Advancing Sustainable Banking in New Zealand: A Technology-Driven Framework for Enhancing Sustainability in New Zealand Banking Operations and Customer Services

Author: Geethanjani Chathurika Alwis Alekawage

Supervisors: Jimmy Sun Sharan Singh

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30 June 2026

Alekawage, G. C. A. (2026). Advancing sustainable banking in New Zealand: A technology-driven framework for enhancing sustainability in banking operations and customer services [Master's thesis, Otago Polytechni Auckland International Campus].

Abstract

The banking sector is experiencing increasing pressure to integrate sustainability objectives with digital transformation initiatives in response to environmental concerns, evolving customer expectations, technological advancements, and changing regulatory environments. Within this context, digital banking technologies have emerged as important enablers of operational efficiency, customer convenience, and sustainability-oriented banking practices. However, limited research has examined how sustainable digital banking practices are operationalised within the New Zealand banking sector from both organisational and customer perspectives. This study therefore investigated the role of digital technologies in enhancing sustainability within New Zealand banking operations and customer services.

The study adopted a mixed-methods research design to obtain a comprehensive understanding of sustainable digital banking practices in New Zealand. The qualitative phase involved semi-structured interviews with banking professionals, while the quantitative phase involved a survey administered to digital banking users within New Zealand. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis, while quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, exploratory factor analysis, correlation analysis, and demographic comparison tests through SPSS.

The findings revealed that New Zealand banks are actively integrating digital technologies into internal operations and customer services through practices such as paperless banking systems, digital onboarding, automation technologies, and remote banking services. The study further identified that sustainability integration within banks is influenced by regulatory expectations, operational efficiency objectives, customer demand, and institutional sustainability commitments. Quantitative findings demonstrated generally positive customer perceptions towards sustainable digital banking services, particularly relating to trust, reliability, efficiency, and satisfaction. However, comparatively lower findings relating to awareness, responsiveness, and accessibility highlighted continuing challenges associated with customer communication, digital inclusion, and equitable engagement across diverse demographic groups.

The study additionally identified perceived usefulness, ease of use, convenience, and positive customer attitudes as important drivers influencing sustainable digital banking adoption within New Zealand. Based on the integrated findings, the study developed the Technology-Driven Sustainable Banking Enablement Framework for New Zealand (TDSBE-NZ Framework), which conceptualises sustainable digital banking as a multi-level interaction between sustainability pressures, organisational transformation, customer perceptions, and behavioural adoption factors.

The study contributes to the existing literature relating to sustainable banking, digital transformation, and technology adoption by providing a contextualised understanding of sustainability-oriented digital banking practices within New Zealand. The findings also provide practical insights for banking institutions and policymakers seeking to strengthen sustainable and inclusive digital banking strategies within the evolving New Zealand banking environment.

Keywords

sustainable digital banking, sustainability, digital transformation, banking sector, technology adoption, customer perceptions, New Zealand banking sector

Licence

This thesis is not publicly available.