The Impact of the Banking Role in the Iraqi Business Environment on the Activation of Sustainable Development

Abstract

The study aims to examine the impact of the banking role in the Iraqi business environment on promoting sustainable development. This is achieved through dimensions of development, including sustainable land and agricultural use, clean energy and industry, digital technology, and health and well-being activation. To achieve this objective, a sample of 22 Iraqi banks listed on the Iraqi Stock Exchange was selected. Each bank has multiple branches within and outside Iraq, representing a large sample size. A total of 500 questionnaires were distributed, of which 480 were retrieved. Seven questionnaires were deemed invalid and excluded from the analysis, leaving 473 questionnaires for analysis. The data was analyzed using SPSS.V.27 software. The study found a significant impact of the banking role on activating clean energy and industry at a significance level of 0.05. An increase in the banking role by one unit resulted in an improvement of 0.478 in activating clean energy and industry. Similarly, the study found a significant impact of the banking role on activating digital technology and health and well-being at a significance level of 0.05. An increase in the banking role by one unit resulted in improvements of 0.407 and 0.369, respectively. Furthermore, the study revealed a significant impact of the banking role on promoting sustainable land and agricultural use at a significance level of 0.05. An increase in the banking role by one unit led to an improvement of 0.491. The study recommends the reinforcement and activation of the banking role in the Iraqi environment, aligning it with the rapid developments in most countries worldwide and making it a crucial contributor to sustainable development in the Iraqi context.