Executive Summary

Over the past few decades, the financial services industry seems to have moved away from its mission of serving clients and supporting the economy in favor of enriching itself. How can this be fixed? Regulation is a critical piece of the puzzle. But, even within the constraints of existing structures, research indicates that well-intentioned finance professionals can buck the stereotypes and succeed without extracting value from the rest of society.  Virtuous role models serve their customers’ interests faithfully, but not in ways that cause harm to other stakeholders. They treat their colleagues with dignity and promote diversity within their organizations and across the industry. And they use their skill sets and networks to contribute to the world beyond their job.

Finance can be a force for good in society but, over the past few decades, structural and behavioral changes have pushed the industry away