Light Green - A Case Study of Sustainability Decoupling in Hospitality Education

• Published in: Journal of hospitality & tourism education 2024-01, Vol.36 (1), p.1-12
• Main Authors: Hughes, Susan B., J. Maloni, Michael, Jackson, Leonard A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: decoupling; environmental sustainability; Hospitality education; sustainability; theory of planned behavior; threshold concept
• ISSN: 1096-3758; 2325-6540
• DOI: 10.1080/10963758.2022.2109478

Despite an increased commitment to sustainability, some argue that the hospitality industry and its supporting academic field remain "light green" as actual sustainability initiatives are shallow and decoupled from stated commitments. We address this concern via a case study at one U.S. university, comparing its hospitality program with a strong sustainability commitment to other academic programs with weaker commitments. Survey data of 192 undergraduate students collected via an online survey tool indicate decoupling as hospitality student environmental sustainability attitudes and skills do not translate as well as expected into intentions to practice sustainability in the workplace. In fact, the hospitality program's sustainability impacts are not significantly stronger than the other academic programs, thereby failing to instill the change needed to assure student sustainability dedication. With the uncertain transition from sustainability education to actual practice, we present sustainability as a threshold concept to move students to deep, transformational sustainability commitment.