Marta Czyżewska

Department of Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation,

University of the National Education Commission, Kraków,

Poland

marta.czyzewska@uken.krakow.pl

ORCID 0000-0001-6709-6842

Youth knowledge, attitudes, and SRI intentions: Evidence from Poland and Greeces

Elżbieta Szczygieł

Department of Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation,

University of the National Education Commission, Kraków,

Poland

elzbieta.szczygiel@uken.krakow.pl

ORCID 0000-0002-8804-1071

Jason Papathanasiou

Department of Business Administration, University of Macedonia,

Greece

jasonp@uom.edu.gr

ORCID 0000-0002-0177-9314

Georgios Tsaples

Department of Business Administration, University of Macedonia,

Greece

gtsaples@uom.edu.gr

ORCID 0000-0002-6979-3884

Abstract. This study examines the impact of youth knowledge and attitudes toward socially responsible investments (SRI) in Poland and Greece. Using a sample of university students, the research investigates the level of awareness and understanding of the SRI concept, as well as the factors that influence young investors’ decisions to engage in SRI practices. The study was based on a questionnaire survey of 336 university students (246 from Poland and 90 from Greece). To analyze the relationship between knowledge of socially responsible investing, attitudes toward SRI, and students’ investment intentions, the chi-square test of independence was applied. The findings indicate that, although students demonstrate a moderate level of awareness about SRI, substantial gaps remain in their understanding of the concept and its practical future application. Significant associations were observed between self-assessed entrepreneurial and social traits and a willingness to establish an SRI-focused business. Polish students more frequently declared high social sensitivity, while Greek students reported greater confidence in their preparedness to run an impact-oriented enterprise. Nevertheless, the most preferred career path, chosen by 75% of respondents, was employment in a company addressing social or environmental challenges. Few prior studies have examined the relationship between factual knowledge of SRI and behavioral intentions among young adults, particularly within different European cultural contexts. This research contributes to filling that gap by providing comparative insights into the perceptions and attitudes of students in Poland and Greece.

Received: May, 2024

1st Revision: June, 2025

Accepted: August, 2025

DOI: 10.14254/2071-8330.2025/18-3/5

JEL Classification: M14, E22

Keywords: attitudes towards SRI, impact investing, socially responsible investments, SRI intentions