Indexing: Web of Science (ESCI), Scopus (CiteScore: 1.2)
Indexing: Web of Science (ESCI), Scopus (CiteScore: 1.2)
Aims and Scope
Highlights of Sustainability is an international, transdisciplinary journal focusing on environmental, economic, social as well as cultural, technological, and political fields about sustainability and sustainable development. The journal serves as a platform for addressing and discussing theoretical and practical studies related to natural and social sciences as well as humanities about sustainability in corporations, governments, education institutions, regions, and societies.

As a scholarly open access journal, Highlights of Sustainability encourages researchers to publish their experimental and methodical results in as much detail as possible to promote the development of new technologies and new sustainability solutions. The journal accepts research articles and reviews.
Highlights of Sustainability is an international, transdisciplinary journal focusing on environmental, economic, social as well as cultural, technological, and political fields about sustainability and sustainable development. The journal serves as a platform for addressing and discussing theoretical and practical studies related to natural and social sciences as well as humanities about sustainability in corporations, governments, education institutions, regions, and societies.

As a scholarly open access journal, Highlights of Sustainability encourages researchers to publish their experimental and methodical results in as much detail as possible to promote the development of new technologies and new sustainability solutions. The journal accepts research articles and reviews.

The journal will cover topics including:

  • circular economy
  • climate change
  • defining and quantifying sustainability
  • education and sustainability
  • effects of global climate change on sustainability
  • energy resources management and assessment
  • environmental degradation
  • environmental impact assessment
  • environmental law
  • environmental protection
  • environmental resources management
  • environmentally-friendly chemical engineering
  • green building
  • green technologies
  • health and environment
  • heritage conservation
  • human population control
  • human well-being and social equality
  • land use
  • local and individual lifestyles
  • measuring sustainability
  • natural capital and biodiversity
  • natural resources management
  • overconsumption
  • policies and laws related to sustainability
  • policies for sustainable development
  • pollution
  • poverty
  • renewable energy
  • supply chain management
  • sustainable agriculture and food security
  • sustainable tourism
  • sustainability assessment tools
  • urban and regional planning
  • urban planning and transport
  • waste
  • water pollution and sanitation
  • and others as related to sustainability
Article    8 Sep 2025
Larry Dwyer
Across the social sciences, wellbeing measures are being developed to cover a more comprehensive picture of factors contributing to quality of life. However, ongoing neglect of the wellbeing outcomes of tourism activity has restricted the relevance Across the social sciences, wellbeing measures are being developed to cover a more comprehensive picture of factors contributing to quality of life. However, ongoing neglect of the wellbeing outcomes of tourism activity has restricted the relevance of much tourism research, practice and policymaking globally. These include failure to recognise human wellbeing as the primary aim of any industrial development, including tourism; adherence to a superficial conception of the nature of wellbeing and its measures; a failure to acknowledge that human wellbeing, beyond “needs”, is an essential component of sustainable development; tourism stakeholder adherence to a primarily static, rather than dynamic conception of sustainability; failure to distinguish between “weak” and “strong” sustainability; uncritical adoption of a pro-growth mindset that is steadily depleting and degrading the resources and the wellbeing of life on the planet; failure to incorporate wellbeing outcomes into tourism business mission statements; and failure to treat seriously the need for tourism degrowth at least for some sectors of the industry. To address such failures, tourism decisionmakers must incorporate stakeholder wellbeing outcomes into conceptual analysis, empirical research and policy assessment. or Access Full Article
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 4 (2025), Issue 3, pp. 192–204
89 Views25 Downloads
Article    4 Sep 2025
Noha Emara, I-Ming Chiu and Sheila Warrick
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 4 (2025), Issue 3, pp. 174–191
138 Views37 Downloads
Systematic Review    3 Jul 2025
Samson Toye Abiodun and Mehmet Recai Uygur
This research investigates the role of line managers in encouraging prosocial behavior that improves sustainability at the individual level in organizations. Based on a meta-analysis of the last ten years of research literature consisting of 15 This research investigates the role of line managers in encouraging prosocial behavior that improves sustainability at the individual level in organizations. Based on a meta-analysis of the last ten years of research literature consisting of 15 studies, it underlines the impact of transformational, servant, and inclusive leadership on the level of trust, emotional commitment, and shared purpose within the organization. Its emergent culture and internal climates strengthened leadership’s impact on fostering prosocial behavior. Benefits include enhanced employee well-being, improved productivity, and heightened engagement. This study highlights the emotionally responsive leadership and the appreciation of organizational culture needed to perpetuate prosocial behavior, offering actionable insights for leadership and organizational transformation. This study approaches sustainability from a social perspective, framing “individual sustainability”  as the employee’s ongoing capacity for well-being and interpersonal engagement within the organization. or Access Full Article
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 4 (2025), Issue 3, pp. 158–173
603 Views137 Downloads
Article    31 May 2025
Open Peer Review
Vassilios Makrakis, Nelly Kostoulas-Makrakis, Omar Ramzy and Mohammed Anwar
Increasing numbers of refugee children enter host countries’ public schools. Yet, most refugee children’s education is carried out through refugee community schools, mainly by unqualified teachers. This study examines critical elements impacting teacher training satisfaction, emphasizing Increasing numbers of refugee children enter host countries’ public schools. Yet, most refugee children’s education is carried out through refugee community schools, mainly by unqualified teachers. This study examines critical elements impacting teacher training satisfaction, emphasizing instructors’ preparedness and skill, and the effectiveness of training outcomes within a post-graduate program to improve education for refugee children. It supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG10, which calls for lowering inequality, and SDG4, which strongly emphasizes high-quality education. A sizable sample of 306 out of 386 individuals who had finished the RefTeCp capacity-building program participated in the study. These people worked in various educational environments, such as community schools for refugees and private establishments. The study guaranteed its legitimacy through a thorough reliability analysis and content evaluation. Multiple regression techniques were used in data analysis to identify the crucial factors influencing teacher training satisfaction. According to key findings, the efficiency of teaching materials and instructors’ abilities to manage blended learning environments substantially correlate and explain teacher training satisfaction. The study’s results highlight several essential facets of teacher professional development, such as focusing on suitable high-quality blended learning materials and resources to improve refugee students’ learning needs and experiences. Continuing teacher capacity-building interventions, and allowing refugee teachers to participate, can significantly contribute to reducing inequities and, ultimately, to a more equitable and just society. or Access Full Article
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 4 (2025), Issue 2, pp. 146–157
894 Views170 Downloads
Review    21 May 2025
Hüseyin Emre Ilgın and Özlem Nur Aslantamer
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 4 (2025), Issue 2, pp. 122–145
962 Views176 Downloads
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Article    8 Sep 2025
Larry Dwyer
Across the social sciences, wellbeing measures are being developed to cover a more comprehensive picture of factors contributing to quality of life. However, ongoing neglect of the wellbeing outcomes of tourism activity has restricted the relevance Across the social sciences, wellbeing measures are being developed to cover a more comprehensive picture of factors contributing to quality of life. However, ongoing neglect of the wellbeing outcomes of tourism activity has restricted the relevance of much tourism research, practice and policymaking globally. These include failure to recognise human wellbeing as the primary aim of any industrial development, including tourism; adherence to a superficial conception of the nature of wellbeing and its measures; a failure to acknowledge that human wellbeing, beyond “needs”, is an essential component of sustainable development; tourism stakeholder adherence to a primarily static, rather than dynamic conception of sustainability; failure to distinguish between “weak” and “strong” sustainability; uncritical adoption of a pro-growth mindset that is steadily depleting and degrading the resources and the wellbeing of life on the planet; failure to incorporate wellbeing outcomes into tourism business mission statements; and failure to treat seriously the need for tourism degrowth at least for some sectors of the industry. To address such failures, tourism decisionmakers must incorporate stakeholder wellbeing outcomes into conceptual analysis, empirical research and policy assessment. or Access Full Article
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 4 (2025), Issue 3, pp. 192–204
89 Views25 Downloads
Article    4 Sep 2025
Noha Emara, I-Ming Chiu and Sheila Warrick
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 4 (2025), Issue 3, pp. 174–191
138 Views37 Downloads
Systematic Review    3 Jul 2025
Samson Toye Abiodun and Mehmet Recai Uygur
This research investigates the role of line managers in encouraging prosocial behavior that improves sustainability at the individual level in organizations. Based on a meta-analysis of the last ten years of research literature consisting of 15 This research investigates the role of line managers in encouraging prosocial behavior that improves sustainability at the individual level in organizations. Based on a meta-analysis of the last ten years of research literature consisting of 15 studies, it underlines the impact of transformational, servant, and inclusive leadership on the level of trust, emotional commitment, and shared purpose within the organization. Its emergent culture and internal climates strengthened leadership’s impact on fostering prosocial behavior. Benefits include enhanced employee well-being, improved productivity, and heightened engagement. This study highlights the emotionally responsive leadership and the appreciation of organizational culture needed to perpetuate prosocial behavior, offering actionable insights for leadership and organizational transformation. This study approaches sustainability from a social perspective, framing “individual sustainability”  as the employee’s ongoing capacity for well-being and interpersonal engagement within the organization. or Access Full Article
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 4 (2025), Issue 3, pp. 158–173
603 Views137 Downloads
Article    31 May 2025
Open Peer Review
Vassilios Makrakis, Nelly Kostoulas-Makrakis, Omar Ramzy and Mohammed Anwar
Increasing numbers of refugee children enter host countries’ public schools. Yet, most refugee children’s education is carried out through refugee community schools, mainly by unqualified teachers. This study examines critical elements impacting teacher training satisfaction, emphasizing Increasing numbers of refugee children enter host countries’ public schools. Yet, most refugee children’s education is carried out through refugee community schools, mainly by unqualified teachers. This study examines critical elements impacting teacher training satisfaction, emphasizing instructors’ preparedness and skill, and the effectiveness of training outcomes within a post-graduate program to improve education for refugee children. It supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG10, which calls for lowering inequality, and SDG4, which strongly emphasizes high-quality education. A sizable sample of 306 out of 386 individuals who had finished the RefTeCp capacity-building program participated in the study. These people worked in various educational environments, such as community schools for refugees and private establishments. The study guaranteed its legitimacy through a thorough reliability analysis and content evaluation. Multiple regression techniques were used in data analysis to identify the crucial factors influencing teacher training satisfaction. According to key findings, the efficiency of teaching materials and instructors’ abilities to manage blended learning environments substantially correlate and explain teacher training satisfaction. The study’s results highlight several essential facets of teacher professional development, such as focusing on suitable high-quality blended learning materials and resources to improve refugee students’ learning needs and experiences. Continuing teacher capacity-building interventions, and allowing refugee teachers to participate, can significantly contribute to reducing inequities and, ultimately, to a more equitable and just society. or Access Full Article
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 4 (2025), Issue 2, pp. 146–157
894 Views170 Downloads
Review    21 May 2025
Hüseyin Emre Ilgın and Özlem Nur Aslantamer
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 4 (2025), Issue 2, pp. 122–145
962 Views176 Downloads
Article    16 Apr 2025
Open Peer Review
Enrique Javier Díez Gutiérrez, Luisa María García Salas, Sara Aguilar Moya, Kelly Romero Acosta, Antonio Pérez Robles, José Jesús Trujillo Vargas, Ignacio Perlado Lamo de Espinosa and Luis Miguel Mateos Toro
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 4 (2025), Issue 2, pp. 108–121
1283 Views326 Downloads
Article    3 Apr 2025
Open Peer Review
Martin Wynn and Peter Jones
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 4 (2025), Issue 2, pp. 95–107
1300 Views921 Downloads
Review    25 Mar 2025
Phoenix Eskridge-Aldama, Aden Stern, Anna Vaughn and Diana Stuart
As global temperatures continue to rise, those in favor of rapid climate mitigation face critical questions regarding maintaining current levels of economic growth. On a global scale, there remains a clear positive correlation between economic growth As global temperatures continue to rise, those in favor of rapid climate mitigation face critical questions regarding maintaining current levels of economic growth. On a global scale, there remains a clear positive correlation between economic growth and carbon emissions, leading many climate scientists to call for a move away from a growth-focused economy. In this article, we draw from recent research to compare possible outcomes in terms of social well-being and climate mitigation for green growth and degrowth pathways. Green growth aims to maintain economic growth while reducing carbon emissions. Degrowth calls for a purposeful contraction of economic growth in wealthy countries. Drawing from recent studies, we compile evidence to compare these pathways and assess how each of these key strategies is evaluated and framed in the literature. We find that research indicates clear differences between these pathways in terms of mitigation potential and risks to human welfare, and we call for future research on specific topics related to a degrowth transition. Additionally, we identify issues of feasibility as primary concerns within both paradigms. or Access Full Article
This article is part of the Special Issue Economic Growth and Environmental Degradation.
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 4 (2025), Issue 2, pp. 69–94
2160 Views412 Downloads
Article    22 Feb 2025
Assitan Diaby, Mehdi Seraj and Huseyin Ozdeser
This article is part of the Special Issue Economic Growth and Environmental Degradation.
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 4 (2025), Issue 1, pp. 56–68
1181 Views252 Downloads
Article    20 Feb 2025
Open Peer Review
Anna C. Schomberg, Clemens Mostert and Stefan Bringezu
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 4 (2025), Issue 1, pp. 38–55
1756 Views384 Downloads
Article    29 Apr 2022
Richard W. Butler and Rachel Dodds
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 1 (2022), Issue 2, pp. 54–64
6445 Views3983 Downloads12 Citations
Article    18 May 2023
Larry Dwyer
This article is part of the Special Issue Sustainable Tourism.
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 2 (2023), Issue 2, pp. 83–99
6029 Views3469 Downloads10 Citations
Article    26 Aug 2022
Stephen K. Wegren
Although Russia’s grain growing regions have experienced episodic droughts, the financial impact of climate change has to date been modest when measured in terms of value of production lost. As industrial agriculture continues to emit greenhouse Although Russia’s grain growing regions have experienced episodic droughts, the financial impact of climate change has to date been modest when measured in terms of value of production lost. As industrial agriculture continues to emit greenhouse gases, the impact of climate change will intensify, making Russia’s southern regions drier and hotter, and potentially forcing a structural shift in production northward, an event that will lead to lower yields and grain output. The sustainable sector in Russia’s agricultural system is not able to compensate for lower grain output in the south, nor is it able to feed the nation or ensure food security across the full spectrum of commodities that consumers expect. The prospect of Russia as a declining grain power impacts the dozens of nations that import Russian grain, most notably authoritarian regimes in the Middle East. or Access Full Article
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 1 (2022), Issue 3, pp. 188–201
4564 Views4533 Downloads3 Citations
Article    7 Feb 2024
Tsz Hin Hui, Nadine Itani and John F. O’Connell
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 3 (2024), Issue 1, pp. 61–75
5770 Views2204 Downloads4 Citations
Review    8 May 2023
Annette Toivonen
This article is part of the Special Issue Sustainable Tourism.
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 2 (2023), Issue 2, pp. 75–82
4446 Views3351 Downloads4 Citations
Article    8 Sep 2022
Open Peer Review
Annalisa Stacchini, Andrea Guizzardi and Michele Costa
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 1 (2022), Issue 3, pp. 202–223
5721 Views1496 Downloads7 Citations
Article    6 May 2022
Marjan Marjanović, Wendy Wuyts, Julie Marin and Joanna Williams
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 1 (2022), Issue 2, pp. 65–87
5199 Views1454 Downloads14 Citations
Article    6 Dec 2022
Open Peer Review
Julia Hillmann, Anne Bergmann and Edeltraud Guenther
This paper investigates the time-dependent effects of building organizational resilience. So far, empirical research only finds evidence that organizational resilience provides benefits in the long term. For the short and medium term, the link remains unclear This paper investigates the time-dependent effects of building organizational resilience. So far, empirical research only finds evidence that organizational resilience provides benefits in the long term. For the short and medium term, the link remains unclear. On the one hand, literature indicates that building organizational resilience is costly. On the other hand, actions to build organizational resilience are perceived by investors, which should provide immediate positive effects for companies. This study investigates these two assumptions in the climate change context. We apply multiple regression analysis to study the relationship between resilience capabilities and different measures of financial performance. For market value and financial volatility, our findings indicate that building organizational resilience provides immediate benefits. For the total stock return index, we find only benefits that materialize with a time lag. We find no evidence at all that building resilience capabilities is related to costs in terms of lower accounting-based financial performance. Overall findings indicate that building organizational resilience is advantageous as it prepares an organization to face the challenges of climate change and, at the same time, provides financial benefits. or Access Full Article
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 1 (2022), Issue 4, pp. 233–252
4832 Views1818 Downloads2 Citations
Article    6 Oct 2023
Felice Diekel, Vanessa Bach and Matthias Finkbeiner
This article is part of the Special Issue Capturing the Sustainable Impact of Early-Stage Business Models.
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 2 (2023), Issue 4, pp. 207–223
4711 Views1396 Downloads2 Citations
Article    17 May 2022
Alfred Söderberg
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 1 (2022), Issue 2, pp. 88–104
4656 Views1317 Downloads2 Citations
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Highlights of Sustainability Editorial Office
Highlights of Science
Avenida Madrid, 189-195, 3-3
08014 Barcelona, Spain
Email: sustainability@hos.pub
Tel. +34 93 138 23 89
Cathy Wang Managing Editor
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