Campus operations (CO) are crucial in higher education institutions, serving as a focal point for sustainability efforts. However, despite this importance, only some works have linked them to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Furthermore, CO is often presented as a list of items, requiring further theoretical discussion. This article aims to present a comprehensive overview of CO and outlines a conceptual framework aligned with the SDG. The study used exploratory research, bibliometric review, and content analysis. The findings suggest that CO is a dynamic process management, inherently involving a social component, and can be categorized using similar layers as a city’s, including the environment, infrastructure, buildings, governance, and services. The study also revealed consolidated and trends on CO, which were aligned with 14 SDGs and 33 SDG targets. SDGs 12 and 17 notably demonstrated the greatest opportunities for connections. The findings could provide valuable insight into CO theory development and have potential implications for researchers and green office managers. A clear conceptual framework aligned with the SDGs can lead to more effective and impactful initiatives contributing to a more sustainable future.