Phd in MANAGEMENT, BANKING AND COMMODITY SCIENCES

Thesis title: Leveraging Sustainable Finance and Impact Measurement in Public Administration

This doctoral thesis comprises six pivotal chapters, each delineating a distinct facet of sustainable finance and the measurement of impact within public administration. In Chapter 2, an all-encompassing literature review meticulously dissects the landscape of sustainable finance in the domain of public administration, with a particular focus on the European context. This review serves to establish the research context by examining existing knowledge and research related to sustainable finance within public administration. Among all thematic dimensions identified in the literature analysis, this thesis examines impact measurement, as a critical aspect in understanding the true implications of sustainable finance initiatives and bridging gaps in existing literature. In doing so, we have identified and leveraged four distinctive frameworks – the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Well-being and Sustainable Development Indicators (BES), Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), and Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) – to construct theoretical models for impact measurement at both national and global levels, as elucidated in chapters 4 and 5. These standards serve as the foundational tools for capturing the social and environmental impact stemming from projects initiated by public administrations. Within these models, we intricately embed a profound comprehension of the multidimensional nature of impact and the intricate interconnectedness of these dimensions, elucidating how they reverberate within public administration practices and decision making processes. The key findings and contributions of this thesis manifest in the nexus it establishes between impact measurement and economic metrics, integrated with the balance sheets of public administrations. This process is meticulously expounded through a step-by-step model, offering a holistic and structured approach to comprehending and quantifying the impact of public administration initiatives within the purview of sustainable finance.