A framework for implementing and reporting United Nations sustainable development goals in Spanish higher education institutions

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pilar L. González-Torre ◽  
Eugenia Suárez-Serrano
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Holistic Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
2030 Agenda ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Sustainability Reports ◽  
Spanish Universities ◽  
The University

Purpose This study aims to explore a holistic framework for implementing and reporting sustainable development goals (SDGs) in universities. The aim is to define elements of the content as well as the context, which will allow us to understand and compare sustainable development processes at the university level. Using the 2030 Agenda context, this research describes a university profile which is accountable to its stakeholders, thus aligning its sustainability report with the SDGs. Design/methodology/approach This research has considered the entire Spanish university system and relies on data collection from sustainability reports published by 50 public universities and 34 private universities. Through an analysis of the contents of public reports, the aim is to build an index like the social responsibility dissemination index, but specific to the 2030 Agenda in the university context. Findings The holistic model, based on a dissemination index, showed diverse methods of implementing and reporting contributions to the SDGs, with varying degrees of depth, priority, reach, suitability and visibility. The proposed index was also used as a classification variable to group Spanish universities into two conglomerates, one that leads the contribution to the 2030 Agenda and another that follows the previous ones. Research limitations/implications This research work could be extended to include any European university educational systems. Case studies could add qualitative value to the implementation of the SDGs. Originality/value As a pilot study, the developed index can be used to analyse the sustainability reports of Spanish universities to determine the use of reporting to render accounts to stakeholders.

scholarly journals Do Codes of Ethics Reveal a University’s Commitment to Sustainable Development? Evidence from Italy

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giorgio Mion ◽  
Angela Broglia ◽  
Angelo Bonfanti
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Codes Of Ethics ◽  
Communication Tool ◽  
2030 Agenda ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Sustainability Reports ◽  
The University

Higher education institutions, such as universities, formulate strategies and undertake initiatives to support sustainable development (SD). Scholars draw up and examine sustainability reports as the main institutional documents to assess and communicate universities’ efforts towards SD. However, the presupposition of a commitment to SD by the university community is the declaration included in their codes of ethics, which can subsequently be verified and included in their sustainability reports. Thus, although codes of ethics orient strategies, no studies have yet attempted to examine if they can be considered as a communication tool able to express a university’s commitment to SD. This exploratory study aims to investigate if and how the codes of ethics of the Italian public universities reflect their commitment towards SD. Content analysis was carried out using the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) proposed by the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda. The findings suggest that SD is a common aim among Italian universities, although it is not explicitly communicated in their codes of ethics, and that each university contributes to SD in different ways. In practical terms, this study suggests to adopt an approach that is better directed towards SD to improve universities’ codes of ethics and compliant strategies.

scholarly journals Assessing the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals in academic libraries

2021 ◽  
pp. 096100062110055
Author(s):  
Clare Thorpe ◽  
Lyndelle Gunton
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Societal Implications ◽  
2030 Agenda ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Library Staff ◽  
Stretch Targets ◽  
The University ◽  
Mapping Exercise

The United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development identifies 17 goals as a shared blueprint for peace, prosperity, people and the planet. Australian academic libraries have started documenting and planning how academic libraries contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including the identification of assessment frameworks and key performance indicators. In 2019, the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) Library stepped through an exercise of understanding how our day-to-day work and annual planning targets mapped to the SDGs. The article is a case study. The authors outline how an academic library’s services, projects and action plans were mapped to the SDGs and how the mapping exercise was communicated to the community. The article will situate this activity among the broader approaches being taken by the Australian library community, including the 2030 stretch targets for Australian libraries. USQ Library staff found that existing services, collections and projects correlated to eight of the 17 SDGs. Activities were mapped to these eight goals and reported to senior executive of the University. The mapping exercise increased the awareness of library staff about the broader cultural and societal implications of their roles. The communication strategy led to conversations that increased university leaders’ awareness of the SDGs and the value and impact of USQ Library in improving access to information as well as the library’s role in transforming the lives of USQ students and community. By undertaking an exercise to map collections, services and projects to the SDGs, USQ Library has been able to demonstrate how their knowledge and information infrastructures which enable student achievement and research excellence. The SDGs can be used by university libraries as a benchmarking tool and as a challenge to set stretch targets aligned with the United Nation’s 2030 agenda.

Education of sustainable development goals through students’ active engagement

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 521-544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dario Cottafava ◽  
Gabriela Cavaglià ◽  
Laura Corazza
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Traditional Teaching ◽  
Active Engagement ◽  
Teaching Techniques ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
The University

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss and present new teaching techniques to advance the concept and the practice of education for sustainable development (SD). Due to the recently introduced 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) and owing their interlinkages and targets, an evolution of the traditional teaching techniques is needed. Design/methodology/approach With the use of a single revelatory case study, this paper presents an example of education for SD goals activity carried out at the University of Torino, focussed on merging SD with the active engagement of students. Findings The empowerment of students happens through a transformative learning experience grounded in the acquisition of managerial soft skills useful in co-creating and co-designing projects to contribute towards SDGs effectively. Practical implications The ultimate goal is to support students to become active citizens in their communities (e.g. starting within the University). Social implications Students learnt about SDGs and the complexities of sustainability, and, at the same time, they learnt valuable tools to contribute to their transformation to develop projects for the benefit of local territories and organizations. Originality/value The paper showcases how transformative learning could be applied to SDGs. Awarded as one of the best practices regarding SD by the Italian Network of Universities for Sustainable Development, the case involves students in a transdisciplinary, creative and open learning environment.

Supply chain viability in the context of COVID-19 pandemic in small and medium-sized enterprises: implications for sustainable development goals

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sumaiya Benta Nasir ◽  
Tazim Ahmed ◽  
Chitra Lekha Karmaker ◽  
Syed Mithun Ali ◽  
Sanjoy Kumar Paul ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Decision Aid ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Interpretive Structural Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Development Goals

PurposeThe recent outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has severely disrupted the operations of global supply chains (SCs) providing an opportunity for decision-makers to rethink and tune their existing strategies. To tackle the impacts caused by such a pandemic, this study aims to examine the contextual relations among the factors influencing supply chain viability (SCV) for achieving long-term Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).Design/methodology/approachA decision-aid approach by integrating Pareto analysis, grey theory and total interpretive structural modeling (TISM) has been propounded. The proposed approach examines contextual relations among the factors for SCV for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in an emerging economy. This study contributes to theory, methodology and practice by exploring a new research problem in the context of the SCV and COVID-19 pandemic and by developing a new decision-aid approach.FindingsThe findings reveal that the creation of SC digital twin and transformation of SCs to supply networks would help the policymakers to deal with the “new normal.” Also, SC crowdfunding and policy development for health protocols are critical driving factors influencing SCV.Originality/valueThis research work is perhaps one of few initial attempts to advance the theoretical and practical understanding of SCV and to achieve SDGs in industries following a pandemic risk.

Nachhaltigkeit und Digitalisierung

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Smart Home ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Empirical Work ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
2030 Agenda ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The University

Whether smartphone, smart home or smart city—digitalisation determines almost all areas of our lives today. The topic of sustainability is also omnipresent in 2019 and numerous challenges associated with it are currently being discussed. Digitalisation and sustainability can thus be regarded as the two megatrends of the 21st century. The question of whether digitalisation is an instrument for achieving sustainable development is increasingly at the centre of the debate. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) developed by the United Nations as part of the 2030 Agenda are of particular interest for assessing digitalisation as a potential means of achieving sustainable development. With the help of empirical work by students from the University of Kaiserslautern, this edited volume provides answers to the question of how different digital technologies can help to achieve these 17 goals. With contributions by Katharina Spraul, Cynthia Friedrich, Matthias Klos, Florian Wiegner, Marius Wienand, Antonino-Enrico Bucceri, Jana Becher, Pierre Kohlmann, Teresa Körber, Viktoria Kruppenbacher

UN's Sustainable Development Goals need diverse allies

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Public Financing ◽  
Member States ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Displaced Populations ◽  
2030 Agenda ◽  
The World ◽  
Climate Action ◽  
Development Goals

Subject Outlook for Sustainable Development Goals. Significance In September 2015, the ‘2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’ was adopted by 193 UN member states, outlining 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with separate 169 targets. Three years on, no country is on track to achieve all SDGs by 2030. Impacts The World Bank’s ‘cascade approach’ of advancing SDGs through a mix of private solutions and public financing has yet to bear fruit. Bringing displaced populations into the SDG framework is a growing challenge. Climate action will remain one of the most politically divisive SDGs.

Corporate greenfluencing: a case study of sponsorship activation in Formula E motorsports

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 617-631 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans Erik Næss
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Brand Equity ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Sport Sponsorship ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cross Platform ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Sustainability Reports

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how companies activate their sponsorship of Formula E (for Electric) championship races to influence consumers' opinion of them as sustainable businesses.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on an original combination of promotional outputs (YouTube spots, social media releases and sustainability reports) from Formula E race title sponsors in the 2017–2019 seasons, the paper is a qualitative analysis of how these sponsors solve the value clash between traditional motorsport imagery and environmentalism to achieve “narrative authenticity”.FindingsFindings show that sponsors do not address this clash directly. Instead, the conflict itself is reframed as a question of what sponsors do to improve the environment, not what they ndo not do. Second, the timeframe for action is redefined, which means that the future is what counts, not the situation today or given aims like the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.Originality/valueSponsorship activation through Formula E as way of generating green brand equity would come across as more credible if companies improved the use of cross-platform synergies to convey narrative authenticity. To qualitative researchers on sport sponsorship, the findings strengthen the understanding of brands as “cultural narrators”.

scholarly journals Leave no one behind: including the health of prisoners in international development frameworks is essential for achieving sustainable development goals

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wanapa Naravage ◽  
Marc van der Putten ◽  
Anja Krumeich ◽  
Luca Falqui ◽  
Rodger Doran
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
International Development ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Health Coverage ◽  
Content Type ◽  
2030 Agenda ◽  
Prison Health ◽  
Prison Health Care ◽  
Development Goals

PurposeThe pledge of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is “to leave no one behind.” However, there are significant groups of people who are at risk of being left behind. The health and social issues facing prisoners are well known, but past initiatives to address them through international development initiatives have failed to gain widespread support. The purpose of this paper is to advocate for inclusion of prison health care in current international development frameworks such as Universal Health Coverage and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.Design/methodology/approachThis is a commentary paper.FindingsThe governments of most countries have accepted both the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Universal Health Coverage as frameworks for future national development planning. Including prison health care in these frameworks will provide a powerful platform for those advocating for better prison health services and will allow governments wary of offending public opinion to make significant changes to the way prisons are managed. Providing better prison health care services will not only lead to better long-term population health outcomes overall but will also contribute to achieving the 2030 Agenda aspiration to “leave no-one behind.”Originality/valueThis paper provides a discussion of current international development guidance and identifies that prison health care is not sufficiently recognized as an essential contributor to achieving the sustainable development goals.

scholarly journals A study of the Web visibility of the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda on university websites

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mari Vallez ◽  
Carlos Lopezosa ◽  
Rafael Pedraza-Jiménez
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Global Perspective ◽  
Web Searches ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Platform ◽  
2030 Agenda ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
The Web ◽  
Web Visibility

Purpose Universities play an important role in the promotion and implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This study aims to examine the visibility of information about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on the websites of Spanish and major international universities, by means of a quantitative and qualitative analysis with an online visibility management platform that makes use of big data technology. Design/methodology/approach The Web visibility of the universities studied in relation to the terms “SDG”, “Sustainable Development Goals” and “2030 Agenda” was determined using the SEMrush tool. Information was obtained on the number of web pages accessed and the queries formulated (query expansion). The content indexed by Google for these universities was compiled, and finally, the search engine optimization (SEO) factors applicable to the websites with the highest Web visibility were identified. Findings The universities analysed are content creators but do not have very high Web visibility in Web searches for information on the SDGs. Of the 98 universities analysed, only four feature prominently in search results. Originality/value Although research exists on the application of SEO to different areas, there have not, to date, been any studies examining the Web visibility of universities in relation to Web searches for information on the 2030 Agenda. The main contributions of this study are the global perspective it provides on the Web visibility of content produced by universities about the SDGs and the recommendations it offers for improving that visibility.

Knowledge management, the missing piece in the 2030 agenda and SDGs puzzle

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 901-916 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Eric Barrantes Briceño ◽  
Fernando César Almada Santos
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Knowledge Use ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
2030 Agenda ◽  
Development Goals

Purpose This paper aims to analyze some knowledge management (KM) frameworks that sustainable development goals (SDGs) can apply to such a challenging implementation. Design/methodology/approach To accomplish this, a systematic scientific literature review was carried out about the KM concept. Searching, analyzing and collecting different KM frameworks were crossed and compared to achieve a standard KM framework list, based on the most important and relevant information collected. Findings The study outlines how and which KM frameworks may be applied in an effort to reach the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and SDGs, so it can overcome the barriers and pitfalls related to the knowledge management use. Research limitations/implications The paper shows some SDG areas that deserve future attention and deep implementation with KM frameworks. Originality/value With the enormous potential and vision of the sustainable development goals (SDGs), there is a barrier in its progress and development: the knowledge use, in both the local knowledge aspects and general knowledge management. This paper creates a Knowledge Management Excellence Model (KMEM) linked to SDGs, which will help and promote its use to educate and involve all those interested in meeting these goals.

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