Whole School Approach (WSA), in the context of Education for Sustainable Development, can be traced back to the 1990’s providing a framework for a “whole system redesign” associated with the term “sustainable school” (Tilbury & Galvin, 2022). It reflects to all the dimensions of the school life and operations and it captures holistically the Organizational, Pedagagogical and Social dimension of an education institution (e.g. governance, campus, community), (Zachariou & Kadji 2023). Despite the fact that WSA is a pedagogical and conceptual approach that has been extensively discussed through the years in the literature (Holt 2024) and the development of various and diverse models and systemic frameworks, mainly applied in primary and secondary education (Mogren, 2019), the recent discourse on ESD indicates that to transform society to sustainability, there is a need to move from WSA to Whole Institution Approach (WIA). WIA goes beyond schooling and requires the reorientation of every institution’s strategy and culture towards sustainability (Gleason et al., 2020).
Whole Institution Approach, despite its similarities with WSA, is a newly established concept and term in ESD. According to Holst (2023, p. 1015) WIA integrates “continuous and participative organizational learning processes aimed at institutional coherence on sustainability, consistently linking the formal and informal (hidden) curricula”. WIA can operate as “a reflective microcosm of a sustainable society’” (Sterling 2003, p. 344), in which space is provided for collaborative learning along with the challenges and opportunities of co-designing sustainability (Gericke, 2022). At the policy level it was first addressed in the new implementation framework of the UNECE Strategy on ESD 2021-2030, in which it is stated that ESD through WIA is relevant to any institution and organization that seeks to main stream sustainability into all aspects of its operation. It requires reviewing and revising the institution’s internal operations and external relationships, and becomes an essential component in any strategy aligned with the SDGs (UNECE, 2022).
Based on the recent discourse on WIA and ESD, the paper aims to present a systemic framework for WIA that supports every institution to transform to sustainability. The systemic framework has been developed in the framework of the European Project SUSEDI “Route to Transformation of Educational Institutions through a Whole Institution Approach to Sustainability” and pursues to answer to the following research question:
What are the intrinsic elements of a systemic framework on WIA and ESD and how this framework can be feasible, adaptable, meaningful and practical in its application, ensuring the long-term sustainability of every institution regardless of its geographical, social, educational and political context?
We considered this work as innovative because it proposes a systemic framework on WIA and ESD that holistically integrates all dimensions of the WIA into short- and long-term institutional plans, thereby establishing and sustaining a deeply rooted ethos of sustainability. By integrating WIA and adapting to a wide range of contexts—including formal and non-formal education—it ensures that sustainable values and practices are continuously reinforced and woven into the organizational culture. This creates a dynamic environment that not only addresses immediate needs but also guides ongoing transformation for any organization or institution aspiring to develop into a collaborative, lifelong-learning setting that champions sustainability in the long run.

Initially various models that have been already proposed for WSA and ESD were examined [(e.g. OECD Model (Mathar, 2013); the UNESCO model, (UNESCO, 2014; p. 89); the conceptual framework of an ESD effective Education Institution (Verhelst, Vanhoof & Van Petegem, 2022); the “Flower Model” (Wals & Mathie, 2022)], in order to identify the one that could be used as a basis for our work. The proposed framework builds on the Flower Model by Wals and Mathie (2022) and integrates findings from desk and field research to create a comprehensive approach to the WIA for ESD. We selected this model for its dynamism, flexibility, and unified depiction of WIA dimensions. During desk research, 26 international and European case studies identified as exemplary WIA practices were examined in two stages: First, each case was assessed against relevant WIA dimensions, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) addressed, and four keywords encapsulating its core focus. Second, the research team applied five criteria—responsiveness, reflection, resourcing, relevance, and reforming (Wals & Mathie, 2022)—to document how effectively each practice cultivated a sustainable ethos and culture. This research used a standardized template to capture objectives, transformational features, innovative elements, impacts, and evaluation strategies. Subsequently, 14 semi-structured interviews with ESD experts from eight European countries, selected for proven expertise in WIA implementation, probed deeper into the five criteria and explored organizational structures, practical tactics, and contextual obstacles. This phase provided in-depth insights into adapting WIA principles to diverse settings. To synthesize these data, the constant comparative method (Miles et al., 2020) was used. The data analysis process involved forming initial categories or patterns reflecting the integration of WIA elements for creating sustainable educational organizations and then repeatedly comparing these categories against the raw data. The result was a recursive process of refinement of the categories, ensuring that any emerging patterns were thoroughly grounded in both the case study documentation and expert interviews. Ultimately, the insights derived from this analysis led to the refinement of the original Flower Model (Wals & Mathie, 2022) into the proposed systemic framework. By combining the theoretical underpinnings of WIA with empirical findings, the framework offers a more detailed set of elements for ESD-related WIA for institutions seeking to establish a long-term, sustainable ethos and culture.

Building on Wals and Mathie’s (2022) Flower Model, the results of this study led to a refined ESD-specific WIA framework with explicit elements that guide institutions in identifying practices needing more attention for a lasting sustainability ethos. An organization’s sustainable culture and ethos is addressed through three interconnected pillars—pedagogical, social, and organizational—guiding institutional transformation in any context. Systematic data analysis delineated each pillar into parameters or intrinsic ESD-specific WIA elements ensuring clarity, measurability, and actionable guidance. Ultimately, this framework equips institutions with a clearer roadmap to implement and evaluate sustainability initiatives effectively. Specifically, the pedagogical pillar integrates curriculum design, capacity building, and teaching-learning practices. The social pillar centers on collaboration, transformative action, and nurturing a green self-identity. Such a supportive community context deepens commitment, enabling schools to empower embed responsible behaviors within their social fabric. The organizational pillar addresses infrastructure, governance, and institutional functions, alongside leadership and strategic planning. It underscores the importance of strong policy frameworks, resource allocation, and decision-making processes aligned with an institution’s long-term objectives. Drawing on the analysis of empirical data, each ESD-related WIA element was further delineated into specific sub-components, ensuring greater precision. While the five prerequisites from Wals and Mathie (2022)—responsiveness, reflection, resourcing, relevance, and reforming—remain integral, they now guide all three pillars. Responsiveness ensures adaptability to emerging sustainability issues, reflection supports continuous self-evaluation, resourcing drives systemic change, relevance aligns institutional goals with local and global priorities, and reforming commits to ongoing transformative action rather than short-lived initiatives. This research uncovers intrinsic ESD-specific WIA elements and integrates them into a comprehensive framework, guiding institution’s transformations to sustainability in the long-term. Through holistic self-evaluation and alignment with contextual realities, the framework helps institutions periodically refine each pillar, guaranteeing an enduring sustainability ethos embedded in their vision, mission, and daily practice.

Zachariou, A. & Kadji, Ch. (2023). Whole School Approach: A Holistic Pedagogical Approach for Education for Sustainable Development (Ολιστική Σχολική Προσέγγιση: Μια ολοκληρωμένη παιδαγωγική θεώρηση για την Εκπαίδευση για την Αειφόρο Ανάπτυξη). Περιβαλλοντική Εκπαίδευση για την Αειφορία, 5(1), 163–176. https://doi.org/10.12681/ees.35778 Wals, A.E.J., & Mathie, R.G. (2022). Whole School Responses to Climate Urgency and Related Sustainability Challenges. In M.A. Peters, & R. Heraud (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Educational Innovation. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2262-4_263-1 Verhelst, D., Vanhoof, J., Van Petegem, P. (2022). Development and validation of the education for sustainable development school organisation questionnaire. Environmental Education Research 28(2), 241-259 UNESCO (2014). Roadmap for Implementing the Global Action Programme on Education for Sustainable Development. UNESCO. ttps://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000230514 UNECE (2022). Framework for the implementation of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Strategy for Education for Sustainable Development from 2021 to 2030. ECE/CEP/AC.13/2022/3. https://unece.org/sites/default/files/2022-05/ece_cep_ac.13_2022_3_e.pdf. Tilbury D, Galvin C (2022) Input paper: A Whole School Approach to Learning for Environmental Sustainability. European Commission, DG Education, Youth, Sport and Culture. https:// education. ec. europa. eu/ sites/ defau lt/ files/ 2022- 02/ input- paper- whole school-approach- sustainabi lity. Pdf Sterling S (2003) Whole systems thinking as a basis for paradigm change in education: explorations in the context of sustainability. PhD, University of Bath Mogren, A. (2019). Guiding Principles of Transformative Education for Sustainable Development in Local School Organisations Investigating Whole School Approaches through a School Improvement Lens. Doctoral Thesis. Karlstad University Studies https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1368940/FULLTEXT01.pdf Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldaña, J. (2020). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook (4th ed.). SAGE Publications. https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/qualitative-data-analysis/book243616 Mathar, R. (2013). The concept of the Whole School Approach – a platform for school development with focus on sustainable development. In ESD Expert Nework (Eds.), Schools for Sustainability – A resource toolkit for Teacher Training. https://esd-expert.net/files/ESD-Expert/pdf/Concept-Paper-Mathar.pdf Holst, J., Grund, J., & Brock, A. (2024). Whole Institution Approach: Measurable and highly effective in empowering learners and educators for sustainability. Sustainability Science, 19, 1359–1376. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-024-01506-5 Holst, J. (2023). Towards coherence on sustainability in education: a systematic review of Whole Institution Approaches. Sustainability Science,18(2), 1015-1030. Gleason, R., Kirillov, P., Koryakina, N., Ermakov, S., & Ermakov, D. (2020). Whole-institution Approach in Education for Sustainable Development: Theory and Practice. Scholarly Notes of Transbaikal State University. 15. 36-43. 10.21209/2658-7114-2020-15-4-36-43. Gericke N (2022) Implementation of Education for Sustainable Development through a whole school approach. In: GülizKaraarslanS (ed) Education for Sustainable Development in primary and secondary schools. Springer, Cham, pp 153–166