Marketing and social in brazilian banks: evidence for asymmetric

Abstract

The objective of this study is to investigate the communication methods of a number of national banks based on social and environmental appeal by analyzing their social responsibility practices. The principal reason leading to this study is the ever-growing application of these factors by certain banks, including the Brazilian Bank Federation (Febraban), which shows the significance of this theme for the target groups involved. The last-known data available was gathered together for a study titled “Comparative evaluation of social and environmental responsibilities of banks in Brazil (roughly translated from “Avaliação comparativa da responsabilidade socioambiental dos bancos no Brasil”). This was completed in 2008 by the Brazilian Institute of Consumer Protection (IDEC), and in Fenabran’s 2008 Social Report on Corporate Social Responsibility(RSE) practices performed by the associated banks. The results obtained from these reports were confronted using related literature. The acquired results illustrate the practices undertaken by the banking sector prove to be asymmetrically negative when compared with what publicity campaigns market as ideal. The less than perfect results in practices related to consumers are the most striking – this is what the business is modeled around. For that reason, the practices should have already been incorporated in operational procedures. The management implications are numerous and serve as a warning for companies. Consumers’ complaints concerning the service provided to them signals that something is askew in the banking sector.  

DOI: 10.5585/remark.v9i1.2154