Synopsis:
This workshop reframes research integrity by integrating sustainability and eco-justice as core ethical dimensions of everyday research practice.
It presents two micromodules from the RE4GREEN project that address environmental impacts, ecofeminist ethics, and responsibility toward ecosystems, future generations, and marginalized communities. Through interactive, practice-oriented activities, participants explore how these modules can complement existing research integrity training and foster a sustainable research culture.
Abstract:
Facing the contribution of research and innovation processes to the multiple ecological crises of the present requires not to limit the scope of responsible research conduct to issues such as data management, authorship, or compliance. Environmental ethical considerations such as valuing sustainability, promoting nature and environmental justice must be regarded to be integral dimensions of research integrity, yet they remain insufficiently embedded in existing training and professional development structures (Tzouvaras et al., 2025). This workshop addresses this gap by presenting and piloting two micromodules developed within the RE4GREEN project, designed to support researchers in integrating sustainability and eco-justice into everyday research practice as a matter of integrity.
The micromodules form part of the training program “Sustainability and Eco-Justice in Everyday Research” (available under embassy.science) and were developed through a structured, evidence-based process. First, a comprehensive gap analysis of existing research ethics and integrity resources (Tzouvaras et al., 2025) identified a systematic underrepresentation of environmental and climate-related considerations in current training offers. While many resources address responsible conduct of research in procedural or compliance-oriented terms, few engage with the environmental impacts of research practices, the ethical implications of contributing to planetary crises, or questions of justice across human and non-human stakeholders. Second, the design of the micromodules was guided by the RE4GREEN competency profile (Sabin et al., 2026; Bianchi et al., 2022), which articulates the knowledge, skills, and values required for sustainability- and eco-justice-oriented research across disciplines and career stages.
The workshop will focus on two selected micromodules that exemplify this approach. Each micromodule combines conceptual input with reflexive and practice-oriented elements, encouraging participants to critically examine how sustainability and eco-justice considerations intersect with established norms of research integrity in their own research. Topics addressed include, for example, the environmental impacts of methodological choices, the ethical relevance of harm reduction and precaution in research design, and the responsibilities of researchers towards ecosystems, future generations, and marginalized communities. Rather than offering prescriptive checklists, the micromodules are designed to foster critical reflection, systems thinking, and context-sensitive ethical judgment.
Specifically, participants have the opportunity to explore the following modules:
1) “Applying ecofeminist ethics to research practice”:
Ecofeminist theories highlight how the structures that create the climate crisis and social inequality are intertwined, therefore, research that wishes to properly unpack these systems must address them together. This module provides concrete examples of research dilemmas and how they may be overcome with ecofeminist principles. After completing this module, learners will be able to:
* Understand the role of ecofeminist principles in research,
* Apply relevant ecofeminist principles to various research dilemmas.
2) “Creating and communicating a sustainable research culture”:
In this micromodule participants will learn how to develop a tailored climate communication strategy for their research environment (department, group, project). By the end of the module participants should be able to:
* Develop a tailored climate communication strategy for their research environment (department, group, project).
* Explore practical ways to implement small but impactful behavioral changes that promote sustainability within academic culture.
* Apply core sustainability values when planning and delivering events or conferences in their field.
Participants on the workshop will receive specific training on the content of the micromodules. They will also learn how to navigate RE4GREEN’s training materials and incorporate them into their own research ethics and integrity education.
The workshop will follow an interactive methodology. Following a brief introduction to the relationship between sustainability, eco-justice and contemporary research integrity debates, participants will be divided into smaller groups to engage with selected activities from one of the two micromodules. These activities include guided reflection questions, small-group discussions and scenario-based exercises designed to deepen understanding of the concepts and issues discussed. This format enables participants to experience the micromodules as learners and to consider their potential application in training, supervision or institutional integrity frameworks. The workshop will close with a short plenary discussion on the learning experience and potential applications.
The workshop contributes to the conference theme by expanding the scope of research integrity to include environmental and climate responsibility as core ethical concerns rather than optional add-ons. It demonstrates how competency-based micromodules can be used as flexible, modular tools to complement existing research integrity training across disciplines. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how sustainability and ecofeminist principles can be operationalized within everyday research practices, as well as concrete insights into how such topics can be embedded in research integrity education at institutional and systemic levels. The workshop aims at researchers, research ethics and integrity educators, research manager, and all those interested in expanding research integrity frameworks by environmental ethical principles.
References
Bianchi, G., Pisiotis, U., & Cabrera Giraldez, M. (2022). GreenComp: The European sustainability competence framework (EUR 30955 EN) [Edited by Punie, Y., & Bacigalupo, M.]. Publications Office of the European Union. ISBN 978-92-76-46485-3. https://doi.org/10.2760/13286
Sabin, L., Hastings, R., & Evans, N. (forthcoming). Sustainability and eco-justice in everyday research. Zenodo.
Tzouvaras, C., Seedall, C., Tambornino, L., Hastings, R., Evans, N., & Labib, K. (2025). Gap analysis of research ethics and integrity resources for R&I in general and new climate and environmental technologies in particular. Retrieved February 9, 2026, from https://re4green.eu/uploads/2025/02/20250131_D1.3_Gap-analysis-of-research-ethics-and-integrity-resources-output-1.pdf
Key words
Sustainability, climate ethics, environmental ethics, training, research ethics, research integrity