A meta-analysis of Italian universities reveals a significant evolution in sustainability reporting, driven by both legislative requirements and growing internal stakeholder demands. Universities now report on the environmental and social impacts of teaching, research, campus operations, and community outreach.
Reports are developed through collaborative approaches, involving broad staff participation and external partnerships. Progress is tracked with annual publicly available documents, which include metrics ranging from energy consumption to social inclusion programs. Many universities have adopted GRI and SDG frameworks, making disclosures comparable across the sector.
Key practices include integrating sustainability targets into management control systems, leveraging digital tools, and fostering transparency through open web-based reporting platforms. Italian universities serve as benchmarks in the adoption of sustainability reporting as both a management tool and a public accountability mechanism.
More at: https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/275305/1/admsci-12-00034.pdf
