Sustainability Survey

The purpose of our sustainability self-assessment is to help schools and colleges assess their current level of climate action and identify areas for further development.

All responses will remain confidential.

Estimated time to complete: 30-40 minutes.

The survey has been designed to allow you to save your progress and return to it later, so if you are unsure of any questions, you can find out and update your response another time.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

- Step 1 of 21

Register

Organisation Name *

URN *

Username *

Email *

Confirm Email

Password *

Password

Confirm Password

Name *

First

Last

Job Title

Do you have responsibility for sustainability in your organisation?

Are you the sustainability lead for your organisation?

Address

Address Line 1

City

State / Province / Region

Postal Code

Save and Resume Later

Basic Information

1. URN/Reference Number

Not required for Trusts

2. Name of organisation *

3. Number of pupils *

Note - the assessment can be completed on behalf of a single organisation (i.e. by school) or on behalf of a group (i.e. Trust or Federation)

4. Type of organisation *

4a. Other

Save and Resume Later

Culture: Governance

5. Have you read the Department for Education Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy? *

Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy

6. Do you have a published environmental policy or mission statement? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

7. Do you have a Climate Action Plan (or equivalent)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

Sustainability Leadership and Climate Action Plans in Education

8. Are environmental considerations integrated into the overall organisation development plan and decision-making processes? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

9. Are environmental metrics included in your key performance indicators for assessing overall organisation performance? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

10. Is the climate crisis recorded on the organisation's risk register? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

11. Have you signed the National Governance Association's Greener Governance pledge? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

Greener Governance Campaign

12. Do you have named Governors/Trustees to create accountability for environmental action? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

13. Do you have named member(s) of SLT accountable for environmental action? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

14. Do you measure your carbon emissions as an organisation? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

14a. Have you previously measured and reported your Electricity & Fossil fuel emissions (from heating/ hot water/ business travel) *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

14b. Have you previously measured and reported other indirect emissions as a consequence of the activities of the organisation but occur from sources not owned or controlled by the organisation. This would include emissions embedded in goods purchased by the organisation. *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

14c. Is there a system in place for tracking and reporting environmental performance metrics? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

14d. Have you set targets for annual reduction of your carbon emissions? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

15. Is there a culture of continuous improvement and a commitment to raising the bar on sustainability performance? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

16. Do you have a programme to undertake regular environmental audits or assessments to identify areas for improvement? Assessments may be by function (e.g. catering) or by source (e.g. energy, water). *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

Save and Resume Later

Culture: Compliance and Transparency

17. Is there a process for regularly reviewing and updating environmental policies and practices? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

17a. Have you sought or achieved any recognized environmental certifications or standards (e.g., ISO 14001)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

18. Do you ensure compliance with relevant environmental laws and regulations? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

19. Is there a process for staying informed about changes in environmental regulations that may affect you? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

20. Is there a commitment to transparency in reporting on both successes and challenges in environmental efforts? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

21. Do you engage in advocacy or support policies that promote environmental protection and sustainability? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

Save and Resume Later

Culture: People Strategy

22. Do you have a designated person or team responsible for environmental matters or sustainability? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

23. Is shared responsibility for climate and environment referenced in the organisation recruitment processes? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

24. Are there regular initiatives or environmental awareness programmes or campaigns to promote sustainable practices and lifestyles among employees? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

24a. Do you have recognition or incentive programmes for employees who actively support environmental initiatives? Note this does not include benefits available to all staff such as cycle-to-work. *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

24b. Are climate/environmental training programmes provided to employees appropriate to their role (e.g. sustainability lead(s) would be expected to have greater depth of training compared to other roles, catering teams would be expected to have specific training on food and food waste alongside a general knowledge of sustainability and climate issues). *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

25. Has the organisation linked its 'wellbeing strategy' - or equivalent - to action on climate, nature connectedness and biodiversity? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

Save and Resume Later

Energy Efficiency and Consumption

26. Do you track your energy usage (gas, electricity, oil)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

26a. Do you have an energy reduction goal or target? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

26b. Is energy data widely available to other staff and students? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

27. Do you have a strategy for minimising energy waste? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

28. Is there adequate metering & controls in place to monitor and optimise energy use in buildings and facilities? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

29. Have you successfully implemented energy-efficient technologies throughout your estate? (e.g. LED lighting, energy-efficient appliances)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

30. Do you utilise renewable energy sources (e.g. solar PV)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

31. Do you have a plan to decarbonise building heating and cooling systems? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

32. Do you have a net zero date that you are working towards? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

33. Is your building fabric and heating systems as thermally efficient and well insulated as possible? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

34. Are you confident that your heating and hot water systems are used as sparingly as possible throughout the year, i.e. temperature set points are reasonable, the systems are switched off/ set-back during weekends/ holidays etc? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

Save and Resume Later

Water Management and Conservation

35. Do you track your water usage? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

35a. Do you have a water reduction goal or target? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

35b. Is water data widely available to other staff and students? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

36. Have you taken steps to minimise water usage and promote water conservation? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

36a. Are there initiatives to capture and reuse rainwater or wastewater within your operations? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

37. Have you implemented technologies or practices to reduce water wastage (e.g. low-flow fixtures)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

38. Are there regular inspections and maintenance procedures for water-related equipment? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

Save and Resume Later

Biodiversity and Ecosystem Protection

39. Do you have a policy for responsible land use to minimise impact on ecosystems? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

40. Do you take measures to protect and conserve natural habitats and biodiversity in your land? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

41. Have you measured the area of land designated to encouraging biodiversity e.g. wildflower areas, wildlife or conservation areas, tree-planting areas? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

42. Are there efforts to restore or rehabilitate areas controlled by your organisation? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

43. Are there initiatives to prevent or mitigate harm to local wildlife and ecosystems? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

44. Have you taken measures to support pollinators (e.g. bees, butterflies)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

45. Are there initiatives to create and maintain pollinator-friendly habitats? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

46. Are children or young people involved in caring for and development of natural outdoor spaces *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

47. Are there clear, measurable biodiversity target(s) that you are working towards (e.g. an area-based target, a planting target)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

Save and Resume Later

Chemical and Hazardous Materials Management

48. Do you have a policy for the responsible use, storage, and disposal of chemicals and hazardous materials? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

49. Are there efforts to minimise the use of hazardous chemicals or replace them with safer alternatives (e.g. weed/pest control)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

50. Does your cleaning team use toxic-free/environmentally friendly cleaning products in all areas? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

51. Do you have a system for tracking and reporting on the handling of hazardous materials? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

Save and Resume Later

Air Quality

52. Have you monitored air quality or taken steps to improve air quality? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

52a. Do you monitor air quality within the building? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

52b. Do you monitor air quality in outdoor spaces? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

52c. Have you taken steps to improve air quality (e.g. engine idling, tree/hedge planting, engagement with Local Authority)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

Save and Resume Later

Disaster Preparedness and Resilience

53. Are there measures to ensure the resilience of organisation operations in the face of emerging environmental challenges (e.g. more extreme weather events)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

54. Do you have a contingency plan and procedures in place in the event of a natural disaster or environmental emergency such that teaching and learning could continue? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

Save and Resume Later

Sustainable Procurement

55. Do you have a procurement policy that prioritises sustainability and climate change? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

56. Generally, does your organisation prioritise or encourage the selection of sustainable products, packaging materials or local suppliers? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

56a. Do you prioritise sourcing sustainable resources (e.g. cotton for uniform, recycled/FSC paper)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

56b. Are there criteria for supplier selection based on environmental performance and sustainability practices? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

56c. Do you track and report on the supply chain and sustainability performance of your suppliers? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

56d. Do you have a process for verifying supplier sustainability claims? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

56c. Have you ever refused to work with a supplier on grounds of inadequate sustainability practices? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

56d. Do you work with suppliers to improve their environmental sustainability practices? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

56e. Do you support initiatives to reduce packaging waste or use eco-friendly packaging materials? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

56f. When planning capital procurement (e.g. buildings, plant, ICT) do you consider the full life-cycle impact of the product, including disposal? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

56g. Are there initiatives to support local and small-scale suppliers, particularly those with sustainable practices? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

57. Do you engage in programmes to take back and recycle products at the end of their lifecycle? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

58. Do you coordinate ordering to help minimise transportation and reduce frequency of deliveries? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

Save and Resume Later

Waste Management and Recycling

59. Do you track your waste production data by type of waste? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

60. Do you have waste reduction goals or targets? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

61. Have you banned single-use plastics (Remove)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

62. Are there efforts to minimise waste generation through buying less (Reduce)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

63. Do you have a strategy to minimise food waste (Reduce)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

64. Have you undertaken a food waste audit within the last 12 months (Reduce)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

65. Are there printing strategies to minimise waste paper production - ID release, defaults, encourage alternative practices (Reduce)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

66. Do you promote repair and reuse initiative before recycling (Repair, Reuse)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

67. Do you have a recycling programme for separating materials like paper, plastics, glass, printer cartridges, e-waste, and metals (Recycle)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

68. Do you use Terracycle (or equivalent) for difficult to recycle waste (Recycle)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

69. Are there initiatives to compost organic waste - food waste, garden waste (Compost)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

Save and Resume Later

Catering Strategy

70. Do you have a Catering strategy to promote sustainability? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

71. Do you promote sustainable food sourcing? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

72. Do you promote sustainable menu choices (e.g. plant-based, vegan)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

73. Do you publish the carbon footprint or climate impact of food choices? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

Save and Resume Later

ICT and Digital Strategy

74. Do you have an ICT strategy that promotes environmental sustainability? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

75. Are there initiatives that incorporate new technology to support measurable environmental improvement? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

76. Do you use data analytics to track and improve sustainability performance? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

Save and Resume Later

School or College activities

77. Do children or young people have opportunity to join an Eco-Committee (or equivalent opportunity to engage in action on climate and sustainability)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

78. Is sustainability work undertaken by the organisation actively linked back to teaching and the curriculum, making it more relevant to children and young people? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

79. Are 'green careers' actively promoted and supported by the organisation? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

80. Has ‘climate education’ been mapped across the curriculum to identify strengths and opportunities to improve? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

81. Does the school have a strategy to strengthen climate education and measure impact and outcomes? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

82. Are pupils given the opportunity to regularly participate in climate action (e.g. eco-council, citizen science)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

83. Do you have a strategy to address climate anxiety? Is this built into you climate curriculum? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

Save and Resume Later

Travel and Trips

84. Is sustainability recognised in the school/ College's trip policy? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

85. Does your school/ College actively try and minimise the amount of travel related emissions? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

86a. specifically relating to the employee commute? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

86b. specifically relating to the parent commute? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

86c. specifically relating to the student commute? (e.g. campaigns, bike racks, cycling proficiency)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

87. Do you track data related to employee, parent or student commute (e.g. method of travel, distance)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

88. Do you track travel data related to trips (e.g. mileage and mode of transport)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

89. Do you organise events, trips or activities with consideration for minimising environmental impact (e.g. waste reduction, energy efficiency)? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

90. Do you provide electric vehicle charge points for your staff and or visitors? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

91. Do you have an employee electric vehicle company car scheme? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

Save and Resume Later

Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration

92. Do you actively & regularly collaborate on your sustainability agenda/action? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

93a. Do you regularly engage with employees and pupils/students on environmental matters? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

93b. Do the majority of employees know that action on climate and sustainability is a priority for the organisation? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

94. Do you engage with the local schools, businesses or community groups on environmental issues and initiatives? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

95a. Are there efforts to help educate the community about environmental sustainability and conservation? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

95b. Are there mechanisms for gathering and incorporating stakeholder feedback on environmental issues? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

96. Do you participate in regional or national climate action networks or initiatives? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

97. Do you collaborate with education sector peers for knowledge sharing and best practices related to environmental sustainability? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

98. Do you collaborate with environmental organisations or initiatives to support biodiversity conservation or habitat protection? *

Yes
No
Working towards
I need to find out

Save and Resume Later

Barriers to progress

99. Are you experiencing barriers to achieving measurable impact on climate action and sustainability? (Tick all that apply) *

No - we are making good progress (no significant barriers)
Strategy - climate action is not a priority
Leadership - we have not invested in climate/sustainability leadership
Mandate - I don't have a mandate or permission to take climate / sustainability action
Knowledge - no broad awareness and consensus on the need to act
Knowledge - no depth of training or experience to support effective action on sustainability and climate change
Capacity - we do not have time or people to dedicate to taking climate action
Budget - we do not have sufficient funding to make progress
Other

99a *

Save and Resume Later

Support to progress

100. What type of support would be most beneficial in helping you achieve impact on climate action and sustainability? (Tick all that apply) *

No - we don't require any additional support at this time
Internal - support from Trustees, Governors or SLT
Training - awareness training to grow engagement amongst the workforce
Training - CPD pathway for sustainability lead(s)
Collaboration - opportunity to join a local/regional group to work together on climate action
Collaboration - opportunity to engage a national network of peers for advice when required
Critical friend - third-party to provide challenge and support (e.g. another school or Trust, a bought-in service).
Other

100a *

Save and Resume Later

User Feedback

Can we improve this assessment to ensure it is valued and fit-for-purpose?

How would you rate your overall experience completing our sustainability assessment? *

Rate 1 out of 5Rate 2 out of 5Rate 3 out of 5Rate 4 out of 5Rate 5 out of 5

How could we improve the sustainability Assessment? *

Opt out of the Index? *

Add me to the Index
I'd prefer to not be publicly added

Are you happy to be contacted by other schools and trusts to share your learnings and experiences in sustainability? *

Updating preview…

This is a preview of your submission. It has not been submitted yet!
Please take a moment to verify your information. You can also go back to make changes.

We will collate the responses into an actionable pdf report summarising all the responses and highlighting successes and key action areas that can be shared with the Senior Leadership Team and Board of Governors.

Anonymised and consolidated feedback may from time-to-time be used to help inform DfE and other government agencies about progress against their sustainability objectives.

Save and Resume Later

Your form entry has been saved and a unique link has been created which you can access to resume this form.

Enter your email address to receive the link via email. Alternatively, you can copy and save the link below.

Please note, this link should not be shared and will expire in 30 days, afterwards your form entry will be deleted.

Copy Link

Email *

Sustainability Survey

Register

Basic Information

Culture: Governance

Culture: Compliance and Transparency

Culture: People Strategy

Energy Efficiency and Consumption

Water Management and Conservation

Biodiversity and Ecosystem Protection

Chemical and Hazardous Materials Management

Air Quality

Disaster Preparedness and Resilience

Sustainable Procurement

Waste Management and Recycling

Catering Strategy

ICT and Digital Strategy

School or College activities

Travel and Trips

Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration

Barriers to progress

Support to progress

User Feedback

We will collate the responses into an actionable pdf report summarising all the responses and highlighting successes and key action areas that can be shared with the Senior Leadership Team and Board of Governors.

Useful Links

Contact