PERSPECTIVES OF INNOVATIONS, ECONOMICS & BUSINESS (PIEB), VOLUME 16, ISSUE 1, 2016 ISSN 1804-0527 / Online version is a primary open-access source www.academicpublishingplatforms.com www.pieb.pradec.eu - 13 - corresponding email: bogna(dot)janik[at]wsb(dot)poznan(dot)pl postal address: Poznan School of Banking, al. Niepodległości 2, 61-874 Poznań, Poland PIEB | ISSN 1804-0527 | Perspectives of Innovations, Economics and Business ECO-INNOVATION ECOLOGICAL AND ECO-INNOVATIVE ACTIVITIES OF THE BANKS BOGNA JANIK, KRZYSZTOF KOŁODZIEJCZYK Poznan School of Banking, Poland JEL CLASSIFICATIONS: O16, O31, O32, O44 KEYWORDS: Eco-innovation, ecology, innovation, sustainability, stock exchange ABSTRACT: The main objective of our study is to identify and assess some chosen aspects of ecological and eco-innovative activities of the banks listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange and included in WIG Banks index. The scope of this analysis encompasses selected dimensions illustrating banks’ activities in terms of environmental care. These activities also include the identification of eco-innovations being implemented. The analysis of the investigated dilemma was based mainly on the desk research of digital and documentary sources, whereas survey data analysis was used as a supplementary method. The results indicate relatively high differences across environmental care and, in some cases, even lack of any activities. Having that considered, we have identified relatively low eco-innovativeness of the examined banks, mainly product eco-innovations. http://dx.doi.org/10.15208/pieb.2016.02 PIEB, Vol.16 (1), PP.13-20 Source: Janik B., Kołodziejczyk K., 2016. ”Ecological and eco-innovative activities of the banks”, Perspectives of Innovations, Economics and Business, Vol.16(1), pp.13-20, http://dx.doi.org/10.15208/pieb.2016.02 Introduction Banks as institutions of the financial counseling and mediation services contribute to the allocation of money between economic sectors and, therefore, may support the development of particular sectors as well as contribute to economic growth. The main pillar of their proper functioning is the obedience and implementation of the following basic rules: competitiveness, self-reliance, self-financing, commercialism and universalism. These rules should be followed pursuant to the rule of social justice as the premises of sustainable development. In accordance with the concept of sustainable development, socially responsible practices of enterprises are realized in at least three dimensions: ecological, social and economic one. Within the scope of this article, the banks’ activities will be considered at the ecological level. Bearing in mind their ecological activities, we will make an attempt to distinguish eco-innovative undertakings. It will be a very demanding task to decide which activities conducted by the banks in terms of ecology are innovative and which are treated as an ordinary course of business. Taking into account all the above aspects, the research objective is to identify the facets of the banks in terms of eco-innovations and present some current activities of these banks in the field of environmental action. The justification to analyze the issue selected is confirmed by previously conducted studies which indicate a relatively low level of innovativeness of Polish enterprises in