Online sustainability disclosure practices in the university context. The role of the board of directors

Abstract

Purpose The study aims to examine the impact of corporate governance in terms of certain board characteristics on the level of universities’ voluntary sustainability disclosure. Design/methodology/approach A content analysis based on a comprehensive disclosure index – that also accounts for the impact that COVID-19 exerted on the social dimension of university activities – is performed on a sample of Italian public universities’ websites for the year 2020. An ordinary least squares regression model is estimated to test the association between universities’ board characteristics, namely, board size, board independence and board gender diversity (including the presence of a female rector), and online sustainability disclosure. Findings This study provides evidence that websites represent a valid tool used by universities to highlight their social performance and demonstrate their commitment to dealing with the pandemic’s social and economic disruption by supporting their stakeholders. Board gender diversity and female Rector’s presence are crucial factors that positively impact voluntary sustainability disclosure levels. Practical implications Policymakers and regulators can benefit from the study’s findings. Using the results of this study, they may reflect on the need to regulate sustainability reporting in universities. In addition, findings may offer policymakers inspiration for regulating the presence of women on university boards. Originality/value This study offers novel contributions to existing literature analysing the university’s voluntary sustainability disclosure practices through alternative communication tools such as websites. Moreover, it provides novel insight into the role of the board gender diversity in university sustainability disclosure practices.

Online sustainable development goals disclosure: A comparative study in Italian and Spanish local governments

“…Websites are deemed faster, more cost‐effective, flexible, and dynamic than traditional reports (Hossain, 2018). They are also considered more user‐friendly and able to reach wider audiences faster than other communication tools (Andrades‐Peña et al, 2019; Lodhia, 2012; Nicolò, Aversano, et al, 2023). Recognising this potential, PSOs have increasingly used websites to improve communication with stakeholders on financial and non‐financial issues, thereby enhancing their accountability and transparency (e.g., Alcaraz‐Quiles et al, 2014; Tirado‐Valencia et al, 2016).…”

“…Several studies on annual or sustainability reports have mainly used words, sentences or paragraphs (e.g., Chan et al, 2014; Korca et al, 2021; Michelon et al, 2015). However, considering websites' complex and multidimensional nature, in line with prior studies (Branco & Rodrigues, 2008; Everaert et al, 2019; Nicolò, Aversano, et al, 2023), we adopted a comprehensive unit of analysis that included sentences, paragraphs, tables and charts with text. However, we circumscribed the analysis to web browser formats (e.g., HTML) (Branco & Rodrigues, 2008; Manes‐Rossi et al, 2018).…”

“…However, we circumscribed the analysis to web browser formats (e.g., HTML) (Branco & Rodrigues, 2008; Manes‐Rossi et al, 2018). We did not examine annual and non‐financial reports or other documents in PDF or Word because we deemed them distinct and alternative information sources that were incompatible with the study's aim (Branco & Rodrigues, 2008; Manes‐Rossi et al, 2018; Nicolò, Aversano, et al, 2023). To further circumscribe the analysis and minimise bias due to the rather vast and confusing structure of websites, we also excluded newsletters, brochures, media releases and links to external web pages (Branco & Rodrigues, 2008; Manes‐Rossi et al, 2018; Nicolò et al, 2021).…”

“…We preferred a manual process to electronic searching performed using software, as it minimises potential drawbacks stemming from the identification of sentences and content with multiple senses and streamlines the interpretation of the meaning of information based on the web context (Farneti et al, 2019; Nicolò et al, 2021). Considering most websites' structural complexity, the coding process consists of three phases (Everaert et al, 2019; Nicolò, Aversano, et al, 2023). First, we examined each home page and analysed the sections (e.g., ‘About Us’, ‘Who We Are’ and ‘Our Mission’) that contained the most important general information about the respective LG.…”