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Investigating Web-Based Sustainability Reporting in Italian Public Universities in the Era of Covid-19

Author

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  • Giuseppe Nicolò

    (Department of Management and Innovation Systems, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy)

  • Natalia Aversano

    (Department of Management and Innovation Systems, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy)

  • Giuseppe Sannino

    (Economics Department, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Corso Gran Priorato di Malta, 81043 Capua (CE), Italy)

  • Paolo Tartaglia Polcini

    (Department of Management and Innovation Systems, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy)

Abstract

Universities are increasingly called to demonstrate to stakeholders their active commitment to responding to social and environmental issues through comprehensive reporting practices. Such expectations were further enhanced by the recent pandemic outbreak unleashed by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which has bolstered social pressures on universities to demonstrate their active engagement in supporting health systems in fighting against the virus as well as in ensuring adequate e-learning paths for students. Therefore, this study aims to investigate to what extent Italian public universities disclose sustainability information on their websites. The study is based on a well-established framework adapted from the literature. The category “Sustainability and COVID-19” has been added to also examine the extent to which universities disclose information regarding policies and strategies adopted to cope with the ongoing pandemic crisis. Results evidence that most of the sampled universities devote a specific section of their websites to disclose information on sustainability issues. Results also highlight a strong commitment to the disclosure of social issues. Particular attention is devoted to disclosing information about “Social Performance”; “Sustainability and COVID-19” and “Society Issues”. The results may be beneficial to both policymakers and university governors in gaining awareness about the potential of websites in engendering insights into the social issues that involve a university and a wider range of stakeholders.

Suggested Citation

  • Giuseppe Nicolò & Natalia Aversano & Giuseppe Sannino & Paolo Tartaglia Polcini, 2021. "Investigating Web-Based Sustainability Reporting in Italian Public Universities in the Era of Covid-19," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-12, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:6:p:3468-:d:521319
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Patrizia Di Tullio & Matteo La Torre, 2022. "Sustainability Reporting at a Crossroads in Italian Universities: Is Web-Based Media Adoption Deinstitutionalising Sustainability Reporting?," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-17, February.
    2. Maurizio Comoli & Lorenzo Gelmini & Valentina Minutiello & Patrizia Tettamanzi, 2021. "University Social Responsibility: The Case of Italy," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-22, October.
    3. Antonio Costa & Alessandra Tafuro & Marco Benvenuto & Carmine Viola, 2021. "Corporate Social Responsibility through SDGs: Preliminary Results from a Pilot Study in Italian Universities," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-13, October.
    4. Patrizia Di Tullio & Matteo La Torre & Michele Antonio Rea, 2021. "Social Media for Engaging and Educating: From Universities’ Sustainability Reporting to Dialogic Communication," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-16, December.

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