Universities Must Embrace ESG For Sustainable Development- Don

Universities have been urged to adopt Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles as a strategic framework for promoting sustainable development, innovation and institutional transformation amid growing global challenges.

The call was made by Dr. Adesoji Tayo while delivering the fifth College Lecture of the College of Science, Engineering and Technology of the Osun State University (UNIOSUN) on Thursday in Osogbo.

Speaking on the theme, “Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Towards Sustainability: Role of the University,” Tayo said universities must reposition themselves to fulfil their responsibility of educating future leaders and generating knowledge capable of driving national and global development.

According to him, ESG implementation requires “deliberate planning and phased implementation, measured indicators, periodic evaluation, stakeholder participation and continuous improvement.”

The guest lecturer identified environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and governance and institutional integrity as the three pillars of ESG.

He urged universities to embrace the framework, noting that it would “encourage teaching and learning, research and innovation, community engagement, institutional competitiveness and global partnership and rankings.”

Tayo expressed optimism that ESG would provide a coordinating framework for “academic excellence, research and innovation, digital transformation and smart governance, financial sustainability and resource mobilisation, human capital development and sustainable campus infrastructure.”

He also advocated the productive use of Artificial Intelligence and encouraged institutions to domesticate innovations from other countries to address local challenges.

As part of the lecture, Tayo proposed the Òṣogbo Declaration on ESG and Sustainable Universities, aimed at recognising the transformative role of universities in advancing sustainable development.

Among the resolutions contained in the declaration are that “Universities shall embrace ESG as a strategic framework for institutional transformation” and that “sustainability shall be integrated into governance, teaching, research and community engagement.”

The declaration further stated that “scientific knowledge shall be translated into technologies and practical solutions that improve society,” while universities should “promote ethical leadership, transparency, accountability and responsible resource management.”

Other resolutions include strengthening strategic partnerships with government, industry, communities and development partners, promoting entrepreneurship and commercialisation of research, and ensuring sustainability performance is continuously measured and improved.

In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of UNIOSUN, Prof. Odunayo Clement Adebooye, described the lecture as “an important milestone in our collective pursuit of knowledge and sustainable development.”

He said the theme of the lecture was “a clarion call to universities to lead by example” in addressing societal and environmental challenges.

Adebooye reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to sustainable development, noting that the university had established a Global Affairs and Sustainable Development Institute to deepen its interventions in the sector.

He added that UNIOSUN would continue to strengthen research in renewable energy and other emerging areas while cautioning that “sometimes, in creating solutions, new challenges may emerge.”

The vice-chancellor also urged members of the university community to sustain the tradition of college lectures, describing them as a foundation for “intellectual discourse and academic excellence.”

Also speaking, the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Clement Adesuyi Haastrup, expressed concern over the growing rate of youth unemployment, cultism and internet fraud among young people.

The monarch said he had initiated measures to tackle the problem through agriculture and entrepreneurship.

“As a royal father, I have observed that many youths are jobless and are getting involved in cultism and internet fraud,” he said.

To address the challenge, Haastrup disclosed that he had championed the acquisition of farmland to engage young people productively.

“I have acquired about 3,000 hectares of land for farming, and we are also inviting Chinese businesses to invest in Ijesaland,” the monarch said.

He added that the initiative is designed not only to create employment opportunities but also to empower youths as entrepreneurs and contributors to economic development.