El Shaarani Centre for Ethical Finance, Accountability and Governance

The EFAG centre builds on the school’s current excellence in the areas of Ethics, Finance, Accountability and Governance. The centre conducts quantitative and qualitative research in these areas by bringing together an experienced team of inter-disciplinary Durham University researchers working with colleagues at leading international universities. The expertise of the centre is complemented by a group of internationally excellent scholars, practitioners who are affiliated as associate members and advisory board members.

The EFAG centre interacts with, and has an impact on, the finance industry, governmental and professional bodies, stock exchanges and supra national bodies. Three impact case studies were submitted by core members to the UK’s Research Excellence Framework (REF) in 2021:

Professor Carol Adams – Rethinking value creation for sustainable development

Professor Habib Ahmed- Islamic finance in sustainable development

Associate Professor Anna Tilba – Governance and investment practices of UK pension funds

EFAG has an active events programme. Including conferences, workshops, webinars and seminars. EFAG members contribute to prestigious overseas conferences sponsored by key regulators and policymakers such as Central and Development Banks, United Nations, World Bank, etc. Members of the Centre have attracted external research funding from organisations and research institutes.

EFAG Strategic Objectives

• Conduct and disseminate rigorous and interdisciplinary research in the areas of Ethical Finance, Socially Responsible Investment, Islamic Finance, Banking, Accountability and Governance
• Contribute to the development of sustainable and ethical finance, accountability for sustainable development and governance oversight
• Contribute to sustainable development
• Develop capacity for interdisciplinary and impactful research through international collaboration, outreach and engagement with local and global organisations