Governance implications of the UN higher education sustainability initiative

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/CG-01-2018-0020
• Pages: 624-634
• Date: 18 April 2018
• Published date: 18 April 2018
• Author: Christopher J. Moon,Andreas Walmsley,Nikolaos Apostolopoulos
• Subject Matter: Corporate governance,Strategy

Governance implications of the UN higher

education sustainability initiative

Christopher J. Moon, Andreas Walmsley and Nikolaos Apostolopoulos

Abstract

Purpose –This paper aims to review the progress of a sample of (n= 307) signatories in the Higher

Education Sustainability Initiative which commits higher education institutions (HEIs) to make smart

commitmentsto achieve one or more of the UN sustainable developmentgoals (SDGs).

Design/methodology/approach –A preliminary survey of n= 307 HEIs via online questionnaire and

databasesearch was conducted.

Findings –Findings reveal a difference between HEI governance, that is ‘‘instrumental’’, and

governance,that is ‘‘holistic’’, in relation to sustainability.

Research limitations/implications –Implications identified for achieving SDGs in general and for

academic–businesspartnerships, in particular.

Practical implications –Practical implications for enterprise (developing a tool to measure

sustainabilitymindset) and for enterprise education(sharing of best practices from other HEIs).

Social implications –Improved understandingof the sustainability mindset will inform decisions about

approachesto governing and operationalisingsustainability in organisations.

Originality/value –The survey is not original but theemphasis on sustainability mindset (compassion,

empathyand connectedness to SDGs) is.

Keywords SDGs, HEIs, HEIs and governance, Sustainability mindset, UN HESI

Paper type Research paper

[...] the need of new ways of teaching and learning as well as a strong cooperation between

higher education and business to enhance sustainable socio-economic development in general

and new forms of sustainable driven enterprises in particular aims at changing the EU landscape

of HEIs towards a stronger accentuation on new inter- and transdisciplinary ways of teaching

and learning as well as sustainable entrepreneurial education, increasing university–business

cooperation, new university spin-offs or related start-ups in the area of a “green economy” and a

subsequent change in the curricula of European HEIs (CASE, 2017).

Introduction

The Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI) was established in 2012 by a group of

UN partners including the executive coordinator of Rioþ20, UN DESA, UNEP, UNESCO, UN

Global Compact, UN GC PRME and UNU. Initially, 272 higher education institutions (HEIs)

from 47 countries made voluntary commitments to drive the sustainability agenda. Progress

was evaluated in 2014 (HESI, 2014), finding that 73 per cent of 272 commitments made by

HEIs indicated partial progress, either directly or indirectly; 18 per cent had not

demonstrated any progress; and 9 per cent could not be determined. The methodology for

the evaluation was based on the identification of keywords from HEI websites. Thus, if the

HEI published at least one achievement on-line they were rated as “Y”, i.e. making

progress. If online information was not available, then each HEI was rated as “N”, i.e. no

progress or “U” for unclear.

Christopher J. Moon is

Senior Lecturer at

Middlesex University,

London, UK.

Andreas Walmsley is

Associate Professor at

Plymouth University,

Plymouth, UK.

Nikolaos Apostolopoulos is

based at Plymouth

University, Plymouth, UK.

Received 11 January 2018

Accepted 22 March 2018

PAGE 624 jCORPORATE GOVERNANCE jVOL. 18 NO. 4 2018,pp. 624-634, ©EmeraldPublishing Limited, ISSN 1472-0701 DOI 10.1108/CG-01-2018-0020