Learn how to measure and improve your institution's sustainability performance and impacts with effective metrics and KPIs, and how to report them.

I have found that Stakeholders Feedback is one of the Key Performance Indicators for the sustainability of Educational Institutions. Student and Parents satisfaction over the infrastructural facilities, evaluation, results, training and placements is one of the sustainability metrics for the Higher Educational Institutions.

What are the most effective sustainability metrics and KPIs for educational institutions?

Sustainability is not only a moral duty, but also a competitive advantage for educational institutions. By measuring and improving their environmental, social and economic impacts, they can enhance their reputation, attract and retain students and staff, reduce costs and risks, and foster innovation and learning. But how can they track and communicate their sustainability performance effectively? In this article, we will explore some of the most effective sustainability metrics and KPIs for educational institutions, and how they can be applied and reported.

1 What are sustainability metrics and KPIs?

Sustainability metrics and KPIs are quantitative or qualitative indicators that measure the progress and outcomes of sustainability initiatives and goals. Metrics are the raw data or information that can be collected and analyzed, such as energy consumption, waste generation, student satisfaction, or community engagement. KPIs are the specific and measurable targets that are derived from the metrics, such as reducing energy consumption by 10%, increasing waste diversion by 50%, or achieving a student satisfaction score of 90%. Sustainability metrics and KPIs should be aligned with the institution's vision, mission, values, and strategy, as well as relevant external standards and frameworks.

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Dr.K.Madhusudhana Rao

Professor and Dean at Vignan's Institute of Information Technology(Autonomous)
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I have found that Stakeholders Feedback is one of the Key Performance Indicators for the sustainability of Educational Institutions. Student and Parents satisfaction over the infrastructural facilities, evaluation, results, training and placements is one of the sustainability metrics for the Higher Educational Institutions.

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Muhammad Hammad Abbasi

Founder VGreenO| Global Youth Climate Action Award Winner| Climate Activist | Policy Maker| LCOY 24 Organizer|
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From a student perspective, the most effective sustainability metrics and KPIs for educational institutions should reflect a commitment to environmental consciousness, social responsibility, and student engagement. Metrics such as carbon footprint reduction per student, responsible consumption, reduced plastic usage, waste diversion rates, and renewable energy consumption can tangibly measure an institution's ecological impact. Additionally, KPIs related to social sustainability, such as community outreach hours per student or diversity and inclusion indices, reflect an institution's commitment to fostering a socially responsible environment.

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Gabriel Cardoso

General Manager at the Instituto Sabin | Building a Sustainable Future through Social Impact, Entrepreneurship and Education
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When considering an educational institution, it's important to start by identifying the educational level, determining the main stakeholders and features of the institution. After that, we can look into its KPIs with regards to social, environmental, and economic elements. When evaluating social impact, we should consider not just the learning and teaching outputs but also the outcomes of the educational process and its impact on the community and society. In terms of environmental impact, we should assess both onsite and online education to propose KPIs that could differ significantly. When it comes to economic impact, it's crucial to evaluate whether the institution is a public or private educational institution to start.

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2 Why are sustainability metrics and KPIs important for educational institutions?

Sustainability metrics and KPIs are important for educational institutions as they enable them to monitor and evaluate their sustainability performance, identify areas for improvement, communicate achievements and challenges, benchmark performance with other institutions, integrate sustainability into core activities, and support decision-making and planning processes. These metrics enable educational institutions to build trust and credibility with their stakeholders, learn from best practices and trends, create a culture of sustainability across the institution, and allocate resources and investments effectively.

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Zia Ur Rehman ♻️

Head of Sustainability at NUST | ESG | Sustainability | SDGs| Membranes| Water Treatment|
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The very crucial components for the institutions to embed the sustainability KPIs are that; - For the Global standings like University Rankings (QS Sustainability Rankings, Green Matric & THE IMPACT Rankings) - Secondly, it's one way the stakeholders can know the impact of an institution - Most importantly your social impact can be measured by these KPIs

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3 How to choose sustainability metrics and KPIs for educational institutions?

Choosing sustainability metrics and KPIs for educational institutions is not a one-size-fits-all approach, as it may vary depending on the size, type, location, sector, and priorities of the institution. To guide the selection process, some general principles and steps can be followed. Firstly, one should define the scope and purpose of the sustainability measurement and reporting, as well as identify the key stakeholders and their needs and expectations. Additionally, review the existing sustainability policies, plans, initiatives, and goals of the institution to align them with external standards and frameworks such as UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), or Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) STARS. Furthermore, select sustainability metrics and KPIs that are relevant, reliable, valid, comparable, and verifiable to cover environmental, social, and economic dimensions. Establish a baseline, targets, frequency of sustainability measurement and reporting; assign roles for data collection, analysis, verification; communicate with stakeholders on metrics and KPIs; solicit feedback for continuous improvement.

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4 What are some examples of sustainability metrics and KPIs for educational institutions?

Sustainability metrics and KPIs for educational institutions are organized by the three dimensions of sustainability, including environmental, social, and economic. For example, environmental metrics may include energy consumption and efficiency (kWh, MJ, or BTU per square foot or per student), greenhouse gas emissions and reduction (tons of CO2 equivalent or percentage change from baseline), water consumption and conservation (gallons or liters per square foot or per student), waste generation and diversion (tons or kilograms per square foot or per student, or percentage of waste recycled, composted, or donated), sustainable transportation (percentage of students and staff using public transit, biking, walking, or carpooling), sustainable procurement (percentage of purchases that meet environmental criteria, such as energy efficiency, recycled content, or organic certification), and biodiversity and land use (number or percentage of native species, habitats, or green spaces on campus). On the social side, metrics may include student and staff satisfaction and well-being (scores or ratings from surveys, interviews, or focus groups), diversity and inclusion (percentage of students and staff from underrepresented groups), human rights and labor standards (number or percentage of complaints, grievances, or violations related to human rights or labor issues), health and safety (number or percentage of injuries, illnesses, or accidents on campus), community engagement and outreach (number or percentage of students and staff involved in community service, volunteering, or partnerships), and education for sustainable development (number or percentage of courses, programs, or research projects that address sustainability topics or issues). Economic metrics may include financial performance and stability (revenue, expenses, assets, liabilities, or net income), cost savings and efficiency (amount or percentage of savings or avoided costs from sustainability initiatives), innovation and competitiveness (number or percentage of patents, awards, or rankings related to sustainability), resource mobilization and diversification (amount or percentage of funding from sustainability sources) as well as economic impact and value creation (amounts contributed to the local economy).

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Melissa Schleich, CFA

Capital Markets & ESG Director | Board Member | Professor
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One example that I´ve seen was relating each disciplines´syllabus to one (or a few) specific SDG(s). That is a good starting point for permeating sustainability within educational institutions.

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5 How to report sustainability metrics and KPIs for educational institutions?

Reporting sustainability metrics and KPIs for educational institutions is a key way to communicate and showcase their sustainability performance and impacts, in addition to increasing transparency and accountability. This can be done through sustainability reports, dashboards, stories, or ratings and rankings. Sustainability reports are comprehensive documents that follow the guidelines of external standards and frameworks, such as the GRI or AASHE STARS. Dashboards are interactive tools that display metrics and KPIs using charts, graphs, maps, or tables. Sustainability stories are narratives that highlight achievements and challenges, while showcasing stories and testimonials of those involved in initiatives. Lastly, ratings and rankings compare institutions' sustainability performance with others by using predefined criteria and indicators like the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings or UI GreenMetric World University Rankings.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What are the most effective sustainability metrics and KPIs for educational institutions?

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1 What are sustainability metrics and KPIs?

2 Why are sustainability metrics and KPIs important for educational institutions?

3 How to choose sustainability metrics and KPIs for educational institutions?

4 What are some examples of sustainability metrics and KPIs for educational institutions?

5 How to report sustainability metrics and KPIs for educational institutions?

6 Here’s what else to consider

Environmental Services

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What are the most effective sustainability metrics and KPIs for educational institutions?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 What are sustainability metrics and KPIs?

2 Why are sustainability metrics and KPIs important for educational institutions?

3 How to choose sustainability metrics and KPIs for educational institutions?

4 What are some examples of sustainability metrics and KPIs for educational institutions?

5 How to report sustainability metrics and KPIs for educational institutions?

6 Here’s what else to consider

Environmental Services

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