# Sustainability Audit of University Websites in Poland:
## 5 Discussion
### Results in the Context of the Theoretical Framework  
The study is founded on GSE and SID to indicate specific techniques for reducing web carbon footprint through code optimisation, reduced data transfer, or green hosting. The results contribute new applicational and benchmarking values to the framework. The analysis of 63 websites evaluates the extent to which Polish universities employ GSE and SID principles. The results show that the potential to curb CO2 emissions is often untapped. This finding is relevant because the literature to date has focused on recommendations rather than nationwide comparative data. This way, the study verifies the practical application of design concepts and proposes a quantifiable evaluation of their effects using indicators such as the EcoImpact Score and the integration of various Green SEO measurement tools. It can provide a foothold for future studies and audits related to sustainable digital development.  
The theoretical component draws on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and Stakeholder Theory. According to these theories, organisational decisions, also at universities, regarding the application of sustainable web design practices are shaped by attitudes, social norms, and perceived agency (behaviour control). The results demonstrate that some universities, notably those with outstanding sustainable design, can be guided by operational performance as well as environmental awareness and a sense of social responsibility. Evidently, factors considered in the TPB are at work in the actions of public institutions. At the same time, the low environmental quality of many websites suggests that some universities lack a normative stimulus or deployment capabilities, which is also covered in the TPB. University administrations can be open to sustainable design but still lack the necessary tools, knowledge, and competencies to implement the right design approaches. Hence, the results provide a baseline for further studies on the organisational factors--such as university policies, administrative awareness, student pressure, or legal circumstances--that support or hinder the deployment of energy-efficient digital solutions.  
The connections between the audit results and the theoretical framework of the TPB and ST are shown in the matrix (Table 4) of differences between university clusters regarding attitudes, social norms, and perceived control.  
As demonstrated in Table 4, universities whose websites scored high during the audit can exhibit characteristics consistent with positive attitudes towards the concept and principles of sustainable development, as well as the existence of institutional norms and organisational infrastructure conducive to their application. On the other hand, universities exhibiting the lowest digital quality can lack a clear normative motivation and sufficient technical assets, which potentially limits their capabilities to follow good practices despite access to adequate knowledge. These associations are consistent with the TPB and ST framework, suggesting that it may prove to be useful for interpreting motivations and institutional limitations to sustainable digital transition.