The purpose of this conceptual paper is to develop the socially embedded well-being (SEW) theory of change to explain how faculty wellbeing may operate as a social infrastructure for sustainability transformation in higher education institutions. Drawing from job demands–resources theory, self-determination theory and psychological safety, the SEW framework links SDG 3.4 (well-being) and SDG 4.7/4.c (education for sustainable development [ESD]) through structural, relational and pedagogical mechanisms.
The model proposes that autonomy, fair workload, recognition and supportive leadership are expected to activate motivational processes that enhance engagement and creativity, thereby facilitating to the adoption of sustainability-oriented pedagogies and improved institutional sustainability performance. Complementing the theoretical framework, the SEW–ESD panel architecture operationalizes these mechanisms into measurable indicators, offering a basis for future empirical testing and policy application.
By integrating insights from organizational psychology, sustainability science and educational leadership, this study bridges two previously disconnected literatures – faculty well-being and ESD. It repositions well-being from a welfare concern to a strategic enabler of institutional transformation. The SEW framework contributes both theoretical coherence and practical guidance for embedding human-centered sustainability into governance, curriculum design and staff development practices in higher education, while remaining attentive to contextual variation across institutional and sociopolitical settings.
The paper reframes faculty well-being from a peripheral HR issue to an organizational capability for transformative ESD, offering a mechanism based, evaluable framework that bridges the disconnect between sustainability strategies and the human conditions required to realize them.
