Empowering Sustainability Through Web-Based Information Sharing: Showcasing Campus Sustainability Initiatives Through Linked Data on the Web

This study assessed new (n = 1,022) and returning (n = 1,947) undergraduates’ perceptions of sustainability, personal sustainability behaviors, and their awareness of the University of Arkansas Office for Sustainability and sustainability efforts on campus. New and returning students placed a moderately high importance on sustainability, but their awareness of and interest in campus sustainability programs and courses and sustainability careers was low. Students most preferred to learn about campus sustainability efforts through email and social media. Majorities of both new and returning students indicated they would practice the sustainable behavior in four typical campus sustainability scenarios; significantly (p < 0.05) higher percentages of returning students selected the sustainable behavior for two scenarios. There was no significant difference between new and returning students on Sustainability Self-Concept; both groups were uncertain to moderately positive. As expected, returning students scored significantly (p = 0.03) higher on Sustainability Program Awareness; however, the effect size was very small (Cohen’s d = 0.09). Sustainability Self-Concept had significant (p < 0.05) low to moderate positive correlations with selection of the sustainable behavior for each of the four sustainability scenarios. The Office of Sustainability should increase targeted communications and educational efforts about campus sustainability initiatives, academic programs, and careers.

Purpose – This paper aims to report on a census of high-level sustainability initiatives at all accredited post-secondary institutions in Canada by documenting the institutions that have undertaken sustainability assessments, have signed one or more sustainability declarations, have sustainability offices or officers or have sustainability policies. The aim was to better understand the broad-scale patterns of commitments by post-secondary institutions to these sustainability initiatives by exploring the interrelationships among them, and with geographic and institutional characteristics. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected on existing high-level sustainability initiatives at Canada’s 220 accredited post-secondary institutions. Patterns in the data were analyzed using exploratory statistical techniques. This paper proposes a sustainability initiative score to help understand the diversity and patterns of sustainability initiative uptake. Findings – Institutions located in larger communities, and in British Columbia and Québec, tended to have higher sustainability initiative scores. Institutions in Saskatchewan and the territories had the lowest sustainability initiative scores. It was found that sustainability office(r)s, assessments and policies co-occurred disproportionately, potentially suggesting positive reinforcement mechanisms. On the other hand, having signed a declaration was not strongly linked to other sustainability initiatives. Terminological preference had shifted from “environment” and “sustainable development” to “sustainability”. Research limitations/implications – The scope was limited to a discrete set of high-level sustainability initiatives appropriate for a nation-wide census, at a moment in time, and is therefore not exhaustive in subject or temporal extent. This broad-scale comparative analysis compels further study into the relationship between the sustainability policy environment and sustainability practices on the ground, as well as implications for how post-secondary institutions engage with sustainability. The patterns and interrelationships this paper discovered help to structure future critical and comparative in-depth analyses of sustainability policies and practices within post-secondary education. Originality/value – Almost no extensive, comparative empirical studies of sustainability policy and practice in post-secondary institutions exist. This void is addressed by documenting and analyzing high-level sustainability initiatives across all accredited post-secondary institutions in Canada.

In this article, we investigate the relationship between religion, spirituality, and sustainability ethics. We focus on the sustainability efforts and channels that a Catholic Jesuit university employs in defining sustainability for business education and the global community through a consideration of the themes of social justice and the value of life. Specifically, we examine the model embraced by Loyola University Chicago (LUC), which promotes sustainability ethics and initiatives through their campus infrastructure, academic curriculum, and institutional culture. We examine emerging student-run businesses and their impact on the environment from a social justice perspective. Sustainability initiatives include on-campus biodiesel production, bottled water bans, sustainable farming, water conservation, and the creation of a sustainability dashboard.

I. INTRODUCTION Much has been written on corporate sustainability and the factors that affect it, both in the academic literature and in the popular media. The literature on sustainability efforts at institutions of higher education (IHEs) is much smaller, although colleges and universities can also pose significant environmental liabilities. Like many corporations, IHEs consume large quantities of energy and water. (1) In addition, IHEs generate significant volumes of solid wastes, including toxic and hazardous wastes. (2) Also like corporations, IHEs currently face significant pressure to adopt sustainable practices. However, while corporations and IHEs face similar challenges in deciding whether to adopt sustainable practices, there are many reasons why sustainability efforts on campuses may depend on different factors than corporate sustainability efforts. Obviously, the non-profit nature of most IHEs suggests that campus leaders can make investments in sustainable practices that corporations would not find profitable. Additionally, the types of stakeholders that have an interest in sustainability efforts vary significantly across IHEs and corporations. Although companies may be pressured to adopt sustainable practices by consumers and investors, IHEs must respond to the concerns of students, faculty, and alumni. The goal of this article is to examine campus sustainability efforts to determine the factors that drive IHEs to adopt sustainable practices. Given that recent congressional education bills have included provisions for the establishment of sustainability programs in the Department of Education, we are likely to see increased government efforts to promote sustainable practices on campuses in the future. (3) A more complete understanding of the factors that drive campus sustainability will be essential for crafting effective policy on this issue. This knowledge should also help increase the effectiveness of private groups that are trying to promote campus sustainability. The analysis uses the same general framework that has been used to study corporate adoption of sustainable practices to highlight similarities and differences between the factors that affect corporate and campus behavior. Thus in addition to helping design programe to promote insight into the different in environmental decision making at non-profit and for profit entities more generally. In Section II, I present a brief summary of the related literature and outline a conceptual framework for my analysis. Section II, I discusses the analytical approach in detail, describing both the data and the econometric model used in the analysis. I then present the results of the analysis and discuss the policy implications of my findings before concluding. II. RELATED LITERATURE AND THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE ANALYSIS The majority of the literature on campus sustainability is directed toward people who want to increase sustainable practices on particular campuses or at IHEs in general. (4) The general focus of these articles is on why sustainability is important or how it can be implemented at IHEs. This literature includes many case studies of successful sustainability programs. Additionally, there are few studies that take a more aggregate approach to understanding the factors that influence the success of sustainability initiatives. For example, based on 7 years of experience in implementing sustainable practices at IHEs, Sharp (2002) identifies a number of approaches to sustainability that have proved to be most successful including management support, effective communication, partnerships with students, and continuity. Looking at the issue from the opposite point of view, Velazquez, Munguia, and Sanchez (2005) identify barriers to implementing sustainable practices on campus. The authors find that the factors that are most frequently cited as impeding campus sustainability initiatives are a lack of awareness and interest in sustainability, the organizational structure of the institution, lack of funding, and lack of support from administrators. …

Sustainability has become a vital issue for the hotel industry. Hotel ICON, the world’s first fully-integrated teaching and research hotel was built with the aim of becoming a role-model hotel for the Hong Kong hotel industry. The hotel focused on sustainable operation through innovation to create value for the customers, the community, and the planet. The hotel has invested time and monetary resources in various sustainability initiatives but was it effective in meeting the hotel’s business and sustainability objectives? How can sustainability features be used to strengthen its competitive advantage? How should the hotel report its sustainability efforts?

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the self-declared sustainability initiatives of the world’s four largest chocolate manufacturers (Ferrero, Mars, Mondelez and Nestlé) and the measures they take to tackle social problems within the context of establishing sustainable sourcing of cocoa in Ghana and the Ivory Coast. Global cocoa supply chains are under continuous media and public scrutiny. Recent incidents of malpractice in supply chain management have left global chocolatiers vulnerable in terms of how they deal with social issues across their global supply chain networks. Critics have argued that there is a lack of consistency and transparency between what companies say and do in upholding sustainable practices across their supply chains.Design/methodology/approachThe authors draw from the sustainable supply chain literature to develop our theoretical parameters and undertake a case-based analysis of the existing sustainability practices of these chocolatiers. Using the insights from this analysis, the authors propose a conceptual framework for a rigorous comparative assessment of self-declared sustainable sourcing initiatives of global agricultural supply chains. The methodology is qualitative and the research method is a secondary-data case study.FindingsFour main parameters were identified and used to compare self-declared initiatives, namely: social sustainability certification from respectable bodies; code of conduct for suppliers; partnerships with the primary supply chain stakeholders; and supplier collaboration programme and improvement initiatives. The case companies chosen have implemented several initiatives, but the most prominent seem to indicate the reliance on third-party certification. Not all companies adopted a supplier code of conduct. The partnerships and collaboration programmes with different associations are presented as efficient for companies as well as farmers. Improvements in the conditions of farmers are advocated as a key result.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper is based on self-declared secondary data. Subsequently, it is possible that the case companies did not document some practices; or that companies do not do what they claim.Practical implicationsThis paper provides a comprehensive framework for agricultural businesses to compare their sustainability efforts and improve the performance of their supply chains, particularly those who belong to the cocoa supply chains. The proposed framework allows an assessment of initiatives at policy, strategic, tactical and operational levels to improve social sustainability of supply chains.Social implicationsThis paper may help companies to think more clearly about greater transparency and provide the impetus for dealing more effectively with serious social issues in agricultural supply chains such as: child labour, child trafficking, modern slavery, etc. It may also instruct consumers to better understand what companies do as part of their sustainability agenda, alongside the communication of other features of their products, such as quality.Originality/valueThe framework adds value by providing a novel way to systematically compile and analyse data around self-declared sustainable initiatives. Actors within agricultural supply chains can use the framework to assess and drive their sustainability efforts and practices, leading to ways to improve the social performance of their global supply chains.

This study examines the impact of digitalization and sustainability initiatives on environmental efficiency performance at ArcelorMittal Temirtau, a steel manufacturing company in Kazakhstan. Using an explanatory case study design, the research applies Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT), Resource-Based View (RBV), and Institutional Theory. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire from 123 employees with at least three years of relevant experience. Statistical analysis, including SEM, CFA, and correlation analysis, was conducted using SPSS and AMOS. Findings indicate that sustainability efforts, particularly collaboration with external stakeholders, are well-received, while employee training needs improvement. Digital transformation enhances production efficiency, decision-making, and waste management, yet training gaps persist. Hypothesis testing reveals that firm capabilities do not significantly benefit from digitalization alone, and institutional pressure does not moderate its environmental impact. However, sustainability efforts, digitalization, and R&amp;D investments contribute positively to environmental outcomes, with internal resources acting as a mediator. The study recommends structured employee training, AI-powered analytics, blockchain-enabled supply chains, and digital twin technologies for optimizing sustainability and operational efficiency. Future research should explore long-term sustainability impacts and industry-specific regulatory responses. The findings provide valuable insights for companies and policymakers aiming to enhance sustainability through digital innovation.

As one of the oldest cities in the USA, Baltimore is a vibrant and diverse community that nevertheless faces significant development challenges, such as depopulation, inequality, poverty, unemployment, and infrastructure degradation. In the same year that the member countries of the United Nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the city of Baltimore was in the grips of civil and racial unrest at a level not seen in many US cities since 1968. With this backdrop, when the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) selected Baltimore as one of the first three cities to participate in the launch of the USA Sustainable Cities Initiative (USA-SCI) to localize the SDGs, it was clear that there would be many challenges to overcome to take advantage of a yet-unknown set of potential benefits. One of the key partners for the localization effort was the Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance (BNIA) at the University of Baltimore, and having the local community indicators project be a part of the localization process became critical to ensuring Baltimore saw the effort to fruition. Over the course of a year, the USA-SCI effort in Baltimore yielded a wealth of insights and ideas for furthering inclusive, coordinated sustainable development efforts for other cities. Key lessons include the need for leadership at all levels of government, the focus on raising awareness in the USA about the benefits of SDG localization among local civil society stakeholders engaged in sustainability efforts, and the value of local data integration to track progress toward the global goals.KeywordsSCI-BaltimoreLocal dataCommunity-based indicatorsLeadershipSustainability

The role of higher education institutions in sustainability initiatives at the local level

The leather tanning industry is under scrutiny for its environmental impact and worker safety concerns amid a global push for sustainable practices. To address these issues, initiatives like cleaner production, chrome-free tanning, circular economy models, and green chemistry are being implemented to promote safer and more sustainable practices. This review paper evaluates the impact of sustainability initiatives on improvements in occupational health and safety (OHS), while supporting economic and environmental objectives. This study adopts a systematic literature review approach to assess the existing body of research on sustainable initiatives in the leather industry, particularly their impact on OHS in workers. A qualitative classification scale has been developed to evaluate the strength of association between specific interventions that adopt sustainability initiatives and improvements in worker health and safety in the leather tanning sector. Papers directly discussing sustainable initiatives that impact OHS in workers were classified as having a strong positive relationship, while papers focusing less on the impact of these initiatives on worker health and safety were categorized as having a weaker association. A total of 31 relevant studies were identified and reviewed. The findings indicate a generally positive, strong (9 articles) and weak (15 articles) association between sustainability efforts and OHS improvements in the tannery working environment, although the strength of OHS remains underrepresented in sustainability research. The literature shows that while sustainability initiatives have demonstrated benefits for environmental sustainability, their direct impact on worker health and safety remains underexplored. The review highlights the need for integrated sustainability frameworks that incorporate OHS indicators. Future research should prioritize participatory, field-based studies that align with SDGs and emphasize both environmental and social well-being. The originality of this research lies in its focus on identifying and categorizing the gaps between sustainability initiatives and OHS improvements in the leather tanning industry, an area that has been underexplored in existing literature. By linking sustainability practices directly with worker health outcomes, this study provides a new perspective on how sustainability can enhance both environmental and social sustainability.

Universities play a crucial role in promoting sustainability on the campus as well across its neighbouring communities. Therefore, a sustainability map is necessarily designed to visually represent the key sustainability features including water conservation systems, waste management practices, green spaces and blue-green interventions at University campuses. This study focuses on the development of a campus sustainability map that reflects a shared vision for sustainability stewardship and promoting sustainable practices within the university community at Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU). The resulting map provides a valuable tool for raising environmental awareness, guiding future sustainability efforts and facilitating informed decision-making amongst the University stakeholders. It also identifies areas where improvements can be made helping the university prioritize initiatives that contribute to a more sustainable campus environment. By providing a visual representation of environmental data, the map adopts a deeper understanding of the University’s ecological impact and its surrounding areas. A comprehensive methodology was employed, involving data collection through site visits and surveys and integrating the information to create a web based 2D map that highlights the ADBU’s sustainability initiatives. The findings demonstrate the potential of an updatable sustainability map to engage university communities, support sustainable development and integrate environmental considerations into campus planning and operations thus enhancing the sustainability efforts.

In the past five years, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) has established a high reputation in Wisconsin through the dedicated, continuous, and extraordinary efforts made by the WM IAC team. Our center has developed a broad range of partners in Wisconsin to promote and support our IAC program. We have established a partnership with We Energies, the primary utility company in Wisconsin, to provide high-quality energy assessments for their customers. We also acquired comprehensive support from Focus on Energy, the state energy agency, to promote the IAC among their state-wide networks. We have partnered with Wisconsin State Government agencies, the Office of Energy Innovation, and the Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy. We have been working on our best to make UWM IAC an outstanding program in Wisconsin. WM-IAC attracted the US Administration, and US Vice President, Kamala Harris, visited UWM IAC in May 2021 and conducted a Round Table discussion. In addition, in March 2021, one of the WM IAC student members was invited to the Round Table on supporting America's Manufacturing, and Industrial Workers arranged by the US Secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm, on March 8, 2021.

Although many U.S. municipalities have adopted climate protection and sustainability as explicit objectives, they are not among their traditional responsibilities. As a result, compared to policies focused around core functions, those related to sustainability may be at greater risk of retrenchment or change in times of crisis. This research examines how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted local governments’ sustainability efforts. Using data from a nation-wide survey, we examine the degree to which the pandemic has affected programmatic priorities, resources, and operations related to sustainability. Findings indicate that the pandemic hurt the implementation of sustainability initiatives in almost half of U.S. cities. At the same time, many cities increased the priority of economic and social sustainability initiatives in response to the pandemic. Cities which have formally included sustainability principles into a city plan appear more sensitive to COVID-induced challenges to their program operations.

For us, there is virtually no distinction between being a responsible citizen and a successful business… they are one and the same for Wal-Mart today. ~ Lee Scott, Wal-Mart CEO after the 2005 Katrina disaster; cited in Green to Gold (Esty and Winston 2006). Lee Scott's statement signaled a new era in sustainability as manufacturers and retailers around the globe watched the world's largest mass merchandiser confirm its intentions with respect to sustainability. For decades, the environmental movement has grown, slowly bleeding over into the corporate world. Companies have been born, products have been created, academic journals have been launched, and government initiatives have been undertaken—all in the pursuit of sustainability (Peattie and Crane 2005). While progress has been admittedly slower than some may desire, the emergence and entrance of environmentally concerned mass merchandisers has done much to help with sustainable efforts. To better understand this movement, we incorporate the pe...

The growing global emphasis on environmental sustainability has encouraged organizations to adopt green marketing as a key strategic approach to attract environmentally conscious consumers. The study examines the effectiveness of Starbucks’ green marketing strategies from a consumer perspective in the Ernakulam district of Kerala. The research investigates consumer awareness, perception, and behavioral responses toward Starbucks’ sustainability initiatives, including ethical sourcing, waste reduction, and eco-friendly packaging. Primary data were collected through a structured questionnaire from 100 respondents selected using the snowball sampling method. Data analysis using t-tests and one-way ANOVA revealed that gender has no significant influence on awareness of green marketing, whereas income significantly affects awareness of Starbucks’ sustainability efforts. The findings indicate that consumers with higher income levels are more informed about Starbucks’ green practices and demonstrate stronger positive perceptions of the brand. The study highlights the importance of effective communication of sustainability initiatives to enhance consumer engagement and brand loyalty. The results contribute to the understanding of how green marketing influences consumer behavior and provide practical implications for businesses seeking to strengthen their environmental responsibility through marketing strategies.