General information on the materiality analysis

The materiality analysis is used to determine those topics that are primarily included in sustainability management and that will be mapped in the upcoming BOKU sustainability report:

  • Material topics
    These topics were rated particularly highly in both the stakeholder survey and in the workshop, which is why the BOKU will make every effort to advance these topics in the coming years. In order to ensure progress and to be able to measure it, a management approach is developed for each essential topic. The main topics are also shown in the sustainability report.
  • Other reporting topics
    These topics were rated highly and are therefore also included in the sustainability report, but without an extra management approach.

Starting point
28 sustainability topics derived from the sustainability strategy process served as the basis.

Method
Specifically, the materiality analysis consisted of two elements:

  1. Online stakeholder survey in which all BOKU members and external stakeholders from the fields of politics, business and research took part
  2. Materiality workshop that was held online due to the corona. BOKU internal experts and department managers took part in the workshop.

Based on the results of both processes, the main topics and the other reporting topics were determined. Attention was paid to the balance between the areas of teaching, research, exchange with society, operations and organizational culture.

Results of the materiality analysis

Material topics according to areas

Teaching
•    Education for Sustainable Development
•    Inter- & transdisciplinary teaching

Research
•    Research relevant to sustainability
•    BOKU-internal cross-linking
•    Inter- & transdisciplinary research

Exchange with society
•    Social Commitment
•    Science communication (from Quadrant B)

Enterprise
•    GHG emissions
•    Mobility
•    Resource consumption

Organizational culture
•    Employment conditions & working atmosphere
•    Transparency

According to the GRI standard, a management approach must be developed for the key issues.

A management approach includes:
•    development of indicators
•    establishing target values
•    development of measures
•    definition of responsibilities
•    making resources available

Other reporting topics

Teaching
Reflection & discussion in teaching

Exchange with society
cooperation

Enterprise
Energy consumption, nutrition, climate change adaptation, sustainable procurement, recycling & waste

Organizational culture
Governance in the context of sustainability

These topics are mapped in the sustainability report (without an extra mgmt approach)

In addition, the topic of "digitization" is included as a cross-cutting issue in the sustainability report