turkish banking sector that are listed in the CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project). The study analyzed the climate crisis-related CSR projects and activities featured on the banks’ websites and in their sustainability reports. The research findings revealed that all of the banks examined are engaged in various CSR activities. However, it was determined that CSR activities were largely concentrated in the areas of education, volunteering, culture and arts, and social development, while social responsibility projects directly related to the climate crisis were more limited in number. In contrast, it was observed that practices such as sustainable financing, support for renewable energy investments, reduction of carbon emissions, environmental and social risk management, and climate risk governance were being implemented by all banks. In conclusion, it has been demonstrated that the fight against the climate crisis in the banking sector is not conducted solely through traditional CSR projects but is carried out in line with a corporate sustainability approach.
