SUSTAINABILITY ACCOUNTING IMPLEMENTATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS: REFLECTION FROM UI GREENMETRIC RANKING

Putu Sukma Kurniawan; Luh Gede Kusuma Dewi

doi:10.29303/jaa.v10i1.658

Authors

Putu Sukma Kurniawan Ganesha University of Education
Luh Gede Kusuma Dewi Ganesha University of Education

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29303/jaa.v10i1.658

Keywords:

GreenMetric ranking, higher education institutions, sustainability accounting

Abstract

This study aims to identify sustainability accounting practices in Indonesia's higher education institutions (HEIs) and develop future recommendations. This study analyses reports and data from Indonesian universities ranked in UI GreenMetric. The recommendations are based on the data analysis stages. The findings indicate that a relatively small number of HEIs have adopted sustainability accounting practices. The study results have highlighted significant issues about sustainability accounting in HEIs, and recommendations have been proposed for future implementation. The findings of this study can inform the future implementation of sustainability accounting at the university level, providing a helpful reference point for university management and relevant stakeholders. This study aims to offer a novel perspective on the potential integration of sustainability accounting practices, particularly within the context of HEIs. Ultimately, the study aims to position sustainability accounting as a central tool for HEIs to transition toward more sustainable, transparent, and accountable practices and transform into the sustainable university.

References

A. Adams, C., Muir, S., & Hoque, Z. (2014). Measurement of sustainability performance in the public sector. Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, 5(1), 46–67. https://doi.org/10.1108/SAMPJ-04-2012-0018

Amaral, L. P., Martins, N., & Gouveia, J. B. (2015). Quest for a sustainable university: A review. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 16(2), 155–172. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-02-2013-0017/FULL/XML

An, Y., Davey, H., Harun, H., An, Y., Davey, H., & Harun, H. (2017). Sustainability Reporting at a New Zealand Public University: A Longitudinal Analysis. Sustainability, 9(9), 1529. https://doi.org/10.3390/su9091529

Ayuso, S., Carbonell, X., & Serradell, L. (2022). Assessing universities’ social sustainability: accounting for stakeholder value. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 23(2), 443–457. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-12-2020-0509/FULL/XML

Ayuso, S., Sánchez, P., Retolaza, J. L., & Figueras-Maz, M. (2020). Social value analysis: the case of Pompeu Fabra University. Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, 11(1), 233–252. https://doi.org/10.1108/SAMPJ-11-2018-0307

Bayhantopcu, E., & Aymerich Ojea, I. (2024). Integrated sustainability management and equality practices in universities: A case study of Jaume I University. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 25(3), 631–648. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-02-2023-0054/FULL/XML

Bilodeau, L., Podger, J., & Abd-El-Aziz, A. (2014). Advancing campus and community sustainability: Strategic alliances in action. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 15(2), 157–168. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-06-2012-0051/FULL/XML

Clifford, D., & Petrescu, C. (2012). The keys to university–community engagement sustainability. Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 23(1), 77–91. https://doi.org/10.1002/NML.21051

de Silva, K., Senarath Yapa, P. W., & Vesty, G. (2020). The Impact of Accountability Mechanisms on Public Sector Environmental Sustainability Performance: A Case Study of Sri Lanka. Australasian Accounting, Business and Finance Journal, 14(3), 38–55. https://doi.org/10.14453/aabfj.v14i3.4

de Villiers, C., Chen, S., jin, C., & Zhu, Y. (2014). Carbon sequestered in the trees on a university campus: A case study. Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, 5(2), 149–171. https://doi.org/10.1108/SAMPJ-11-2013-0048/FULL/XML

Dmochowski, J. E., Garofalo, D., Fisher, S., Greene, A., & Gambogi, D. (2016). Integrating sustainability across the university curriculum. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-10-2014-0154

Ebaid, I. E. S. (2022). Sustainability and accounting education: perspectives of undergraduate accounting students in Saudi Arabia. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 14(4), 1371–1393. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-05-2021-0183/FULL/XML

Enticott, G., & Walker, R. M. (2008). Sustainability, performance and organizational strategy: an empirical analysis of public organizations. Business Strategy and the Environment, 17(2), 79–92. https://doi.org/10.1002/BSE.501

Ferrer-Balas, D., Adachi, J., Banas, S., Davidson, C. I., Hoshikoshi, A., Mishra, A., Motodoa, Y., Onga, M., & Ostwald, M. (2008). An international comparative analysis of sustainability transformation across seven universities. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 9(3), 295–316. https://doi.org/10.1108/14676370810885907

Ferrero-Ferrero, I., Fernández-Izquierdo, M. Á., Muñoz-Torres, M. J., & Bellés-Colomer, L. (2018). Stakeholder engagement in sustainability reporting in higher education: An analysis of key internal stakeholders’ expectations. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 19(2), 313–336. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-06-2016-0116/FULL/XML

Finatto, C. P., Fuchs, P. G., Aguiar Dutra, A. R., & Guerra, J. B. S. de A. (2024). Environmental, social, governance and sustainable development goals: promoting sustainability in universities. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 25(6), 1121–1136. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-11-2022-0361/FULL/XML

Galleli, B., Teles, N. E. B., Santos, J. A. R. dos, Freitas-Martins, M. S., & Hourneaux Junior, F. (2022). Sustainability university rankings: a comparative analysis of UI green metric and the times higher education world university rankings. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 23(2), 404–425. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-12-2020-0475/FULL/XML

Gibassier, D., & Alcouffe, S. (2018). Environmental Management Accounting: The Missing Link to Sustainability? Social and Environmental Accountability Journal, 38(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/0969160X.2018.1437057

Graydon, R. C., Gonzalez, P. A., Laureano-Rosario, A. E., & Pradieu, G. R. (2019). Bottled water versus tap water: Risk perceptions and drinking water choices at the University of South Florida. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 20(4), 654–674. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-01-2019-0003/FULL/XML

Harris, E., Herzig, C., De Loo, I., & Manochin, M. (2019). Management accounting and control for sustainability and strategic decision making. Journal of Management Control, 30(1), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1007/S00187-019-00278-9/METRICS

Hernandez-Diaz, P. M., Polanco, J. A., Osuna-Ramírez, S. A., Jaillier-Castrillón, E., Molina-Velasquez, T., & Escobar-Sierra, M. (2024). Incidence of sustainability in university performance: evidence of stakeholders’ perceptions at Colombian private higher education institutions. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 25(2), 416–443. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-08-2022-0264/FULL/XML

Herth, A., & Blok, K. (2022). Quantifying universities’ direct and indirect carbon emissions – the case of Delft University of Technology. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 24(9), 21–52. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-04-2022-0121/FULL/PDF

Kaur, A., & Lodhia, S. (2018). Stakeholder engagement in sustainability accounting and reporting. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 31(1), 338–368. https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-12-2014-1901

Kautto, N., Trundle, A., & McEvoy, D. (2018). Climate adaptation planning in the higher education sector. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 19(7), 1259–1278. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-02-2018-0028/FULL/XML

Khan, T. (2013). Sustainability accounting courses, Talloires Declaration and academic research. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1108/14676371311288949

Lang, T. (2015). Campus sustainability initiatives and performance: Do they correlate? International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 16(4), 474–490. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-01-2014-0009/FULL/XML

Lange, E. A., & Kerr, S. G. (2013). Accounting and incentives for sustainability in higher education: an interdisciplinary analysis of a needed revolution. Social Responsibility Journal, 9(2), 210–219. https://doi.org/10.1108/SRJ-08-2011-0058

Laskar, N., & Maji, S. G. (2018). Disclosure of corporate sustainability performance and firm performance in Asia. Asian Review of Accounting, 26(4), 414–443. https://doi.org/10.1108/ARA-02-2017-0029

Lehmann, M., Christensen, P., Thrane, M., & Jørgensen, T. H. (2009). University engagement and regional sustainability initiatives: some Danish experiences. Journal of Cleaner Production, 17(2), 1067–1074. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2009.03.013

Liu, L., & Gao, L. (2021). Financing university sustainability initiatives in China: actors and processes. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 22(1), 44–58. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-11-2019-0333/FULL/XML

Lozano, R., Lukman, R., Lozano, F. J., Huisingh, D., & Lambrechts, W. (2013). Declarations for sustainability in higher education: becoming better leaders, through addressing the university system. Journal of Cleaner Production, 48, 10–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2011.10.006

Mac-lean, C., Vargas, L. S., Uribe, G., Aldea, C., Lares, L., & Mercado, O. (2021). Sustainability governing entities in higher education throughout Chile. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 22(1), 363–379. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-04-2020-0119/FULL/XML

Mader, C., Scott, G., & Abdul Razak, D. (2013). Effective change management, governance and policy for sustainability transformation in higher education. Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, 4(3), 264–284. https://doi.org/10.1108/SAMPJ-09-2013-0037/FULL/XML

Mawonde, A., & Togo, M. (2019). Implementation of SDGs at the University of South Africa. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 20(5), 932–950. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-04-2019-0156/FULL/XML

Moggi, S. (2023). Sustainability reporting, universities and global reporting initiative applicability: a still open issue. Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, 14(4), 699–742. https://doi.org/10.1108/SAMPJ-05-2022-0257/FULL/PDF

Murphy, T., & O’Brien, W. (2014). A strategic decision model for evaluating college and university sustainability investments. Management Research Review, 37(1), 2–18. https://doi.org/10.1108/MRR-10-2013-0244/FULL/XML

Platitsa, V., Sardianou, E., Abeliotis, K., & Mitoula, R. (2024). Perspectives of the administration of Greek universities regarding the adoption of sustainability practices. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 25(5), 1103–1118. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-09-2023-0417/FULL/XML

Popowska, M. M., & Sady, M. (2024). Universities’ journey towards sustainability- systematic literature review. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 25(3), 596–615. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-08-2022-0280/FULL/XML

Porporato, M., & Samuels-Jones, T. (2023). Carbon emissions measurement as intra-action: incentives to disclose air emissions at a Canadian university. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 24(7), 1540–1560. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-12-2021-0497/FULL/XML

Powell, L., & McGuigan, N. (2024). Looking within: cultivating compassion for shaping sustainable mindsets in accounting education. Meditari Accountancy Research, 32(5), 1787–1808. https://doi.org/10.1108/MEDAR-07-2023-2082/FULL/XML

Pumiviset, W., & Suttipun, M. (2024). Sustainability and strategic management accounting: evidence of green manufacturing in Thailand. Cogent Business & Management, 11(1), 2302794. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2024.2302794

Purcell, W. M., Henriksen, H., & Spengler, J. D. (2019). Universities as the engine of transformational sustainability toward delivering the sustainable development goals: “Living labs” for sustainability. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 20(8), 1343–1357. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-02-2019-0103/FULL/PDF

Ramos, T. B., Domingues, A. R., Caeiro, S., Cartaxo, J., Painho, M., Antunes, P., Santos, R., Videira, N., Walker, R. M., & Huisingh, D. (2021). Co-creating a sustainability performance assessment tool for public sector organisations. Journal of Cleaner Production, 320, 128738. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JCLEPRO.2021.128738

Roos, N., Sassen, R., & Guenther, E. (2023). Sustainability governance toward an organizational sustainability culture at German higher education institutions. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 24(3), 553–583. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-09-2021-0396/FULL/XML

Sen, G., Chau, H. W., Tariq, M. A. U. R., Muttil, N., & Ng, A. W. M. (2021). Achieving Sustainability and Carbon Neutrality in Higher Education Institutions: A Review. Sustainability 2022, Vol. 14, Page 222, 14(1), 222. https://doi.org/10.3390/SU14010222

Sepasi, S., Braendle, U., & Rahdari, A. H. (2019). Comprehensive sustainability reporting in higher education institutions. Social Responsibility Journal, 15(2), 155–170. https://doi.org/10.1108/SRJ-01-2018-0009/FULL/XML

Sharma, U., & Stewart, B. (2022). Enhancing sustainability education in the accounting curriculum: an effective learning strategy. Pacific Accounting Review, 34(4), 614–633. https://doi.org/10.1108/PAR-02-2021-0029/FULL/XML

Stephens, J. C., Hernandez, M. E., Román, M., Graham, A. C., & Scholz, R. W. (2008). Higher education as a change agent for sustainability in different cultures and contexts. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 9(3), 317–338. https://doi.org/10.1108/14676370810885916

Swalih, M. M., Ram, R., & Tew, E. (2024). Environmental management accounting for strategic decision-making: A systematic literature review. Business Strategy and the Environment, 33(7), 6335–6367. https://doi.org/10.1002/BSE.3828

Vien, H., & Galik, C. S. (2024). Individual and interlinked SDGs: higher education institutions and metro area sustainability performance. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 25(5), 962–987. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-06-2023-0231/FULL/XML

Wamsler, C. (2020). Education for sustainability: Fostering a more conscious society and transformation towards sustainability. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 21(1), 112–130. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-04-2019-0152/FULL/PDF

Winkler, K. J., Bennett, E., & Chestnutt, H. R. (2022). Mapping social structures for sustainability transformation at McGill University, Canada. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 23(6), 1209–1228. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-04-2021-0164/FULL/XML