Sustainability Indicators for the Management of Brazilian Higher Education Institutions.
| Autor | Junior, Annor da Silva |
| Cargo | Report |
Introduction
This paper ((1)) presents the results obtained from a research project that aims to investigate performance indicators of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability practices applied to Higher Education Institutions (HEINS) in Brazil. The focus is to create and propose a set of sustainability performance indicators for the measurement and disclosure of the practices of HEINS. We assume that the measurement and disclosure of such practices provide tools that allow HEINS to account for their actions to the Brazilian society and attain social legitimacy and institutional perpetuation.
The discussion on sustainability is based on stakeholder theory. Stakeholder theory aims to analyze the relationship between an organization and the economic and social actors (individually or collectively) that affect, are affected by, and have interests in, procedural and substantive aspects of corporate activities. From this perspective, one can deal more objectively with the complexity of the corporate world regarding the creation of value, the monitoring of potentially moral flaws in running businesses, and the survival of organizations in the capitalist system (Parmar et al., 2010; Purnell & Freeman, 2012).
Discussions were also theoretically based on the perspective of institutional theory, which posits that organizational analysis involves the relationship between an organization and its environment or context. In this relationship, organizations interact with the cultural system and the institutionalized values in society with a view to adopt models, practices, and structures that are compatible with the system. By adopting such models, practices, and structures, organizations attain symbolical efficiency and social legitimacy to justify their endurance and survival in society (DiMaggio & Powell, 1983; Meyer & Rowan, 1977).
The compatibility and complementarity of stakeholder and institutional theories made it possible to conceptually investigate the subject of sustainability. Sustainability has become a locus of attention in the academic and corporate fields, mainly because of social concerns regarding the organizational actions and their impacts on the economy, environment, and society itself (Bell & Morse, 2008). However, despite the relevance of this topic to society, its complexity and related ideology may transform it into a void concept of doubtful application and only a few practical effects (Bell & Morse, 2008; Fortune & Hughes, 1997; Pierantoni, 2004). Therefore, this topic should be approached through performance indicators. On the one hand, indicators are used to measure and disclose, in reports, the organizations' sustainability actions, thus providing society with an instrument to assess them (Bell & Morse, 2008; Pierantoni, 2004). On the other hand, indicators serve as a way through which organizations can attain legitimacy by disclosing their practices and actions to society (DiMaggio & Powell, 1983; Meyer & Rowan, 1977).
In this study, such issues are addressed by focusing on the context of HEINS. HEINS in general, and particularly universities, have been playing an important role in transforming societies through the educational and professional preparation of leaders, decision-makers, entrepreneurs, and scholars who operate at, study, and interpret organizations. In this socially relevant process, HEINS have been considering issues that involve sustainability (Batisani & Ndiane, 2014; Lozano, Lozano, Mulder, Huisingh, & Waas, 2013).
As stated by Alghamdi, Heijer and Jonge (2017), Lozano, Llobet and Tideswell (2013), Lozano (2011), Cortese (2003), and Shriberg (2002), in the past few decades, an increasing number of HEINS have incorporated and institutionalized the topic of sustainability in their curriculums (instruction), research and extension activities, and in their managerial practices and actions. Those authors also highlight an increase in the assessment and disclosure of sustainability-related institutional practices and actions in academic management reports.
If HEINS are to assess and disclose such institutional practices and actions, it is important to create performance indicators that allow them to understand the dimensions and aspects they should approach in their institutional efforts regarding CSR and sustainability (Lozano, 2006; Lozano, Llobet et al., 2013). Accordingly, Lozano, Llobet et al. (2013) and Lozano (2006), using as reference existing tools for the assessment and disclosure of sustainability practices and actions, such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), ISO 14.000 Series, and Local Agenda 21, among others, proposed an instrument called Graphical Assessment of Sustainability in Universities (GASU). The difference between the tools already mentioned and GASU is that the first tool did not observe the specificities of HEINS; that is, they were more appropriately applied to organizations in general and, therefore, did not cater to the unique and specific characteristics of the HEINS.
Taking the GASU (Lozano, 2006; Lozano, Llobet et al., 2013) as basis, this study proposes a set of performance indicators that are able to assess and disclose the sustainability practices and actions of Brazilian HEINS. The proposal of this set of indicators applicable to Brazilian HEINS is justifiable in view of these institutions' specificities, which differentiate them from foreign institutions.
As Silva et al. (2014), Silva and Silva (2013), and Silva and Muniz (2004) all point out, Brazilian HEINS operate in a context of extensive governmental regulation. Within that context, public policies for higher education are related to three central axes: (a) evaluation, carried out by the National System of Higher Education Evaluation (Sistema Nacional de Avaliacao da Educacao Superior [SINAES]) and operated by the National Institute for Educational Studies and Research Anisio Teixeira (Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anisio Teixeira [INEP]), responsible for articulating multiple processes intended to improve the quality of higher education; (b) regulation, carried out by the Higher Education Office (Secretaria de Educacao Superior [SESu]) through administrative acts that authorize and recognize the operation of HEINS and their courses; and (c) supervision, carried out by the National Education Council (Conselho Nacional de Educacao [CNE]) and the SESu, responsible for ensuring compliance of higher education services in the federal system with the applicable legislation (INEP, 2009).
Based on this regulation, Brazilian (public and private) HEINS adopt a systemic organizational structure that embraces two entities, both of which are liable for the management of the institution, namely the maintainer and the maintained entity. Besides influencing the organizational structure of HEINS, Brazilian governmental regulation influences some academic management practices, meaning that these institutions have their own way of being organized and managed. Moreover, the Brazilian institutional context imposes on HEINS a specific form of operation to achieve social legitimacy and justify their survival and perpetuity (DiMaggio & Powell, 1983; Meyer & Rowan, 1977).
In addition, considering the lack of studies and proposals that focus on creating sustainability performance indicators applied to Brazilian HEINS, this study gains academic relevance by encouraging discussions with theoretical and methodological implications that can contribute to the evolution and consolidation of this field of investigation. Moreover, this study has practical relevance since it offers an academic management instrument capable of providing HEINS with a means to plan, implement, and assess (control) sustainability practices and actions.
In order to reach the main goal of this paper, which is to develop a set of sustainability indicators applicable to Brazilian HEINS, it was divided into five sections besides this introduction. The second section introduces the conceptual perspective of sustainability and sustainable development. Next, sustainability is approached in the HEINS context. The fourth section presents a discussion of the sustainability indicators, especially considering their relevance in the process of assessing and disclosing such practices and actions. The fifth section brings a proposal of a set of sustainability indicators applicable to Brazilian HEINS. Finally, the sixth and last section presents the final considerations.
Sustainability and Sustainable Development
Since the concept of sustainable development gained international prominence with the presentation of the Brundtland Report Our Common Future (World Commission on Environment and Development [WCED], 1987), several initiatives have emerged to define sustainability and sustainable development (Ciegis, Ramanauskiene, & Martinkus, 2009; Ipiranga & Aguiar, 2014; Olawumi & Chan, 2018; Petrini & Pozzebon, 2010; Soini, Jurgilevich, Pietikainen, & Korhonen-Kurki, 2018). Consequently, the notions of sustainability and sustainable development became complex and permeated by conceptual diversity involving multiple meanings depending on the literature used (Axelsson, Angelstam, Elbakidze, Stryamets, & Johansson, 2011; Ciegis et al., 2009; Olawumi & Chan, 2018; Pierantoni, 2004; Sartori, Silva, & Campos, 2014).
In the literature, the concepts of sustainability and sustainable development are commonly considered interchangeable, sometimes even synonymous (Axelsson et al., 2011; Olawumi & Chan, 2018; Sartori et al., 2014). In spite of such treatment of the two concepts, authors such as Sartori, Silva and Campos (2014), Axelsson, Angelstam, Elbakidze, Stryamets and Johansson (2011), and Lele (1991) highlight that they are not the same.
In summary, the concept of sustainability has to do with "the existence of the ecological conditions necessary to support human life at a specified level of well-being through...
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