Sustainability Reporting at a New Zealand Public University: A Longitudinal Analysis

This study examines the case of sustainability reporting by a New Zealand public university from a longitudinal perspective. Content analysis of the sustainability report for a five-year period is the primary research method. We observe that sustainability reporting by the case university excessively focuses on environmental reporting with a near absence of economic and social disclosures. Also, the results reveal that there is a generally upward trend for the reporting in the period, albeit the overall level is still low without any monetary disclosures in the report. Moreover, we find that the university does not follow any guidelines in its reporting. Based upon the results and findings, we provide some suggestions for universities to improve their sustainability reporting. This study contributes to the limited research with regard to sustainability reporting in the higher education sector, particularly from a longitudinal perspective. It is expected that this research would have some implications for academics and university sustainability policy makers.