Sustainability Knowledge and Students' Selection of Employers: Self‐Determination Theory Approach

ABSTRACT

This study uses self‐determination theory (SDT) to examine the connection between sustainability knowledge and employer attractiveness in the northern European context. We aim to examine whether prior sustainability knowledge influences students' employer choices, and to identify the processes underlying this relationship. The data were collected from 167 students through an online survey distributed at Åbo Akademi University (ÅAU) in Finland. Analysis was conducted using Model 6 of the SPSS Process Macro. Results suggest that prior sustainability knowledge positively impacts students' outcome expectations, behavioral intentions, and preferences for a sustainable employer. Additionally, outcome expectations and behavioral intentions, individually and sequentially, mediate the relationship between knowledge and employer attractiveness. The study highlights the importance of integrating sustainability into higher education curricula and embedding it into campus culture. It also contributes by using SDT as a motivational lens to interpret how sustainability knowledge relates to students' expectations, intentions, and employer preferences. Finally, it offers insights into employer branding strategies to help companies attract sustainability‐conscious talent. Due to the focus on only one university, this study can be considered exploratory, providing suggestions for further research.