Green Loans: Expert Perspectives

Abstract

In the context of tighter regulations by European Union institutions, sustainable finance allows companies and individuals to identify environmentally friendly ways to access loans according to their sustainability priorities. The financial sector, facing increasingly stringent regulatory requirements, is adapting existing processes and developing new management tools to address the evolving environmental context. This article examines green loans as a sustainable source of finance through a structural survey of eight experts from five major banks operating in Lithuania. The following study methods are employed: systematization and comparison of theoretical literature; questionnaire survey of experts; and analysis of interviews, involving an inductive approach adopting the Gioia Methodology. The survey was carried out in 2024, and its results show that, despite a high level of uncertainty in this area, all of the banks involved are making significant efforts to develop green loans. However, progress is more rapid in sectors where there is a clearer assessment of the greenness of that sector. The article concludes by analyzing green loans in two key areas: the sectors to which the loans are issued and the most significant challenges. The analysis highlights both strengths and points for improvement, such as the need for closer communication.