Mainstreaming sustainability through sustainability offices: Modes and mechanisms in Swiss cantonal administrations

Abstract

Public administrations must change toward sustainability to play a meaningful role in sustainable policy-making. However, little is known about how and why sustainability-oriented change unfolds in public administrations. This article aims to advance conceptual and empirical knowledge by examining sustainability mainstreaming through sustainability offices (SO) as a specific type of sustainability-oriented administrative change. Based on a framework that distinguishes modes and mechanisms of mainstreaming, the article provides qualitative insights into how SO in five Swiss cantons shape the work of their respective administrations toward sustainability. The case comparison suggests that sustainability mainstreaming is most transformative when committed SO address a combination of institutional, ideational, and agency-related factors through their activities. These findings highlight the critical role of SO in sustainability-oriented administrative change and lay the groundwork for developing targeted strategies to enhance their effectiveness in mainstreaming sustainability.