ORGANIZATIONAL-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE ESG APPROACH IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS: AN ANALYSIS OF THE UZBEK EXPERIENCE
##article.subject##:
ESG, higher education, sustainable development, organizational and economic conditions, Uzbekistan, UI GreenMetric.##article.abstract##
Abstract
Higher education institutions, as large resource consumers and a factor transforming society,
play an important role in sustainable development. This article studies the organizational and
economic conditions for implementing the ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) approach in
higher education institutions based on foreign scientific experience and analyzes them in the
context of Uzbek HEIs. The study, based on a qualitative descriptive-analytical approach,
thematically analyzes international scientific sources, regulatory documents, and UI GreenMetric
rating data. The results show the contradictory nature of the conditions: while strong state policy
and environmental imperatives stimulate the process, financial constraints, weak integration into
the curriculum, and low staff awareness slow it down. The example of Bukhara State University
proves that even in resource-limited conditions, a step-by-step, management-based approach can
achieve results. The study offers practical recommendations for Uzbek HEIs.
Библиографические ссылки
Leal Filho, W., Vargas, V. R., Salvia, A. L., Brandli, L. L., Pallant, E., Klavins, M., ... &
Vaccari, M. (2019). The role of higher education institutions in sustainability initiatives at
the
level. Journal
of
Cleaner
Production, 233,
-1015.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.06.059
Juraev, A., Omonova, N., Mukhanova, G., Makhmudova, N., Abdybaeyva, A., Nurov, Z.,
... & Farmanov, E. (2026). Operationalizing ESG in higher education: a pentagonal integral
model
approach. Frontiers
in
Sustainability, 7,
https://doi.org/10.3389/frsus.2026.1788355
Elkington, J., & Rowlands, I. H. (1999). Cannibals with forks: The triple bottom line of
st century business. Alternatives Journal, 25(4), 42.
Freeman, R. E., Dmytriyev, S. D., & Phillips, R. A. (2021). Stakeholder theory and the
resource-based view of the firm. Journal of Management, 47(7), 1757–1770.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206321993576
UN Global Compact. (2004). Who cares wins: Connecting financial markets to a changing
world.
United
Nations.
https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/280911488968799581/pdf/113237-WP
WhoCaresWins-2004.pdf
Abo-Khalil, A. G. (2024). Integrating sustainability into higher education: challenges and
opportunities
for
universities
worldwide. Heliyon, 10(9).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29946
Alenezi, M., & Alanazi, F. (2024). Integrating environmental social and governance values
into higher education curriculum. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in
Education, 13(5), 3493-3503. DOI: 10.11591/ijere.v13i5.29440
North, D. C. (1990). Institutions, institutional change and economic performance.
Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511808678
Blanco-Portela, N., Benayas, J., Pertierra, L. R., & Lozano, R. (2017). Towards the
integration of sustainability in Higher Education Institutions: A review of drivers of and
barriers to organisational change and their comparison against those found of
companies. Journal
of
Cleaner
Production, 166,
-578.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.07.252
Dhakal, G., & Ahmed, S. (2026). Critical analysis of the barriers to Environmental, Social,
and Governance (ESG) implementation in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
[Conference
paper].
Melbourne
Institute
of
Technology.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/399282296_Critical_analysis_of_the_barriers_t
o_Environmental_Social_and_Governance_ESG_Implementation_in_Small_and_Mediu
m_Enterprises_SMEs
Bautista-Puig, N., & Sanz-Casado, E. (2021). Sustainability practices in Spanish higher
education institutions: An overview of status and implementation. Journal of Cleaner
Production, 295, Article 126320. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126320
Sergey, Bespalyy, et al. Education for sustainable development: comparative analysis and
prospects at universities in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Discover
Sustainability 5.1 (2024): 140. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-024-00343-x
Schaltegger, S., Hörisch, J., & Freeman, R. E. (2019). Business cases for sustainability: A
stakeholder theory perspective. Organization & Environment, 32(3), 191–212.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1086026617722882
Lauder, A., Sari, R. F., Suwartha, N., & Tjahjono, G. (2015). Critical review of a global
campus sustainability ranking: GreenMetric. Journal of Cleaner Production, 108, 852
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.02.080
Lin, S.-T., & Chen, K.-S. (2025). ESG strategies in educational quality management: An
empirical study on fostering student loyalty and sustainability. Sustainability, 17(8),
Article 3723. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17083723
Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, On approval of the Concept for the
development of the higher education system of the Republic of Uzbekistan until 2030.
10.2019. № DP-5847 https://lex.uz/docs/6971334
UI GreenMetric. (2025). UI GreenMetric World University Rankings 2025: Overall
rankings. Universitas Indonesia. https://greenmetric.ui.ac.id
Bespalyy, S., Akhrorova, B. A., Alnazarova, G., Adieva, A., & Petrenko, A. (2024).
Education for sustainable development: Comparative analysis and prospects at universities
in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Discover Sustainability, 5, Article
Загрузки
##submissions.published##
##issue.issue##
##section.section##
Лицензия
Copyright (c) 2026 "Iqtisodiyot va turizm" xalqaro ilmiy va innovatsion jurnal
Это произведение доступно по лицензии Creative Commons «Attribution» («Атрибуция») 4.0 Всемирная.
