A simple sustainability audit for education settings

I’m hearing this lots lately –

“We should probably be doing more on green stuff”

And it’s made me think about how we can support schools to do ‘more’ for sustainability, for carbon emission reduction and for a greener curriculum – and what that would even look like. Most are doing something – but there are some questions that would really help them link it with their strategic thinking, and give sustainability ‘work’ a greater imp

• What are we already doing?
• What actually counts?
• Where are the gaps?
• What should we prioritise next?

And so we created a simple sustainability audit. Just to help you see clearly where you are.

You’re probably doing more than you think

One of the first things we notice when working with schools and other settings is that good sustainability work is already happening – it just isn’t always labelled as such.

It might look like:

• an eco-group run by enthusiastic pupils
• outdoor learning woven through science or geography
• energy-saving habits staff have developed over time
• a garden, a biodiversity corner, a recycling system
• a member of staff quietly championing greener choices

None of it feels like a “strategy”. So it doesn’t feel like progress, it isn’t always measured and it can’t always be evaluated. (Is this a bad thing I wonder??)

What a sustainability audit actually does

At its simplest, an audit just asks, what does it look like now, and what might we do next?

The Not Yet Zero Sustainability Audit looks at five practical areas:

• Leadership & strategy: is someone responsible, even informally?
• Curriculum & learning: where do learners encounter sustainability or climate ideas?
• Site & grounds: what does your environment say about your values?
• Learner voice: are young people involved or leading?
• Community & culture: is this work shared and celebrated?

It’s an audit with prompts and space to reflect, because I believe that honest reflection is more useful that striving for perfection.

Why this matters now

Sustainability expectations in education are quietly increasing.

We’re seeing:

• more talk of sustainability leads
• climate action plans becoming common
• environmental work appearing in inspection reports
• growing pupil interest and concern about climate change

But the guidance isn’t always clear.

An audit gives you a starting point that isn’t overwhelming.

How settings are using it

People aren’t using the audit as a formal document or report.

They’re using it much more simply:

• a short SLT discussion
• a staff meeting activity
• a baseline before planning next year’s priorities
• a way to join up lots of small, unconnected initiatives
• something to revisit once or twice a year

Sometimes it just helps someone say:

“Actually, we’re further along than we thought.”

And sometimes it highlights one clear next step.

Start small. Stay practical.

The goal isn’t to create a huge strategy.

It’s usually something much smaller:

• naming a sustainability lead
• making existing curriculum links clearer
• improving one outdoor space
• giving pupils more voice
• communicating what you already do

Small, visible progress builds confidence — and momentum.

If you want a place to begin

That’s exactly why we made the Not Yet Zero Sustainability Audit.

It’s:

• straightforward
• suitable for any education setting
• designed to support conversation, not compliance

Aearer picture of where you are — and where you might head next.

👉 Download the Not Yet Zero Sustainability Audit

Use it as a reflection tool, a planning starter, or a quiet sense-check with your team.

Because sustainability doesn’t start with a perfect plan. It just needs with a better question.