Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) widely use the following SDG reporting standards to demonstrate their alignment and contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
1. The Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings:
- Focuses on HEIs’ performance against the SDGs based on research, stewardship, outreach, and teaching — as highlighted in MapSDG’s article on higher education’s role in SDGs.
- Encourages transparent reporting of contributions to global sustainability.
2. The UN’s Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI):
- A platform for sharing best practices in sustainability and SDG-related initiatives by HEIs — explored in this sustainability guide for education leaders.
- Encourages institutions to submit annual reports on their SDG contributions.
3. The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI):
- Provides guidelines for reporting an institution’s impact on economic, environmental, and social aspects — supporting inclusive and quality education goals.
- Adapted by HEIs to align their operations and research with SDG indicators.
4. The Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME):
- A UN initiative focused on embedding SDG principles into education, research, and institutional operations — similar to the efforts discussed in how HEIs can drive SDG innovation.
- Particularly popular with business schools and management institutes.
5. The SDG Accord Reporting:
- A framework specifically designed for universities, colleges, and other institutions to align their efforts with the SDGs — aligning with MapSDG’s insights on university-level SDG contributions.
- Encourages annual reporting of achievements and goals.
6. ISO Standards (ISO 26000, ISO 14001):
- ISO 26000: Focuses on social responsibility, aligning closely with SDG principles — discussed in HEI sustainability policy frameworks.
- ISO 14001: Relevant for HEIs addressing environmental sustainability and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
7. Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS):
- A self-reporting framework for HEIs to track and share their sustainability performance — further explained in this post about measuring sustainability impact.
- Widely used in North America and increasingly recognized globally.
8. The Green Metric Rankings:
- Ranks universities globally based on sustainability practices in infrastructure, energy use, and waste management — related to global SDG implementation initiatives.
