The financial sector, and banking in particular, is especially sensitive to the application of business ethics. On the one hand, because its role as a strategic sector of the economy is a key and determining factor and, on the other, because during recent years, and especially since the financial crisis of 2008, it has been the protagonist of numerous scandals and bad practices. The adoption of ethical behavior is fundamental in the operation of banks, since these organizations manage a very sensitive asset that is owned by their customers — money. Sota much sota, that not only speaks of banking ethics, but even the existence of ethical banks; two aspects that are different. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the characteristics that define ethical banking and what aspects differentiate it from banking ethics.

Financial exclusion, while producing greater social exclusion and poverty, is contributing to the emergence of new types of organization in finance, banking and non-banking. Based on ethics and solidarity, such organizations favour the inclusion of the most marginalized groups. Ethical banking and community banking (including credit unions) offer an alternative to conventional banking and are increasingly being accepted. Moreover, civil society itself is leading a movement through which new non-banking ethical and solidarity finance initiatives are also emerging. Examples include financial services cooperatives, integrated cooperatives, collaborative finance, self-financed communities, time banks, social currencies and community development banks, among others. This paper analyses the main aspects arising globally from these processes of change, and highlights potential risks where these initiatives are used by large financial and non-financial corporations through new finance technologies (FinTech). Ethical and solidarity finance have become an appropriate instrument for inclusion, but certain risks remain that must be taken into account.