A qualitative study of sustainability oriented financial decision making and gender equity among working-age women in Thailand

Abstract

Thai working-age women possess deep, culturally embedded sustainability values derived from Buddhist philosophical traditions and the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy, yet face systematic structural exclusion from sustainable investment markets. This qualitative study recruited 35 working-age women (25–55 years) from Bangkok’s diverse employment sectors and conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews in 2024, which were transcribed verbatim, professionally translated, and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis framework. The study identified a profound values-behavior gap: 91% of participants articulated strong environmental sustainability values, 94% expressed clear interest in sustainable finance when concepts were explained, yet 0% currently engaged with any sustainable investment instrument. Analysis reveals this exclusion is structural rather than preference-based, with synergistic barriers including capital constraints (83%), knowledge deficits (86%), limited mainstream product availability (89%), and gender-specific household decision-making restrictions (69%). The research demonstrates that sustainable finance accessibility in Thailand requires fractional micro-investing mechanisms, mandatory mainstream bank distribution requirements, Thai-language financial education, and integrated household financial empowerment programs. The study advances sustainable finance theory by establishing gender equity and environmental sustainability as structurally inseparable and simultaneously addressable policy imperatives. Future research should examine policy implementation outcomes and regional applicability across Southeast Asian economies facing comparable gender-sustainability finance dynamics.