Taking Stock: Reflections and Insights on Culture in Financial Services

The work of Community Development Financial Institutions intersects with an initiative led by the New York Fed’s Community Development team to connect new sources of capital to community needs. In this episode, we hear from New York Fed President John Williams, Community Development leaders, and lenders, investors, and nonprofit leaders on the question: How can seemingly unrelated problem-solving efforts be combined to achieve better outcomes? For more, visit newyorkfed.org/podcast/cdfis-serving-the-underserved-and-making-missing-markets

Community Development Financial Institutions can grow out of the communities they serve; a financial version of neighbors helping neighbors. In local and national CDFIs, a sense of personal commitment and connection drives professionals to this work. In this episode, we hear from researchers, borrowers, and lenders about how mission-driven lending, financial inclusion, and technical assistance can transform lives and foster opportunity within historically underserved communities. For more, visit newyorkfed.org/podcast/cdfis-serving-the-underserved-and-making-missing-markets

A small subset of the U.S. financial system called Community Development Financial Institutions, or CDFIs, supports economic growth at the local level. The industry is comprised of different types of institutions operating in different ways. Each works to achieve a common mission: improving economic outcomes for underserved communities. Research from the New York Fed shows the industry is growing and changing. In this episode we hear from Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, the New York Fed team doing CDFI research, a researcher from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, and CDFI leaders. Our guests speak about the impacts and challenges of mission-driven lending and opportunities to scale this work. For more, visit newyorkfed.org/podcast/cdfis-serving-the-underserved-and-making-missing-markets

Joe McGrath and Ciaran Walker, co-authors of the New Accountability in Financial Services, offer recommendations for promoting accountability through professionalization and the adoption of shared industry norms. In this episode they discuss the role of shared professional identities, moral anchors, and other mechanisms organizations can use to foster individual and group-based accountability.  To learn more about the New York Fed’s Governance and Culture Reform Initiative, visit the website for additional resources related to the study of conduct and culture in the financial services industry.

In this episode, series host Toni Dechario is joined by her Culture initiative colleague Tom Noone. Together, they reflect on how approaches to culture and governance in financial services have shifted over the last decade and highlight key moments from the 2024 annual New York Fed culture conference.  To learn more about the New York Fed’s Governance and Culture Reform Initiative, visit the website for additional resources related to the study of conduct and culture in the financial services industry.

Forensic accounting professor and fraud detective Kelly Richmond Pope describes why and how fraud occurs. In this episode she highlights the importance of clear incentives and discusses her interactive online games designed to help users understand the drivers of fraud and whistleblowing.  To learn more about the New York Fed’s Governance and Culture Reform Initiative, visit the website for additional resources related to the study of conduct and culture in the financial services industry.

Former prosecutor for the Eastern District of New York Evan Norris discusses the FIFA corruption scandal and why his past cases carry lessons for the financial services industry. In this episode he discusses building cultures of strong compliance, and how misconduct can be harnessed as an opportunity for broad-based learning and meaningful improvement.   To learn more about the New York Fed’s Governance and Culture Reform Initiative, visit the website for additional resources related to the study of conduct and culture in the financial services industry.

Veterans are 22% more likely to be out of the labor force than comparable nonveterans, according to New York Fed research from May 2023.  In this episode, experts working across the military-connected population speak to the reasons behind the participation gap, also debunking some of the most widely held misperceptions surrounding career paths within the military and the outcomes and experiences of military service. Additionally, they introduce listeners to educational and vocational opportunities unique to veterans and military families, and new research from the New York Fed points to developments from the past year.  Information and resources from the episode can be found at nyfed.org/podcast.

How can organizations avoid reinforcing mistakes or bad behavior? Why is it crucial for upper management to understand the daily realities and social norms at a localized, team-by-team level? And how might removing the pressure surrounding results actually lead to better outcomes, including meaningful systemic improvements? In this episode, behavioral risk expert Wieke Scholten walks us through the ins-and-outs of turning negative events into positive opportunities for learning. 

Cognitive psychologist Gary Klein has spent his career examining how decisions get made across real-world scenarios. He is well-known for creating the PreMortem Method of Risk Assessment, an risk management exercise that helps project team members imagine potential problems upfront, rather than examining shortfalls in hindsight. In this episode, we dig into the how and why of Klein’s premortem practice, what differentiates it from other strategic tools, as well as the challenges of integrating a culture of curiosity into established ways of working.