Employee sustainability survey: 14 questions about your workplace
Fourteen questions for employees on the changes they have seen, what slows them down and where to act next.
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The 14 sustainability survey questions for employees
A sustainability survey asks employees what their organization does about its environmental impact, from the changes they have seen to whether its public claims match the inside. These fourteen questions take about four minutes, and you can create a survey online free from them in your own words.
What people have seen change
Three questions about what has already happened, answerable by anyone on staff.
- I can name something this organization changed in the past year to reduce its environmental impact.how visible your changes are to the people doing the work.
- As far as you know, which of these has this organization done in the last twelve months?any change people did not tick is one to announce.
- In your last full work week, how often did you throw away something that could have been reused or recycled?
What helps people act
Across 135 samples covering 47,442 employees, people who felt able to act did more for the environment at work.[1]
- I know what I am expected to do at work to cut waste.the quickest fix: a one-page waste guide.
- At work, the greener choice is usually the easy one to make.
- I know who to tell when I see something wasteful at work.
- Suggestions from employees for cutting waste are acted on here.
Priorities and public claims
Where your people would start, and whether the public story matches the inside.
- Which of these should this organization put first over the next year?the top two answers are next year's shortlist.
- What this organization says publicly about the environment matches what I see at work.read this before you publish your next report.
- I could explain this organization's environmental targets to someone outside it.
- Does this organization publish a report on sustainability or its environmental impact?
Overall
The outcome item, kept apart so you can read it against the drivers.
- Overall, I am proud of what this organization does about its environmental impact.
In your own words
Both optional. One thing to fix and one thing that would help.
- What is the most wasteful thing you see at work?a list of specific things someone can go and fix.
- What would make the greener choice easier for you at work?
Running a sustainability survey at work
Send it to everyone on staff, remote and on-site, about a month before next year's environmental targets are set. No question asks for a name or a team, so report the answers as one set.
Start with questions 4 to 7. A low score there means people are ready to act and something small is in the way, such as a missing waste guide or an unnamed contact. Then set question 2 beside what you really changed this year, and announce anything people missed.
If the complaints are about the building itself, the facility survey questions cover heat, light and repairs. Before you ask suppliers to change, hear their side with a supplier satisfaction survey. A rule you are required to meet belongs in a compliance survey.
Sustainability survey FAQ
What questions should be in a sustainability survey for employees?
Ask what people have seen change, whether they know what is expected of them, whether the better choice is easy, where to report waste, what to put first and whether your public claims match the inside. Close on one overall rating.
How often should you run a sustainability survey?
Once a year, a month before next year's environmental targets are set. Keep the wording the same each year so the answers compare. When those targets feed a wider plan, ask leaders a strategic planning survey as well.
Can I send this sustainability survey to customers?
Customers see your claims but not your workplace, so most of these questions would stump them. To learn what customers believe about your brand, including its environmental claims, send a brand perception survey instead.
Michael Hodge, survey methodology · Updated 26 September 2026 · How templates are reviewed
Sources (1)
- Katz, I. M., Rauvola, R. S., Rudolph, C. W. and Zacher, H. "Employee green behavior: A meta-analysis." Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, volume 29, issue 5, 2022, pages 1146-1157. digitalcommons.odu.edu
Hear from the people who see the waste every day
Fourteen questions that take each employee about four minutes.
Use this template