Learning Sustainability by Practice: Linking Campus Sustainability Engagement and Occupational Safety Using STARS Data

Abstract: Sustainability education in higher education often emphasizes curriculum and student learning, yet institutions also learn through operational practices and assessment systems. This study examines the relationship between campus sustainability engagement and occupational safety outcomes at U.S. higher education institutions using data from the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) (AASHE, 2025). Institutional characteristics, campus size, and STARS recognition levels were analyzed to assess whether stronger sustainability engagement is associated with lower rates of work-related injuries and illnesses. Findings suggest that institutions with higher sustainability engagement tend to report fewer occupational injuries and illnesses, suggesting a relationship between sustainability engagement and attention to worker safety. From a sustainability education perspective, these results demonstrate how assessment frameworks such as STARS can support institutional learning and sustainability education by linking performance data to planning and continuous improvement (Lozano et al., 2013). Integrating occupational safety into sustainability assessment reinforces safety as a sustainability outcome and illustrates how sustainability education extends beyond the classroom into everyday institutional practice.