Website communications for campus sustainability: an analysis of Canadian universities

Purpose This study aims to better understand the communication of sustainability by Canadian universities, specifically the use of websites, interactive features and sustainability plans. Design/methodology/approach A total of 95 Canadian universities were included in this study. The mixed-methods approach sought to capture the communication of sustainability via websites, the interactive features used, as well as to evaluate the quality of sustainability plans. Findings The study revealed that 67% of universities address sustainability on their websites. On average, universities offer three to four interactive features on their sustainability-related Web pages, and the average score of the quality of campus sustainability plans was 29 (out of 41). Originality/value To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first research to assess sustainability content and the interactive features on sustainability-related pages of Canadian universities' websites. The quality of sustainability plans is also evaluated. The study informs the present understanding of communicating sustainability by Canadian universities and provides a basis for future investigations in HEIs in Canada and beyond.