Abstract
This chapter aims to examine how sustainability branding influences the reputation of a higher education institution (HEI) in Mexico through the use of organizational storytelling. The method employed for this study was a case study approach, involving 30 in-depth interviews conducted with students enrolled in the mentoring program. The interview script was based on the corporate reputation index (CRI) and was aligned with the triple bottom line (TBL) pillars of sustainability. The findings indicate that students' perceptions of the economic aspects of the HEI include maximizing the benefits received relative to their investment and perceiving a higher quality of educational services. Students' evaluations of the social aspects of the HEI encompass aspects such as service, leadership, infostructure, scholarships, cultural traditions, and health promotion. Students' assessments of the environmental aspects suggest a focus on institutional practices, empathy, and collaboration. The combination of these elements of sustainability branding enhances a positive reputation for the HEI.
TopIntroduction
Sustainability represents the ability to endure over time, addressing challenges individually, collectively, as well as transdisciplinary and multilaterally to meet human requirements. Therefore, the United Nations (UN) emphasizes in The Sustainable Development Goals Report (2023) a rescue plan for both people and the planet if the 2030 Agenda is not achieved.
Accordingly, the report indicates that progress towards the goals has faltered, and under current trends, 575 million people will remain in extreme poverty by 2030, exacerbating global issues of poverty and hunger. Additionally, by 2030, an estimated 84 million children will be out of school, with 300 million of those attending graduating without basic literacy skills (Sustainable Development Goals Report, 2023). Furthermore, concerns regarding deforestation, carbon dioxide levels, polluting fuels, and endangered species are escalating.
Sustainability assumes greater significance considering its goal to meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own, by maximizing positive impacts and minimizing negative ones (Haid et al., 2024; Rahman & Koszewska, 2020; World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987). It influences economic-social policies such as urban mobility, balancing ecological conditions, and shapes business and industrial strategies, as seen in sustainability branding (Seghezzo, 2009; Loorbach et al., 2021). Sustainability branding encompasses the functional and psychological benefits stakeholders perceive from an organization's sustainability results and products (Winit et al., 2023).
Given this, storytelling becomes strategic in studying sustainability branding, as it influences stakeholder perceptions and evaluations, thus shaping corporate reputation. Corporate reputation reflects stakeholders' perceptions of a company's attributes and performance over time, constituting an intangible asset (Bigus et al., 2024; Feldman et al., 2014; Bromley, 2000). However, research on sustainable branding and corporate reputation, especially in non-profit organizations like Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), remains underdeveloped (Nascimento & Loureiro, 2024).
This chapter aims to examine how sustainability branding influences the reputation of HEIs using organizational storytelling. It employs storytelling with the university's main customers, the students, particularly those in a mentoring program. Corporate reputation is assessed using an alternative instrument developed by Feldman (2014): the Consumer Reputation Index (CRI). This research is paradigmatic due to its examination of sustainability branding in HEIs and its use of a different reputation assessment tool. Additionally, it contributes to the limited literature on storytelling in corporate reputation.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Higher Education Institution: Institutions authorized and accredited by the educational authorities to offer bachelor's degrees and graduate programs.
Reputation: Judgments generated from the perceptions that a group of people have about a place, an event, an organization, or a person that serve to determine whether they are trustworthy or not.
Leadership: An individual's ability to influence the behavior and decisions of others.
Consumer: Final user or individual who exercises the usufruct of a good or service.
Sustainability branding: It refers to the strategic process through which organizations integrate sustainability principles and practices into their brand identity, communication, and strategy. It involves aligning brand values, messaging, and visual identity with environmental, social, and economic sustainability goals. Sustainability branding aims to establish a positive association between the brand and sustainable practices, fostering trust, loyalty, and preference among consumers who prioritize sustainability.
Storytelling: It is the process of conveying information, ideas, or experiences through the structured narration of stories designed to captivate and engage the target audience. Using narrative elements such as plot, characters, setting, and conflict, storytelling aims not only to inform but also to evoke emotions and create meaningful connections between the storyteller and the audience, facilitating comprehension, information retention, and influencing individuals' perceptions and behaviors.
Student: A subject who joins the educational system to learn and obtain knowledge at a certain academic level.